Dear Community,
BUMPER STICKER: Tradition is just peer pressure… from dead people.
I had the above bumper sticker printed up last year after hearing this expression. It really resonated with me as our nation grappled with the racial injustice that has been rippling through the country for hundreds of years. There is the tradition of white supremacy as well as the tradition of resistance and uprising, and we live within the confluence of both, still.
Within this issue, you’ll find a lot of different perspectives on how traditions shape our lives, whether by giving meaning to us or by reacting against them, or simply by creating our own. The writers and poets examine the pressures of family, religious, or societal traditions and the joys of finding deeper meaning from them.
And what about queer traditions? Jen Bonardi examines what has happened and what may happen to Boston Pride. Lisa Martin shares a new tradition set by the Pennsylvania governor officially recognizing Bisexual Pride Day, and she encourages other states to follow suit. And I write about BBWN’s own book swap brunch tradition that’s been going on for over 20 years. You’ll also find two reviews of bi books, some news briefs, and a celebration of the 5th Bi+ Arts Festival in Toronto.
Ellyn Ruthstrom