Representation and visibility in the Queer South.
With under-documented cultures and communities, there is often a gatekeeper. An archivist, sociologist, anthropologist, or historian decides who or what is and who or what is omitted from history.
The Electric Dirt Collective wants to make sure the voices of Queer Appalachia are heard. Relying heavily on submissions, the underrepresented and misrepresented are able to represent themselves.
Using images and truths, Electric Dirt is helping define Queer Appalachia and the Queer South. By embracing a combination of contemporary technology and social media, Electric Dirt is in a constant state of documenting the culture, community, lives and history of Queer Appalachia.
Now, The Electric Dirt Collective is raising funds to publish the first issue of Electric Dirt: A Celebration of Queer Voices and Identities from Appalachia and the South. The group aims to have the first issue printed and ready to ship by fall 2017 and plans on using Appalachian printers to contribute to the regional economy.
The first run will cost $12,000 to print and includes “green” printing, modest fees for collaborators, outsourced design costs, and postage to ship pre-orders and fundraising rewards.
It’s a crucial time for queer people living in Appalachia and the south. With over 500 religious freedom laws and bathroom bills being introduced in the past year, state legislators were hard enough to navigate without the Trump presidency.
Now more than ever, queer people that live in these regions need as many tools and resources as possible, including connecting with one another.
To help out visit the Gofundme page or visit the Official Website to learn how to submit your own work.