On the Cover
Kiki Shu
Kiki Shu created Always & Forever, the warm, mustard-backed cover art for this issue. According to Shu, the artwork is “a digital illustration made with a limited, layered color palette; […]
Events:
CELEBRATE SPRING
March 15 - April 27Into The Woods
This classic musical follows a Baker and his wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King’s Festival; and Jack, who wishes his cow would
March 21 - April 6Matt Borrello Band
Folk artist from Boston. Boston goes folk?
April 4 @ 9:30 pm - April 5 @ 12:00 amNarrow River Band
A southern RI-based acoustic rock band.
April 5 @ 6:00 pm - 10:00 pmRock Hearts
Musicians from Southern New England who love to sing and pick bluegrass, old country tunes, and seek out newer tunes from other genres to “bluegrass-ify.”
April 5 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pmThe Vox Hunters
Folk group that’s going hunting.
April 6 @ 12:30 pm - 4:00 pmComedy Showcase
New and working local comics.
April 9 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pmDivas of Drag
Order up a double dose of glitz and glamour, sass and class with Rhode Island’s premier drag stars, Haley Star and LaDiva Jonz. We all could use a little bit
April 10 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pmAnthony Gomes
Canadian vocalist, guitarist, songwriter and producer “wails with all the force of a hurricane in the Mississippi Delta and enough fret-burning fireworks to leave his strings in flames.” Hyperbole? We’ll
April 11 @ 8:00 pm - 10:00 pmTwelve OC
This Ain’t Nashville tour by these country musicians and brothers, playing together since their pre-teen years. This definitely ain’t Nashville.
April 11 @ 9:30 pm - April 12 @ 12:00 amMarie Claude
Singer/songwriter.
April 12 @ 11:00 am - 1:00 pmThe Honk
A RI quintet who perform original instrumental and lyric music. Honk honk.
April 12 @ 7:00 pm - 11:00 pmBlack Violin
Full Circle tour.
April 12 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pmAlmost Queen
A tribute To Queen by Steve Leonard. We’re almost doing the fandango already.
April 12 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
On the Cover
Guest Editor’s Note
When the Motif editors invited me to help put together an issue for Pride month, I was initially doubtful. Don’t get me wrong – I was flattered that they liked […]
Where to Find Your New Queer Friend(s)
June may be a great time for smooching (etc. etc.), but a lot of us gays are out here desperately seeking friends! Luckily, Rhode Island has many opportunities for would-be […]
The Apparition of My Unwashed Younger Self
I was 19 years old, a year on hormones, when Max Spit advised me to change my name on my ID if I wanted, but never my gender. “If I […]
The Progress Flag & the Danger of Empty Gestures
The following article is derived from an interview with Lyric Sullivan, a PVD resident currently majoring in art history at MassArt who has a deep interest in what symbols and […]
Queer Jews for a Free Palestine
As the Israeli military continues to carry out its violent assault on Rafah — where over one million displaced Palestinians are sheltering — queer and trans Jews organising for a […]
Consumerism, Pride, and How We Fight Back
The history of the Gay Shame movement and its relevance today
“Are you choking on the vomit of consumerist ‘gay pride?’— Darling spit that shit out — Gay shame is the answer.” So reads a hand-written flyer produced by the Gay […]
In the Archive
Queer ephemera past, present, and future
Wanderground Lesbian Archive & Library A note from Wanderground Lesbian Archive & Library: “Wanderground collects and provides access to a broad selection of New England-based publications, artifacts, and personal memorabilia […]
Queer and Homeless in PVD
I first met Samantha (not her real name) in late 2019, mere months before the pandemic would cause perpetual change and adaptation. At the time, a career promotion left me […]
A Gay Pride Dialogue
We’re John Kotula and Anthony DiPietro. A mutual friend put us together. We’re both writers who celebrate Pride. For several weeks we have been in dialogue by text, email, phone, […]