Not all of us are fortunate enough to have been raised by a Drag Mother to show us the gay ropes. Luckily, a new app called “Quist” will teach LGBTQ history and culture with daily updates about milestones and landmarks of queer culture. It’s like having Dorian Corey in your pocket!
With LGBTQ issues not generally taught as part of the regular curriculum in high schools and colleges, it’s certainly a legitimate fear among older gays that queer history will be lost to a younger generation seen as increasingly myopic. This app, available today on Android and iPhone for free through Google Play or iTunes, works towards preserving important alternative histories and herstories.
A Huffington Post article on the app cites the lack of community felt by the younger generation of queer youths as a possible cause of the tragically high suicide rate of LGBTQ teens. Perhaps this app will give new hope to the up-and-coming legendary children by instilling in them a sense of the “shared struggle” of queer people.
The app is not narrowly limited to homo-normative gay history but also includes facts on HIV/AIDS events as well as gender-fluid and trans-peoples, with links to YouTube videos and resources for more information. And what would our history be without a bit of voyeuristic joy: the app is rated 12+ on iTunes for “infrequent/mild sexual content or nudity, infrequent/mild mature/suggestive themes.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Maybe now we won’t have to deal with insufferable contestants on Drag Race who don’t know what the Stonewall Riots were or who have never seen Paris is Burning. The SHADE of it all!
Matt G
So if this is like having Dorian Corey in your pocket, does that mean you’ll have a mummy in a box inside your pocket as well 😉
QJ201
Lets see, before the internet when I was gay kid
I WENT TO THE LIBRARY AND BOOKSTORES. Read everything gay I could get my hands on.
and since everyone is too damn lazy to do you know a web search we need an app to force feed you gay history.
alterego1980
@QJ201: It’s just another medium. And this one happens to be in a “language” younger people can understand…Good for the creators for being innovative and finding new ways to channel info to a younger crowd.