disappear first

Midwest emo meets trans insurrection. gay person meets red state. desire meets negation and care. insurrectionary anarchist literature meets sad poetry by teenagers.

Jouissance is described by some philosophers as being a subconscious state of enjoyment that betrays a societal norm. Throughout mk zariel's DISAPPEAR FIRST, zariel portrays this almost-undefinable word with a queer lens; the idea that queerness is inherently anti-normative. The collection defines the numerous layers of jouissance with one phrase: "do you deny yourself?" saying to be queer without pursuing the politics of queerness is denying the self. This collection will leave you with a hankering for betraying the norm—for finding "a ragtag band of misfits" to sing with. — JP (she/him)