Thank u, next. Matching on dating apps validates us and sometimes that's all we want.

It took about six months to transcribe the Los Angeles Hear+Qwere conversation and after a bout of shame for the delay, I’ve decided it’s totally ok. 2019 is about taking action, so cheers to just hitting send, save, print, publish, and saying, “Yes.” Better to arrive late than never. Here’s the L.A. tea. And HNY, henny!

During the L.A. salon we discussed challenges with religion and life in strict households. We uncovered truths about dating apps and the various ways they’re used to get what’s wanted. We dished on when to “code switch,” tried to ID what ‘queer’ even means, and got candid about our young questioning selves.

Trigger warming! Expect real life personal experiences and occasional graphic language.

Names have been respectfully omitted for the privacy of participants, their families and professional networks. Punctuation is used to guide readers most accurately towards the speakers cadence.

Major thanks to those who participated and to Mi Centro in Los Angeles for hosting.