As a lesbian, it is often difficult for me to relate to and connect with the world on a deeply personal level. How could I feel seen by a society, or by extension, a piece of media, created by someone who don’t understand my experience? Even if I deeply love and appreciate a piece of work, there is always a level of disconnect. This disconnect extends to most areas of my life. My loved ones and peers will always be there for me, but I still know I am not being fully understood. Not only does decentering men create an entirely different experience that alienates you from the rest of the world, it affects the way people see and relate to you. I have always felt othered, not quite fully understood or included. To non-lesbians, I don’t fit into what the role of a woman is expected to be, nor the role of what people previously thought someone who strays from that norm should be like. I love extravagant, campy motifs. I love glitter, lace, hyperfemininity, and expressing myself boldly and creatively. Seeing art that reflects who I am created by someone that understands me has been deeply impactful. Not only is her art brilliant enough to take over and transform pop music, it is explicitly made for people like me. I support Chappell not only because of the incredible art she produces, but because of the impact she has on my community. Accepting that I was a lesbian was difficult. Not because I didn’t want to be a lesbian, but because of the way the world views us. Growing up at a catholic school, lesbians were always the pit of the joke. Girls would snicker to eachother, calling another girl a lesbian behind her back. I was terrified of the way I would be treated if people knew who I was. I love being a lesbian. Even back then, I never would have wanted to be anything else. Despite this, to my peers, a lesbian was the worst thing a woman could be. Chappell’s influence on popular culture has made me feel so much more accepted in society as femme lesbian. While I will always be proud and don’t need external validation, I feel that Chappell Roan has garnered so much love and appreciation towards lesbians, which I have found to be deeply healing. People are so impressed and captivated by her that their one-dimensional perception of lesbians are completely rewritten. I support Chappell Roan because the cultural and artistic shifts that she has created has been and always will be deeply impactful to me.