#mine: spashley

[andysapril]

2k23 Pride Celebration:

Scenes → South of Nowhere, 1x05

[polniaczek]

SOUTH OF NOWHERE | 1.01 “Secret Truths”

[detective-jane-rizzoli]

[imlike-sogay-dude]

Excuse me... I am very soft and I would like a girlfriend to cuddle 💕

[ratsbyghost]

Song: Infinity Artist: Jaymes Young Fandom: South Of Nowhere Pairing: Spencer/Ashley

[ohlexa]

I love you.

[bellabooks]

3 Days in Queer Utopia: Thoughts on Clexacon

Las Vegas may be known as Sin City, but for a majority of the 2200 Clexacon goers, Las Vegas was more like an oasis in the desert. What was originally conceived as a small but clear response to the Bury Your Gays trope and the death of Lexa on The 100, evolved over the course of a year into a massive celebration of all things queer and female focused in entertainment. The fun started even before the con kicked off, with a party the night before at one of Vegas’ LGBTQ bars, the Phoenix. Queer, trans, non-binary folks and allies alike crammed into the space to drink, dance and meet longtime social media friends in the flesh. The band Betty even took the stage to belt out a tune. Alas, it was not the L Word theme song! The excitement was palpable on Day One of the con and continued throughout the three days, even as peoples’ bodies were weary from late nights and long days. God bless the Clexacon staff and volunteers who walked their feet to the bones and were always available for questions and assistance. Here’s a peek at Day One put together by Clexacon.   I was lucky enough to moderate one of the first panels of the con, Creating a Web Series, with panelists Christin Baker from Tello Films, Nancylee Myatt (South of Nowhere, Nikki and Nora), Paige Bernhart (Nikki and Nora, NCIS Nola) and Aasha Davis (South of Nowhere, Drunk History, The Unwritten Rules). Paige and Nancylee brought a little bit of Mardi Gras to Vegas with them, tossing beads and swag into the audience, and right off the bat you knew it was going to be a great panel. What an honor to speak with such an experienced and talented group of women. In fact, every panel I attended was absolutely killer. Big conversations were started, exciting ideas were generated, bonds were formed, and you couldn’t help but feel that if you could harness the heart of this event, it would have the power to really change the world. I walked away with so much more than I came with, and I am so grateful to all who shared their experiences and knowledge. I only wish I could have attended more smaller panels. Of course, one of the major draws of Clexacon were the big room panels. Panels with big names like the Spashley reunion of Gabrielle Christian and Mandy Musgrave, Wayhaught (with an adorably awestruck Kat Barrell, Dominique Provost-Chalkey and Emily Andras), Shoot (Sarah Shahi and Amy Acker who were incredible sports), Lost Girl, Saving Face, BAM from All My Children, and of course, Carmilla’s Elise Bauman and Natasha Negovanlis, otherwise known as Hollstein. Here’s vid from that panel, where I asked Elise and Natasha to reenact famous scenes between queer tv and movie couples. Let’s just say, they crushed it. It starts at the 20:49 mark.   Other big room panels like Lexa’s Legacy, Year in Review, Power of Queer Social Media, and LGBTQ Actresses  drew big crowds, and had some pretty amazing moments. Another big event was Emily Andras’ writing workshop, which I was lucky enough to attend along with a packed house. Andras has a wonderfully funny but no nonsense approach to writing and is an excellent teacher. The artists alley was full of talented folks selling their wares, as well as organizations spreading the word. My suitcase was no joke, 10 lbs heavier when I left, thanks to all the great merch and Tim Tams straight from Australia. (Thanks Amber!) For a first time con, Clexacon went quite smoothly. Sure there were a few hiccups, but there was so much joy in the air, everyone just rolled with it. I met attendees as young as 8 years old and those in their 70s.  People from across town and across the world.  I can tell you this: I will be back next year. For me personally, from the moment I stepped through the con doors, to the moment I said goodbye to Las Vegas, Clexacon was one of the greatest experiences of my personal and professional life. I learned so much from all of you, and I am grateful, honored and humbled to have met so many lovely people and moderated some incredible panels. I hope you liked all the Bella swag! I know my experience differs from others simply based on the fact that I was there as a moderator and not as a guest, so I have asked Bella readers and Clexacon attendees to share their experiences with us. I’d also invite you to share with us in the comments! “Clexacon was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. I came because the content was something I was really interested in, and because I wanted to meet the friends that I’ve made on twitter. Also Amy Acker. It was a warm, comfortable environment where everyone belonged and accepted each other. It was so easy to make new friends because of this, and because of the commonality we all shared. It was also really powerful to see so many people, and to hear that when we come together, we have a loud voice that has been and will be heard.” – @hmgflyer “I felt as if I was in such a safe space in such a long time! In my city nearly all the queer women’s spaces have ceased operation. Knowing that all these women are into the same stuff I’m into made it even better!” – @CroEna9 “My ClexaCon experience was absolutely amazing! Being the first convention I have ever attended, I don’t think anything could ever compare to the positive, supportive, and just all around amazing energy and vibes that surrounded ClexaCon, all the attendees and amazing line up of guests, was just so heart warming and amzing. The friendships, connections, and the honour of attendance at ClexaCon will forever live on in my heart.” – @LezbrosNFrnz “ClexaCon not only allowed me to connect with one of my passions, television, but also provided me the opportunity to discuss that passion in a space that made me feel safe and validated. For once I wasn’t that weird nerd girl who wanted to discuss representation on television, but part of a community that cares deeply about each other and seeing themselves on tv.” – Morgan Clapp “I hadn’t traveled since I’d been disabled (almost 10 years), but I had to get to ClexaCon! The Staff, including the Volunteers, took such great care of me. I never had to worry about getting into a panel or a photo op. Other Cons could learn from ClexaCon.” – Barbara Wolfe “As a girl that grew up on a tiny island in the Bahamas, face buried in a book or eyes glued to a tv screen for some form of escape from a world I never really felt I belonged to, ClexaCon weekend in Vegas meant more to me than I can ever express. Growing up surrounded by people I didn’t have much in common with was incredibly lonely. I had never realized just how isolated I felt until I was immersed in the world of ClexaCon with people who share my thoughts and feelings and interests. It felt like I was finally home.” – @ShanLaShawn “ClexaCon was, in a nutshell, like a really large family reunion, it was like coming home. Every second spent at the convention space was like being wrapped in this huge, lesbian filled bubble of positive, warm, passionate, energy, just this overwhelming, indescribable feeling of BELONGING somewhere. It didn’t matter how old you were, where you came from, or what you looked like, you were Kru! And that’s a feeling I will always carry with me. ClexaCon and the people I met while there irrevocably changed not only my life, but me as a person!”   -Meagan Baxter “I think that ClexaCon might be my favorite experience of my entire life so far. Not because of the media guests who were there (although Betty McRae meant/means a lot to me and meeting Ali Liebert was amazing), but because of the time I got to spend with fellow LGBTQ women in and out of the Con itself. I don’t know any queer women where I live, so my connection to the community is usually just online. This weekend at ClexaCon I was able to spend time with amazing women (some who I knew online, some who I didn’t) who I share so much in common with as both queer women and fans that I felt freer to laugh, cry, fangirl, and just be myself more than I think I ever have before. It was an amazing experience and I cannot wait to go again next year.” – @buknerd “The panels with content creators and actors were phenomenal. I don’t know how the organizers pulled in the guests that they did, but I was grateful for everyone’s professionalism, knowledge, and ability to keep the audience engaged. I learned from the “Bisexual Representation in the Media” panel. I enjoyed laughing in the reunion panels. I was grateful for the many intelligent audience questions. When I attended the Saving Face Reunion, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Alice Wu’s educational background is similar to mine. Being a Chinese-American, I was also glad to see Alice Wu, Lynn Chen, and Michelle Krusiec on the stage because I realized that it was the first time I had seen people who, for back of better words, look like me and discuss a movie they made.” – Heather Lo “I’m 23 years old and do not have any LGBTQ female friends, they’re all straight. Spending three full days with hundreds of LGBTQ women was the most comfortable environment I have ever been in in my whole life. I never felt out of place, just completely content in my own skin. Stepping over the threshold from Bally’s casino area into the convention each day was like flipping the world upside down and experiencing it the way that it should be: loving, accepting, welcoming, respectful and empowering. I attended the con alone and despite being more of an introvert, I spent every day talking to people I had never met before who came from all around the world for one specific reason. To demand the representation we deserve (and to of course grieve Lexa). This was by far the most necessary and imperative moment for queer women, I learned so much at each and every panel I went to. Calling ClexaCon special is an extreme understatement, but I’m not quite sure there is a more fitting word.” – Susan LeGrice http://dlvr.it/NbNgYB

[polniaczek]

"She's your friend, I get it." "No, you're my friend. And I really haven't been a good friend to you."

SOUTH OF NOWHERE | 2.06 “That Is So Not Mom”

[detective-jane-rizzoli]

[polniaczek]

SOUTH OF NOWHERE | 2.08 “That's the Way the World Crumbles”

[detective-jane-rizzoli]

[detective-jane-rizzoli]

Happy Birthday to Mandy Musgrave! 💖💖💖

[detective-jane-rizzoli]

Happy 40th birthday, Gabrielle Christian!

(Forty is the 2nd best F-word ^_^)

[polniaczek]

South of Nowhere: Secret Truths (Nov. 4, 2005)

[polniaczek]

King school officials report that despite today’s lockdown, the rest of the school season will proceed as usual.