Behind the Magic: How Our Queer Fairytale Came to Life
– A Story of Community, Identity, and Celebration
Our Queer Fairytale was born from the collective heartbeat of our community, where every voice wove its story into the fabric of something bigger. The creative process was organic, each element finding its place through collaboration and a sense of purpose.
Together, we distilled our experiences—coming out, facing challenges, and embracing pride—into a powerful narrative, inspired by the archetypal Hero’s Journey. This wasn’t just a myth; it was the real story of our lives, told through magic and resilience. A story, after all, is the vessel that carries meaning across time and space.
Our fairytale’s, much like the Hero’s Journey, became a framework for exploring identity and growth. The unique lens of queer experiences gave it life—turning a universal myth into a tale that speaks directly to the journey of coming out, facing adversity, claiming our power through comfort and joy of our body, and returning changed and proud.
At its core, this fairytale celebrates identity and community. It honors the transformative power within all of us. Through unity, we’ve created something that uplifts, heals, and inspires—a reminder that, together, we can tell the stories that matter most.
Check out three reels from our Instagram embedded here, or read the full poem.
Once Upon a Queer
Part I
Once Upon a Sea Man
Once upon a time, on the hill by the bay
In a land far away, San Mariposa, a sad and gloomy village lay.
Among the villagers lay a dark fog of fear and mistrust.
Building walls of conformity, to them, felt a critical must.
In San Mariposa creativity and flair were not to be found.
Because the fog and the mist were magically bound
To wreck and destroy the houses! The towers! The town!
Its always seemed like it was just about to drown!
So the people of San Mariposa worked and toiled
They cleaned and re-cleaned as the walls became soiled
They patched and re-patched as the bricks fell anyway…
They built and rebuilt as the wood rotted away
Until one day…
A storm so dark and fast rolled into the bay,
Unlike any they’d seen before that day.
The sky went black, the clouds danced,
The wind howled, and lightening pranced!
Seemingly out of nowhere a boat appeared…
Its sail torn to pieces jumping like dancers at raves!
Its prow tossed to and fro among the tall waves!
It was struck! Its tall mast alight with lightening!
A loud crack did sound (It was truly very frightening…)
The villagers found a shipwreck on the shore the next day.
Among the boards and beams and treasure of the boat lay
A Sea Man washed ashore with not much to say…
Because he was unconscious on the shore of the bay!
The villagers took the Sea Man in and days went by…
He slept and snored and did not open an eye.
And when he came to everyone could see
His a original purpose had been lost at Sea
Day after day, not a word he would say
But when he could make his way to the bay…
In the wreckage of his ship he’d search all day…
Rummaging, Looking for what he could not say,
Until one bright sunny day thru the village he ran,
A book in the hand of the magically healed Sea Man!
He shouted and hollered as he climbed the hill that day.
From his wreckage in the bay, up the hill to where he’d stay
The villagers from houses, all came out
One by one to see what all was about
From their crumbling and dirty houses they came
To hear what the newly loud Sea Man had to proclaim…
He told of Faeries and Sprites
Of big gemstones and Pirates!
Of dances, and plays, and tales so tragic
Of lands, and peoples, and items of magic!
The villagers were entranced by the what the Sea Man did say
Tales of things mysteriously lacking in the hills by the bay….
With ideas of something else, something wild and free.
One by one they decided they wanted to go out to sea!
The storm was the catalyst, riding in the tide
His revival and words made The Sea Man a guide!
His book a map to help the villagers find Pride
The Villagers his followers (who’d help build his ride)
The villagers stopped toiling and the town did not drown…
And so to work, to build a big ship it was time to get down.
Together they worked and soon they were done!
They went to pack, to prepare, it was time to run!
For seafarers our villagers would be, out in the sun.
The Villagers didn’t all take to the water like fish,
But all the opportunities they learned to relish.
they drove on the wind from isle to isle
There was work they found almost every mile…
For repairing and rebuilding were quite the need
For the storm had hit many an island town indeed.
The villagers found things they had not seen in their days
They found fabrics in colors that set the eyes ablaze
They found books and plays and books about plays
They found paintings and art, and Buildings that were smart!
There were so many new things with which they could not part!
Soon a tale on the sea started to spread
Of a boat wealthy with villagers well fed
Heard by some pirates on a boat big and red
Whom the villager defeated quickly because of something they read…
About pirates and their parts, something better left unsaid
Across the magical sea the villagers travelled
following the map line like yarn that unraveled
Finally one day they reached the ‘x ‘on the map.
Cautious of the possibility it could all be a trap!
Away from their boat on to the shore they traveled
Up a mountain, a path hidden and not graveled
relying on each other to climb to the highest volcano
Only for a loud quake let them know it was about to blow
They sought shelter in a cave where the lava wouldn’t flow.
In the darkness the of cave they spied
A glowing Arch to a new destination lied…
And Off our villagers were transported
2 by 2 To a new adventure feeling so supported…
Part One: Once upon a Sea Man has now been reported.
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Or if you want to participate in this story join us at October Touch: Once Upon a Sea Man!
