Things are getting hotter in Kansas City with VAMP KC

By Nicole Mitchell
Photos by Travis Young

Kansas City’s newest LGBTQIA+-owned burlesque group VAMP KC welcomes you to its all-inclusive classes and performances.

Penelope Mais Oui isn’t from Kansas City, but since moving here from Colorado Springs, she’s been creating noise in the burlesque and LGBTQIA+ scenes. Before moving to the city, Penelope produced a series of classic and classic-inspired burlesque shoes at a locally-owned Colorado Springs art theatre.

“I spent the pandemic not working on a stage,” Penelope says about moving to KC. “When I decided to dip my toes into the burlesque waters again…,” which was first as part of a local troupe, “I found there was a space, a desire, even a need in Kansas City for classic-style burlesque.” By using her previous experience, Penelope knew just what Kansas City was missing. “I already had a vision of what that could look like,” she says.

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Marcia Biederman’s Newest True Crime Book Shows Why Outlawing Abortion Doesn’t Work

By Sophia-Joelle McDowell
Art by Maddy Best

Former journalist Marcia Biederman, has a knack for finding stories that need to be told. As a former journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the New York Daily News, Crain’s New York Business, and New York magazine, Biederman has three mystery novels under her belt and a story in the anthology Sisters in Crime 3

Marcia considers herself a reformed fiction writer, but in recentrecent years, she’s returned to her journalism roots and written four non-fiction, woman-centric books about people whose stories should be better known. Her new book The Disquieting Death of Emma Gill: Abortion, Death, and Concealment in Victorian New England is no exception.

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K.R. Quill’s New Solarpunk Action Book The Century Soldier is One You Won’t Want to Miss

By Sophia-Joelle McDowell
Art by Maddy Best

K.R. Quill (they/them) has been a writer for over a decade, but only recently started self-publishing their books. As a queer person with ADHD and autism, writing and advocacy work are two of their biggest passions, and they do everything they can to advocate for their queer and neurodivergent communities. 

Throughout their childhood a love for reading blossomed, one memorable read being The Tale of Despereaux which they received in second grade. While reading has always been a passion of theirs, they didn’t discover a desire to be a writer until around twelve years old. 

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Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: Choosing Which Charity to Support

By Erin Gabriel
Art by Whitney Young

When the news is full of global crisis after global crisis, it’s not uncommon to feel a profound sense of helplessness when confronted with the myriad of complex issues so prevalent today. From ongoing genocides to pressing concerns such as climate change, gun violence, immigration and refugee crises, and women’s health accessibility, the array of challenges can be overwhelming. The natural question arises: What can one do to help? 

Answering that question seems complex. Which issues deserve your time or financial support? How do you ensure your contributions make a positive impact? However,  you can contribute to positive change through various avenues. 

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What We Wish We Knew Before We Came Out

By The Catcall Team

Here at Catcall, 100% of our regular staff members identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, a statistic that makes us proud af. From bi- and pan-sexuals to trans folks and lesbians, we’ve all had unique queer experiences—and learned a lot along the way. 

Here’s the thing: whether you come out loud and proud or subtly tell the world you’re queer, people will react—sometimes in the best of ways, sometimes in the most hurtful of ways. 

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