Monthly Truffle Box Subscriptions Available for Holiday Gifts!

Having trouble shopping for that special person you unapologetically love? Wanting more chocolate for yourself on a regular basis with minimal effort?

Queer Chocolatier's Monthly Truffle Box Subscription is just for you!

November's Flavor of the Month Release Party

Fight off the cold weather with some delicious new truffles! Queer Chocolatier is proud to present Hazelnut Crunch Truffles! Available today online! But, if you have the patience of a saint, you can wait a day and join us for the Downtown Muncie First Thursday Arts Walk and get your first taste of Hazelnut Crunch at our Flavor Release Party in our retail space! Either way, don't miss this flavor!!

Three-word-thoughts

To begin counting the number of things I'm thankful for would push the bounds of mathematics as well as patience of those around me. Often, I'm caught up in wonder about how I have such kind and supportive folx around me as I endeavor on as a businesswoman. But, today, instead of continually wondering, I'll simply be thankful and be happy! Friendships, new and old, have been a cornerstone to Queer Chocolatier. Even now, I attempt to go on about how I don't deserve the wonderful friends I have, I am sitting and quieting myself to remember to simply be thankful and not judge myself in these moments. 

Friendship | Marriage | Instincts

Friendships, new and old, have been a cornerstone to Queer Chocolatier. Even now, I attempt to go on about how I don't deserve the wonderful friends I have, I am sitting and quieting myself to remember to simply be thankful and not judge myself in these moments.  This is a skill I am still learning regularly and I learned it from my wife. We are approaching our 2nd Thanksgiving as wife and wife (hashtag: wifeysquared) and being a small business owner is not easy on a marriage, but my marriage to my spouse makes owning a business pretty easy. Ultimately, the skill she teaches me in quieting myself and listening to my instincts has been not only a good emotional skill but it has made me a better chocolatier. I trust my instincts more and more each time I'm in the kitchen, developing a new recipe.

My thankfulness knows no bounds. Share with me your Three-Word-Thoughts on what you're thankful for in this moment.

News Bites:

Cocoa/Queer/Trans*

Tidbits of news, books, blogs, and podcasts featuring current trends, deeper knowledge, and new-to-you conversations!

News Bites: November

Music: Fatima al Qadiri

In an interview with Pitchfork Magazine, al Qadiri discusses themes in her new album Shaneera (which is an English mispronunciation of an Arabic word for "gender-defying evil queen" among other meanings), but she hesitates to delve too deeply into the dissection. Too much can get lost in translation when describing queer culture in the Gulf, al Qadiri offers. But she has explored the implication of the stark gender binary in Arabic countries that it seems fitting that her album title centers defying gender.

Chocolate

According to Food & Wine Magazine, there is a surprising location (think, Beehive State) of flourishing American artisan chocolate-makers. Somehow, they haven't heard of us in Muncie, yet! But check out some of the great chocolate geniuses in the nation and, in the meanwhile, imagine the day when Queer Chocolatier brings chocolate-making to town!

Politics

While Phillipe Cunningham is running for city council in Minneapolis's 4th Ward and is proudly representing trans* excellence, this Esquire article notes that: "The representation is much needed. While last year saw Democrats Misty Snow and Misty Plowright become the first transgender politicians to claim major party nominations, it was also the deadliest year on record for LGBT people. "

We desperately need more voices, more seats at the table, more bills with our perspectives. And everyone needs to come to a clear understanding that Black Lives Matter and Trans* Voices Matter.

Finance

Forbes Magazine featured an interview, which was originally hosted on the Queer Money(TM) Podcast, discussing the need for the queer community to have its own credit union. The LGBTQIA2+ community, on average, is more likely to experience financial stress and poverty (and the related conditions of poverty) than those who identify as heterosexual.

On its face, I can see the need for the queer community to come together and utilize/provide a financial system that can help buffer some of the negative consequences of engaging in financial transactions. The interviewee even brought up the fact that it is still not against the law to discriminate against same-sex couples in providing a home loan in the majority of the states in the nation; in 29 states, a person identifying as queer can be denied a home loan.

However, it is to be stressed that the "on average" qualifier is necessary in describing comparisons between heterosexual versus LGBTQIA2+ populations because cis white gay men still experience a great deal of financial privilege that many others in the queer/trans* umbrella do not. As such, I have qualms about the voices heard during the interview and the hosts of the Queer Money(TM) Podcast as they are not necessarily experiencing the same financial challenges as those others in the community who are not cis white gay men.

What are your thoughts?

Fashion

It may not come to the top of the mind for some folks, but for others--particularly in the LGBTQIA2+ community--clothing can be armor to protect against the world as much as it can simply cover your body. Racked.com features this thought-provoking article regarding q/t clothing swaps and leaves Queer Chocolatier wondering how we can make something like this happen in Muncie!

From the article: "For Wiley, wearing gender-affirming clothing is not only important because it makes him feel comfortable — it also means he’s less likely to be misgendered. 'Misgendering' refers to someone mistaking or mislabeling a trans person’s gender. It can include using the incorrect pronouns, honorariums like Mr. or miss, or calling someone a 'man' or 'woman.' In Wiley’s case, he’s more likely to be recognized as a man and referred to with the correct pronouns if he’s wearing masculine clothing. 'When I go outside, it's very important to me to minimize as much as I can the amount of harassment and violence I experience from transphobic people,' he explains. 'Dressing "like a man" is a big part of preventing that unwanted attention.'”