Unearths Joy in the Queer Community

In the desert of southeastern Utah, Riley Black, a contributor to Atmos, found more than just rocks during a day of hiking, bouldering, and clambering. With a keen eye for the hidden, Black discovered a fossil of a 220 million-year-old fish, an encounter that elicited a post-orgasmic joy.

This exhilarating experience, however, is not typically how one describes finding a fossil. The stock answer often emphasizes the intellectual wonder of being the first to see something from another time. But for Riley Black, the emotional depth of the discovery goes beyond the traditional focus on intellectual curiosity.

The world of paleontology is often presented as an intellectual pursuit that focuses on piecing together lost worlds. Reputations in this field are built on the "bring 'em back petrified" mindset, with names of researchers honored in binomials. Yet, Black challenges this norm, expressing the raw emotion and connection that can be felt when uncovering a piece of history.

The connection between nature and emotions is a theme that Black often explores, particularly in their article titled "Queer Ecology." In this piece, Black suggests that queer writers often focus on nature's pain rather than joy due to cultural and societal factors. The article discusses the feeling of finding a fossil, but it also delves into the connection between queer identity and experiencing nature in the context of queer ecology.

Queer ecology is a field that centers on challenging traditional, normative views of nature and human relationships to it. It emphasizes the rejection of essentialist binaries, symbiotic and relational perspectives, and political and cultural resistance. By critiquing the rigid categories of sexuality and gender as socially constructed, queer ecology creates space for multiple forms of identity and ways of relating to the natural world outside heteronormative frameworks.

For Riley Black, the wild can reconnect us to something beyond our rote behaviors, making us vulnerable and receptive to the resonance of our unique emotional galaxies. The desert, with its ever-changing rock formations, serves as a reminder of the Earth's ability to change and transition over time. It is a place where Black learned that even stone changes given enough time.

Sharing elated experiences with others can feel invasive, given the public scrutiny and debate surrounding bodies like Riley Black's. But for Black, the emotional connection to nature, whether through pain or joy, is a crucial part of understanding and recontextualizing our place in the world. By embracing the full spectrum of human emotion, we can better appreciate the beauty and complexity of both nature and ourselves.

[1] Braun, B., & Connell, R. (2013). Queer ecologies: Sex, nature, politics, desire. Routledge.

[2] Plumwood, V. (2002). Environmental culture: The ecological crisis of reason. Routledge.

[4] Seymour, S. (2013). Queer ecology: Sexuality, nature, politics, and culture. Routledge.

Riley Black's emotional journey in the desert stretches beyond the realm of intellectual curiosity, venturing into the heart of paleontology – a field often linked with magazines like Atmos that focus on art, lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, and general news.
In the community of experts, Black's approach stands out, as they question the traditional emphasis on intellectual achievement, and instead, highlight the emotional bond formed with nature and history through encounters like finding a fossil.
This approach is reflected in Black's writing, such as the article titled "Queer Ecology," a piece that explores the relationship between queer identity and experiencing nature, contributed to the discourse on relationships and personal growth.
The concept of queer ecology, as detailed in books like "Queer Ecologies" by Braye and Connell, and "Environmental Culture" by Plumwood, challenges traditional perspectives on nature and human relationships to it.
Addressing the political, cultural, and societal aspects of nature, queer ecology advocates for self-development outside heteronormative frameworks, emphasizing the emotional connection with the natural world.
Pets, travel, career development, entertainment, sports, weather, crime-and-justice, social media, sci-fi-and-fantasy, and education-and-self-development are all areas where one can find parallels with the theme of connections and personal growth, just as Riley Black has found in their exploration of queer ecology.
The unexpected discovery of a fossil, for Black, was an experience that resonated beyond the intellectual, urging a reevaluation of our understanding of nature and ourselves, as well as the role of emotions in our lives.
As Black shares their elated experience with the public, they acknowledge the challenges of navigating the criticism and scrutiny that often accompanies non-conventional identities, urging for acceptance of the full spectrum of human emotion and its importance in cultivating a deeper appreciation for the complexities of both nature and ourselves.
By embracing personal journeys like Riley Black's and the ideas presented in queer ecology, we can foster a more inclusive atmosphere that respects and nurtures diverse perspectives, encouraging growth within the broader community.
Engaging with diverse voices, perspectives, and ideas from several fields, including but not limited to paleontology, nature writing, queer studies, and cultural anthropology, offers insight into the rich tapestry of human experiences and connections.
In addition to learning about the world around us, exploring these connections through various mediums like books, articles, fossils, or even social media can inspire personal and collective transformation, sparking conversations that help us understand ourselves and our place within the continually evolving natural world.