I’m a day later than usual as I’ve been having a shitty time of things lately. I don’t fully need to get into why, just lots of mental health issues, which is the new normal for me these days but I bring it up because, what you were saying about misogyny, it hit me hard. You hear things about how it effects people but for me as a person already dealing with a lot of shit, and also me being an AFAB who isn’t a girl but doesn’t pass as not a girl, it added levels of complication for me when I had my own experience. Essentially I was at the dog park, with two guys and their dogs, all of which I’ve known for several months now, one guys dog started humping the other guys dog, both me and the owner on the dog being humped said ‘oh’ and then the dogs name in a frustrated tone. The owner of the dog doing the humping, (which he isn’t stopping happening) has a go at me telling me to ‘mind my own fucking dog’ and when I come back with a retort (which didn’t enfold swearing, but simply ‘he wasn’t doing that’) he then respond ‘well you need to go and mind your own fucking business’. He didn’t have a go at the other guy or his own dog, and he kept talking to the other guy. While that might not sound awful or bad, because of my mental health issues, (depression, anxiety, etc) I find it hard to get out of the house but I’ve been taking Grover to the dog park almost everyday since we got him months ago. The dog park was one of my safe spaces and now I feel worried I’ll see that guy whenever I go there. I don’t need Solutions or anything, I’m still going, just taking a parent with me for the start part (which isn’t at all humiliating because I’m 16). Anyway, misogyny is a fucking bitch (pun intended), and it sucks even more when it makes your gender dysphoria worse and it makes it harder to get out of the house.
Whoever read this far, thanks for reading, I’m really sorry if you can relate.
Anyone who hasn’t go listen to/read high school and then watch the tv series! They’re both fantastic! And they’re stories about queer women, which as Tegan said we need way more of!
It’s always weird for me thinking about you (Tegan and Sara) as kids my age because I like to try and wonder if we’d have been friends. I’d like to think so. I probably would’ve tried to convince you to stop doing drugs while you’d be trying to convince me to try them. (Yes I’m like Spencer). I’m glad we didn’t grow up together though, because you two have done so much for the LGBT+ community and I love having you two as my role models.
Sorry for the loooooooong post! And the rant!
Thanks again for the post!
Phoenix, he/they/it, 16, Australia
PS: one of the many things I love about you guys (T&S) is that so many people say ‘one day I’ll write a book’ but you actually did it! Made it happen! And as someone who want to be a writer I find that so inspiring!
Thank you for the work, courage and perseverance it took to get your story out there, and for giving us the opportunity to read, listen and learn. There are some insights gained from the book that have stuck in my head and which I continue to think about. I am grateful for the education.
Love High School. You kinda make me wanna revisit it in the very near future.
And Tegan, reading that you secretly aspired to be a filmmaker is so cool, considering there's more than one way to be a filmmaker, and between High School and Destiny, NY, I'd say you found a way to do it.
I was actually looking for Destiny, NY at the comic-book shop in Huntington, NY when I came down to see you last week, as I love to buy books when I travel that somehow relate to the specific trip. Sadly, it's out of print or something, so I bought another one of Tillie's instead :)
I also sent a gift to your green room, which I know will make you especially happy, Tegan, considering how happy and at ease you are about receiving gifts. I hope it found its way to you.
Thanks for branching out to so many other mediums so we can enjoy the ideas swirling in your heads in different formats.
Reading High School for the first time was a magical experience that transported me through time. Can't believe it's been 4 years since you released it.
I absolutely adore High School and HMJLY (brilliant album) you’re both incredible writers and I can’t wait to see whatever you want to write about next. 💛
It’s such a powerful and emotional memoir from you both, one of my favourite books. And one that I will definitely go back to and read multiple times, throughout the years.
Happy fourth birthday to it!!! 🥹❤️🎉
PS I also love the audiobook version, and certain chapters of it make me very emotional and tear up, hearing yourselves reading it.
Reading each of your stories in each of your voices and perspectives, then going back through your catalogue, really made a lot of things click for me. You shared so much of yourselves in the memoir which must have been empowering, cathartic, and terrifying all at once. Thank you for doing the brave thing. The ripple effects created by the bravery you've demonstrated throughout your career are profound.
I love everything you write, in all mediums. You are my heros!!! Looking forward to all the new endeavors. Any news on a possible High School season 2?. I want to see what happens after that cliffhanger at the end of season 1. Ha! Take care and be safe!!!! See you in Orlando. Later
Congrats, I really appreciate your work and music generally. Looking forward to what will happen going forward with High School the TV series. Especially with the writers strike now potentially having ended.
I want to do more writing about the show for sure.
I can definitely relate to some things in your book. Especially about being an outsider. I had a hard time coming out as I was trying hard to fit in or blend in. I didn’t want to come out and be even more ostracized. I did eventually come out (mainly to myself as I didn’t exactly have friends to come out to). I realized that I would never “fit in” so it didn’t matter what o said or did. High School is one of my favourite books and I’ve read it at least 6 times now. Thank you for having the courage to share those memories with us. Thank you for writing it in such a way that I can get lost in its pages.
“There is no Frigate like a Book To take us Lands away.”
Thank You for all the inspiration. Since a Kid I said: I'll make comics. But time and jobs lead me to Graphic Design & 3D stuff. Years passed and I meet some of my heroes in comics and I started to think on my own project, sadly many years passed. I got some surgery and I thought its now or never. And then I meet another of my heroes again at Comic Con and there where You guys talking about your book and graphic novel again a dream come true to say hi to you and hearing your stories and a mix of my other experiences with artist I admire I finally said THIS YEAR I'll finish my "first-second" comic book. I'm doing a page per day and watching with joy those characters. that is a matter of commitment but yea also: when time is right. I'm almost finish. So sharing your passion, energy and art inspired me to do my own thing as well. I understand the struggles for new projects and I admire your career and the way its evolving. As a fan I will ask please keep doing art in the forms you find ok in your life because everything changes and priorities as well, but the energy, love, company and inspiration you share in your art (music, book, graphic novels) is also now part of your life and part of my life. Congratulations T&S for this anniversary. Thank You for your kindness at that meeting. Love T&S forever.
you guys were so cool in high school, like writing letters to girls and having secret girlfriends. I know someone and we both like each other and she's really funny and cool and I want to ask her on a date but I want to rip my eyes out when I think about it because I'm too scared to ask her.
As someone who has never fit in (despite huge efforts on my part and losing myself in the process) High School will always hold a special space in my heart. I saw my teen self in those chapters. Reading High School has allowed me to fully embrace the real me.
Has it been 4 years already,that's gone by so quick.I remember seeing the tour your done reading us snippets of the book and music from HIJLY,was so good,I had a really bad cough at the time and felt shit for making so much noise lol.im sure you have plenty more cool projects to come in the future for all us fans,thankyou for all that you do 🙂
Teenage Dirt Bags
Such huge inspirations and my 2024 goal is to try acid.
Half kidding. I’ll keep you posted on the outcome.
Hey Tegan (and Sara),
Thanks for posting! (Please read when you can!)
I’m a day later than usual as I’ve been having a shitty time of things lately. I don’t fully need to get into why, just lots of mental health issues, which is the new normal for me these days but I bring it up because, what you were saying about misogyny, it hit me hard. You hear things about how it effects people but for me as a person already dealing with a lot of shit, and also me being an AFAB who isn’t a girl but doesn’t pass as not a girl, it added levels of complication for me when I had my own experience. Essentially I was at the dog park, with two guys and their dogs, all of which I’ve known for several months now, one guys dog started humping the other guys dog, both me and the owner on the dog being humped said ‘oh’ and then the dogs name in a frustrated tone. The owner of the dog doing the humping, (which he isn’t stopping happening) has a go at me telling me to ‘mind my own fucking dog’ and when I come back with a retort (which didn’t enfold swearing, but simply ‘he wasn’t doing that’) he then respond ‘well you need to go and mind your own fucking business’. He didn’t have a go at the other guy or his own dog, and he kept talking to the other guy. While that might not sound awful or bad, because of my mental health issues, (depression, anxiety, etc) I find it hard to get out of the house but I’ve been taking Grover to the dog park almost everyday since we got him months ago. The dog park was one of my safe spaces and now I feel worried I’ll see that guy whenever I go there. I don’t need Solutions or anything, I’m still going, just taking a parent with me for the start part (which isn’t at all humiliating because I’m 16). Anyway, misogyny is a fucking bitch (pun intended), and it sucks even more when it makes your gender dysphoria worse and it makes it harder to get out of the house.
Whoever read this far, thanks for reading, I’m really sorry if you can relate.
Anyone who hasn’t go listen to/read high school and then watch the tv series! They’re both fantastic! And they’re stories about queer women, which as Tegan said we need way more of!
It’s always weird for me thinking about you (Tegan and Sara) as kids my age because I like to try and wonder if we’d have been friends. I’d like to think so. I probably would’ve tried to convince you to stop doing drugs while you’d be trying to convince me to try them. (Yes I’m like Spencer). I’m glad we didn’t grow up together though, because you two have done so much for the LGBT+ community and I love having you two as my role models.
Sorry for the loooooooong post! And the rant!
Thanks again for the post!
Phoenix, he/they/it, 16, Australia
PS: one of the many things I love about you guys (T&S) is that so many people say ‘one day I’ll write a book’ but you actually did it! Made it happen! And as someone who want to be a writer I find that so inspiring!
Thank you for the work, courage and perseverance it took to get your story out there, and for giving us the opportunity to read, listen and learn. There are some insights gained from the book that have stuck in my head and which I continue to think about. I am grateful for the education.
Love High School. You kinda make me wanna revisit it in the very near future.
And Tegan, reading that you secretly aspired to be a filmmaker is so cool, considering there's more than one way to be a filmmaker, and between High School and Destiny, NY, I'd say you found a way to do it.
I was actually looking for Destiny, NY at the comic-book shop in Huntington, NY when I came down to see you last week, as I love to buy books when I travel that somehow relate to the specific trip. Sadly, it's out of print or something, so I bought another one of Tillie's instead :)
I also sent a gift to your green room, which I know will make you especially happy, Tegan, considering how happy and at ease you are about receiving gifts. I hope it found its way to you.
Thanks for branching out to so many other mediums so we can enjoy the ideas swirling in your heads in different formats.
X
Reading High School for the first time was a magical experience that transported me through time. Can't believe it's been 4 years since you released it.
I absolutely adore High School and HMJLY (brilliant album) you’re both incredible writers and I can’t wait to see whatever you want to write about next. 💛
It’s such a powerful and emotional memoir from you both, one of my favourite books. And one that I will definitely go back to and read multiple times, throughout the years.
Happy fourth birthday to it!!! 🥹❤️🎉
PS I also love the audiobook version, and certain chapters of it make me very emotional and tear up, hearing yourselves reading it.
Reading each of your stories in each of your voices and perspectives, then going back through your catalogue, really made a lot of things click for me. You shared so much of yourselves in the memoir which must have been empowering, cathartic, and terrifying all at once. Thank you for doing the brave thing. The ripple effects created by the bravery you've demonstrated throughout your career are profound.
I love everything you write, in all mediums. You are my heros!!! Looking forward to all the new endeavors. Any news on a possible High School season 2?. I want to see what happens after that cliffhanger at the end of season 1. Ha! Take care and be safe!!!! See you in Orlando. Later
Congrats, I really appreciate your work and music generally. Looking forward to what will happen going forward with High School the TV series. Especially with the writers strike now potentially having ended.
I want to do more writing about the show for sure.
I can definitely relate to some things in your book. Especially about being an outsider. I had a hard time coming out as I was trying hard to fit in or blend in. I didn’t want to come out and be even more ostracized. I did eventually come out (mainly to myself as I didn’t exactly have friends to come out to). I realized that I would never “fit in” so it didn’t matter what o said or did. High School is one of my favourite books and I’ve read it at least 6 times now. Thank you for having the courage to share those memories with us. Thank you for writing it in such a way that I can get lost in its pages.
“There is no Frigate like a Book To take us Lands away.”
-Emily Dickinson
Thank You for all the inspiration. Since a Kid I said: I'll make comics. But time and jobs lead me to Graphic Design & 3D stuff. Years passed and I meet some of my heroes in comics and I started to think on my own project, sadly many years passed. I got some surgery and I thought its now or never. And then I meet another of my heroes again at Comic Con and there where You guys talking about your book and graphic novel again a dream come true to say hi to you and hearing your stories and a mix of my other experiences with artist I admire I finally said THIS YEAR I'll finish my "first-second" comic book. I'm doing a page per day and watching with joy those characters. that is a matter of commitment but yea also: when time is right. I'm almost finish. So sharing your passion, energy and art inspired me to do my own thing as well. I understand the struggles for new projects and I admire your career and the way its evolving. As a fan I will ask please keep doing art in the forms you find ok in your life because everything changes and priorities as well, but the energy, love, company and inspiration you share in your art (music, book, graphic novels) is also now part of your life and part of my life. Congratulations T&S for this anniversary. Thank You for your kindness at that meeting. Love T&S forever.
you guys were so cool in high school, like writing letters to girls and having secret girlfriends. I know someone and we both like each other and she's really funny and cool and I want to ask her on a date but I want to rip my eyes out when I think about it because I'm too scared to ask her.
❤️
As someone who has never fit in (despite huge efforts on my part and losing myself in the process) High School will always hold a special space in my heart. I saw my teen self in those chapters. Reading High School has allowed me to fully embrace the real me.
You are "hard at work on two other book projects as we speak"? 👀 Any hints? After all, it's just us here at Substack. 😇 🤫
That post also makes me want to re-read High School. 📖
Has it been 4 years already,that's gone by so quick.I remember seeing the tour your done reading us snippets of the book and music from HIJLY,was so good,I had a really bad cough at the time and felt shit for making so much noise lol.im sure you have plenty more cool projects to come in the future for all us fans,thankyou for all that you do 🙂