ADAM ELI

 

ADAM ELI is wearing the Leo no.004. He is a writer and community organizer living in New York City.

What do you collect?
Sometimes when a movie becomes a book they release special editions of the book with the movie poster as the cover and I love it. I have Remains of the Day, Maurice, Age of Innocence, The Devil Wears Prada, Room with a View, The Princess Diaries and some more.

What occupies your mind?
How we can make the queer community a more open, accepting and accessible space - especially for disabled folks.

What stands the test of time?
Washington Square Park and leopard print.

Who are your inspirations?
Edafe Okporo, Iman Le Caire, Édouard Louis, Ryan McGinley, Qween Jean, Alessandro Michele, Abby Stein, Richie Shazam, Tourmaline, Mx Justin Vivan Bond, Rabbi Sandra, Howard Ashman and Debbie Frieddman.

Do you have a soundtrack to your life?
The most important songs in my life are “Together Again” by Janet Jackson and “Move in the Right Direction” by Gossip.

Where would you find your doppelgänger?
A Hillel (Jewish college campus organization) at a small liberal arts school on the east coast.

What is your favorite word in any language?
Aperitivo (sung to the chorus of Despacito).

What is your favorite candy?
Peanut butter cups.

What was the first piece of cultural work that really mattered to you?
Most vividly? Titanic : ).

What do you still wish to learn?
American Sign Language.

What is still a mystery?
Heterosexuality.

What do you find humorous?
The idea that there could only be two genders when the scope of human expression is so expansive.

What is a distraction?
Trixie and Katya! Long may they reign!

What should we listen to?
I’m listening to a podcast called “Bad Gays” which profiles “evil and complicated queers in history”. The podcast profiles mostly cis gay white men who did some pretty terrible things. Learning queer history is essential and not just the fun heroic parts. How can we fight the ablesim, racisim, classism, transphobia, colonialist attitudes that exist in todays queer community without learning about its history? I’m also really excited about Dani Coyle AKA “Intersexy” podcast “Inter View” that “centers intersex connection, visibility, diversity, and most importantly, JOY”. Any queer movement or human rights movement that does not include intersex people and the fight to #EndInterSexSurgery is incomplete!

Any last words?
God is Gay!