The Finale

When thinking about Mark and I’s final issue, I knew I wanted it to be different and unique. I think a lot of magazines focus on beauty and trends, but there is so much more. I think they can show off weirdness and other aspects of photography not traditionally given a platform. And I knew that's what I wanted this one to be, a showcase of all the weird and beautiful ways we can exist in this world.

Our current political and cultural climate is very anti-weirdness. You can be unique within a mold, and nothing more. I love the camp of burlesque – The unhinged glamour and artistic style arising from political and revolutionary philosophy, the vulnerability of it all is so stunning. 

Much like burlesque, the circus is the exact opposite of this traditionalness we find ourselves trending towards. It embraces different types of art, people, and communities. Queer authenticity is something I think we should always be highlighting, and these two artforms embrace boldness, queerness, and the avant guarde.  

Looking back on over two years of co-running this magazine, I have experienced so many amazing opportunities and learned so much about leading a group of creatives with different visions. Being able to work with friends in a creative way, doing something I love is what makes the New York experience whole. 

We started this journey with just me, Mark, and his camera, and over the years we have gotten to work with some amazing people, some very frustrating people. At the very end, 47 will always be about my love for Mark, New York City, and creativity.  

There’s so much I can say about the existential feeling, the love and heartbreak of putting your all into creating something, working on it day after day, creating a community of people interested in uplifting this effort, the hope and failures, and constant rebuilding, rethinking, and growing. I've learned so much about planning, delegating, knowing when to admit you’re wrong, and sticking to the truth of my efforts. There are always going to be people praying on your downfall, and there will always be people who support and believe in you.  

In a way, 47 is our baby, which we grew out of nothing and made it what we could with what little we had. Just a vision and a camera. 

In this next chapter for 47, I hope the magazine stays true to Mark and I’s vision - simply to provide a space for queer people to make art. While I’m sad to step back from something we put our blood, sweat, brains, and tears into, I am excited to hand off the magazine to people who can direct all their efforts into it while Mark and I move on. In just a few years, I’ve been a model, photographer, actress, salesman, event planner, manager, creative director, choreographer, and more. I’ve taken pictures with cool people in amazing locations, all with my vision in mind. 

Each issue has been a moment in time for me. I can look back on each of our 17 issues and see where I was, what I was inspired by, what I was thinking about, and how I felt. I am truly grateful for that. While 47 started as a fun side project, it has really shaped a lot about who I am and what I want to do in the world. As a law student, creativity is something that feels out of reach a lot of the time. 

I’ve always felt I wasn’t creative, or didn’t have a place to show that I am. This magazine convinced me otherwise and allowed me to see the joy and strength that comes from having an outlet and focusing on how art is everything. 47 forever.  

With all my love, and finally,  

Sophia Querrazzi  

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Photographer: Mark Bluemle @barks.mindd

Director: @sophiamq_14

MUA: Maggie Moland @magzabeth_

Talent:

Jack Oesterle @jackoesterle

Jaden Rittweger @jjadeddjjadenn

TL Smith @swishmontanaa

Aidan F. Dean Dunn @aidan_dunn1

Maggie Moland

Sophia Querrazzi

Hair as Self-Expression: How Queer Barbershops and Salons Empower LGBTQ+ Communities

Hair transcends gender norms; it is a canvas for personal expression, free from societal constraints. For many, changing their hairstyle is a powerful way to align with their gender identity or showcase nonconformity, freedom, and pride in their individuality. This is especially true in LGBTQ+ communities, where hair holds deeper significance and provides a platform for creative self-expression in a world that often seeks to suppress it.

You may have heard the phrase, “The personal is political.” Originating in second-wave feminism, this influential slogan has grown to represent the idea that personal choices—like the ways we present ourselves—can influence political and social structures. For those in the LGBTQ+ community, decisions related to appearance—such as haircuts, styles, and colors—often defy conventional gender norms, making these choices inherently political. In this context, hair becomes more than a physical attribute: it symbolizes resistance, self-determination, and the challenge to binary gender perceptions.

The Significance of Barbershops and Salons in LGBTQ+ Communities

Barbershops and hair salons hold a special place in LGBTQ+ communities, but not all spaces are welcoming. Traditional salons or barber shops can inadvertently reinforce gendered expectations-–some are hyper-masculine, while others are overtly feminine—leaving queer individuals feeling alienated and dissatisfied. These experiences highlight the importance of queer-friendly salons and barbershops that cater specifically to the diverse needs of the LGBTQ+ community.

For many, visiting a queer hairdresser is about more than just getting a haircut; it’s about feeling validated and seen in a space that encourages authenticity. These establishments are often viewed as essential community hubs, especially for transgender and non-binary individuals. In mainstream beauty schools, hairdressing is typically taught with a binary understanding of gender, leaving little room for the non-conforming expressions that so many LGBTQ+ individuals seek. For those navigating gender identity, hair is a deeply personal element—representing self-acceptance, discovery, and empowerment. Queer hairdressers break down stereotypes and offer a space where clients can confidently explore and express their true selves.

Challenges in Finding Inclusive Spaces

Although queer-friendly barbershops and salons are becoming more common in urban areas, they remain scarce in rural or conservative regions. For some, finding an inclusive and judgment-free space means traveling long distances, and even then, not all supposedly queer-friendly salons are truly inclusive. It's essential to find a place that genuinely supports and affirms the identity of each individual, free from assumptions or discrimination.

Another challenge is gender-based pricing, which remains a significant issue in the beauty industry. Women's haircuts and treatments are often priced higher than men's, reflecting an unfair gender hierarchy that extends beyond salons. While queer salons may aim to create more equitable spaces, some still inadvertently perpetuate this pricing structure. A truly inclusive queer salon should adopt gender-neutral pricing, ensuring that their services reflect the non-binary, inclusive ethos they aim to uphold.

Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusivity in LGBTQ+ Hair Care

Beyond gender inclusivity, it’s crucial that queer salons and barbershops also demonstrate cultural competence. For people of color who are also part of the LGBTQ+ community, finding a queer-friendly hairdresser who is also skilled in working with textured hair can be particularly challenging. While many traditional salons claim expertise in textured hair, this does not always translate into knowledge about different curl patterns, shrinkage, or the specific care needs of textured hair. Therefore, finding a salon that combines cultural sensitivity with technical expertise is essential for clients seeking an affirming, high-quality experience.

Inclusive queer barbershops and salons must not only challenge gender norms but also race-based discrimination, ensuring they serve a diverse clientele with the care, respect, and expertise they deserve. A truly inclusive space is one where individuals, regardless of their gender identity, race, or sexual orientation, can feel seen and understood.

The Power of Safe, Affirming Spaces

For those exploring their identity, creating safe and affirming spaces goes beyond merely offering a service. It involves cultivating environments where people feel truly valued and validated, especially when it comes to how they present themselves. Hair plays a significant role in the LGBTQ+ community’s sense of self and identity, making the right queer barbershops and salons essential.

These spaces offer more than just physical transformations—they empower clients by helping them feel confident, accepted, and celebrated for who they are. In an often discriminatory world, queer-friendly barber shops and salons open the door to a new kind of acceptance, where individuals are not only seen but truly heard.

Written by Madison Everlith

Photographed by Fiona Torres Moino @fionatorresmoino

Directed by Mark Bluemle @markbluemle

Hair, PA: Diamond Durant, @diamondurant

Hair: Natasha Teiman @natasha_teiman

Talent: Sarah Emilia @sarahemiliaharris

Mask for Mask: The Power of Persona… or the Lack Thereof

We are always wearing masks. Sometimes literal — makeup, costumes, stage names, usernames. Sometimes invisible — sarcasm, confidence, aloofness, ambition. But we all have them. We all use them. And for good reason. Masks, personas, alter-egos — they allow us to shapeshift. To survive. To stand a little taller when we feel small. To say the thing we might otherwise swallow. To be bold when boldness feels dangerous. In many ways, this is ancient magic. Ritualistic. Human.

The Stage Name is a Spell

There’s a reason musicians, writers, and drag performers carefully choose their names like weapons or talismans. A stage name doesn’t just hide the “real” person — it creates a new one. It allows distance. Freedom. Power. Drag queens know this better than anyone. A drag persona isn’t just a mask — it’s armor, it’s exaggeration, it’s truth wrapped in glitter and camp. Queens often say that their drag self allows them to express parts of themselves that feel dangerous or impossible to show in everyday life. It’s not about becoming someone else. It’s about becoming more yourself. Even musicians do this. Lady Gaga isn’t separate from Stefani Germanotta — she’s an expansion of her. Childish Gambino isn’t hiding Donald Glover — he’s illuminating him. Stage names become permission slips. Permission to be big. Loud. Weird. Honest. 

Online, The Mask Slips On Faster

Social media, for better or worse, has normalized the persona. A username, a profile pic, a carefully curated bio — these are all tiny masks. Sometimes empowering. Sometimes destructive. We see it in anonymous activism — voices speaking truth to power without fear of retaliation. We see it in creative freedom — artists experimenting without risking real-world judgment. And… we see it in cruelty. Anonymity can protect the vulnerable — but it can also embolden the cowardly. The faceless troll. The online bully. The comment-section assassin who would never dare say those words out loud. The mask frees them from consequence, and so their worst instincts spill out unchecked. That’s the double-edge of the persona: it reveals what’s already inside us — for better or worse.

The Persona Isn’t The Power — You Are

So what do we do with this knowledge? If we only feel powerful in the mask — only funny when tweeting anonymously, only sexy in drag, only confident under a stage name — what does that say about how we see ourselves unmasked? It says we’ve learned to compartmentalize our bravery. To ration out our worth. To believe that confidence is a costume, not a birthright. But here’s the secret: the mask was never magic. You were always the magic. The persona didn’t invent your boldness — it just gave you permission to access it. The stage name didn’t create talent — it let it shine without apology. The anonymous post didn’t invent your truth — it simply lowered your fear. Imagine if you didn’t need the mask to do that anymore. Imagine standing on your own two feet, without the glitter, the username, the alias — and still feeling whole. Still feeling worthy. Still feeling enough. Like RuPaul said best, “When you become the image of your own imagination, it’s the most powerful thing you could ever do.”

Wear the Mask — But Don’t Forget Who’s Underneath

This isn’t an argument against personas. Far from it. Wear them. Create them. Celebrate them. There is ancient, beautiful power in the names we choose, the faces we paint, the voices we adopt. But know this: The mask should be a tool, not a cage. It should set you free, not trap you. The goal isn’t to never wear a mask. The goal is to know — deeply, unshakably — that you were powerful before you ever put one on. And that you’ll be powerful still, long after you take it off.

Written by Jai LePrince

Photography by Mark Bluemle @barks.mindd

Production and Direction by Sophia Querrazzi @sophiamq_14

Talent: Jaden Rittweger @jjadeddjjadenn

Talent: Marc Semana @marcmiaou

Talent: Sophia Querrazzi