Aryn Scanlon
Aryn Scanlon (they/them) is a queer writer, astrologer, and teacher based in Milwaukee, WI. They hold a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Chapman University. Their poems and essays have been published online by PULP Mag, Dismantle Magazine, Pussy Magic, South Broadway Ghost Society and Chronotope Magazine.
Scanlon also works with Sinister Wisdom, a multicultural lesbian literary magazine, and was a co-editor for Sinister Wisdom 128: Trans/Feminisms, which was a finalist for the Leslie Feinberg Award from Publishing Triangle. They are currently querying their full length debut lesbian YA novel. They love collecting queer YA books, drinking iced lavender lattes and stanning Frog and Toad’s relationship.
The Manuscript
When Cal accidentally hits Sophie with her skateboard, the two girls start a romantic relationship that pushes them to reckon with their avoidance of the past. For Sophie, a rich girl with impeccable fashion, this means getting back on track after spending the summer at an eating disorder recovery center. For Cal, a working class dyke, this looks like coming to terms with her dad’s sudden abandonment.
Featured Writing
Punk Rock Intervention
"I wasn’t disassociating, letting life passively happen to me. When I was shoved, I pushed back. I danced and got the shit kicked out of me and laughed because I could feel myself reacting to other people’s bodies, responding to the boundaries of skin that bind and separate us. Mosh pits blur and stir the concept of barriers, as participants never abandon their physical autonomy even when they yield to the unpredictability of the pit."
Eating Disorders and Editorials: The Transformative Power of Fashion Photography
“Like most girls growing up in a society over-saturated with media representations of beauty, bodies, and the “ideal woman,” I questioned my worth and value in comparison to these images. They contributed to my distorted self-perception, serving as kindling to my eating disorder. Everyone finds their own healing process, but mine was reinventing theses images with my best friend Kalaija by staging our own photoshoots; a process that allowed us to be participants in a narrative that preferred us to be voyeurs.
The Zodiac Signs as 20th Century Art Movements
“The 12 archetypical signs of Zodiac reflect and deepen the unique characteristics of the avant-garde movements of the 20th century. “The language of art is image, symbol… a language of felt experience,” Julia Cameron writes in The Artist’s Way. The Zodiac is a language too, of symbols, archetypes, associations. The astrologer wields self-expression just like a painter holds a brush or a sculptor molds tactile material. The foundation of both mediums is a desire to merge meaning with experience.”
“To set yourself up for success, emphasize thoughtfulness and deliberateness in your relationships. "This is a time for reflection, contemplation, and slowing down. Venus in Aquarius presents an opportunity for clarity about how you relate to others and yourself. Take each day at a time, and be open to exploring your mental landscape," Aryn says.”
– Sara Youngblood Gregory, What Venus in Aquarius Means For Your Love Life published on PopSugar