“Comedy can serve as a bridge to approach subjects that are difficult to talk about and address them in a subversive way that can be highly effective—especially when the punchlines are anecdotal,” says Julie Novak, our readers’ choice for LGBTQ Activist. “With humor, there is a hyperbolic yet completely accurate way of describing the absurdity and idiocy of white supremacy and homophobia. A person might be laughing uncontrollably while being simultaneously uncontrollably outraged. In the end, they get to consider a new perspective they may not have occasion to otherwise.”
Whether she’s emceeing, radio hosting (check out “No One Like You” on Radio Kingston), onstage as solo performer, or producing, Novak never loses sight of love and justice—or of how ridiculous it is that some still don’t get it. Laughter is her way to chant Babylon to its knees.
Happily for the planet, Novak’s unstoppable energy generally has her working on more than one thing at a time. As cofounder and producer of the TMI Project, she’s mentored hundreds, helping them find comedy gold in things they never thought they’d tell a soul. And she’s constantly branching out every which way. Novak also works with the Future Perfect Project, which provides free creative arts workshops for LGBTQIA+ youth and allies across the United States and released the first season of a new animation series called “How Life Is: Queer Youth Animated,” in June on YouTube.
Got an issue the mainstream is ignoring? Novak wants to hear from you. And she firmly believes we can all make things better. “Build partnerships, ask questions, don’t be afraid of things getting a little messy,” she says. “And support BIPOC trans folx. Equity and inclusion need to be the first two things considered by any white activist when making resources available to the entire LGBTQIA+ community, not just those in positions of privilege.”
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This article appears in July 2021.
