Alaina Leary

Alaina Leary

Bio

Alaina Leary is an editor and activist based in Boston, MA. She is currently a social media editor for We Need Diverse Books. She has an MA in publishing from Emerson College. When she isn’t busy reading, you can find her at the beach or curled up with her girlfriend and their two adopted literary cats.

Alaina Leary Articles

" Our relationship doesn’t just work because we love each other unconditionally; it works because we both try hard to maintain it."

How To Be A Supportive Partner While Managing Your ADHD

Remembering to do things isn’t exactly my strong suit, so I need to actively plan so that my partner isn’t the only one making lists, cleaning the dishes, and checking that our bills are paid on time.

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What The Poor Won't Tell You

All I wanted, most days, was a cute apartment with big windows, sheer curtains billowing in the breeze, where I could sit comfortably and read a book.

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Having A Cat Makes Me Feel Better About Being Alive

I told Winnie that I was queer before I told anyone human—late at night, in my room, after writing it down in my journal. “You won’t stop loving me if I’m gay, will you?” I asked him. He replied with his signature loud meow.

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Did my mom feel alone, as if she were blamed for what happened to her? Like nobody could understand what she was dealing with?

After My Mom Died, Drinking Made Me Feel Closer To Her

When my mom died, I made a list of things that made me similar to her: My favorite color was purple, I liked to write, I loved reading, I adored cats, I didn’t wear makeup, my favorite soda was Pepsi, I lived in oversized sweaters. I was 11, so I didn’t add “I love to drink” to the list, but it crosses my mind now whenever I’m at a bar with friends, and I decide to order a cocktail.

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9 LGBTQ Books To Read For Pride Month

If you’re looking for a Pride Month reading list, or just want to get more LGBTQ+ books on your radar this year, here are a few worth checking out.

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"If I could, I would almost always be outside and near the water."

#RavsWriters: Alaina Leary - Story Teller, Cat Lover, Mermaid

Welcome to #RavsWriters, an opportunity for you to get to know some of th

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Photo credit: Love Simon Movie Poster

I Came Out Online 10 Years Ago. Love, Simon Matters To Teens.

When I was in seventh grade, I logged onto my MySpace blog and wrote a short blog post about being gay and afraid to come out to my family and frie

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When Macey and I planned our engagement photos, I knew I wanted my sparkly, bright lavender cane to be in them. (photo by Ginny Cummings Photography)

Why I Wanted My Cane In My Engagement Photos 

When Macey and I planned our engagement photos, I knew I wanted my sparkly, bright lavender cane to be in them.

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Every time I tell a story about her, I’m keeping our memories alive, one leaf at a time.

Surviving Autumn Without My Mom

We think of holidays and big moments first when we think about death. What we don’t talk about are the little moments in between, like surviving Autumn.

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I’m not a trend setter or a trend follower; I have my own fashion sense that’s completely independent of what’s splashing across Instagram — although I am very in favor of the pastel hair dye trend.

Why I’ll Never Give Up My 90s Bangs

Some people would say my bangs make me look younger and I should grow them out, but I disagree. My bangs don’t magically change my appearance, but my forehead feels naked without them.

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