Letter from the Editor: Spencer Jenkins
Dear reader,
Recently, a few Bourbon tasters and tour guides educated me on the aging process of Kentucky’s state sprit, and I couldn’t help but notice its parallels with Queer Kentucky. At minimum, Bourbon must age for two years, during which time it develops taste and character through each of Kentucky’s distinct seasons. But, it isn’t until about six years of maturity that Bourbon begins flourishing in its full flavor and transforms into its true colors. With every “Angel’s Share” barrel breath, the more admiration it receives.
Queer Kentucky is six years old. We’re sustainably (kind of) funded, staffed with amazing creatives, and aging with grace and sophistication. And wouldn’t you know it? Our admiration from Kentuckians and people around the world has grown. Never would I have thought that my little gay blog would eventually spearhead a statewide tourism event like Bourbon & Belonging: Kentucky’s Queer Bourbon Week.
Relationships can be complex though, right? As a Bluegrass boy, I love Kentucky. I find home in our rolling hills and miles of splintered black fences. I find ancestral roots in the hollers of Laurel County where my family’s story begins. And I find my sense of self through the gritty, glorious and glam-ish streets of my hometown of Louisville.
And though my love for my home is fierce, two things can be true at the same time — I sometimes resent Kentucky. Our state leaders actively harm our queer community with hateful legislation. Conservative values push many of us deeper and deeper into the darkest closet you’ll ever know. Also, I’m allergic to horses — so that sucks.
I have a similarly complex relationship with Kentucky’s Bourbon industry: I respect and sometimes resent it.
On one hand, My family collects the beautiful Kentucky Derby editions of Woodford Reserve bottles and proudly displays them along our bar tops and mantles. Hot toddies once soothed my sore throat and stuffy nose, and I have fond memories of Bourbon Festival breakfasts in Bardstown including fluffy Bourbon infused pancakes and butter — an experience not to be missed. And most importantly, during Queer Kentucky’s early fermentation years, Bourbon powerhouse Brown-Forman saw the value in our mission and granted us some of our initial funding. Bourbon has offered a lot to my life.
On the other, and as a person in recovery from alcohol and drugs, our relationship is complicated. With the theme of this issue, and the launch of Bourbon & Belonging, I won’t lie and say happiness was my only emotion. I was anxious, stemming from the fact that I would be inundated with Bourbon content for months on end, possibly triggering an urge to drink.
As you flip through the pages of ISSUE 06: Queering the Bourbon Industry, you’ll find LGBTQ+ industry trailblazers and innovators, queer stories of hope in recovery, and the love and life Bourbon offers Kentucky. I hope this issue shows the world that Bourbon is diverse, queer, femme, butch and everything in between.
Love,
Spencer
