Growing up knowing I was attracted to women from a young age, there weren't many mainstream pop acts I could listen to and truly relate to. As a certified pop girly in the mid-2000s, my playlist was filled with the usual suspects like the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, and all the Disney Channel stars. However, it wasn't until I hit my late teens/early 20s that sapphic artists like Hayley Kiyoko and girl in red began to make a real impact in mainstream media.

Remember when you could snag a decent concert ticket with a few weeks of saving up, and the only worry you had was making sure you didn’t lose your place in line? Those days are starting to feel like a distant memory. As live music rebounds from the pandemic, it feels like attending a show has become an exclusive luxury that only the financially fortunate can afford. And honestly, it’s starting to sting, especially for those of us who’ve made concert-going a way of life.