Taylor Portela is a queer, nonbinary poet and performer based in Portland, Oregon. A graduate of the University of Michigan (B.A.) and Virginia Tech (M.F.A. in Creative Writing), Taylor has performed under the name Lavender Scare and has had work featured in The Adroit Journal, Fence, WUSSY Mag, and more.

This week, we discuss their newest work, Tranny Muse, a hybrid poetry and prose collection forthcoming from Unbound Edition Press in June 2025. Blending drag, Mormonism, queer identity, and performance, Taylor explores themes of gender, sacredness, rebellion, and personal transformation. Through intimate conversation and live readings of poems like Prodigal and Mother, Taylor shares the inspiration behind the book’s bold title, the aesthetics of queer failure, and the deep emotional terrain of reclaiming identity.

Join us as we explore their collection of poetry and explore how their experiences with drag, queerness, and faith shape and deepen their creative work.

This is Taylor Portela Unbound.

Purchase your copy of Tranny Muse on amazon or directly from https://www.unboundedition.com/product/tranny-muse-taylor-portela-cross-genre/ 

For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at https://www.unboundedition.com/