(A Special Edition of Love Issues, Bridgerton style)
Dearest Gentle Reader,
It has come to my attention that the month of February was not without drama.
Our beloved community proved rather… animated.
Group chats were lively, Instagram comments warmed quickly, and the Deaf aunties observed with that look. You know the one. Which means something was brewing.
It would have been terribly irresponsible not to report.
Sit up straight and adjust your pearls. I have notes.
Let me begin.
The Super Bowl Halftime That Had the Room Watching
Celimar Rivera Cosme and Julian Ortiz didn’t stand in service to the music. They embodied it, shaping the lyrics in the air as the rhythm moved through their hands and faces, all the way down their spine.
They had their own stage and a livestream that centered them.
This wasn’t interpretation placed beside the spectacle.
It was the spectacle.
Bad Bunny sang in Spanish, and the signing followed in Puerto Rican Sign Language, marking historic firsts for the halftime stage. Many hearing viewers complained they didn’t understand the words.
Deaf viewers clocked the irony. Funny how quickly roles reverse.
We may not have known every lyric either, but we understood the intention behind it and the pulse moving through the air.
For years, Deaf performers have been confined to the corner box, visible yet hidden. That evening felt different. They moved with the rhythm of the stage like they’d always belonged there.
Deaf pride traveled fast, followed by more than a few “DID YOU FEEL THAT?” messages sent in all caps.
And somewhere in the middle of it all, a billboard declared, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
The timing was exquisite.
When representation is done with intention, it doesn’t feel like charity.
It feels inevitable. Like breathing.
The App Drama No One Could Ignore
Not all announcements, dear reader, are met with applause.
The Anna: Sign Language App recently introduced two CODAs (Children of Deaf Adults) as instructors, appointed to teach sign language on the platform.
The temperature in the room changed at the snap of a finger. Just like that.
This wasn’t really about fluency. It was about positioning, about who stands at the front when our language becomes profitable, and who ends up just slightly to the side.
That distinction tells you everything.
Deaf professionals already navigate limited opportunities. In that context, even a teaching role carries weight. Technical skill isn’t really the debate. The real question is who stands at the center when the spotlight turns toward our language.
The comments, as you might imagine, were lively.
Screenshots made their rounds, and Deaf creators wasted no time sharing their opinions.
When a language has had to fight for survival, representation is rarely neutral.
So the question became very simple. Who benefits most from this arrangement, really?
It’s remarkable how quickly profit rearranges the seating chart.
The Accessibility Affair
Accessibility made headlines more than once this season.
During the Super Bowl, while the halftime performance gave us pride, many noticed something else entirely. Commercials aired without captions. Again.
Even Marlee Matlin took to social media to call it out. You’d think we’d be past this by now.
Visibility on stage doesn’t mean much if access disappears during the ads.
Then, over on HBO, accessibility features for The Pitt provoked irritation among some hearing viewers who found ASL interpreters… confusing.
Undoubtedly distracting.
Inclusion has a way of feeling intrusive to those who’ve never needed access.
The Deaf community responded with clarity and more restraint than some deserved. When access is treated as optional, what’s really being suggested is that someone else’s presence is optional too.
That suggestion has a way of pissing us off.
Imagine being inconvenienced by someone else’s access.
👑 So What Do I Think?
You knew I had thoughts.
Visibility expands and people love to react when the spotlight shifts. Tension follows. That’s the nature of being seen.
We celebrate when representation feels right. When it doesn’t, we say so. If accessibility is brushed aside, we don’t look away.
Call it gossip if you want. I see a community getting comfortable with its own voice.
We’re no longer whispering.
Lovecore HQ: Quick Dopamine Hits
📰 Print Moment: I’m meeting with my town’s City Lifestyle magazine editor and there’s a possibility Lovecore will be featured. Nothing confirmed yet, but the fact that we’re even in the room feels grown. Manifesting good lighting and the correct spelling of Lovecore this time.
🍌 Bananas Stickers: The Love’s Gone Bananas stickers are officially part of the collection now. They’re loveable and make me dance every time I see them, which feels like a perfectly valid reason to exist.
10% of proceeds from the collection continue to go to Deaf West Theatre, because loving the culture means supporting the stage it stands on. There may be a few collaborative moments unfolding behind the curtain as well.
What I’m Loving Right Now
(because I refuse to enjoy things alone)
🍿 Binge: Bridgerton Season 4 on Netflix. Research for this special edition, obviously. I tell myself it’s the storytelling, but it’s giving Cinderella all over again.
📚 Read: Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson. It has me looking at everyone in my life and quietly assigning them colors, myself included. I won’t be sharing results.
💄 Makeup: NYX x Bridgerton 2-Piece Lip Kit. My daughter caught me deep in my Bridgerton era and gifted this to me for Valentine’s Day. That’s love.
✨ Look: H&M Off-The-Shoulder Sweater. It’s soft enough and slightly dramatic. It makes me feel like I belong in a manor somewhere, even if I’m just in New Jersey answering emails.
😋 Snacks: Colts Bolts Dark Chocolate Cups. I picked them up to silence a craving. One bite later, I was hooked. Whole Foods, of course.
What’s Next?
If February revealed anything, it’s that love refuses to be sidelined.
And neither do we.
We were never meant for the corner of the room. That’s where spectators stand.
Until next time, dearest reader.
Keep your hands expressive and your standards high.
XO,
Nickie
(Lady Lovecore, for this issue)
P.S. If you have thoughts, I suspect you do. My inbox is open. 🫶🏼