Alena Papayanis

Alena Papayanis is a writer and personal essayist based in Toronto. Her personal essays focus on queer issues, including coming out “later in life,” issues of belonging, queer love and relationships, and her experience as a recovering people-pleaser.

Alena’s personal essays have appeared in HuffPost, Chatelaine, Refinery29, Xtra Magazine, and FASHION and she has also written for the Globe and Mail, including pieces on karaoke and comedy and an op-ed on heteronormativity in healthcare.

Alena is currently writing a coming-of-middle-age memoir in essays, performing at reading and speaking events, and starting a queer advice podcast called “Dear Queer.”

Alena is also a Professor of Arts and Humanities at Humber College where she teaches liberal studies courses on popular culture, conspiracy theories, and the social history of technology.