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Emma Cieslik on Muck Rack

Emma Cieslik

(She/Her)
  • National Museum of American History, Collections Specialist
Washington, D.C.
As seen in: Yahoo Life, Smithsonian, Atlas Obscura, Smithsonian Magazine, Teen Vogue, Yahoo, Yahoo Style Canada, Hyperallergic, The Advocate Magazine, Truthout and

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Emma Cieslik’s Biography

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Emma Cieslik (she/her) is a museum professional, religious scholar, and writer based in Washington, D.C. Her research and writing focuses on 2SLGBTQIA+ religious identity, material religion, religious fashion, religion and politics, and the intersections of gender, sexuality, and faith.

Emma Cieslik’s Journalist Portfolio

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Mary, Mother of God, Help Me Find Queer Joy

Mary, Mother of God, Help Me Find Queer Joy

Is it possible to see Mary as a gender-bending, queer prophetess?

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The Trend of Non-Catholics Wearing Rosaries As a Fashion Statement

The Trend of Non-Catholics Wearing Rosaries As a Fashion Statement

Rosary beads are used to express Catholic identity and as an instrument of prayer, but they've been appropria…

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In Altar Installations, Loni Johnson Cultivates Space for Ancestral Spiritual Memory

In Altar Installations, Loni Johnson Cultivates Space for Ancestral Spiritual Memory

Johnson unpacks her spiritual lineage through works that reclaim ancestral memory, hold space for reverence, …

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Coptic Women Sing Too: The Power of Raising Coptic Orthodox Women's Voices

Coptic Women Sing Too: The Power of Raising Coptic Orthodox Women's Voices

When Mariam Youssef was told she couldn't sing, it was in essence a mechanism of holding her cultural identit…

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"Smells and Bells": Catholic Material Religion in Twenty-First-Century America

"Smells and Bells": Catholic Material Religion in Twenty-First-Century America

Worn by lay people since the early Middle Ages, devotional scapulars carry symbols or verses that once connec…

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Fostering Partnership, Foregrounding Trust: The Craft Institution Consortium

Fostering Partnership, Foregrounding Trust: The Craft Institution Consortium

Between July 20 and 22, 2021, AACI hosted the Craft Institution Consortium, where organizations discussed fut…

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Articles

Leatherdykes in Scotland: Leather and its living, lesbian archives

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By Chelsea Daniel Verified, Alex Creece, Emma Cieslik
| Archer Magazine Verified
In queer history, leatherdykes are often discussed within the context of pre-Stonewall butch-femme bar culture. But that’s only part of the story. Since the 1950s, the leather queer subculture has existed in most cities around the world. Leather queers are represented across many communities and identities, from men who ride (and appreciate) motorbikes, to BDSM butches and more.
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The Role of Gay Rodeo in American Culture

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By Emma Cieslik
| Saturday Evening Post Magazine Verified
From that first rodeo with just over 100 attendees, gay rodeos and the local associations that supported them developed throughout the West in Colorado, Texas, California, and Arizona. Because of the need for uniform competition and safety rules and the support of an overarching governing body, these local groups formed the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) in 1985 with Wayne Jakino of Denver as their first president.
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“Art in times like this:” How making art fights not just ICE but fascist regimes, in conversation with Danae Nunez

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By Emma Cieslik
| Whitehot Magazine Verified
Made by Beaners, by Danae Nunez. Permission from the artist. BY EMMA CIESLIKJuly 28, 2026 Danae Nunez, also known professionally as Mocosa, is an artist and immigrant from Mexico. Nunez is the artist and founder of Hecho En Magazine, which showcases and empowers BIPOC creatives.
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Interview

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Why did you become a journalist?

I am a religious scholar and writer, who began conducting archival, oral historical, and ethnographic experience six years ago.

When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?

I am most likely in a museum, scouting out my favorite new queer artist!

Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?

This is a difficult question because I have so many favorites, but I love Hyperallergic, Folklife Magazine, and National Geographic.