diff --git a/client/coral-admin/src/containers/UserDetail.js b/client/coral-admin/src/containers/UserDetail.js
index 2ae6e4c9c..edde4b585 100644
--- a/client/coral-admin/src/containers/UserDetail.js
+++ b/client/coral-admin/src/containers/UserDetail.js
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ class UserDetailContainer extends React.Component {
 }
 
 const LOAD_MORE_QUERY = gql`
-  query CoralAdmin_Moderation_LoadMore($limit: Int = 10, $cursor: Date, $author_id: ID!, $statuses: [COMMENT_STATUS!]) {
+  query CoralAdmin_Moderation_LoadMore($limit: Int = 10, $cursor: Cursor, $author_id: ID!, $statuses: [COMMENT_STATUS!]) {
     comments(query: {limit: $limit, cursor: $cursor, author_id: $author_id, statuses: $statuses}) {
       ...CoralAdmin_Moderation_CommentConnection
     }
diff --git a/client/coral-admin/src/reducers/moderation.js b/client/coral-admin/src/reducers/moderation.js
index e0a608488..cf08bda60 100644
--- a/client/coral-admin/src/reducers/moderation.js
+++ b/client/coral-admin/src/reducers/moderation.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ const initialState = {
   storySearchVisible: false,
   storySearchString: '',
   shortcutsNoteVisible: window.localStorage.getItem('coral:shortcutsNote') || 'show',
-  sortOrder: 'REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL',
+  sortOrder: 'DESC',
 };
 
 export default function moderation (state = initialState, action) {
diff --git a/client/coral-admin/src/routes/Moderation/components/ModerationMenu.js b/client/coral-admin/src/routes/Moderation/components/ModerationMenu.js
index 7b427ac54..a28e90c65 100644
--- a/client/coral-admin/src/routes/Moderation/components/ModerationMenu.js
+++ b/client/coral-admin/src/routes/Moderation/components/ModerationMenu.js
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ const ModerationMenu = ({
           label="Sort"
           value={sort}
           onChange={(sort) => selectSort(sort)}>
-          <Option value={'REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL'}>{t('modqueue.newest_first')}</Option>
-          <Option value={'CHRONOLOGICAL'}>{t('modqueue.oldest_first')}</Option>
+          <Option value={'DESC'}>{t('modqueue.newest_first')}</Option>
+          <Option value={'ASC'}>{t('modqueue.oldest_first')}</Option>
         </SelectField>
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/client/coral-admin/src/routes/Moderation/containers/Moderation.js b/client/coral-admin/src/routes/Moderation/containers/Moderation.js
index d5ca5c840..ba8a80677 100644
--- a/client/coral-admin/src/routes/Moderation/containers/Moderation.js
+++ b/client/coral-admin/src/routes/Moderation/containers/Moderation.js
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ const COMMENT_REJECTED_SUBSCRIPTION = gql`
 `;
 
 const LOAD_MORE_QUERY = gql`
-  query CoralAdmin_Moderation_LoadMore($limit: Int = 10, $cursor: Date, $sort: SORT_ORDER, $asset_id: ID, $statuses:[COMMENT_STATUS!], $action_type: ACTION_TYPE) {
+  query CoralAdmin_Moderation_LoadMore($limit: Int = 10, $cursor: Cursor, $sort: SORT_ORDER, $asset_id: ID, $statuses:[COMMENT_STATUS!], $action_type: ACTION_TYPE) {
     comments(query: {limit: $limit, cursor: $cursor, asset_id: $asset_id, statuses: $statuses, sort: $sort, action_type: $action_type}) {
       nodes {
         ...${getDefinitionName(Comment.fragments.comment)}
diff --git a/client/coral-admin/src/routes/Moderation/graphql.js b/client/coral-admin/src/routes/Moderation/graphql.js
index 0d4991f72..e3dac8e8f 100644
--- a/client/coral-admin/src/routes/Moderation/graphql.js
+++ b/client/coral-admin/src/routes/Moderation/graphql.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ function shouldCommentBeAdded(root, queue, comment, sort) {
     return true;
   }
   const cursor = new Date(root[queue].endCursor);
-  return sort === 'CHRONOLOGICAL'
+  return sort === 'ASC'
     ? new Date(comment.created_at) <= cursor
     : new Date(comment.created_at) >= cursor;
 }
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ function addCommentToQueue(root, queue, comment, sort) {
     return root;
   }
 
-  const sortAlgo = sort === 'CHRONOLOGICAL' ? ascending : descending;
+  const sortAlgo = sort === 'ASC' ? ascending : descending;
   const changes = {
     [`${queue}Count`]: {$set: root[`${queue}Count`] + 1},
   };
diff --git a/client/coral-embed-stream/src/containers/Stream.js b/client/coral-embed-stream/src/containers/Stream.js
index 451b115a9..de05f27b6 100644
--- a/client/coral-embed-stream/src/containers/Stream.js
+++ b/client/coral-embed-stream/src/containers/Stream.js
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ class StreamContainer extends React.Component {
         cursor: comment.replies.endCursor,
         parent_id,
         asset_id: this.props.root.asset.id,
-        sort: 'CHRONOLOGICAL',
+        sort: 'ASC',
         excludeIgnored: this.props.data.variables.excludeIgnored,
       },
       updateQuery: (prev, {fetchMoreResult:{comments}}) => {
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class StreamContainer extends React.Component {
         cursor: this.props.root.asset.comments.endCursor,
         parent_id: null,
         asset_id: this.props.root.asset.id,
-        sort: 'REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL',
+        sort: 'DESC',
         excludeIgnored: this.props.data.variables.excludeIgnored,
       },
       updateQuery: (prev, {fetchMoreResult:{comments}}) => {
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ const COMMENTS_EDITED_SUBSCRIPTION = gql`
 `;
 
 const LOAD_MORE_QUERY = gql`
-  query CoralEmbedStream_LoadMoreComments($limit: Int = 5, $cursor: Date, $parent_id: ID, $asset_id: ID, $sort: SORT_ORDER, $excludeIgnored: Boolean) {
+  query CoralEmbedStream_LoadMoreComments($limit: Int = 5, $cursor: Cursor, $parent_id: ID, $asset_id: ID, $sort: SORT_ORDER, $excludeIgnored: Boolean) {
     comments(query: {limit: $limit, cursor: $cursor, parent_id: $parent_id, asset_id: $asset_id, sort: $sort, excludeIgnored: $excludeIgnored}) {
       nodes {
         id
diff --git a/client/coral-framework/utils/index.js b/client/coral-framework/utils/index.js
index 63dfd7dc4..84249667d 100644
--- a/client/coral-framework/utils/index.js
+++ b/client/coral-framework/utils/index.js
@@ -156,12 +156,12 @@ const ascending = (a, b) => {
 
 const descending = (a, b) => ascending(a, b) * -1;
 
-export function insertCommentsSorted(nodes, comments, sortOrder = 'CHRONOLOGICAL') {
+export function insertCommentsSorted(nodes, comments, sortOrder = 'ASC') {
   const added = nodes.concat(comments);
-  if (sortOrder === 'CHRONOLOGICAL') {
+  if (sortOrder === 'ASC') {
     return added.sort(ascending);
   }
-  if (sortOrder === 'REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL') {
+  if (sortOrder === 'DESC') {
     return added.sort(descending);
   }
   throw new Error(`Unknown sort order ${sortOrder}`);
diff --git a/client/coral-settings/containers/ProfileContainer.js b/client/coral-settings/containers/ProfileContainer.js
index e33c0b6cd..920f50e73 100644
--- a/client/coral-settings/containers/ProfileContainer.js
+++ b/client/coral-settings/containers/ProfileContainer.js
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class ProfileContainer extends Component {
           me: {
             comments: {
               nodes: {
-                $apply: (nodes) => insertCommentsSorted(nodes, comments.nodes, 'REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL'),
+                $apply: (nodes) => insertCommentsSorted(nodes, comments.nodes, 'DESC'),
               },
               hasNextPage: {$set: comments.hasNextPage},
               endCursor: {$set: comments.endCursor},
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ const CommentFragment = gql`
 `;
 
 const LOAD_MORE_QUERY = gql`
-  query TalkSettings_LoadMoreComments($limit: Int, $cursor: Date) {
+  query TalkSettings_LoadMoreComments($limit: Int, $cursor: Cursor) {
     comments(query: {limit: $limit, cursor: $cursor}) {
       ...TalkSettings_CommentConnectionFragment
     }
diff --git a/graph/loaders/comments.js b/graph/loaders/comments.js
index 7a17cfabd..0df73e970 100644
--- a/graph/loaders/comments.js
+++ b/graph/loaders/comments.js
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ const getCommentsByQuery = async ({user}, {ids, statuses, asset_id, parent_id, a
   }
 
   if (cursor) {
-    if (sort === 'REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL') {
+    if (sort === 'DESC') {
       comments = comments.where({
         created_at: {
           $lt: cursor
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ const getCommentsByQuery = async ({user}, {ids, statuses, asset_id, parent_id, a
   }
 
   let query = comments
-    .sort({created_at: sort === 'REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL' ? -1 : 1});
+    .sort({created_at: sort === 'DESC' ? -1 : 1});
   if (limit) {
     query = query.limit(limit + 1);
   }
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ const genRecentReplies = (context, ids) => {
       }
     }},
 
-    // sort these by their created at timestamp, CHRONOLOGICAL'y as these are
+    // sort these by their created at timestamp, ASC'y as these are
     // replies
     {$sort: {
       created_at: 1
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ const genRecentComments = (_, ids) => {
       }
     }},
 
-    // sort these by their created at timestamp, CHRONOLOGICAL'y as these are
+    // sort these by their created at timestamp, ASC'y as these are
     // replies
     {$sort: {
       created_at: 1
diff --git a/graph/loaders/users.js b/graph/loaders/users.js
index c4850eaf0..fe7a6285d 100644
--- a/graph/loaders/users.js
+++ b/graph/loaders/users.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ const getUsersByQuery = ({user}, {ids, limit, cursor, statuses = null, sort}) =>
   }
 
   if (cursor) {
-    if (sort === 'REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL') {
+    if (sort === 'DESC') {
       users = users.where({
         created_at: {
           $lt: cursor
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ const getUsersByQuery = ({user}, {ids, limit, cursor, statuses = null, sort}) =>
   }
 
   return users
-    .sort({created_at: sort === 'REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL' ? -1 : 1})
+    .sort({created_at: sort === 'DESC' ? -1 : 1})
     .limit(limit);
 };
 
diff --git a/graph/resolvers/cursor.js b/graph/resolvers/cursor.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2e7fec605
--- /dev/null
+++ b/graph/resolvers/cursor.js
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+const GraphQLScalarType = require('graphql').GraphQLScalarType;
+const Kind = require('graphql/language').Kind;
+
+module.exports = new GraphQLScalarType({
+  name: 'Cursor',
+  description: 'Cursor represents a paginating cursor.',
+  serialize(value) {
+    if (value instanceof Date) {
+      return value.toISOString();
+    }
+
+    return value;
+  },
+  parseValue(value) {
+    if (typeof value === 'string') {
+      return new Date(value);
+    }
+
+    return value;
+  },
+  parseLiteral(ast) {
+    switch (ast.kind) {
+    case Kind.STRING:
+
+      // This handles an empty string.
+      if (ast.value && ast.value.length === 0) {
+        return null;
+      }
+
+      return new Date(ast.value);
+    default:
+      return ast.value;
+    }
+  }
+});
diff --git a/graph/resolvers/index.js b/graph/resolvers/index.js
index 850a2f15a..69ae9ca3e 100644
--- a/graph/resolvers/index.js
+++ b/graph/resolvers/index.js
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ const ActionSummary = require('./action_summary');
 const Action = require('./action');
 const AssetActionSummary = require('./asset_action_summary');
 const Asset = require('./asset');
-const Comment = require('./comment');
 const CommentStatusHistory = require('./comment_status_history');
+const Comment = require('./comment');
+const Cursor = require('./cursor');
 const Date = require('./date');
 const FlagActionSummary = require('./flag_action_summary');
 const FlagAction = require('./flag_action');
@@ -31,8 +32,9 @@ let resolvers = {
   Action,
   AssetActionSummary,
   Asset,
-  Comment,
   CommentStatusHistory,
+  Comment,
+  Cursor,
   Date,
   FlagActionSummary,
   FlagAction,
diff --git a/graph/typeDefs.graphql b/graph/typeDefs.graphql
index d2c1ffe1f..505026389 100644
--- a/graph/typeDefs.graphql
+++ b/graph/typeDefs.graphql
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 # Date represented as an ISO8601 string.
 scalar Date
 
+# Cursor represents a paginating cursor.
+scalar Cursor
+
 ################################################################################
 ## Reliability
 ################################################################################
@@ -126,10 +129,10 @@ input UsersQuery {
   limit: Int = 10
 
   # Skip results from the last created_at timestamp.
-  cursor: Date
+  cursor: Cursor
 
   # Sort the results by created_at.
-  sort: SORT_ORDER = REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL
+  sort: SORT_ORDER = DESC
 }
 
 # AssetsQuery allows teh ability to query assets by specific fields
@@ -241,10 +244,10 @@ input CommentsQuery {
   limit: Int = 10
 
   # Skip results from the last created_at timestamp.
-  cursor: Date
+  cursor: Cursor
 
   # Sort the results by created_at.
-  sort: SORT_ORDER = REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL
+  sort: SORT_ORDER = DESC
 
   # Filter by a specific tag name.
   tags: [String!]
@@ -314,7 +317,7 @@ type Comment {
   recentReplies: [Comment!]
 
   # the replies that were made to the comment.
-  replies(sort: SORT_ORDER = CHRONOLOGICAL, limit: Int = 3, excludeIgnored: Boolean): CommentConnection!
+  replies(sort: SORT_ORDER = ASC, limit: Int = 3, excludeIgnored: Boolean): CommentConnection!
 
   # The count of replies on a comment.
   replyCount(excludeIgnored: Boolean): Int
@@ -348,10 +351,10 @@ type CommentConnection {
   hasNextPage: Boolean!
 
   # Cursor of first comment in subset.
-  startCursor: Date
+  startCursor: Cursor
 
   # Cursor of last comment in subset.
-  endCursor: Date
+  endCursor: Cursor
 
   # Subset of comments.
   nodes: [Comment!]!
@@ -573,7 +576,7 @@ type Asset {
   # If `deep` is true, it will return comments of all depths,
   # otherwise only top-level comments are returned.
   comments(
-    sort: SORT_ORDER = REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL,
+    sort: SORT_ORDER = DESC,
     limit: Int = 10,
     excludeIgnored: Boolean,
     tags: [String!]
@@ -652,10 +655,10 @@ type ValidationUserError implements UserError {
 enum SORT_ORDER {
 
   # newest to oldest order.
-  REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL
+  DESC
 
   # oldest to newer order.
-  CHRONOLOGICAL
+  ASC
 }
 
 # All queries that can be executed.
diff --git a/plugins/talk-plugin-featured-comments/client/containers/TabPane.js b/plugins/talk-plugin-featured-comments/client/containers/TabPane.js
index 2195b0107..4c36c5c62 100644
--- a/plugins/talk-plugin-featured-comments/client/containers/TabPane.js
+++ b/plugins/talk-plugin-featured-comments/client/containers/TabPane.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class TabPaneContainer extends React.Component {
         limit: 5,
         cursor: this.props.root.asset.featuredComments.endCursor,
         asset_id: this.props.root.asset.id,
-        sort: 'REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL',
+        sort: 'DESC',
         excludeIgnored: this.props.data.variables.excludeIgnored,
       },
       updateQuery: (previous, {fetchMoreResult:{comments}}) => {
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class TabPaneContainer extends React.Component {
           asset: {
             featuredComments: {
               nodes: {
-                $apply: (nodes) => insertCommentsSorted(nodes, comments.nodes, 'REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL'),
+                $apply: (nodes) => insertCommentsSorted(nodes, comments.nodes, 'DESC'),
               },
               hasNextPage: {$set: comments.hasNextPage},
               endCursor: {$set: comments.endCursor},
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class TabPaneContainer extends React.Component {
 }
 
 const LOAD_MORE_QUERY = gql`
-  query TalkFeaturedComments_LoadMoreComments($limit: Int = 5, $cursor: Date, $asset_id: ID, $sort: SORT_ORDER, $excludeIgnored: Boolean) {
+  query TalkFeaturedComments_LoadMoreComments($limit: Int = 5, $cursor: String, $asset_id: ID, $sort: SORT_ORDER, $excludeIgnored: Boolean) {
     comments(query: {limit: $limit, cursor: $cursor, tags: ["FEATURED"], asset_id: $asset_id, sort: $sort, excludeIgnored: $excludeIgnored}) {
       nodes {
         ...${getDefinitionName(Comment.fragments.comment)}
diff --git a/plugins/talk-plugin-featured-comments/client/index.js b/plugins/talk-plugin-featured-comments/client/index.js
index ad10f87ca..c796521e9 100644
--- a/plugins/talk-plugin-featured-comments/client/index.js
+++ b/plugins/talk-plugin-featured-comments/client/index.js
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export default {
             asset: {
               featuredComments: {
                 nodes: {
-                  $apply: (nodes) => insertCommentsSorted(nodes, comment, 'REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL')
+                  $apply: (nodes) => insertCommentsSorted(nodes, comment, 'DESC')
                 }
               },
               featuredCommentsCount: {