You Should Go: Aqua Girl Is Coming Up!

Hi, Autostraddle! Would you like to get wet? Cool. Wanna do it while partying, and all for a good cause? Better.

click here to learn more about AquaGirl

From May 15 to 19, Aqua Girl is coming back to Miami. The festivities support the Aqua Foundation for Women, a non-profit organization “whose primary mission is to serve as a funding catalyst for lesbian, bisexual and transgender wellness and equality in South Florida through grants, scholarships and initiatives,” and are meant to be a safe space for women who love women to get down. Last year, Aqua gave out 15 scholarships and over $50,ooo in grants; this year, their priorities are “LBT women’s physical, mental, and emotional health,” ending LGBT youth homelessness, and creating a conference for LBT women that imparts upon them leadership, finance, health, and business skills.

The easiest and most fun way to support that big bundle of awesome is an equally amazing series of margaritas poolside.

by alex vega

This year, Aqua Girl events start at 9 pm May 15 – with a live music event at Churchill’s – and go on until May 19 when you can catch the last good vibes at Afterglow ’til 3 in the morning. With activities ranging from concerts to wine-and-cheese tastings with happy hours, pool parties, and a ton of dancing to be had in-between, it’s a jam-packed babe pool waiting for you to take the dive.

Do you remember when AquaGirl happened last year? I heard it was really great.

I know there are girls here and I know that because I’ve made out with a lot of them, but there’s something extra-special about that one weekend in South Beach when girls so clearly run the world. When Aqua Girl® happens, we’re everywhere. We’re packing the clubs, we’re dressed in our Friday night best and we’re making our community better and stronger; dollar by well-intentioned dollar.

Alex really liked it, too!

Passes for Aqua Girl weekend at a variety of price points and individual entry into every event can be purchased online or at the door of any Aqua Girl event, although you’ll save if you buy ahead of time.

For only $369 and up, anybody can get herself a ticket to an unforgettable weekend! (And for even less, admission to individual events throughout said unforgettable weekend, as well as some down time and less sunburn.) What I’m saying is, you should probably spring for any queer women’s charity event that will eat up a whole weekend of your life and then spit you out with nothing but sun-stained memories.

Might as well start at the pool.

by alex vega

Girl Bar Returns to Vegas for Dinah Shore Weekend 2013

Have you always wanted to relive The Hangover with less white dudes and tigers but more lesbians? Then perhaps you should consider hitting Las Vegas for Girl Bar’s Dinah Shore Weekend from April 25-28. Girl Bar, in association with the Truck Stop Girls and Fuse Events, is taking advantage of the city that never sleeps by offering you the opportunity to party all damn day and night. It seems all those ads are paying off.

This is pretty much a no brainer if you like Las Vegas, women, and fun times. Not only do you have pool parties and great DJs from all over the nation, you’ll have time to explore The Strip, get some sun, eat at buffets, and maybe make a little money at the casino. Check out the events below and get your weekend passes at the Dinah Shore Weekend website. If you want to hit Vegas with a group, look into the Posse Pool Party Pass which seems like a great idea because usually I’m not only looking for a a party, I’m looking for a deal.

Thursday, April 25th

Traffic Jam
KOI Ultra Lounge at Planet Hollywood, 8pm-Midnight

Friday, April 26th

Bling 2
Both decks of the VooDoo Lounge at Rio, 10pm-4am

Saturday, April 27th

Infinity Pool Party
The Main Flamingo Pool, 10am-5pm

Pick up some swag at the Vendor Fair, get overly competitive in the outdoor gaming section, capture some memories at the photo booth, and witness some surprise sexy at “pop-up” performances by the Truck Stop Girlz and GB2 GoGo’s.

High Heel Poker Tournament
The Flamingo Poker Room, 3pm

The details of this are as follows but I have bo clue what any of it means. $130 Buy In plus $10 dealer add on. Chips: 8K + 2K with add on. Blinds are 20 minutes.

Flamingo White
The Flamingo Go Pool, 9pm-3am

An Evening Under the Stars will have red carpet photo opportunities, gaming tables, non-stop burlesque performances and showgirls. And not like the ones from the movie Showgirls. Plus, a live performance by Little Miss Nasty. This is actually a group just so you know. Not one small woman that is really nasty.

Sunday, April 28th

Closing Party “T-Dance”
Caesars Entertainment Location, 2pm-10pm

You Should Go: Audre Lorde, Stand Tall Wine and Open Mic in Miami

Hey Miami, what are you doing tonight? And don’t even try to say you’re busy because trust me, you do not want to miss this event.

miami, trust me: you do not want to miss this

The Museum of Contemporary Art, Women on the Rise and the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival are hosting a screening Audre Lorde: The Berlin Years (1984-1992), a documentary about Lorde’s final years in Berlin, and there’s gonna be a wine reception beforehand and an open mic afterwards and it’s being organized by a fellow Straddler and you’ve just got to go, alright?! Okay whew. Let me slow down and back up and explain.

I learned about this event while interviewing Charrise, a Miami-based Straddler, for an upcoming Straddler On The Street profile. As soon as she mentioned it I knew y’all needed to know about it. Not only is this event about a film highlighting a really important woman of color who helped build our community’s herstory, but Stand Tall Wine Company, which produces Genetic, the first LGBTQ wine label ever produced (and is coincidentally our absolute favorite wine company ever), is hosting the wine reception! And then, after all this amazingness has already gone down, you can perform at the open mic and impress everyone with your amazing performance skillz! I know. I told you that this is not an event to be missed!

As the person who interviews all you perfect Straddlers On The Street, I am constantly floored by how incredible you guys are at organizing the events you want to see in this world and turning your dreams for our community into a reality. I asked Charrise how she came up with the idea to host this event, and she explained:

My best friend Ebony and I came up with the concept for this event out of a desire to find the community of queer women who, like us, were tired of the gay scene that revolved around clubs. We were hoping to create an event that would pull together all of the artsy, intellectual, quirky, young queer women of color who we had met randomly sprinkled in our usual circles. We wanted a space where we could actually have intellectual conversation and debates, enjoy and express art, and meet new faces.

The documentary itself is about Audre Lorde’s final years in Berlin and chronicles an untold chapter of Lorde’s life: her empowerment of Afro-German women, as she challenged white women to acknowledge the significance of their white privilege and to deal with difference in constructive ways. It’s going to be amazing because it will be one of the few social events that support a creative atmosphere for young queer women of color in Miami, where we can actually meet and talk to each other without screaming over booming club beats. Developing this new community will also tell our local gay organizations and businesses that there is an audience for this type of social event, and to produce more! We are having an open mic after to continue the creative vibe well into the evening!

And how did Stand Tall Wine Company get involved? Aren’t they based in California? Why yes, yes they are. But they’re traveling specifically for this event because they’re awesome.

I discovered Stand Tall Wine on Autostraddle. I am a total wine lover and I try to turn everyone else I know into one too. When we decided to have a wine reception I reached out to Stand Tall; I heard back from them the next day and they were totally on board. Larissa decided not only would they sponsor the event, by being the sole wine provide for the free reception, but that she would fly out here from California to Miami to pour wine for the event!  It was way more than I ever expected!  I really wanted this partnership because I thought it would be a great opportunity for the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival to highlight a LGBTQ marketed and lesbian owned business, and I believe very strongly that members of the LGBT community should support one another.

So get out there and support Charrise in this endeavor — what more could you ask for on a beautiful Miami evening than Audre Lorde, Stand Tall wine, open mic performances and our gorgeous community supporting one another?

FILMS@MOCA: AUDRE LORDE, THE BERLIN YEARS, Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, FL. Wednesday, March 27 from 6-9pm. RSVP.

You Should Go: The Brooklyn Community Pride Center Founders’ Ball

It’s the fifth anniversary of the Brooklyn Community Pride Center! Did you know that the BCPC is the only community center in Brooklyn dedicated to the LGBTQ community? Founded to fill a profound need and to celebrate the lives and experiences of the diverse Brooklyn queer community, the BCPC is entering its fifth year full of promise. Borough President Marty Markowitz and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn have pledged funding, and the search for a permanent home is underway. To celebrate all the great work they’ve done so far and to help cement their important future, the BCPC is holding its annual Founders’ Ball on April 4th!

via bcpc

This year’s honorees are Tom Smith, Reg Flowers, and Suzanne St. Pierre. The VIP guests are RaMona Rizzo (from Mob Wives!), Lea Delaria, and The Brothers Mueller. It’s going to be hosted by Richard Allman, Catharine E. Hough, and John E. (Jack) Osborn.

The event, at Dumbo Loft, isn’t cheap, but it’s important. To get into the VIP reception from 6-7pm is $250; the actual event from 7-9pm is $125, and the after party from 9pm-12am is $50. The Founders’ Ball will help this important place expand its services and secure a future amidst a community that needs it.

GLAAD Awards NYC 2013: Madonna, Degrassi Lesbians, and Trans* Representation

As a team, we’ve been extra excited about the GLAAD Media Awards this year because for the first time ever, Autostraddle dot com is nominated! However, my own personal excitement about the award shows went through the roof when Laneia emailed me and inquired if I would like to attend the NYC show to photograph our very own lovely Lizz interviewing celebs on the red carpet. Would I like to do that? Hello, did Tumblr crash when Quintana finally happened? Which is to say yes, yes I would like that very much.

So Lizz traveled all the way from Med School Land to my humble abode in Brooklyn, and on Saturday afternoon we trekked off on our journey to find Madonna, befriend power lesbians and bring you the best and the brightest coverage from one of three shows GLAAD puts on to celebrate the year in LGBT media. Are you ready for this? Cuz we sure weren’t!

we were really really excited and also totally petrified

Neither Lizz nor I had ever attended an awards show before, so we had no idea what to expect. We learned lots of things over the course of the night: If you act like you know what you’re doing people will believe you (and will let you check your coat in the fancy coat room that may or may not have been legit for us to use), a lot of people on the GLAAD staff read Autostraddle, and even at LGBT events, The Patriarchy can totally still plague you in the form of random white dudes who will take up space and try to steal your interviews. Life is so educational! Anyhow, the 2013 NYC GLAAD Media Awards were really fun, and we felt super honored to attend and get the chance to chat with a lot of really influential humans in the LGBT community and media world. Mr. Anderson Silver Fox Cooper didn’t grant interviews and Madonna didn’t even show up on the red carpet, but we did get to chat with a lot of really badass humans, and we took photos with a bunch of them too!

First we spoke with Jennifer Tyrrell, the lesbian mom who started a petition after being removed from her role as a Boy Scouts troop leader because of the BSA’s ban on homosexuals. We spoke with Tyrrell last summer and she was really sincere and inspiring, so we were psyched to get a chance to catch up with her almost a year later, as the BSA still hasn’t come to a satisfying decision. We complimented her snazzy rainbow tie and her sons’ adorable bowties (they were supposed to wear matching rainbow ties too, but the ones Tyrrell ordered never arrived in the mail!) then asked her what she thinks the future looks like for the Boy Scouts of America.

It’s so hard to predict because the BSA has been an institution in America for 100 years and unfortunately it has been run by good old boy type attitudes…I’ve been heartbroken so many times by their constant upset. I’m going to assume that if they don’t make the right decision in May, there are going to be a lot of upset people. I really think it’s going to be chaos for them. We’re going to keep working, I’m not going anywhere until everyone is accepted…I don’t want any kid to go through what Cruz has been through, so that’s whats gotta be done. Truthfully, I think you can’t train the leaders of our future with values and bigotry from a 100 years ago. It just doesn’t work.

later in the evening jen gave lizz an inspirational pep talk and assured her she wouldn’t die alone so basically jen is the sweetest
copyright vanessa friedman

Then we found Wilson Cruz, aka Rickie from My So-Called Life, and he totally referred to us as “his girls.” Yes, we did die of excitement, obviously.

so like what is angela chase up to these days, just wondering?
copyright vanessa friedman

Cruz shared his “stuff I’m excited about tonight” list with us and it included Madonna and Anderson Cooper tied in first place, with a performance by Jake Spears of the Scissor Sisters and meeting Melissa Harris-Perry coming in a close second. He admitted he’s “obsessed” with MHP and we agreed, then Lizz requested that he ask someone if Rachel Maddow and Melissa Harris-Perry could have hour long shows back to back on teevee because that would be a dreamworld. Cruz promised he’d ask MHP about is ASAP. Cruz also has a new movie coming out, Meth Head, that is currently making the rounds at festivals. We asked why he feels it’s an important movie for the LGBTQ community.

Meth Head stars Lukas Haas, and I play his very long-suffering partner as he goes through a pretty traumatic meth addiction. I think Meth Head is important because we have a really huge problem in the LGBT community in regards to meth, and this film is really an opportunity to have a conversation about it and how horrible a drug it is, and not just horrible for the person who has the addiction, but for the people it affects around that person. That’s why it’s important to me.

And also what it was like preparing for his role in the film:

Preparing for the film, I was reliving an emotional process. I actually dated someone who had a meth addiction, so I walked through a personal experience in a cathartic way… it was very much like my experience preparing for My So-Called Life.

I let out an audible squeal when Jazz and her family walked down the carpet — in case you don’t know, Jazz is a 12-year-old trans* girl, and honorary co-founder of the Transkids Purple Rainbow Foundation (her parents are the founders), the youngest person ever to be recognized in The Advocate’s “Top Forty Under 40” annual list, and the star of OWN’s I Am Jazz: A Family in Transition. Jazz was so sweet and wise, and while 12-year-old-me would’ve completely freaked out under the bright lights and pushy reporters, Jazz was calm and composed, telling us about her dress (“It’s actually a tutu and then a little tube top, it’s from this store called Teen Angel,”) and admitting to be just as excited as I was about the Jersey Shore cast members present at the event (we’ll get to Snooki and JWoww in a moment).

Jazz, age 12
copyright vanessa friedman

We asked Jazz how it felt to be a role model to so many humans at such a young age — “To me, the age doesn’t matter, just how you feel inside,” — and if she enjoys big media events like the GLAAD awards — “It’s overwhelming, but a lot of fun too. I like taking pictures, so.” Jazz’s family walked the red carpet with her, and we asked her mom, Jeanette, what advice she would give to parents’ of trans* kids. “They need to remember unconditional love is the most important thing. They need to check their egos at the door and put their child first.”

Next: Laverne Cox, Milla Jovovich, Mama June Shannon, Russell Simmons and more!

A Guaranteed Hot Time at The Dinah

Brittani’s Team Pick

In case you hadn’t heard, The Dinah is happening again this year. I know. Thousands of queer women want to party in Palm Springs again? Totes weird. Don’t know why anyone would want to be surrounded by women, stay in a nice hotel, and chill next to a pool all day. People have strange priorities.

If for some reason you live in a place where it’s not at least 60° and sunny all year round, then Jill Bennett, Rose Garcia, Suzanne Westenhoefer, Jacqueline Monahan, Haviland Stillwell (holding a dog), and Dalila Ali Rajah are hoping that they can get you to Dinah Shore if for no other reason than to escape the inclement weather of your current location. The Dinah is taking place April 3-7th in Palm Springs and we’ve already told you what to do once you get there because you’re going, right?

Prairie Homos Should Check Out the University of Alberta’s Pride Week!

A Prairie Homo Companion is a regular column that celebrates the Canadian prairies, canola fields and big skies, and the paradoxes of being a fine-ass lady prairie homo.

Header by Rory Midhani

Hello my beautiful prairie homos! Imagine crawling out of bed in the nick of time, downing your coffee and reviewing your biochemistry notes, the stress lines already starting to appear around your lovely, prairie homo sleep deprived eyes only to finally arrive on campus and be greeted by… what’s that in the distance? There are rainbow flags! You see posters and flyers announcing things like queer movie nights, queer anti-oppressive yoga, and drag shows. Suddenly you’re not so tired anymore, are you? Prairie homos, set aside your study notes and go ask that cute girl to be your Rainbow Yoga partner. From March 13th to March 22nd, the gays are taking over campus: it’s Pride Week at the University of Alberta.

via news.ualberta.ca

There are many organizations that have helped to make Pride Week possible. One such organization, the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services (ISMSS), you may have already heard of from the No Homophobes Campaign. OUTreach, the University’s LGBT student organization, has also worked hard to make this week into the dreamy gay wonderland it’s sure to become, as has the Safe Spaces Initiative, an organization “built on the university’s promise that its campuses are safe spaces physically and emotionally for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered faculty, students and staff.”

Sure, there have been queer campus events now and then, but never before in the university’s 105 year history has there been a full, institutionally-supported week of GAY. This is huge, folks. Alberta is often looked down on by by other provinces as a conservative hotspot filled with cows, cowboys and oil; but as I’ve been trying to emphasize time and time again in this column, we are so much more than our conservative government and environmentally questionable (read: horrible) oil extraction methods. For the University of Alberta — one of the top five universities in Canada — to host a pride week sends an important message: being gay is a-okay; in fact, it’s more than okay. It’s something to celebrate!

via prideweek.ualberta.ca

And wow, there are a lot of ways to celebrate. Some of the events I’m most looking forward to involve prairie homos I’ve previously mentioned in my column. Vivek Shraya, friend of ultra cool prairie homos Rae Spoon and Tegan and Sara Quin, will be presenting his film, What I Love About Being Queer. He’ll also be reading from his book, God Loves Hair. Darrin Hagen, author of The Edmonton Queen (the only queer book of which I’m aware that’s set in Edmonton) will be giving a talk on the history of queer communities in Edmonton. In addition to books, history, and film, there will be sex toys! The Travelling Tickle Trunk will be giving a presentation on sex toys and safer sex practices. Pride Week will also have not one but two yoga workshops: Rainbow Yoga (in which you will you have to wear rainbow leggings and meditate on the energies of each colour of the rainbow, obviously) and Yoga as An Anti-Oppressive Practice.

The event description for the anti-oppressive yoga is perfect:

This yoga practice is a safer space for us to explore yoga as tool for healing from the trauma of oppression. We’ll explore our feelings and attitudes towards our bodies though gentle movement, breathing, and meditation, working towards building a compassionate relationship with our bodies.

While it’s important to celebrate queer lives, it’s crucial that in doing so we don’t gloss over the difficulties and oppression faced by LGBT people in Alberta and elsewhere. This is why I’m glad that Pride Week’s keynote speech is entitled, “Relationship Violence in LGBTTQ Lives: Thinking through a framework of intersectionality.” According to the Pride Week website, the speech, to be given by Dr. Janice Ristock, will use a framework of intersectionality to “make connections between “public” and “private” violence and will also consider the impact of structural and systemic violence on lgbttq relationships.” Following the talk there will be a workshop focused on preventing violence in the lives of LGBTQ individuals.

via prideweek.ualberta.ca

Pride week prides itself (see what I did there?) on being accessible to anyone wanting to be a part of it. Child care, English-ASL interpreting services, realtime captioning, or other access-related services or accommodations can all be arranged. For a full listing of events and/or to make accessibility arrangements, visit the Pride Week page. I can’t mention enough how important it is that you visit this page because you guys, there are so, so many events, far more than I could mention in this humble little prairie homo post. There’s queer boot camp! A queer art night with an open mic! A Hedwig and the Angry Inch screening and again, let me emphasize, so much more. Happy University of Alberta Pride Week, everyone! Hope to see you there! But of course, I won’t be able to see everyone there because I’m not a super-human who can be at a gazillion events at once. This makes me sad, so if you can, send pictures of your lovely prairie homo selves at Pride Week to malaika@autostraddle.com!

You Should Go: Kickass Cocktail Party At Babeland For Autostraddle

Feature image via Babeland

What do you get when your favorite blog for girl-on-girl culture teams up with a famous sex positive, lesbian-owned adult toy store? The night of our dreams, that’s what!

On March 28 at 7pm, Babeland will be hosting a free event just for Autostraddlers at their Soho location. Are you excited yet? You should be. The “Kickass Cocktail Party with Autostraddle” will be all about sex tips for queer women. We know you might not necessarily need them, but we’re sure you’ll want to try them when you hear all about Babeland’s favorite oral, strap-on and G-spot techniques, curated with your needs in mind. Babeland sex educators will be around after the workshop to answer all your questions. It will be super queer, super trans* friendly, and super sex positive (obviously!).

fyi this is lauren, she’ll be leading your workshop

The first fifteen guests will receive gift bags to try at home, and you’ll all get a 10% off discount. Plus free drinks and tons of cuties to mingle with amongst the sex toys. Many of us who write for Autostraddle will be there as well, including some non-New Yorkers, and we really want to meet all of you!

Here are all the details in one place in case my enthusiasm clouded the specifics for you:

Kickass Cocktail Party with Autostraddle
Thursday March 28, 7pm, Free
Babeland SoHo, 94 Mercer Street

You Should Go: The Pushovers Are All-Lesbian Pop Rockers, All Ready to Perform in DC

The Pushovers are “an all-lesbian” pop-rock crew gearing up for a “gender bending” festival performance. Are you sold yet?

photo by Mandy Townsend

Guitar, bass and drums. 3-part harmonies. Beatboxing and songwriting. When three experienced singer-songwriters come together from Brooklyn, Washington, DC, and Baltimore, it’s gotta have promise. Mara, Nancy and Liz have all toured nationwide but are just now recording their first EP together (and need YOUR HELP to produce it!) as The Pushovers versus individually. When their combined starpower is among us, I think shit’s gonna get bright.

And if you want proof, you can see ’em for yourself.

The Pushovers are performing at the Atlas Theater’s INTERSECTIONS festival on March 9 in Washington, DC for an hour spot. After the show, Out @ Intersections happy hour will provide for solid boozing.

The Pushovers: Live at the Atlas is 15 dollars (10 for students and seniors). The performance takes place at the Atlas Performing Arts Center at the Lang Theater, at 1333 H St NE in Washington, DC, on March 9 at 5:30 PM. Ages 12+. Buy tickets today! (PS — hit up Dangerously Delicious pies while you’re over there. Safe bet for an amazing night.)

The Real L Word’s Saj Golde Launches Black LGBT Magazine

Brittani’s Team Pick:

Shows end, time goes on, and people keep living their lives. While some members of The Real L Word go on to be professionally gay and others continue their jobs (whatever those were), others are still finding their way and figuring out how they want to use the small followings they’ve garnered from being on television. I’m sure the first person you worry about is Sajdah “Saj” Golde. While it’s unknown whether she has continued dry humping people in laundromats (no judgment here, I love laundromats), she has definitely started a magazine called BlackOUT which is a collection of short stories about lesbians’ war against nite lites.

Just kidding, it’s a magazine geared towards black LGBT folks! When Elixher asked Saj why she created the magazine, she said,

“After being a part of The Real L Word, I learned of many other young LGBTQ people of color who were also in need of LGBTQ role models, a role I certainly couldn’t take on alone. So I wanted to create BlackOUT as a space were LGBTQ individuals can see themselves, people like them, experiences like theirs.”

If you’re not one of those people that refuse to buy magazine based solely on the little paper cut factory subscription cards that fly out of them every two seconds, then you’ll be pleased to know that the magazine is currently available in the Amazon Store. It’ll be available in the Apple App Store soon enough. Subscriptions are going for $20 a year which seems like a good deal to me, although I don’t usually have twenty dollars to my name so I have no real concept of money.

You Should Go: Raise The Roof While Raising Funds For The Transgender Law Center in Boston

This Saturday, March 2nd, spring is in the air, the moon is in Scorpio, and a bunch of charitably-minded, dance-ily-spirited, Boston-area folks will be in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, at the infamous Midway, for the Fancy Pants Dance Party & Fundraiser. You’re one of them, I bet! You’re texting your queer phone tree. You’re daydreaming about ironing your fanciest pants. You may also want to iron your money, because your cover ($7 before 10 PM; $9 after) will benefit the Transgender Law Center. Which means that instead of getting scrunched into a tip jar, your Saturday night party dollars will go to a group that:

“works to change law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression”

and

“envisions a future where gender self-determination and authentic expression are seen as basic rights and matters of common human dignity.”

EVERYONE NEEDS A LITTLE TLC

Seriously, the Transgender Law Center is important. They connect transgender people and their families with legal professionals and resources, hold public workshops to educate communities about trans* issues, and win legislative victories. Many good things have happened because of them: for example, trans* people in California can now amend their birth certificates no matter where they live, and TSA managers at Los Angeles International Airport have to undergo sensitivity training. Basically, dollars that go there are heroes.

Plus, it’s at the MIDWAY. As anyone who’s ever braved Queeraoke knows, a Midway event guarantees the following:

– pickleback shots
– really close dancing
– someone holding the bathroom door shut for you and becoming your Instant Best Friend
– taking a break from all the dancing to try out your historical gaydar on the wall of black-and-white photos
– “cheap, strong drinks and cheap, strong ladies”
– memories*

THE MIDWAY {VIA BOSTON GLOBE}

But that’s just for weeknights, and this is a Saturday; fittingly, they’ve kicked it up a notch. There’ll be a raffle for toys (the sexy kind), courtesy of Good Vibrations; a photo booth, to commemorate your dazzling smile. “Motown, 90’s, Top 40, Dance, 80’s, One Hit Wonders,” and whatever else you want to hear, especially if you pre-request it on the Facebook page. And surprise guests! So come on down. JP’s not THAT far away.

*memories actually not guaranteed.

The LGBTQ Side of SXSW: OUTLander Spring Festival

After noticing a surprising lack of LGBTQ friendly media at Austin’s annual South by Southwest Festival, the good people at One More Lesbian hooked up with The OUTLander Project to do what most of us like to talk about in theory but don’t ever actually put the effort into doing ourselves. (Not because we’re lazy. We’re just busy, ya know.) The OUTlander Spring Festival will take place from March 8th through 16th during SXSW and will be the largest showcase of local, national, and international LGBTQ musicians performing over five days right in the heart of one of the iconic events of the music industry. In conjunction with Tello Films, OUTlander and OML are showcasing a ton of web series during an event called Main Screen. Among them are Autostraddle’s very own web series Unicorn Plan-It and Words With Girls. PLUS Julie and Brandy’s new venture on Tello, Gay Street Therapy because they want to help you…sort of.   March 9th at Oilcan Harry’s in Downtown Austin you’ll be able to catch screenings of the aforementioned web series and a three song set by Unicorn Plan-It co-creator/writer/producer/star Haviland Stillwell. She performed at the Oscars. Did you know that? The event kicks off with a networking happy hour from 3-5pm featuring a DJ set from Girlfriend ATX, drink specials from LGBT owned and operated Frot Vodka, and catered food from lesbian owned El Sol y La Luna. After you’re stuffed on gay food and drink, you’ll be able to settle in and check out episodes, exclusive premiers, and trailers for the other web series featured: Once You Leave, Orange Juice in Bishops Garden, Lips, Easy Abby, Cowgirl Up, I Hate Tommy Finch, The Throwaways, Kiss Her I’m Famous, Lez Find Love, and Kam Kardashian. AND there will be other musical performances from Stirling and Goddess and She sprinkled throughout. Since they know that watching lots and lots of women prancing across screens, being witty, funny, dramatic, and/or adorable will make you want to find your own series of lesbian events, there will be a dance party from 10pm-2am to close the event. In conclusion, if you are going to South by Southwest, live in Austin, or really really like LGBTQ media and music, go to Main Screen and enjoy yourself. You deserve it.

You Should Go: The Founding Meeting of the Queer Baltimore Young Adult Coalition with Dapper Jill

This Saturday, the young queers in Baltimore are taking one big step forward toward finding and loving one another.

Dapper Jill, an A-Camp donor and alum and extremely well-dressed human, has taken a step toward a smarter, better, faster queer community in Baltimore by organizing the very first meeting of an all-new gay organization in her city: the Queer Baltimore Young Adult Coalition.

The coalition, which will meet for the first time on March 2 at 4 PM, is pure in purpose: a monthly discussion and social action group dedicated to forging queer spaces in the city of Baltimore. Jill’s hope is that social engagement and the fraternization of young queers will birth a new world with fun and exciting opportunities to meet friends, more resources for LGBTQ people and their allies, and a new and unique group of youngsters running shit. The inaugural meeting will be the time and place for queers to come on out and be heard, as well as help craft a mission statement, action plan, and list of issues addressing the community at the current time.

I was able to steal Jill’s attention away from her city’s bright future for a couple minutes to ask her some questions about the QBYC and where she hopes it’s going, as well as where it came from. Her answers were real sweet.

I love you. Tell me about your background in queer activism. And what’s your relationship with Baltimore about?

I’ve usually been the ‘leading by being a follower’ kind of thing. But now I’ve been an art director at a small-scale queer zine, I’ve interned at LGBT non-profits, and now I’m on the Board at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore. My current narrative is one of being that wrench in the good-ol’-gay cogs and being like, ‘dude, what about the queer folks?’

I also do some LGBT work at my employer (a well known art school in the Baltimore community) as a facilitator for our Safe Zone Trainings. This past summer I did a presentation on western LGBT intersections with Japanese media consumption, and y’all did a lovely article on that too.

My relationship with Baltimore is one of… well… It’s like I had a silly fling with Baltimore when I was in elementary school, and I just thought it was cute for us to hold hands and do butterfly kisses. Then we grew apart. Then I met them in a bar like, 15 years later, and we’ve been fucking like crazy and learning so many new things about each other.

A rekindled puppy-love turned fuck-buddy flame, if you will.

What brought you to create the QBYC? 

I wanted to start creating a new legacy for the LGBTQAI/SGM/Queer scene here in Baltimore.

You look at the history of segregation and division in the Baltimore community at large – and it has a very large impact on so many of the intersecting communities here. Identifying the nitty-gritty of the problems is going to be QBYC’s initial action, but this roadblock is the major problem I’ve come across in doing any sort of action here in this ol’ town on the Mason Dixon. I feel that queer youth can start making a path towards more collaboration and teamwork. Plus, the staple scenes here in Baltimore are so white and cis-male – that needs to be dismantled and questioned in a constructive way on a regular basis.

It’s also important to note that I’m not creating this thing, I’m facilitating the birth. If anything I’m this thing’s midwife. It’s gonna be messy.

What sort of goals do you have for the coalition once it’s sort of off the ground? 

I want it to be a place where people can go for social support, to make a difference, to change and ignite Baltimore – I want it to forge queer spaces so people don’t feel so isolated in the small selections of accessible options they have for social engagement.

I want to facilitate community leadership in this queer community – and my passion is in my gut and illustrated in my droopy eyes!

You can attend the first-ever meeting of the Queer Baltimore Young Adult Coalition this Saturday, March 2, at 4 PM. The meeting is being held at the GLCCB HQ at 241 West Chase St, 201201.

You Should Go: Soapbox’s Feminist Summer Programs for Badass Chicks of All Ages

In 2010, I pretended I was dropping out of school.

I had just moved into a house off-campus where I engaged, for the first time, in unsupervised recklessness, recovered from a semester-long “sabbatical” in which I wore readers and oversized sweaters with leggings every day, and was stuck in the middle of a severe caffeine addiction that required I drink coffee from my reusable mug no fewer than five times a day. (In other words: it was very much so the beginning of the rest of my life.)

And instead of going to the first, or second, days of class, I was in New York City at Soapbox Inc.’s Feminist Winter Term.

Amy Richards and Jennifer Baumgardner, co-authors of the world-famous Manifesta, have been working on developing, growing, and sustaining feminist programs since 2007 – when they held the first-ever Feminist Winter Term. They were my hosts when I registered for the program, and we even met in Amy’s apartment. Together, the two women put together an impeccable adventure for us, a group of wily and wide-eyed teenagers exploring New York City for the first time with fresh eyes. And what better guides could we ask for?

At the time, when I registered for FWT in January of 2010, I was convinced that I would spend the rest of my days in feminism. (I still am.) Feminist Winter Term was a confirmation that I was in the right place and on the right path; it was a place where I communed with fellow teenage feminists and daughters of single moms, fellow rabble rousers and fellow bad bitches, and even super important people in the movement, all face-to-face. Now it’s 2013 and the entirety of the Feminist Camps structure has been redone, revamped, rebuilt, and restructured for more participants of all ages and more opportunities to create change. It’s amazing! But was I ever so young?

I would give a lot to be nineteen and rubbing elbows with Shelby Knox over Chinese takeout again, reading over manuscripts at the Feminist Press, traversing Manhattan and its boroughs in search of the right big buildings and feminist landmarks. It was the trip to Manhattan where I  first networked with the future of feminism, when I saw Babeland and Blue Stockings for the time. We went to Bust Magazine HQ, sat in the conference room of the Ms. Foundation for Women with leaders of nonprofit organizations, spoke with educators and administrators in feminist-focused graduate and PhD programs. We got our shit together and vibed with each other, got to know one another and then made plans to take over the world together.

You can have that.

Soapbox Media announced registration for its three Feminist Camp programs last week; they offer programs of varying lengths and programs built specifically for different audiences and clusters of humans. Each camp provides participants with the opportunity to explore New York City, make new friends and connections, and play a part in a movement that will, by the end, completely humble them.

To register for any of the feminist programs Soapbox offers, you’re going to need a pretty penny and all of your personal information – if you do, then do not pass go and report directly to the Soapbox website to register. If you need financial assistance, reach out to the team and see what they can do for you – I inquired with the staff and found out that Soapbox has been offering one full and several partial scholarships each semester based on need and a mini-essay contest.

Here’s a little overview of the three programs offered this round. Registration is wide open!

FEMINIST CAMP: JUNE 2-8, 2013, $1500

Feminist Camp is a transformative week of feminism in action that can’t be found anywhere else.

Each day is organized by theme—Reproductive Justice, Sexual Power, Feminist Art, Philanthropy, and more—and we always include a Career Day that offers concrete information for entering the work world.

Feminist Camp is open to all who are interested in learning more about transforming feminist theory into practice. It is especially recommended for upperclass undergrads and recently-graduated individuals. We’ve hosted students of all genders, races, religions, nationalities and ages. We’re committed to accessibility and will make appropriate accommodations for anyone interested in the program.

The $1,500 program fee includes housing, breakfasts, most lunches for five days, all programming, and a weekly MetroCard. The fee is $1000 if housing isn’t needed. This fee does NOT include transportation to NYC, dinner, and other entertainment you choose to pursue on your own. We estimate $20 to $50 a day to cover these additional expenses.

I also happen to know, because I’m very privy to important information, that this year Feminist Camp will hopefully include a day on Women and Prison, the always-popular Reproductive Justice Day (tour of an abortion clinic, adoption agency, and home for parenting teens; meeting with the Doula Project and the legal resource National Advocates for Pregnant Women), Philanthropy, Bodies &  Power, and Career Day (which features mini-internships).

FEMINIST INTENSIVE: JUNE 19-21, 2013, $1500

The Feminist Intensive program was developed to bridge perceived gaps between academia and activism; to introduce faculty to diverse research undertaken outside of the academy and experience practices that have yet to be documented or codified into theory; and to create a larger community of feminist teachers and scholars. The $1,500 program fee includes the program fee, meals, and a Metrocard. This fee does NOT include transportation to and from NYC or other entertainment you choose to pursue on your own.

FEMINIST DAY CAMP: JUNE 24-28, 9AM TO 3PM DAILY, $1000

At Feminist Day Camp, rising high school juniors and seniors hone their leadership skills, meet inspiring activists, and tackle the real issues that impact their lives. Each day sounds a different theme—from media to mentoring—and participants will leave recharged and ready to positively impact the future.

Soapbox Feminist Camps are week-long feminist intensives. This program costs $1000 for the week and does not include housing.

Another sneak peek: this year Feminist Day Camp, which is a new program, will include workshops with Arts Effect (a feminist all-girl acting troupe) and the spoken word artist Kelly Tsai and media training with Jamia Wilson! (You may remember her from my Can’t A Bad Bitch Use Twitter Anymoar article.)

If feminism is your life blood, coffee is your source of inner power, and you have any inkling as to how to navigate the New York City Metro Area public transit system, register for one of Soapbox’s Feminist Programs today. I made long-lasting connections through this program and I was barely born! You’ll get the world out of it if you dream it so.

And if you’re really lucky, maybe you’ll get a career out of it, too.

Autostraddle’s Guide to Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend 2013 in Palm Springs

Some people never learn their lesson. And some people learn their lesson and still want to non-ironically rap “The Motto” while surrounded by hoards of queer women trying to avoid heat stroke while having the time of their lives. Only one of those kinds of people will be at Dinah Shore this year. At this point in time, Dinah Shore 2012 is kind of a blur. I don’t exactly remember why I had a great time but I’m certain I did and that I will once again this year. I won’t be the only one. The cast of Unicorn Plan-It along with some members of the Words With Girls team will be there.

We’ll be taking part in certain festivities of which there are many. Here’s what we’ll be doing April 3rd-7th in Palm Springs, CA and what you should make a valiant effort to do before walking to the 7/11, buying chicken fingers, and then accidentally napping for three hours. Don’t worry, no one will notice.

Thursday, April 4th

Thursday Night Comedy
Zoso Grand Ballroom, 7:30pm
Fortune Feimster (Last Comic Standing, Chelsea Lately, After Chelsea) is headlining the comedy show which will also feature Suzanne Westenhoefer, Jackie Loeb, and Jacqueline Monohan.

Gay comedian, Fortune Feimster

Friday, April 5th

TGIDF Pool Party
Hilton Hotel Main Pool Area, 12pm-5pm
Autostraddle (that’s us) presents Thank God It’s Dinah Friday. The first pool party was my favorite last year. It’s when most people are arriving and everyone still has a sparkle in their eye and a pep in their step.

Canadian pop artist Anjulie will be performing her hits “Boom” and “Brand New Bitch”. When she’s not on stage, the Dinah DJs will be playing and I must admit, I do enjoy their musical selections because they tend to play songs that have words which is key.

Canadian pop artist Anjulie

Autostraddle Meet-and-Greet
The Autostraddle Lounge, Hilton Hotel, time TBA
Alsoooo, we will have an Autostraddle Lounge situation happening. You will be able to come by and hang out with us (Sarah Croce, Haviland Stillwell, Lauren Neal, Ashley Reed, Brittani Nichols, Sarah Sokolski) or just pretend like you’re interested in who we are as people so you can get out of the sun for a bit. We can’t tell the difference.

The Dinah Film Festival
Hilton Hotel Grand Ballroom, 6:30pm
Second Shot and Out in the Desert will have their exclusive world premieres. Second Shot, starring Jill Bennett (3Way, We Have to Stop Now, And Then Came Lola) and co-created by Nancylee Myatt (South of Nowhere, Living Single, Cowboy Up) is an LGBT sitcom about an ex-soccer player who inherits her hometown’s tiny gay bar. There she’s forced to face her first love who happens to be “the one that got away.”

Out in the Desert is a documentary that takes an in-depth look at the sex, love, and friendships that carry on when tens of thousands of women take over Palm Springs for the event we call Dinah Shore. The Page Hurwitz (Last Comic Standing, The Rosie Show) produced doc boasts appearances from the Indigo Girls, Margaret Cho, and Elizabeth Keener.

The Dinah White Party
Zozo Hotel, 8pm
Curve Magazine will be hosting a VIP Party at 9pm which will lead to a celebrity studded red carpet. Havana Brown will be performing “We Run the Night” five times in a row. Probably not but I can dream. There will be three floors of parties and two dance rooms and the more queer women than any other Friday night dance party in the world.

Havana Brown

Saturday, April 6th

The Cabana Girl Pool Party
Hilton Hotel Main Pool, 9am-5pm
Ryan Murphy’s favorite website, AfterEllen, will be hosting this pool party which will include Celebrity Dodgeball. The symbolic game of dodging balls will feature the Thursday night comics and The Real L Word ladies. It’s going down at 11am and will be a real display of athleticism. If the TRLW girls haven’t lost your respect (because you only respect those with mad dodgeball skills), they will be available for photo ops and autograph signings after.

Also, Kat Graham will be performing. I know I know I know. What the hell is Kat Graham going to perform. I guess in addition to having a show I’ll never watch she also has music I’ll never listen to BUT that does not stop her from being Kat Graham. Shit, I’m gonna go YouTube her music right now because I’m betting she wears revealing outfits and dances around in said outfits for 3-4 minutes.

Kat Graham

4th Annual OML Battle of the Celesbian Web Series
Hilton Hotel Main Pool, 5pm
Representatives from all your favorite lesbian web series, including Unicorn Plan-It and Words With Girls, will be battling it out on stage. What this battle will include, I have no clue but I’m sure you won’t want to miss it because none of us will be willing to recount it after the fact.

Girls That Rock
Zoso Main Pool, Doors open at 11am, bands start at 1pm
Life Down Here, PlayBoy Club, and Love Darling will be playing instruments and making sounds with their mouths. Obvs you know Love Darling from TRLW theme song and maybe you remember Life Down Here from Crystal’s artist spotlight. If they’re good enough for Crystal, they’re good enough for me.

The Dinah Goes to Monte Carlo
Palm Springs Convention Center, 8pm
I’m not sure why we, as a group, would want to go to Monte Carlo but I guess we don’t really have a choice. Especially if you don’t want to miss Karmin performing at 9. You know Karmin from that “broken hearted” song on the radio but also more importantly from her several viral videos covering hip hop songs because when black people do it, it’s meh but when a pretty white girl does it, it’s the second coming. Here TV Network and SheWired are hosting a VIP party which will funnel into a celebrity packed red carpet.

Karmin

Celesbian Poker Tournament to Benefit the HRC
Palm Springs Convention Center, Saturday night
While everyone is partying and having a good ol’ time, the celesbians will be putting them to shame by playing poker to raise money for the HRC. If you’re not a selfish human being that can do math, maybe you will play poker with Julie and Brandy (!), Kiyomi McCloskey, Jill Bennett, Lauren Bedford Russell, Rose Garcia, Kim Stolz, Fortune Feimster, and more for only a $50 buy in.

Sunday, April 7th

The Wet and Wild Pool Party
Hilton Hotel Main Pool, 9am-5pm
This will be your last chance to take advantage of the Dinah Dancers and the photo booth poolside. International artist Diana King will be performing and all your fave celezzies (including Kelsey Chavarria) will be parading across the stage as the party rages on.

Uh Huh Her Concert
Zoso Hotel Grand Ballroom, 8pm
Uh Huh Her is putting on a full concert. Uh Huh Her is putting on a full concert. UH HUH HER IS PUTTING ON A FULL CONCERT.

The Dinah Official Closing Party
Zoso Hotel, 9pm
Katy Tiz who doesn’t appear to be that famous will be performing her song “Famous” during the closing party along with other ones she recorded in a studio somewhere. But Dinah is calling her the next “It Girl” and they said the same thing about Lady Gaga so maybe you should be excited about this.

Famous Lesbians Open New Lesbian Nightlife Spot In Lesbian New York, We Think We’re Into It

by Gabrielle, Gabby and Vanessa

The Dalloway is New York City’s newest hotspot for girls who like girls in the heart of Soho. In the few months since its grand opening, it’s gone from sparkly newcomer to nightlife staple, impressing lesbians and their trendy friends with its swanky vibe and amazing parties. Owned by attractive lesbians Amanda Leigh Dunn and Kim Stolz, The Dalloway is equal parts bar and restaurant, with something for everyone. Even homebodies (like us) can enjoy a quiet dining experience on the top level while party-goers mingle on the floor below.

The name, which Kim thought of, is an ode to the closet that Virginia Woolf spent her life in. According to Amanda, The Dalloway’s goal is to “create an environment so that no one ever has to feel that way and has a home.” Despite this mission, if you’re looking for rainbow flags, you won’t find them here.  This is an establishment based on being subtle; it’s a lesbian-implied space rather than a gay bar, which Amanda hopes means people will feel as comfortable bringing their parents here as bringing a hot date. “We don’t want anyone to feel unwelcome,” Amanda said, “and we don’t want anyone to feel exploited.”

upstairs at the dalloway via yelp

The response so far has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Not only does The Dalloway fulfill a specific need in the community, but the food and the cocktails are actually really amazing. Amanda recommends trying their take on the Bloody Mary, called “The Clarissa and Mary,” as well as “The Night and Day,” which is ginger spiced rum. In terms of food, Amanda thinks that the hanger steak is to die for, and says she most frequently orders the brussels sprouts salad and the scallops. There are vegan and vegetarian options as well (we specifically asked for you).

So, clearly we were dying to find out for ourselves what the deal is over at this fancy new place. Read on to find out the highly informed and reputable opinions of Gabby, Gabrielle and Vanessa, otherwise known as a portion of Team Autostraddle NYC.

Vanessa, Gabby, Stef and Gabrielle via Dalloway Intern on Instagram

Gabby: If you were wondering where all the fancy dykes chill, it’s The Dalloway. Straight up, no filter, on and off the rocks, The Dalloway is the spot. It’s the spot that’s better than you on it’s worst day. Seriously. If you need a chaser, then go home. The Dalloway is the place for all of the lezbo, queermo, homofab people that watch The Real L Word and wish that was their life. It’s full of expensively dressed, super scene happy, high fashion queers ready to drop $15 on a mixed drink and act like it’s nothing. Cuz it is, fyi. Listen, I wanna hate just cuz it would be funny but this isn’t hate, this is real talk. I’m not cool enough for The Dalloway.

Gabrielle: I was super excited to finally go to The Dalloway because I’ve been following their Instagram and Twitter accounts and drooling over the pictures of fashionable lesbians having the time of their lives. I wore galaxy tights, a high-waisted black mini skirt and gold collar tips. I tell you this because I would never wear that to any of the other queer bars in New York City; anything other than skinny jeans and some well-placed layers always makes me feel out of place at Metro or Ginger’s or wherever. I’m pleased to report that not only was I not the most dressed up person there, but that I observed many women wearing stilettos WITH slouchy indoor hats—so really anyone could go either way with their outfit.

I went around 7pm with my friend Leah, and it was pretty empty when we got there, so I got to take a good look around. The decor is super classy and minimalist, and also pretty masculine; it’s a no frills kind of joint, with leather details and a fireplace (!!). The lighting is also super dim, so that everyone looked gorgeous but also kind of blurry. By the time Vanessa, Gabby and Stef got there, several hours later, the place was packed and everyone was having a great time. I only ran into two people that I know, which is crazy because I feel like when I go to gay bars I recognize at least half of the people there. It’s definitely a scene I’m not familiar with but it was nice to have a change of scenery while still surrounded by dykes.

Vanessa: Let me reiterate Gabrielle’s point: The Dalloway is not Cubby or Metro. It doesn’t scream “NYU Gender And Sexuality Studies Major That You Probably Slept With Freshman Year And Has Since Gone Vegan” so much as it screams “Power Dyke.” Bette Porter would be so at home at the Dalloway. Do you know what I mean?

Gabby: Right, would I host an Autostraddle meet up there? Yes, but only if we could rent out the entire place. Would I tell you it’s a good place for nerdy, socially awkward, Adventure Time loving queers to go socialize? Hell to the fuck no. It’s a bar for people who want to be seen with other beautiful people. It’s a pulsing nerve ready to make high profile connections. It’s the place to take a sexy queer lady client and seal whatever deal needs sealing.

Vanessa: I did feel like I could bring both gay and straight friends and everyone would have a grand old time, which was refreshing and cool.

Gabrielle: Oh and also I caught a few glimpses of Amanda. I don’t know if you know this but she’s really pretty.

Vanessa: I did not see Amanda or Kim and honestly I was upset about it. But other than that I had fun! Everyone was nice and while it was definitely a little bit cliquey, what bar in New York City isn’t? That’s how I felt about the pricing, also. The price will definitely be a dealbreaker for some — there’s no way around it, it is not cheap — but all nightlife in New York has a tendency to be expensive, and if that’s not something you can afford (or want to spend money on) there are plenty of cheaper options. If money isn’t a worry for you, I think you should know about the Dalloway.

Gabby: Establishments like The Dalloway add to the diversity of our queer community. I didn’t notice any instances of drama or drunken hot messery. All the queers and dykes and fags seemed professional and well versed in the secret language of the NYC social scene. I wore a red baseball cap and no one gave a shit. I didn’t get any side eye or experience any inter-dyke haterade. The bartenders were ultra sexy, like Aqua Girl sexy and the drinks were strong, tiny but strong, like a hard femme in the best way. There isn’t much I can say about The Dalloway that isn’t positive. If you want to be SEEN, go there and go there with some fly bitches to up your chances of getting snapped by the sweet photogs.

Gabrielle: The bottom line is that I’m looking forward to getting super dressed up again and bringing my girlfriend so that we can cuddle in a dark corner and drink things we can barely afford. I’m so glad that there’s now an option for girls who like girls who want to be swanky while also staying in a lesbian-created space.

So there you have it: All Our Feelings About The Dalloway! But why take our (many) word(s) for it? If you’re 21+ and in the neighborhood, check the place out for yourself! There’s plenty to do, what with Singles Night on Tuesdays, A League Of Their Own Flip Cup Tournaments on Wednesdays and Girls Who Love Girls Who Love Girls Night on Thursdays. Also coming up this week is the Valentine’s Day Lesbian Prom we told you about in our Valentine’s Day Party Round Up (which — shockingly — takes place on Thursday, February 14th) and Lesbian Day on Friday, February 15th! It also looks like Midnight Brunch is now a thing, which means all Vanessa’s hopes and dreams are coming true. For more details go to The Dalloway’s Upcoming Events page on their website, and be sure to find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, too — pretty girls, Real L Word cast member sightings and general debauchery guaranteed.

Queering the F*ck Out of Musical Theater: The Personal Is Political Is Art

Sometimes being an actor in New York can be a very frustrating experience. I wake up at 5 am, drag myself to open calls filled with a bunch of obnoxious people, freak out for six hours waiting to be seen, sing for 30 seconds and then go to work trying not to feel too worthless. If you happen to be wondering what, exactly, it’s like to live the open call, non-union life of a queer girl with stars in her eyes, I just happen to have a vlog about that.

After almost 6 years trying to get on Broadway by going to open calls, I realized there had to be a better way for me to utilize my skills and fuel my soul. Really, it is all about connections. I met Maggie Keenan-Bolger through an article that Autostraddle did about her show Queering History. I emailed her and she told me I could help out by selling tickets for the show, after which we grabbed a beer together. This landed me an audition for the show I’m currently doing with her, which you may have heard about, called The Birds and The Bees: Unabridged.

CAST PHOTO

This show is a devised theatre piece on female sexuality, but it’s not limited to the female viewpoint — we opened up the casting process to anybody besides cisgender men, a.k.a. anybody left out of the mainstream discourse about sexuality, which has historically been defined by cisgender men. What’s devised theatre? It means that our cast was formed through an audition process to get enthusiastic and diverse people to discuss their experiences with sex and sexuality in order to form a previously-unwritten show. Originally, we started with about 20 women and gathered information through the surveys (which some of you might have taken; THANK YOU!!!). After collecting input from our cast and the surveys, we realized that we were missing some crucial viewpoints, and were able to add several cast members including two disabled women and a trans* man.

We reached out to a number of organizations but were unable to find a trans* woman who was interested and able to commit the time — unfortunately, the traditional theatre world hasn’t been friendly to trans folks so the casting pool is pretty limited. Over time we hope to take part in changing that, and visibility for our project on websites like this one, with its diverse readership, are part of that initiative. We are hoping to eventually tour a version of the play to colleges and will continue to work to find someone (or someones) who is excited about being a part of the project and is able to provide a perspective on sexuality from the trans* female viewpoint.

However we do have trans* female representation in our accompanying visual art exhibit, so if you’re a trans* woman visual artist reading this, we’d love to see more submissions to alleviate somewhat the lack of representation in the performance piece. It is absolutely our goal in further incarnations of the performance piece to be sure that the trans* woman voice is included as well, so please contact us if you’re interested in participating! Historically trans* women are often left out of conversations about female sexuality and we know our project will be at its best when we have those voices included.

Growing up gay is a unique experience in that my interactions with sex and sexuality are very different from those of many of my cast-mates who grew up identifying as straight. There wasn’t a rulebook or very many examples of lesbian relationships, so I was forced to do a lot of research and communicate with my peers and partners on a regular basis. The perceived gender gap (Men are from mars…blah, blah, blah) was not typically an issue in my relationships and so I believed that it was possible to openly communicate with my sexual partners. Within our cast, it’s fascinating to discuss our experiences because it makes me realize just how differently-situated my knowledge on sex and sexuality is. I was interested to find out how the other lesbian as well as the trans man in the cast were feeling about their experiences and their additions to this groundbreaking show. So, I talked to Cole and Holly about their feelings on theatre and Birds and the Bees.

Cole

Where are you from and where did you receive your training for your theatre profession?
I’m from Rockaway, NJ, but I also lived in the south (Virginia and North Carolina) for a long time.  I have a B.A. in Theatre and Dance from James Madison University and an M.A. in Theatre History and Criticism from CUNY, Brooklyn College.

Is theatre/acting your primary job? If not, what else do you do?
Well, I currently temp at the Kaplan Bar Review, and I am also an adjunct lecturer of public speaking at CUNY, BMCC.

Do you think your experience as a queer/trans person has influenced your interaction with theatre?
Oh, hugely. Inescapably. It’s all I do, actually, is talk/write/create about my subjectivity as a transman and how it is the lens through which I see the world. The stage is a perspective on the world, a lens in itself, so my stage is a trans/queer stage, even if I write or act straight characters. My body is queer as is my body of work. I write theory about transmasculine spectatorship and embodied practice. As a playwright, I am hyper-focused on transmen characters. The plays are never ever about their transitions or about explaining their identities to anybody. They’re just people who are trans and they do stuff that is not about being trans. Which is surprisingly revolutionary, believe it or not. As a script reader for two companies, I’m sad to say I read piles of transphobic or trans-uninformed junk. If only I could balance it out by generating tons of original plays that don’t suck! I’ve only got a few, and I’m in the beginnings of a new one.

How do you think your experiences in theatre vary from straight or cisgender identified people? 
Oh wow… want to read my 50 page thesis on this? Well, basically, I believe that my subjectivity as a trans person does create a barrier between myself and the normative-studio-training expectations of the body. Dysphoria is a real thing. I have a theory about disappearing body parts, and I’ve been working on developing trans actor training that is based on an idea of fragmented resistance as opposed to “wholeness.” I can’t think of any technique that doesn’t require a sense of a unified bodily calm to even start, and why don’t ya just Google gender dysphoria? I don’t believe that having a dysphoric body should mean trans people can’t be actors. Besides, there are trans actors. Cast us, please. Stop casting cis people as trans people. ‘Preesh.

What have been your experiences with Birds and the Bees, what do you bring to the table and what are you excited about?
I get to experience a ton of anxiety! But that happens with me and actor training. I also get to experience a lot of fun, and I love watching characters and scenes materialize before my eyes. As a playwright who writes in a more or less traditional sense of storytelling structure, I am not used to the idea of a group-devised piece.

As for what I bring to the table, I bring a beard. It’s a very different experience of femaleness than the rest of the cast, and one that is always ignored because I pass as male. While others either ignore it or forget it, I have to remember every time I have to use a stall in the men’s room or on any number of other daily moment’s when my body and I are aware of each other. I may be the only cast member who is female but does not identify as one.

Cole getting born during rehearsal

Can you talk about a moment or exercise in rehearsal that stuck out to you (humorous moment, moment of discovery, etc)?
I think my favorite moment so far was a group-devised scene that acted out an entire “morning after,” in which an unfortunate toilet situation resulted in a girl leaving a bag of poop behind in the apartment of her fling, ensuring the status of the date as a one-night-stand, never to be heard from again.

Holly

What drew you to this project?
There is very limited information being given to people, especially young women, about female sexuality. I wanted to learn from the people involved in this project and help others become more aware and accepting of different points of view. With so many recent attacks on women’s rights, now is when a project like this is especially necessary. I wish I could have had a group of people like this to learn from when I was growing up.

Where are you from and where did you receive your training for your theatre profession?
I was born in Seoul and grew up in Mansfield, Ohio. I have a BFA in Acting from Long Island University, CW Post. Epic Theatre Ensemble, Roundabout Theatre Company and the New York Public Library’s Theatre on Film and Tape Archive taught me what I know for my career in theatre administration.

Is theatre/acting your primary job? If not what else do you do?
Yes, theatre is my primary job. I’m currently the Production Supervisor at the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive. We tape many Broadway and Off-Broadway productions to be included in the Lincoln Center archive.

How do you think your experience as a queer person has influenced your interaction with theatre?
I grew up watching, listening to and acting in theatre. As a child, I became a huge musical theatre nerd – I used to listen to my cassette of The Phantom of the Opera during recess. My career is in theatre and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Despite my love for this community, I wish queer women were better represented, both on the creative end and in what ends up on stage. I recently saw February House and Fun Home at The Public, both of which feature queer female characters. Had I seen theatre like this when I was growing up, discovering my own sexuality, and coming out would have been much easier. Theatre taught me that it was fine to be different; I wish it had shown me it was fine to be a queer woman, as well.

How do you think your experiences in theatre vary from hetero people? 
Queer women spend a lot of time seeing and telling other people’s stories in theatre. Creating a complex, developed character always defaults to the character being straight (or more recently, a gay man). For the most part, you will only see other queer women on stage if they are token, stereotypical and minor characters (Legally Blonde, Hairspray). Seeing yourself constantly tokenized gets rough, but projects like this help change the norm.

What have been your experiences with birds and the bees, what do you bring to the table and what are you excited about?
I’ve loved working on this project. The devising aspect scares the control freak in me that just wants a script, but that’s probably a good thing. The people we are working with bring tremendous intelligence, humor and empathy to the table. As a queer person of color I think I have a unique perspective on how each of these factors affect my experience with sexuality. I can’t wait to see how the show turns out. We’ve had great support from those that know about the project. I’m anxious to continue the conversations we’ve been having with people that see the show. I also look forward to seeing the art installation that is a part of this project.

Do you have any funny, awkward or poignant stories of your experiences as a queer person in theatre?
In an acting class my freshman year of college, I was working on a scene from Stop Kiss, a play about two women falling in love and a brutal physical attack after their first kiss. Our Teaching Assistant was coaching us in front of the class, only half of which knew that I was gay. It was already a bit awkward for me as the material was hitting a little too close to home. At some point the TA said, “you have to imagine what that would be like, since none of you know what it’s like to have feelings for someone of the same sex.” I was mortified and tried not to look at any of my friends that knew in the silence that followed. I came out to everyone in my class soon after that.

Leslie tells Karina about her new breasts.

Our Kickstarter campaign ends on February 16th. There are all sorts of cool things that you can get by donating. For only $1 you can get the best piece of sex advice e-mailed to you, for $10 you can get a list of the top 10 books and movies about sexuality and for $25 you can get a mixed tape from the cast of boot-knocking music. Other awesome incentives include naming a character in the show, a mystery box and a VIP invitation to the show where you will have the opportunity to dine with cast and crew. Your name will also be entered in a raffle where you will have the opportunity to win a product or event from one of our sponsors. If those aren’t enough reason to help us out, consider that your donation will help us to make the world a better place by facilitating open and honest discussion about female sexuality.

The Birds and The Bees: Unabridged will have performances the last week of March (27th-30th) and you can buy tickets at our website.

Come see us, like us on facebook, visit our tumblr and help us fund our show.

You Should Go: Hot Rabbit’s Fashion Week Queer Dance Party Extravaganza

If you live anywhere near W 4th St. – like at least within a 30 mile radius – and if you like awesome queer things, then you’re either already going to the Hot Rabbit queer dance party or it’s time for you to pull out your phone and save the date. Listen, I know we’re not all party people. Also, lots of us freak out about semi-trendy things that involve getting dressed up. But don’t let these reasons keep you home this Friday night, or any night. I’m a big fucking weirdo in a vest, ok? And sometimes I just wanna dance. There’s this party that I love, it’s called Hot Rabbit, and you should go to it. Why?

me, straight homegirl Angie, and Emily Hall Smith of Hot Rabbit

My reasons:
1) Pretty queers dancing everywhere.
2) Solid solid DJs & go-go dancers.
3) No one there has ever been an asshole to me which means they’re probs not gonna be one to you.

But this Friday’s Hot Rabbit isn’t just their regularly scheduled, sweaty sexy queers packed to the strobe lights dance party. Nope, this time around promoter and creator, Emily Hall Smith, teamed up with Anita Dolce Vita from dapperQ to throw (insert RuPaul’s voice here) an extravaganza  worthy of New York Fashion week starring all of you.

This Friday’s party is an attempt to shine a light on the multiple expressions of queer fashion. It’s Fashion Week in NYC. Anita Dolce Vita and Emily Hall Smith realize that the fashion world has co-opted our presentations, our androgyny, our masculine of center-ness, our femme status all day every day shit and all the looks in between to make mad money while setting the tone for what the rest of the world’s elites don. Hot Rabbit and DapperQ are taking back our fashion week and giving us an opportunity to showcase the best of our style and give a happy homo fuck you to those in the fashion world that refuse to recognize us.

How’d this all come together? Emily straight up told us:

Anita Dolce Vita of dapperQ noticed how many dapper folks we have in the photos Gizelle Peters takes for us every Friday, so we’ve been talking about a way to collaborate for a while. They came up with the idea of a fashion week party for queers and we were all for it! Everyone loves an occasion to dress to the nines. 

Hot Doctor Amy, Stef in the middle, and Katrina on the right.

We love Hot Rabbit, and we wanted to know why dapperQ loved it too. Of course there’s a ton of queerness blowin’ up the city every week of the year. Why the collaboration with Hot Rabbit? Anita let us know:

The weekly party is located in the heart of the Village, where all of the action is. But, more importantly, the party is truly inclusive and diverse; The Monster, which is traditionally a club for gay men, opens its doors to lesbians, trans men and women, straights – EVERYONE – on one of their busiest nights to host Hot Rabbit, one of the most fashionable queer parties in the city.

Bindle & Keep

If that’s not enough incentive to go, there’s a good chance that you might win a nice-ass custom fitted shirt from Bindle & Keep, a bespoke menswear company. They’re donating three shirt fittings with three custom made menswear shirts (retails $100-$145) which means that three lucky winners will get a fitting by Rae and a perfectly tailored shirt! How do you enter? Easy: Show up. Dress dapper. They’ll take it from there. Also, Marimacho is giving away a gift certificate for $235 to purchase their Fly Boi Bomber.

Marimacho Fly Boi Bomber

So, wear a bowtie, bring a few dates, and don’t forget the password that’ll get you free entry: SWAG. It’ll probably be everywhere you look Friday night.

Friend Hot Rabbit on FB to get the free password every week and check out DapperQ online to know what’s really good in queer threadage. Also, come have a drink with me, Katrina, Stef and possibly maybe Vanessa at the Hot Rabbit Fashion Week Queer Dance Party this Friday at Monster bar.

Hot Rabbit is held every Friday night at the Monster Bar
80 Grove St. between W 4th St. and 7th Ave., NYC

You Should Go: Tomboy Tailors Grand Opening Party in San Francisco

Okay, I know this is last minute, but how do you feel about spending part of your Saturday hanging out with well dressed queer people in the Bay Area?

Guys, put the Shane Playlist on, we are going out

My feelings exactly. This is why I feel like all of us should go to Tomboy Tailors Grand Opening Party* today, Saturday February 2, from 2-6pm at 50 Post Street, Level One of Crocker Galleria in San Francisco.

Let me let Tomboy Tailors tell you a little more about their concept while I finish getting ready:

Tomboy Tailors is a bespoke clothier in San Francisco that caters to butch/boi lesbians, female-to-male transgender individuals & people of any identity who like to don tailored menswear or tailored womenswear.

So, Tomboy Tailors is a store for the well-dressed and the ones who love them. Basically, if you dream of well-fitting outfits that understand the awesomeness that is your body, Tomboy Tailors is for you –San Francisco Bay Guardian notes that Tomboy Tailor’s staff will help you find suits that fit just right everywhere, “customizing them so that each garment fits its new owner.” On the other hand, if suits are not for you and you just like to see them on others, you should still drop by, check out their brand new place and hang out with half of the Straddlers in the Bay Area. You’ll be showing your support for a queer business and getting a chance to mingle with like-minded people all before dinner.

Look, Rachel Walker even made a Facebook event to remind us to go, and to let you know where to go party with us afterwards.

Tomboy Tailors is making sure we have no reasons not to go

*I know registration ended at 10am today, but don’t worry, tickets are not required and they only encouraged RSVPs to make sure they had enough champagne and hors d’ouvres for everyone -because they are awesome.

You Should Go: PUSSY RIOT! Book Launch in NYC

It was almost one year ago that five members of Pussy Riot, a Russian feminist punk collective, performed their “Punk Prayer” in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, asking the Virgin Mary to drive Vladimir Putin out of the church. They themselves were chased out of the church by security in under a minute, but once a video of the events hit the internet, a global feminist movement was ignited. Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, and Yekaterina Samutsevich were arrested and charged with felony hooliganism motivated by religious hatred; but that was only the beginning. The three women, also known as Masha, Nadya and Katya, captivated the world with their beautifully articulated court statements that called for freedom from oppression. Throughout their trial, the women were supported by other grassroots feminist activists, as well as celebrities like Madonna and Paul McCartney. Despite the global outcry of support, they were sentenced to two years in prison.

In honor of Pussy Riot, The Feminist Press in New York City put together an e-book of their letters from prison, courtroom statements, defense attorney closing arguments, poems, and the punk prayer that started it all; as well as tributes to the band by Yoko Ono, Eileen Myles, JD Samson and more. The profits of the e-book sales went to Pussy Riot.

via The Feminist Press

On February 7, at Barnes & Noble Union Square, the print edition of  PUSSY RIOT! A Punk Prayer for Freedom is launching, and you should really go to it. The print edition is an updated version of the e-book and includes new courtroom statements from the October 10 appeal, as well as tributes by Bianca Jagger, Peaches & Simonne Jones, Tobi Vail, Barbara Browning and Vivien Goldman. The event itself is going to be super amazing: Justin Vivian Bond, Barbara Browning, Vivien Goldman, Karen Finley, Johanna Fateman, Eileen Myles, and Laurie Weeks will be reading from the book! Eileen Myles, you guys.

This the the first publication of Pussy Riot’s words. Their significance has been largely left to the media to interpret, and in that process their original intentions are often glossed over, minimized and dismissed as rabble rousing rather than purposeful activism. The book provides a unique opportunity to read Pussy Riot’s mission straight from the mouths of the brave women who sacrificed so much to make the world hear their punk prayers.

Here are some excerpts from the appeal statements in case you don’t believe me about how exciting and important this is:

We are not guilty. I think this is obvious. I also think that our court sentence should be declared invalid. Dear believers, we did not want to insult you. We have never had such intentions. We went to the cathedral to voice our protest against the merging of religious elites with the political elites of our country… We have been jailed for our political beliefs. Even if we are sent to Siberia we will not be silent.

—Masha

It’s painful for me to hear that I am speaking out against religion. I have no religious hatred and never have. I want to warn that everything that is happening in Putin’s third term is leading to the end of stability. In two years there will be civil war, because Putin is doing everything to ensure that… We’ll be going to a prison colony while civil war is brewing in this country. Putin is doing everything to make this happen. He is setting people against each other.

—Nadya

If we unwillingly hurt any of believers by our actions, than we apologize for that. The idea of our action was political, not religious. In our previous actions, as in this one too, we have been protesting against the power of the current president, against the merging of the church with state authorities, and against the political statements by the patriarch. Therefore I believe I have not committed a crime. This is the joint position of all three of us. There is no split within Pussy Riot.

—Katya

See you there!