Feature image by Molly K. Adams
Happy last Friday of June, friends! We made it! From the early party-driven chaos of Pride and Gemini season (and A-Camp, tbh), to the more emotionally-driven chaos of Pride and Cancer season, we’ve had a month. I have grown so much just this month, and honestly, I’m ready to stop.
July is always the settling-in month of Summer for me. June is this exuberant freedom from my typical routine that often results in me going too hard, and July is when I settle down, get back into a work schedule, and relax during the long, hot nights. July is also the month of cookouts and BBQs and picnics by some natural body of water. Much less club-going, but still lots of community.
A prime community building holiday is coming up just next week. While I don’t ascribe to July 4th as my independence day, it is a day primed for a cookout because most of the country shuts down. Plus, the campiness of Americana as a genre and aesthetic is honestly, just too good to not lean into a theme. So, for the month of July, might I suggest a themed party?
Picture it: Flags everywhere. So many flags it’s sacreligious. Everyone is encouraged to dress like their favorite dad, or like a literal firework, even. You serve the cookout food of your childhood (with vegan and gluten-free alternatives of course), and end the night with red, white, and blue popsicles. You have a cute little donation box by the cheap beer you bought (just to be on theme) and you and your friends generously give what little cash you have to RAICES or some other righteous group that is actually working for independence in our country.
If you need any more reason to throw a themed party, might I offer the hypothesis that themed parties are queer culture?
Exhibit 1: A-Camp. Community Editor Vanessa and I were talking about how coming to A-Camp requires a serious commitment to sticking with a bit, and a themed party is just that, on a much smaller scale. People really, really, really got into the high school theme this year.
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByjDqdTgv6q/
Exhibit 2: There are four different pieces about throwing oneself and one’s friends a themed party on this website right here.
+ This piece by Crystal, explores the world of Skins-themed parties, which were at one point, an epidemic plaguing UK-based youth.
+ Kayla wants us to consider “Throwing a Highly Specific Themed Party For No Particular Reason” in a FYC from December. (She also then made all her friends commit to a horror themed party for her birthday like the true Gemini queen she is!! Halloween who?!?)
+ Rachel comes through with the how-to guide for throwing a themed movie marathon.
+ And Vanessa gave us the holigay guide to throwing the best themed party of your life.
So pals, are you inspired to throw a themed party? What would your theme be? Or, have you thrown a recent themed party? Was it amazing? Do you actually HATE themed parties??? I wanna know everything about you and parties and themes. Of course, I also want to hear about whatever else you’d like to tell me. Friday Open Thread is always open for whatever conversation organically grows and this week is no less. So get in these comments and tell us about you! We can’t wait to chat.
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