feature image contributed by Grace Chu
Hey New Yorkers, what are you up to tomorrow night? I know we’re perpetually expecting a “wintery mix” and I know the past week has been freezing, but that’s all the more reason to grab life by the collar and say, “I will have fun, damn it!” Right?
i had to use this photo because that’s my friend alison looking adorable in the background but these people could ostensibly be saying “RIGHT!”
photo by grace chu
If you’re with me on the whole grab life by the collar bit, you’re in luck, because there’s an intimate queer blow out going down in Manhattan tomorrow night — yes, you read that right. Manhattan. As in, not Brooklyn. I know. It’s wild! My friends Ryley (who you may recognize from Straddler on the Street) and Sam are spearheading the event with their respective passion projects — Queer and Utter Bedlam and Werk Those Pecs — and here’s what they told me about tomorrow’s party.
Queer and Utter Bedlam and Werk Those Pecs are both parties that are designed to give back to the community. Q&UB raises money for a variety of queer-related projects led by queer humans, and WTP is a tri-annual event that helps people in the community fundraise for top surgeries. The groups are joining forces this week to launch what will be both the first Q&UB of 2013 and a preview for the second WTP party, which will happen on February 16.
Here’s some info about tomorrow night directly from the organizers:
Werk Those Pecs prides itself on throwing hot parties which ALSO act as aggressive fundraisers toward expensive and life-changing surgeries for a chosen benefit-ee. At Queer and Utter Bedlam we’ll introduce Devin Norelle, the benefit-ee of the upcoming Werk Those Pecs party. The Q&UB and WTP crews will be there displaying photographs, premiering artwork, and answering questions about being genderqueer and/or non-binary-identified, as well as raising preliminary funds for Devin’s top surgery. – Sam
There will be art. And go go dancing. And queer literature. And a pamphlet about the common misconceptions about being gender queer written by yours truly and one of our hosts Norelle. It’s going to be magical. – Ryley
If you want to get in on the magic, you know what to do — head to Bedlam on Avenue C tomorrow night at 9pm and say fuck you to the cold weather and fuck yes to everything queer and wonderful.
Queer & Utter Bedlam Werk’s Those Pecs starts at 9pm on Tuesday, January 29 at Bedlam, 40 Avenue C, Manhattan, New York.
Queer & Utter Bedlam, founded by Ryley Pogensky, is a bi-monthly party in the heart of the Lower East Side in Manhattan. It is a space for queers of all walks to get together, get their dance on, get wasted, and most importantly network. Come with your new projects. Your arts. Your new ventures. Share with your community.
Werk Those Pecs, founded by Jason Hill and Samuel Aaron Leon, is a movement that aims to increase visibility and awareness of transgender issues within the wider queer community. Each event aims to raise money for trans* surgeries, support LGBT businesses, and showcase queer musicians & DJs. Their next fundraising party, for Devin Norelle, will be on February 16 at SLATE on West 21st Street in Manhattan. For more information find them on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr.