#2023 new york city pride march

[sreehari28]

New York City is getting ready for a big weekend of events celebrating Pride Month. The New York City Pride March is an annual event that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and promotes inclusivity, equality, and acceptance. It typically features colorful floats, vibrant performances, and enthusiastic participation from various LGBTQ+ organizations, individuals, allies, and supporters. The march serves as a platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, raise awareness about important issues, and celebrate the progress made toward equality. Watch the 2023 New York City Pride March only on Nyc Desi!

[unrememberedrooms]

queer liberation march 2023 | 6/25/23

[mr-divabetic]

Pride 2023 New York City 

[omgthatdress]

According to legend, Marsha P. Johnson was the one who threw the first shot glass at the Stonewall Riot. Marsha would later say that wasn't true, that she only showed up to the riot hours after it began. While the story may not be true, her impact on lgbt and especially transgender rights is that tremendous.

(Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera)

After Stonewall, Marsha was a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front, and along with close friend and fellow activist Sylvia Rivera, they founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.) that advocated for the homeless trans people who were considered to be at the bottom of LGBT society.

In 1974, when "drag queens" were banned from marching in a gay pride parade because of the "bad reputation," she, Rivera, and other trans people marched in front of the parade in protest. When asked why she was there, she told a reporter, "Darling, I want my gay rights now!"

When asked what the P in her name stood for, her answer was "pay it no mind," a philosophy that buoyed her through immensely dark places. She spent much of her life homeless and engaged in sex work to survive. She was arrested over 100 times, and had numerous stints in psychiatric institutions.

(Marsha P. Johnson in a demonstration outside Belleview Psychiatric Hospital)

On top of all her tireless activism, she was a celebrated drag performer with the troupe Hot Peaches.

In 2017 the documentary The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson came out and got mainstream distribution on Netflix. In 2018, The New York times honored Marsha with a much overdue obituary that recognized her for her work. In 2021, Youtuber NikkieTutorials honored Marsha with a look at the Met Gala, bringing in one of the best looks of the night (and one of the few to honor the "In America" theme in an interesting in creative way). In 2020, East River State Park in New York City was re-named Marsha P. Johnson State Park, and in 2023, a floral archway was installed.

I honestly had a really hard time writing about Marsha. I first learned about her when she was honored on an episode of RuPaul's Drag Race in 2012. Back then, there was little information about her available online, so coming to understand this icon Ru talked about so lovingly was difficult to do. Ever since then, it's been remarkable to see Marsha's name and renown grow.

[sugdenlovesdingle]

I FINALLY DID IT!

I finished my pride fic! With an hour to go until the episode airs!

@flufftober 2023 Day 27: outdoor event

Austin Pride (AO3)

Owen and Gabriel go to pride with their sons

---

“Have you ever been to one of these? With TK?” Gabriel asked, tapping the ad in the paper open on Owen's kitchen table.

“Been to what? A camping supplies store?” Owen joked, turning the paper around to see what Gabriel meant. “Oh, that. Yeah, a few times. Back in New York. Never here though. I didn't actually know there was one.”

Gabriel nodded.

“Have the boys said anything... to you... about... going?”

“No, no I don't think so... although...” Owen trailed off, grabbing his phone and unlocking it and scrolling through his work calendar. “TK did schedule time off work that weekend. So my guess is that they're going.”

Gabriel nodded again.

“Are you... thinking of going too?” Owen asked. “Have you ever been?”

“No. When I was young... well... I don't think there was ever one where I grew up. And by the time I ended up in the big city... It's just never been on my radar.”

“Not even when Carlos or your girls were growing up?"

Gabriel snorted and took a swig of his drink. Andrea would have his head if she knew he was day drinking with Owen and not at his PT appointment.

“You know the mess we made of things with Carlos. So no, I've never been. Not with Carlos, not by myself.”

“But you're thinking of changing that?” Owen guessed.

“Well... it's definitely been on my mind more lately.” Gabriel admitted. “But I'm not sure it's my place.”

“Why not? Everyone is welcome at these things. That's kind of the whole point of them.” Owen chuckled. “The first time Gwyn and I went with TK was when he was 15 or 16. I don't know which one of us was more nervous.”

“What was it like?”

“Loud. Colourful. Lots of happy people. Everyone was in a party mood. We had fun. Even more so the second year when we actually marched. And a drag queen called me a DILF.”

“A what?” Gabriel asked, confused.

“DILF. It’s an acronym.”

“For…?”

“Dad I’d like to…” Owen raised an eyebrow and sipped his drink. “You know.”

“Dad I’d like to what?”

“You know… get freaky with...”

“What? Oh! I… should have known what that F stood for.”

Owen shrugged.

“I didn’t. I looked it up when I got home.” He laughed. “TK told me to never mention it out loud to anyone ever again.”

Gabriel nodded and tried to imagine having such memories with Carlos.

“But apart from that… what is it like? One of those parades.”

“Well in New York there were a lot of advocacy groups marching. And it was quite political. But there were also a lot of people marching because they just… wanted to. Celebrating who they are, who they love.” Owen said and laughed. “You should have seen TK’s face when this guy from a gay health clinic gave him free condoms and lube. And then turned to me and gave me some too because “sexual health is important no matter your age.” He said using air quotes. “TK was 17 I think. He refused to look at me the rest of the day. I slipped the condoms and lube in his backpack though when we got home. I didn’t know if he was actually having sex back then, but if he was, I wanted him to be safe you know.”

“Yeah…” Gabriel agreed and tried to remember if he’d ever talked to Carlos about sex, let alone gay sex, let alone safe gay sex. He knew Andrea had sat their girls down when they hit puberty, but for the life of him he couldn’t remember ever doing so with Carlos. “Would it be… weird… if I were to go to that parade?”

“As a spectator?”

“Maybe? Or participant.”

“I don’t see why it would be. We could go together!” Owen said, getting excited. “We could march with the boys! We could get matching shirts!”

“Oh… I uh I don’t know if Carlos would want me to. They’ve probably got plans with their friends.”

“We can all march together!” Owen pointed out. “Maybe that friend of Carlos’ I got talking to at the wedding will be there. What’s his name again… something with a J I think. He had some killer moves on the dancefloor.” He shook his head. “Anyway let me call the boys and then we can figure out our outfits.”

Before Gabriel had time to stop him or even make him take a breath and discuss things, Owen had pulled up TK’s contact and hit call.

“TK, what are you and Carlos doing the weekend of the 30th?” He said the second the call connected, not bothering with hello.

“The weekend of the - wait that's pride weekend. I scheduled the weekend off. It's already been approved. You're not making me change it now. We have plans.” TK replied, apparently not bothered by the lack of greeting.

“Yes, yes, I know. But what kind of plans? Are you marching in the parade?”

“I don't know... maybe. Why? Please tell me you're not planning on marching with the entire 126?”

“What? No.” Owen said immediately. “It's way too short notice." He paused to think. “But it's an excellent idea for next year. Remind me to talk to the AFD brass about it. We could build a float or use one of the ladder trucks! We could probably find some rainbow decorations or just buy some pride flags. Maybe we could get a local artist to design something for us! We could set up a competition! Maybe we could even get the winning design as a mural in the firehouse!"

Owen was getting more and more excited and started moving around the house to find a pen and paper to write his ideas down.

"Dad, dad, DAD!" TK all but yelled down the phone to get his attention. “Is that why you called? To talk about your ideas for an LGBT+ friendly firehouse?”

“No, you just gave me that idea.” he scribbled some key words down on an old receipt.

“So why did you call then? On my day off. That I'm spending with my husband who magically also has the day off. And we're enjoying that. Together. Alone.” TK said, emphasising the last two words.

Owen caught the implication but decided to ignore it.

“Oh yes, right. I wanted to know what your plans are for the pride weekend because we thought we might join you and march in the parade together.”

“We? Who is we?”

“Me and Gabriel. It'll be a multi-generational father and son thing. We were thinking of getting matching t-shirts printed. For all four of us.” Owen said, looking at Gabriel for confirmation.

“Wait, my father wants to go to pride?” Carlos asked and Owen briefly wondered if he'd been on speaker the whole time.

“Yes! It was his idea. He wants to share the experience with you. With both of you. And me I suppose. Even though I'm not gay. I mean... there was that one time in college...”

“Ok please stop talking.” TK said quickly. “I really don’t want to hear about your college hook ups.”

“It wasn’t a hook up!” Owen protested. “More like a… mutual understanding and appreciation.”

“Uhuh. Yeah, sure, Carlos and I have those all the time. This morning actually. He was very appreciative. And understanding. He’s also very good at following instructions. Very eager to please.”

“TK!” Owen heard Carlos say after some sputtering and coughing. He assumed TK had made him choke on his drink.

“What?” TK said innocently and Owen could practically hear the shit eating grin that was without a doubt on his face. “I was just saying we have a lot of these mutual appreciation moments. And how much I enjoy those.”

“Yeah, please don’t.”

“I can’t talk about how much I appreciate my husband now?” TK asked. “My big, strong, hot… so incredibly hot you wouldn’t believe…”

“TK…” Carlos warned but it came out more of a mix between a giggle and gasp.

“Guys, focus, please.” Owen interrupted them. “What colour are we thinking for the shirts? I was thinking pink, to fit the theme.”

“Wait what theme? When did we agree on a theme?” TK asked, distracted.

“The pride theme. Pink for pride.”

“Shouldn’t it be rainbow themed then?” Carlos asked, sounding somewhat more composed.

“I’m not sure I’d look good in rainbow colours.” Owen mused. “Yellow isn’t really my colour. It washes me out.”

“Dad, just wear whatever you normally wear.” TK said, sounding like he’d resigned himself to the fact he wasn’t getting out of going along with his dad’s idea. “We don’t need a theme. Carlos and I have our outfits planned out already.”

“No we don’t.” Carlos protested. “I told you, I’m not wearing that in public.”

TK sighed.

“We’re still discussing our outfits.” He corrected himself. “So just wear whatever. Nobody is going to pay attention to what you’re wearing… unless you’re in drag or wearing ass-less chaps.” He paused. “Please don’t wear those.” 

“I don’t think the cowboy look is really for me.” Owen mused. “But I do still have my motorcycle outfit…”

“If you wear that I’m not walking anywhere near you. And that’s a promise.” TK swore and Owen laughed.

“I guess my outfit is still a work in progress too. Gabriel and I will brainstorm and we’ll let you know what’s what.”

“Sure. But no leather and if anyone calls you daddy, I’m out of there.” TK warned him before ending the call.

Owen laughed and sat back down at the table with Gabriel.

“See? I told you the boys would be on board. Now, what do you think. Pink or rainbow?”

The next few weeks consisted of Owen forwarding every outfit idea he had to Gabriel as well as their sons in their family group chat.

TK shot almost everything down right away, while Gabriel was unsure and let Owen decide for them both.

“Ok, the boys said they’d meet us at the starting point of the parade. It’s not that far but we should get going soon if we want to get a good spot. You want to get behind the advocacy groups but still near enough to the front that people still pay attention.” Owen said as he let Gabriel into his house a few weeks later. “I have our shirts and signs right here.”

“Signs? What signs?”

“The signs we agreed on…” Owen said slowly as if he was talking to a child.

“I don’t remember agreeing to signs. What do we need signs for when we have the shirts?”

“We agreed it would be nice. I had them made especially. They’re laminated.” Owen held up one of the signs. “I know a guy who makes those yard signs for politicians, he made these for me.”

“Right. Well… I think… I’ll just stick to the shirt for now.” Gabriel said, warily eyeing the sign Owen was holding.

“Alright. Well… I’ll just… take both of them then. Maybe I can convince Judd to march with us too. He’s a father too and I think he and Grace mentioned taking Charlie to watch the parade because she likes colours.” Owen rambled while Gabriel looked at the two matching t-shirts laid out on the kitchen table.

“If you’re not sure, we can just go and watch. The boys won’t mind.” Owen suggested, picking up on Gabriel’s unease.

“No, I promised Carlos I’d march with him, so that’s what I’m going to do.” Gabriel said resolutely. “Andrea and the girls said they’d come watch too and I don’t want to let them all down.” He picked up one of the shirts. “Where can I change?”

When they arrived at the parade starting point, Owen seemed to feel right at home and within five minutes he’d become best friends with a few of the drag queens also getting ready to march.

“I’m here with my friend.” He gestured to Gabriel. “We’re consuegros actually. Our sons are married and we’re marching with them… but I don’t think they’re here yet.” He looked around. “We got matching t-shirts and we’re marching as a family.”

“That’s nice darling but you have to look the part if you’re going to march. That t-shirt just won’t do. Let us give you a make over.” She looked back and forth between Owen and Gabriel. “Both of you.”

Fifteen minutes later Owen had a rainbow flag painted on his cheek and both of them wore rainbow sashes, though Gabriel had convinced their style team to tie it around the rim of his hat instead of wearing it the way it was meant to.

One of the queens had called it Texas-chic and he liked the sound of that.

“Carlos! TK! Over here!” Owen yelled and waved when he spotted their sons in the crowd.

TK waved back and dragged Carlos with him over to their fathers. Owen did his best to hide his disappointment when he saw neither of them were wearing the t-shirts he’d made for them.

“Why aren’t you wearing the shirts we agreed on?”

“It’s too hot for those.”

“We’re wearing them.”

“That’s your choice.” TK said with a shrug. “And besides, I’m here with my husband, I’m wearing the ring he put on my finger, and his last name. I think people are going to get the message that I think being gay is ok.”

“I have the shirts in my backpack.” Carlos told them and shrugged at the raised eyebrow from his husband. “Your dad put a lot of time and effort into them, TK. The least we could do is wear them for half an hour.”

TK lovingly rolled his eyes at him.

“You’re such a boy scout.” He said and kissed Carlos’ cheek. “But I’m fine wearing what I’m currently wearing.”

Owen decided to drop it and just stood back and let the chaos unfold as his and Gabriel’s style team set their sights on TK and Carlos.

Before long they’d painted rainbow flags on their cheeks, put temporary tattoos on their arms, and managed to talk Carlos into taking off the tank top he was wearing underneath a mesh shirt, much to TK’s delight.

By the time the parade started moving, someone had given all four of them little rainbow flags to wave, and Owen was trying to find a way to both wave his flag and carry two signs.

The four of them started walking with the rest of the crowd, waving their flags and waving to the people watching from the sides.

There was a DJ on the back of a pickup truck playing party music, and TK convinced Carlos to dance with him when the parade had stopped for a moment.

Someone shouted at him to put a ring on it when they saw Carlos’ moves, and he just laughed, held up his hand to show off his wedding ring, and yelled back he’d already done that.

The song ended and the two of them walked back to where Owen and Gabriel were standing and watching them.

A few people had noticed the “Free dad hugs” signs they were holding and came to ask for a hug. Owen happily obliged but Gabriel seemed a little awkward and unsure what to do.

“Are you ok dad?” Carlos asked him and Gabriel nodded.

“I’m fine. It’s just… a lot to take in.”

Carlos looked around.

“Yeah… I was kind of overwhelmed the first time I went. The first time TK dragged me along.” He smiled to himself .“We’d only been together a couple of months by then. It was a lot but it was a great experience.”  

Gabriel smiled.

“I'm proud of you.” He told Carlos and squeezed his shoulder. “I know I haven't always been the best dad to you but I'm so proud of the man you are. I'm so proud to call you my son.”

Carlos swallowed thickly and nodded.

“Thanks dad. That... means a lot.”

“I should have said it sooner.” Gabriel shook his head. “Before I got this shirt made. Before I let Owen convince me all this was a good idea.” He said and laughed, gesturing at himself in his brightly coloured I love my gay son shirt and the rainbow sash around the rim of his hat.

“I don't know, I think it suits you. You blend right in.” TK said, trying to relieve the tension somewhat. “You're one of us now.”

Gabriel laughed and in a rare public display of affection pulled both him and Carlos into a hug.

“That puts me in great company.”

“I agree.” Owen said, joining their group hug. “You boys are the best thing to happen to us.”

The parade started moving again but as they marched, more people started to approach both Owen and Gabriel for dad hugs.

Owen thrived in the attention and somehow managed to bring out a whole new version of Gabriel, who seemed to enjoy being able to make people happy with a small gesture.

“Are you seeing this?” Carlos asked TK. They were walking a few steps behind their dads, watching it all unfold.

“Yeah. Looks like my dad finally had a good influence on someone.”

[divinum-pacis]

Participants from Jewish Queer Youth walk in the New York City Pride March on June 25, 2023. Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Thousands joined the Queers for Palestine March in New York City to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and freedom for Palestine, Nov. 12, 2023.

"No pride in apartheid! From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!"

Photos by redguard

#LiftTheSiege #queersforpalestine

[petrovna-zamo]

Event Schedule

2025:

August 16th: São Paulo, Brazil - The Realness Festival

2024:

January 5th: Salt Lake City - TB&TB Live*

January 6th: Denver - TB&TB Live*

January 19th: Philadelphia - TB&TB Live*

January 20th: Pittsburgh - TB&TB Live*

February 1st: Monterrey, Mexico - TB&TB Live

February 2nd: Mexico City, Mexico - TB&TB Live

February 28th: San Diego - TB&TB Live*

March 1st: Los Angeles - TB&TB Live*

March 18th: Richmond - TB&TB Live*

March 20th: Atlanta - TB&TB Live*

May 1st: Katya’s Birthday!

May 9th: Cincinnati - TB&TB Live

May 10th: Indianapolis - TB&TB Live

June 8th: Salt Lake City - MILK+ Pride

June 14th: Chicago - Roscoe’s

June 21st: Louisville - Play Louisville

June 28th: Royal Oak - Five15RoyalOak

June 30th: Seattle - Queer Pride Festival

July 5th: Nashville - Play Nashville

August 23rd: Trixie’s Birthday!

September 5th: Albuquerque - TB&TB Live*

September 7th: Sacramento - TB&TB Live*

September 28th: San Francisco - Princess Oasis

October 12th: Atlanta - Wussy Events

October 24th: Baltimore - TB&TB Live

October 25th: Providence - TB&TB Live

October 27th: Online - Veeps Virtual Halloween Special

October 31st: Perth - ITD Scream Queen

November 1st: Sydney - ITD Scream Queen

November 2nd: Melbourne - ITD Scream Queen

November 3rd: Brisbane - ITD Scream Queen

November 16th: Columbus - TB&TB Live

November 17th: Charlotte - TB&TB Live

December 4th: St. Louis - TB&TB Live

December 6th: Madison - TB&TB Live

December 8th: Madison - TB&TB Live

2023:

February 16th-March 8th: North America - Last T&K Live Tour

February 24th: Chicago - TB&TB Live

April 8th: Boston - MassArt Alumni Talk

May 1st: Katya’s Birthday!

May 7th: Online - Drag Isn't Dangerous Telethon

June 1st: Online - Trixie & Katya Live Livestream

June 8th: LA - Apocalipst!ck Cabaret - Pride Show

June 13th: New York City - ILTW Live

June 17th: London - Afternoon Tea

June 22nd: New York City - Pier 17 Pride

July 27th: Montreal - JFL TB&TB Live

July 28th: Minneapolis - TB&TB Live

August 11th: Melbourne - Drag Expo Opening Gala*

August 12th-13th: Melbourne - Drag Expo*

August 23rd: Trixie’s Birthday!

August 30th: Milwaukee - This is It Pride*

October 31st: LA - Apocalipst!ck Cabaret - Halloween Show

November 16th: Houston - TB&TB Live

November 17th: New Orleans - TB&TB Live

* = Rescheduled Date

[petervintonjr]

"True emancipation lies in the acceptance of the whole past in deriving strength from all of my roots, in facing up to the degradation as well as the dignity of my ancestors."

As we come to the end of Pride Month 2023, I wanted to devote a little time to the remarkable life of Rev. Anna Pauline "Pauli" Murray --civil rights attorney, Episcopal priest, scholar, and advocate. Born in 1910 Baltimore, their mother tragically died when Murray was only four, and their father succumbed to depression and was later murdered in a mental hospital, and so Murray was raised by an aunt and grandparents, in a time when the threat of violence from the Ku Klux Klan was never too far away. Murray later moved to New York City and graduated from Hunter College in 1933 (as Columbia College did not at the time admit women). Throughout the 1930's Murray grappled with sexual and gender identity --this is in fact when they took on the preferred male-identifying name of "Pauli." A gifted photographer but an even more prolific author, Murray worked as a teacher with the New York City Remedial Reading Project, which offered a great deal of opportunity to write and publish. Among other publications, Pauli's essays and articles about civil rights would regularly appear in The Crisis and in Common Sense (both publications of the NAACP).

Pauli took the unusual (and risky!) step of petitioning to apply to graduate school at the University of North Carolina (current events alert!) --at the time an all-white institution. Such a prospect was considered sufficiently unobtainable that even the NAACP declined to actively support this effort. Pauli had in the meantime cultivated the acquaintance of then-First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, as well as A. Philip Randolph (see Lesson #68 in this series); associations which would later carry consequences. Pauli is listed as one of the founders of CORE (Congress of Racial Equality), along with Bayard Rustin (see Lesson #5 in this series), and James Farmer (Lesson #17). In 1943 they published a hugely important essay: "Negroes Are Fed Up;" and also a poem, Dark Testament, both of which spoke to the Harlem Race Riot of 1935.

In 1944 Murray graduated from Howard University Law School --while largely identifying as a man but still presenting as a woman, Murray famously coined the expression "Jane Crow" to describe the experience. They then applied to Harvard Law for an advanced degree on a Rosenwald Fellowship but was turned down --reportedly not due to racism (exact same current events alert!) but definitely due to sexism. They instead opted for the University of California Boalt School of Law; their graduate thesis was titled "The Right to Equal Opportunity in Employment." In 1945 Murray was named deputy attorney general for the state of California; the first African American to hold that post. In 1951 Pauli published States' Laws On Race and Color, a book that would later be described by Thurgood Marshall as the "Bible" for civil rights litigation, and was conspicuously referenced during Brown v. Board of Education arguments.

In 1952 the scourge of McCarthyism caught up with Murray and cost them a number of prestigious posts due to affiliation with "radicals" like Marshall, Randolph, and particularly Ms. Roosevelt. Unbowed, Pauli went on to publish the gripping biographical account Proud Shoes, which led in turn to a job offer in the litigation dept. of Paul, Weiss, Rifkin, Wharton, and Garrison (as in, Lloyd), where she would meet lifelong partner Irene Barlow. In 1960 Pauli was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to the Committee on Civil And Political Rights, but the issue of intersectionality was never far from their priorities; notably in 1963 Murray took Bayard Rustin, A. Philip Randolph, and Martin Luther King to task for not including a single woman speaker at the March On Washington. Perhaps the most fascinating coda to this remarkable life comes in 1977, when in the wake of Irene Barlow's passing, Murray became the very first African-American woman Episcopal priest. Pauli died in 1985, having never come out publicly.

For a comprehensive listing of Pauli's writings, visit the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice: https://www.paulimurraycenter.com/paulis-writing

[izabesworld]

Happy Pride Month 🌈🏳️‍🌈

June is Pride Month and is a time of year to share very important history. It’s a time of year to learn about the struggles this community has and is still going through.

The first pride to take place was in 1970 (53 years ago). The concept of Pride Month began with the Stonewall riots, a series of riots for gay liberation that took place over several days beginning on June 28, 1969.

The year after the riots, the first pride marches were held in several US cities. The march in New York City, aimed to celebrate the "Christopher Street Liberation Day", alongside parallel marches across the US, is considered to be a watershed moment for LGBT rights.

However, transgender women and people of color were noted to have been excluded or silenced during the early marches, despite the initial riots largely consisting of them.

The rainbow flag, now a ubiquitous symbol of the LGBTQ community, first appeared in the 1970s. Harvey Milk, the openly gay San Francisco city supervisor, tasked artist/activist Gilbert Baker with creating a symbol for the gay community to use in place of the pink triangle, which Nazi Germany forced gay men to wear in concentration camps. Baker created the first Pride flag in 1978, dyeing the fabrics himself.

On my account I post mainly Romani content, and want to include that in this post. I want to share awareness on the discrimination many LGBTQ+ members face due to the traditional cultural values.

2023 is in a decade of change, where more voices are being heard and cultural values are changing - and a lot of that is for the better. So I want to let any Romani men, women, or whatever else you identify as, that we stand with you this month. I want to let you all know that you are strong, and you are supported.

HAPPY PRIDE! 🌈🏳️‍🌈

[metabolic-riffs]

Texas increases anti-LGBTQ attacks, but anti-fascist victories give reason for hope

The state of Texas has spent 2022 demonizing and attacking LGBTQ people. Whipping up a moral panic with hate speech pulled from corporate media headlines, Texas politicians have introduced dozens of bills criminalizing transgender people. This in turn has led to a steep increase in attacks against LGBTQ people.

But even as the attacks increase, popular movements have shut down the fascists in major cities and small towns alike, often greatly outnumbering them. There is still a long road ahead for Texas anti-fascists, but a few powerful victories give reason for hope.

Hate speech paved the way for fascist violence

The national panic around LGBTQ existence is not an accident, but a coordinated campaign with political ends. Anti-trans and anti-gay hate speech has proliferated across the media. Fox News ran 170 segments attacking trans people in a three-week period between March 17 and April 6.

News anchors are endlessly repeating the lie that children are being “groomed” into being transgender, echoing anti-gay panics and Satanic cult conspiracy theories of decades past. The media is using the most visceral language possible about trans children, including repeating the libelous term “chemical castration,” in order to provoke confusion, fear and hatred against trans people.

Instead of loudly and publicly denouncing the vile rhetoric, “centrist” corporate media have normalized it. Writing for the Texas Observer, Kit O’Connell debunks the New York Times’ false claim that there is a “debate” over transgender health care and exposes the source of the Times’ “debate” as anti-gay hate groups.

Far-right rhetoric against trans people has now spilled over into a full-blown homophobic assault, often dovetailing with racism, sexism and anti-semitism.

This has corresponded with Republican legislators adopting and advocating for these same extreme positions. The Texas Republican Party platform, adopted in June 2022 — right in the middle of Pride Month, no less — declares that “[h]omosexuality is an abnormal lifestyle choice,” and that they oppose “all efforts to validate transgender identity.”

Republicans scramble over each other to introduce new hate bills

New bills being introduced seek to criminalize trans existence by restricting what sports teams children can play in, designating wearing clothing for the “opposite” gender as inherently sexual, restricting or outright banning health care access for trans people, and more.

Most of the previous year’s proposed transphobic legislation died in the House, apart from HB 25, which essentially bans transgender children from sports. 2023’s HB 23 would expand the restrictions passed last year. The bill sows distrust of birth certificates themselves, only accepting them as a valid proof of sex if the gender marker was “entered at or near the time of the student’s birth” or corrected due to a clerical error.

Texas legislators are trying to redefine and criminalize “drag” through HB 643 and HB 708. Both bills classify venues with drag shows as “sexually oriented businesses” and define “drag” as “a performance in which a performer exhibits a gender identity that is different than the performer’s gender assigned at birth using clothing, makeup, or other physical markers and sings, lip syncs, dances, or otherwise performs before an audience for entertainment.”

The bill’s definition of “drag” is so broad that it would not just encompass drag artists, but all transgender performers. If passed, any performance which includes a trans person onstage at all — the national anthem before a sports game, a string quartet performing at a wedding, a ballet performance, an open mic night — would be classified like strip clubs, and the owners would be subjected to criminal penalties if a minor is present. This is not to mention the harm this would cause to actual drag performers, who are under constant threat of violence across the country.

Far-right legislators are also seeking to do away entirely with health care for trans children. HB 42 would expand the state’s definition of child abuse to include providing gender-affirming care to a child/teen and would make it a felony for any health care provider to provide this care to a child/teen.

Studies show that denying gender-affirming care to youths can increase depression and suicide rates by up to 300 percent in just six months. If HB 42 passes, it will undoubtedly lead to higher suicide rates among trans youths, while anyone who attempts to help obtain medical care for them will be charged with heavy criminal penalties.

The number of similar bills is proliferating like the heads of a hydra. HB 42, HB 122, HB 41, HB 436, and HB 672 all prohibit health care for transgender youth. These are dozens of bills targeting LGBTQ people — especially youth — businesses that host them, medical professionals that treat them, education that acknowledges LGBTQ existence, and even parents that support their own children.

Republican politicians are scrambling over each other to prove who can introduce the most anti-LGBTQ legislation.

The executive branch of Texas is weaponizing every aspect of state bureaucracy against trans people. Attorney General Ken Paxton has attempted to form a list of all trans people in Texas using driver’s license info, and earlier in the year, worked with Governor Greg Abbott to order that parents of trans children be investigated for child abuse.

Texas legislators are increasingly bringing self-described fascists into the halls of power. State Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington) hired self-described Christian nationalist Jake Neidert as his legislative director. Neidert has called for the public execution of people for bringing children to drag shows. Neidert’s twin sister Kelly, a self-described “Christian fascist,” is the founder of the hate group Protect Texas Kids, which is responsible for attacks on Texas drag shows.

Fascist attacks repelled in city after city

The legislative attack on trans people and the media bombardment of hate speech also serve another sinister purpose: They have activated a network of fascist groups against LGBTQ people. Out of 141 protests against LGBTQ events across the country, 20 of the protests took place in Texas, the most in the nation. North Carolina came in second with 10 protests.

Fascist groups have served as the “muscle” to directly shut down venues friendly to LGBTQ people. But they have met large protests wherever they have appeared. Almost always outnumbered, the far right has found no major allies in Texas cities or towns.

On July 10, Protect Texas Kids protested a drag show in Houston. One hundred and fifty people showed up in 103-degree heat to defend the venue against 18 fascists, a ratio of 8 to 1.

On Dec. 13, the fascist militia, This Is Texas Freedom Force, tried to shut down a holiday drag show in San Antonio. They were met with over 300 pro-LGBTQ counter-protesters, outnumbered 4 to 1.

On Dec. 17, a group of openly fascist organizations tried to stop a drag show in Grand Prairie near Dallas. They were outnumbered by 75 counter-protesters, who successfully defended the event.

In other cities where shows have taken place — such as Katy and Pflugerville — fascists sporting neo-Nazi symbols have disrupted shows without being able to shut them down. Other shows in Amarillo and Temple saw protests, but even in smaller Texas cities, drag shows are gaining popularity and are defended by pro-LGBTQ groups.

Sadly, the threat of violence has forced some venues to cancel events: Shows in San Antonio (Dec. 3), Austin (Dec. 18) and Denton (Sep. 18) were all shut down under threat of violence.

Notably, many of the canceled shows are in cities where anti-fascism is strong, and were shut down by business owners before the community could rally to their defense. All across the state, when venues refuse to cancel a show and the community mobilizes in support, the fascists are exposed as completely impotent and forced to retreat.

Only the people can stop fascism

LGBTQ Texans will ring in the New Year in a state trying to criminalize every aspect of queer existence. Right-wing politicians, working hand-in-hand with openly bigoted media, have created a hostile legal atmosphere for trans people. But the third prong of this assault, the mobilized fascist militias, have met fierce resistance in every corner of the state.

There is nothing settled about the fight for trans rights in Texas. The consciousness of the state has shifted to the left in recent years, even as the state government has shifted even more to the far right. Texas has been singled out for fascist attacks on LGBTQ people not because its right-wing government is so powerful, but precisely because its form of extreme class rule is so unstable and unpopular.

The corporate-backed Texas far right fears that if its system of bigotry and extreme oppression falters, it will lose control of the state to the millions of people crying out for a better system. It is imperative that progressive people all across the state prove the bigots’ greatest fears correct!

[sreehari28]

The New York City Pride Parade, also known as the NYC Pride March, is an annual event held in New York City to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. The parade is one of the largest Pride events in the world, attracting millions of participants and spectators from around the globe. Watch New York City Pride Parade Only On NYCDESI!

[carolinesiede]

My 2022 Roundup

Phew! What a year.

2022 started with news of some disappointing corporate shake-ups at The A.V. Club — my main freelance home for the past nine years. After leaving the site in solidarity with my wonderful departing editors, I went all-in on a full-time contract gig with FOX Digital only for that to rather unexpectedly end in mid-November. Add in the tumult that has taken over Twitter in the last third of the year, and I’m ending this year without any of the pillars of stability that have propped me up for my entire career, not to mention nearly my entire adult life.

And, yet, remarkably, I also feel more rejuvenated and excited than I have since the start of the pandemic. After a challenging 2021 took a fairly drastic toll on my mental health, 2022 was filled with adventures that pushed me out of my comfort zone and reminded me that I’m capable of more than I think I am.

I started the year covering virtual Sundance, which was my first experience with a major film festival like that. Then in March I hopped on a plane for the first time since 2015 (!!!) to attend SXSW, where I saw a Dolly Parton concert, watched Nic Cage watch Nic Cage play Nic Cage, and just generally had 10 of the most surreal, exhausting, exhilarating days of my life.

May brought my first-ever on camera interview, with Cha Cha Real Smooth writer/director/star Cooper Raiff, who was in town for the Chicago Critics Film Festival. Then June took me to L.A., where I watched a dear college friend get married and took my first-ever trip to Disneyland! (I also dealt with my first major cancelled flight snafu and managed to have only a minor emotional breakdown in LAX.)

The adventures didn’t stop there, as I took a relaxing trip home to St. Louis in August, dashed around like a madwoman covering the Chicago International Film Festival in October, and took a semi-spontaneous trip to New York City in November, where I squeezed in five Broadway shows amongst catching up with friends old and new.

The year wasn’t all easy, of course, especially when it came to the major mental adjustment of switching from a freelance lifestyle to the structure and demands of a full-time job creating a brand new section with a two-person team.

And it was incredibly bittersweet to say goodbye to some of the long-time anchors of my career: My episodic recaps of This Is Us (my favorite show I’ve ever gotten to write about in such an in-depth way) and especially my long-time A.V. Club column When Romance Met Comedy, which came to a close after 101 columns totaling 187,227 words.

I’m especially proud that my final four WRMC entries (Roman Holiday, Win A Date with Tad Hamilton!, 2005′s Pride & Prejudice, and How To Be Single) really sum up the scope of what I was trying to do with this four-year project. And though it was kind of nice to take a break from writing about rom-coms for most of 2022, I feel like the genre is calling me back again in 2023. 

Other highlights of the year included celebrating Nathan Chen’s gold medal win at the Beijing Olympics (I’ve been following his skating career since 2016!), spotting Nate from The Bachelorette at my screening of Black Adam, re-hauling my wardrobe, getting my bivalent booster (a major turning point in pandemic safety — get yours today!) and reconnecting with friends I hadn’t seen in person in years.

I also created a public Instagram account, recapped “The Slap” Oscars, delved deep into the nerd-spheres of the MCU, Stranger Things, and House of the Dragon, and kept things going strong with my podcast Role Calling, where we covered the careers of Meg Ryan, Antonio Banderas, and Zac Efron, and released a series of Lord of the Rings specials that I’m especially proud of.

Oh and I picked my 10 favorite films of 2022, even though this is the first time in years that I didn’t actually publish any official year-end coverage:

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Living

Cha Cha Real Smooth

Elvis

Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.

The Woman King

Aftersun

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Saint Omer

Turning Red

As we head into 2023, I’ll leave you with wishes for a Happy New Year and a roundup of all the major writing and podcasts I did in 2022. If you enjoyed my work, you can support me on Kofi or PayPal. Or you can just share some of your favorite pieces with your friends! That really means a lot. 

When Romance Met Comedy

Nearly 70 years on, Roman Holiday remains one of romantic comedy’s most delectable treats

Win A Date With Tad Hamilton! now has retro charms twice over

Joe Wright made Pride & Prejudice feel fresh all over again

Can romantic comedies teach us How To Be Single?

My last A.V. Club TV recaps

This Is Us season 6

The Doctor Who 2022 New Year’s Day Special

Op-eds and Features

At the SXSW Film Festival, Nicolas Cage watches Nicolas Cage play Nicolas Cage

Revisit the lighthearted nun comedy that won Sidney Poitier the Oscar

Awards show recap: The chaos Oscars

‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion’ is still timeless at 25

75 years of the Roswell incident — pop culture’s favorite alien conspiracy theory

Watch rare color footage of Queen Elizabeth II’s 1947 royal wedding

Interviews

Cooper Raiff on his new Apple TV+ indie rom-com ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’

Film Reviews

Say "maybe" to Jennifer Lopez’s Marry Me (my last A.V. Club film review!)

‘The Worst Person in the World’ might be the best movie of the year

Unfortunately, ‘Uncharted’ isn’t quite a national treasure

‘The Batman’ review: Why so serious?

'After Yang' review: Colin Farrell grapples with the loss of his android son

‘Turning Red’ is Pixar at its weird, wonderful best

‘The Lost City’ almost strikes gold at SXSW

‘Everything Everywhere All At Once' is transcendent and a bit exhausting

‘Morbius’ is a boring, bloodless bat man

In ‘Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood,’ nostalgia becomes rocket fuel

‘Dual’ review: Two Karen Gillans, one deadpan dark comedy

‘The Bad Guys’ review: Animated baddies make for a good time at the movies

‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ review: Marvel makes a messy horror movie

‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’ review: Mamma Mia, here we go again

‘Top Gun: Maverick’ review: ‘Top Gun 2’ is a gloriously corny nostalgia fest

HBO’s ‘The Janes’ tells the story of radically empathetic abortion activists

‘Jurassic World Dominion’ review: Just going through the dino motions

‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ is a stellar new riff on a classic indie dramedy formula

‘Elvis’ somehow has both the best and worst performances of the year

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ review: A surprisingly bittersweet romp

‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ lacks grit

‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’ is pure magic

‘My Old School’ is a wild, weirdly charming documentary

‘DC League of Super-Pets’ has delightful Saturday morning cartoon vibes

‘Bullet Train’ review: Brad Pitt’s thrill ride just barely stays on track

‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’ review: A wickedly fun Gen Z slasher from A24

‘Not Okay’ and ‘Vengeance,’ two provocative comedies about narcissism

‘13: The Musical’ review: Broadway magic gets lost in Netflix translation

John Boyega gets a dramatic showcase in ‘Breaking’

‘Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.’ review: A megachurch mockumentary masterclass

‘The Woman King’ review: Viola Davis’ crowning achievement

‘Don’t Worry Darling’ should’ve worried more

‘Bros’ review: Billy Eichner is a glorious rom-com lead

‘Black Adam’ review: The Rock goes bad — mostly for good

‘Ticket to Paradise’ review: George Clooney and Julia Roberts grin and bear it

'Call Jane' review: An abortion drama with optimism

‘My Policeman’ and ‘Causeway’: Harry Styles and Jennifer Lawrence lead quiet new dramas

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ review: A superhero elegy

TV Reviews/Recaps

‘Welcome to Flatch’ S1 (premiere + final recap)

‘Monarch’ S1 (premiere + final recap)

Streaming pick of the week: Hulu’s ‘Pam & Tommy’

‘The Dropout’ review: Amanda Seyfried leads TV’s latest scammer drama

Marvel’s ‘Moon Knight’ is promising but weirdly paced

‘Doctor Who’ review: A pirate-themed Easter special is a throwaway romp

Get ready to fall in love with ‘Ms. Marvel’

‘She-Hulk’ review: Marvel’s bold comedic experiment’

‘House of the Dragon’ review: ‘Game of Thrones’ is back and better than ever

‘Andor’ review: ‘Star Wars’ grows up, with a rebel yell

Explainers & Rankings

Oscars 2022: Where to watch the Best Picture nominees (and other movies like them)

Marvel second installments ranked — including ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

‘Top Gun 2’: Film critic eats his shoe (literally) over ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

'Stranger Things' recap: Here's a refresher ahead of the season 4 premiere

‘Stranger Things’ season 4 storylines, ranked

Here's everything Marvel announced at Comic-Con

'She-Hulk': Three Marvel movies (and one TV show) to revisit before starting the series

The 11 best movies of the year so far: ‘Top Gun 2,’ ‘Turning Red’ and more

10 of the best streaming shows of the year (so far)

22 things we loved in 2022

‘House of the Dragon’ 101

‘Game of Thrones’ returns: Everything you need to know about HBO’s ‘House of the Dragon’

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: Who's who in this new game of thrones

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: What are the Stepstones and where’s Old Valyria?

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: What’s up with Targaryen incest?

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: That time jump (and those kids), explained

Festival Coverage

Sundance coverage part one, two, three, four, and five

The coolest, weirdest, best things at this year’s SXSW festival: Vol. 1

The coolest, weirdest, best things at this year’s SXSW festival: Vol. 2

The splashiest movies out of this year’s SXSW festival, Vol. 1

The splashiest movies out of this year’s SXSW festival, Vol. 2

Chicago International Film Festival preview, part one and two

Movie Previews

February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October

Role Calling Podcast

Meg Ryan: When Harry Met Sally, Joe Versus the Volcano, Sleepless In Seattle, Anastasia, You’ve Got Mail

Antonio Banderas: The Mask of Zorro, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Desperado, Evita, Pain and Glory

Zac Efron: High School Musical, Hairspray, Neighbors, The Greatest Showman, The Greatest Beer Run Ever

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King

Specials: One Year Anniversary Special, Thor: Love and Thunder, Halloween Ends, The Best and Worst Films of 2022: Letterboxd Special

Other Podcast Appearances

The Filmcast: The Tragedy of Macbeth

Culturally Relevant: Breaking Down the Films of Sundance 2022 

Travolta/Cage: Old Dogs/National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets

The Filmcast: The Lost City

The Filmcast: Morbius

Happy Harvest Horror Show: Hocus Pocus 2

And here are similar year-end wrap-ups I did in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013.

[man-squared]

First, an image description and then, a little rant under the cut with links to information about the images. Feel free to reach out if I get any of the details of the images wrong, so I can fix it.

[ ID: There are seven images on this post.

The first image is a screenshot of a tumblr reply. Waves have been transposed on the image to make it seem like it is underwater. The reply is from catlovergirl676 that says, "Religion is not a part of the LGBTQA+ community."

The next images are from various queer-related events of religious people.

First, there are Indian people holding up a large rainbow pride flag (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) above their heads in front of stone steps. In front of them, there are two men holding hands and dancing in a circle. One of the men wears a rainbow flag as clothing. This was a celebration of a legal case in Bangalore that can be read about here.

The next image is of British Muslims participating in Pride. There are multiple signs being held that say "Love is not haram," "Allah loves equality # Love is Love," "Imaan LGBTQI Muslim Support," "Trans Muslims are Everywhere," and many other sayings. In the front of the crowd there is someone wearing the rainbow flag over her face as a niqab / veil.

The fourth image is of a Sikh man staring at the camera and holding a sign that reads "Some Sikhs are gay. Get over it!" He wears a turban that is layered with rainbow pride colors but mainly red.

The fifth image is a person walking in the 2023 New York City Pride march. The person wears a "Jewish Queer Pride" shirt, wears a colorful, rainbow-like headscarf, and holds a sign that says, "Trans Jews Belong Here" over a blue and pink Star of David.

The sixth image comes from the Instagram rebootjewish. The photo is black-and-white of a Jewish boy walking in the New York City Gay Pride March of 1992. He holds a sign that says, "Homo Jew Boy." The caption reads "[red heart emoji, orange heart emoji, yellow heart emoji, green heart emoji, blue heart emoji, purple heart emoji] 1992 Gay Pride March # NYC @/lgbtcenternyc."

The last image is of Harvey Milk. This image is in black-and-white. Milk sits on the top of the car out of a sunroof. He is raising one fist in the air and his other hand holds a sign that says, "I'm from Woodmere, N.Y." His mouth is open in a wide, full smile, possibly yelling something, and he wears flowers around his neck. End ID. ]

Disclaimer: I do not know the commenter’s stance on religion or their views about antitheism. This is mostly about the general conversation around people who lump all religions as one in the name of Christianity, which is a very (hateful) Christian-like thing to do anyway. I am an atheist/agnostic if that bears any weight in this in any way. This is under the cut because I think the image descriptions are much more important than what I have to say on the matter. I'm tired of people painting individuals and other religions and cultures as bad because they can only view the world from a lens of Christianity.

I'm going to be real honest, here in the south, regardless of sexuality or gender, there are a LOT of Christian queers, and there are a fee queer-inclusive Christains/churches. I don't think I have ever once seen anyone say that Christains or their churches don't belong at pride by anyone online or in my community . . . So the fact that "religion is not a part of the community" was commented on a post that explicitly mentions religious wear of non-Christian religions/cultures seems very telling.

Not even to fucking mention all the photos of Christains who march at pride with signs that say "Jesus loves you" and the like, who (from what I have seen a lot - I'm a queer from the South USA) do not get told that religion doesn't belong at pride, and the only ones telling them that Christianity does not include queers is (more often than not) other Christains. Often, they get celebrated for not being like the Christians that hurt us.

Let religious queers be queer and religious. They will always be at pride, and you can't shame them away. And stop telling people what to do and wear at pride. It's exhausting and pointless.

A lot of people take their hatred of Christianity out on other religions (or just the people of those religions). They say things like this or become antitheists usually solely because of their negative interactions with Christianity and the influence of Christianity/colonialism on other religions and cultures. I don't have to tell that to spacelazarwolf (he KNOWS). But if you do this, you are just furthering the reach and influence of the type of Christianity you hate (even if it is Christianity in general). You are passing hate in the name of religion, even though you aren't a part of that religion, which seems like the last thing you (specifically) would want to do, but here we are.

Links:

reminder that visibly religious people belong at pride. that person wearing a hijab is not a threat to you. that person wearing tzitzit and a kippah is not a threat to you. someone simply wearing an item that is culturally or religiously important to them is not a threat to you. however, your aggression upon seeing a religious person at pride is a threat to them.

[qnewsau]

Nominate your local heroes for Brisbane's Queens Ball Awards

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/queens-ball-awards-brisbane-pride-nominations-open-2024/

Nominate your local heroes for Brisbane's Queens Ball Awards

Brisbane Pride has officially opened nominations for this year’s Queens Ball Awards, ahead of the 63rd annual gala event in June.

The Queens Ball is the longest-running continuous LGBTIQ event in the world. Brisbane Pride now hosts the glitzy gala each year inside Brisbane City Hall. This year, the event has been confirmed to return on June 29, 2024. Let the costume planning begin!

Each year, the Queens Ball honours numerous individuals, organisations and groups with awards for their outstanding achievements in Queensland’s LGBTQIA+ community.

“As we celebrate the vibrancy and achievements of our community, the Queen’s Ball Awards offer a platform to acknowledge the outstanding individuals and groups who have made significant contributions,” Brisbane Pride said.

“It’s an opportunity to shine a light on those who lead with love, fight for equality, and inspire through their actions.

The awards are a chance to celebrate those “who embody the spirit of our community” and “whose efforts and accomplishments deserve to be recognised.”

“The categories span across various fields of advocacy, artistry, volunteerism, and more. Every nomination counts in celebrating the heroes of our community,” Brisbane Pride said.

“Let’s come together to recognise and honour the pillars of our vibrant community.”

Today, Brisbane Pride confirmed the following fourteen award categories will be handed out this year and opened nominations.

First Nations Leadership and Engagement Award

Young Achievement Award

Activist of the Year

Ally of the Year

Volunteer of the Year

Community Social Group

Community Support Group

Community Sporting Group

Artist of the Year

DJ of the Year

Drag Performer of the Year

Performer of the Year

Event of the Year

Venue of the Year

Visit the Brisbane Pride website to lodge your picks. Nominations for the 2024 awards close April 30.

‘The Queens Ball story is our story’

The Queens Ball was originally held on Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast Hinterland as a night of fun and frivolity at a time when being gay was illegal.

Last year, Brisbane Pride James McCarthy reflected on its history and paid tribute to the Ball’s founder Sybil Von Thorndyke.

James said seven years before New York’s Stonewall uprising, the Queens Birthday Ball was born.

“In a house on Mt Tamborine, a group of friends formed the Queens Birthday Ball, in the most conservative, repressive state in this country at the time,” he said.

“It was subversive, defiant, empowering and also an enormous personal risk.

“The Ball teaches us our greatest asset is each other. The Queens Ball’s story is our story.”

In 2023, 78er and longtime health advocate Dr Bernard Gardiner received the top honour, the Lifetime Achievement Award, at the 62nd annual event.

Later in the year, the Brisbane Pride Festival will return in September. Each year the festival brings together a month-long calendar of Pride events, including the Pride March through Brisbane and Fair Day.

Revisit the 2023 Queens Ball:

All the winners from the 62nd Queens Ball Awards

Community legend Dr Bernard Gardiner gets top honour

All the photos from last year’s Ball at Brisbane City Hall

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.