A pandemic-era guide to the best virtual Pride events
Even during these dark times, queers had a moment of victory to celebrate this week when the Supreme Court ruled that LGBTQ folkx are protected from job discrimination. Plus, we are currently in the throes of an insurrection against police brutality that we have been gearing up for for decades. I, for one, am ready to party. Only coronavirus is still lurking in a bad way, all the parades are cancelled, and I’m not ready to gather in groups, anyway. Whether you’re rainbow gay or queer as in “fuck you” — we embody every emotional shade of the rainbow, after all — here are some ways to celebrate Pride virtually.
Black Queer Town Hall
Drag icons Peppermint Gummybear and Bob the Drag Queen are hosting a three-day virtual event featuring performances and roundtable discussions. Don’t miss this epic opportunity to gather in queer community to talk about how to crush the white cis-heteropatriarchy and also see some of the highest caliber drag performers all at once. Black Queer Town Hall will be June 19th-21st and is currently taking donations.
San Francisco Pride featuring Big Freedia
San Francisco famously has one of the biggest and best Pride celebrations in the country and now all of us can go. This 24-hour party has a headliner of pegasus proportions, New Orleans’s queen diva Big Freedia. I can tell you from personal experience that a Freedia performance is not to be missed. San Francisco Pride is June 27th and 28th and you can stream it here for free.
Social Dis-dancing
If you’re looking for something a little more casually queer, Social Dis-dancing is a bi-weekly virtual dance party that’s been happening since the beginning of the pandemic. You don’t have to be gay to come because hosts Bear Hebert and Hannah Pepper welcome all in joy and solidarity. You can safely bring your kids or parents to this mostly PG party every Wednesday and Saturday. Social Dis-dancing raises money for a different group geared towards Black liberation each week.
Lambda Literary Does Pride
If you want to celebrate Pride in a low key intellectual way, Lambda Literary, an organization that champions queer literary voices, is hosting a whole month of reading and discussion events. You can join queer astrology icon Chani Nicholas in dialogue with artist Jacob Tobia or hear Wilson Cruz read James Baldwin. Get ready to swoon. Events are sliding scale and donation-based.
