Qmmunity: The Puzzle of Pride

Queer history makes for an interesting puzzle: Every piece represents both trauma and triumph in equal measures. Miss one particular piece and the big gay picture becomes distorted. Pride Month asks us to celebrate the whole puzzle of pleasures and pain that've made queer life what it is today, so here's two upcoming events celebrating the continued resilience of queer community.

Sunday, June 4, marks the return of Austin's Dyke March at Cheer Up Charlies. With a policy of explicit inclusivity, the march invites all self-identified dykes, supporters, and allies to a three-quarter-mile journey through Downtown at 6pm with pre-march performances tributing lesbian elders and a post-march dance party. The Dyke March has a long history starting in 1993 with New York-based direct action group the Lesbian Avengers formulating the gathering as a response to right-wing anti-gay legislation. Boy, oh boy, does that sound familiar, as our own Texas Lege hits sine die on a traumatic session for LGBTQ Texans. Beth Schindler, who brought the event to Austin in 2019, makes clear via press release that this is an event of reclamation. The march "intentionally reclaims the former slur against lesbians and queer women," reformatting a tool of shame into one of solidarity. "In commemoration of queer stories and in the face of continued threats to queer and trans communities," says the press release, "the Dyke March remains a symbol of queer liberation, joy and unity in Texas."

Speaking of symbols, the iconic rodent logo of Sir Rat's Leather & Gear celebrates six years of love, leather, and community. The local guiding lights of gear toast their sex-versary at the Austin Eagle, with the go-go stylings of Rick Kelson, a fireplay demo, tunes by DJ Tony Castro, and more this Saturday at 10pm. They're also hosting their usual kink bingo at the Eagle on Sunday, 4-7pm, with LGBTQ vendors and bingo hosts Hexa Dulce, Kyle Nolan, Simone Riviera, and Sir Rat co-owner Randy Surratt. Both Randy and his partner, Luis Bratt, say that what they're most grateful for in the past six years is the support of their customers, especially as the two have strived to create "an identity that goes beyond a store; we have become a symbol of acceptance, empowerment, and unity." Having grown from a single rack of harnesses to an entire store of different leather and clothes, Bratt and Surratt are proud of the unique collection they've built with the Sir Rat brand. "[We] look forward to many more years of creating a safe space, fostering love and acceptance," they say, "and standing as a vibrant symbol of our community's strength."

Q’d Up

Slay! Werk! Bewts! Lavender Thug's wild card drag show, where every week a new cast performs "freaky, fun performances made to make you laugh, cry, or throw up!" Plus queer stand-up comics at the halftime mark. Fridays, 6-9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River. instagram.com/lavenderthug.

Black Queer Emancipation Open Mic Poetry Night Poets are invited to share and witness poetry focused on the Black queer experience during Pride Month and ahead of Juneteenth. Sign-up starts at 6:30pm. Fri., June 2, 7pm. The Vortex, 2307 Manor Rd. $5 suggested donation; $2 for performers. vortexrep.org.

Country Night Giddy on up to the Bear for a night of Nineties and modern country tunes spun by DJ Mike. First Fridays, 9pm. The Iron Bear, 301 W. Sixth. instagram.com/theironbearaustin.

Double Rainbow: Pride 2084 Farm to disco VHS cleaner creators Double Scorpio look into the future of Pride with their megawatt rainbow riot party. Sat., June 3. Coconut Club, 310-B Colorado. Free before 10:30pm; $10 after. doublescorpio.com.

Big Ole Queer Market Over 100 queer vendors make up this mega Pride Month market presented by Ella's Apothecary and the Little Gay Shop. Sat., June 3, noon-6pm. Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd. thelittlegayshop.com.

Trans Joy Picnic A community picnic where trans people and their allies take up joyful space at a place that's caused us pain. Bring snacks, drinks, and activities to share. Sat., June 3, 1-6pm. Capitol Grounds, 1100 Congress. Free but RSVP. instagram.com/trans.joy.atx.

Playdate: Birthday Brunch It's host Eileen Dover's b-day! Featuring Jenna Talia, Maxine LaQueene, Xtra, and tunes from TJ the DJ. Sat., June 3, 2pm. The Far Out Lounge & Stage, 8504 S. Congress. instagram.com/playdate.atx.

Round Rock Pride Show your true colors at Round Rock's second annual Pride festival. Sat., June 3, 3-8pm. Centennial Plaza, 301 W. Bagdad Ave., Round Rock. roundrockpride.com.

Queerbomb March alongside yer queer community in this celebration of the loud and proud spirit of Pride. All ages, no fee, and wear whatever makes your heart sing. Sat., June 3, 6pm. Native Hostel, 807 E. Fourth. queerbomb.org.

The Bestie Ball It's double trouble at House of Lepore's newest ball, which features tag-team categories across the board. Sat., June 3, 9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River. instagram.com/houseoflepore.

Goddamn Glam Drag Brunch Enjoy drag from Sinful Purchase, Vinny Legend, Bohemia, and Lilith Vonlips, and tunes from DJ Lavender Thug. Sun., June 4, 11am. Little Brother, 89 Rainey. instagram.com/littlebrotherbar.

Pride Service A special worship service coordinated by Music Director Caleb De Casper with performances from Extragrams. Sun., June 4, 11:45am. Wildflower Church, 1314 E. Oltorf. Free. wildflowerchurch.org.

Big Gay Drag Brunch Partnering with Austin Pride, this drag brunch brings the best queens together for a great time. Sundays, noon. The Courtyard at Fourth & Co., 208 W. Fourth. instagram.com/thecourtyardatx.

An Absolutely Fabulous Sunday Brunch The Southern Ladies Social League hosts a drag brunch benefiting LGBTQ elder care org Rainbow Connection ATX. Featuring special guest Topaz. Sun., June 4, 1-4pm. The Austin Eagle, 8201 Cross Park Dr. Ste. B-2. instagram.com/rainbowconnectionsatx.

Shady Beach Pride The House of Chunky Dunk's poolside Pride party with door donations going to TENT. Sun., June 4, 1-6pm. Austin Motel, 1220 S. Congress. instagram.com/houseofchunkydunk.

Exercise Your Pride An outdoor workout series centered around the LGBTQ community. June 5-7. Mon.-Tue., 6pm; Wed., 7pm. Waterloo Greenway, 1111 Red River. waterloogreenway.org.

Bimbo Bingo Join Eileen Dover and Maxine LaQueene for Y2K-themed drag bingo. Thu., June 8. Halcyon, 218 W. Fourth. instagram.com/halcyon.austin.

Tales on the Trail: Intersectionality of LGBT & Black Identities Come for a discussion on the intersections of race and queer identity moderated by Aira Juliet. Thu., June 8, 6pm. Moody Amphitheater, 1401 Trinity. waterloogreenway.org.

Extra, Extra

Night at the Museum: Ya'll Means All A free community event open to kids, parents, adults, and allies featuring music, refreshments, door prizes, and local queer-friendly orgs like Austin LGBT Coalition on Aging, Equality Texas, and OutYouth, plus many more. Thu., June 1, 6-8pm. LBJ Library, 2313 Red River. lbjlibrary.org.

Tongue in Cheek/Austin Vogue Nights A queer comedy open mic hosted by the hilarious Ivy Le, followed by House of Lepore's monthly Vogue Night mini ball. First Thursdays, 8 & 10pm. Swan Dive, 615 Red River. $5. instagram.com/swandiveaustin.

Jason June and Steven Salvatore LGBTQ young-adult fiction authors Jason June and Steven Salvatore in discussion with Austin author Kelis Rowe about their new novels. Fri., June 2, 6-7pm. Central Library, 710 W. Cesar Chavez. austinlibrary.org.

Kingdom Behold the majestic sights and sounds of drag royals Brigitte Bandit and Channing Ate'Em at this happy hour sensation hosted by Alexander the Great. Fridays, 9-10:30pm. Oilcan's, 211 W. Fourth. No cover. fb.com/oilcanharrys.

Cabin Fever Comedy Revel in summer camp nostalgia at this comedy show hosted by queer comic Brandi Davis. First Fridays, 10pm. ColdTowne Theater, 1700 E. Second. $10. coldtownetheater.com.

WaterPride Pride starts with a splash at this waterslide party benefiting Lambda Legal. Enjoy a best-dressed contest judged by the Cavalier Queers, WaterPride merch, Eighties tunes, gourmet weenies, and raffles. Sat., June 3, 2pm. The Cavalier, 2400 Webberville. Free. instagram.com/thecavalieratx.

Bowl-a-Thon Help raise funds for local LGBTQ sobriety & recovery org Austin Roundup at this bowling event full of camp costumes and striking competition. Sat., June 3, 7-9pm. Highland Lanes, 8909 Burnet Rd. $125 per team. bowl-a-thon-2023-41041.causevox.com.

St. Elmo Brewing Pride Party Louisianna Purchase hosts a Pride party featuring drag from Mandy Quinn, Tatiana Cholula, and the music stylings of DJ Salem Ofax. Sat., June 3, 5-8pm. St. Elmo Brewing Co., 440 E. St. Elmo. Free. stelmobrewing.com.

Clinks Clinks celebrates its first anniversary with performers from Clinks past: Basüra, Bohemia, Harlót, Mars, May Magdalene, MK Ultra, Tequila Rose, Veronica Valentine, and your hostess with the mostest, Eva Inez. Sat., June 3, 9pm. Little Drinks Lounge, 3801 S. Congress #116. instagram.com/clinks_atx.

Under the Neon Rainbow This fun & funky prom invites all y'all to enjoy prizes, pool time, photo ops, and more with host Cheeki Khant and DJ Boyfriend. Sat., June 3, 6-10pm. Austin Motel, 1220 S. Congress. Free but RSVP. austinmotel.com.

Love Language A Pride spoken-word and art showcase that asks two questions: What's your love language, and what are you proud of? Sat., June 3, 7pm. The North Door, 908 E. Fifth. $15-85. instagram.com/thenorthdoor.

Coco Cxnts Drag Brunch Bohemia, Arinna Dior Heys, and Brigitte Bandit take over Coconut Club's rooftop with host Honey Baby and weekly special guests. Saturdays, 1-4pm. Coconut Club, 310-B Colorado. No cover. instagram.com/coconutclub.austin.

Sundown Sirens Ruby Knight, Tatiana Cholula, Mandy Quinn, Noodles, and Gothess Jasmine werk fantasy lewks on the rooftop terrace. Sundays, 10pm. Neon Grotto, 318 Colorado. instagram.com/neon.grotto.

Art in ATX: Pride Market Browse and buy from over 20 queer artists bringing their art, food, and unique gifts while also enjoying music from Javijuu, Female Gallery, and DJ Dámino. Sun., June 4, noon-5pm. Batch Craft Beer + Kolaches, 3220 Manor Rd. thegalleryatx.org.

Sunday Fundaze Chique Fil-Atio and Louisianna Purchase throw a brunch kiki at the Bear with all the mimosas and tacos you can handle. First Sundays, 1:30pm. The Iron Bear, 301 W. Sixth. fb.com/theironbearatx.

Sapphic Singles: Climbing All the sapphic bouldering buffs & climbing curious are invited to this meetup at Austin Bouldering Project, where a discount is given at the front desk to those joining. First Sundays, 4-6pm. Austin Bouldering Project, 4477 S. Lamar. instagram.com/sapphicatx.

All Man: The International Male Story The star-studded men's fashion doc that opened last year's aGLIFF is back for one night only. Mon., June 5, 7:30pm. Alamo Drafthouse Mueller, 1911 Aldrich #120, 512/572-1425. agliff.org.

Gay Enough Genderfluid lesbian comic Arielle Isaac Norman hosts all her gayest and gayest-looking friends for a night of fun, flirty comedy. Tuesdays, 7pm. East Austin Comedy Club, 1303 E. Fourth. $20. instagram.com/ellendegenderless.

Queer Cuties Climb An LGBTQIA social climbing group focused on providing a supportive & joyful space for queer climbers to reach new heights. Every other Tuesday, 7-9pm. Crux Climbing Center, 6015-B Dillard. cruxclimbingcenter.com.

Erica's First Holy Shit Wide Release Party To celebrate the wide release of this cinematic Austin odyssey, enjoy a screening of

Erica's First Holy Shit. Plus: Erica Nix and cast members Gwyneth Paltrow (Lynn Metcalf), Satan (Andie Flores), and the ghost of Leslie Cochran perform live. Tue., June 6, 8pm. The Highball, 1120 S. Lamar, 512/383-8309. $15. instagram.com/workoutwithericanix.

RuPaul's Drag Race Trivia Celebrate Pride Month at Lala's by testing your RuPaul knowledge and competing for prizes. Maximum team size of six. All are welcome, and drag is encouraged! Tue., June 6, 8pm. Lala's, 2207 Justin, 512/487-5297. Free. lalasaustintexas.com.

Come as You Are A queer variety show with a li'l bit of everything – singers, stand-up, spoken word, so many different entertainers but never the same show twice. Tuesdays, 10pm. Neon Grotto, 318 Colorado. instagram.com/neon.grotto.

Vanguard/Queeraoke Host Hermajestie the Hung showcases out-of-this-world drag. But wait: Stick around to belt out your favorite tunes with Queeraoke host CupCake. Tuesdays, 9 & 11pm. Swan Dive, 615 Red River. $5. fb.com/swandiveaustin.

TuezGayz It's good music; it's queer vibes; you know what it is, babe: It's TuezGayz! Every Pride Month Tuez will feature queer DJs like Akasha Juicy, La Morena, Suxxy Puxxy, and BabiBoi. Tuesdays, 10pm. Barbarella, 611 Red River, 512/476-7766. $5 after 10:30. instagram.com/barbarella_atx.

Queer Game Night Meet up with other queer adults for a sober and inclusive night of board games. Every other Wednesday, 6-8pm. San Marcos Public Library, 625 E. Hopkins, 512/393-8200. Free but RSVP. sanmarcostx.gov/586/library.

To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar aGLIFF partners with Rocket Cinema and Meanwhile Brewing Co. for a special Pride Month screening of the 1995 classic. Come early for a DJ, drag, food and drink, and to visit with local LGBTQ+ nonprofits. Wed., June 7, 7pm. Meanwhile Brewing Co., 3901 Promontory Point, 512/308-3659. rocketcinematexas.com.

Queer Art Night Queer creatives of all mediums can drop in and hang out with other LGBTQ folks while working on personal projects. Masks required for indoor meets. Note: This is not a space for allies. Every other Wednesday, 7:30-10pm. Genuine Joe Coffeehouse, 2001 W. Anderson. fb.com/people/queer-art-night/100089094769772.

Trans, Enby, Intersex & Queer Swim Swim alongside your queer compatriots at this laid-back get-together. Find the group on the south lawn of Barton Springs. Every other Thursday, 8-10pm. Barton Springs Pool, 2131 William Barton Dr. instagram.com/queerswimatx.