Gay Place

Sarah Marloff (Photo by Leila Barber)

2016 promises to be exciting. No one said anything about it being smooth.

The Gay Place column will not join the graveyard of fallen icons. While the loss (in retirement only!) of Kate X Messer – aka Dandy Unicorn aka my Chronicle mentor – will be felt heavily, I'm thrilled to take the reins.

Meeting Kate in 2013 was kismet – the result of a run-in with a mutual friend of ours within the queer journalism circle (it's smaller than you might think). She took me on as a Chronicle intern after a glance at my résumé and a word of editorial advice: Quit following the formula. Kate pushed me as a writer, threw me into local queer events, and shoved me onto other editors. She made a space for me within the Chron family.

Fortunately, this isn't entirely new to me. I spent the better part of my 20s cutting my teeth writing about LGBTQIA culture and curating events, giving relationship advice in San Francisco, and creating community as part of a queer-grrrl-blog-meets-party-throwing-krewe in D.C. I've made other publications gayer by proximity. And while Kate and I agree on many subjects, it's the hoisting of an umbrella large enough to include the entire q-ummunity (it's bigger than you might think) that I love most.

It's a (terrifying) honor to pick up where Kate left off. This is my community, my passion, and sometimes even my soapbox. I promise to keep the Gay Place umbrella as big as queerly possible and to never follow anyone's formula.

GAYDAR

CLUB KIDS DANCE PARTY 2 Finally! Kids of all ages and parents welcome to this time and space for young Q&Qs/gender nonconformists, allies, etc., to shake it on down. Exerguru Erica Nix and DJ GirlFriend make a safe social space for young ones happen. Thu., Jan. 21, 4-5pm. Transform, 1909 Wheless, 512/923-5859. $10. www.fb.com/transformfitnessaustin.

DENIM DOVES Sister-wives in a compound? Hellllooooooo! We're just gonna throw out some must-see names to wash those Kimmy Schmidt sugarplums right out of your head: Kerri Atwood! Florinda Bryant! Henna Chou! Alyssa Dillard! Judd Farris! Jenny Larson! Renna Larson! Khattie Q! Erik Secrest! Cyndi Williams! Jan. 21-Feb. 13. Thu.-Sat., 8pm. Salvage Vanguard Theater, 2803 Manor Rd., 512/474-7886. $10-35. www.salvagevanguard.org.

LAVERNE COX The divine one shall speak and represent some lovely authenticity. Fri., Jan. 22, 8pm. Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress, 512/472-5470. $40-50. www.lavernecox.com.

FUR•NIGHT•ATX Well, lookee here, li'l pets: Austin's first big out furry dance! All things fuzzy and plushy convene at BT2 once a month for this 21+ dance party to let the fur fly. Resident DJ Edgewise Griffon. Sat., Jan. 23, 8pm. Bout Time II, 6607 N. I-35, 972/979-1799. $5 suggested donation. furnightatx@gmail.com, www.furnightatx.com, www.fb.com/furnightatx, www.fb.com/bt2atx.

HONK!TX PUT A HORN ON IT Interrobang Brass, Dead Music Capital Band, Wino Vino, Minor Mishap Marching Band, Yes Ma'am Brass Band, and the Collective Dischord, all play to raise dough for this year's HONK! Sat., Jan. 23, 9pm. The North Door, 502 Brushy, 512/485-3002. $10. www.honktx.org.

BookWoman Inventory Our local feminist bookstore is counting inventory. Lend a hand, bring a friend, meet a friend, make a friend. Sun., Jan. 24, 9:30am-3pm. www.fb.com/events/434217360036390.

HIGHLAND SUNDAY FUNDAY It's an afternoon filled with Absolute Brunch and ADA Hold 'Em. Sundays. Highland Lounge, 404 Colorado, 512/649-1212. Free. www.highlandlounge.com.

KARAOKE ON THE CATWALK Croon and swoon with the kitty queens in the land of the baying Bobcats. Meoooooow! Mondays, 9pm. Stonewall Warehouse, 141 E. Hopkins, San Marcos, 866/620-6667. www.fb.com/stonewallwarehouse.

TuezGayz Con sus indiez, homoz, y electroz. With your lovely hostess, la Glitoris. Tuesdays. Barbarella, 615 Red River, 512/476-7766. Free. www.fb.com/barbarella.austin.9, www.theglitoris.com.

Shitty Kitty Big Ball BINGO Ms. Rebecca Havemeyer will have you scrambling for letters, numbers, and ya diaper. Drink cheap, win big. Last Wednesdays of the month, 9:30pm. Rain on 4th, 217 W. Fourth, 512/494-1150.

Where the Girls Go ATX: Guerrilla Queer Bar They'rrrrre baaaaack w/ Girlfriend for a queer cowgrrrl party sure to knock yer boots off! This western-wear takeover is an all-gender-inclusive, anti-isms/ists, pro-makeout space! Thu., Jan. 28, 6-9pm. The White Horse, 500 Comal, 805/450-6049. Free. www.fb.com/wherethegirlsgoatx.

GAYLY AHEAD

KATE X'S TIRED/RETIREMENT PARTY Let's party like it's 1994 (the year Kate X started at this here newspaper), and churn through 21 years of accomplishments, black & white and read all over, hoist a glass, and offer a clink. DJs Fine & Dandy w/ Kate & Andy will spin into oblivion. Keep your eyes on this calendar section and the usual Facebook haunts. Likely sometime before the end of February (TBA). Likely an Eastside venue (TBA). Free. www.fb.com/dandyunicorn, www.fb.com/djsfinedandywithkateandy.

OUTSIDER 2016 Last February, OUTsider stepped into the world of Austin's robust festival culture and (inter)national LGBTQ gatherings, knocking folks out with their gay wax museum and confoundingly enthralling performance art. This year's legacy goes to Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens. Wed.-Sun., Feb. 17-21. www.outsiderfest.org.

PRIDE RADIO 97.5FM When one door closes ... the second-ever FM radio station in the nation with programming devoted to LGBTA kicked off in the Austin market this past Tuesday, Jan. 12. So far, it sounds like your typical weekend on Fourth Street, but who doesn't need a li'l oonce-oonce in their roots-radio wasteland? www.975prideaustin.com.