Gay Place
These days, your chosen family is more important than ever
By Sarah Marloff, Fri., Nov. 25, 2016
Chosen family – now more than ever (especially for us millennials) – is so important. Many of my queer friends (and myself) have a parent, or close family member, who voted for Trump. I know. I feel it too. It's hard to talk about, it's hard to wrap your head around because – don't they love you? – and it sure as f*ck makes it harder to share a holiday meal. For queers, our chosen family isn't just a cool place to hang out and get wasted, it's a place where you're understood. It's a place where you are safe. And in a climate that suddenly feels so very hostile, a safe place to sit down and dig into mashed potatoes or dance in circles to an obscure pop song is a form of tiny, but real, revolution.
GAYDAR
IRON BEAR THANKSGIVING DINNER Iron Bear hosts a free Thanksgiving dinner – they've got the meats, dressing, and rolls. They ask you to supply a side for sharing. Dinner starts at 5pm sharp, pub quiz at 8pm, and DJ Alpha goes 10pm-2am! Thu., Nov. 24, 3pm. The Iron Bear, 121 W. Eighth, 512/482-8993. www.theironbear.com.
Queer Book Drive For the Holidays! Got a queer-focused book that's collecting dust? Donate it! For the rest of the month, a member of our qmmunity is collecting LGBTQIA and Gender Diverse books/mags/zines/comic books/graphic novels/etc. for the Inside Books Project. Help out incarcerated queers and allies during a difficult time of year for many. Find out how to drop them off on the website. Through Nov. 30. www.insidebooksproject.org.
Julie Nolen Thanksgiving/Birthday Show It's a toe-tapping, T-day/B-day celebration with Julie Nolen. Get there early for Patrice Pike. Thu., Nov. 24, 8pm. Saxon Pub, 1320 S. Lamar, 512/448-2552. $5-10. www.julienolen.com.
Songs for Sara Recover from your turkey hangover with local bands and beer to benefit Sara Stewart Stevens. #FuckCancer. Fri., Nov. 25, 3pm-12mid. South Austin Brewery, 415 E. St. Elmo, 512/354-2337. $27-35. www.gofundme.com/sarastewartstevens.
Jonas Blue Live performance and DJ set. Get it. Fri., Nov. 25, 10pm. Oilcan Harry's, 211 W. Fourth, 512/320-8823. www.oilcanharrys.com.
Queer Up Charlies Work off that Tofurky dinner and that horrible political discussion you had with Aunt Bertha on the dance floor with yer queer fam. Mouthfeel's got yer back. Fri., Nov. 25, 10pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River, 512/431-2133.
Food Drive Benefit w/ the Sour Notes, Tamarron, Muff, DJ Breezah 'Tis the season ... where some remember how craptastic life can be. So offer someone some silver lining by checking out the Nothing Song's food drive/benefit show for Central Texas Food Bank! Sat., Nov. 26, 9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River, 512/431-2133. Canned food goods and donations welcome.
Turn-a-Bout Get ready to turn around for Pink Santa Toy Drive. For realz, these queens are playing Santa, be their elves! Sun., Nov. 27, 6pm. Oilcan Harry's, 211 W. Fourth, 512/320-8823. www.oilcanharrys.com.
Workout! With Erica Nix Make exercise fun again. Dance and strength training workouts inspired by Eighties and Nineties aerobics (think Richard Simmons, Jane Fonda, and a side of Big Freedia). Mondays, 6pm; Wednesdays, 6:30pm. Transform, 1909 Wheless, 512/923-5859. $15. www.transformfitnessaustin.com.
Queerdalini! Get yer queer OM on with this weekly yoga class! Designed for all queers, genders, sizes, and levels. Mondays, 7:15pm. Transform, 1909 Wheless, 512/923-5859. $10-15.
Burlesque for Beginners Go ahead, give in to your burlesque craving. You know you wanna learn the ropes from Miss Sophie, and babes of all levels are welcome to get their groove on. Mondays, 7:30pm. Vamps Dance, 1601 E. Fifth #104, 512/981-5873. $41.50-99. www.vampsdance.com.
Bingo-a-go-go Get yer bingo fill Wednesdays at the Warehouse. This ball game is sponsored by and benefits those rainbow Bobcats. Wednesdays. Stonewall Warehouse, 141 E. Hopkins, San Marcos, 866/620-6667. www.bobcatpridescholarship.com.
Q Core Group A place for queer men (18-29 years old) to come together, plan events, shoot the sh*t, and build community. All in the name of sexual health! Wednesdays, 7pm. The Q Austin, 2906 Medical Arts. www.theqaustin.org.
Greetings, From Queer Mountain Ep 43: Listen Loud Perhaps more aptly titled: Well fuck, this month's QM says eff this election. "We refuse to be silenced. We get louder and we listen. We ask how we can help others and we stand up to the powerful, and own our bodies. This will be hard, this will be long, but we can be strong together." Wed., Nov. 30, 8-11pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River, 512/431-2133. Free. www.fb.com/greetingsfromQM.
LOOSE JNTS Disco/funk/electro/leftfield/housejams follow Queer Mountain. Wed., Nov. 30, 10pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River, 512/431-2133.
GAYLY AHEAD
ACC Queer Writing Class With Louisa Jackson Spaventa It's that time of year again – the one and only Louisa Jackson Spaventa is teaching her fabulous Honors English/Queer Writing Class. This only happens once a year and it's only open to 15, but you'll be wooed. Register now for the spring semester. ACC Rio Grande Campus, 1212 Rio Grande. www.austincc.edu/honors.
World AIDS Day Since 1988, people worldwide have united on Dec. 1 to support those living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died of AIDS. In Austin, ASA hosts an extra-special open house. Thu., Dec. 1. AIDS Services of Austin, 7215 Cameron. 512/458-2437. www.worldaidsday.org/the-red-ribbon.
AIDS and Aging Symposium HIV/AIDS and Aging Coalition presents a day of learning and networking. Fri., Dec. 2. St. David's Episcopal Church, 301 E. Eighth, 512/610-3500. $50.
Karma Werqs Impulse Austin wants to help you network with yer qmmunity. Meet and mingle with queer entrepreneurs, small-business owners, and service providers while local DJs and artists warm up the space. Sun., Dec. 18. The North Door, 502 Brushy, 512/710-9765. $10-15 to enter. www.impulseatx.com.
Austra In need of some magical music? Don't miss Austra's next ATX show. Sat., Feb. 4, 2017. Mohawk, 912 Red River, 512/666-0877. $17.
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