Qmmunity: Queers Who Inspire Us

Still feelin' those lovely Dyke March vibes (Photo by Jana Birchum)

TK Tunchez, the woman behind Las Ofrendas, Fuego ATX, and Frida Fridays, asked the pre-Dyke March crowd on Sunday: Who's the dyke that inspired you to be the queer you are today? It's a question that has me thinking about how us queers shape ourselves. Our hetero counterparts have so many potential icons, mentors, and inspirational fictional characters (hello, Buffy!), but us – we don't see ourselves everywhere. At first, I racked my brain for famous queer women who inspired me in my early days of coming out ... the closest I got was Michelle Tea, an author and memoirist who threw queer reading events in San Francisco and started Sister Spit in the Nineties. She was the one who taught me about "blue-collar femmes" – an identity I latched onto in my 20s (and still). But in actuality, it was my friend Adrienne who truly shaped my early queerness in the bars and streets of San Francisco's Mission District. She – and our friend Erica – took me to my first lesbian dance party (oh hey, Hot Pants!). Though we were the same age, she came out in high school, which felt like light years before my "late" coming out at 21. She introduced me to Bikini Kill, Girl in a Coma, Eileen Myles, and Miranda July. She wore a lot of bandannas, she idolized Aileen Wuornos, she didn't take shit from cat-callers on the street, and she helped embed in me my "queer as in fuck you" vibe. I realized too that I doubt she knows. I plan on telling her today, but first, I challenge you to answer the question: Who helped shape your queer identity?

2 To Do

TRANSom From the wonderful minds at Ground Floor Theatre comes a new work created by (and for) trans and nonbinary artists about the community and found family. Full queer cast and crew, too! Aug. 15-31. Thu.-Sat., 8-10pm; Sun., 5-7pm. Extra show: Wed., Aug. 28, 8-10pm. Ground Floor Theatre, 979 Springdale #122. $25 (or pay what you can), GA; $40, VIP. www.groundfloortheatre.org.

Queer Comedy Double-Header – Way Down in the Hole & Liz Behan: One Woman at Dusk ColdTowne is going to the queers this Saturday night with a live double feature of queer comedy that's good for the soul. First up (7pm), Laura de la Fuente is Liz Behan, returning to the stage to share tall tales of country dyke living. Then travel back to 2012, a fictional gay bar, and one mysterious death on the dance floor in this live comedy ode to Austin gay bars of yesteryear. Sat., Aug. 17, 7-10pm. ColdTowne Theater, 4803-B Airport. $10-12.

Q'd Up

Fireflies Tarik Daniels directs Donja R. Love's play about civil rights and unrest. Aug. 14-18, Wed.-Sat., 8pm; Sat.-Sun., 4pm. Santa Cruz Theater, 1805 E. Seventh. $15. www.whatsinthemirror.org.

wILD 2.0: Hot Girl Summer Courtesy of Mary Jane Styles. Thu., Aug. 15, 10pm. The Electric Church, 5018 E. Cesar Chavez. $10.

MadonnaRama DJ Mike plays her videos allllll night long. Fri., Aug. 16, 9pm. The Iron Bear, 121 W. Eighth.

Nautickle: Naughty Les Boat Party Channel your inner Ashlyn Harris and get on the boat, b****tch. Sun., Aug. 18, 4:30-8:30pm. Beach Front Boat Rentals, 16120 Wharf Cove, Volente. $35.

Pose Finale Watch Party, Mini Ball & PrEP Pop-Up Austin Black Pride and ShellyJBlige invite you to catch the finale with Austin Pride and ASHWell Clinic. Tue., Aug. 20, 7:30pm. Rain, 217 W. Fourth.

Trans Feminisms Reading Group They're discussing "Calling All Bathroom Revolutionaries!" from That's Revolting! Wed., Aug. 21, 6:30pm. BookWoman, 5501 N. Lamar Ste. 105-A.

ADiEfest With p1nkstar, Y2K, Belladonna, and more. Hosted by ADiEAN. 18 and up. Wed., Aug. 21, 7pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River.

Shopping Night for allgo Put yer money where yer activism is. Wed., Aug. 21, 7-9pm. Treasure City Thrift, 2142 E. Seventh.

Gay Agenda: Rendezvous Pride Emmet Claire Hunker's queer AF comedy show is keeping the Pride spirit alive with funny queers from Austin, Houston, and New Orleans. Thu., Aug. 22, 7pm. North Door, 502 Brushy. $5.

aGLIFF 2019 Our queer film fest returns with over 100 LGBTQ films from across the globe. Thu.-Sun., Aug. 22-25. $50-150, badges. www.agliff.org.