Qmmunity: Generation Q?

The faces of Generation Q (Courtesy of Showtime)

By now you've obviously seen the new L Word trailer, which Showtime dropped Aug. 22. Bette's running for mayor (wut?), Shane's still working her bedhead swagger, Alice is SO blond, and then, of course, there are the new faces – Generation Q – which I can only assume stands for queer. I'll admit, I didn't like The L Word. In fact, I'm one of "those lesbians" series creator Ilene Chaiken often discusses – the ones who didn't see themselves represented in the first and only show ever made about queer women. I also believe I (luckily) didn't need it. I came out into the welcoming arms of queer friends in a city overflowing with queers and seeing myself portrayed onscreen – at the time – didn't feel incredibly necessary. That's privilege. (I openly admit to dragging those same friends to the local lez bar every Sunday for viewing parties – cuz queers!) The reboot, which Chaiken handed over to Marja-Lewis Ryan (Cosmo reports Ryan loves "sex stuff" just as much as Chaiken), promises to be more inclusive, less white, and perhaps slightly less affluent. An insider recently told me she thinks the new version will achieve those goals – though it's worth mentioning that, during an aGLIFF panel, queer actress and filmmaker Fawzia Mirza noted the cast still lacks dark-skinned POC representation. But it does look Q-er. Like its predecessor, it'll face the same scrutiny – it's a lot of pressure to represent an entire community, and as filmmaker Rose Troche told me before aGliff, it's "not like we're a monolith." In the end, like that lesbian bar, Generation Q will likely become a show many of us love to hate, while others will defend it, 'til the end of time. What matters is that we see ourselves at all, because representation matters. Perhaps, had I seen myself portrayed onscreen earlier, I would've come out sooner. Queer women, trans folks, lesbians – of all races – rarely get to see our lives at the front and center of storylines. My hope is that Generation Q pulls in enough viewers to convince those holding the checkbooks and greenlighting work that our voices matter, our dollars go far, and our stories are interesting. So interesting, in fact, we should have more of them.

2 To Do

Inaugural 2019 Capital City Ball Oh my goddess. Austin Black Pride joins forces with AIDS Services of Austin for one helluva ball. The categories are: Runway, Sex Siren, Twerk, Butch Queen, and more. ABP's Sheldon Darnell and ASA's Ivan Baltimore host with Houston's Jamar DonDada as Master of Ceremonies while DJ YYYNOT plays the music. Fri., Aug. 30, 8pm. Elysium, 705 Red River.

Splash Days One of the gayest weekends in Austin returns with three straight days of wet, wild, and wicked fun – trust us, that's the only thing str8 about it. Proceeds go to Out Youth, Kind Clinic, and ASA's Octopus Club, and tix get you entry into Friday's Big Gay Dinner and Sunday's Hippie Hollow lake party, plus expedited entry into Rain and OCH all weekend long with discounted drinks! See site for sched. Fri.-Sun., Aug. 30-Sept. 1. Around town. $60 weekend passes. www.splashdays.com.

Q'd Up

This Is Not a Cult Erica Nix's aquatic spectacular of self-help goodness. Thu.-Fri., Aug. 29-30, 8pm. Austin Motel, 1220 S. Congress. $20+.

Drummer Babes Celebrate some radical women/femme/queer drummers. Thu., Aug. 29, 9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River. $5.

QPOC Musical Showcase Mama Duke, p1nkstar, Krudxs Cubensi,and more more more. Fri., Aug. 30, 9pm. Picturebox, 701 Tillery Ste. A-9. www.allgo.org.

Where My Girls At? DJ GirlFriend's girl groups throwback dance party. Fri., Aug. 30, 10pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River. Free.

Entrepreneurially Creative Local LGBTQ creatives and entrepreneurs on how to combine the two! Sat., Aug. 31, 2pm. The Vortex, 2307 Manor Rd. $5 GA. www.startout.org.

Q Double-header Queer laughs with Liz Behan and Way Down in the Hole! Saturdays through Sept. 21. 7-10pm. ColdTowne Theater, 4803-B Airport.

Nocturnal Emissions Go back to the apocalypse with drag battles for utopia. Sat., Aug. 31, 9pm. The North Door, 502 Brushy. $15-30.

Wet & Wild Chique and Bulimianne’s swimwear party. Sat., Aug. 31, 9pm. The Iron Bear, 121 W. Eighth. Free.

Fembot Fatality Bitchtopher, Y2K, Ruby, Hentaii, and more. Sat., Aug. 31, 10pm. 523 Thompson. $10.

IN/VOKED A convo on being Asian American Pacific Islander and LGBTQ. Wed., Sept. 4, 7pm. AARC, 8401 Cameron. Free with RSVP. www.austintexas.gov/aarc.

Queer Film Theory Pay homage to yer favorite gay best friends of Hollywood. Wed., Sept. 4, 8pm. Barrel O' Fun, 1911 Aldrich Ste. 120-B.