How Queer Bars in Red States Forge On | Eater
"A longtime downtown gay bar that has shifted from pure nightlife to a community hub, hosting a standing-room-only weekly show called LegiSLAYtion and Liberation where a drag performer uses PowerPoint to break down national and local LGBTQ+ news and legislation. Recent presentations covered topics such as the federal transgender military ban, the history of drag and trans people in the military, a viral congressional speech, a Boston restroom incident, cuts to the LGBTQ+ suicide and crisis line, how to change name and sex markers on passports, and updates on anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the Texas legislature including HB 1106 — which passed the same night. The events blend education and entertainment, with drag dance numbers, activist guidance from an ACLU representative, and an animated crowd exchanging ways to get involved, reflecting the bar’s role as both refuge and organizer in a tense political moment." - Lane Gillespie
