#Mardi Gras is a gay and lesbian event

[realasslesbian]

Can us lesbians actually stop just letting casual homophobia slip by in movements that are supporting us for this hot second. Because y'all did that with the queers and the transes and now y'all doing that with the rad fems, and my old homosexual ass is telling you these rad fems ain't gonna keep supporting lesbians once they don't need us no more. So when you see these hetties bad-mouthing the rainbow or gender non-conformity or whatever even small ass thing, can we, for once, take no fucking quarter?

[a-gay-a-day]

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

The Sydney gay and lesbian Mardi gras began on June 24th, 1978, and was a pivotal moment in Australian queer history. Most of this history is found in the Australian queer archives, and I will link to the website in case anybody lives in a place they could feasibly go check those archives out. The original mardi gras was a planned festival calling for the end of anti-homosexual laws. Though permission was obtained, it was later revoked by the police and they arrested all of the gatherers.

However, the Mardi gras happened again in 1979, and no arrests were made this time. The parade has continued through the years and is celebrating it's 46th annual event this next year. One fun fact is that the parade always starts with the dykes on bikes.

One watcher noted that the parade consisted of "bikies, Darth Vaders, cycle sluts, gladiators, Red Indians, Supremes, Carmen Mirandas, wizards, fairies, ballroom dancers, nuns and altar boys." which I think is the highest compliment an event can be paid.

The Australian newspaper reported about the event:

At 10.30 pm Australia's first homosexual Mardi Gras was in full swing, with about 1000 people singing and dancing down Sydney's Oxford Street, caught up in the excitement of a jubilant crowd.

One hour later, the mardi gras had become a two-hour spree of screaming, bashing and arrests.

[queerasfact]

The first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras was held on this day, 24 June, in 1978 in commemoration of International Gay Solidarity Day, and the ninth anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. A parade of around 1500 people was ambushed by police, ending in 53 arrests.

43 years on, the event has now blossomed into the biggest queer festival in Australia. This year it was celebrated as part of WorldPride, and the original protesters - known as the 78ers - led 50,000 people in a Pride march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

[I mages: police arrest a young man at the 1978 march; 78ers marching at WorldPride with a rainbow, black and pink banner reading “78ers The First Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Australia; still out and proud; 1978-2023″]

[the-sappho-of-lesbos]

It’s a strange time to be a young adult gay person in Australia.

The lgbt community within itself is massively divided and has lots of infighting.

We had a politician marching in Mardi Gras but in the same parade had another member laying down in protest.

We had a group of pretty much all men protesting the community in Newtown ( a place most commonly known for lesbian and bisexual women) and harassing members of the community.

And even Mardi Gras itself wasn’t treated as a celebration of the community, or protest or remembrance of those who came before us. It was a massive company event with fake support and disruptive and rude straight people only there to get drunk and treat it like a music festival. I had a straight group of friends laugh at me and make fun of my sexuality, I had a straight man kiss me on my cheek without my permission knowing I was a lesbian. My dad was working as a security guard that night and he said lots of gay men were coming up to him and complaining about the way straight people were treating them DURING Mardi Gras.

It feels like we are accepted and not accepted at the same time. We are visible and known but I don’t feel like we are loved.

As a lesbian myself I just feel as though I have nowhere to go. The spaces meant for me are taken over and controlled by straight people. Or are made unsafe by straight people. Im around people who say the right stuff but don’t believe it. And I don’t even feel as though I have a safe haven in small lgbt community spaces because of all the infighting and hostility I have faced and rejection as a lesbian.

I just have nowhere.

[popculturelib]

Gay Sunshine was a gay liberation tabloid based in Berkeley, CA, that eventually evolved into a gay literary magazine under its editor Winston Leyland. This issue, from March 1971, predates the change and instead reports on events impacting queer communities of the time, such as prison reform, war, and new community resources. Transcripts of the reports are below the read more.

The Browne Popular Culture Library (BPCL), founded in 1969, is the most comprehensive archive of its kind in the United States.  Our focus and mission is to acquire and preserve research materials on American Popular Culture (post 1876) for curricular and research use. Visit our website at https://www.bgsu.edu/library/pcl.html.

Free Gay Prisoners

NEW YORK – Gay people demonstrated February 27 at the Tombs (the notorious city prison in lower Manhattan) in support of all Lesbians, transvestites and Gay males held in the nations (sic) jails. Gays were particularly outraged by the murder of Raymond Lavon Moore, a Black Gay male, in the Tombs last fall (Gay Sunshine #5) and in response are organizing a Gay Community Prisoner Defense Committee to provide bail for the many Gay people who would otherwise rot in jail. One of the demands will be that Richard Harris, a Black Gay male who witnessed the guards murdering Moore be released. The Young Lords raised his bail, but the city revoked it. WE MUST EXPOSE THE PRISONS FOR THE SNAKEPITS THEY ARE.

Raid!

MINNEAPOLIS – A new Gay club opened and was raided all in one night. “The Club” at 916 Hennepin was the first Gay place raided in the Twin Cities in years. At 2 AM police began to filter in and at 2:45 the tactical squad ordered everybody out. A few resisted and the pigs busted the owner and an employee. Apparently the straight owners of a couple of other bars were uneasy about the opening of this relatively low profit club by Gay people. GLF people believe the straight bar owners will try to close down the new club if it develops any relationship with Gay Liberation. – From MPLS FREE newsletter

sf REPORT

The shots at the Stud last December, while not heard round the world were at least heard by enough brothers to attempt to reactivate the San Francisco GLF. This renewed SF/GLF was successful in sponsoring a benefit that raised over $700 for the defence (sic) of Chuck Christman, victim of the Stud incident, and for the establishment of a Gay Defense Front.

SF/GLF meets every Sunday at 8PM in the Project One Building at 10th and Howard. First there is a general rap. Then the brothers present form several small groups for more rapping, finally meeting as a whole for a summary of what each group has discussed.

The object is to develop the cores of strength, people who know and trust each other enough to work together for a goal. This goal could be anything from direct action, street theater, a commune, or gay job alternatives.

San Francisco has been described as a city where we gays have it too good. It takes a real crisis to get us off our asses. GLF could prevent these crises, or it could die on the vine again. GLF also attracts a lot of trashing and returns it in kind. I’ve been told a GLF meeting is a waste of time, usually by people who have only gone once or twice.

GLF in San Francisco will only be as effective as the people who turn out time and time again want it to be. I hope that you will come and help us.

Out of Laos

BERKELEY – Gay women and men along with a lot of others, were in the streets several days in a row protesting the U.S. invasion of Laos and widened war in Indo-China. One Berkeley cop was beaten, his club and pistol snatched away, an Atomic Energy Commission car turned over and set on tire, and an AEC truck and a few windows smashed. Pigs busted only a few people. The war goes on. Is it to be a 30 year war, or perhaps a 100 years war? Smash the State, sisters and brothers.

Mardi Gras Busts

NEW ORLEANS – February was Mardi Gras time and the city cops and military police called in to control civilians were just busting everybody, says Rev. David Solomon, a coordinator of N.O. GLF. One Gay male was busted and beaten four separate times in the station house. GLF worked as part of the Mardi Gras coalition to provide housing, medical care, legal aid, etc. to people visiting N.O. during the Mardi Gras.

N.O. GLF is only about four months old, but had been planning some kind of action during the Mardi Gras, but decided to let the idea die as it became clear they couldn’t adequately house and care for people to might be attracted to such an event.

100 people picketed city hall for four days protesting police entrapment, including 13 people in a single week. Solomon says the ten-year reign of District Attorney Jim Garrison has been especially oppressive for Gay people.

WOMEN’S CENTER

San Francisco – A Women’s Center is getting together on the third floor of the Project One Building at 10th and Howard in S.F. A speakers bureau, child care center, films, publications and information are available throughout the center. On the first Monday and second Tuesday of each month there is an orientation meeting for women interested in a small group. Mass meetings are every other Monday. Gay Womens (sic) Liberation meets at 7:30 on Fridays. S.F. GLF (mostly males) meets at 8 pnm Sundays at Fort Help, on the first floor of the same building.

D.O.B.

Gay sisters in the Daughters of Bilitis (a national lesbian organization) have opened a new loft center at 141 Prince Street. The loft will provide space for DOB’s regular Monday meetings as well as room to host bimonthly women’s dances. The sisters have built an office classroom space, a library and kitchen facilities; they’ve done all the work but the plumbing themselves.

The Daughters of Bilitis is over 15 years old. Their function is three-fold: to provide an atmosphere of support for sisters still one-half in the closet, to make a comfortable social environment for gay sisters, and to do publicity and support in the struggle for civil rights for homosexuals. Until recently, their image has been of older, more respectable women, but their oppression as lesbians has made them strong and their politics are increasingly radical.

Officers of the organization are in the office almost everyday. The group maintains a library of gay literature, and welcomes all women, gay or not, to come to talk to them about lesbianism.

Common Woman

THE COMMON WOMAN is a new feminist paper in the Bay Area, published by the Common Woman collective, 1126 Addison St, Berkeley 94702. 415-841-9615. 10 cents a copy, $1.25 for six months. The Common Woman will perhaps take up some of the emptiness after the demise of IT AIN’T ME BABE.

PLUS One PICKET

WASHINGTON, D.C. – GLF picketed the Plus One bar charging it discriminated against Blacks, women, transvestites and unconventionally dressed people. In other words, like a lot of so-called “Gay Bars” they don’t want you if you’re not white, middle class, and straight looking. The manager claimed he wasn’t aware of any discrimination, but he did admit that the bar wanted to maintain its butch, Ivy League image. Picketing continued with questionable results.

[mayamistake]

Sydney WorldPride 2023 with its official theme 'Gather Dream Amplify' will be held between 17 February and 5 March during Australia's summer and consist of a 17-day combined 45th Anniversary Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras/WorldPride 2023 Festival.[63] The centrepiece will be a three-day LGBTIQ+ Human Rights Conference focusing on LGBTIQ+ people's experiences of discrimination and persecution in the Asia Pacific region and more broadly. Other stated signature events include:

Sunday 19 February – Fair Day

Friday 24 February – Opening Ceremony presented by AMEX

Saturday 25 February – Mardi Gras Parade

Saturday 25 February – Mardi Gras Party

Sunday 26 February – Laneway

First Nations Gathering Space

Wednesday 1 March – Friday 3 March – Human Right Conference

First Nations Gala Concert

Mardi Gras International Arts Festival

30th Anniversary Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival

Saturday 4 March – Bondi Beach Party

Sunday 5 March – Pride March (over the Sydney Harbour Bridge)

Sunday 5 March – Closing Ceremony

[senseiwu]

The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade is this Saturday. It's probably the biggest Pride type event in Australia.

Here's an article about the history of it that I found interesting.

It's worth a read, especially for other LGBT Aussies. I don't know about you, but I don't know too much about our history.

[artificialqueens]

🙋‍♀️🖤🤍💛🌸 Love Profusion, 1/2 (Adorney) - Veronica

A/N: So, I began writing this fic to fill the ”protest” prompt, but because it’s me, it got longer and longer and now it’s two parts and the protest is in the second part. It’s coming, though!!

The other challenge I gave myself was to use as many of the pride prompts as I could. This one has joy, parade, party, first kiss, and lust. Also I’m back to my beta whore roots, so I have to thank @m8existing @artificialcandycane @winterboxx and @petitmonde

Summary: Courtney loves pride. Here’s why.

***

For as far back as Courtney could remember, pride was one huge party. Even when she was a kid, tagging along with her brother to whatever family-friendly events existed at both Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and Brisbane pride (and, a little older, when he would sneak her into the clubs to watch his drag shows), it was a day of celebration and fun and rainbows. 

People, especially her more radical friends, liked to talk shit in recent years about pride becoming too “corporate,” but there was something secretly enchanting to her about walking into Target and seeing huge rainbow flag displays. She didn’t like to say it out loud, because she knew she’d lose cool points, but it was true. The fact that business saw them as a group worthy of financial exploitation, just like every other demographic? It felt good. And a big change from how she remembered her childhood, when kids would snicker and spit out the word “gay” as an all-emcompassing insult—and just because it usually had nothing to do with being gay, not really, it still stung. When her grandmother would ask her brother if his boyfriend was his “special friend” and the woman her aunt had been living with for 25 years was referred to by everyone in the family as her “roommate.” Whatever switch had occurred in society to make “gay” go from something secret to a successful marketing strategy—-she may have had issues with capitalism, but that switch made her feel great. 

So Courtney loved pride and everything about it: the dancing, the music, the general air of joy and camaraderie and freedom. She had her first kiss with a girl at one of those first Mardi Gras celebrations: she was 17, marching in the parade with a group of people from Vanity’s club. Covered in glitter from head to toe, a little dizzy and tired from the blazing sun, sparkly rainbow tinsel woven into her hair, sweating off the makeup that Vanity had so carefully applied that morning. It was near the end when she’d spotted April: a girl in cutoffs and a cute asymmetrical haircut, who she was certain she recognized. After a few seconds, she realized why: April had gone to her high school, and had graduated a few years back. She’d been incredibly popular—Wing Attack of their senior netball team, and house captain. Despite Courtney being in that same house, she knew there was no chance that April would remember her. If she did, it couldn’t have been favorable—an awkward pre-orthodontic kid in year 9. Regardless, she’d taken a deep breath and approached, happy to step into some shade for even a few seconds even if it ended awkwardly. 

“Hi, you probably don’t remember me, but-” 

“Courtney, right?” 

“Yes!” Courtney exclaimed, unable to hide the utter thrill of being recognized by a girl so cool, so badass, so…well, sexy. April gave her a wry grin and then reached into a cooler, pulling out a peach iced tea and offering it to Courtney. 

“Here, you could probably use this,” she said, and Courtney reached forward gratefully to take the icy-cold bottle. 

“Thank you so much!” 

“Anytime, Courtney,” April told her with a wink, and then Courtney was overcome by an urge to kiss her. 

If it had been any other time, any other place, she’d probably have fought it. But this was Mardi Gras, and so…what the hell, right? She stepped forward, taking April’s face in her hands, hesitating for just half a second so that April had time to pull away. But instead, she grinned even more, tilting her head and letting Courtney plant a soft, quick kiss against her mouth. 

It felt like her heart might burst from the sheer joy and excitement of it all, but Courtney managed to contain her glee enough to rejoin Vanity, who hadn’t moved ahead terribly far at all. 

Another year at Brisbane pride, when she’d grown even bolder, she’d spent the whole night making out with a stranger on the dance floor of The Beat in the wee hours of the morning. She never did catch the girl’s name, but would think of her occasionally on particularly wistful nights, and send out loving energy for her into the universe. 

She’d even met her girlfriend at pride, a few years after she moved to LA. Somehow, she’d gotten separated from Bianca and Willam, but instead of stressing, she’d begun wandering around the festival, stopping at any booth that looked interesting…sampling food, taking pamphlets, signing petitions, just absorbing the love and good vibes and community spirit as best she could. 

Adore was sitting at a fairly plain-looking table, with a banner that read “Mermaid Trans Femme Youth Support Network.” Her hair was dyed pink and aqua, and she had the most mesmerizing eyes that Courtney had ever seen, ocean-blue, framed by stunning winged eyeliner and colorful shadows applied with a masterful hand. And the most kissably full lips, the matte lipstick that Courtney could never pull off an enticing cherry red.

When Courtney realized, from the amused expression on Adore’s face, that she’d been staring slack-jawed at her for way too long, her cheeks immediately reddened. 

“Sorry, I’m sorry, I’m a bit pissed and I think I just…uh…” 

“It’s cool. I’m half in the bag myself,” Adore giggled, holding up a flask emblazoned with the trans flag. “So…do you want a flier?” 

“Oh, um…I’m not trans,” Courtney said, then immediately winced, worried that she’d put her foot in her mouth. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I mean-”

“I’ll try not to hold it against you,” she joked. “But, no, I was just thinking…’cause my number is on the bottom.” 

“Oh,” Courtney blinked a few times. Oh. 

The grin that spread across her face must have been unmistakable, because Adore smiled back, adding, “Or, in about 20 minutes, my shift here’s ending. Maybe you wanna hang for awhile?” 

“Okay!” Courtney exclaimed, not bothering to hide her eagerness at all. At the time, she would blame it on the alcohol, but looking back, it was probably just Adore. 

Adore, who would quickly prove to be just as charming and funny as she was beautiful. They spent the afternoon wandering around, talking about anything and everything under the sun. They realized that they were both singers, both recording under different indie labels, and although their styles were extremely different, they had a lot of overlap in the music they loved. They’d almost crossed paths before, too, a couple of times, since they had a few friends in common: maybe had been at the same party or club together. 

When Courtney realized that she’d heard some of Adore’s music, and pulled out her phone to prove that she had in fact favorited one of her songs a few months ago, she noticed the flood of messages from Bianca and Willam. 

“Shit!”

“Everything okay?” 

“Yeah, just…my friends are raging because I haven’t answered their texts,” she said. 

“Blame me,” Adore said, with a flutter of lashes, the shimmery makeup around her eyes catching the evening light in a way that felt literally magical. 

“I plan to,” Courtney laughed, scrolling to the bottom, reading only the last two messages before shooting off her own. 

BIANCA: BITCH YOU BETTER BE FUCKING DEAD THAT IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE EXCUSE FOR THIS

WILLAM: Ur so rude. We goin to head to Ds without u

COURTNEY: I’m sorry! I met this girl and

WILLAM: lol

BIANCA: SLUT

COURTNEY: She’s just so amazing! I’m gonna come find you, where are you?

WILLAM: Palihouse but we’re leaving soon. Be outside the lobby ASAP

Courtney looked up at Adore and asked, “Wanna come to a house party in the hills? We have to book it though.”

“Hell yeah!” Adore said, “Lead the way!”

Courtney took Adore’s hand and the two of them hurried down Santa Monica, dodging people, at one point nearly body-slamming some strung-out gogo boys. Turned out, Bianca and Willam took longer to make their way out of the Palihouse than they’d intended, so they had plenty of time to collapse on the curb outside and catch their breath. 

By then, Courtney was pretty much head over heels, falling harder every time Adore opened her mouth to speak. They pretty much ignored everyone else at the party (which Bianca would take issue with the next day but ultimately understand), so while most of the guests congregated around the pool and in the hot tub, they instead found a relatively quiet balcony off her home gym, sitting with a couple of beers, sharing a joint (well, Courtney took a few puffs, anyway), the conversation flowing well into the night. 

It wasn’t until much later when Courtney started to stress internally—was Adore even into her? They'd spent most of the day together. They’d talking about everything, including sex and the most intimate details what they liked in bed—and maybe Courtney was going through an exceptionally slutty phase, but usually by this point in a romantic interaction, she’d be sound asleep after multiple orgasms. Were they actually gonna do anything, or just talk about it? 

As usual, her lack of poker face must have given everything away, because the next thing she knew, Adore put a warm hand on her arm and asked, “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah!” Courtney insisted. “Sorry. I’m just, um…” 

“Yeah?” Adore drew closer, her head tilted, the glimmering rhinestones on her face dull compared to her eyes in the moonlight. 

“I…I really…like you…” she breathed. God, she sounded like an absolute wanker. 

“I like you too,” Adore said, one corner of her mouth turned up in a smile, her hand still against Courtney’s skin, fingers moving gently, giving her a rush of goosebumps. 

“I kind of…want to mess up your lipstick,” Courtney said, trying to salvage some dignity, if that was even possible at this point. “If that’s chill.” 

“It’s totally chill,” Adore said, her long lashes fluttering. “I was kind of hoping for that all day.” 

“Oh.” Courtney bit her lip, suddenly shy. “Well, then…okay…here goes…” 

“Are you gonna narrate the whole time?” Adore teased, and Courtney tried to give her a cross look, but the giddiness she felt at being so close was taking over, not letting any negative emotions through. Her Look ended up just being the same dumb grin she’d had all day, but with her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Adore giggled, eyes still locked on hers, cherry lips parting slightly as Coutney closed the distance between them. 

She waited until the very last second to close her eyes, wanting to revel in her beautiful face for as long as possible. Her lips were exactly as velvety-soft and plush as they looked, and for a second Courtney thought she might literally swoon. 

What had begun soft and a bit tentative soon turned heated, tongues tangling together, both of them growing breathless. Adore’s fingers slid around Courtney’s waist, sending tingles all up and down her spine. When they finally parted, Courtney was panting, experiencing a high better than any drug. If Courtney wasn’t in love before that kiss, she was a goner now. 

By the look of the lipstick smeared over Adore’s face, she could bet that half of it was now on hers, and instead of being self-conscious about it, she felt a strange sense of pride. 

“Wow…” Adore sighed. 

“Yeah.” Courtney rested a forehead against hers, chest heaving. “You are so beautiful.” 

“Me? Have you looked in a mirror?” Adore asked, eyes shining. 

“Yeah, you,” Courtney repeated. “You’re like…a goddess.” 

“I…” Adore seemed all out of witty retorts, simply looking down as her cheeks darkened. 

“I’m serious.” Courtney tilted her chin up, placed another soft kiss against the corner of her mouth before adding, “Dead serious.” 

Adore leaned back in the lounge chair with a coy smirk, an impish look in her eyes. She still had one hand on Courtney’s waist, index finger hooking into her belt loop and pulling her closer. Courtney climbed on top of her, grinning like a loon, as she straddled her on her hands and knees. 

For a moment, as they gazed into each other’s eyes, it was like time stopped. The cute smile on Adore’s face faded, and she swallowed hard, then bit her lip. 

“Are you okay?” Courtney whispered. She lifted one hand to stroke Adore’s smooth round cheek. 

“Yeah. Just kind of…hoping I can live up to that last kiss.” 

“I guess we can try our best, right?” Courtney asked. 

Adore nodded, fingers digging a little deeper into Courtney’s waist. 

‘Live up to’ was an understatement—their second kiss was incredible. The way Adore held her, the way she whimpered softly when Courtney used her teeth to tug ever so gently on her bottom lip. The way her hips arched up, breathing growing ragged as her body molded against Courtney’s. Even the air, heady with flowers and the sounds of the party below, music drifting up to them in the breeze, made things more magical.  

Courtney was a little drunk and stoned, to be sure, but mostly she was high on Adore. Her taste, her scent, the softness of her skin, the rhythm of her hips—everything about her was utterly intoxicating. She stifled a broken moan as Adore’s hands slid up under her skirt, fingers kneading into her ass. 

She lost her wits rapidly, completely forgetting where she was as they panted into each others’ open mouths. When one of her hands moved across Adore’s breast, she made a sound—a desperate, broken moan that Courtney felt deep in her core, making her entire body tingle and ache. She circled the stiff nipple with her thumb, and Adore threw back her head, making that glorious sound again. Fuck.

“You like that, baby?” Courtney whispered, and Adore leveled a glassy-eyed gaze at her, eyes burning with lust, pupils fully dilated to the point where her blue eyes looked black. 

“Please.”

It was only one word, but it was enough to tell Courtney where the night might possibly be going, snapping her into sobriety for a second to ask, “Do you…want to go inside?” 

Darienne was cool, but even so, she would probably prefer that they not fuck in full sight of her neighbors. Adore nodded, chest heaving, each breath straining against the buttons on her top that Courtney couldn’t wait to tear open. 

If you asked Courtney later, even the next day, she would admit that she had no actual memory of how they managed to find Darienne’s guest room on the top floor, because she was pretty sure she didn’t know that room existed before that night. But necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention, and Courtney’s aching need for Adore’s bare skin against hers was bordering on life or death at that point. 

Once inside, they were like a couple of ravenous beasts, tearing each other’s clothes off before they even got to the bed. Courtney pushed Adore backwards by her hips, knocking her off balance as she toppled onto the bed, never letting go, taking Courtney with her. 

They rolled around breathlessly, getting tangled in the covers until Courtney had the wherewithal to shove them aside. Remembering her earlier response, Courtney kissed a wet trail down her jaw, neck and throat to her chest, then sucked a nipple into her mouth, her hand kneading Adore’s other tit gently as she writhed and moaned. 

“God, fuck, keep…keep doing that,” Adore panted out. 

“Mmm,” Courtney hummed, and Adore immediately let out another moan. 

“Courtney…fuck…” Adore’s hips were rolling furiously, her thighs clamped around Courtney’s narrow hips like a vice, both of them grinding like their lives depended on it. They still had their panties on, and it was becoming painfully obvious that the thin cotton barrier wasn’t doing much. Courtney’s had been soaked through for ages, and now that Adore’s cutoff shorts were flung aside, she found herself wanting to explore her even more, to discover every part of her beautiful body, sliding her hands down. “Wait-” 

Courtney stopped, looking up at her. “Are you alright?” 

“Yeah, I just, um…I probably can’t get hard right now, but-”

“Okay. Do you still want to-” 

“Yeah! I mean, yeah,” Adore panted. “Keep going. Please” 

Courtney continued to kiss down her chest and belly, hooking her fingers into the side of her panties. Even though Adore had told her earlier what she liked, and confirmed it just then, Courtney paused before sliding her panties down to ask, “Is this okay?” 

After a vigorous nod of consent, Courtney continued, sliding them down, finally seeing all of her. She ran her hands gently up Adore’s thighs before slowly taking her soft dick into her mouth, swirling her tongue around, watching her hands turn to fists as she clutched at the sheets. 

“Is this good?” Courtney murmured, and Adore arched and moaned, a strangled ‘yes’ just barely discernible. She hummed against her again, and the writhing in response gave her all the motivation she needed to keep going. She reached up to toy with her tits, alternating between licking and then gently sucking her dick until Adore came with a series of broken moans. Courtney pressed hot, wet kisses up her body until they were once again face to face. 

“Jesus Christ,” Adore said. 

“Wow, forgot my name already?” Courtney quipped, pretending to be offended, and Adore chuckled weakly, running a hand through her hair. 

“You fuckin’ nerd.”

Courtney giggled, snuggling up against her, face tucked into her neck, inhaling her scent as Adore traced lazy patterns on her sweaty naked back. Courtney almost didn’t notice when her hips began to move again, rutting against Adore’s thigh as if her body had a mind of its own. Adore noticed, though, a sleepy smile spreading across her face. 

“Let me help you,” Adore whispered, fingers teasing the edge of Courtney’s panties. 

“Yes,” Courtney nodded emphatically, raising her hips just enough to let Adore’s hand inside. 

“God, you’re so wet,” Adore breathed, and all Courtney could manage was a whimper of agreement as long, graceful fingers found her clit. 

She was already close, and it seemed like within seconds of Adore toying gently with her—first tapping lightly and then rubbing circles and figure eights—she was coming with a gasp, body shuddering with pleasure before every muscle turned to liquid. She melted against Adore’s body, trying to catch her breath. 

Her eyelids felt heavy as she searched for Adore’s lips in the dark room. They hadn’t bothered to turn on a light, and blackout shades effectively kept out the lights from the party downstairs. It was like a perfect little cocoon, nothing but body heat and shared breath. 

They must have dozed off, because the next thing Courtney knew, she was roused awake by Adore shifting away from her. She lifted her head and rubbed her eyes, immediately disturbed by the loss of her touch.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” Adore whispered. She was half out of the bed, legs swung over the side. 

“Where are you going?” Courtney asked, trying to keep the panic and disappointment out of her voice. They’d only known each other twelve hours, so she certainly had no right to be this clingy, this upset at the idea of Adore leaving her. She reached for anyway, though, adding a pathetic, “Don’t go.”

“No, I just…I haven’t had a cigarette all day and I kind of wanted…” Adore trailed off, looking at Courtney’s anxious face, eyes then drifting down to her outstretched arm. “Or…I guess I’ve been trying to quit anyway.” 

A happy grin spread across Courtney’s face as Adore crawled back towards her. 

(Months later, Adore would joke to their friends that Courtney “made” her quit smoking, which Courtney adamantly denied, explaining, “I just didn’t want you to leave…”) 

Courtney wrapped her arms around Adore’s warm body, nuzzling against her, thrilled to have her back. If she’d been more awake (and sober), she might have been concerned at how obsessed she was with this girl already. But since she was still rocking a healthy buzz, all she felt was contentment and happiness. 

“We do have to find another way to solve my whole oral fixation though,” Adore mused. “Any ideas?” 

Courtney lifted her head, giving her a wicked smirk. “As a matter of fact…” 

***

Sometimes Courtney marveled at how easy it was with Adore; their lives seemed to blend together almost seamlessly. They skipped the casual dating phase completely, and soon enough, they were all but living together, with Adore sleeping over Courtney’s place almost every night. Courtney met Adore’s family, getting the necessary stamp of approval from her mother, and even their careers benefitted: Courtney’s manager recommended a much better booking agent for Adore, and one of Adore’s producer friends recruited Courtney to join a fledgling podcast company, something she took to like a pro. 

Courtney’s friends loved Adore right away, and Adore’s friends welcomed Courtney with loving, open arms. Maybe more importantly, they all liked each other, and pretty soon every party, every brunch, was a happy mix of people from both of their lives, to the point where they sometimes forgot who met who first. While Courtney was packing to visit her family in Australia for Christmas, the thought of separation weighing heavily on both their minds, Adore bit the bullet. 

She took Courtney’s hand and blurted out, “We should move in together!” 

“What?” 

“I mean…do you want to move in together?” she revised, giving those puppy eyes that Courtney could never say no to, even if she wanted to. 

“Yes!” she exclaimed, jumping into Adore’s lap and smothering her face with kisses. “Yes, I would love that! I love you…” 

It was beautifully fitting that pride was their anniversary. In 2014, they celebrated one year together, marching in the parade with Adore’s trans support group, both of them decked out in mermaid finery.

(“GAG,” Bianca said when Courtney told her the concept, but she’d relented and made their costumes anyway the second Adore batted one lash.) 

In 2015, Adore was finally starting to see real money from her music, getting bigger and better gigs—and even a mini-tour across the Pacific Northwest in March and April. Courtney’s podcast had taken off too, and before looking for a nicer apartment, they opted for an extra-opulent pride month. First, they did LA pride with all of their friends as usual and then, 2 weeks later, they flew to San Francisco to do it all again. In a wonderful and magical coincidence, they happened to be strolling around the Castro, fingers laced together, when they heard screams and cheers from Midnight Sun. They ducked into the historic bar to find a jubilant celebration underway: the Supreme Court had just handed down the landmark decision to make same-sex marriage the law of the land. 

In the midst of the crying, the hugging, the squeals of delight, Courtney managed to get her arms around Adore, hugging her waist from behind, forehead pressed to her shoulder. Adore sighed happily and turned around, tipping Courtney’s chin up for a slow, lazy kiss. 

“This is fucking cool, huh?” Adore said, once they separated. 

“Really fucking cool,” Courtney agreed, arms still securely around her waist, heart light and happy. She was surprised, actually, how incredible she felt. A handful of states, as well as a bunch of countries, already had gay marriage. For awhile now, it hadn’t felt to Courtney like an urgent fight—at least not the most important fight, when plenty of places had much bigger battles, and when her own girlfriend’s identity was constantly being vilified. 

But it really was magical, causing tears to well up in her eyes and filling her with hope that she didn’t even know she was missing. 

“So…” she said, biting back a happy grin. “What do you think? Wanna get married?” 

“You mean like now?” Adore said, taken aback. 

“Not like today,” Courtney countered, suddenly worried that she’d come on too strong. But they’d been together for two years—and living together for the majority of that time, she reasoned with herself. It’s not like this was an insane, out-of-the-blue discussion. 

“Okay good,” Adore breathed, looking a bit too relieved for Courtney’s taste. 

She scrunched up her face, saying, “Wow, thanks.” 

“No! I just mean because like, I feel like we’re too young to even think about that!” Adore said. 

“I’m 31,” Courtney reminded her, “And you’re 27.” 

“Exactly! Infants!” Adore gave her a lopsided smile. The kind that usually charmed the pants off her. But today somehow, it was losing its luster. “Do you really want to be a child bride?” 

Courtney rolled her eyes. “Nevermind, Adore. Forget I said anything about it-”

“Don’t be mad,” she implored. 

“I’m not mad,” Courtney said. And she wasn’t. It wasn’t as if she was dying to get married; she’d just gotten caught up in the moment. A triumphant, wonderful moment that she was determined to still enjoy. 

“Well…” Adore twirled a lock of fading lavender hair, biting her lip. “I do think…like, hypothetically, that if I was gonna get married…” 

Courtney looked back up at her, a breath catching in her throat as her eyes met Adore’s. 

“...I’d definitely want it to be to you.” 

“Yeah?” Courtney felt any residual irritation dissolve as a smile pulled on the corner of her mouth. 

“Fuck yeah.” 

Courtney leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on her lips. “Me too. Hypothetically.” 

She let the conversation go, for now, simply enjoying the magical day. After all, it was pride, and Courtney wasn’t about to let anything ruin it, especially not a non-argument like that.

***

The next year, Adore was on tour during all of May and June. Courtney flew to Austin to surprise her for an early anniversary celebration, and Adore responded by pulling her up onstage to join them for a few numbers, much to the delight of the crowd. 

Afterwards, in the hotel, Courtney emerged from the bathroom wearing nothing but her favorite strap-on and a smirk.

“Hey,” she said, leaning against the doorframe. 

Adore sat up in bed, her eyes widening with delight. “Hiii.” 

Courtney giggled, lashes fluttering, and sauntered forward. “Ready for some fun?” 

“Always!” Adore simpered at her, head tilted. 

Before they met, Courtney hadn’t been that interested in dildo play. She’d always had plenty of great sex without any toys whatsoever, and if she was gonna get (or give) technological help, nothing beat a simple vibrator. 

When Adore suggested the strap, at first Courtney had been a little offended. Was she not capable of pleasuring her girlfriend without a dick? She figured that wearing it would make her feel like an imposter, like she was trying to be a man. Like she’d be proving fucking Freud and his stupid theory about penis envy right. 

She could not have been more wrong. 

First of all, the dildo they’d chosen while wandering through the Pleasure Chest looked nothing like a dick. It was pink and purple, sparkly, and glowed in the dark. It was ribbed, and came with both a removable bullet vibrator and piece on the end that pressed against her own clit when she used it.

Most important, it made Adore tremble with pleasure, allowed her to fuck her girlfriend silly while her hands stayed free to roam around her body. She could look into her eyes or kiss her while she came, and that was the best fucking part. 

There was also, somehow, an energy shift in the room when the dildo appeared. It made even the laziest kisses, the most delicate cuddling, feel more charged. So even as they kissed, as Courtney removed her clothes, worshiping every part of her with her mouth, her hands, she knew that Adore’s attention was always at least partly fixated on the strap between her legs, eyes dilating every time she gazed down at her.

Eventually, Courtney knelt over her on the bed, barely touching her, as she squirmed and panted heavily below. She then trailed one finger up her thigh, parting her legs with zero effort. She let her eyes travel up and down Adore’s body, leaning over slowly as Adore whimpered, knowing what was coming. She tormented her for a few more seconds until finally sucking one erect nipple into her mouth. 

“Fuck,” Adore groaned, arching up, hands threading into Courtney’s hair. In no time at all, she was writhing and begging for more. 

After giving her an indulgent smile, Courtney leaned over and growled, “Turn over,” directly into her ear. 

Adore complied immediately, with a whimper and zero hesitation. Courtney pushed her hair out of the way, kissing the back of neck, hands wandering over her body, squeezing her perfectly round ass. Her mouth traveled down her spine. 

Courtney lubed her up generously, feeling flutters of her own cunt pulsing beneath the strap as Adore pushed her ass up, letting Courtney stretch her as she panted into the pillow. She was so needy, so desperate, that Courtney was tempted to take her like this, from behind, face buried in her hair, hands reaching around to toy with her perfect tits. It would be good, Courtney knew, but what she really wanted was to look into her eyes. 

However, that didn’t stop her from teasing, from pressing the dildo against her as she ran her slippery-with-lube hands all over her body, fingers circling her nipples, one hand reaching down to her girldick to stroke her, Adore’s whimpers growing more pleading, more urgent, with every second. 

“Baby, you feel so fucking good,” Courtney whispered into her neck, then tapped on her hip gently. 

That was all it took for her to flip back over eagerly, drawing her legs back. Courtney smiled at the sight, then gave her a deep, wet kiss, tongue plunging into her mouth, teasing her hole with just the very tip of the dildo. 

“Fuck me, please,” Adore begged, fingers digging into Courtney’s shoulders. 

“You sure you’re ready?” Courtney teased, knowing full well exactly how ready she was. 

Adore’s response was a choked whimper, which turned into a satisfied moan as Courtney pushed the dildo slowly inside her, pressing kisses to her open mouth. Before she even began to roll her hips, Adore was arching up against her. She shifted her weight to bear down, slowing the rhythm, every thrust of her hips met with increasingly desperate whimpers. 

As Courtney trailed her fingers up Adore’s body, thumbs circling her nipples, her whimpers turned to moans. 

“I love you so much,” Courtney said. 

“Love you,” Adore echoed, head thrown back , eyes squeezed shut. 

“Are you gonna come for me, baby?” Courtney asked. 

“Uh huh…fuck…” 

Adore’s nails raked down Courtney’s back and dug into her ass, making her shiver as she picked up the pace, fucking her deep and hard, swallowing her moans with open-mouthed kisses. Courtney wasn’t sure who came first, but her hips kept moving until they’d both collapsed in a sweaty, satisfied heap, sheets tangled beneath them. 

“You’re so beautiful,” Courtney murmured, before pressing a kiss to Adore’s temple, arms still wrapped around her waist. As hot and sweaty as she was, she didn’t want to let go. Ever.

Courtney loved pride for many reasons, but that year, that pride in Austin, would always go down as one of her favorites. Especially considering what came next. 

[stoupax]

@catacomb-chaos tagged me in a good ole OC dash game. choosing my top 3 video game babes starting from left to right; Tav, then Evrion and Inara under the cut. I’m gonna tag @lavalampelfchild, @spiritbladed, @mapeslyrup, @biotic-boshtet, @ineffablewitch, if they like. feel free to do this even if you’re not listed, and tag me so I can see! (edit: unintentional, but they’re gay, bi, and lesbian respectively, happy Pride)

Tav Fenway (Baldur's Gate 3)

SEASONING: sea salt and turmeric WEATHER: sunny with intermittent cloud cover, light breeze COLOR: rusty reds and oranges, gold, browns, olive green SKY: starry night with partial cover, new moon MAGICAL POWER: invisibility HOUSE PLANT: aeonium Mardi Gras succulent WEAPON: shortsword and dagger SUBJECT: history, current events SOCIAL MEDIA: none MAKEUP PRODUCT: nude concealer/toner, mascara CANDY: caramel, fudge FEAR: losing autonomy/being at the mercy of others, torture ICE CUBE SHAPE: knife METHOD OF LONG-DISTANCE TRAVEL: walking, climbing, misty step (his own shitty car in modern au) ART STYLE: surrealism, dada (stoner shit) MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE: kitsune PIECE OF STATIONERY: fold-worn parchment stained with coffee and sweat THREE EMOJIS: 🗡️🔑🩸 (dagger, key, drop of blood) CELESTIAL BODY: Mercury

Evrion Cousland (Dragon Age)

SEASONING: truffle salt WEATHER: thunderstorms and lightning COLOR:  blues, greens, silver SKY: evening orange and purple giving way to oncoming storm clouds MAGICAL POWER: high endurance, protection HOUSE PLANT: blackthorn WEAPON: sword and shield SUBJECT: entertainment (books, music, theater) SOCIAL MEDIA: twitter, instagram (he’d be online a lot) MAKEUP PRODUCT: subtle contour and highlight, eyeliner and mascara, colored or metallic eye shadow if he's feeling flashy CANDY: any (huge sweet-tooth) FEAR: betrayal, loneliness, being unlovable ICE CUBE SHAPE: dog METHOD OF LONG-DISTANCE TRAVEL: horseback, griffon (someone else driving him in a luxury vehicle in modern au) ART STYLE: art nouveau, romanticism, neoclassicism MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE: werewolf PIECE OF STATIONERY: vellum stamped with a silver laurel wreath THREE EMOJIS: 🌊🐕💸 (water wave, dog, money with wings) CELESTIAL BODY: Mars

Inara Silentstep* (The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and Forgotten Realms) *image is her drow self from BG3/Forgotten Realms; in TES she is a dark elf

SEASONING: garlic and rosemary WEATHER: blue skies, calm and undisturbed COLOR:  black, gray, purple, red SKY: moonlit night MAGICAL POWER: silence and telekinesis HOUSE PLANT: spider plant WEAPON: bow and arrows SUBJECT: anything topical SOCIAL MEDIA: instagram (lurker) MAKEUP PRODUCT: smokey eye, liquid eyeliner, warm blush, dark lipstick CANDY: chocolate-covered berries FEAR: pain, dying alone ICE CUBE SHAPE: heart METHOD OF LONG-DISTANCE TRAVEL: walking, public transit ART STYLE: post-impressionism, fauvism, art deco MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE: nymph PIECE OF STATIONERY: imperial ink on buckskin leather THREE EMOJIS: 💋💎🌌 (kiss mark, diamond, milky way) CELESTIAL BODY: Jupiter

[qnewslgbtiqa]

Warnings of attacks by anti-LGBTQIA+ groups in June

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/warnings-of-attacks-by-anti-lgbtqia-groups-in-june/

Warnings of attacks by anti-LGBTQIA+ groups in June

US officials warn that anti-LGBTQIA+ terror groups may attempt to attack LGBTQIA+ events around the world during Pride Month in June.

The State Department warned US citizens abroad to “exercise increased caution”.

“Stay alert in locations frequented by tourists, including Pride celebrations.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Homeland Security issued a similar advisory a week before.

“Foreign terrorist organizations or supporters may seek to exploit increased gatherings associated with the upcoming June 2024 Pride Month.”

During Pride Month 2016, a man inspired by IS ideology shot dead 49 people and wounded 53 more at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

Among others, mass shootings took place in Colorada and Oslo in 2022.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation reported at least 145 incidents of anti-LGBTQ violence, harassment and vandalism during Pride Month in 2023. That included the arrest of three IS sympathisers for attempting to attack a 2023 Pride parade in Vienna, Austria.

Anti-LGBTQIA+ groups in Australia

In Australia, Pride events and other gatherings by the LGBTQIA+ communities have increasingly come under attack from far-right anti-LGBTQIA+ groups.

Far-right Christian and Islamic groups alike have both shown a willingness to disrupt community events. The involvement of Neo-Nazi groups and their increased cooperation with TERF groups have increased concern among local LGBTQIA+ activist groups.

Sydney man jailed for masterminding terror plot on Mardi Gras.

Melbourne protest against Neo-Nazi recruitment drive.

Youth event at Pride Centre axed after neo-Nazi protest threats.

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

  For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[mightyflamethrower]

The taxpayer-funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has been forced to scrap a drag queen story time session for children as young as three after opponents forced a backdown.

The four-hour event set for a Sydney, NSW, suburb was designed to be a lead in to the city’s annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras week of events.

Drag performers were scheduled to read books to children which sparked outrage from locals, Christian groups, and lawmakers who questioned whether the session was appropriate for very young children.

Others claimed the event was a form of “gender indoctrination” based on LGBTQIA+ principles.

File/Drag queens joins the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the largest gay and lesbian evening parade held in the world, attracted in excess of 600,000 spectators including thousands of overseas visitors to the NSW state capital. (PAUL JONES/AFP via Getty Images)

The ABC is now considering options to host the event in the wake of what it called the “hateful and offensive response” as set out in its cancellation announcement:

The ABC condemns the hateful and offensive response we have received from some individuals in response to the callout for this event. The event will no longer be held at the Rockdale Library and the ABC is considering how we can safely host it. The ABC invited families from within the LGBTQIA+ community to participate in a Drag Queen Story Time event which would be filmed as part of our Mardi Gras coverage. These events are designed for families and are regularly held in public spaces. The ABC is the official host broadcaster for the 2024 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. As part of this partnership the ABC showcases the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community, aligning with its Charter obligation to reflect all Australians.

Women’s Rights Network Australia co-founder Kit Kowalski told the Sydney Daily Telegraph newspaper many women had expressed their concerns about the event to the ABC.

‘The ABC is going [beyond] it’s remit to reflect the national character by actively organising controversial events where males dressed in a sexualised caricature of women read books to children,’ Kowalsji said.

The ABC receives more than $1 billion dollars of Australian taxpayer dollars annually.

The next general election it won't be the good verses the bad. It will be the sane verses pedophelia and insanity.

[realasslesbian]

Y'all Senator Lidia Thorpe is on her straight girl shit again as if her meltdown on the road in front of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras wasn't embarassing enough, today at the Canberra Let Women Speak event she charged at Posie Parker from behind, got pushed over by one of the guards, and when the police tried to help her to her feet she started screaming and crawling away like a pathetic fucking child, and now she's accusing those cops of assaulting her🤦🏻‍♀️ Like, this heterosexual is so fucking embarrassing and everyone just be singing her praises anyway🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

[dialogue-queered]

https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/legendary-activist-and-community-icon-fabian-loschiavo-has-died/223769

13 May 2023

Fabian LoSchiavo, prominent Sydney-based LGBTQ+ activist and community icon, has died.

The 78’er and founding member of the Sydney Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence passed away on Friday afternoon, as confirmed in a post by First Mardi Gras Inc.

“It’s with great sadness that we acknowledge the sudden passing of Mother Inferior, [aka Fabian LoSchiavo],” writes the Sydney House of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

“Also known as Mother Abyss, Sister Volupta, Sister Venus de Lilo, and Monsignor Porcamadonna”.

Known by many names, LoSchiavo is remembered for his work in “promoting the expiation of stigmatic guilt through the promulgation of universal joy”.

Loyalty, Activism, And Enlightenment

The activist would adopt religious imagery and regalia in an effort to transform its meaning and retake it from those who would harm the LGBTQ+ community.

As the “Gay Male Nun” Mother Inferior, among other personas, LoSchiavo would spread the good word by attending queer events across Sydney – inviting patrons to be absolved of guilt and celebrate their unique identities.

Like the Order he helped found, LoSchiavo’s life was one of “loyalty, activism, and enlightenment”.

A 78’er, LoSchiavo was also among those to march in Sydney’s first Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, an event marred by police brutality and government intervention.

His presence was felt across dozens of LGBTQ+ events since, having participated as recently as the 2023 World Pride march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

An Outpouring Of Grief And Remembrance

News of LoSchiavo’s death has been met with significant grief, with users online across many platforms remembering the life, work, and personal impact the activist has had on queer lives.

“A warm, kind, caring, and wise soul,” writes one user.

“An icon of our times,” another says.

“I will always remember the times I spent in his company” tweets one.

[liexom]

per·ver·sion - sexual behavior that's considered abnormal. We're not talking about pup masks and leashes or even men in skirts and girls in flannel and you know it. I've been to more than a few because I'm gay and people do to take it too far. Way too far. Not all, but enough to make it an issue. Mardi Gras on steroids in the US. Also an event not without perversion. The objection to the kink is it goes way beyond simply celebrating being gay or lesbian into showing it to the world firsthand. That's the problem. I get I'm in the share everything with everyone on planet earth publicly generation but there are some things that just don't belong in public.

Thank you for the definition, I think I already knew what it meant - words have connotations and perversion is pejorative.

The prides I have been too were always very reasonable, so what kind of things have happened in the prides you have been to that were "taking it too far"? And why would you want to ban all kinks from pride bc of some people not knowing what is appropriate? Again, "no fucking in public at pride" isn’t a very controversial message and not what anyone is advocating for

Also sure hope "men in skirts and girls in flannel" isn’t some kind of transphobic dog whistle because yikes

[thegaytraveler]

Orlando welcomes LGBTQ+ travelers with an exciting lineup of events for spring and summer getaways

Orlando is ready to welcome travelers with a spring and summer lineup of gourmet food and beverage festivals, theme park events, and more — and everyone is invited to the party.

Orlando Must-Do Events

SeaWorld Orlando’s Seven Seas Food Festival (thru May 7) features exquisite global cuisine, an ocean of local craft beers and diverse live entertainment.

Universal’s Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval (thru April 16) features Cajun and Creole dishes, and performances by some of the biggest names in music.

EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival (thru July 5) boasts impressive Disney-inspired topiaries and colorful gardens and delicious fresh flavors around the World Showcase.

Fiesta in the Park (Apr. 1-2) located in the heart of downtown Orlando, is a traditional celebration that returns for its 34th year to showcase the beauty of springtime at Lake Eola.

The Pride Prom (Apr. 28) at the Orlando Science Center is an adult-only (21+) Prom hosted by Come Out with Pride. The theme this year is Planet EVO: Evolution is Inclusion.

GayDays (May 31 – June 5), is comprised of multiple events staged at world-famous attractions; gay and lesbian clubs; and unique venues that create a renowned gay and lesbian vacation experience.

Girls in Wonderland (June 1-5), the counterpart to GayDays, caters to female members of the LGBTQ+ community featuring parties, special performances and celebrity appearances.

One Magical Weekend (June 1-5), always on the first weekend in June, is one of the largest LGBTQ+ pride and music festivals in the world.

A highly inclusive destination, Orlando has pioneered LGBTQ+ tourism dating back to the original Gay Days in 1991. A winning destination in the 2023 “Gay Travel Awards”, Orlando promotes inclusivity through events, nightlife, and activities that welcome all. The “city beautiful” has even earned a perfect score from the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index in 2022, which measures the LGBTQ+ inclusiveness of cities' laws, policies, and services.

LGBTQ+ Orlando Travel Guide

[petnews2day]

Australian model walks runway with snake wrapped around neck

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/B8K7W

Australian model walks runway with snake wrapped around neck

Australian Queer model Basjia Almaan recently walked the runway with a snake wrapped around her neck at a Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras event. Basjia — who represented a Sydney-based QTBIPOC artists’ collective at the Sissy Ball 2023 — dropped a stunner with a sensual recreation of the ‘From Dusk till Dawn’ snake scene […]

See full article at https://petn.ws/B8K7W #ReptileNews