DAISY'S GUIDE TO WORLD PRIDE.
Yes, WorldPride and Stonewall 50 are finally upon us! The highly anticipated milestone orchestrated by Heritage of Pride is sure to be . . . well it’s sure to be a lot. Drawing millions from across the world to celebrate the spark of the modern gay rights movement in its epicenter is sure to be an overwhelming experience for all of us.
Many of you have been asking everyone, anyone, and no one in particular, “What are you doinnng??? What should I do?!”
Stop.
Stop fucking asking random people on the street what they are doing for Pride, when they’re doing it, and what should you be doing. Gurl, pick a party, buy a ticket and just fucking go. If you can’t organize a simple weekend itinerary of things you’d like to do with a few select friends, then I don’t know how to help you. You aren’t going to be with everyone. You aren’t going to be able to do everything. Look at the lineups and locations, make a decision, and do what you want to do. And for the love of Gaga, please plan time to SLEEP! I am already exhausted from the posts, the ponderings, and the pesterings.
But seriously, there’s so much happening that there is something for everyone. Gather some of your squirrels if you can or just go by yourself if you must. The world is coming! Be ready to make new friends, get a little out of your comfort zone, and show our guests a good time.
Here’s my BIG TIP for picking parties happening Thurs-Sun. Go to anything with the official WorldPride logo (below) on the flier. Those are events officially partnered with NYC Pride and giving back a portion of proceeds to the non-profit organization that makes all this possible, which in turn gives grant money back to the LGBTQ+ organizations in the community. The tireless (often unappreciated) work by the NYC Pride team and its volunteers is why we have the country’s most robust Pride. And it’s shameful that some promoters deliberately plan highly-commercial, high-dollar events on that weekend with no intention to give back to the community in some way - which is what Pride should be about.
On that note, everyone seems HIGHLY concerned about what parties everyone else is doing, but not in the least bit concerned with any actual Pride events. Have you made a bit of time for the rally, the march, or at least a stop by Sheridan Square to pay tribute to where it all began? Give it a thought. Look at me – honey I am obviously all for the party, the nightlife, and the messy ass shenanigans. But this is WorldPride and Stonewall 50. Can we please at least take a moment to mark what this occasion means for us and our culture as queer people. Do you know who Marsha P Johnson and Sylvia Rivera even are? (Go to Netflix and take some time to watch “The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson” for starters.) I’m no expert on our history, but I try to listen and learn, especially from our elders in the community, and grow from it. Know where you come from queen. Let’s all have the time of our lives, celebrate together, and be proud of who we are and how far we’ve come, but let’s please try to do it with respect for the immense work that’s been done to get us here.
Maybe plan to do an LGBT history tour in June, check out the artists' work of the World Mural Project, or see Paris is Burning during its special return to theaters. If you know your Pride weekend agenda is just going to be booked beyond belief, make the time when you can. I especially have always adored the Family Movie Night on the pier, even though I’ve never had a fucking date to the damn thing. That’s all I wanted! Nope, couldn’t have it. None of my so-called “friends” could hook me up with a nice man to take me to the movie just one damn…
Sorry. Breathing. Okay, back to this.
I’d also like to note that one group, the Reclaim Pride Coalition, is organizing an alternative Queer Liberation March on the same day as the Heritage of Pride march. This group opposes the immensely overpowering presence of corporate advertising in Pride and heavy police presence/barricading. I sympathize with their values and suggest this as an alternative march plan for Sunday. NYC Pride has become a very expensive beast of a logistical nightmare to pull off, and I do think we could stand to take our Pride back to its roots in the coming years. Not as a slight to any of the hard work by Heritage of Pride, but it’s become too big for its own good. We should not be inviting pinkwashing on our own turf. So if you have any personal qualms with how Heritage of Pride runs NYC Pride, I encourage you to seek other organizations putting together inclusive community events for all - just find a space to celebrate Pride in a way that feels right to you.
Now, WorldPride officially closes Sunday evening, so I’m more than happy to dish where to be gay after that moment.
It’s no secret my heart belongs to Alegria, and I can’t wait to see those disco balls turning the function at Avant Gardner. However, as it currently stands, there is no set closing time for the venue. It’s waffled between 4:30am to 8am back to 7ish and so forth as the venue wrestles with the city. Just let us have our moment NYC, jeez! Rest assured, Ric Sena will be aiming to get that clock pushed back as far as possible for us. But should the final closing time be too early, that is sure to leave hundreds of queens wide-eyed and bushy-tailed on the streets of Brooklyn. With so many other Sunday night closing parties elsewhere, Alegria will no longer be the "end-up” its has been years previous. No, this year I predict that role will go to an ole NYC tradition called Verve by DJ Eddie Elias. Verve used to hold the Monday afternoon spot for all the girls still ready to dance it out after Alegria on major event weekends. Well Elias is back with another after-hours heavy hitter, Eddie Martinez, at one of my favorite venues, Analog Brooklyn. They will be ready to open doors when Alegria’s close, and honey I guarantee it is going to be SHOWZ!
And giving the kids a Manhattan Monday night closer is my friend Eric Michael with his debut event, Climax, presented with Ryan Work and Danny Villar, at BLACKBOX, located in the PlayBoy Club in HK. With DJs Isis Muretech and Nacho Chapado, and hosted by my icon, Alan T, this will be a real final call for all the dancing queens - you know, right before Independence Weekend five days later. (Tix for IndepenDance FIP here. Use Promo Code: DAISY.)
So there’s my two cents of shade. Take it with a spoonful of sugar, honey. I know we’re all excited and it’s going to be moment in history to share together. Please, please, please be safe, look out for each other, and take care of yourself. Eat nutritiously, drink plenty of water, and give yourself time to rest. And through it all, love yourself and your neighbor. We’re all in this together.
See you at WorldPride!
Xx,
David X Daisy
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And now time for shameless plug! You can catch me hosting for HustlaBall at 3 Dollar Bill on Thursday, 6/27, as part of Solidarity! They’ve got me perched up with some of my international porn pals doing what they do best with a world-class lineup of DJs: Seven Redant (Barcelona), Chris Bekker (Berlin), and Dawson (NYC). I’ll be serving classic Tom of Finland looks all night. Get your tickets today.
