5 Queer Things You Can Do Right Now-ish: Attend a Black Tie Event, Get Crafty in Canada, Be a Good Ally
Pride Month (or “Queer Christmas” if you prefer) has arrived, and, we’re happy to note, it would be hard to swing a feathered boa and not hit a Pride event somewhere in Michigan this year. So, take full advantage. Bust out those sequined chaps, get your proudest posse together and live it up. It’s your month, after all.
Here are five events that will add some variety to your busy Pride Month calendar, from wild nights out to reflective introspection. This June, celebrate you — your way!
1. Have a Drink Here, There and Everywhere
As long as “everywhere” means LGBTQ-friendly bars, restaurants and clubs in Grand Rapids, that is! The Crawl with Us Grand Rapids Pride Bar Crawl on Saturday, June 11 starts at Rumors Nightclub at 4 p.m. and rotates to several GR fun spots, each featuring drink specials. The crawl includes cover-free stops at Flanagan’s Irish Pub, Grand Woods Lounge, Rocky’s, Social House and Tin Can, and a portion of proceeds will benefit The Trevor Project. Come by the afterparty at Flangan’s starting at 10 p.m.
And be safe. Crawl with Us highly recommends using a rideshare service or a designated driver.
Learn more and register at crawlwith.us.
2. Get Your 'Om' On in a Unique Setting
The words “silent,” “disco” and “yoga” may seem like they just don’t go together, but that’s all the more reason to get out and see what this intriguing event is all about, while supporting a long-time LGBTQ+ community resource, the Ruth Ellis Center.
Silent Disco Yoga: Being Human Together is an outdoor yoga event set in Detroit’s Beacon Park on June 19 focused on “immersion in community and the great outdoors,” according to organizers Citizen Yoga. Participants will wear personal headphones and listen to a custom, curated live set by DJ Zoe Talley while holding various yoga poses and breathing in all the positive community vibes. Citizen Yoga predicts a feeling of interconnectedness that “brings us together to create a powerful space to heal and create magic.”Tickets are $12. Register at citizenyogastudio.com.
3. Look Good While Honoring Local LGBTQ+ Heroes
Break out those bow ties and heels for a special night out June 9, when the Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber of Commerce hosts the annual COLOURS Pride Awards Gala (themed "Radiant in Red" this year)
at Motor City Casino. It’s a special evening dedicated to recognizing local businesses and leaders who have served as outstanding LGBTQ+ advocates over the past year.
Proceeds from the black tie gala will benefit newly certified LGBTQ-owned and operated businesses and support young Metro Detroit entrepreneurs. Jerry Peterman, retired executive director of the Ruth Ellis Center, will provide the keynote address.
Purchase tickets, starting at $150 each, at detroitlgbtchamber.com/coloursawards.
4. Get Crafty in Canada
Original collage work by Derrick Carl Biso. Photo: Derrick Carl Biso
Spend some time with our Canadian neighbors on the other side of the Detroit River on June 26 at the Art Gallery of Windsor. The free Celebrate Pride Collage Workshop, co-sponsored by Art Windsor-Essex and QLink Windsor-Essex collaborative, celebrates Canada’s 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride Month with an artistic flair.
Local artist Derrick Carl Biso will be on hand to guide crafters through the process of creating a collage and briefly present on the cultural history of collage-making. Use provided materials or add a personal touch with your own. Just don’t get caught at the border with anything
too
weird (although there’s nothing quite like a good border crossing story...).
Learn more at agw.ca/event/1959.
5. Be a Good Ally
Allyship should be a priority all year long, but Pride Month is a great time to up your game. Whether you’re a hetero ally or identify somewhere along the LGBTQ+ spectrum, there’s no time like June to show how much you support and care for the community. Here are a few ideas:
- Reach out to a local organization to find out how you can volunteer to help at-risk LGBTQ+ youth.
- Use your social platforms to amplify stories about missing and murdered trans women.
- Show up to events and for causes your LGBTQ+ loved ones care about.
- Fight against hateful, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation being proposed all over the country and demand that your reps protect marriage equality.
- Express your support for diversity, equity and inclusion at your workplace, and join efforts to promote those initiatives.
- Speak out against LGBTQ+ discrimination and intolerance wherever and whenever you see it, every day of the year.
- Attend a Pride event! Check out our 2022 Pride Calendar to find an event near you.
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