Share Your Story with The Moth, Plan for Trans Empowerment Month, See Pansy Division, Find Online Support with MiGen
As the dog days of summer meld into the comfortable rhythm of a busy fall, the change of season may be daunting, but worry not, friends. We aren’t going to send you back to school (literally or symbolically) without arming you with plenty of opportunities for an occasional break from your grind. This time around, we’re focusing our selections on empowerment. From hearing from powerful speakers at Stand with Trans or engaging the storyteller and activist inside you with The Moth, we’ll get you ready to return to routine as the best version of yourself you can be.
1. Share Your Story with The Moth
The Moth is an organization built around providing a platform for others to tell their stories. By sharing on their website or over the air via The Moth podcast and radio hour, Moth storytellers connect with audiences across the world, bridging social divides and finding commonality with people from other walks of life.
The Moth is coming to Detroit this September for a live StorySLAM, and with the theme “Elbow Grease,” there's plenty of opportunity to share the inherent grit of the LGBTQ+ experience. Or, if you’re interested in a more direct queer angle, The Moth invites organizational partners, which currently include Project Speak Out Loud at The Grand St. Settlement and SAGE, to help share LGBTQ+ stories.
Sept. 5, 6:30 p.m., Marble Bar (1501 Holden St., Detroit). Upcoming Detroit events at bit.ly/4dZjqOX and LGBTQ+ partner applications at themoth.org/community/lgbtq-stories.
2. Create with Other Women and Non-Binary Artists
Take part in The Room Project, a collective and space specifically for non-binary and women creatives that recognized a need for their community to feel safe in creating and presenting their art. The space offers events, resources and opportunities engaging with the public sphere for poets and artists. They’ve even previously put out an anthology showcasing the works of Room Project’s writers. With sliding pricing depending on circumstances, the project truly feels as though it lives up to its ideals of providing access to the arts for all.
6513 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Learn more at roomproject.org
3. Prepare to Observe Trans Empowerment Month
Stand with Trans will host a series of events this October for Trans Empowerment Month. This year’s events are centered around the theme “Beyond the Binary” and promise “an array of dynamic virtual workshops, panels and performances designed to uplift and inspire transgender and non-binary youth,” according to press materials.
Trans Empowerment Month program coordinator Dubbs Weinblatt told Pride Source the events are impactful and open to all. “As a nonbinary trans person who came out later in life, this programming aimed specifically for trans and nonbinary youth is a crucial way to send the message you belong,” Weinblatt said. “Even if you are a parent or caregiver, an adult ally or older trans/nonbinary individual, there's a session for you. We want to build community through learning, entertainment, stories and shared experiences. We're all in this together.”
With 33 speakers and 29 events already slated for the month of October, spots are sure to fill up quickly. Snag yours now before it’s too late!
Times and locations vary. See the event calendar at bit.ly/4dEhdbS
4. See Pansy Division at the Magic Bag
One of rock’s first openly gay bands, Pansy Division, is about to bring their trailblazing sound to Ferndale’s Magic Bag. The group had a moment in the ‘90s, drawing fans who came to see their unique blend of commentary mixed with cheeky humor. From those early days and onward, Pansy Division has aimed to subvert the assumption that LGBTQ+ community members couldn’t enjoy rock.
Lyndsey Parker, editor-in-chief of Yahoo Music, acknowledged that, amid the AIDS crisis, they “almost literally laughed in the face of tragedy with their sophomoric but ultimately unifying and healing humor.”
Sept. 28, 7 p.m., The Magic Bag (22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale). Buy tickets at pansydivision.com/gigs.
5. Find Virtual Support with MiGen
Michigan’s LGBTQ+ Elders Network, MiGen, is offering virtual support for those unable to visit the organization in person, providing a space for those with geographical or physical limitations to still feel connected with and comfortable in their LGBTQ+ identities. Second Sunday Artist Talk, LGBTQ+ Book Club and Tech Buddy, a digital support system, are among the offerings. Other virtual support offerings include online meetings with MiGen’s community navigator resource coordinator, who can help community members find housing, food and healthcare resources, and MiStory, a monthly LGBTQ+ storytelling group that connects LGBTQ+ elders with younger generations.
Learn more about MiGen’s online support options at migenconnect.org/join-us/
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