• Equality
  • Community
    • Health
    • Youth
    • Seniors
  • Voices
    • From the CEO
    • Take Five
    • Why I Give
  • About the Center
  • Galleries
  • Calendar
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Big Freedia Offers Words of Inspiration to LGBTQ+ Youth at The Future Is Black: Renaissance
  • Center South Celebrates Three Years of Service in South Los Angeles
  • Slice, Slice Baby!
  • LGBTQ+ Youth, Seniors, and ‘Drag Race’ Queens Celebrate Chosen Family at Inaugural Intergenerational Thanksgiving Dinner
  • Dispensing Culturally Competent Care: The Center’s Patient-Centric Pharmacy Does Much More Than Fill Prescriptions
  • Get to Know the Center’s New Leadership Team
  • The Center Looks Back on 25 Years of Senior Services
  • Center CEO Joe Hollendoner: “Our Work Is Never Done”
Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube
LGBT News Now
Learn about career opportunities at the Center
  • Equality
  • Community
    • Health
    • Youth
    • Seniors
  • Voices
    • From the CEO
    • Take Five
    • Why I Give
  • About the Center
  • Galleries
  • Calendar
LGBT News Now
You are at:Home»Community»The Return of the Trans Pride Love Bubble
Transpride

The Return of the Trans Pride Love Bubble

0
By on July 5, 2022 Community

By Dan Allen

After two years of going virtual during the pandemic, Trans Pride L.A. made its jubilant return to mostly in-person events this year at the Los Angeles LGBT Center from June 16 to 18. We spoke to organizer Gina Bigham, who’s also the program manager of the Center’s Trans* Lounge, about the importance of the event and its unwavering love bubble.

How many people attended Trans Pride L.A. this year?

We’re estimating about 1,400 people—about 200 to 250 on Friday, then about 1,100 or maybe closer to 1,200 on Saturday. We did a virtual panel on intersex inclusion on Thursday night with our friends from Club Intersex, and that kicked us off as our only specifically virtual event. Then Friday was our Big Queer Convo [a Trans Pride L.A. staple, which this year featured actor and activist Vico Ortiz in an interview by actor Shaan Dasani], and we did a dance party afterwards in the courtyard which was really fun. It’s great to see people out there dancing and just having a great time, putting all of the nonsense aside. It was just us celebrating, which made it really, really wonderful.

dancing

That’s fantastic. Is that the highest attendance ever for Trans Pride L.A.?

Oh no, not even close. In 2019, we had 2,000 people just on Saturday. It was quite understandable though—it’s the first year back after two years of virtual events, and obviously COVID is still at the forefront, so there’s that. And you know honestly, I also had a lot of folks who said they had a moment of pause thinking about their safety because of the event that happened in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho [where members of a white nationalist group were arrested for planning to disrupt a Pride event], and there was another disruption of a drag time story hour up in Northern California. So we did hire extra security, but I did hear from folks that that crossed their mind.

All that aside, Trans Pride still had the same wonderful feel this year. We always call it our ‘Trans Pride love bubble.’ That came about a few years back—we would have volunteers who were doing this event for the first time, and this was really their first time being at a trans-specific event. When their shifts would end, we would tell them they could go, and they would say, ‘Can I stay? I’ve never been at an event like this before. I’ve never seen so much happiness. Everybody is happy, everybody is connected.’ So that’s how it sort of formed into our little Trans Pride love bubble.

Honestly, that is a big part of how we approach our events. We try to do things like an old school, grassroots kind of Pride event, where we don’t charge a dime for anything. Nobody pays to get in, and everybody gets a meal. We served about 1,200 plates of food to people on Saturday. And there’s no fee to table [for exhibitors and vendors]. The only time anyone would spend money out of their own pocket is if they were going to buy something from one of the vendors at our resource fair, and that vendor gets the whole thing. We don’t make a dime off of this event, and I think that shows. So it gives us a lot of joy and pride that we are inclusive of everybody, we are accessible to everybody. And I think that shows in the response from the crowd, the response from our attendees, all the way down to our volunteers, our staff—everybody catches that same Trans Pride fever, and it’s really a beautiful thing.

Tacos

Were there were a lot of first timers this year?

Yes, I heard from at least seven or eight people who said, ‘This is my first Trans Pride event ever, and I’m so glad it was with you all, because this is very wholesome.’ I know for many of our folks, reacclimating to social spaces and being in public and being at large-scale events can cause some anxiety, so I think our event being a little bit smaller helps in that regard as well. We tried to keep things outdoors as much as possible, just to keep people safe. One of the highlights was these two amazing artists that we know, David and Noah, who have an organization called Classroom of Compassion that does art installations at Pride events. They’re just two of the sweetest, most loving people you ever want to meet, and they’ve developed this workshop where they make flower crowns in honor of Marsha P. Johnson. So we had them up on the roof of the campus, and there were no less than 70 people up there at all times throughout the entire day making flower crowns. Folks actually made 293 flower crowns, so then everyone was walking around with their crowns on.

Flower Crowns

That sounds amazing!

It was! And then the finale of Trans Pride is always our VarieTy Show. I’ve been doing Trans Pride for 12 years, and we started the VarieTy Show eight years ago. This one was—I mean, it was flawless. We had an incredible juggler, we had an aerialist, we had the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, we had singers, spoken word performers, comedians. It was amazing. And what made it even more special was Jon Imperato, who is retiring at the end of the month after 24 years of being the Artistic Director here at the Center—this was the last show that he would produce—we were able to honor him at the end of the event. The crowd gave him an amazing standing ovation, which was really, really beautiful. So we were very, very pleased with how that went.

Our guest of honor this year was Vico Ortiz of the show Our Flag Means Death, and they were amazing too. They not only did the Big Queer Convo, but they came back on Saturday and performed in the VarieTy Show as their alter ego Vico Suave, and that has blown up on Twitter and Instagram. Some of the comments were just so wholesome and funny. One person said, ‘Taking 70 business days to recover from Vico Ortiz’s performance at Trans Pride L.A. Never wanted to know how to dance tango until now. Good god.’ Someone else said, ‘I just watched Vico’s performance at Trans Pride and I will not be the same person ever.’

Red carpet

Why was Trans Pride L.A. especially important this year?

Well, obviously after two years of COVID and virtual events and being on Zoom, folks need community, they need that human interaction. So I think that is number one, and then number two, and I think just as important, is the fact that in California, we’re sort of in a little protected bubble where our rights as trans and nonbinary individuals are not going anywhere anytime soon. But all over this country, trans and nonbinary folks are just being assaulted, their rights are being stripped away left and right. You can’t play sports now, and they’re taking away healthcare. So it’s important to be able to be visible and to show our resilience. Oftentimes, it almost becomes cliche when people say to a trans or nonbinary person, ‘You’re so strong for coming out and for doing what you’re doing.’ It’s like, we have no choice. It’s not a matter of strength. It’s will to survive, honestly. And so to be able to inspire others just by being together in community—you don’t know who that’s going to inspire to be more visible, to be more out there, to share their stories, to get involved, now more than ever. That’s why we had a resource fair with about 40 different organizations. The goal is to inspire people, because the community is stronger when everyone is activated, and when everyone can be present and be together.

Crowd in theatre

What were some of your favorite moments from this year’s Trans Pride L.A.?

Oh boy, the whole thing was a favorite moment. But one of the things that always gets me is seeing people in person. Trans* Lounge has been on Zoom doing groups and workshops for over two years, so to see people in person, it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve known you for two years, but this is the first time I’m seeing you in person!’ That’s something that’s very special to me and sort of surreal. But really, the whole thing was just spectacular from the beginning. I’ve got to give shout-outs to our team, and especially Ash Nichols, who is my absolute right hand with all things Trans Pride and Trans* Lounge. Their work just cannot be ignored, they were amazing. Same goes for my colleague Matt Walker, who did some above and beyond work for this year’s Trans Pride. Our Cultural Arts team and Development team were also spectacular.

I mean, this event has grown from nothing. When I started doing this 12 years ago, the entire event happened in the Center’s courtyard—that was it, and they’d be lucky if they got 200 people. Now we’re at a place where this is one of the signature events that the Center does. And year after year, we always have folks who are coming to us and saying they want to sponsor the event, they want to be a part of it.  I’m really proud of the work that the team did to put all this together, and bring something really, really special to our community.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

Related Posts

Big Freedia Offers Words of Inspiration to LGBTQ+ Youth at The Future Is Black: Renaissance

Center South Celebrates Three Years of Service in South Los Angeles

Slice, Slice Baby!

Comments are closed.

Upcoming Events

Mar 16
March 16 - April 16

Menstruation: A Period Piece

Apr 22
April 22 - April 23

Arena: A House MUSIC-al

Apr 29
April 29 - June 24

A New Brain

May 13
May 13 - June 12

The Bottoming Process

View Calendar
About Us

LGBT News Now

LGBT News Now is a publication of the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019, the Center is the largest LGBT organization in the world, dedicated to building a world where LGBT thrive as healthy, equal, and complete members of society. Learn more at lalgbtcenter.org.

Follow Us on Instagram

lalgbtcenter

The Los Angeles LGBT Center is building a world where LGBT people thrive as healthy, equal, and complete members of society.

Los Angeles LGBT Center
Are you ready for a little #Lesbian 101? In honor Are you ready for a little #Lesbian 101? In honor of #WomensHistoryMonth, we pulled together some facts about the L in the LGBTQ+ movement. Swipe through to learn more.
“The Los Angeles LGBT Center keeps me together” – @gottmik 

We feel love all the way from #SXSW 💜

Thank you @kwprime @trevorproject @jaidaehall & @the_symone for having this amazing conversation on the importance of protecting drag in our community.

#drag #lalgbtcenter #dragrace #queen #SXSW #sxswfilm
As a part of Ms. Versace’s iconic visit to the C As a part of Ms. Versace’s iconic visit to the Center, she invited the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) to bring Los Angeles design talent to meet with the young people we serve in our Youth Academy. Two of those designers, Sergio Hudson and Pia Davis (No Sesso), offered their time and talents in a very special talk with our students who expressed an interest in pursuing careers in the fashion industry. Both South Carolina natives, Mr. Hudson is a decorated American designer who recently dressed Mrs. Michelle Obama, and Ms. Davis is the first Black trans designer to be awarded membership to the CFDA. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the entire CFDA family for their support of the Center’s Youth Services department. Mr. Hudson said that the experience was a reflection of his purpose as a designer. “I want to inspire people and open doors for people who look like me. We’re there, but people hold us up like unicorns on a pedestal! We’re trying to put in the work to normalize it for others.”
Happy #InternationalWomensDay! We’d like for you Happy #InternationalWomensDay! We’d like for you to meet Bonnilee, one of the many treasured members of our Senior Services program. 

At 68, Bonnilee is newly retired after having spent her career as an educational diagnostician and special education teacher who worked to ensure that students with learning disabilities received the attention and care they needed. In her spare time, she also worked as a cosmetologist and makeup artist, using the craft as an outlet to express herself after spending long days of having to hide her true self at work.

“The Center was my first stop when I moved to L.A. 15 years ago,” she says. “I came out a million times in my life, as I'm sure everybody has to. But my parents were very unhappy about it, and that made for a lot of intensities. … But I’m feeling really content now. I’m older, I’m retired, and I have nothing to hide anymore. I feel like I'm really being my most authentic self, in a way.”

Today, Bonnilee spends her days traversing Los Angeles on her bike, stopping by the Senior Center for lunch or to visit the farmer’s market. She’s also found new outlets for her creativity in programs like the Still We Rise poetry writing class for LGBTQ+ women and a new 3D hanging art class offered at the Senior Center.

“I don’t think anyone at the Center ever knew how much hiding I was doing at work and in my day-to-day life because I’m so out and proud and clear and shining,” she says. “I figured out a way to play it safe and compartmentalize. But for the people coming up behind me, don’t compartmentalize, don’t be ashamed. Be free.”

Images by @mcfaddenphoto
We recently had the pleasure of hosting @donatella We recently had the pleasure of hosting @donatella_versace, the Chief Creative Officer of Versace, at the Center. To accompany her visit, Ms. Versace invited the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) to bring fashion students and designers to hear her speak. After Ms. Versace’s tour of the Center, she sat down for a conversation in our Renberg theatre to a very packed and very lively audience. One of the highlight’s of Ms. Versace’s visit was when we asked her about her legacy. How does she want to be remembered? “I don’t want to be remembered,” she said. “I want to live!”
In celebration of #WomensHistoryMonth, we’re tak In celebration of #WomensHistoryMonth, we’re taking a look at some of the vibrant contributions of the #LGBTQ+ community and highlighting a few of the innumerable women whose contributions and achievements have shaped the culture of Los Angeles and helped push our society forward.
 
Today, we’re highlighting Hattie McDaniel, the trailblazing actress and performer who defied racial barriers and went from traveling across the United States with her brother's vaudeville troupe to becoming the first Black person to win an Academy Award for her role in “Gone With the Wind.”
 
Despite her success, McDaniel’s rise in Hollywood was met with intense discrimination and criticism. She was barred from attending the “Gone With the Wind” premiere—which was held at a whites-only theater in Atlanta—and at the 1939 Oscars ceremony where she had her historic win, McDaniel was forced to sit at a segregated table in the back of the room. 
 
She also withstood condemnation throughout her career from the NAACP, who took issue with the stereotypical roles she inhabited. In response, McDaniel reportedly said, “I can be a maid for $7 a week, or I can play a maid for $700 a week.”
 
Meanwhile, McDaniel used her fame and influence to fight against racial discrimination off screen. When she moved to the Sugar Hill neighborhood of Los Angeles in 1941, white residents filed a lawsuit against her and other Black homeowners, aiming to oust them from their homes on the grounds that property deeds forbade sales to Black homeowners. McDaniel led the fight against the attack, and a judge eventually ruled that the racial restrictions were unconstitutional, paving the way for the end of such restrictions nationwide (and leading to the Fair Housing Act). 

McDaniel’s home has been preserved as a historic monument, and those in Los Angeles can still visit the site to this day at W 22nd St. and S Harvard Blvd. (Stay tuned for more updates like this throughout the month!)
 
Image Credit: Criterion
Today marks the beginning of #WomensHistoryMonth—a celebration that would not be anywhere near as vibrant without the contributions of the #LGBTQ+ community. For years, the Center is proud to host the #OutForSafeSchools curriculum and lesson plans, a partnership with @OneArchives and UCLA to teach LGBTQ+ history to our students. 

One of our lesson plans is about The Daughters of Bilitis (DOB)—named after the lesbian poetry collection “The Songs of Bilitis.” DOB is believed to be the first lesbian rights group in the United States. Founded in San Francisco in 1955 by a diverse group of women (and later carried on by the couple Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon), DOB originated as a social club but quickly changed its focus to education and advocacy. Daring to embrace their sexuality in a time of relentless persecution and opposition, DOB brought women together to fight for acceptance in a culture that deemed homosexuality as deviant and abnormal.

In 1956, the group began publishing The Ladder, the first nationally distributed lesbian magazine in the country. Aiming to provide an outlet for voices that had long been silenced, The Ladder included news, poetry, short stories, and essays relating to the lesbian experience, as well as updates on DOB meetings and activities. 

The Ladder encouraged readers to “come out of hiding,” offering employment advice and distributing a pamphlet titled “Your Legal Rights.” DOB continued to meet and publish new issues of The Ladder into the 1970s, connecting women across the country and giving rise to dozens of other lesbian and feminist organizations nationwide. Thanks to Internet Archive, we curated some of our favorite covers of The Ladder for your viewing—you can see how the tone and messaging evolves as the LGBTQ+ movement more firmly takes hold over the decades.

We’ll be posting more throughout the month, so stay tuned for other updates like this. (And if you don’t want to miss a beat from the Center, you can always turn those post notifications on. We promise we won’t spam ya!)
Do you know the latest about #tranq? As the opioid Do you know the latest about #tranq? As the opioid crisis tightens its grip on America, the newest substance sweeping through our city streets is a medication widely used as a livestock sedative. When #xylazine is mixed with opioids like #fentanyl and injected by humans, it can cause people to black out for hours. Withdrawal symptoms are said to be worse than those from heroin or methadone. The opposite of addiction isn’t always sobriety but it’s always a connection. Swipe to learn what to look out for—and how to access the Center’s life-saving resources by contacting 323-993-7448 or recoveryservices@lalgbtcenter.org
It’s on all of us to show up for Black LGBTQ+ yo It’s on all of us to show up for Black LGBTQ+ youth. Sometimes, living in our truth and our beauty can be hard—not because of ourselves, but because of how others treat and see us. Black queer youth deserve all the love and support that we can provide. Swipe through for some ways we can uplift our youth through community.
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Stay Connected
Subscribe
Copyright © 2022 Los Angeles LGBT Center
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy
  • Contact Us

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.