Oxford Drag Show Success

Thanks to all who came out! Money is still being counted for the American Cancer Society, but it was a great turnout!

Thanks, again, to Oxford and Balcony Bar! Great job to Spectrum!

Day of Silence -- April 17th

Day of Silence, GLSEN's annual awareness raising event, happens this week. The event encourages students (of all ages) to "take some form of a vow of silence to bring attention to the name-calling, bullying and harassment -- in effect, the silencing -- experienced by LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) students and their allies." (From DayofSilence.org).

2009 will be my first year participating, and, a few days ago, I texted Jill Benavides (one of GLSEN Cincinnati's co-chairs) about possibly putting together an article on Day of Silence and social media, because god knows it'll be hard for me to go a full day without talking, let alone tweeting. But it seems that the Day of Silence blog beat me to the post:

On Friday the 17th
On the Day of Silence tweet about it as much as possible.

Important: If you are a student in middle or high school, make sure you only tweet during times that your school permits. Tweet in the morning before school starts, at lunch, and especially after school.

If you can’t tweet any other time, plan to tweet within one hour after classes end. We hope that will create a rolling, growing Twitter movement from the East to the West coast as schools close for the day. Students in Alaska and Hawaii, join in when you can. And if you live outside the U.S. you can be a part too.

Tweet topics
Tweet what you’re doing for DOS. Tweet how many students are participating at your school. Tweet the different ways you’re getting support. Tweet if you’re holding a Breaking the Silence event. Tweet about how many buttons you’re wearing. Tweet about the reactions of your classmates.

Basically, if it has to do with DOS, tweet it in the days leading up to Friday.

Tagging your tweets
Don’t forget to mention DOS (@dayofsilence) by using the “@” or “#” tags. For general Twitter info, click here. (Now you can use the “@dayofsilence” anywhere in your tweet, not just at the beginning.) More about this tag, click here.

Follow Friday
April 17th is a Friday, so you can also tag your tweets: #followfriday. That’s a great way to recommend to other Twitter users who to follow. Find out about Follow Friday here and here.

*wipes forehead* Thank god!!!! I can Twitter!

Checking out my schedule for the day, I think I can handle it. The DOS people are clear on this: participate when you can, how you can, and as best you can. So, for example, I have to work until 6am Friday morning -- that's ok, I can talk, because it's my job. I've been tapped to lead the finals review for my nursing class -- that's ok, I can talk, because other people are relying on me. Other than that, though, I'm quiet as a church mouth mouse and I'm twittering away fiercely all day! (Although I'm also going to exempt time for two other things: planning for that night's show and any sort of finals review that goes on, since it is the last day of class before finals week. You'll all understand, right?)

And, then, at the Oxford Drag Show, we break the silence!!! WHOO HOO!!! That's sounds like a pretty freakin' rockin' day!

I'm printing off my cards -- I'm shooting for 100 of them -- and I'll be adding my button here on this blog to show that I'll be participating. Get ready to have lots of twitter updates throughout the day (make sure you add the hashtag #dayofsilence to all of your tweets that day, and make sure you follow me, my coblogger Cody whom I am going to force to participate, and Day of Silence Twitter), and I'll have a blog post the next day with my experiences.

Who's with me on this?

Oh, and huge props out to the DOS people and GLSEN... you got it right! Not only is there a blog that we can follow (blogrolled now), but you've got a Twitter that's active -- including a suggested hashtag -- and you have buttons we can add to our blogs! That's what we call using social media for a good cause! Well done!!! I've always been a huge supporter of GLSEN and their work, but this really goes above and beyond.

COMMUNITY EVENTS: College Drag Shows

Two are coming up that I know of -- I think I missed one back there somewhere, too (UC?). Give me a heads up if your college/university is having a drag show or similar event so that we can get the word out.



NKU will be hosting a drag show! From their Facebook event:

This Semesters Drag Show is going to be amazing not only is this going to be a fun event, its also going to raise money for two great causes and it is also an educational event. This is something you wont want to miss. we are very excited to have the panhellenic council backing us up this semester.

$2 donation will be taken at the door to enter

It will be on campus -- at the U.C. (University Center) -- from 7:00pm until 9:00pm on Friday April 17th.

---

Miami University's show returns for the fourth show of the season! This show, which began almost 6 years ago, has four shows a school year and regularly raises upwards of $10,000 a season for charity. The show will show off the talent of predominately local queens -- including the rising star in Cincinnati known as Vivica LaCroix, as well as the return of Anita Sativa ... and, of course, yours truly (Kristy Kay Karolina). It will be on Friday, April 17th from 10:30pm onwards at the Balcony Bar in Uptown Oxford. The money raised will be going to the American Cancer Society in honor of Doug Feld, long time friend of the show.

Check out their Facebook event, as well.

--
I'm actually kinda pissed they are on the same night -- there are those of us who would like to go to both. It would actually be technically possible to do both by going to the NKU hsow and then arriving at the MU bar by 10:30pm in time for the next show to start.

But, I suppose they aren't going after the same crowd and are mostly localized events.

Community Events

I have a lot to cover today, so I'll try to make it through it all. I'm also updating my events calendar (to the right of your screen) to reflect these changes:

April 6th-10th, Miami University Awareness Week
Spectrum's (MU's LGBTQ Alliance) week-long series of talks, events, and concerts. I don't have the details on it -- sorry! -- oh, but they do :-). The only note is that there has been the addition of the Pride Parade and the Drag Show has been moved to the 17th of April.


March 26-29
Xavier's theater department will be doing a four show run of the internationally renowned showed, Angels in America. No invitation for me to review though :-(. It's ok. I'm busy. LOL.

Tuesday, April 7, 12:30pm
UC Rally for a full time LGBTQ Coordinator on campus, from their Facebook event: "The University of Cincinnati LGBTQ Students have been told by the Administration that they support All Kinds of Diversity. We have yet to see this support because while we have been given a “permanent” space it is very small and is not adequate for our needs. Also we have not received funding for a full time staff person. It is time to show the administration the support that we have for our community and show them that we need THEIR support for us." I think I'll talk about this in greater detail later.


Friday, March 27, 9:00pm
The Contemporary Arts Center is putting on one of their fabulous parties -- this one entitled spin -- from their Facebook event: "Join us as the CAC finishes the Final Friday circuit! The hottest ticket in town will be the CAC’s Contemporary Fridays re-imagined. On the final Friday of each month* the CAC will cater to this city’s vibrant population of art and night life enthusiasts. With both the Store and the galleries remaining open until 9 pm, downtown devotees can shop and stroll to their hearts’ content. Those with energy to spare can stay for the after party starting at 9pm when the CAC’s Kaplan Hall turns into Cincinnati’s hippest club. This month it is hosted by PROJECMILL**! PROJECTMILL orchestrates amazing multi-sensory dance parties at the Northside Tavern every month as part of their DMF series. Who knows what to expect when they bring their creative energy to the CAC?! —the party won’t stop until 1 am."


Friday, April 10th, 8:00pm
I actually got an email from darling Jori C. on this one, though I lost it so I have to default back to their Facebook event: "The Coochie Chronicles comes in the tradition of the Vagina Monologues. The Coochie Chronicles is a frank, melodic, exploration into the sexuality, lives, politics, stereotypes, and realities of women of color." I am as yet undecided on my attendance, but I think I might actually go!


Saturday, July 11, 6:00pm
Darling Montgomery's next public showing at Scott Knox's foyer at 6:00pm. Again, defaulting to the Facebook event. Sorry, the information is so much more concise!!

And I really want to make sure you all remember two major events supporting two very important organizations in the Cincy area coming up very soon...

• Saturday, March 28th, 7:00pm -- Swoon, to benefit PFLAG-Cincinnati (my blog post) (Facebook event) (Rainbow Cincinnati post) (PFLAG website)
• Saturday, April 18th, 7:00pm -- GLSEN Prom! (my blog post) (Facebook invite) (GLSEN Prom website)

Also: next Pride Meeting is on 4/14 at 7:00pm at the New Spirit MCC. 

If you have an event you would like posted/pimped -- clearly I'm not talking about them much any more, as they are coming in so quickly -- just shoot me an email at queercincinnati@gmail.com or send me a Facebook invite.

Honoring a Friend

In honor of Doug Feld, Spectrum (Miami University's LGBTQI student organization) has decided to use the April drag show in Oxford as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, per the family's wishes to honor him.

April 17th, 10:30pm, Balcony Bar in Uptown Oxford 

(I believe that's all correct)

I'm sure you'll get a text from me about this. Jeffery -- I'm going to see how long it takes before you read this because I'm kind of sadistic, but, mostly, I need to go to bed, and I'll call you tonight.

After all, I've asked to be able to talk about Jeff and Doug... oh, and do a number.

Gay Pride News!

I am so thrilled and excited and pumped to announce this...

Oxford Gay Pride Parade

This Parade is for all members of the LGBTQ community and others who support not only our rights, but the civil rights of all human beings--better known as "Allies". This is an opportunity for us to display our Pride through a loving and peaceful march across campus.

Bring your fiercest pumps, beat your mugs (wear make-up), snatch your wigs, bring signs/posters, and get ready stomp like Naomi down the runway!

That's right, folks, Oxford is having their first ever gay pride parade!!! I couldn't be happier if I had planned it myself. The event is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7th between 4:30pm to 5:30pm. The parade will go through the Phi Delta gates at the corner of High and Campus, continue down the slant walk, and end at MacMillan Hall. It's a short route, but I have no doubt they have lots of stuff planned.

It's being organized by Spectrum and the gay grad group -- HAVEN. Check out the Facebook event page.

In other gay pride news, I might point this little bit out: I am officially killing the NKY Pride 2010 rumors until further notice. I just don't think it's happening, kids. This is how I imagine it went:

Person 1 at a meeting (P1): You know, we should do this in NKY.

Person 2 at a meeting (P2): Yea, that'd be great!

P1: But not this year.

P2: Nah... but we could start planning for 2010.

P1: YEA! What do you think about... (random details)

Later, at a bar:

P1 (or 2): Guess what we're doing?

Person three, a friend or acquaintance or potential trick
(P3): What?

P1/2: We're planning gay pride for NKY in 2010.

P3: OMG! What a great idea! I should tell people about this!

And so it goes. Usually my snoops have been able to dig up some dirt here and there, but nothing has come up, not even the most minor biscuit of information.

I am, thus, killing this as nothing unless you can prove otherwise.

Oh, and the new GLCC website launched. It's a lot easier to remember, this time around, rather than the five word address they used to have.