From time to time I get request to mention events happening in my local area so local and out-of-towners can make plans and attend. I will be at this event Saturday Night.
Prohibition - That's the theme of this year's Stonewall Ball, Compass' signature Pride Month fundraiser.
But organizers aren't referring to alcohol.
“This time they're trying to prohibit communities and people from being able to live our lives,” said Michael Riordan, Director of External Affairs for Compass Community Center.
Organizers say the Lavender Lounge theme draws parallels between the Prohibition Era and what many queer people are experiencing today as lawmakers across the country target LGBTQ rights, drag performances, diversity initiatives, and other forms of visibility.
A century ago, politicians wanted to prohibit alcohol. Today, some seem more interested in prohibiting drag shows, library books, and even pronouns.
"We're kind of going through another prohibition era. It's a homage to the speakeasies that were around in the 1920s and 1950s that housed a lot of LGBTQ folks," said Lety Gonzalez. "So it's kind of like an honor to them as well."
During Prohibition, when alcohol was illegal in the United States, speakeasies were hidden bars where people gathered behind closed doors to drink, socialize, and evade the law. Many became havens for communities pushed to the margins, including LGBTQ people.
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