I got a brief respite in August from the extreme heat of our New Orleans summer when I made a trip across the pond to Merrie Olde England. It was an amazing experience filled with adventure, parades, festivals, hurricanes, and a lot of gaiety! I hope you enjoy my “Tale of Two Gay Cities” except in this story, it will be Brighton and London, not Paris and … [Read more...] about Ambush Across the Pond, Part 1
Arts & Culture
Trodding the Boards October 31, 2023
I Wrote a Song at The AllWays Lounge I Wrote A Song, Trey Ming’s 2018 musical, recently returned to The AllWays Lounge. Based on countless true stories, it’s just your average boy-meets-girl, boy-gets-married, boy-looks-at-gay-porn-becomes-a-Baptist-preacher-sneaks-off-to-bathhouses-gets-outed-in-disgrace-tries-a-conversion-camp-comes-out-anyway story. Set to music. I had … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards October 31, 2023
Under the Gaydar (November 2023 Event Calendar)
One of the major things I give thanks for every year is living in a city that has so many fun things happening. November has so many wonderful things to see and do as a primer for the holiday season. Here are just some of the hot happenings in November to put on your “Gaydar.” If you want your event listed, send me an email at ledgemgp@gmail.com. Weekly … [Read more...] about Under the Gaydar (November 2023 Event Calendar)
Trodding the Boards October 17, 2023
Varla Jean Merman's Stand By Your Drag at Cafe Istanbul In July, I went to a Comedy Festival at the New Orleans Arena. Other than Tiffany Haddish, who was very funny, I laughed more at Varla Jean Merman's Stand By Your Drag than all the other comics combined. Why hasn’t Ms. Merman yet gotten her own sitcom? Stand By Your Drag, Varla’s (she really needs only one name) … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards October 17, 2023
A Brief History of New Orleans Bar Rags
Gay journalism traces its roots to the 1960s and originally manifested itself in the form of bar bulletins and organizational newsletters. In those pre-internet, pre-Stonewall, highly homophobic years, the notion of a gay media was an alien concept because gay communities, if we can even call them that (perhaps gay subcultures is a better description) were essentially … [Read more...] about A Brief History of New Orleans Bar Rags
Bartender Spotlight – October 2023
Southern Decadence is always a crazy time in NOLA and this year brought bigger crowds than ever before. Bars were packed with people celebrating the largest gay holiday in the city. But through the chaos and my drunken revelry, I discovered my Bartender-of-the-Month for October. Brian-Eric Lugo, or Pony as he is affectionately known, works at the … [Read more...] about Bartender Spotlight – October 2023
Trodding the Boards October 3, 2023
Carrie: Blood in the Water at the Drifter Hotel through October 7 Aqua Mob’s Water Ballerinas and Ballerinos may not be quite ready yet for the Olympics, but do any of those athletes who “go for the gold” perform their synchronized swimming routines wearing high-heeled shoes as Daisy Konfused does in Carrie: Blood in the Water? I think not. I’ve been attending Aqua Mob’s … [Read more...] about Trodding the Boards October 3, 2023
The Official Gay Halloween Guide (October 2023 Event Calendar)
Everyone deserves one good scare on Halloween. But the spooky holiday is not the only fabulous happening in NOLA in October. There are festivals, parties, shows and fundraisers, so get yourself ready for a frightfully busy social schedule this month. Here are just some of the hot happenings in October to put on your “Gaydar.” If you want your event listed, … [Read more...] about The Official Gay Halloween Guide (October 2023 Event Calendar)
1973: The Year the Shrinks Decided Queers Were Not Mentally Ill
In terms of queer history, 1973 is most often remembered in New Orleans as the year of the horrific Up Stairs Lounge fire. Understandably so—the fire claimed 32 lives and remains the deadliest fire in New Orleans history. June 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of the fire. This year, however, also marks another golden anniversary. 50 years ago, the American Psychiatric … [Read more...] about 1973: The Year the Shrinks Decided Queers Were Not Mentally Ill
Trans History: The New Orleans Home Rule Charter
Courtney Sharp and Stewart Butler met in 1995 at the LGBT Community Center, which was then located on N. Rampart Street. One afternoon, as Stewart was sitting on the Center’s stoop smoking a cigarette, Courtney approached the entrance to meet with Crystal Little, with whom she volunteered at the Center. Stewart greeted her and then gruffly asked, “Who are … [Read more...] about Trans History: The New Orleans Home Rule Charter