The Deviant Dispatch: What are you doing?
Anti-racism is a marathon not a sprint. Here's how The Deviant Dispatch is gonna run.
image by @pina.tattoo
Hello Deviants,
Welcome to The Deviant Dispatch, your guide to culture that defies the norm.
It’s Wednesday, which typically means a email outlining worthy events to attend this coming week. When I started this newsletter I was planning on strictly covering concerts, parties, art shows, ect. With the rise of Covid-19 I pivoted to online raves, drag shows streaming on Twitch, and Instagram Lives. Now with the resurgence of the #blacklivesmatter movement in national consciousness, I’m adding a new genre of event to the rolodex: protests, vigils, marches.
Any white person who thinks they’re defying norms just by going to a noise show is missing how whiteness and racial hierarchies are working in underground spaces as well. If you’re not working on being actively anti-racist, then you’re simply recreating the same world you’re seeking to rebel against, albeit with a cooler outfit. Maybe you’re feeling a little nervous about protesting in the times of Covid-19, or are spooked after seeing a police shove a protester to the ground. While everyone decide how to keep themselves healthy (the Government certainly won’t) don’t hide inside due to discomfort and fear. That’s been the white excuse for centuries. Black people are dying from Covid-19 at higher rates and suffering under police brutality. If they can get in the streets right now then so can you!
Besides, protests are the closet thing to normal events we have right now: the electricity of being in a large crowd of people, the ritual of heading there with a friend after talking about getting ready, the joy of seeing familiar faces in the crowd. I’m going to continue posting them even as other irl gatherings start to take place again.
Currently protests are announced less than 24 hours ahead of time ( to prevent too much lead time by the authorities I’m sure) but whenever possible I’ll list them here, as well as point to accounts that post protests more frequently. Right now the one to watch is @justiceforgeorgenyc.
Below are two happening today.
Okay! Now on with this week’s scheduled events. Make sure to subscribe to the paid tier of this newsletter to read my breakdown of HYPERPOP: the whiteness and genre invention of my favorite Spotify Playlist. It’ll be live this Friday. Toodles till then! :)
Why Do I Like Men: Glits Fundraiser Edition
When: Wednesday-Saturday 8pm EST
Where: Instagram live @harnwaw
What: Harron Walker, on of my fave journalists, is revising her podcast this week. Every night she’ll be talking with a different person about why their attracted to men despite the ample evidence that they’re garbage and not worth anyone’s time. This is all in the name of fundraising for GLITS, who are tying to raise 1 Million dollars this week o secure long term housing for a group of black trans people.
How much: donate at least $15 to the link in Harron Walker’s Instagram bio or just click here.
The Saddest Spiral
When: Saturday, 5pm-6am
Where: Zoom, follow @thesaddestangel for the code
What: This party was already on my radar thanks to it’s late running time (for some reason Zoom clubs tend to end at Midnight). There also is a level of debauchery that I haven’t seen matched anywhere else. Past parties have included guests fucking fleshlights and bouncing titties to the excellent reggaton, techno, and club music that the DJs lay down.
Recently the party has pivoted to a fundraiser for Black Lives Matter orgs, and an incredibly effective one at that. So far they’ve already raised over 6,000 dollars. This Saturday’s lineup is their best yet. Iconic vogue DJ Mike Q! A DJ set from post-PC music tastemaker Goth Jafar! A live performance by the rapper Goony Chonga. Berlin’s post-club mastermind LSDXOXO and worldwide party animal Chippy Nonstop will also be DJing.
How Much: technically free but if you’re white or white passing I think you should donate min $15
Bushwick Black Lives Matter: A Vigil in Memory of George Floyd
When: Sunday, 1-4pm EST
Where: Maria Hernandez Park
What: So this is a vigil NOT a protest. As such, bringing a sign is less the move (but go off if you want). Bring flowers, candles, and picture of George Floyd. Wear black or funeral attire.
How Much: free
That’s it for this dispatch. If you found this valuable consider forwarding this email to a pal! If you’re the pal please subscribe. I write twice a week: once about upcoming worthy events (for free subscribers) and once about worthy subjects of my choosing (for paying members). If you care about Drag Queens, illegal concerts, Charli XCX, and John Waters, you’ll definitely want to read The Deviant Dispatch.