Stonewall Chico and the LGBTQ+ community offer a month’s worth of events to inform, remember, celebrate and spread joy
By Ken Magri
“Politics is theater. It doesn’t matter if you win. You make a statement. You say, “I’m here, pay attention to me.”
― Harvey Milk
June is Pride Month for the nation’s LGBTQ+ community and Chico has a full slate of activities scheduled throughout the next several weeks, primarily organized by the Stonewall Alliance Center of Chico.
“All Together Now” is the theme for this year’s events. It refers to “the power, joy, resistance, creativity, and belonging we co-create when we come together,” says Stonewall Chico on its website announcement. And, according to Stonewall Alliance, Stonewall Chico Pride is the largest LGBTQ+ event between Sacramento to the Oregon border, and one of the biggest annual festivals in the Butte County area.
As the announcement continues, “We like to think that in times when oppressive powers intend to silence us and pull us apart, this community shows up more united than ever.”
Blue Martinez from Stonewall Chico elaborated. “When we talk about that line in particular, many of our transgender community have increasingly been targeted with more hateful legislation. LGBTQ+ centers have had more difficulty accessing grants with stricter guidelines with federal funding, and many people outside the LGBTQ+ community feel stronger voicing hateful and derogatory comments about our community.”
But Martinez also says the community has come together to surround each other with love and support. Organizers remarked that this year’s Pride events include “an unusually high number of collaborators and partners,” which makes its own statement in this midterm election year.
And the biggest single day of events is this coming weekend!
Upcoming Chico Pride events
The Stonewall Alliance hosts three Pride activities taking place Saturday, June 6th, starting with the Downtown Festival at City Plaza from noon to 4 pm.
The forecast is for cooler temperatures and the rainbows will be everywhere for this family-friendly outdoor gathering. Hosted by drag stars Sir Vix and Vortexx, live stage performances and music are also scheduled. Booths for vendors, non-profits, artisans and community groups will fill the square. The event is free to all, but organizers are hoping for donations as festivalgoers enter the plaza.
A Beer Garden Party begins at 1 pm at Allies Pub, across the street from the plaza (and around the side at its 5th Street entrance) at 426 Broadway. Hang out in the shade with a cold drink and listen to Pride classics played by DJ Allen Plowman. The garden party lasts until 6pm. The cover charge for adults is $3 and children may accompany adults for free.
For more celebrating on Saturday, Duffy’s Tavern at 337 Main Street is hosting a Chico Pride Dance Party from 8 pm until closing. At 9 pm, the Chico-based queer DJ collective Modern Girl Media will spin the records.
“Our goal is to create an all-inclusive space so that anyone can enjoy and dance along to the music,” said Andy from MGM. “We like a variety of artists from funk artists to hip-hop/R&B, as well as more recent music with hyperpop and electronic,” they added. This is an adult-only event (21+) with a $5 cover charge. The proceeds go to Stonewall Chico.
The group Big Chico Creek Queers is hosting a Chico Pride After Party, together with Discovery Bar at 250 Cohasset Road. Beginning at 4:30 pm on June 6 and lasting until the bar closing, the event promises to include drag performances, trivia competitions, community singing, dancing, line dance instruction, all while meeting old friends and making new ones. Connect with BCCQ on Instagram
More Pride events throughout the month
On June 10, the Argus Bar at 212 West 2nd Street is having a “Drink and Draw” event from 6-9 pm. This is an opportunity to relax and connect with others while letting your creative juices flow. Remember, there is no Michelangelo of drink-&-draw art to compete with, so just have fun with your friends in the LGBTQ+ community.
The June 13th drag show should be wild at Roselle Bar & Lounge in Meriam Park, 1920 Market Place. Doors open at 8 pm. A specialty drink will be featured for the event.
On Sunday, June 14th, Chai House at 1441 Park Avenue is having a Craft Day from 1-3 pm. Bring your craft projects and share the fun with others.
Thursday, June 18th is Pride Bingo Night at Ramble West, 849 W 8th St, from 5-7 pm. Gather with friends and community for an evening of games and prizes.
Also, on June 18th from 2-6 pm, Savor Ice Cream at 1905 Notre Dame Blvd, in Meriam Park, is donating 10% of proceeds from its sales to Stonewall Chico. Beat the heat and buy a friend an ice cream cone while supporting Stonewall.
Month-long events include free yoga sessions every Friday from 5-7 pm at Free Bird Yoga, 243 W 9th St. During June, Chico Natural Foods Co-op at 818 Main St. will ask if customers wish to “round-up” their change as a donation to Stonewall Chico.
Stoble Coffee on Broadway has three different Pride Month events, including a queer trivia night and a book exchange party. You can read about them on Stoble’s website.
A brief reminder of the Stonewall Rebellion and the acronym LGBTQIA+
Pride Month is held every June to commemorate the June 28, 1969 Stonewall riots, also called the Stonewall Rebellion, in New York City.
Police raids of homosexual bars were not uncommon in the 1960s. But on that night gay men, lesbians, drag queens and transexuals asserted their rights, spontaneously fighting back against police harassment at the Stonewall Inn in Lower Manhattan.
“The Stonewall Rebellion was crucial because it sounded the rally for that movement. It became an emblem of gay and lesbian power,” wrote historian Lillian Faderman. That marked the beginning of the concept of “Pride” and the push for more acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community within American society and the world.
For decades the word “homosexual” was used as an umbrella term, but in the 1950s “gay” became common as an acceptable code word generally used among homosexuals themselves and those who befriended them.
After Stonewall, the term “gay and lesbian” became more common because it was both inclusive and more accurate.
In the 1980s, the acronym “LGB” emerged, including “bisexuals” to become more inclusive. Transgender persons fought for inclusion in the 1990s, and the acronym was expanded to “LGBT.”
By the 2000s, the letter “Q” was added to include “queer” as an umbrella term again, but reclaimed from a pejorative epithet into something acceptable. Some say “Q” can also mean “questioning” one’s sexuality.
Currently, “LGBT+” is considered a socially appropriate acronym, and “LGBTQ+” is the recommended acronym in the Associated Press style manual, which this publication follows.
Adding the plus sign is an extra gesture of respect. It refers to those who don’t fit neatly into a category or those still determining their exact sexuality. Some add the letters “IA” before the plus sign, to include “intersexual” and “asexual” persons, again to be as inclusive as possible. More acronym details here.
More information about all remaining Chico Pride events can be found on the website of Chico Stonewall Alliance.
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