Qmmunity: National Coming Out Day

Wow, wow, wow: October’s already well underway. Have you decided on your Halloween costume yet? Me, I’m not a costume person. Something about the work involved wards me away, especially given how poorly I take to fabric crafts. But that wasn’t always the case, to be honest. I used to be obsessed with dressing up for Halloween all throughout my tweendom into collegiate young adulthood. Though I wore my fair share of princess and fairy attire, the standout guises were always masculine fantasies realized. Captain Jack Sparrow, with the faux eyes painted on my lids by my mom; Captain James T. Kirk, with online-purchased Starfleet uniforms for me and the friends I wrangled into being my Bones and Spock; and Edgar Allan Poe, though this one I remember being a hassle because of a difficult wig. 

There’s lots of reasons people love costumes, but for me, Halloween was a chance to act on my often repressed desire to wear men’s clothing. It sounds cliche when I think about it, but god: I wanted to wear that shit so bad. Now I realize the option was always open to me. How hard could walking over to the JCPenney’s men’s section be? Yet I remember how many walls I put up within my own mind against such freedom. “That might be okay for some people,” I would think, “but if you do it, you’re a fool.” 

What broke past the boundaries? Finding other people whose entire vibe matched my own, aka the gay trans men fans of Jeffrey Combs in Re-Animator. Heaven itself opened and serenaded me via my Tumblr dashboard: You can be gay and trans, the angels sang. I came out first to myself, putting a name to a feeling I’d had my whole life. After that, my costume cravings slowly went away. Even when a character caught my eye with a fun look or cool attitude, I had no interest in replicating their outfit one-to-one. Instead, I integrated their style into my wardrobe rebuild. I no longer needed to be someone else to access sartorial joy; now, I could just be myself 24/7, 365.

Why bring this up? Well, what had the most impact on me coming out was other people living and loving their truth. This National Coming Out Day, I encourage everyone to live their lives as honestly as possible – whether you’re rocking a cool costume or wearing your everyday clothes to hand out candy. You never know who you’re setting free by just being happily and wholly yourself.

Out-of-Drag Drag Social Thursday 8, Ani’s Day & Night

Wipe off the face paint for this offstage meetup of Austin-area drag performers. Bring your own books, board games, or ice breakers to chill out with. 6pm.

Horrorween II Friday 9, Tiger Den ATX

Noxx’s Nightshade Nerdlesque brings the scary and sexy to this Halloween cabaret, with performances by Luna La Creme, Lila Dreams, Dreadwolf, and Raven Noxx as your horror movie faves. 8:30pm.

Straw Hat Soiree Friday 9, Tiny Minotaur Tavern

Stretch yourself over to this pirate party featuring Luffy and the gang as performed by local drag stars. Marylin Moonlight and Tangelo host, with DJ Dione IV on deck and many a treasure to behold. 9pm.

Texass Friday 9, ColdTowne Theater

Laugh it up with queer comedy cowpokes including Jon Paul, Xy, Aditya, Amy Beth Castleberry, Stephanie Vasquez Fonseca, and host Sarah Spear. 8pm.

Rave the Date Saturday 10, 4211 Todd Lane

Celebrate the union of two rave stars with a lineup of the couple’s friends including a drag show hosted by Munster Mash and DJ sets by Homotopies, Grief Apparition, Heavnstar, Crybby, and Natch Nadjafi B2B Ramgon. 10pm.

GW Reads Presents Horror Movies October Saturdays & Sundays in October, the Austin Eagle

Catch screenings of frighteningly good flicks in this local leather bar, including Hereditary (10/10), Pillion (10/18), Scream (10/25), and Annabelle (10/31). Noon. 

Woke Cowboy Saturday 10, ColdTowne Theater

Rustle up a laugh or two with Clayton Maderia, Kat Ellison Williams, Terrence Yon, Luis Flandes, Eric Remme, and Wallis Brown. Alexandra Sleeping and Evan Rabalais host. 8:30pm.

Spooky Island Rave Saturday 10, Swan Dive

DJs Cherry Crush and Lisa La Bruja lift the disco skull over at Swan Dive for a funky dance party filled with hyperpop, techno, and club tracks that’ll have you saying “Ruh-roh, Raggy!” 9:30pm.

Fresh Meat Saturday 10, Highland Lounge

Soon-to-be Portlandian Eileen Dover hosts this open-stage drag competition, where the prime cut could win $100. Plus, new second-prize title of Most Valuable Performer gets free bottle service for a future Highland outing. 8pm.

Legend of the Realms: Infinity Pool Saturday 10, Sky Candy

Dive in for the blue entry in this fantasy competition from Amazing Aeffects. Hosted by Gothess Jasmine, competitors will show their interpretations of the night’s chakras including the throat and the Third Eye. 8pm.

Twinks vs. Dolls Saturday 10, Barton Springs

Water, sun, and some gay wrestling fun: The annual smackdown between twinks and dolls returns to the free side of Barton this weekend. Promised activities include drag, music, lube wrestling, shotgun races, and cigarette races – plus more! Noon. 

Perreo Club Saturday 10, Coconut Club

All night perreo madness with Soularreal, Suxxy Puxxy, Berbin, Dragonnqueen, Ynfynyt Scroll, and visiting L.A. DJ dignitary Dina. 10pm.

LGBTQIA+ History Month Brunch Screening Saturday 10, Hyperreal Film Club

Texan pride meets the rising queer tide as Becky Bullard (Democrasexy) celebrates her new podcast, The Texan Optimist. She’ll be screening episode 2 with special guest Nikki DaVaughn, and having author Dale Carpenter (Flagrant Conduct) for a discussion of Lawrence v. Texas. Plus, bites from Lynny’s, Barrett’s hot and iced coffee, THC sips, and a DIY bolo tie pop-up. 11am. 

La Joteria  Sunday 11, Sahara Lounge

From Queer Musicians ATX comes a power-packed performer lineup including a Paramore tribute band (Locuust, Evita, Burning Low, and Guzzlr), a Miley Cyrus tribute band (She23, Chrissy Ammons, Ale Bee, Cyan, and Nash Brayden), a vendor market, and Calor on hosting duties. 3pm.

The Monster Club  Sunday 11, Cheer Up Charlies

Soft Focus screens the first in their October film series, “Camp From the Crypt,” a monstrous anthology from across the pond featuring all your favorite chic freaks – including Vincent Price. 5:30pm.

LezFest #3: Gay-CL Sunday 11, Hotel Vegas

This third entry promises to import “a little Kansas City chaos” alongside local entertainers, with Queeraokee led by KC’s Lo Mchel and new social group the Link Up offering ice-breakers for sapphic friend and relationship making. 6pm.

Rainbow Ribbon Cutting Sunday 11, Out of the Closet

Celebrate National Coming Out Day by helping this thrift store/sexual health clinic cut the ribbon on their entry into the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. 1pm.

Clown Makeup Workshop Sunday 11, Coco Coquette

Get yourself dolled up in harlequin fashion with help from instructor the Pyromantic Bunny. Makeup’s included in the $65 price, but spots are limited so sign up soon. 5pm.

Love & War Monday 12, Oilcan’s

Who will win the hearts of this year’s audience? Lawrie Bird once again hosts this drag competition with a new three-bracket system for the classic one-on-one lip sync battle royale. Winner gets $1,500! 

Bronco: Orville Peck Night Monday 12, Sagebrush

Masked, masc, or merely a fan of gay country? Neon Rainbows celebrates this honky-tonk hunk at their queer line dance night, with Country Fried Dance leading dances set to Peck picks. 7pm.

Queer Film Theory 101: Horror Thursday 15, the Highball

Scare up your cinephile interests with presentations from queer film “professors” on the monster mash movies that made them the stand-up scream queens they are today. 7:30pm.

Mochi Mochi: Junji Ito Thursday 15, the Highball

Sailing in from the isle tormented by spirals or floating down on your hanging balloon, any transport works if it’s getting you to this drag tribute. Hosts Leia Sakura, Louisianna Purchase, and Tatiana Cholula bring this horror mangaka’s works to life with special guests Mars Morningstar and Target. 9:30pm.

Haunted Hoedown Thursday 15, Elysium

Horror’s never honked so tonk as this Halloween dance featuring live music by Paisley Fields, a vendor market, and all night boot-scootin’. 8pm.

Lezzz B. Honest: Night of 1,000 Nikkis Thursday 15, Ani’s Day & Night

Themed to this year’s summer horror hit Obsession, this drag show features Kino Kino, Marylin Moonlight, Sir Dree, Iggy Bank, Frankenmime’s Jester, and Riot Molotov. Plus, entry fees and tips go to SAFE Alliance. 7pm.

The post Qmmunity: National Coming Out Day appeared first on The Austin Chronicle.