A Trans and Gender Non-Binary Guide to Pride

Do you identify as transgender or gender non-binary/genderqueer/gender non-conforming and wondering what’s out there especially for you on Atlanta Pride Weekend?

For starters, check out Sugar Shack: A Queer Pride Dance Party, Friday, Oct. 11 and running from 10pm to 2am. Saturday morning at the Bakery in Adair Park, 825 Warner Street SW Atlanta, GA 30310. Hosted by Southern Fried Queer Pride, a Queer, Trans, People of Color-led arts and advocacy organization formed locally and “built on the backbones of the Stonewall Riots, MondoHomo, queer liberation, and the radical celebration of Southern queers, SFQP offers a platform for community artists, activists, and anyone and everyone to hold space!” This event will feature dancing, music, and drag performances by artists such as Canzara Szn (Zavier), Dotte Com, Honey Mint, Jaybella Bankz, Summer Solstice, Miss He & Taylor Alxndr. Cover is price-flexible, starting at $7 and ending somewhere around $20, if you got it like that, though no one will be turned away if they spent all their money on a clothing ensemble done in baby blue, pink, and black.

For Saturday, get on your walking shoes, get hydrated, and get on down to Piedmont Park for the kickoff of the Trans March, now in its 10th year at an official part of the Atlanta Pride celebration. This event, which began in an effort to bring more representation to the Pride festival and take up more space for trans and gender non-binary revelers. Styled after the Dyke March, which came into being in 1995 in order to highlight and create space for queer, lesbian-identified women and self-identified dykes, the Trans March is now a regular fixture at Pride, providing an opportunity for trans, gender non-binary, gender non-conforming folks and their allies to march through the streets of midtown Atlanta and be visible in their own way. As the march has grown, so has support – what started with a dozen or so people marching is now a stream of close to a thousand. There’s more emphasis on harnessing the energy of the march toward advocacy – one year, they had folks sign a petition to urge Atlanta Public Schools to provide gender-neutral restrooms for their students. Folks who want to participate should show up at 1:30pm on Saturday at the Charles Allen Gate (on 10th Street, between the Coca Cola Stage and the meadow. Make sure you stay hydrated and never mind any haters of the Westboro flavor as the Pansy Patrol will be there to smother them with flowers and sunshine.

Following the Trans March, at 2:30pm at the Nissan Stage at Pride will be a performance of Exquisite Gender, an all-trans rock ‘n roll band featuring: Athens scenester Synn on vocals decked out in vivid colors and engaging the audience with sass and verve; veteran of the Atlanta music scene Bucky Motter (formerly known as Angela Motter) thereon rhythm guitar who will lead the group through some of his hits; JoAnn Pfeiffer on lead guitar and keyboard, also of the local group the MetroGnomes, will rock the crowd with shredding solos; Mandi McDonald is on drums, also of local groups Jezebel and Straightlace, bringing hard-driving rhythm; rounding out the lineup is Gina Elizabeth grooving on the bass. Expect this supergroup, begun in 2018 at a performance to benefit the Joan Garner/GA Equality AIDSwatch Scholarship Initiative, to bring attitude, tunes from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Bowie, GWAR and the Kinks, and a nasty sense of humor.

Finish out your perfect gender weekend at the Mammal Gallery, 680 Murphy Ave. SW #3064, Atlanta, GA 30310 for Southern Fried Queer Pride’s King’s Court: Dance Party & Drag King Show! , a royal court of “rising kings of color!” that will kick off at 9:30pm at the downtown venue. Music and rhythm for the event will be provided by DJ Cochino. Catch scheduled performances starting at 10:30pm sharp (like the kings) by ARIES ALXNDR, Jaque Strap, Perka Stex, Prince Johnny, and Royal Dickerson. A sliding-scale cover charge beginning at $7 for peasants, ending at $20 for royalty, will apply, though everyone will be admitted to the castle regardless of the ability to supply coins in tribute.