Hey SoQueer Celebrates Pride Month

Hey SoCal! Like a fierce Phoenix rising from the ashes of quarantine, Pride has returned to Southern California. This month’s commemoration of the iconic Stonewall Riots will manifest in a slew of events, including WeHo Pride, LA Pride, Off Sunset Festival, and many others that can be found in our brand spanking new Hey SoCal Pride Guide. In celebration of SoCal’s distinct LGBTQ+ culture, Mike Ciriaco has rounded up the best of our Hey SoQueer video series as a bit of foreplay before the festivities. Stay proud, SoCal!

SoCal Pup Play

Excerpt from the full article:

“I can’t think of one person I’ve ever met who hasn’t interacted with a real dog,” explained Pup Kieran Hound, sitting on the apron of the stage in Pasadena Park. “There’s just something bubbly and cute and confusing and infuriating and absolutely so purely lovable about the spirit of the dog. Pup play to me is taking that spark of magic channeling experience, someone understudying the mannerisms, and channeling that through their play.”

And for more SoCal canine content, check out Jason Kentaro‘s photo gallery Pup Play Gets Ruff at Chewi’s Kennel:

KiKi-ing the post-Covid Queerties

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, this year’s Queerties were hosted at Eden Sunset in Hollywood , and the event held a different significance for each of its myriad attendees. For Eastsiders creator Kit Williamson, it represented community.

“As queer people, we have this superpower where we actually support one another,” said Williamson on the red carpet. “I think that’s amazing”

Halloweenie Raises from the Dead and Raises Funds for Project Angel Food

After a year of Covid hiatus, Halloweenie, LA’s iconic queer costume charity event, returns to the Belasco Theatre. Benefiting Project Angel Food, this self-described “party with a purpose” was founded in 2006 by gay power couple Fred and Jason Arens. Their decision to host the inaugural Halloweenie was inspired by a colleague’s philanthropy.

“It goes back to our friend Tad Brown,” said Fred, in the backyard of their Franklin Village home, affectionately referred to as Casa Frason, which served as a venue for the first Halloweenie. “He was a board member of the Gay and Lesbian Center, and he had us over for dinner to meet some of the clients serviced by the Center. We were so inspired by the work they were doing, we wanted to do something.”

Queer Coded Art Show Champions LGBTQ and Mental Health Services

Video Games have given us a myriad of heroes over the years, from the Super Mario Brothers to the Final Fantasy XV bromos. But Queer Coded gives us some new heroes, LGBTQ artists. 

Sponsored by Joystick, the monthly LGBTQ mixer at North Hollywood’s Player One barcade, the Queer Coded art show explores video game culture from a queer perspective, with 15% of its sales going towards charities of each artist’s choice. Donations will benefit queer-focused organizations such as The Matthew Shepard Foundation and The Los Angeles LGBT Center, as well as general mental health non-profits like The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

And for more gaymer goodness, check out Jason Kentaro’s Joystick Serves up the Shows that Gay’d Us photo gallery.

Maebe A. Girl Wants to be the First Trans Member of Congress

On September 14, Californians voted whether to recall Governor Gavin Newsom. He faced 46 challengers, including openly trans reality star Caitlyn Jenner. While Jenner’s chances of winning were always razor-thin, if she did win, she would have made history as the first openly trans governor in the United States. 

Although Jenner identifies as trans, the trans community doesn’t necessarily identify with her.

Maebe A. Girl, a non-binary trans person who holds the distinction of being the first drag queen to ever be elected into public office in the U.S., vocalized this disconnect.

Gay for Good Feels the Love from Pleasure Chest Vibrator Sales

In the immortal words of Clueless’ Cher Horowitz, “Don’t you want to use your popularity for a good cause?” Well, the Pleasure Chest wants you to use its sex positivity for a good cause. In September, the iconic orgasm emporium pledged 15% of that month’s vibrator sales towards Gay For Good, an LGBTQ nonprofit. 

And for more Hey SoCal video content, hit up our Youtube channel and finger that Subscribe button.

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