NWA Equality

We’re at Bugsy’s for this month's happy hour!

Tonight, we celebrated Sandra Kurijaka, our 2024 NWA Pride Grand Marshal, bidding her farewell before she returns to Seattle, surrounded by friends. We want to thank the University of Arkansas PRIDE Alumni Society for arranging a reception with Chancellor Charles Robinson, followed by a dinner with university alumni and staff dedicated to championing diversity on campus.

During her tenure at the ACLU in the 1980s, Sandra’s leadership in a landmark federal discrimination case profoundly impacted LGBTQ and minority students nationwide. However, it was particularly enlightening to hear stories and witness the significant local changes resulting from her efforts here in Arkansas. Sandra’s legacy continues through the UA’s Sandra Kurjiaka Diversity & Inclusion Award, presented annually to a graduate student for their outstanding commitment to DEI initiatives on campus and in the regional community.

📷 &

We want to thank all of our sponsors for helping our Q***r community celebrate 20 years of Northwest Arkansas Pride! It was the hottest year we can recall, but also another record year of attendance. But, from barricades to Big Freedia, we couldn't do it without them!

Surprise! Y’all know Kylie Sonique Love is headlining Trans Fest TONIGHT after the March and Rally on the Downtown Fayetteville Square. She’ll be there with Nicki Savage, Abs Hart, Juicy T, Formalda Hyde, and Fonda Le Femme!

Volunteers are the heart of NWA Pride Weekend! As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we need your help more than ever. With over 100 opportunities available, from assisting vendors to carrying the world’s largest trans and rainbow flags, there’s a role for everyone. Join us and make this milestone year unforgettable!

Sign up now and be a part of something amazing!

https://stubs.net/event/6209/volunteer-for-nwa-pride-2024

Today, we join in commemorating Juneteenth, celebrating the end of slavery in the United States. This day serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice and liberation, highlighting the resilience of Black Americans and all marginalized communities. Together, we strive for a future where every individual can thrive free from discrimination.

It’s the Pride Happy Hour! Join us THIS FRIDAY for a party at Prarie Street Live along with DJ N8Tiv, Alisa Adonis, Baxaer, Angel Divinity, and Miss Gay Arkansas Vanessa Rayne.

NWA Equality’s Out & About Happy Hour provides networking opportunities for those over 21. The events generate funds through donations from participating venues for our social programs, including Rainbow Thanksgiving, Out Days, Family Field Day, GenPride, and components of NWA Pride.

The rumors are true! NWA Equality is ecstatic to announce Big Freedia, the Queen Diva of Bounce, will headline the Tyson Main Stage during the 2024 NWA Pride Festival on Saturday, June 29th! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

We are so grateful to our local talent partner Her Set Her Sound, and the Tyson Family Foundation, Experience Fayetteville, and the Downtown Fayetteville Coalition for their continued support in providing opportunities to showcase Q***r talent during NWA Pride Weekend.

Victory against SHS’ most recent attack on transgender, nonbinary, and GNC Arkansans and the unlawful rules changes that attempted to restrict gender options on state issued IDs! 🎉🏳️‍⚧️

Of course, we expect more dirty tricks from this administration, but for now — thank you to the members of community who worked with the ACLU to sue the state, and thank you to the for continuing to protect our community and every Arkansan!

Do you have your tickets to see Saturday Night Live's Sarah Squirm??

The Momentary partnered with NWA Equality for a live comedy show on Saturday, June 8th, featuring Sarah and the talented Jack Bensinger. Stay late with us at Fermentation Hall and dance the night away to beats by the incredible Haus of Untz, DJ Susie Q, DJ Girlfriend and Rockelle!

Tix at https://themomentary.org/calendar/sarah-sherman

Check out our new Gayetteville shirts! This year we celebrate 20 years of Pride in Northwest Arkansas with this cute commemorative t-shirt illustrated by native Arkansan artist Whit Hayward .stone.tattoo that captures the spirit of our Q***r community’s growth and unity. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Get your gear at Gayetteville.com!

The is suing the state over its recent “emergency” rule change that unjustly targets non-binary, intersex, and trans Arkansans. Such changes must legally address “imminent peril” — a standard not met here. Swipe ⏩ to read more about the issue, and support the ACLU!

🌈

Has your company or organization registered for Arkansas’ largest LGBTQ pride celebration? Parade entry and Festivals registration closes June 15th! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

We are so close to reaching our $10,000 fundraising goal! Please help us reach (or exceed) our goal today by donating.

https://www.nwagives.org/organization/nwaequality

***r

This March 31st, Transgender Day of Visibility and Easter, share the calendar in a beautiful coincidence, reminding us of rebirth, renewal, resilience and the importance of seeing and celebrating everyone for who they are.

Let today be a day of love, respect, unity, and commitment to visibility, equality, and breaking down the barriers of prejudice for our transgender and gender-diverse community everwhere. 🌷🏳️‍⚧️

Early giving for opens today! Donate to NWA Equality through April 2nd to help us advance access to vital resources for LGBTQ-affirming health and wellness providers!

Find out more at the NWA Gives link in our bio.

Join the region’s Q***r community for "A Gathering of Xs" — a conversation of support and planning for all those impacted by the recent announcement banning ‘X’ on Arkansas IDs!

📍Time and location in comments.

Arkansans, specifically transgender Arkansans, have been able to adjust the gender marker on their driver's licenses without issue, often for safety reasons, for nearly 15 years. More recently, intersex and nonbinary individuals were allowed to choose 'X.'

Today, Governor Sarah Sanders' administration announced an immediate end to this practice. The governor further made the following blatantly offensive statement:

"This policy is just common sense," the governor said. "Only women give birth, men shouldn't play women's sports, and there are only two genders. As long as I'm Governor, Arkansas state government will not endorse nonsense."

This "nonsense" regarding driver's licenses has been raised in court cases in other states, and we fully expect the State of Arkansas to be sued over it. Twenty-two states, D.C., and the federal government support the use of gender affirming markers to ensure safety and accurate recognition.

Aren't y'all tired of Arkansas' conservative government continuing to legislate problems that create more problems?

***r

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders mandates driver’s license gender must align with birth certificate The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration announced a policy on Tuesday revising how gender is referred to on driver’s licenses.

We’re at Theo’s location in Rogers for this month’s LGBTQ happy hour with an extended time!

***r

Students and teachers will be able to speak freely about sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida classrooms, provided it’s not part of instruction, under a settlement reached Monday between Florida education officials and civil rights attorneys who had challenged a state law which critics dubbed “Don’t Say Gay.”

The settlement clarifies what is allowed in Florida classrooms following passage two years ago of the law prohibiting instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. Opponents said the law had created confusion about whether teachers could identity themselves as LGBTQ or if they even could have rainbow stickers in classrooms.

Other states used the Florida law as a template to pass prohibitions on classroom instruction on gender identity or sexual orientation. Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky and North Carolina are among the states with versions of the law.

Read more about the settlement at the link in the bio.

Trigger Warning:

Nex Benedict, a nonbinary 16-year-old sophomore at Owasso High School outside of Tulsa, OK, died after being severely beaten by three girls in a school restroom. It’s reported a teacher broke up the fight, but the student couldn’t walk to the nurse’s office on their own, and still, the school’s administrators chose not to call emergency services. Benedict’s grandmother took them to the hospital, where they later died from head injuries sustained during the incident. The school resource officer didn’t bother to file a report until the following day after local police notified the Owasso School District the student had died.

Local media has provided minimal coverage and deadnamed and misgendered them, as does their family obituary.

The lack of information, accountability of the school's administrators, and arrests of easily identifiable assailants have angered the community.

These students committed a hate crime, resulting in the murder of a teen, and it’s disgusting that it’s being swept aside as an “unfortunate incident.”

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2024/02/20/nonbinary-okla-high-school-student-dies-after-fight/

***r

Last night, after an awesome production performance of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and sweeping interview, opening presentation, evening gown, and question/answer categories, Dessie Love Blake of Houston, Texas was crowned the 52nd Anniversary Miss Gay America at the Robinson Center in Little Rock.

A special congratulations also goes to Miss Gay Arkansas Vanessa Rayne for placing 7th overall in the evening gown competition, and to Fayetteville’s Ella Rosa for placing 15th overall in the evening gown competition!

***rNWA

Tonight is the 52nd Annual Miss Gay America Pageant, where 45 contestants from across the country have converged upon Little Rock’s Robinson Center to compete for one of the coveted ten finalist slots and, ultimately, for the title of Miss Gay America 2024.

The Miss Gay America pageant was established in 1973, and today, it celebrates 52 years of some of the finest entertainers in the nation. Miss Gay Arkansas 1972, Norma Kristie, was crowned the first Miss Gay America, and in 1975, the corporate operations of the national pageant moved to Little Rock, Arkansas. It is the world’s longest-running national female impersonation pageant, the Super Bowl of Drag, and has provided a pathway and helped launch the careers of many successful movie actors, fashion designers, television personalities, and Las Vegas entertainers.

We extend best wishes to Miss Gay Arkansas America 2023, Vanessa Rayne of Fort Smith, and Fayetteville’s Ella Rosa. They are among the many competing in the interview, evening gown, and talent categories. We also want to congratulate Former Miss Gay Arkansas Savvy Savant for winning an award for best opening production number and Little Rock’s Athena Sinclair for being awarded the Miss Gay America Foundation’s Humanitarian Award for her part in the efforts to block anti-LGBTQ legislation that targeted Arkansas’ Q***r and Trans community.

One year ago, Arkansas’s legislature failed in their attempt to end events like these, sparking a battle in states across the country attempting to erase Q***r and Trans people from public spaces. Drag and Miss Gay America are forever rooted in Arkansas and America’s Q***r history. Closed-minded politicians can’t change that fact. 🤩👑🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧

NEW TIME: We’re meeting on the second Tuesday of each month. So, we’ll see you tomorrow, Tuesday, January 9th, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. for another Q***r game night of tabletop and card games at Gear Gaming Fayetteville! 🎲🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

  ***r  🌈   

We hope everyone has a happy and peaceful holiday season!🎄🎅🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️