Chinatown Pride, set for May 24, seeks to highlight the long-standing queer history in San Francisco's Chinatown, which dates back to the 1930s. Led by drag performers Kalypso and Kiki Krunch, the event will feature a procession that combines education about significant queer landmarks with performance art. Organizers aim to honor the legacy of a vibrant queer culture that includes both historical and contemporary perspectives, bridging the old with the new. This celebration is inclusive, allowing participation from queer AAPI individuals, while acknowledging the complexities of identity and visibility.
"Chinatown has always been queer," says Hoi Leung, deputy director and curator of the Chinese Culture Center.
"When we're out here in a procession, saying, 'We are here, we're like visible,' there's also acknowledgment that not everybody is out, and it doesn't mean that you have to be out to also be proud, queer and Asian."
A centerpiece of Chinatown Pride is a procession that's more than a parade. It's a chance to learn about Chinatown's queer landmarks through a drag-ified walking tour with music and dancing.
Though many queer people feel the need to leave their immigrant communities in order to come out, Chinatown Pride seeks to include those who've been queer in Chinatown all along.
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