Southern Decadence 2013

The boys are back! This was New Orleans’ most profitable Southern Decadence yet with at least 125,000 people spending $100 million at local clubs, hotels, restaurants and shops. Last year, we were still recovering from Isaac and there was a tropical storm the year before drenching the festivities. This year it was sunny and warm, perfect for a giant scantily-clad 5 day party. The French Quarter decorated with rainbows and LGBT imagery and hosted contests for things like best costume and largest penis (no, I didn’t attend).

As the streets and bars filled with revelers and tourists kept thanking me for my “tolerance,” I remembered that I get to take for granted that I’ll be accepted as myself most of the time in most places. For those in the LGBT community who don’t get to take that for granted, it must be a joy to spend a vacation in a city that has rolled out the rainbow-colored carpet. For more of the history and founding of Southern Decadence, click here.

As always, the party pooper street “priests” with signs saying things like, “Homo sex is a threat to national security,” parked in front of Good Friends Bar and told everyone how much God hated them, but there were only 5 this year. Perhaps the 2011 arrest of their former leader, Pastor Grant Storms, for masturbating while watching children on a public playground, has reduced their numbers. Keeping a sense of humor about it all, several bar patrons came out and used the protesters as a backdrop for photos.

This year’s parade chose “Live, Laugh and Love” for their theme with “fuchsia pink,” “tangerine orange” and gold as their colors. Pink and orange also happen to be the colors of the Pussyfooters, the dance troupe I recently became a member of, so they were invited to parade along with the Roux La La female dance troupe. There were actually quite a few women’s groups in the mix this year. Other groups marching included The Big Easy Sisters, Dykeadence, The YES Girls, Grrl Spot, New Orleans Radical Faeries, Loyola Lambda Law Alliance, Super Heroes of Drag and The Voodoo Bone Lady. My personal favorite was the Million Mrs. Roper March featuring men in red afros wearing muumuus and carrying Mrs. Roper on-a-stick faces.

The unofficial accessory of the day seemed to be a fan. I saw many beautifully decorated fans as people tried to stay cool while marching in wigs and costumes. I didn’t get a lot of photos of Grand Marshals Tami Tarmac and Venus Santiago, but there are plenty of fun shots, especially of the Pussyfooters – my sisters in pinkatude.

waiting for the parade

Grand Marshals Tami Tarmac and Venus Santiago

the parade begins

drag diva

festive umbrella

parader in green

peek-a-boo

Pussyfooters arrive

passing Pussyfooters

pretty in pink

Pussyfooters rest

dancing!

this guy wants in

Pussyfooters dance

shimmying

love the guy on the right

more dancing

pretty Pussyfooters

The Gay Agenda

Mardi Gras men

cartoon costumes

cartoon costumes!

a man and his fan

tennis ballers

The YES Girls

rainbow angel

beaded man

New Orleans Radical Faeries

Radical Faerie

Radical Faeries

pegasus

tropic thunder

parade passing

balloons!

Castro Lube

Super Heroes of Drag

Voodoo Bone Lady

Million Mrs. Roper March

Mrs. Ropers

more Mrs. Ropers

a million Mrs. Ropers

even more Mrs. Ropers

costumed paraders

pink and orange paraders

fab hat

tigers

Roux La La

rainbow wall

pink and orange parader

Roux La La dancer

Roux La La rests

feathered diva

parade passes

parade passes Good Friends

Notice the “One Way” sign