Something Gay: Texas?

First of all, happy belated National Lesbian Day! I love y’all, keep loving non-men and being sapphic. I’d also like to acknowledge National Coming Out Day and anyone who braved the new perception of their identity last week. If you’re like me and came to Reed to become yourself, I hope you’re all that you dreamed you would be. 

This week, I have some news for you all coming from a place where, speaking from personal experience, there is seldom anything even decent: Dallas, Texas. There in that desolate, hateful state, in a city of moderate refuge surrounded by the rest of Texas, the community decided that one month of Pride wasn’t enough, and so hosted anotherPride celebration last week. The Cedar Springs Merchant Association (CSMA), responsible for representing the glamour and shit-tons of alcohol in the Oak Lawn neighborhood (lovingly deemed the “gayborhood”) hosted the event with great success. People from all over Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) attended in support of their community or favorite bar, making it a memorable day for visitors and residents alike. The festival was a highlight in a year of losses and frustration for the queer community.

Despite over 200 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills passed in the state in 2025, including a mandate for enforced “sex-segregated” bathrooms in public schools, Dallas currently has the sixth-largest queer population in the United States! This came as a shock to me, as it might for you as well, but Dallas actually has a fascinating history of queer culture. Specifically, Oak Lawn has been a pioneer for the state in acceptance and advocacy. In 1972, Oak Lawn hosted the first Pride parade in Texas and the area has been at the epicenter of queer culture in Dallas ever since. Some of the oldest gay bars and drag clubs in that metroplex were started and still stand strong in Oak Lawn. My mom was telling me stories about working for lesbian bars in the ‘90s long before I’d ever been there, and when I saw streets lined with Pride flags and drag show posters I finally understood the magic. In a place where existing as a queer person often meant violence and isolation, the “gayborhood” held its own. 

The community continues to be proud in the face of Texas as the sunny 90° weather did nothing to stop the celebration last week. With everything from charity drag shows to mural unveilings, the small neighborhood was a sea of color. Street vendors, special restaurant deals, and even pop performances from queer artists like Daya put the spirit of Oak Lawn on display. The festival was also a way to support Oak Lawn businesses. Advertising a tight-knit community and an adventure every night, the CSMA is committed to hosting these yearly events so that the community can continue to flourish. Some of the people most dedicated to the neighborhood were interviewed by RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Ts Madison for an episode of her podcast “Outlaws” during the event, in which she made sure to address the struggles queer communities have faced in Texas. The strength and resilience of the Texas queer community has been ruthlessly tested, but the festival in Oak Lawn last week gives me hope that they can keep fighting.