White Fragility is Threatened by DEVIANT

Deviant is a circuit party curated for and by the celebration of queer people of color. Just as we are finished expending our energies convincing white folks that “black lives matter”, we are also through with trying to fit into the white and/or heteronormative social structures of the world. We are past apologizing for our differences and doing things “appropriate” to appease our black/ brown community. As a Deviant, our power exists in living our unfettered truth.

Deviant is wherein queer people of color may gather safely and freely. We flirt and dance and dress scandalously. We wear harnesses and thongs and jock straps and lace just to defy and redefine masculinity. Deviant is a party started in Washington, D.C. at a well-known black establishment. It was started by Micah Roseboro and the help of a few friends, who whole-heartedly believe in the power of authenticity.

Likewise, we believe in the power of our gathering. It is a revolutionary thing, to be surrounded by other queer men of color, who probably have hidden all their lives to survive, like I once did. It is powerful to come into a space and not feel threatened by the grip of whiteness or toxic masculinity. It is powerful to feel and finally be free; To chose in a sex positive environment, where we actively affirm that what we wear does not undermine consent or our worthiness of human dignity.

Deviant is black, brown, yellow, (some white) and queer. Deviant is equal parts masculine and feminine. Sometime Deviant is dressed in straps and hard leather and other times it presents lightly in vibrant pink. Deviant is a place free of violence, shaming and ridicule. Deviant does not slut shame nor body shame nor maintain ridiculous standards of beauty. We celebrate one another’s differences, and appreciate one another on the dance floor. Within our doors is a safe place, protection and championing that we each so deserve, and may have never felt before. Many of us our from this very same community, and relish the opportunity to feel wholly safe and welcome here.

Our party is nothing new to DC metro area either. Some of our competitors, Flash DC (@flashypartydc), Green Lantern (@greenlaternwdc) and La Fantasy (@lafantasydc) have been existing here for years, and do so with no trouble to or from the law. I don’t see why our party should be any exception to the welcome of this niche market. We have not violated any laws or endangered any persons. Sadly, it seems it is again white-fragility and homophobia, which seek to shut us out from a safe-space to call our own. Please, feel free to read more about Deviant and its humble beginnings here: https://medium.com/@micahmarquez/deviant-a2b2ea9d9003

On the national holiday, Martin Luther King Day, an alias on Instagram (@brannonludlow), is quoted saying, “Martin Luther King was a piece of shit just like you apes!” This alias is thought to belong to Jessica Lavin(Archives Tech with the National Smithsonian), as earlier text mirrors her disgruntled email “Capitol Hill/ NoMa community have already reached out to Charles Allen, the council member for Ward 6 and MPD to have this event investigated.”

Jessica Lavin is a closeted racist and homophobe, seeking support in the DC metro area.

In her original email to our venue’s management, Lavin expresses the same representation of the “Capitol Hill/ NoMa Community”; only here she plays coy and presents herself as a damsel in distress. She blatantly lies about our event “Deviant,” calling it an “organized sex party,” and attempts the age-old tact of weaponizing innocence, fearful of our event’s proximity to “families and young children.” She goes on to say that many neighbors complained about seeing men in provocative outfits and that there were also witnesses to sexual acts inside the venue. These are all blatant lies that may be quickly dispelled.

For starters, Deviant is not a sex party. For the integrity of the restaurant, we explicitly state and have security to enforce that no sexual acts take place in the space. It is a circuit party, one in which Lavin is obviously unfamiliar with and threatened by. In Circuit culture, queer people get the opportunity to wear what they cannot comfortably wear in a dangerously heteronormative society. Queer men and women of color are primarily met with threat and danger if they were to dress in the garments, which made them feel free, bold, and yes — sexy.

Sexy Does Not Equal Sex

We live on the logic that “what she/ he was wearing does not mean she/ he was asking for it,” and so we affirm that in our event. We teach, throughout our social media and activities, that Consent for any flirtation is at the root of values. We have not seen the alternative work: What someone wears does not protect them against sexual harassment or sexual assault. As queer people, many of us know this based on experience. Many of us, being women, may also attest to that flawed respectability-politics thinking. It saves no one. Instead of teaching women how to avoid rape, we need to be teaching men not to rape.

That idea: Teaching men not to rape is precisely what we are doing as we curate that amazingly fun, free, and responsible social environment. Lavin’s attempts to weaponize the innocence of “families and young children” are also inaccurate. Our event hours are from 10 pm — 3 am, hours in which other clubs and bars on H. St corridor are open as well, due to the fact that the children and families are sound asleep during these hours. Many of these bars welcome women in mesh tights and halter tops as well, so why is it that Rivas seeks to demonize our patrons’ attire? The truth holds that she is staunchly homophobic and the same voice behind the racist alias (@brennanludlow) on Instagram.

In addition, none of our patrons were seen walking the streets in their attire from the party. We know this to be a fact because clothes-check is a ticket requirement with the advance purchase of entry. For our patron’s safety and the sanctity of the neighborhood, we make sure that everyone shows up and leaves fully covered. Lavin’s insight on the event and its attire are coming strictly from her viewing our social media, as she cited in her original email. This last event on Saturday, January 18th, held temperatures close to 27 degrees Fahrenheit, and it snowed earlier in the day. No one was walking around outside in the provocative garments she speaks of.

Lastly, I’d like to dispel her lie about neighbors having witnessed sexual acts inside of the venue: That was impossible to do, as windows were completely blacked out on all floors. Again, we are proud of the work we are doing in providing a safe space for our patrons, who are queer people of color, so the blackout windows are not to hide them, but rather to protect them from bigoted, hateful onlookers like Lavin. The decision to blackout windows was made well in advance before anyone person was checked in. The same went for our last event, held November 23rd.

The question remains, however: Will Lavin’s weaponizing white fragility under the guise of family, community, and children work? Her true bigoted motivations have been reflected through her alias. Even if it is not her, it is the side on which she stands and stands for. H St. Corridor is a historically black community, and we queer people of color have always been apart of this community. Do the ugly racist, and homophobic ideologies of gentrification also get to displace us? These are the questions that councilman Allen and management at RedRocks have to ask themselves.

DC MPD

Lavin also points out that she’s asked for an investigation by “DC MPD.” And we are two steps ahead, and we had a formal interaction with DC MPD that very night. At approximately 2 am, Sunday, January 18, 2020, the police were called based on a false alarm made by someone who had been denied access by our security team. The police were told, by the source, that someone had been stabbed in the restroom. The police proceeded to walk throughout the event and bathrooms and ensure the safety of everyone. When they noted that there was no one was hurt, they left amicably. If any “illegal sex party” or “prostitution” were taking place, then the police would have witnessed it right then during their walk-thru.

Again, circuit parties are wherein queer people get to dress sexy and dance. We had the opportunity to be free and safe like we never got growing up. To violate our space by trying to mischaracterize our gathering for a “sex party” or “prostitution” is an outright lie and shame on Lavin’s part. Her claims hold no credit.

During our patron’s departure, at approximately 3:30 am, there was a rush of people coming back into the front door. There had been a drive-by shooting at the corner of 14th St and H St. Thankfully, it did not involve any of our patrons, but the police did have to respond once again to our event’s proximity. The officers were present during the complete departure of guests. There was no one hooking up outside or in cars, or else the very-present police would have responded.

There is no need for further investigation, as DC MPD themselves, who responded on both occasions, can bear witness to no illegal activity taking place. At the same time, they actively did their jobs in and around our safe-space. In addition, all of the staff are made up of heterosexual, mostly-male personnel, who would never be comfortable at the sight of blatant homosexual sex acts. As sensible human beings, however, our six security personnel, Six bar staff, two photographers, and five clothes check attendants (who are all heterosexual) are fully capable and comfortable providing services for our party.

It is ironic however, that even with gunshots ringing off and crime scenes being investigated, Lavin tried to paint the picture that queer people are a danger to families and young children. The question persists: (Even as she spits on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) Will we be asked to move in order to accommodate her blatant racism and unconscious bias towards queer people of color? Where do our community leaders and managers standing on the issues of civil rights and safe spaces for all people?