We’re Here, We’re Queer, & We’re Never Gonna Leave!

PoleCon 2019 is coming up fast, and here in the Queer Pole community, we can’t wait! Last year was the very first Queer Pole Showcase, and it was a smashing success. If you weren’t able to see it live, it’s still living on in all its glory here on YouTube. I remember sitting in the audience, being completely floored as act after act after act brought power, strength, beauty, expression, and queer-tasticness to the stage. One of our audience members put it best:

“The showcase last year was my favorite showcase that I watched. Not just because of the representation, which is important, but because of the quality! The sexiest of the sexy, the funniest of the funny, the most emotional. I can’t wait to see what this year’s will be like.” – S.C.

We’re coming together to perform for you again in Denver, so mark your calendar and clear this time slot! Friday night, June 7th, 5:30-7:00pm on the Main Stage. This year’s group is bringing you another powerful set of performances, showing you all the different representations of queerness in our pole community.

WHAT IS QUEER POLE?

Queer Pole is an inclusive space to connect with other Queer Polers, share our struggles and successes, and discuss how to make the pole world a more inclusive place for people like us. We mostly meet and discuss via our Facebook Community, though many studio owners and instructors are in the group who facilitate Queer-Poler focused events at their studios around the country and around the globe.

We are here. We are students, performers, teachers, and studio owners. Queer comes in all colors, shapes, and sizes. Queer has a different meaning to every individual, and this is a place for our performers to show what it means for them. A place where humans tell us how they want to be represented, and the struggles and triumphs they’ve been through, and the future they’re heading towards.

“Queer pole group is a safe place to share experiences I can’t just share with anyone else. Performing at Pole Con is a way to fight for LGBTTTIQ rights, let people know we’re part of the world and we’re not going anywhere. We’re here, we’re queer, we’re never gonna leave!” – B.K.

Let us tell us who you we want to love.  Let us tell you how we want to be represented. Let us tell you our pronouns. Let us tell you what we want our roles to be, both on and off the pole.

FIRST EVER QUEER POLE PANEL

If you’re interested in learning and hearing more, for the first time this year we will also have a Queer Pole Panel on Saturday, June 8th, 5:30-7:00pm, moderated by Brian Wolf. Got questions about the queer community in general and in pole? Want to learn how to support trans students in your studio? Not sure what cisgender means? Come to this panel and learn! Especially for studio owners and instructors, this will be an amazing moment for members of our community to come together and discuss sensitive issues that come up for Queer-representing people in the pole world and in pole classes.

How we can best support all of the members of our community? I believe this is a conversation that will continue to grow and evolve all the time, the same way our art continues to grow and evolve. But one thing is for sure: the more we learn and work together, the more we can make pole a safe place for everyone to dance and fly.

“Last year when I performed, I got to say somethings I have felt (and I am sure a lot of us have felt) for a long time. It was so amazing to look out and see and hear all of the support from everyone watching. I can’t wait to do it all again this year!” – S.W.

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Speaking of facilitating Queerness in pole studios – I am very sad to say that I, the co-founder of Queer Pole and curator of the showcase, will not be able to attend this year. But it’s for a good cause – this year I’m focusing most of my energy and resources on creating an inclusive pole studio in Memphis, TN, my new home city. We are currently running a Kickstarter campaign to build our happy queer pole home in the South, even at a time when states like Tennessee are threatening to close in on rights for women and the LGBTQ+ community. If you are interested in supporting this initiative, please click here to learn more, share, and contribute!