Drag performer Evry Pleasure at Springfield Town Center Pride Night Out Friday, June 23.
Springfield Town Center sponsored Pride Night Out on Friday, June 23, in partnership with Safe Space NOVA. The event, held in the center’s Grand Court, was in keeping with Safe Space NOVA’s mission of providing safe, accepting, and supporting environments to combat social stigmas, bullying and other challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth. The event included music, entertainment, a photo-booth, community vendors, and giveaways.
The event’s main entertainment was a drag performance by Evry Pleasure. She describes her show as “the perfect mix between pageantry, comedy, and dancing … full of energy, laughter, and glamour with a dose of pleasure that will keep you asking for more!” She started her drag career in 2019, with encouragement from another drag artist. The individual behind the make-up and costumes moved from Puerto Rico to Northern Virginia in 2020 to attend George Washington University. He continued to entertain regularly in this area while studying, graduating in 2022 with a Master’s degree in Public Administration, and now works for NASA. As Pleasure at the Springfield event, her appearance, along with a dance performance, included a charity meet & greet with photo opportunity to benefit Safe Space NOVA.
A selection of upbeat dance music was provided by DJ Pierre Bakhos, with Exclusively Entertainment. A Washington D.C. native, DJ Pierre got his music start playing at University of Maryland fraternity parties. He went on to attend a university recording engineering program in Florida, and then to playing at festivals and venues across the country.
Americans have been exposed to and enjoyed drag entertainment for many years in television and cinema family entertainment, including popular favorites: Robin Williams’ Mrs. Doubtfire; Tyler Perry’s Mabel Simmons; Dustin Hoffman’s Tootsie; Jamie Farr’s Corporal Max Klinger; and Barry Humphries’ Dame Edna; as well as Rupaul’s Drag Race; and all the way back to 1959 with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon dressed in drag for “Some Like it Hot,” to name a few.
Recently, drag show entertainers have faced protests from conservative groups to block them from being seen by children in several states. While NPR-PBS NewHour-Marist polling, indicates 58 percent of respondents said they oppose laws restricting the performances, and only 39 percent said they support banning them; Republicans and those with children under the age of 18 were more likely to support restrictions.
Evry Pleasure performs mostly at night clubs where young people are not present. However, she shares, when she is around younger crowds she often gets questions about her gender discovery. She says, “While every journey of identity is different, drag can be a way to explore gender identity.” Although not Trans himself, as Evry, she is happy to be an inspiration for those for whom the attraction to the artistry and costuming of drag go beyond entertainment to self discovery.
Springfield Town Center has a history of support for an array of diverse groups in the community, including a Lunar New Year Celebration, supporting the AAPI community; an annual Black Owned Business Showcase and Support Black Owned Brands 365 campaign; and holiday performances by local church groups, including an annual Chanukah celebration.
Supervisor Rodney Lusk, Lee District, attending, said of the town center sponsored pride event, “It’s very important to assure an inclusive community and for people to feel acceptance. [Pride] events help to assure those in different genders know they are part of the community.”
Speaking for the center, Justin Roth commented, “We are proud to host Pride Night Out at Springfield Town Center and firmly embody the spirit of inclusion and diversity. We believe in creating a welcoming environment for all and, in this case, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and fostering a sense of unity.“
For more information on Safe Space NOVA, see www.safespacenova.org
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The Springfield Pride Night event comes as more conservative regions of the country also struggle with allowing or banning gender-affirming health care for minors. Twenty states now have or are preparing to pass gender affirming care bans. Last week, a federal judge in Arkansas was the first to overturn such a ban. The judge’s ruling argues that the care ban is unconstitutional in violating young people’s right to equal protection and due process of law, for them and their parents. The judge also ruled that the Arkansas ban violates the free speech rights of doctors in the state. Federal judges in three states, Florida, Alabama, and Indiana had temporarily blocked bans on gender-affirming care. The Arkansas ruling, considered a landmark case, could impact such bans across the country.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), notes “Positive environments are important to help all youth thrive. However, the health needs of LGBTQ+ youth can differ from their heterosexual peers.” CDC studies indicate that LGBTQ+ youth are at increased risk for suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and suicide. In addition, LGBTQ+ youth are more likely than heterosexual youth to report high levels of bullying and substance abuse.
In our area, to counter these perils, Safe Space seeks to provide a positive environment and welcoming staff that embrace, uplift, and encourage. Their goal is to ensure 14–18 year olds in the Northern Virginia area have access to an organization and activities that promote equality.