SWiSH is a gay-straight alliance, which provides opportunities for straight women and men to contribute their time, energy and talents to furthering the gay rights movement.
S.W.i.S.H. WANTS YOU to participate with us at the 2007 NYC Pride parade Check out our website for more details WWW.SWISHPRIDE.ORG
A LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER
The germ of an idea that would become SWiSH began on the corner of Greenwich and Christopher Streets during the 2002 NYC Gay Pride Parade. I was enjoying the parade -- my first -- with 8 of my gay boyfriends. And it selfishly occurred to me: "How can I be in this parade?" I thought, "These men are such a big part of my life. I go shoe shopping with my gay friends, sing with them, march for them, talk about love and sex with them, quote Will and Grace with them, spend date nights with them. I'm a tried and true fag hag!"
That was it. I'd establish the first-ever fag hag float for NYC PrideFest 2003. My friends loved the idea. We didn't think it had ever been done before. And with the help of these wonderful men, and my sister hags, SWiSH was born in the Fall of 2002.
SWiSH is a gay-straight social alliance, primarily made up of straight, saavy, cosmopolitan women and our dearest gay male friends. We have the pink, feminine aesthetic and the martini glasses and the kitschy chatter. But our pride for our gay friends, both men and women, runs deep. Politically and socially we are gay, through and through.
Many of us have lost gay friends and family before their time to AIDS, and it is their spirit, creativity, flair for the dramatic, and love of life on which SWiSH thrives. Our first public outing on June 29th in the 2003 PrideMarch honored them. We know they were watching us, all dolled up, from the big pride parade in the sky.
With love, peace and pride,
Sue Sena
Founder and Queen Hag
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Hello, brilliant and beautiful SWiSH-ers! We know, we know – long time no hear. But it’s been a great year, with plenty of exciting new developments, and we’re gearing up for a phenomenal 2008!
In the Summer of 2007, SWiSH was nominated for the second time for an award from Heritage of Pride, the organizers of NYC's Pride events, for its spirited participation in the 2007 Pride March.
We launched our first chapter in Atlanta, GA through the activism and energy of Rachel Livengood and her sister hags. They made their debut in Atlanta’s Pride March on their inaugural Gay Pride float, Introducing SWiSH: A Timeless Tradition, sponsored by Atlanta fag hag
heaven — Blake’s. Read more about our southern sisters:
http://www.sovo.com/2007/6-8/locallife/feature/7047.cfm
In the Fall, SWiSH was featured in the book Fag Hag by Swedish author Linda Leopold, which is a journalistic exploration of the unique elationships between gay men and straight women from all over the world. President Sue Sena represented SWiSH at the book launch in Stockholm in October. As a result of our participation in the book,
SWiSH has been invited to participate in EuroPride in Sweden in Summer 2008. For the blog of Sue’s trip:
http://swishinginsweden.blogspot.com/
In January, our dear friend and supporter Will Clark made SWiSH the beneficiary of his weekly fund-raiser, Porno Bingo, at the 9th Avenue Bistro in NYC. The evening was the first in a series of fund-raisers to send SWiSH representatives to EuroPride, and Will and his Porno
Bingo team helped SWiSH raise $1,000 toward that goal. Thanks, Will!
Check out the pictures by SWiSH member Leslie Barbaro:
http://www.lesliebarbaro.com/birthdaybingobash/
On Sunday, March 9th several SWiSH board members, along with Eric Sutcliffe from our creative firm, the watsons, donned gloves, aprons and hairnets to volunteer with God's Love We Deliver, a wonderful not-for-profit organization in Lower Manhattan that prepares and delivers nutritious, high-quality meals to New York City residents living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, multiple-sclerosis and other serious
illnesses. God's Love has been in existence since 1986 and has served over eight million meals since then. David Christmas and the staff at God's Love went out of their way to make us feel welcome. For almost three hours we peeled and chopped 100 lbs of carrots and 50 lbs of
onions, laughed, sang and chatted with the other volunteers working that day. It was a truly great experience and we hope to work with them again very soon – and with more NYC SWiSH members on our team!
Here’s a rundown of all the cool stuff coming up in the next few months. Is there room for YOU? Hell yeah! Check it out:
Sunday, March 30
Special Screening of A Four Letter Word
2:45 PM screening
Clearview Chelsea Cinema, 260 West 20th, NYC
SWiSH is co-hosting an opening weekend screening of an independent film
by Casper Andreas (Slutty Summer), A Four Letter Word. Planet Out calls it "one of the most entertaining films of the year. It's proudly gay, gay, gay -- a sort of "so there" to post-gay pseudo-queers.†The screening would be followed by a Q&A with the cast and an after party
at Vlada, at 9 pm. Bring your ticket stub, get a free drink. You can read more about the film and its screenings around the country at:
http://www.afourletterwordmovie.com
RSVP to Sue Sena at [email protected].
Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27
National SWiSH Weekend of Service
You know we love to party when the weekend rolls around. But we also love to roll up our sleeves and pitch in for a good cause. The SWiSH Inaugural Weekend of Service will coordinate volunteer efforts at LGBT organizations in New York, San Diego, Atlanta, Washington, DC and Los Angeles. If you would like to participate, please contact the following SWiSH members, or let us know if you want to organize a group in your city:
New York City: Jamie Lloyd at [email protected]
Washington, DC: Ed Potosnak at [email protected] or Tammy Winston at [email protected]
Atlanta: Rachel Livengood at [email protected]
Los Angeles and San Diego: Mark Von der Heide at [email protected]
Organize Your City: Tell SWiSH about it - Jamie Lloyd at
[email protected]
Monday, May 19
EuroPride or Bust! SWiSH Spring Cabaret Benefit
7 PM Performance, 6 PM Pre-show appetizers from The Grey Dog’s Coffee
The Duplex, 61 Christopher Street and 7th Avenue, NYC
Tickets $15, 2-drink minimum during performance. Co-hosted by Camille Tibaldeo and Eric Sutcliffe. Performances by: Christopher Adasiewicz, Jason Bowman, Katie Campbell, LoriAnn Freda, Karyn Gerhard, Poppi
Kramer, Jamie Lloyd, Brian Nash, Kate Pazakis, Shanna Sharp, Eric Sutcliffe, Marty Thomas, Camille Tibaldeo (lineup subject to change).
All proceeds benefit SWiSH's participation in the 2008 EuroPride celebration in Stockholm, Sweden and other 2008 Pride events. For reservations (strongly suggested) go to www.theduplex.com
And mark your calendars for SWiSH events during Pride Month. Deets to follow:
Wednesday, June 4 – Will Clark’s Porno Bingo, NYC
Sunday, June 8 – Queens Pride, NYC
Saturday, June 14 - Brooklyn Pride, NYC
Sunday, June 29 - Pride March, NYC
Be a superhero for the LGBT movement! “Truth, Justice and the American GAY!â€
To participate contact Sue Sena at [email protected]
July 4 – July 6 – Pride Festival and March, Atlanta, GA
To participate Rachel Livengood at [email protected]
July 25 - August 3 - EuroPride, Stockholm, Sweden
http://www.stockholmpride.org/
To participate contact Sue Sena at [email protected]
SWiSH is a gay-straight alliance, which provides opportunities for straight women and men to contribute their time, energy and talents to furthering the LGBT rights movement. Through its international network
of volunteers and members in 32 states and 4 countries, SWiSH is creating a community of straight allies who support their LGBT family members, co-workers, and loved ones. To become a new member, or to renew your membership: http://swishpride.org/membership.shtml
Pssst! Tell a friend!
With pride,
The SWiSH Board of Directors
Sue, Mark, Jamie, Laszlo, Ed, Adrienne, Josh, and Jason
SWiSH: Straight Women in Support of Homos
676A 9th Avenue, Suite 131
New York, NY 10036
www.swishpride.org
