A 2SLGBTQIA+ ride on World Bicycle Day hosted by a drag queen?
It’s happening on June 3rd thanks to a new collab between The Street Trust and the Portland Business Alliance’s Downtown Marketing Initiative.
Portland drag queen legend Poison Waters is the official host and the short, 1.7-mile ride through downtown will venture past spots relevant to Portland’s pride history. Billed as family-friendly and open to everyone, the ride will end with a dance party at the Cart Blocks (SE Ankeny and Burnside) with surprise guests.
Here are more details from the ride description:
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Need a bike? There are BIKETOWN stations a block in either direction–in front of the Portland Art Museum and at Director Park.
Our two-mile route will feature mini dance party stops in three street plazas and take us by points of interest from Portland’s 2SLGBTQIA+ past and present, like the office and residence of famed 1900’s lesbian Doc Marie Equi; Vera Katz Park, former mayor and gay ally; and Pride Plaza, one of our new street plazas filled with street art, public seating, and community activities.
Special thanks to ride ambassadors from BikePOC PNW! BikePOC PNW actively creates space for BIPOC folks to ride bikes, build community, forge life-long friendships, and challenge the status quo.
It all gets underway at 3:00 pm at Shemanski Park on June 3rd. More info here.
Thanks for reading.
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This looks great! Friday at 3pm is … interesting timing?
Yeah, I’d love to go but I wish it was either later in the day or at a weekend.
You can’t make this stuff up. Let’s rephrase this so that it actually makes sense:
Sadly-coopted nonprofit collaborates with one of Portland’s most regressive and obstructionist organizations –indeed, the exact same one that is being protested tomorrow as a “climate villain”– to go on a ride that includes a visit to the home and office of ANARCHIST, IWW member, and pioneering lesbian Dr. Marie Aqui.
Aqui, a brilliant and brave activist who spent 3 years in San Quentin, would absolutely roll over in her grave if she knew that her legacy would be associated in any way with the boot-licking and deeply-illiberal Portland Business Alliance. Indeed, if this isn’t pinkwashing I don’t know what is.
“Pinkwashing now commonly refers to the appropriation of the LGBTQIA+ movement to promote a particular corporate or political agenda. In other words, entities market themselves as ‘gay-friendly’ to gain favor with progressives, while masking aspects that are violent and undemocratic.” (https://femmagazine.com/feminism-101-what-is-pinkwashing)
Family friendly?
First for who? (Honest question, not trying to snark.) There are Pride bike rides every June. First for the official Pride festival in Portland? First for The Street Trust?
yeah fair question. I think they’re saying first on World Bicycle Day. I’ll probably make an edit.
I assumed the first Pride ride in June, but not sure after reading your comment.
The Street Trust & PBA? For the Pride Ride? Never thought I would see the day.