Friday: Slut Night II

This post was submitted by Meaghan, who loves the Phase and karaoke.

Slut.

The word is salacious, debaucherous and sometimes downright defamatory. But judging by attendance at the first Phase Fest hosted Slut Night in April, there are quite a few people unafraid of the word. Which is why Phase Fest has put together Slut Night II, to be held this Friday (6/6/08) at Phase 1 Lounge.

Historically, Slut Night was an opportunity for butches and femmes to create community and show off their sexiest duds in safe space, after being harassed at a Bay Area gay bar. Over the years, it's turned into something that fosters both community and freedom of sexual expression. Butch-femme.com has hosted numerous Slut Night events over the years, on both national and local levels. The name is historically linked to the butch/femme community.

Linguistically speaking, to reclaim a word is to re-evaluate and re-appropriate a term which has historically been used in a pejorative fashion against a minority group as a form of oppression. To this day, debates continue about the validity and merit of word reclaiming. The LGBTQI community has been particularly outspoken about reclaiming words previously used in a derogatory fashion against our community, including queer, fag and dyke.

It is in the spirit of both reclamation and sexual freedom that Phase Fest brings Slut Night to the queer women and transfolk of the DC Metro area. It is our hope that by reclaiming a word that has previously been used negatively towards women and anyone inspired by uninhibited sexuality, we can bring a unique experience and outrageously fun event to local queer women and transfolk. Also, this event provides queer women and transfolk a safe venue in which to incorporate a visual element to their sluttiness...that is to say, everyone is welcome to dress in whatever makes them feel sexiest and slutty.

Slut Night II will include door prizes, delectable performances, roving kissing booths and enough eye candy to send you into a diabetic coma. Additionally, Sugar, Baltimore's only women-owned, trans-operated feminist sex toy shop will be at the bar selling their wares. There will be something for everyone.

Slut Night II will be held at Phase 1 Lounge on Friday June 6th from 8pm until 3am. A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit Phase Fest 2008, to be held September 11-14, 2008. You must be 21+ in order to enter the bar, with valid government-issued identification. Because of the nature of this event, the door policy which states that all males must have a female escort will be strictly enforced.

Phase 1 Lounge
525 8th Street Se
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 544-6831
www.phase1dc.com
www.phasefest.com