Activists Held A Massive Queer Dance Party In The Streets Outside Mike Pence’s House
"Daddy Pence, come dance!"
As we’ve spoken about previously, Vice President-elect Mike Pence is not a very nice man. His position on women’s reproductive rights, for example, makes his boss look positively moderate. He’s also fairly unpopular in the LGBTQI community – advocating for gay conversion therapy and declaring that same-sex marriage could lead to “societal collapse” tends to have that effect.
Thing is, LGBTQI folks aren’t typically the kinds of people who’ll take that shit lying down. They’re also really good at organising, and really good at throwing parties. And wouldn’t you know it, that was all on display in Washington D.C. on Wednesday night, as several hundred activists danced their way through the streets towards Mike Pence’s rental home.
Around 200 people gathered for the “Queer Dance Party at Mike Pence’s House”, chanting slogans, waving glow sticks and rainbow flags, and dancing to the likes of Beyonce and Madonna.
“Dance is so integral to the queer community as a form of self-expression and a form of asserting our power and our beauty and our love for one another,” organiser Firas Nasr, of the LGBTQI activism group WERK for Peace, told The Washington Post. “The idea is to leave a mark that Mike Pence will never forget.”
“We want to send a strong message to Pence that we’re a united queer community,” he added. “We’ve always stood united. There’s always space to dance.”
These are the streets outside Mike Pence’s house in D.C., shut down by activists throwing a Queer Dance Party tonight. Pure jubilance. pic.twitter.com/GrJAgvSZBh
— Jack Smith IV (@JackSmithIV) January 19, 2017
If this video of @werkforpeace organizer Firas Nasr leading the protest doesn’t make you want to become a political organizer, nothing will. pic.twitter.com/tBHiRMOsa4
— Jack Smith IV (@JackSmithIV) January 19, 2017
More from tonight. Party outside Mike Pence’s house. @werkforpeace #WeWillDance pic.twitter.com/QCEpu3mhyi
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) January 19, 2017
While a police blockade prevented the dance party from actually reaching Pence’s property, local residents were seen cheering in support of the protesters. The affluent suburb, on the border of Maryland and D.C., has seen a marked rise in the number of gay pride flags on display since Pence moved into the neighbourhood.