Gay bars chillicothe ohio

When the tightknit, rural LGBTQ community wanted to celebrate pride, there were only older, cabaret-style queens to choose from.

LGBTQ+ Oral Histories

While the crowd tosses around blown-up condoms like beach balls, behind the stage curtains of the Chillicothe Elks Lodge 52 Jess tosses back another shot, allowing the cinnamon-tinged burn of whisky settle her nerves. Since Ohio pride parade was canceled because of concerns over the pandemic, Chillicothe's festival over the weekend of Aug.

The transformation is complete as she struts across the room, rocking a mascara-made beard, black leather pants, combat boots and a cutoff vest while dollar bills follow in a bar behind her. Arms raised, Jess gestures to the crowd to cheer louder while grinning ear to ear. Nearly 12 hours before Jess takes the stage, she stands, hips cocked, in the Yocantangee Park in Chillicothe contemplating how best to set up one of the tents for the First Capital Pride Coalitionthe nonprofit group running the festival.

Running on a couple hours of sleep, a handful of salt and vinegar chips and a Bang energy drink, the year-old brushes past her hangover — the result of celebrating Friday's kickoff to the weekend's festivities, a pride pool party. Striking a cross between a county fair, farmer's market and 5k bar, folks sell funnel cakes and tie-dyed jewelry while organizers hand out rainbow-colored buttons with your preferred pronouns emblazoned across them.

Toddlers wave rainbow flags and the county's Recovery Council has a booth to offer advice and provide support for those affected by the opioid crisis. Long before the year-old was the coalition's vice president, she ran Cardo's, a chain restaurant in town where she started hosting "Every Other Sunday," nights when the local pizza place turned into a gay bar.

Jay, another longtime Chillicothe resident and a gay man who organized the coalition's drag show, said during the s and s there were a few, obscure gay bars in town, but they did not last. To know there is a community of support is amazing. Despite a deep passion for music, a high school theater background and a recognition that she was gay at age 6 after watching a Shania Twain music video, Jess never really felt confident until she came out as lesbian.

After graduating from high school inJess spent a brief stint away from Chillicothe, but wound up back in her hometown, broke up with her boyfriend ohio found herself at one of Cat's "Every Other Sunday" events. She and Cat have been married sinceand the couple has been together since After a childhood of chaos — a father who struggled with addiction, an absentee mother and distant relative who sexually abused her — in adulthood, Jess has learned to forgive herself.

Her phone suddenly rings, and the dogs bark in excitement as the familiar "Dun Dun" ringtone echoes across the patio. Jess is devoted to Cat and ever-proud of her wife's leadership in the community, but advocacy still makes her uneasy, even though there was no trouble during the march earlier that afternoon.

Since the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Jess has been on particularly high alert. I just want to do my thing in peace. But while performing as Pedro, Jess can let go of some the fears that gnaw in the back of her mind. Years ago, she had posted dress-up photos on Facebook, just joking around with Cat and Cat's son, Michael.

One thing led to another, and Pedro made his official debut back inbringing some spice to a community of mostly drag queens swaying to slower pop numbers. After the drag show's emcee calls for a brief intermission, beneath the floorboards of the stage, queens, kings, a burlesque dancer and a trio of straight dudes rocking white dress shirts and boxer briefs crowd the basement of the Elks Lodge.

Jess comes back from chillicothe second performance — a showcase of Prince tunes — running her hands through her hair, stressing about her final act, when she'll channel Lil Nas X in a medley of his chillicothe "Industry Baby" and "Montero Call Me By Your Name. The number will require an assist from friend Eddie Troxell, who has agreed to play the Devil — a character featured in Lil Nas X's music video for "Montero," gay which the hip hop artist grinds against Satan.

The energy downstairs has ranged between tense and carefree all night. Some of the performers touch up their make-up in silence while others congregate on the steps outside, dragging gay cigarette and sipping on vodka. The show is BYOB, and everyone has come prepared with a bottle or two of liquor.