Medical services are so lacking for trans people that many wait six months or more, or else travel to Austin, for gender-affirming care. Still, Maddie Kennedy, Thrive’s director of community affairs/development, tells me, “Statewide barriers exist that we can’t overcome.” For example, changing a name or gender marker is costly and time consuming within the state. On June 18, for the first time, the city’s tourism department will host a Pride parade and festival front and center on the city’s iconic Riverwalk. Down the street, Luther’s stages a variety of shows, including an all-ages drag brunch on Sunday.įiesta itself has spawned nearly a dozen gay-run or -friendly events, paving the way for Pride San Antonio, a weeklong community celebration in June, as well as October’s San Antonio LGBT International Film Festival. Besides the Pegasus, the city’s gay bars include longtime dance club the Bonham Exchange, and Sparky’s Pub, an English-style tavern beloved for its happy-hour drink specials. While many of the original clubs from the 1970s have closed or changed hands, LGBTQ+ culture has flourished. Five years later, it installed the most visible expression of its support for the community: the Rainbow Crosswalk, at the intersection of Evergreen Street and Main Avenue, in the heart of the LGBTQ+ district.
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In 2013, the city passed a landmark nondiscrimination ordinance that aligned its policies with those of Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston. One-third of those age 16 to 24 identify as transgender, nonbinary, or nonconforming. Thirty-six percent identify as bisexual or pansexual, 30 percent as gay, and 19 percent as lesbian. According to a 2020 report co-authored by Stone, San Antonio has a growing population of racially diverse, primarily Latino, LGBTQ+ residents.
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The LGBTQ+ community has grown by leaps and bounds since Nixx first made a splash on the pageant and drag circuit.