When Lesbians Attack
Tomorrow night U Street braces itself for an onslaught of lesbians. Sound enticing yet? Well, let me tell you more.
Kat Skiles, creator of the new social media website: LezGetTogether.com, has been planning a “Lesbian Attack” on Solly’s Tavern for the past month now. So far 100 DC metro area lesbians and queers have RSVP’d to takeover the straight dive bar conveniently located on U and 11th Streets, Northwest.
Like the website—described as an “online community for LGBTQ women of DC, Maryland and Virginia, It's like Facebook... but just for us”—Skiles hopes to create a “gathering space for community,” she says. “The bar scene is great but it leaves a void, there’s no mentorship, and it’s really hard to build friendships because you can’t showcase who you are when shouting over loud music. I mean bars are great and I love dancing but—with LezGetTogether—I was trying to accomplish something else.” Friday night’s “Attack” is the site’s first event.
However, if this event goes well more will be more on the horizon. “I really want to keep doing this. I like brining people together,” Skiles says on her thought process for creating both the site and Friday’s happy hour gathering. “So far I’ve gotten really great feedback about the event, and it looks like a really diverse crowd is attending.”
Skiles moved to DC in 2008, two years after interning on the Hill and falling in love with the District. But she’s that this city doesn’t often cater to a mingling of different social groups. “Finally, instead of asking why this happen I decided: lets just all start partying together.” In fact, the website, which has only been up for six weeks, already has 200 members.
LezGetTogether.com Creator, Kat Skiles
Like all good things though, Lesbian Attacks and social networks take some funding. Skiles chose to do a happy hour at Solly’s because she wanted to ease everyone into the takeover, “A bunch of heteros run it, but they’re all a nice guys.” From here on out she’ll be looking into possibly getting a small cut from bars. She’s also asking that everyone who attends Friday’s event check-in online and tag LezGetTogether in photos from the night. “This kind of stuff will help the community grow. If even 30 people do it, it’ll make a big impact.”
Friday, October 21, at Sully’s Tavern the attack starts at 6 and will go until 9, after that U Street watch out!
Sarah is a fiction writer who moonlights as a freelance journalist. She’s been the Transgender Relationship Examiner for Examiner.com since May of 2009, and she helps keep DC classy via Meets Obsession Magazine. She can also be found at SarahMarloff.com. In the rare moments when she’s not writing she’s dancing, dying her hair, singing with her headphones on, or possibly climbing trees. She’d like to remind you all: only boring people are bored.