Pride Month might be coming to an end, but queer bars that serve as gathering places that provide community, support, and joy are more important than ever — especially in the South. Unfortunately, a slew of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is being introduced and passed what feels like weekly, largely in the South. But in mid-May in Austin, seven blocks from where the Texas House of Representatives was meeting to discuss one of those very bills, a different scene was unfolding. Brigitte Bandit, a local activist and drag queen in a humongous blonde wig and extra-short denim dress, was attending to the crowd at Oilcan Harry’s, a longtime downtown gay bar. With a pointer in one hand and a mic in the other, Bandit brought in an element rarely seen in drag shows — a PowerPoint presentation. To educate the community in a more accessible way, Bandit broke down the national and local LGBTQ+ news of the week in her weekly show at Oilcan Harry’s, LegiSLAYtion and Liberation. While Oilcan Harry’s might be a little more direct in its approach, it’s far from the only bar responding to the current political moment — tap the link in our bio to read more. — Image description: carousel with slide 1 featuring an image of Oilcan Harry’s in Austin with text “How Queer Bars in Red States Forge On, Amid an increasingly hostile political moment, LGBTQ bars across the South become more crucial than ever.” Slide 2 features a quote from Erin Karcher that says, “When you look around and you see that we are all existing here, and we’re happy, and there’s laughter and dance and flirtation and play and dress up and themes, it’s all really cool. I’m very proud of us.”