These Carnival krewes undoubtedly sowed seeds for the LGBTQ rights movement years before Stonewall above all, they helped establish this town’s enduring reputation as a haven for creative expression and open-mindedness.Įvery year on Labor Day weekend, New Orleans celebrates all things gay with Southern Decadence, a six-day, rainbow-drenched festival in the French Quarter. New gay krewes (Petronius, Amon-Ra, Armeinius) formed in Yuga’s wake, creating glittering spectacles and secret societies that defied harsh anti-gay laws. The first gay krewe, Yuga, was formed in 1958 four years later, police raided the Yuga ball, arresting 96 krewe members for lewd conduct and disturbing the peace.īut that didn’t stop the party. Still, tensions with law officials ran high. During Carnival season, lavish parades and balls thrown by social organizations known as “krewes” provided the perfect excuse for the queer community to get together and dance, at a time when doing so was still very much illegal. Mardi Gras was the one day out of the year when cross-dressing in public was tolerated by police.
What they may not know, is how Mardi Gras historically served as a critical outlet for self-expression - and political resistance - for the city’s LGBTQ community. Every year, tourists swarming the Crescent City for Mardi Gras know to expect a raucous party, over-the-top costumes, and a whooole bunch of beads.
