Laundry Day
KATE SHAW on washing, queerness, inclusivity and having a great night out.
Laundry day – traditionally the day when you would wear your old clothes because the rest are in the wash. “But in this case, you’re left with all your fabulous clothes which you can wear to my club night,” says James Silva, creator of Laundry Day, a club night primed and ready to be unleashed at The Piper for the first time this Saturday.
James grew up in Eastbourne, born to a Swiss mother and a Spanish father. He worked in London for a few years and recently moved to Bexhill/Hastings to join the family business with his partner, John. James was a DJ in the past and always dreamed of running his own club night with a “real queer theme.”
Now I’ll be honest with you, having grown up in the late 70s early 80s, I winced a little at his use of the Q word. It was a term of abuse when I was young, and while I understand there may be empowerment in ‘taking it back’, I still feel a little uncomfortable using it.
I put this to James. He assures me that it is a fully inclusive term, including everybody who is not heterosexual and cisgender, though he is very keen to point out that allies are all welcome. The term ‘queer’ is used in this sense so as not to separate Q from L, G, B or T, if you like. So Laundry Day is a night for anyone who feels they would benefit from a safe space in which to express themselves free from labels and judgment. This is about inclusivity. St Leonards is a perfect place to launch such an event.
Alongside James, Lemur Beats will be DJ-ing. They describe themselves as “proudly Queer civil partners in crime” and are resident DJs at club Fliq, a night for “queer womxn and non-binary folk”. They’re excited now to be part of a night that’s for the whole queer community. “We can’t wait to party with all our LGBTQ+friends and allies. Hastings is such a brilliantly eccentric place, with a rich history of wonderful weirdos. This night’s focus on freedom of expression and queer joy feels absolutely right.”
The main thing here is the safety of the space. The toilets will be gender-neutral for the night. There will be welfare volunteers on hand for anyone who feels uncomfortable or vulnerable, and a portion of all ticket sales will be donated to Hastings Trans Pride.
This is a space for you to come and have fun, look how you want, be who you are and not be approached or to feel threatened because of it. So dust off your sequins and help make this event spectacular. Bring your labels or drop them at the door. Lose (or find) yourself in a night of electro, pop, queer punk, LGBT icons, disco, house and fun. You will be welcomed whoever you are. Just “Keep it Queer!”
Laundry Day launches at The Piper, Norman Road TN37 at 9pm, Saturday 29 July. You can follow it on Instagram at @laundrydayclubnight
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