At a Glance:
- DPL staff come together to create engaging Pride programming for the Denver Community.
- The LGBTQ+ Speed Friendship Tea Dance will take place on Sunday, June 22, at 2:00 p.m. at the Central Library.
- The program was created to build community in response to the loneliness epidemic and the challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community.
- Inspired by the tea dances of the 1950s, the New York City gay community used them to evade persecution.
- Explore more DPL Pride programming and events here!
The Denver Public Library is no stranger to building community. Core to the library’s philosophy are the values of connection and welcoming, which are brought to life daily through engaging programs and events.
To celebrate Pride Month, staff from across the library system formed a Pride Planning Committee, using their diverse expertise to develop inclusive programming throughout Denver.
A key goal for the committee was to create a standout program that avoids the high-energy, overstimulating atmosphere typical of many Pride celebrations. The result: the LGBTQ+ Speed Friendship Tea Dance.
Designed with individuals facing loneliness, social anxiety, and neurodiversity needs in mind, Liana K., Library Program Associate for DPL’s Bookmobiles, notes that the Office of the US Surgeon General has identified a loneliness epidemic, stating, “Lacking social connection is as dangerous as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day… when you add compounding marginal identities, social rejection and the lack of resources… it literally leads to worse health outcomes.”
The Speed Friendship Tea Dance will offer small group “speed dating” and passive activities to help participants connect in a way that feels comfortable to them. “We want to create a space where the format allows participants to choose how much they want to engage,” said library assistant Morgan M.
Inspiration for the event is rooted in both current events and LGBTQ+ history. Libraries nationwide have faced challenges to books and programs featuring LGBTQ+ content, and queer rights continue to be a point of national debate. For this program, the committee found motivation in the past.
Tea dances were common among the nation’s upper class from the late 19th century to the early 20th century as a way to maintain aristocratic lineages and provide young people with an opportunity to mingle and couple.
Fast forward to New York City, years before the infamous Stonewall Riots, and the growing queer communities caught the attention of the police. They would enforce gender norm laws and alcohol laws to harass queer communities. Not long after, queer communities adapted to the attacks and began promoting their spaces as tea dances to try to avoid persecution by the New York City police.
Despite trying to avoid the police, officers would continue to raid queer spaces and create an environment of fear culminating to the Stonewall Riots and the first Pride a year later.
“What spoke to me was the historical aspect of it,” said library assistant Angel G. “I think it’s so cool…during Pride Month…to learn about history and where we came from. It’s a very beautiful way to show how far we’ve come and reconnect with our roots.”
In contrast to historical tea dances that concealed thriving queer communities, modern tea dances are not hidden in the shadows, instead choosing defiance through pride and visibility.
“Success at this event looks like people walking away feeling they’ve established new connections,” said Rashawn A., the Library of Things coordinator. “[friendships] they want to maintain in the future, outside of the standard ‘going to the club’ or ‘going out to the bar.’”
Angel added, “We’re making intentional considerations for neurodivergent people, and people who are shy or anxious…but also, extroverts are welcome!”
The LGBTQ+ Speed Friendship Tea Party will take place on Sunday, June 22, at the new Park View event space at the Central Library, starting at 2:00 p.m. Attendees can expect a pressure-free environment that includes coloring, bingo, dancing, small-group speed friendship dating, and soothing tea. Registration is required to participate in the program, so make sure to register here. No library card is required, but signing up online is simple, so why not sign up today?