Queer Love-in: Fall, In Love Again

About the Event

Saturday, September 26th 2020, 6:30 to 10:30 EDT (CDA/USA). Please register for link.

Let’s fall, in love again!

After our inaugural love-filled, music-thrilled, and community-chilled shared experience—Saturday, August 29th—which dared us to forget why we rush, I was approached to help reproduce the event for the 2020 Bi+ Arts Festival.

My hope is that this touching, touch-free event is a precursor to future slow dance events which will follow in spirit but be very much corporeal.

Your host David will curate a Zoom broadcast of music to help you feel like sentimental sloths. Sit or lay back, get up or get down, move around, or meditate in place to the warm, soothing vibes of all the feels. Inspired by Sherwin Sullivan Tjia’s “Toronto Queer Slowdance,” this is a rare opportunity to show up as you, feel how you do, and perhaps transform a little as the evening progresses. Interact on camera or in text chat, or hover beyond like an ethereal spirit. Stay for a bit or the entire show! You all influence this safer space to be brave in, and can help make it the fall kickoff event for you!

About Your Host: David Williston

David Williston has lived a challenging and storied life that’s helped him to grow into a warrior of love and connection. He has spent most of his life, focused on naturally social facets of human experience. This has contributed to gifting David with a compassion, empathy, and lust for life that can make him a hoot at any occasion. A milkshake too many, though, and he may end up the existentialist at your birthday. Alongside other creative outlets, music has remained David’s great love: the more raw and authentic, the better. Hold him close and he might swoon, as a slow dance is definitely a comfort zone. David’s involvement in the queer and polyamorous communities has grown in recent years. “Be the change,” could be his motto, if he had one. So, come, check out the Queer Love-in with David, and let’s be the change together.

Event Guidelines

ATTENDEES:
This is a queer-centred, all-inclusive event. You do not need to identify as LGBT2Q+ to attend. You DO need to be an open-minded and accepting fellow authentic being.

CAMERAS:
You may turn your camera on and you may turn your camera off.

MICROPHONES:
During the initial ‘doors opening’ (6:30-7:00 pm), you are welcome to turn your microphone on and chat with other attendees or your charismatic host. At 7:00 pm, SHARP, all microphones will be muted for the remainder of the event. As the music is key to an emotional road trip, it’d be far too frustrating for everyone to try and regulate chatter otherwise.

TEXT CHAT:
Voilà! You are free to communicate with each other and me using Zoom’s Chat (and Reactions) feature throughout the event’s entirety.

LEVEL of PARTICIPATION:
Feel free to treat this like a podcast or a radio show. Leave it on in the background while you make dinner or handwrite your memoirs. Optionally, you may prefer to sit and stare into my unicorn eyes while I get a bit too worked up over a devastating cover of a romantic classic. Be social or simply embrace some of the warm energy we will foster together. And, if you’re lucky enough to have a bunkered buddy (or, even if you don’t)… please, dance!

ETIQUETTE:
Treat others how they want to be treated. If someone does not wish to chat, do not pursue them. NO recording is permitted. If you attempt to record or capture any part of the broadcast, Zoom will send me a notification, and you will be removed, blocked, and banned from future events. Respect privacy. Remember, not everyone here is queer or the same queer as you, and not everyone queer is out. Do not out people. This is a safer, brave space, but we must protect it!

REPORT:
If someone is displaying or sending something inappropriate or against your wishes, or has said something in Chat that you feel requires my attention, feel free to send me a PRIVATE text chat (or message me through Messenger). I will do my best to keep an eye on all things and address issues as efficiently and thoroughly as I am able to.

THE “ART” in ARTISTS:
Our song selection has been combed to represent love and connection (in good times and bad). However, songs can contain elements which are problematic to some individuals or groups. Certain artists may be viewed as problematic in public spheres. I have aimed to play only songs which can stand well on their own for their artistic merit. I am open to feedback on this or specific instances which you may wish to discuss.

REQUESTS:
I am open to fielding requests BEFORE the event begins. This event’s playlist is already populated, so, inclusion of requests will depend upon their fit within the presently-established flow. I will not field requests during the broadcast (I’ll have enough toggles to toggle).

I am unspeakably grateful for and impressed with your reading of this all! Can’t wait to see you at the Queer Love-in: Fall, In Love Again!