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Vegas Files: Girlypop brunch and the state of queerness in America

July 05, 2025 by Vanessa Young in The Writing, The Politics, The Life

Woof, heavy title, yeah? It’s been a heavy (somewhat terrifying) year for a lot of people. It’s nice to pull away from the increasingly disturbed headlines to enjoy some good drag that celebrates being a girl. I went to “GirlyPop” Drag Brunch at The Front Yard in Ellis Island on the last Saturday of Pride Month with my bestie and I had such a good, pure, wholesome time.

I think I talked about this when I went to the Megan concert last summer. There’s something magical about being in a space that caters to feminine energy. A drag brunch that features Chappelle Roan and Sabrina Carpenter queens is a top tier way to achieve that. It’s not just feminine energy, its a welcoming, soft, cheerful, supportive vibe too. It makes me feel good inside.

Also, I debated on whether to bring my 2.5 year old daughter to this, because it ended up being all ages, but I wanted a mom day out, which I deserve. On that note, I DID see two little girls there with their moms and aunties and uncles, one was celebrating her 4th birthday. Both were older than my kid, but I definitely see a distant future where I could enjoy this with my lil clone.

I’m not the biggest Roan fan but I enjoy some of her music, I definitely get more thrill out of Carpenter’s brand of coquettish, coy, satirical silliness, but both draw fun fandoms that clearly appreciate the art of drag.

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I can’t stop thinking about how much drag, queer culture, and LGBTQ+ people are under attack more and more each day. Especially trans people. It’s disheartening as hell to see certain cis gays turn their backs on our trans siblings to curry favor with bigots who will come for them next. They always do. It’s hard not to worry when gay bar after gay bar keeps closing, lessening our queer gathering spaces, making it harder to find community. This along with our neighbors being snatched up in the streets if they happened to look “illegal.”

We have to do more than just hold onto and support our queer spaces, we have to fight for them. We have to speak up for people who can’t do it themselves. But it also feels so daunting, when the Supreme Court can just be like, yeah, no you can pretend LGBTQ+ people don’t exist in books. It’s a slippery slope to ensuring people don’t exist at all.

It’s refreshing to see drag bust out if its usual spaces. As poisonous and toxic as social media and online fandom can be, it has been really dope watching the growth of some of my fave queens. Bob the Drag Queen has been thriving almost in spite of the bullshit that is being heaped on drag performers.

Even with everything going on, I pray sunshine continues to peek through the cracks.

July 05, 2025 /Vanessa Young
vegas local, las vegas, drag queens, lgbtq, america
The Writing, The Politics, The Life
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Providence, Rhode Island. Photo by me.

Survived the 4-city travel blitz with a smile

May 28, 2025 by Vanessa Young in The Life

Okay, shoutout to Providence, Rhode Island. What an adorably cute and friendly city. I went for like a day and a half for a work retreat, got to meet my co-workers in person and explore an area I’d strongly consider living in one day.

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Then I had to make my way to Ohio for a wedding celebration and squeeze in some much-needed family and friend time. I’m always grateful to my mom for being on board to help us whenever we travel with the kid. I miss the East Coast/Midwest a lot. I say this every time we go back though.

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May 28, 2025 /Vanessa Young
my life, ohio, work life, travel, motherhood
The Life
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Mother’s Day 2025. Photo by the husband.

Every Mother's Day gets sweeter each year

May 22, 2025 by Vanessa Young in The Life

All I wanted was a pool day and my favorite dinner for Mother’s Day this year and my husband delivered.

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It’s unreal that this was my THIRD Mother’s Day. One day, it’ll feel normal but I’m still in complete awe at motherhood. My kid mimics everything I do, which has me editing, in real time, what I do and say.

She’s changing me into a kinder, patient, more thoughtful person. Couldn’t have asked for a better daughter.

May 22, 2025 /Vanessa Young
motherhood, mother's day, my life, vegas local
The Life
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Obodo Urban Farm

Obodo Urban Farm, Las Vegas. Photo by me

Obodo Urban Farm and an impromptu baseball game

April 22, 2025 by Vanessa Young in The Life

You really have to make an effort to be bored in Las Vegas. There’s always something random to do, something new to check out, somewhere new to eat, etc. We ended up at Obodo Urban Farm and a Las Vegas Aviators game because it was Blippi night! If you don’t know who that is, consider yourself blessed.

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April 22, 2025 /Vanessa Young
vegas local, las vegas, farm, my life
The Life
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Downtown LV. Photo by me.

If only every Saturday was this chill

April 16, 2025 by Vanessa Young in The Life

Spring is so pleasant in Vegas, when it’s not skyrocketing to 90 degrees.

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April 16, 2025 /Vanessa Young
Vegas, vegas local, las vegas, my life
The Life
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CinemaCon 2025, a Delight from Start to Finish

April 06, 2025 by Vanessa Young in The Life

Another year down at CinemaCon and I couldn’t have enjoyed myself more. I loved all the cool clips and peeks we got, but more importantly, loved getting to bond with my people.

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April 06, 2025 /Vanessa Young
las vegas, cinemacon, my life
The Life
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Mural of a Black woman in afro puffs in Las Vegas at Life is Beautiful music festival.

Life is Beautiful festival in Las Vegas. Photo by me.

a funny place in the desert

March 27, 2025 by Vanessa Young in The Life, The Art
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Assorted photos from 2021 in Vegas, taken by me.

March 27, 2025 /Vanessa Young
Vegas, vegas local, las vegas, photography
The Life, The Art
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Life-ing normally when your country is regressing at a rapid pace

March 06, 2025 by Vanessa Young in The Life

Living life in a weird place (the place being America).

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March 06, 2025 /Vanessa Young
my life, mom life, friends, daughter, family
The Life
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Last-minute mountain dinner; first time the kid sees the snow

February 16, 2025 by Vanessa Young in The Life

Introduced my kid to mountain dining life.

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February 16, 2025 /Vanessa Young
family, vegas local, mountains, my life, daughter
The Life
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Where do you find meaning?

February 04, 2025 by Vanessa Young in The Life

Notes from the outdoors.

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February 04, 2025 /Vanessa Young
las vegas, the great outdoors
The Life
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