ART PHAG: Kicking ass, changing names and shop-shop-shopping

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ART PHAG: Kicking ass, changing names and shop-shop-shopping

POSTED: Thursday, March 11, 2010, 7:30 PM
Filed Under: Shopping Art Phag
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Every Thursday, we give you this week's LGBTQ to-do list.

The gay community was handed more good news this week with the passage of gay marriage in Mexico City. Even though it's in a completely different country, it's still a huge stride for us LGBTers. Philadelphia, aren't you ashamed Mexico City did it first? Way to go amigos.

— Bullies everywhere need to conjure more clever insults than "You fight like a girl," to heave at the poor little gay boys on the playground because the William Way Community Center's (1315 Spruce St., 215-732-2220) self defense class for women at 2 p.m. on Sat. Mar. 13 will prove that girls can kick some major bully ass. Philadelphia Judo Club instructors Ray Huxon and Alma Qualli will teach students how to maneuver a variety of standing and ground attacks. Then, students suit up in protective gear to demonstrate what they've learned. I'm sure this instruction will be much more in depth than the defense mechanisms I learned, even though, "Go for the balls," has worked pretty well for so far. Heeeeya!

— Whether you do it for fun or you're trying to make a legit transformation, artist Klawdya Rothschild is teaching two gender transformation classes at Sexploratorim (620 S. 5th St., 215-829-4986) on Sat., Mar. 13 that will boost your drag or passability experience tenfold. The first session begins at 2 p.m. with a lesson about hiding or enhancing gender-identifying attributes like high cheekbones or a 5 o'clock shadow and how to complete the process with hair and wigs. The second class, which begins at 6 p.m., takes the teaching downtown with pointers on how to tuck your hoo-hoo and flatten or push out those ta-tas. The $20-$30 admission price includes a discount coupon to Passional Boutique (704 S. 5th St., 215-829-4986) and the next Angela's Lap Top Lounge event at Shangrila (120 Swedesford Rd., 610-687-8838) on Sat., Mar. 20.

— If you don't feel like tucking the jewels or punching fight instructors on Saturday, maybe you'd prefer a leisurely afternoon of shopping and mingling on E. Passyunk Avenue. 2nd Saturdays on the Avenue kicks off at 6 p.m. with participation from dozens of neighborhood hot spots. You can browse art by Pam Haner and Justin Myer Staller at Sweet Jane Vintage and B2 Café, chow on discounted grub at FUEL and relax with the music of Alia Ady at Black N Brew. There's a lot going on in this area of South Philly, I definitely suggest hopping on this trolley before you get left behind.

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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