The Gay Side of Mardi Gras: Take Pride

Posted on by Genevive Chamblee

Ever heard of Yuga. If you are like me, for many years, I had not. When I did, I thought people were mispronouncing yoga and was somewhat confused by why yoga would be in a Mardi Gras parade. I was even more confused as to how that looked. Before I get into it, thank you for being here to help me celebrate the upcoming release of my sports romance, Ice Gladiators, on 02/15/20. I will be making random bonus posts until the release date as well as hosting giveaways and other special surprises. Please read to the end to find out more about the giveaway.

If you have been following along, I released two posts earlier today, both about Valentine’s Day. But there is another holiday coming up that I am excited about, and that, of course, is Mardi Gras. I could not have a celebration without talking about my favorite holiday of the year. Since the characters in Ice Gladiators, live in Louisiana, celebrate Mardi Gras, and are gay men, this discussion of Yuga seems fitting. So, away we go with Yuga, and it has nothing to do with Star Wars or Yoda.

This would not be a complete celebration if I did not mention Mardi Gras. Mostly, I will be using the terms Mardi Gras and Carnival interchangeably, although, that is not technically correct. Most people have come to use the term Mardi Gras to refer to all of Carnival or the entire celebratory period. However, Mardi Gras specifically refers to Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday (i.e., the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent). Fat Tuesday is the last day of Carnival. I will refrain from discussing it here because I have discussed it at length in several other posts. I will link those posts at the end in case you are interested in learning the history of Mardi Gras and the significance of events or customs.

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a krewe (krōō)is defined as a private organization staging festivities (such as parades) during Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

The Krewe of Yuga was the first “official” gay krewe and/or ball of Mardi Gras. It was formed in the late 1950s; however, underground and/or secretive gay krewes had been in existence long before then. The difference between Yuga and its predecessors is that Yuga was recognized as being an authentic krewe. Today, the krewe is no longer in existence, but it is credited as being the grandfather to modern gay krewes, including the Krewe of Amon-Ra and the Krewe of Petronius and a vital force in the Gay Rights Movement. Originally, Krewe of Yuga acted as a parody of traditional (heterosexual) Mardi Gras krewes and allow people who were gay an opportunity to socialize during Carnival. Its Carnival court consisted of a Captain, King, Queen, maids, and debutantes clad in outrageously handmade costumes. As is the tradition with modern Carnival courts, the Yuga court was presented at a Mardi Gras ball. Many gay Carnival balls exist today. Some of the better knows ones are Krewe of Amon-Ra, Krewe of Armeinius, Lords of Leather, Krewe of Mwindo, Krewe of Stars, and Mystic Krewe of Satyricon.

  1. Amon-Ra, founded in 1965, takes its name from the Egyptian god of the sun. It is a non-profit corporation, gay social Mardi Gras krewe. Attendance to their Mardi Gras ball is by invitation only. Initially, the Amon-Ra ball had to be kept secret in order to prevent being raided and shut down by the police.
  2. Armeinius was established in 1969, and its bylaws state that its ball must be held on the Saturday before Mardi Gras Day. Its ball is prestigious and to receive a table invitation indicates that a person is acknowledged by the New Orleans gay society. According to the Krewe of Armeinius, one of its main purposes is to preserve the history and pass down the tradition of the craft of creating and/or making Mardi Gras costumes. The organization also aims to archive gay memorabilia (e.g., historical documents and photographs). In fact, it is one of the largest gay historical archives in the United States.
  3. The name gives away the key feature of Lords of Leather. This krewe is the only leather-oriented krewe in the nation. Their balls consist of medieval themes and traditions. They host a Mardi Gras Bal Masque. To find them, look no further than The Phoenix, which is their “home bar.”
  4. The Krewe of Petronius has a founding date of 1961 and has nothing to do with J.K Rowling’s patronus charm or the wizarding world; although, the Petronius is quite magical. The krewe’s name derives from Gaius Petronius Arbiter, an ancient Rome gay writer and courtier during Emperor Nero’s reign. Gaius Petronius Arbiter was a member of the senatorial class who lavished in a life of pleasure. This krewe is known for hosting some of the most lavish and creative Carnival balls.
  5. In 1998, the Krewe of Mwindo was formed. It is one of the newest gay krewes. What makes this organization unique is its devotion to including persons who were excluded from traditional celebrations. Let me mention an aside here. All of the gay krewes seek for inclusivity of the gay community into Carnival as well as into society. This always has been a goal. However, the formulation of having specific gay krewes is similar to the inclusion of masks for persons of color and of lower economic status. (I go into greater details about Mardi Gras masks in previous posts. See the link below if you’re interested to learn more.)
  6. Even newer than Mwindo is the Krewe of Stars. It was organized in 2017. This Krewe is committed to underscoring the citizens of local communities. Additionally, they heavily support the theater and the performing arts. At their hosted Mardi Gras Tableau Ball, they recognize members of the community for their contribution and excellence in the arts, media, music, and theater.
  7. One of the largest gay krewes is the Mystic Krewe of Satyricon.

All of the mentioned Krewes have websites, and they appreciate donations. Please visit them to learn more or help them continue their traditions and/or philanthropies or to become a part of their organizations. They would appreciate any love shown.

There is one other feature of Mardi Gras that embraces and places a spotlight on gay culture and that is the Bourbon Street Awards. The Bourbon Street Awards are held annually on the morning of Fat Tuesday. To say that it is the ultimate costume contest of Carnival is an understatement. Categories for awards include Best Drag, Best Group, Best Leather, and Best Overall Costume. Celebrities emcee the contest.

This year, Fat Tuesday is February 25. For Mardi Gras packages and parade schedules in New Orleans, visit Mardi Gras New Orleans.

Please share your Mardi Gras/Carnival Experience in the comments below. What is your favorite parade or ball? Have you ever participated in court? Have you ever danced the night away at a Carnival ball? Have you ever attended one of the gay parades? What has been your favorite Carnival costume?

If you enjoyed this post and are interested in me writing more along these lines, please let me know in the comment section below. Also, if learning more about Mardi Gras strikes you fancy, visits my previous posts Mardi Gras From the Bayou or Mardi Gras Exposed and get some real tea.

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Enjoy sports romance and athletic bad boys? Check out my adult romance, Defending the Net. It is the second in my hockey series and guaranteed to melt the ice. It is sold at Kindle, Apple Store, Nook, Kobo, !ndigo, Angus & Robertson, and Mondadori Store. DTN is the second in my gay sports romance novel series and guaranteed to melt the ice. Order a copy now at www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

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DISCLAIMER: This post is in no way sponsored or affiliated by any person, brand, or product mentioned herein. I make no money or obtain any sort of financial gain or gifts from the mentioned brands. If you are interested in any person, brand, or product listed, please visit the brand or product website and learn more about their products and services to make an informed decision for yourself.

Resources

The Naked Truth About Crawfish

Posted on by Genevive Chamblee

Crawfish, Crayfish, Crawdad … a mudbug by any other name tastes just as good.

It’s been a minute since I’ve written about a good recipe. And with the Louisiana Crawfish Festival scheduled on the horizon (scheduled to occur March 21 – 24 at the Sigur Cultural Center in Chalmette, Louisiana), it is only fitting that I pay homage to the “Louisiana Lovebug”, a Louisiana staple, here.

I’ve written about Crawfish before, however, I can no longer find those posts to update. (Mysterious things often happen in the blogging world.) So, I’ll start from scratch.

Most people know what crawfish are, but for anyone who doesn’t, they are crustaceans. Over six hundred species of crawfish exist. A person unfamiliar with them may mistake them for a baby or miniature lobster. They live in freshwater and are found in brooks, ditches, streams, swamps, and rice (paddy) fields. Crawfish are referred to by many names including the following: crayfish, crawdads, mudbugs, yabbies, freshwater lobsters, and mountain lobsters. They also are known as (or so I’ve been told) crawlfish and crawldads. (I’ve never heard anyone refer to them as such, but as my dad used to say, people can write volumes about what I don’t know.)

The most common colors of crawfish are brown or grey. However, they may also be bright colors such as crimson, green, orange, red, or blue. The color of crawfish is often dependent on the living environment, season, water temperature, age, and diet. Mature crawfish tend to be darker than younger ones. As far as diet goes, crawfish are omnivorous and will eat just about anything including small fish, snails, algae, vegetation, plants, decaying animals, and decomposing animal matter. And yes, they can be cannibalistic. They live in burrows or hide under rocks and plants in shallow water.

Homestyle Country Creole Crawfish Cornbread

Ingredients

  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • ½ cup flour (all-purpose)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp Tony’s Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
  • ¼ tsp garlic
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • ¾ cup green onion (diced)
  • ½ cup green bell pepper (diced)
  • 4 ounces diced pimentos (drained)
  • 1/3 cup jalapeno pepper (minced -leave seeds for a spicier dish)
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1 can cream corn (15-oz)
  • 1 pound peeled crawfish

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. (This can be done with baking spray but tastes better with butter. Then again, everything tastes better with butter.)
  3. Melt the stick of butter.
  4. Mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a large bowl.
  5. In a separate bowl, beat eggs then add buttermilk, canola oil, and melted butter. Mix well.
  6. Add onions, green onions, bell pepper, pimentos, jalapeno, salt, cayenne, Creole seasoning, and garlic.
  7. Add crawfish and mix well, being sure that the crawfish is coated with the seasoning mixture.
  8. Add cheese and creamed corn, Mix well.
  9. Pour the crawfish mixture into cornmeal and mix well.
  10. Pour into the baking dish and place in oven.
  11. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Insert a toothpick in the center to check for doneness. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is finished. If not, continue baking an additional 10 minutes or until done.
  12. Allow to cool for approximately 15 minutes prior to serving.

 

Festivals

  • March 2019 Annual World Championship Crawfish Etouffee Cook-off (Eunice, Louisiana)
  • March 23, 2019 Crawfish for Cancer (New Orleans)
  • April 6, 2019 Crawfest (New Orleans – Tulane)
  • April 12-14, 2019 Downtown Lake Charles Crawfish and Seafood Festival (Lake Charles, Louisiana)
  • April 27, 2019 Annual All You Can Eat Crawfish Cook Off (Slidell, Louisiana)
  • April 29 – May 1, 2019 NOLA Crawfish Festival (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • May 2019 Crawfish Mambo Cook Off and Music Festival (New Orleans, Louisiana – University of New Orleans)
  • May 3 – 5, 2019 Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival
  • May 9 – 12, 2019 Twin City and Crawfish Festival (West Monroe, Louisiana)
  • May 11, 2019 7th Annual Old Metairie Crawfish Festival & Cookoff (Metairie, Louisiana)
  • May 18, 2019 5th Annual Riff Ridgel Crawfish Cook Off (Tickfaw, Louisiana)
  • May 24- 26, 2019 Mud Bug Madness (Shreveport, Louisiana)

Enjoy sports romance? Check out my new adult romance, Defending the Net, released on November 10. It is the second in my hockey series and guaranteed to melt the ice. It will be sold at Kindle, Apple Store, Nook, Kobo, !ndigo, Angus & Robertson, and Mondadori Store. It is the second in my hockey series and guaranteed to melt the ice. Order a copy now at www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Missed the first in my hockey romance series? Don’t worry. Out of the Penalty Box, an adult romance where it’s one minute in the box or a lifetime out is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Life’s Roux: Wrong Doors, my steamy romantic comedy, is available at Red Sage Publishing. To order, follow the link to http://bit.ly/2CtE7Ez or to Amazon at http://amzn.to/2lCQXpt.

Copies of all my books and stories are available in paper, eBook, and audio on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. The links are listed in my Writing Projects page (http://bit.ly/2iDYRxU) along with descriptions of each of my novels or stories.

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Finally, if you or anyone you know are interested in joining a college Greek life organization, check out my special series posted each Monday for everything you wanted (and didn’t want) to know about college fraternities and sororities. Visit Sorority Bible Table of Contents to view any or all of these posts.