Ladyfag is one of the defining figures of New York’s queer nightlife scene. She arrived from Toronto more than 20 years ago with little more than her boundless creativity. What she’s built since can only be described as a cultural empire, which has done plenty to shape the city’s after-dark landscape.
It’s no surprise that Ladyfag’s journey began on the dancefloor. The writer, performer and “club mom” started out as a performer and go-go dancer, captivating crowds before building a community with her own parties. She quickly discovered she had a talent for creating the kinds of nights people will never forget.
“Maybe we will start by admitting that I used to be a deadhead,” Lady says, laughing as she reflects on her early years and the origins of her name. We’re in the comfort of her living room, which doubles as both her workspace and creative headquarters. “It was a different time for sure, a lot of things have changed since then!”
One thing that hasn’t changed is Ladyfag’s talent for creating spaces where people feel seen and welcomed. She’s now the founder of LadyLand, New York’s largest queer music festival and one of the city’s most anticipated Pride celebrations (held this year on 27 June). “I started [LadyLand] because I couldn’t figure out why there were no queer music festivals,” she says. Since launching in 2018, the festival has transformed Brooklyn’s Under the K Bridge Park into a gathering place for queer culture, bringing together some of the biggest names in music, performance and nightlife. With everyone from an early-career Kim Petras to Björk on its line-ups, LadyLand has become a landmark event – and Ladyfag its visionary architect.
In our latest The Way I Work video, we step into Ladyfag’s world and go behind the scenes beneath the K Bridge, where thousands of partygoers will gather this weekend for LadyLand. Keep watching to discover what goes into creating a community built around self-expression – the same energy that drew Ladyfag to New York more than two decades ago, and the same spirit that continues to make her one of the city’s most influential cultural forces...
