The Five Things Every LGBTQ+ Visitor Should Do in Copenhagen
Written for: Time Out Worldwide
Mizz Privileze, the politically-charged drag queen of Copenhagen, won the hearts and minds of viewers around the world when she took Denmark’s Got Talent by storm in 2019. Since then, the DGT finalist has done everything in her power to use her platform for progressive change, including creating Live and Let Live, a Danish organization responsible for reporting LGBTQ hate crimes to Denmark’s Parliament and Minister of Equality.
It comes as no surprise then that this forward-thinking queen also has an unconventional take on what five things every LGBTQ visitor should do when visiting Copenhagen, especially as the city prepares for hosting WorldPride 2021. As Privileze puts it, “You’ll not find this Top 5 on TripAdvisor.” Let’s take a trip off the beaten Studiestræde (Copenhagen’s gay neighborhood).
Culture: Gay House (Bøssehave in Danish)
2021 marks “the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Gay Liberation Front in Copenhagen, Denmark. [The GLF was the organization] who marched after Stonewall [in New York City] in 1971. Then, that same year, they created the Gay House in Christiania, Copenhagen as a culture house for events and big summer parties. [And although] it’s called Gay-House, it’s super queer featuring all identities of the rainbow.”
History: Ørsted Park (Ørstedsparken in Danish)
“If you look back at this park’s history, there’s more than 150 years of written [record about] the men who met there to cruise, and people still meet [all these] years later… So I mention this for two reasons. First, it's a way of acknowledging the [park as a] landmark; just go for a walk and think about the history. And, two, I’m not necessarily recommending this, but if you want, you can take a hint and still go there at night,” (she adds with a wink).
Drag: Drag Night 2021
Taking place on August 20th, “this is one of the world’s biggest drag shows. [Normally], the venue can hold up to 30,000 people outside, and it’s always full. But due to COVID-19, we have to think differently. This year, it’s going to be a free show with a capacity of 3,500 at [the K.B. Hallen] concert hall. It's going to be hours of all things drag: non-binary, trans, men, women, everyone participating in drag. It's the crème de la crème, and, of course, I’m performing! My performance at Drag Night will be very political.
Gathering: WorldPride Square & Rainbow Square
“If you don’t know where to go or what to do, go to WorldPride Square at the Town Hall. It’s a huge festival in the middle of the city that holds LGBTQ debates and cultural events every single day. You can meet up with friends, sit in on a debate and meet new people, or see a free concert at night. [And right] next to it is Rainbow Square where Copenhagen permanently put up a rainbow flag.
Activism: The Workers Museum, “Aktivist” Exhibition
“If I were to [plug] myself,” another wink, “there's an exhibition about activism in Denmark at The Workers Museum [highlighting] 30 activists throughout Danish history. I'm doing Danish and English guided tours during World Pride about my activism and about what queer activism means in Danish context. Why do we need Pride in Denmark?”
8/17/21
