11 January 30 - February 5, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents The Texas Theatre 231 Jefferson Blvd. If you’re a trans devotee to cinema in Dallas, it’s an unfortunate reality that you’re often the only trans or queer person in the room or onscreen. Even independent theaters are bound to house folks adorned in Confeder- ate flag shirts or giving trans patrons that uncomfortable side-eye. The more spe- cialty-oriented Texas Theatre, though, should be any Dallas trans person’s go-to spot for movie-watching. For one thing, the monthly LGBTQIA+ movie series CineWilde brings all kinds of gay cinema and queer audience members to this loca- tion. The Texas Theatre has previously hosted super trans-friendly events like screenings of The People’s Joker, making trans people feel right at home. Enchilada’s 7050 Greenville Ave. Sure, the Gayborhood in Oak Lawn has lots of great food to consume in eateries catering di- rectly to queer folks, but sometimes you just can’t make it to that neighborhood (or find an open table). If you’re trans and looking for an especially yummy Dallas-based display of the sort of Tex-Mex cuisine Texas is famous for, look no further than Enchilada’s on Green- ville Avenue. This destination has endured in Dallas for decades for a reason. The queso is to die for, and the fresh ingredients in dishes like the quesadillas are scrumptious. Enchila- da’s also has an incredibly welcoming envi- ronment devoid of misgendering servers or Peeping-Tom-like spectators. Everyone de- serves tasty Tex-Mex in their lives, and En- chilada’s is an especially great spot to grab it. Crossroads 1924 Greenville Ave. Deep in the bowels of Reddit is testimony from a trans North Texas resident that Crossroads in Lower Greenville has a good track record for welcoming trans custom- ers. For younger trans folks just coming into their identity, this kind of secure desti- nation can be vital. After all, you could use some clothes to reaffirm your identity without shattering your meager finances in the process. Best of all, Crossroads is part of a larger potentially enthralling community. A handful of other internet posts indicate that a significant portion of Lower Green- ville is more trans-inclusive than one might expect. While not a utopia necessarily, Crossroads can get the job done for some affordable shopping. Majestic Theater 1925 Elm St. Sit down and prepare for a shock: The world of plays, stage musicals and theater ... is a little bit gay. While a few enduring ha- vens for LGBTQIA+ souls manifest in many areas in Dallas, an especially intimate and enjoyable place for trans people to experi- ence live performances in peace is the Ma- jestic Theater. A staple of the Dallas stage scene, the Majestic Theater hosts a wide variety of shows brought to life by deeply talented artists performing concerts, com- edy and dance shows. The Majestic is a top-notch place for trans folks to submerge themselves in the glories of theater and support the local arts community — an un- beatable double-whammy. The Trove 320 W. Seventh St. Another go-to place to see drag brunches, The Trove is a bar located in Bishop Arts with an acclaimed, dazzling atmosphere that’s highly welcoming to queer and trans consumers. C’mon, the Dallas Sites listing for this place boasts about “gemstone-themed cocktails”; how much gayer can you get? Even if there isn’t a drag brunch attracting lots of queers to protect trans patrons, trans folks can rest as- sured that The Trove has a good track record with inclusive and pleasing service. Deep Ellum Wine Walk 2647 Main St. Here’s one surprising entry onto the list coming courtesy of an experienced event attendee who had a pleasant gender-reaf- firming experience on the Deep Ellum Wine Walk. Held once a month, this event allows you to bond with other people, ex- plore various nooks and crannies of the glo- rious Deep Ellum neighborhood and, of course, guzzle some wine. This wine walk is occasionally themed to big events like Christmas, lending a special quality to your sight-seeing. Plus, as a wine walk, this is a great way to meet other people you might not have the chance to chat with otherwise. Though it costs money to attend, this could be a prime place for trans folks to socialize in a safe environment. Half-Price Books 5803 E. Northwest Highway A typical bookstore (or any Half-Price Books location) would be ideal for trans folks to de- compress, socialize and surround them- selves with literature. This specific Half-Price Books location is the company’s flagship store and the biggest Half-Price Books in North America. This sprawling store gives shoppers plenty of different kinds of art to explore and some real space from the rest of the world. If you need a break from the Dallas noise, this popular Half-Price Books location has enough breathing room to ensure you’ll get that, even on the store’s busiest days. With Pride pins running rampant on store employees’ lanyards, you’re bound to feel right at home. The Normal Anomaly Initiative 1910 Pacific Ave., Suite 17213 After starting in Houston, The Normal Anomaly Initiative now has a satellite office in Dallas. Described as “Houston’s premiere Black LGBTQ+ organization,” the organiza- tion has several important advocacy and ser- vice programs that can be helpful for Dallas’ trans residents (plus other local queer folks) just trying to make it from one day to the next. Resource Center Community Center 5750 Cedar Springs Road Another mighty welcome place for trans residents to reach out for ordinary every- day emergencies and resources is the Re- source Center Community Center. Along with its essential services helping all folks with HIV/AIDS-related services, the organization’s main site proclaims that the Resource Center also provides “gender- affirming services include assessments, HRT, mental health counseling, clearance letters, social networks and group gather- ings.” Whether you’re looking for informa- tion on how to procure hormone replacement therapy or opportunities to meet other Dallas trans people, this is a vital place to keep in mind. House of Rebirth Black trans women are the targets of most transphobic hate crimes. This alarming sta- tistic makes the existence of House of Re- birth all the more important. According to the organization’s website, House of Re- birth is dedicated to ensuring “culturally competent community, housing, case man- agement, HIV prevention and life-saving resources to hundreds of Black Trans Women.” House of Rebirth also hosts vari- ous social functions that provide opportu- nities for BIPOC Dallas trans folks to mingle and get to know one another. Whether you need opportunities to meet other local trans people or have more ur- gent needs, House of Rebirth is an impor- tant destination to keep in mind. Kathy Tran Thrift City has many sizes and affordable prices with great thrift finds. TICKET GIVEAWAY SCAN HERE TO ENTER TO WIN TICKETS TO AN UPCOMING DALLAS MAVERICKS GAME
