You Won’t Believe How Mardi Gras Saved LGBTQ Lives in New Orleans

Mardi Gras, the annual celebration of indulgence and excess before Lent, has also been a rare opportunity for LGBTQ people in New Orleans to express themselves freely. Through costumes, balls, and parades, LGBTQ communities have subverted traditional norms and created spaces of solidarity and pride in the face of discrimination and death. This article explores how Mardi Gras traditions helped LGBTQ New Orleans thrive.