Still, tensions with law officials ran high. During Carnival season, lavish parades and balls thrown by social organizations known as “krewes” provided the perfect excuse for the queer community to get together and dance, at a time when doing so was still very much illegal.
Mardi Gras was the one day out of the year when cross-dressing in public was tolerated by police. What they may not know, is how Mardi Gras historically served as a critical outlet for self-expression - and political resistance - for the city’s LGBTQ community. Every year, tourists swarming the Crescent City for Mardi Gras know to expect a raucous party, over-the-top costumes, and a whooole bunch of beads.
