A man died this weekend after attending an unofficial Atlanta Pride event, one of several parties held in the city this weekend that videos showed to be packed full of hundreds of revelers, apparently defying social distancing and mask wearing recommendations.
Reportedly the result of a drug overdose, the death occurred early on Sunday morning after authorities found the victim unconscious on the basement floor of BJ Rooster’s, a prominent gay Atlanta nightclub. He was taken to Piedmont Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. According to the man’s partner, the victim had consumed ecstasy beforehand.
The news came after clips of a series of Atlanta parties surfaced on social media throughout the weekend, several showing visibly packed venues and maskless dancers in close quarters. Observers were quick to comment on the danger of the situation, and the scenes sparked swift outrage against promoters responsible for the events, including GA Boy Events and promoter Keith Allen Young. Young was not available for a comment when reached by them.
The former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Detox, who was scheduled to perform at one party at the Atlanta nightclub District, tweeted that the event would be held with “limited capacity,” with “sanctioned areas” on the dance floor for dancing. Following the backlash online, the Atlanta Pride Twitter account released a statement making it clear that all official Pride activities were held virtually this year, implying that these events were not connected to the city’s official Pride organization.
With early in-person voting starting up in Georgia this week, citizens have reason to be concerned about community spread of COVID-19. At polling places, long lines, unprecedented wait times, and voting booth glitches have already forced voters to stand in close quarters for hours at a time. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who has been criticized for his lax approach to mask mandates, only recently strengthened policies for mask-wearing with substantial limits and loopholes.
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