Lady Parts Justice Hosting Celebrity Comedy Carnival This Weekend In NYC

grown ass carnival

Someone’s got to stand up for Lady Parts and it may as well be oustpoken comedian, writer and activist Lizz Winstead. Lizz believes in reproductive justice– which means affordable access to birth control, abortion care, and reproductive rights for all women.  Lizz stands by her beliefs 100% and that’s why she formed Lady Parts Justice.  This Sunday, June 14, Lizz and the team at LPJ will be holding their first annual LPJ fundraiser– the Grown Ass Carnival, and an Evening of Sex Stories all taking place in Long Island City at the Creek and the Cave Comedy Club.

“When we launched Lady Parts Justice we did an outreach to the community and said hey we’re trying to do this thing where reproductive justice is a big part of why we get to do what we do,” Lizz told us.  Without birth control, she explained, and access to places like planned parenthood, a lot of women wouldn’t get the opportunities they’ve had in the past few decades. “We’ve been able to have access to birth control, abortion care, shit in general that allow us to get on stage every night and do this stuff and help empower us,” she said.

“In 30 states, if you get raped, and you get pregnant, the rapist could sue for custody if you chose to keep the kid.”

Women of means have access to good care, and good options, and in some states, women who can’t afford the care themselves have access to resources through organizations like Planned Parenthood, but its not the same for everyone. Lizz has become something of an expert in the rights and services available to women across the country, and some of the realities are shocking to hear.  “People don’t realize there are five states in America that only have one clinic for the whole state,” she said, sadly.  “And in 30 states, if you get raped, and you get pregnant, the rapist could sue for custody if you chose to keep the kid.”

Lady Parts Justice wants to do something about these injustices, which means, raising awareness, fighting bad laws, and providing support for the people who do help to provide care to women in need.  As Lizz puts it, LPJ wants to “expose the shitheads” and to be “champions and cheerleaders” for the doctors and people who are already providing care for women.

The idea for a carnival fundraiser came about because Lizz didn’t want a “$500 a plate chicken dinner” that raises cash but not a community.  She wanted to bring all people together and create an event where anyone can get involved, and even small donations help the cause.

“We wanted to figure out a way to raise money for our awareness campaign but also bring people into the fold of what we do.  So we thought, what’s a way to raise some money but also get some of those small donations?”  It was a simple but perfect idea, “Well let’s have a carnival.  It’s five dollars to get in, you can buy tickets, you can have your favorite comedians running all the games.  You can dunk John Fugelsang, maybe play poker with some famous people.” Lizz has reached out to her fabulous comedy friends and there are going to be a lot of great celebrities on hand.  Lizz couldn’t reveal just yet what famous people will be on hand to play poker.  She did share one name with us . We can’t reveal it, but we will say it’s a very big name and you’d love to play poker with this mystery comedy star.

You’ll also see Kathy Najimy will be running some of the carnival rides and Ally Sheedy and Ted Alexandro will be hanging out and helping out.  You’ll be seeing sketch artists, a dunk booth, a poker room, a dirty bingo room, and even massage chairs set up with comedians giving back rubs for charity.  And there’s a lot of prizes!  “We have cool prizes man! Really cool!” Lizz said.  “We have mets tickets, we have spa packages, we have a thing from Mac, really fancy handbag from Olive and something, facials, books, Dan Savage is sending signed books, restaurant certificates, and its fun too.”

After the carnival, the evening panel of sex stories will feature four storyteller guests, including Corinne Fisher of the Guys We F****d podcast, who will share their most hilarious/outrageous/embarrassing sex stories. After each story, there will be a follow-up discussion with Lizz.

It’s on rain or shine, so New Yorkers, come out and visit the carnival. It’s for a great cause and will be a really unique experience. Stay later that night for the evening of Sex Stories, and be a part of a great cause, and a great community.

Remember, “if you incorporate a little bit of activism in your life, there’s really fun ways to do that,” Lizz said.  And this is a great one.

Get more information about Lady Parts Justice and the Grown Ass Carnival at ladypartsjustice.com and creeklic.com.

Can’t make it?  Just donate!! Here’s how and where. There are celebrity prizes galore on the LPJ online fundraiser, and you don’t have to be at the Carnival to enter.  Sarah Silverman, Andy Richter, Ted Allen, Margaret Cho, Brian Unger have all donated prizes, including some very cool one of a kind experiences.  Ted Allen will take you out on the town, go to a show and backstage with Sarah Silverman or Margaret Cho, hang at a LPJ creative meeting, get a Tour of LA with Brian Unger, or win two tickets to Conan and a hang backstage!

 

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