How do Atheists Spend Easter Weekend


Several Easter weekends in recent years I've been visiting family in Providence, RI. Providence is almost like a foreign country on that particular weekend. The city and state have a history going back to their founding of pushing back against orthodox versions of Christianity. Today the state polls as the least Christian in the U.S. Walking around the city on Easter weekend was like any other spring weekend. Hip coffee shops and stores are open, various weekend fundraiser events are held in parks and people enjoying themselves. With a population of over a million people there are, of course, churches holding Easter services. 

This year we are spending the weekend at home in Des Moines, IA. While the percentage of Christians is higher than that of Rhode Island, there are plenty of non-believers who ignore the religious aspects of Easter or maybe don't even know about them. I enjoyed taking part in two events which were as far from the orthodox view of Easter as one could possibly be. 

On Good Friday evening, I attended a community theater presentation of the musical Kinky Boots. Kinky Boots is based on a somewhat true story of a small shoe manufacturing company in England which was going broke. To save the firm, the very traditional owner decided to try making boots for drag performers. He and his straight employees had to learn about the gay world, drag performing and the results produced a hugely successful movie and stage musical comedy. 

There was lots of drag performing in the show and the audience included plenty of children with parents. It was amusing to think of the politicians and preachers shaking their fingers at the children watching drag. The Good Friday performance was an "add on" after the show dates were scheduled to end. It was sold out. Even in the stead Middlewest not everyone goes to church on Good Friday. 

On the Saturday morning of Easter weekend I attended a drag show. It is held many Saturdays and is sold out well in advance. It is called "Drag Brunch." One of Des Moines three gay bars has a stage for drag performances and this one combines drag with brunch. The show included interviews with a few people in the audience. Today, each was asked, "What is your favorite thing about Easter?" The answers were "chocolate bunnies," "after Easter sales of chocolate," and "Spring flowers." No one mentioned the religious reason for the holiday.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Easter weekend as much as I am.

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