Protect The Dolls: Cherry Lee's guide to queer-friendly DIY parties in LA

Born and raised in Los Angeles — a city famed as the entertainment capital of the world, both a cultural hub and place of rampant indulgence — artist Cherry Lee knows her way around a party. As both a dancer and a DJ, she's a regular at queer-led events in the LA underground, such as Daytrip and A Club Called Rhonda.

Last year, inspired by her lived experiences in this scene, Lee started Club Chérie, an event series and “playground for the darlings” that champions dancefloor liberation. Graced by the likes of Hannah Diamond and X-Coast, the events have quickly cemented themselves as an essential of LA partydom.

Beyond Club Chérie, Lee’s talents extend into making infectious club music, which the recent release of her debut EP, the playfully titled ‘Popped’, proves. Landing via femme-focused imprint SOS Music (Sisters Of Sound), Lee produces three tracks which serve as a celebration of queer culture. "We’re absolutely thrilled to release Cherry’s debut EP on SOS Music," say founders Maddy Maia and Tottie. "She really embodies everything that this label is about; cutting-edge, emerging electronic talent who represents a shift in the Los Angeles underground culture towards more esoteric and diverse voices,"

In lead single ‘Marsha’s Rocknroll’, Lee samples the poetry of trans icon and activist Marsha P. Johnson within a Detroit-style techno production, while the EP is adorned with vibrant artwork depicting Johnson, made by dollhousefire. It's a driving tribute to the interconnectedness of freedom, liberation and the roots of electronic music. "With the state of our world, it’s more important than ever to rock 'n' roll the way Marsha would have in the face of adversity,” says Lee, who throws wild guitar licks into the four-to-the-floor pulse. '11:11 (ft. Kittamami)' is a housier cut with positive ideation flowing through it, while closing 'FEIXIA (call ur grandma)' vulnerably channels grief into an emotionally impactful club heater.

As much as these tracks deal with introspection and historical subtext, Lee’s music is made for the dancefloor. So, as a curator of a good time, who better than Lee to suggest six queer-friendly parties to hit up in LA.

“These six events provide a glimpse into the electronic music scene in LA where trans, non-binary and queer people can find a community where not only are they safe to freely be themselves, but they are actively celebrated and uplifted,” says Lee.

“A Club Called Rhonda is a fiercely independent club community founded in 2008 by Gregory Alexander and Loren Granich, a pair of close friends craving the right melange of people and music in the city of Los Angeles, inspired by storied meccas of the club world like The Loft, Paradise Garage, Area, The Limelight and Studio 54. Rhonda has always prided itself on being a diverse and enveloping experience where people from all backgrounds can come together to explore themselves, each other, and the wide array of dance music that calls us in to one, unified dancefloor. It is not a straight party, it is not a gay party, it is all that and everything else there is to be, while always evolving to welcome fresh perspectives and expressions. Rhonda has grown from a mere idea with humble roots to a globally respected brand within the nightlife community, traveling internationally to share their brand of pansensuality and intersectional celebration with all those who seek freedom on the dancefloor. Having collaborated with Lightning in a Bottle, Just Like Heaven Fest, and James Blake and Matte Projects for the CMYK club experience, the uniquely Rhonda energy permeates when their DJs and dancers take the stage.”

“DJs Heidi Lawden and Masha Mar take it outside for their summer party series as the day becomes night, and for the events in the night, the fun continues at LA’s unique and iconic venues. Together, Heidi and Masha have a collective background spanning over a decade in party-throwing and maintaining safe spaces within them in Los Angeles; Heidi’s further past saw her doing the same in London. Take It Outside’s magic comes from its people — from the fabulous dancers on stage to the beautiful crowd on the dancefloor — and you’ll always see members of the LGBTQ+ community gracing the stage as Heidi and Masha’s whole ethos is to uplift fellow femmes and queer people.”

“Heav3n isn’t really your average underground or electronic music party — it’s more of a variety show that sprinkles live music acts, drag performances, and other outrageous stunts in between the DJ sets. And it’s 18+ instead of the usual 21+ age requirement, so the Heav3n crowd skews younger but they’re generally more well behaved than, say, the younger party crowd in Hollywood, since Heav3n attendees are intentionally there for the art and culture. It’s for this reason this party was started in the first place by trans non-binary icon Lulo, to create a safe space for the avant-garde club kids. Heav3n deserves an honorable mention in this list for specifically pushing the hyperpop genre, an amalgamation of genres, having hosted the late trailblazer SOPHIE many times (SOPHIE’s 2020 mix “HEAV3N SUSPENDED” was named after this party).”

“Fixture is a new series from Factory 93 that champions underground culture by spotlighting the artists, organizers, and communities shaping the future of nightlife. Rooted in collaboration and community, Fixture breaks from mainstream trends by inviting local and global innovators — especially queer forward creatives — who have long fueled club culture from the ground up, seeking to honor the past, present and future of the underground. With backing from the festival titan Insomniac, the Fixture project is spearheaded by Kyle Gilhuys and Reva Yahya, who are part of and supporters of the LGBTQ community, frequent the LA underground scene, and consistently create safe spaces and opportunities for the trans community.”

“Transcendent was born out of a transfemme perspective on the LA rave scene. You can always find a doll at a rave vibing out or DJing, but a space by the dolls, for the dolls, within the rave scene was lacking. Run by Kitty Logic and her self-described team of “strong dykes,” this is one of the very few events actually led by someone trans (underground events in LA are costly as they are built from the ground up–sound, lighting, etc all have to be brought in — and when the trans community face a disproportionate level of financial hardship or are in survival mode, you only get a very few number of events that are led by us). You can find every ethos of queer joy through soundsystem culture at Transcendent: hypnotizing acid lines and body rumbling bass to unwind the flesh and leave the mind in trance eternal, connection you can find only at raves, not at gay bars nor corporate pride events but with all the queers of the night.”

“Club Chérie was founded in 2024 by yours truly, in response to creating a space in the queer warehouse party scene where oftentimes the white muscle gays seem to be prioritized over the queer, femme, and POC partygoers. At Club Chérie, everyone is celebrated and no one is judged in the dark room whether you’re a muscle gay, demon twink, femme or butch lesbian, straight-bicurious, cis, trans, non-binary, man or woman, all are welcome to dance, explore, and experience the feeling of love and community on the dancefloor. The dolls grace the platforms alongside nearly naked male dancers in their cowboy attire, guiding the crowd to let themselves go to the beat and displaying the ethos of the party, that when masculinity and femininity come together to play, the real fun begins.”

'Popped' is out now, check it here

Finn Cliff Hodges is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Instagram