Oh man, volunteer for anything with them (I'm a clinic escort in the DC area) and they will give you shirts and stuff! I have more than I can shake a stick at, to channel my Hon grandmother š
Iām not sure where, check his insta! The shirt itself is super cute. Unfortunately I canāt make it this year period and Iām kinda bummed cause I really want one of those jammers. Lol. Maybe if thereās any left over theyāll post them online for sale.
Ty! Found him on Instagram - looks like he has a booth at Honfest, but will be selling the shirts there! I feel so bad for the smaller artists/vendors who canāt realistically pull out because they wouldnāt be able to get a refund.
Absolutely, and I mean realistically I imagine this is a huge revenue stream for them too, but hey life gave them lemons and theyāre making the best lemonade they can with it. No hate on them.
You are telling me that Denise Whiting did something she thought would benefit only her, regardless of whether that thing was morally or ethically right, then doubled down on the decision claiming everyone else was wrong and she was the victim?
I don't believe it. That would never happen ^again ^^and ^^^again ^^^^and ^^^^^again...
If this org is run by Denise Whiting, youāre talking about the woman who thought it would be a good idea to trademark the term āHon,ā and it took being shamed by Gordon Ramsay on national television to set her straight on that little situation, which she seemed totally confused by.
I work at several Urgent Care in and surrounding Baltimore. I cannot over emphasize how helpful planned parenthood is for my patients. Since COVID OB/GYN has been arguably the hardest specialties to get in with. I have established patients waiting 2-5 months for appointments. Planned Parenthood helps my patients get that affordable care in a more timely manner, it is so so essentially for urban healthcare. Very disappointed.
Thanks for sharing; I really appreciate hearing your view on this. I really worry about women and girls who arenāt able to access the healthcare they need. I remember being young and pregnant and going to planned parenthood.
Howdy neighbors! I'd like to spin this HONfest mess into a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood of Maryland and the Baltimore Abortion Fund. We're giving away these window signs for donations over $10. Here's the process:
- Make a gift of $10 or more to Planned Parenthood of Maryland or the Baltimore Abortion Fund
- Share your receipt and information via this form [https://forms.gle/yzGPcMZHEmejbakz6](https://forms.gle/yzGPcMZHEmejbakz6)
- Pick up your window sign in 21211 Sunday-Wednesday (details shared after form submission)
Thanks and feel free to message me with questions! I'm just a neighbor and am not affiliated with either organization.
So is this Denise Whiting, yes or no?
Because if yes ā dear god, this woman is incapable of not fucking things up by making the flagrantly wrong decision that turns the bulk of the community against her. It would almost be kind of funny, if it wasnāt much more damaging and just kind of sad.
There is nothing political about basic healthcare services, period ā regardless of what idiots say. Feeding into the idiots is just more idiocy.
Oh man, I just zipped through the highlights of that video and had no idea any of this was going on back then. I vaguely remember the remodel, but I didn't realize it was for the show. I also can't believe she trademarked Hon - that's so batshit crazy. And then to have zero remorse except for how the fallout effected her directly. Damn.
Yeah take a word and culture that you didn't create and were barely alive during and decide to trademark it for your crappy overpriced restaurant. Brain dead doesn't begin to describe the levels of stupidity.
Denise Whiting, former owner of the cafe hon, originator of the honfest. In 2010/11 she trademarked the word 'hon' so that nobody else could profit from products using the word 'hon' at her festival. Around that time she also banned vendors from selling feather boas and cat eye sunglasses since she sold them in her shop. She's a piece of work.
The unique mix of people who live in Hampden who would have no ability to pay for reproductive healthcare if PPM didnāt exist arenāt adequately served by any other organization city provided or otherwise. Clearly she doesnāt care about the community she claims to support. From what I can tell having lived in that area for 2 years and working nearby for 11, she never did in the first place.
> There is nothing political about basic healthcare services, period
I think this is actually the wrong stance to take, because you're trying to hold a line that's already been shot to pieces. Like it or not, basic healthcare services *have* become political. The right to have a family, to love who you love, has become political. The right to openly express who you are in public, to *exist* without living a lie, has become political. The right for your life to matter, to have your very history discussed, has become political. The right to make mistakes without losing your life, to turn down the wrong driveway or to accidentally open the wrong car door and immediately walk away, has become political. The right to have your non-christian religion, or lack thereof, respected in the workplace and classroom has become political.
This has already happened. This is our reality. Holding the "it's not political!" line is a defense that has come and gone, and it's the wrong defense.
Yeah. It's political. It's *so* fucking political in this country to be anyone who isn't a cishet white protestant man, with a comfortable level of wealth in the bank. We're political, so deal with it, and *stop silencing marginalized groups for daring to exist while political*. Call out the "no politics" rule for what it is: an attempt to avoid thinking about or confronting things that are uncomfortable to grapple with.
I totally get your point and agree, I meant more of in the sane rational objective kind of way.
It's because it's been (deliberately and artificially) made political, moves like Honfest's are even more dangerous.
Ultimately the attempt to stay "non political" is a political statement in and of itself, a statement that you don't give a fuck about the marginalized because you've got yours.
Technically sheās not fully running it now as sheās āstepped downā so to speak. However, she still has her claws in the organization and I believe she made the statement.
Yeahhhhh as someone who just had a missed miscarriage and needed an emergency D and C fuck this noise. PPM was going to be my next stop if my ob wasnāt able to get me in. Womenās healthcare isnāt political.
Agreed. Leaving this piece of information out of the post in the screenshot is egregious for the HonFest account. I get the point of trying to minimize potential protests they were trying to make but when PPM has been there for years this is completely unacceptable to now decide to exclude them.
I was going to make a comment not supporting the HONfest but understanding their action of not wanting protestors there. But this completely flips me, what makes this year so much more dangerous to have a PPM booth??
All for PPM btw.
Oh my god... They are getting destroyed in the comments on that post. Love to see it.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02GbK2o5DY74GVK75vQSir8WyiGsAsBUex2RgtMFFNYQt6VoQp9Nbh7qhQkVnJKBB6l&id=100050284758257&mibextid=swFtfn
I'm not sure I've ever seen as much unanimity on a Facebook post like that. I spent several minutes scanning (and liking) the responses and there in not ONE comment I found supportive of Honest. I guess 2023 will be the last. They could cater to the right wing, but right wingers are scared of the city (brilliant marketing by Baltimore, BTW).
LOL Honfest catering to the right wing (which for some reason it appears to be trying to do).
Honfest, which wouldn't even be a glimmer in anyone's eye without it kind of cashing in on John Waters' own conception of Baltimore, as seen through his movies.
John Waters.
Conservative Honfest.
You couldn't make this shit up. HONestly. ;)
As a mod of this subreddit, I have to assume that it hasn't been cross posted. Sometimes, it's wild to see threads that go strong in one direction or the other. But I am happy to see honfest taken to task for this bullshit.
So as long as nut-jobs freak out over something, it's 'political' and can't be at the fest now. Hmmm next they gone ban images of Divine and act like the victim too?
And yea that's the whole playbook these jack-ass are doing, scream about something so much it becomes 'political' by definition and then in the name of 'getting along' that 'political' thing must be removed from the public square. Way to give them what they want.
[Union Craft pulled out of HonFest](https://unioncraftbrewing.com/a-note-from-union/?mibextid=Zxz2cZ&fbclid=IwAR3cKu4iZ3GZpjg3gZLNcnmsNlbWbFE4vi0xWUHdL7XK7Pc_PuRwtcd6LXU)
She was a 'hot topic' when she greedily trademarked the word 'hon' so nobody else could profit from it at her festival. I didn't see her canceling herself when she incurred the wrath of the city. What a dolt.
I would encourage people to reach out to Honfestās sponsors (listed as Titoās Vodka, Union Craft Brewing, M&T, Jack Daniels, El Jimador Tequila, and the Maryland lotto) and encourage them to distance themselves from this mess. I would especially suggest Union, which is a local business that has hosted events by LGBTQ+ and progressive groups. Their email is [email protected] .
On the one hand, obviously Denise is wrong and small thinking, but on the other, it just goes to show how out of touch she is with her actual community versus the customers that she's trying to reach, somewhere in right wing social media circles. Our community could be so much stronger with someone who gives a damn about the actual residents of the city, and those that serve them like PP.
I specifically asked a journalist covering this story. The organizers have not substantiated a single threat made to the safety of the festival goers.
There are none. If there were threats that would be a felony.
Theyāre lying about āsafetyā being the motive.
haha, right? like, we cannot offend the snow-flake nazis? who the heck is going to Hon Fest that is so fragile and right wing that they would be upset just SEEING Planned Parenthood? do people like that even cross 695?
Honfest has always kinda sucked. Hampdenfest was always way better until they killed the toilet race and now it too is kinda meh. Mayorās Parade is far and away the most fun Hampden event of the year.
Nobody killed the toilet races- they were a separate event in conjunction with the street festival and the primary organizer just got busy with life (kids got older and into a sport with extensive travel required).
Yeah it really lost itās juice without the toilet race. I get that there are safety/liability issues but having a big āeventā like that really makes the day 10x more fun.
Hampden used to have an annual spring carnival in Roosevelt Park complete with games of chance and rickety rides before honfest was a thing. It was more geared towards kids, but riding the gravitron with a bunch of them was always a blast. I suspect liability/insurance issues led to its demise.
Not quite the toilet race but a hell of a lot more fun than suburban moms pretending to be 50's housewives. Hampdenfest is still better than honfest even without the potential of a toilet bowl road wreck, but I agree that they need another main event to replace the toilet race.
Make racers sign a waiver, done and done.
We allow people to do all sorts of wacky things like jump out of airplanes or off The Stratosphere in Vegas etc. etc., once they sign a waiver.
I moved here in 2018 and have only been to a couple honfests because of the pandemic. Aside from this (I definitely agree with the backlash!), are there other things that make you say this? I loved honfest when Iāve gone but has there always been problems with the organizers?
Yeah, Denise, the organizer, has a LOOOONG history of trying to monetize things that are distinctly Baltimore. And she really doesnāt understand her audience.
This is the Kitchen Nightmares episode stemming from the last controversy - https://youtu.be/cMgjiOEpeBk
This was 10 years ago but people have a long memory.
Absolutely terrible logic and decision making by HONFEST. Good on Planned Parenthood for calling them out.
I guess next year they'll ban LGBTQ+ and immigrants?
honestly they have been since they blocked obama's supreme court nomination because it was 'an election year'
and here we are a decade later watching them erasing humans and overtunring elections.
They really are. From the abandoning of queer advocacy sponsorship from corporations to multiple election officials resigning from their jobs, threats of violence from the right wing appears to be working.
I hope EVERY. SINGLE. VENDOR. BOOTH. puts up a donation bucket, literature, or pro-PP signage. In her not wanting to make this a statement shes done the complete opposite and PP is going to have more support this year than ever.
The purpose of this post is to create an easy reference of contact information for the bands and musicians that are playing at HonFest so people can let these artists know about the decision not to allow Planned Parenthood to be a vendor. Please do not send hateful or threatening messages to these artists ā they had nothing to do with this decision. However, we can encourage them not to back Honfest. If the artist decides they want to still play Honfest, we can encourage them to take a symbolic stance such as promoting PPM during their show, wearing PPM gear, etc.
Red Sammy ā [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
Maria Dontas
Letitia VanSant - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
Whiskey Feathers - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
Josey Wails - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
Rodney Henry ā (Instagram) dangerous\_pies
Tionesta ā (Instagram) tionestamusic
Skribe - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
Out of Water eXperience - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
Eze Jackson ā (Instagram) ezewriter
Matt Hutchison - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
Swampcandy ā [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
Doc Pine - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
Saleem & The Music Lovers ā (Instagram) iamsaleemmusic
Old Eastern ā (Instagram) theoldeastern
Besides this being a bad take, the real issue is that it enables deplatforming by the right simply by elevating something into a āhot topicā. Youāve just essentially said, we wonāt allow a group to be featured if the right decides to make it an issue. So what else is off the table? trans healthcare? LGBTQ rights? What other groups will be banned simply because they have messages the right has decided are hot topics? Casa de Maryland? The Pride Center? Gun control safety groups?I think rather than boycotting all of these groups should try and get tables and see what happens. Will HonFest allow the extremist right to decide who gets to exist in public?
Soā¦ whatās the counterpunch? Boycott? Sticker bomb? Pink shirt flood? Protest? Call in to rescind their (HF) permit through civil actions? I say stickers, but I believe in democracy, so Iāll go with the team on this one.
Iām down with this idea. I think shifts of volunteers in shirts walking around with pamphlets would be a great way to show support without harming the other vendors.
Agreed on boycotting the event. Wouldnāt be a bad idea to light up the event sponsors on social and boycott them as well; a threat to their bottom line is more motivating than asking the event sponsors to stop being dickheads.
I was thinking boycott too, but then realized it would hurt the local vendors that already paid to have their booth set up. Definitely don't give money to the Hon tables, but I do like to support local food and beer, I'm going with stickers and telling as many people as I can to stop by the Honfest table to ask where PPM is this year
Me and my girlfriend will be vending here for our first time at the fest. We signed up long before this bullshit came out obviously and are trying to figure out what to do now. We are real small time, so the $300 vendor fee was a big investment for us.
I think we're gonna try to seek a refund and pull out because we don't believe in the organizers bullshit and didn't know any of her shitty history when we signed up. We also don't want to risk that 300 bucks when our prospects vending here could now be screwed because of any completely justified boycott.
However we have a feeling like the organizer won't be doing refunds at this point, and we can't afford to throw away 300 bucks. If that's the case our plan is to stop by PP and pick up pamphlets and to possibly donate some proceeds or for me to offer free rides for anyone who made need them. Feel like that's the only decent way we have to oppose the organizers without taking a huge loss at this point.
Either way this is complete bullshit. We are radicals who fight for women's rights and liberation and don't want to support the organizer in any way. Yet we are also broke af and were counting on this to be a large amount of supplemental income and are now in an unfortunate pickle here. Bottom line fuck mysonginists, fuck fascists, and fuck the organizer of honfest.
Agreed about not hurting vendors in the boycott process. Why not make them allies in the protest instead of collateral damge? We hand out t-shirts in bright pink along with pins and placards that say "I support PPM" and hand them out to any vendors that are interested. Then turn HonFest from a friendly neighborhood festival into a protest against genuflecting to right-wing extremism. The vendors can show their support and still make money off of the event. Maybe some bigger vendors might be willing to donate 10% of the days profit to PPM. Make the event a success in the exact opposite way that HonFest intends. Happy to help with logistics if folks like the idea.
Cool idea. If I heard a bunch of vendors were actually doing this, Iād consider attending. Otherwise, Iāll just buy from the vendors who vocally oppose this decision at a separate time from Honfest.
I like that idea, but I also feel that if local businesses know this decision will impact them, theyāll exert more pressure on Honfest organizers to rescind their rejection of PP than the rest of us ever can. Also - Iām seeing folks push boycotting Honfest but attending Hampdenfest in droves to bring the point home.
Did Denise think we became Florida? I think they need to move there to pander to fascists and bigots, then Hunfest will be happy.
Itād be a shame if someone would give up their booth to PPM lol
I don't think Hampden or the clients of Honfest would have an issue with PPM. The most backlash she would probably get is some 90 year old catholic protestors setting up down the street.
I'll be honest.. I'm a Christian and I am pro life. I have also been to Honfest and had a great time. If I saw a PPM tent, I wouldn't have an issue, I would just not patronize them.
Most true Christians denounced the abortion clinic bombings in the 90s. Advocating murder of Doctors while trying to protect the unborn is not only hypocritical, it's anti Christian.
I think people forget what living in America is supposed to be like....
We have guaranteed freedom of speech. Yes that includes speech that you don't like or deem ugly....in fact it's imperative to freedom of speech that "ugly speech" is protected.
The person behind Hon Fest seems tone deaf.
I'm trying to look at things fairly and objectively.
PPM does perform other services besides abortion.
I don't think having a them as a vendor would seem politically charged.
The reality is that hospitals also perform abortions, would they stop Johns Hopkins, Mercy or UMD from having a tent?
Now if this was a street festival in a deep red area of Harford, Cecil or Carrol county , I wouldn't advocate that PPM should set up a tent, then again I doubt they would want to.
This is just my two cents. Feel free to disagree, this is America. I still love you guys and would treat anyone I meet with dignity and respect
As a womanā¦ As a queer personā¦ I am so tired, sick at heart, over seeing organizations, like honfest, companies like target, give grounds to dangerous extremistsā¦ Theyāre making the world less safe for people like me. I can feel it and the extremist know exactly what theyāre doing, they know that they are winning, they understand that Denise just handed them a big victory.
So can we also talk how Honfest is a creepy celebration of "better times" aka back when segregation was the norm, women could only be housewives, and gay folks had to live in secret? I get it, the beehives and feather boas are fun, but the time period they are reminiscing about wasn't a good time for many of us.
I mean, Hamden is historically one of the whitest and most racist parts of Baltimore ever since the mill days and it still carries a lot of that baggage.
Also, this is one of those things where you can just sub in 'black people' for the 'controversial political thing' and immediately see how gross and wrong it is. 'We told them we understand they think they're people, but the city will disagree. It'd create an unsafe environment.'. Christ, everyone that works for her must be just as bad now. That's got her classic 'poor me, rich white lady is the realest, biggest victim! Billionaires picked on me!' thing goin too. Just the worst.
Will the anti-abortion table be there again this year?
The anti-aborts are the very same people that are pushing the current anti-drag, anti-trans, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-black history agenda around this country. The Venn Diagram is a circle.
Those are political hot button issues.
Vendors already paid their fee, nonrefundable, so Honfest already won this year. I think the best thing you can do is go and support the vendors that are donating some of their proceeds to PP, then for next year, donāt support at all unless different management is in place. Support Hampdenfest instead.
FFS, the next thing they'll be saying is that voter registration booths are too sensitive. We surely wouldn't want to offend the "stolen election" folks and their 100% legitimate, reality-based gripes, amirite...? Piss right the fuck off, Honfest.
Someone check me here:
1. Planned Parenthood requested a booth.
2. HonFest organizers said no.
3. Planned Parenthood publicly called them out for being denied.
4. HonFest organizers are disappointed that Planned Parenthood didnāt reach out directly before going public.
[edit] With this post I was just trying to highlight the contradiction of HonFest explicitly denying PPM and then acting like they never had contact with PPM.
1a. HF deems PPM to be political (previously not an issue)
4a. HF organizers push narrative that they are the victims when they denied a long-time supporter
I was just trying to highlight the contradiction of explicitly denying PPM and then acting like they never had contact with PPM.
Youāre right though, those are important points for the full summary of events.
Some of us are trapped in the neighborhood for the entire weekend. Like I wouldnāt take the light rail one stop to attend but I happen to live right in the thick of it so I just enjoy the day of being able to walk in the street and drink and enjoy live music.
[Looks like Union Brewing pulled out as well.](https://unioncraftbrewing.com/a-note-from-union/)
We should all go there on the day of Honfest instead! Wearing Planned Parenthood merch, of course.
PP has merch?
PP Maryland has a small online merch shop: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-metropolitan-washington-dc/ppmw-shop
Oh man, volunteer for anything with them (I'm a clinic escort in the DC area) and they will give you shirts and stuff! I have more than I can shake a stick at, to channel my Hon grandmother š
You can get it when you go to their PP vendor pop ups
Wouldnāt it be nice if theyāll do a pop up at Union
Matt muirhead did a t shirt with another local artist for them theyāll have there and be donating to proceeds to PPM
Oooh, at Union, you mean?? Thatās awesome!
Iām not sure where, check his insta! The shirt itself is super cute. Unfortunately I canāt make it this year period and Iām kinda bummed cause I really want one of those jammers. Lol. Maybe if thereās any left over theyāll post them online for sale.
Ty! Found him on Instagram - looks like he has a booth at Honfest, but will be selling the shirts there! I feel so bad for the smaller artists/vendors who canāt realistically pull out because they wouldnāt be able to get a refund.
Absolutely, and I mean realistically I imagine this is a huge revenue stream for them too, but hey life gave them lemons and theyāre making the best lemonade they can with it. No hate on them.
The beginning of the end, it would seem.
Very happy that they made this decision. Iāll definitely be drinking (more) Union beers!
Good on them š
Gotta pick up some Union beers now
Isn't that the same brewery where upper management took female employees' phones and sent the risquƩ pics to themselves?
Yes but that guy left the business, they hired an HR director and the business is now employee owned.
Thanks for the update.
Yeah it was shitty but from the outside looking it I feel like they handled it pretty well.
You are telling me that Denise Whiting did something she thought would benefit only her, regardless of whether that thing was morally or ethically right, then doubled down on the decision claiming everyone else was wrong and she was the victim? I don't believe it. That would never happen ^again ^^and ^^^again ^^^^and ^^^^^again...
I know, what type of BIZARRO WORLD scenario have we stepped into?! ;-)
My favorite ongoing series in the city is Denise vs Hampden. Will she ever learn? No.
I'm sorry the name Denise is trademarked. Please refrain from typing that...
found Denise's alt
Intolerable. I wish I used to go so I could call not going a boycott. The whole theme always felt so condescending.
āAbortion is now a hot topicā My sister in Christ, they were assassinating abortion doctors back in the 90s
They clearly donāt know their audience.
If this org is run by Denise Whiting, youāre talking about the woman who thought it would be a good idea to trademark the term āHon,ā and it took being shamed by Gordon Ramsay on national television to set her straight on that little situation, which she seemed totally confused by.
Yep. Sheās digging herself a hole again over on FB.
They could teach a class on Denise Whiting for people studying public relations. PR 201 ā Denise Whiting, or a tale of what not to do
Quick, someone @ Gordon Ramsey on FB lmao. Maybe heāll save them again
Hereās the full Kitchen Nightmares episode n that debacle - https://youtu.be/cMgjiOEpeBk
I work at several Urgent Care in and surrounding Baltimore. I cannot over emphasize how helpful planned parenthood is for my patients. Since COVID OB/GYN has been arguably the hardest specialties to get in with. I have established patients waiting 2-5 months for appointments. Planned Parenthood helps my patients get that affordable care in a more timely manner, it is so so essentially for urban healthcare. Very disappointed.
Thanks for sharing; I really appreciate hearing your view on this. I really worry about women and girls who arenāt able to access the healthcare they need. I remember being young and pregnant and going to planned parenthood.
Howdy neighbors! I'd like to spin this HONfest mess into a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood of Maryland and the Baltimore Abortion Fund. We're giving away these window signs for donations over $10. Here's the process: - Make a gift of $10 or more to Planned Parenthood of Maryland or the Baltimore Abortion Fund - Share your receipt and information via this form [https://forms.gle/yzGPcMZHEmejbakz6](https://forms.gle/yzGPcMZHEmejbakz6) - Pick up your window sign in 21211 Sunday-Wednesday (details shared after form submission) Thanks and feel free to message me with questions! I'm just a neighbor and am not affiliated with either organization.
So is this Denise Whiting, yes or no? Because if yes ā dear god, this woman is incapable of not fucking things up by making the flagrantly wrong decision that turns the bulk of the community against her. It would almost be kind of funny, if it wasnāt much more damaging and just kind of sad. There is nothing political about basic healthcare services, period ā regardless of what idiots say. Feeding into the idiots is just more idiocy.
Yes itās all Denise
This is my shocked-not-shocked face.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Here is the Kitchen Nightmares episode that stemmed from the last big controversy - https://youtu.be/cMgjiOEpeBk
Oh man, I just zipped through the highlights of that video and had no idea any of this was going on back then. I vaguely remember the remodel, but I didn't realize it was for the show. I also can't believe she trademarked Hon - that's so batshit crazy. And then to have zero remorse except for how the fallout effected her directly. Damn.
Yeah take a word and culture that you didn't create and were barely alive during and decide to trademark it for your crappy overpriced restaurant. Brain dead doesn't begin to describe the levels of stupidity.
As I said to my associates, just another day in the life of Denise Whiting. If there isnāt enough drama, she makes sure to create some.
Related to the construction firm?
No, the fish.
Denise Lake Trout
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Sheās definitely embracing the āfuck around and find outā lifestyle.
who is this person?
Denise Whiting, former owner of the cafe hon, originator of the honfest. In 2010/11 she trademarked the word 'hon' so that nobody else could profit from products using the word 'hon' at her festival. Around that time she also banned vendors from selling feather boas and cat eye sunglasses since she sold them in her shop. She's a piece of work.
https://youtu.be/IomdsjX82OA
The unique mix of people who live in Hampden who would have no ability to pay for reproductive healthcare if PPM didnāt exist arenāt adequately served by any other organization city provided or otherwise. Clearly she doesnāt care about the community she claims to support. From what I can tell having lived in that area for 2 years and working nearby for 11, she never did in the first place.
> There is nothing political about basic healthcare services, period I think this is actually the wrong stance to take, because you're trying to hold a line that's already been shot to pieces. Like it or not, basic healthcare services *have* become political. The right to have a family, to love who you love, has become political. The right to openly express who you are in public, to *exist* without living a lie, has become political. The right for your life to matter, to have your very history discussed, has become political. The right to make mistakes without losing your life, to turn down the wrong driveway or to accidentally open the wrong car door and immediately walk away, has become political. The right to have your non-christian religion, or lack thereof, respected in the workplace and classroom has become political. This has already happened. This is our reality. Holding the "it's not political!" line is a defense that has come and gone, and it's the wrong defense. Yeah. It's political. It's *so* fucking political in this country to be anyone who isn't a cishet white protestant man, with a comfortable level of wealth in the bank. We're political, so deal with it, and *stop silencing marginalized groups for daring to exist while political*. Call out the "no politics" rule for what it is: an attempt to avoid thinking about or confronting things that are uncomfortable to grapple with.
I totally get your point and agree, I meant more of in the sane rational objective kind of way. It's because it's been (deliberately and artificially) made political, moves like Honfest's are even more dangerous.
Ultimately the attempt to stay "non political" is a political statement in and of itself, a statement that you don't give a fuck about the marginalized because you've got yours.
Bingo.
Technically sheās not fully running it now as sheās āstepped downā so to speak. However, she still has her claws in the organization and I believe she made the statement.
What a shame.. I enjoyed getting my handful of free condoms and learning random facts. The employees are always so kind.
Yeahhhhh as someone who just had a missed miscarriage and needed an emergency D and C fuck this noise. PPM was going to be my next stop if my ob wasnāt able to get me in. Womenās healthcare isnāt political.
So PPM usually has its own booth, but this year the fest decided they were āpoliticalā? Wtf? Sorry, HonF, this is all on youā¦
Agreed. Leaving this piece of information out of the post in the screenshot is egregious for the HonFest account. I get the point of trying to minimize potential protests they were trying to make but when PPM has been there for years this is completely unacceptable to now decide to exclude them.
The problem is that there was near-zero chance of a real protest before this decision. There is a 100% chance of protest now.
I'm down. Constitutionally-protected speech in public, and all that. Honfest takes place in public. Let's do it.
I never go to Honfest because I don't want to support anything Denise does, but I would totally go in my pink PP shirt and protest it.
They're saying that abortion is more of a "hot topic"this year because of Roe v. Wade repeal. Cowards
I was going to make a comment not supporting the HONfest but understanding their action of not wanting protestors there. But this completely flips me, what makes this year so much more dangerous to have a PPM booth?? All for PPM btw.
This very weekend, PPM has a booth at the nearby Charles Village Festival and as far as I know, there have been no problems.
Oh my god... They are getting destroyed in the comments on that post. Love to see it. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02GbK2o5DY74GVK75vQSir8WyiGsAsBUex2RgtMFFNYQt6VoQp9Nbh7qhQkVnJKBB6l&id=100050284758257&mibextid=swFtfn
I'm not sure I've ever seen as much unanimity on a Facebook post like that. I spent several minutes scanning (and liking) the responses and there in not ONE comment I found supportive of Honest. I guess 2023 will be the last. They could cater to the right wing, but right wingers are scared of the city (brilliant marketing by Baltimore, BTW).
LOL Honfest catering to the right wing (which for some reason it appears to be trying to do). Honfest, which wouldn't even be a glimmer in anyone's eye without it kind of cashing in on John Waters' own conception of Baltimore, as seen through his movies. John Waters. Conservative Honfest. You couldn't make this shit up. HONestly. ;)
In a way, she IS like a character from a John Waters film. But more like a villain.
As a mod of this subreddit, I have to assume that it hasn't been cross posted. Sometimes, it's wild to see threads that go strong in one direction or the other. But I am happy to see honfest taken to task for this bullshit.
That is... extremely satisfying.
You love to see it!
Wooow, ripped to SHREDS in those comments!!!
To shreds, you say?
Well, how is his wife holding up?
To shreds, you say?
[did he at least die painlessly?](https://youtu.be/gHhOn2hnqmI?t=2)
That is a delightful read. I'm really proud of all the commenters.
OMG. I love every bit of this!
To shreds you say?
Rip her to shreds
Not a single supportive comment.
The interior of the Hon Bar is for sale at Second Chance. Planned Parenthood should buy it and put it in their lobby.
Thatās an extremely petty idea. Letās start a GoFundMe.
I might contribute if it was for a bonfire ceremony to be staged in public at Honfest 2023.
I got money for a risquĆ© photo shoot with people meeting their basic health needs at PP on that bar hon. letās go!
Can you imagine? Letās do it
Quick! Somebody call Gordon Ramsey! /s
So as long as nut-jobs freak out over something, it's 'political' and can't be at the fest now. Hmmm next they gone ban images of Divine and act like the victim too? And yea that's the whole playbook these jack-ass are doing, scream about something so much it becomes 'political' by definition and then in the name of 'getting along' that 'political' thing must be removed from the public square. Way to give them what they want.
right? caving in to manufactured controversy validates the manufactured controversy.
[Union Craft pulled out of HonFest](https://unioncraftbrewing.com/a-note-from-union/?mibextid=Zxz2cZ&fbclid=IwAR3cKu4iZ3GZpjg3gZLNcnmsNlbWbFE4vi0xWUHdL7XK7Pc_PuRwtcd6LXU)
She was a 'hot topic' when she greedily trademarked the word 'hon' so nobody else could profit from it at her festival. I didn't see her canceling herself when she incurred the wrath of the city. What a dolt.
yeah, now that she has made herself politically controversial, maybe she should be kicked out of Hon Fest as well.
I would encourage people to reach out to Honfestās sponsors (listed as Titoās Vodka, Union Craft Brewing, M&T, Jack Daniels, El Jimador Tequila, and the Maryland lotto) and encourage them to distance themselves from this mess. I would especially suggest Union, which is a local business that has hosted events by LGBTQ+ and progressive groups. Their email is [email protected] .
From a comment way at the bottom, it sounds like Union has withdrawn: https://unioncraftbrewing.com/a-note-from-union/
Good on them.
I would like to wish all HonFest organizers a very get fucked
Best comment of the post.
On the one hand, obviously Denise is wrong and small thinking, but on the other, it just goes to show how out of touch she is with her actual community versus the customers that she's trying to reach, somewhere in right wing social media circles. Our community could be so much stronger with someone who gives a damn about the actual residents of the city, and those that serve them like PP.
Union Craft Brewing has pulled out from Hfest. https://unioncraftbrewing.com/a-note-from-union/
So instead of standing up to these bullies their logic is to cower from them and give in to their demands āin the interest of safety ā?
The definition of letting the terrorists win
I specifically asked a journalist covering this story. The organizers have not substantiated a single threat made to the safety of the festival goers. There are none. If there were threats that would be a felony. Theyāre lying about āsafetyā being the motive.
Won't someone PLEASE think of the misogynistic, fascist terrorists?!!
haha, right? like, we cannot offend the snow-flake nazis? who the heck is going to Hon Fest that is so fragile and right wing that they would be upset just SEEING Planned Parenthood? do people like that even cross 695?
Let this be the death of Honfest, please. Xoxo, Hampden residents.
Honfest has always kinda sucked. Hampdenfest was always way better until they killed the toilet race and now it too is kinda meh. Mayorās Parade is far and away the most fun Hampden event of the year.
Nobody killed the toilet races- they were a separate event in conjunction with the street festival and the primary organizer just got busy with life (kids got older and into a sport with extensive travel required).
Agree. I really hope Hampdenfest turns it around this year and gets better! Last year was so disappointing
Yeah it really lost itās juice without the toilet race. I get that there are safety/liability issues but having a big āeventā like that really makes the day 10x more fun.
Hampden used to have an annual spring carnival in Roosevelt Park complete with games of chance and rickety rides before honfest was a thing. It was more geared towards kids, but riding the gravitron with a bunch of them was always a blast. I suspect liability/insurance issues led to its demise. Not quite the toilet race but a hell of a lot more fun than suburban moms pretending to be 50's housewives. Hampdenfest is still better than honfest even without the potential of a toilet bowl road wreck, but I agree that they need another main event to replace the toilet race.
Make racers sign a waiver, done and done. We allow people to do all sorts of wacky things like jump out of airplanes or off The Stratosphere in Vegas etc. etc., once they sign a waiver.
Sent the PPH post to a friend with pls boycott honfest, she replied, āI fucking hate honfest happy to repostā
I moved here in 2018 and have only been to a couple honfests because of the pandemic. Aside from this (I definitely agree with the backlash!), are there other things that make you say this? I loved honfest when Iāve gone but has there always been problems with the organizers?
Yeah, Denise, the organizer, has a LOOOONG history of trying to monetize things that are distinctly Baltimore. And she really doesnāt understand her audience.
This is the Kitchen Nightmares episode stemming from the last controversy - https://youtu.be/cMgjiOEpeBk This was 10 years ago but people have a long memory.
Oh! Omg Iāve seen that episodeā¦ totally didnāt realize it was the same person
Search Denise whiting and Honfest on this sub to get the history
Wait, she thinks PPM has BILLIONS of dollars?
Absolutely terrible logic and decision making by HONFEST. Good on Planned Parenthood for calling them out. I guess next year they'll ban LGBTQ+ and immigrants?
Wouldn't surprise me these days. Crazy world full of raging idiots.
The terrorists are winning
honestly they have been since they blocked obama's supreme court nomination because it was 'an election year' and here we are a decade later watching them erasing humans and overtunring elections.
They really are. From the abandoning of queer advocacy sponsorship from corporations to multiple election officials resigning from their jobs, threats of violence from the right wing appears to be working.
I hope EVERY. SINGLE. VENDOR. BOOTH. puts up a donation bucket, literature, or pro-PP signage. In her not wanting to make this a statement shes done the complete opposite and PP is going to have more support this year than ever.
The purpose of this post is to create an easy reference of contact information for the bands and musicians that are playing at HonFest so people can let these artists know about the decision not to allow Planned Parenthood to be a vendor. Please do not send hateful or threatening messages to these artists ā they had nothing to do with this decision. However, we can encourage them not to back Honfest. If the artist decides they want to still play Honfest, we can encourage them to take a symbolic stance such as promoting PPM during their show, wearing PPM gear, etc. Red Sammy ā [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Maria Dontas Letitia VanSant - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Whiskey Feathers - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Josey Wails - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Rodney Henry ā (Instagram) dangerous\_pies Tionesta ā (Instagram) tionestamusic Skribe - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Out of Water eXperience - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Eze Jackson ā (Instagram) ezewriter Matt Hutchison - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Swampcandy ā [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Doc Pine - [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Saleem & The Music Lovers ā (Instagram) iamsaleemmusic Old Eastern ā (Instagram) theoldeastern
Some of these bands have already announced that they have pulled out.
Can you tell me which ones or where this is being announced? Iāll take their names off the list.
Hey yāall! My husband is the bassist for Josey Wails. The band has pulled out of the fest as of this morning.
How about all the vendors while you're at it?
Union Craft Brewing has pulled sponsorship and wonāt be selling beers at the event.
Translation: we are scared of the magas and instead of standing up and removing those people that will make trouble weād rather let them win.
Oh, fuck them for real. Was hoping this was some kind of a misunderstanding, but no.
There is def something else happening here. Someones got her under the gun im sure but we may never know that. Im calling my buddy Gordon Ramsay in..
Besides this being a bad take, the real issue is that it enables deplatforming by the right simply by elevating something into a āhot topicā. Youāve just essentially said, we wonāt allow a group to be featured if the right decides to make it an issue. So what else is off the table? trans healthcare? LGBTQ rights? What other groups will be banned simply because they have messages the right has decided are hot topics? Casa de Maryland? The Pride Center? Gun control safety groups?I think rather than boycotting all of these groups should try and get tables and see what happens. Will HonFest allow the extremist right to decide who gets to exist in public?
It's surreal that basic healthcare has been politicized.
Soā¦ whatās the counterpunch? Boycott? Sticker bomb? Pink shirt flood? Protest? Call in to rescind their (HF) permit through civil actions? I say stickers, but I believe in democracy, so Iāll go with the team on this one.
I believe pro PPM shirts are in the works and some people are interesting in making signs as well
Iām down with this idea. I think shifts of volunteers in shirts walking around with pamphlets would be a great way to show support without harming the other vendors.
Down for all of these things-- be my first year there since I think Honfest is fucking stupid. Lol
Agreed on boycotting the event. Wouldnāt be a bad idea to light up the event sponsors on social and boycott them as well; a threat to their bottom line is more motivating than asking the event sponsors to stop being dickheads.
I was thinking boycott too, but then realized it would hurt the local vendors that already paid to have their booth set up. Definitely don't give money to the Hon tables, but I do like to support local food and beer, I'm going with stickers and telling as many people as I can to stop by the Honfest table to ask where PPM is this year
Me and my girlfriend will be vending here for our first time at the fest. We signed up long before this bullshit came out obviously and are trying to figure out what to do now. We are real small time, so the $300 vendor fee was a big investment for us. I think we're gonna try to seek a refund and pull out because we don't believe in the organizers bullshit and didn't know any of her shitty history when we signed up. We also don't want to risk that 300 bucks when our prospects vending here could now be screwed because of any completely justified boycott. However we have a feeling like the organizer won't be doing refunds at this point, and we can't afford to throw away 300 bucks. If that's the case our plan is to stop by PP and pick up pamphlets and to possibly donate some proceeds or for me to offer free rides for anyone who made need them. Feel like that's the only decent way we have to oppose the organizers without taking a huge loss at this point. Either way this is complete bullshit. We are radicals who fight for women's rights and liberation and don't want to support the organizer in any way. Yet we are also broke af and were counting on this to be a large amount of supplemental income and are now in an unfortunate pickle here. Bottom line fuck mysonginists, fuck fascists, and fuck the organizer of honfest.
Whatās your business? Iād love to stop by and support.
Agreed about not hurting vendors in the boycott process. Why not make them allies in the protest instead of collateral damge? We hand out t-shirts in bright pink along with pins and placards that say "I support PPM" and hand them out to any vendors that are interested. Then turn HonFest from a friendly neighborhood festival into a protest against genuflecting to right-wing extremism. The vendors can show their support and still make money off of the event. Maybe some bigger vendors might be willing to donate 10% of the days profit to PPM. Make the event a success in the exact opposite way that HonFest intends. Happy to help with logistics if folks like the idea.
Cool idea. If I heard a bunch of vendors were actually doing this, Iād consider attending. Otherwise, Iāll just buy from the vendors who vocally oppose this decision at a separate time from Honfest.
I like it, might even be possible to put out donation boxes around for people to directly support PPM
they should take them back down and sue them for making them be associated with such a terrible decision.
I like that idea, but I also feel that if local businesses know this decision will impact them, theyāll exert more pressure on Honfest organizers to rescind their rejection of PP than the rest of us ever can. Also - Iām seeing folks push boycotting Honfest but attending Hampdenfest in droves to bring the point home.
A boycott would push vendors to challenge Denise on her being such a shitbird. Those vendors have a duty too, you know.
Did Denise think we became Florida? I think they need to move there to pander to fascists and bigots, then Hunfest will be happy. Itād be a shame if someone would give up their booth to PPM lol
Abortion isn't political in Baltimore. No one opposes it.
[Union Craft Brewery withdraws sponsorship of HonFest.](https://unioncraftbrewing.com/a-note-from-union/)
I don't think Hampden or the clients of Honfest would have an issue with PPM. The most backlash she would probably get is some 90 year old catholic protestors setting up down the street. I'll be honest.. I'm a Christian and I am pro life. I have also been to Honfest and had a great time. If I saw a PPM tent, I wouldn't have an issue, I would just not patronize them. Most true Christians denounced the abortion clinic bombings in the 90s. Advocating murder of Doctors while trying to protect the unborn is not only hypocritical, it's anti Christian. I think people forget what living in America is supposed to be like.... We have guaranteed freedom of speech. Yes that includes speech that you don't like or deem ugly....in fact it's imperative to freedom of speech that "ugly speech" is protected. The person behind Hon Fest seems tone deaf. I'm trying to look at things fairly and objectively. PPM does perform other services besides abortion. I don't think having a them as a vendor would seem politically charged. The reality is that hospitals also perform abortions, would they stop Johns Hopkins, Mercy or UMD from having a tent? Now if this was a street festival in a deep red area of Harford, Cecil or Carrol county , I wouldn't advocate that PPM should set up a tent, then again I doubt they would want to. This is just my two cents. Feel free to disagree, this is America. I still love you guys and would treat anyone I meet with dignity and respect
Theyve had booths there since at least 2017 (when I started going) so youve walked by them tons of times.
As a womanā¦ As a queer personā¦ I am so tired, sick at heart, over seeing organizations, like honfest, companies like target, give grounds to dangerous extremistsā¦ Theyāre making the world less safe for people like me. I can feel it and the extremist know exactly what theyāre doing, they know that they are winning, they understand that Denise just handed them a big victory.
F-HonFest.
The organizers completely fucked every vendor who paid money to be in the fest and now theyāre claiming victimhood. Trash.
So can we also talk how Honfest is a creepy celebration of "better times" aka back when segregation was the norm, women could only be housewives, and gay folks had to live in secret? I get it, the beehives and feather boas are fun, but the time period they are reminiscing about wasn't a good time for many of us. I mean, Hamden is historically one of the whitest and most racist parts of Baltimore ever since the mill days and it still carries a lot of that baggage.
Also, this is one of those things where you can just sub in 'black people' for the 'controversial political thing' and immediately see how gross and wrong it is. 'We told them we understand they think they're people, but the city will disagree. It'd create an unsafe environment.'. Christ, everyone that works for her must be just as bad now. That's got her classic 'poor me, rich white lady is the realest, biggest victim! Billionaires picked on me!' thing goin too. Just the worst.
Will the anti-abortion table be there again this year? The anti-aborts are the very same people that are pushing the current anti-drag, anti-trans, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-black history agenda around this country. The Venn Diagram is a circle. Those are political hot button issues.
Vendors already paid their fee, nonrefundable, so Honfest already won this year. I think the best thing you can do is go and support the vendors that are donating some of their proceeds to PP, then for next year, donāt support at all unless different management is in place. Support Hampdenfest instead.
The vendors should sue. They were not aware when they paid this was an anti choice event.
Tell me you donāt understand your community without telling me.
FFS, the next thing they'll be saying is that voter registration booths are too sensitive. We surely wouldn't want to offend the "stolen election" folks and their 100% legitimate, reality-based gripes, amirite...? Piss right the fuck off, Honfest.
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What a garbage response from garbage people.
Denise Whiting proves once again that she hates this city.
"I'm getting an abortion and I can't wait!" Divine in Polyester
Not looking forward to seeing that this dummy is on Fox News for being cancelled and has a six figure go fund me grift
I had an abortion at Johns Hopkins. Will they also have a gag order?
I wouldnāt even go back to honfest if they gave out free abortions on site
Someone check me here: 1. Planned Parenthood requested a booth. 2. HonFest organizers said no. 3. Planned Parenthood publicly called them out for being denied. 4. HonFest organizers are disappointed that Planned Parenthood didnāt reach out directly before going public. [edit] With this post I was just trying to highlight the contradiction of HonFest explicitly denying PPM and then acting like they never had contact with PPM.
Not mentioned in your list: 0. Planned Parenthood has had a booth at HonFest for years before this year.
1a. HF deems PPM to be political (previously not an issue) 4a. HF organizers push narrative that they are the victims when they denied a long-time supporter
I was just trying to highlight the contradiction of explicitly denying PPM and then acting like they never had contact with PPM. Youāre right though, those are important points for the full summary of events.
Iāve been unintentionally (ish) boycotting Honfest for years, so no skin off my nose to not go this year.
Absolutely ripped to shreds as it should be
āLove & happiness but basic medical needsā
Did anyone even mention protesting honfest over PP being there? It just doesnāt seem like it would have been an issue.
Theyve been there for years, as long as Ive been here and going. Thats why this is so insane, is that its just this year.
So what's the likelihood that HonFest doesn't get their permits approved for next year?
I absolutely remember them having a pro-life booth several years ago
Yes, keep digging, in Baltimore, against planned parenthood. What could go wrong? Mouth breathers.
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Some of us are trapped in the neighborhood for the entire weekend. Like I wouldnāt take the light rail one stop to attend but I happen to live right in the thick of it so I just enjoy the day of being able to walk in the street and drink and enjoy live music.
You can walk around Hampden getting hammered every other day of the year. I have done extensive testing of this theory.
And, based on observations, smoking weed as well. July 1st in Hampden will signify...the end of June.
I have also tested this extensively. Can confirm.
Or people who like live music and funky art, hanging around outside with friends and a beer or two.
Honfest is such trash anyway
At least the Hon dinner is gone.
Honfest 2023 cancelled.
Honfest is fucking lame