Three speakers. Dozens of cheeky slides. A bar full of rowdy nerds who love special interest deep dives. This is Nerd Nite DC.
Nerd Nite DC has been DC’s favorite irreverent lecture series since 2009. This month, we’re bringing you themes of love, sex, and compassion for the most unique part of your Valentine’s/Galentine’s/Pal-entine’s weekend!
Your host this month is Nerd Nite DC producer and legend, Rae Pendergrass, joined by our three wildly entertaining and wickedly smart speakers with three must-see talks (in no particular order):
“Pigeons: The outdated cellphone of the animal world” by Bethany Brookshire
Pigeons are not rats with wings. They are our unfairly maligned former besties who we are now dissing in the group chat for their mere existence. Find out how they got that way and why they deserve a lot more love.
“Bonobos, Babes, and the Matriarchal Ape Escape: How Sex and Sisterhood Keep the Peace” by Laura Darby
Bonobos make love, not war—literally. This talk explores how our matriarchal ape cousins use sex and sisterhood to keep the peace, challenge dominance, and offer a surprisingly fun alternative to human hierarchy.
“Love: An (Often Queer) History of a Four-Letter Word” by Diva Darling
Authentic, liberated love is one of the most powerful acts of resistance humans have had throughout history. Let’s take a journey through time to explore the tension between state-sanctioned intimate relationships and the ungovernable ways that people actually love. Learn how the “Loneliness Epidemic” can be traced back to antiquity, and how the liberation of love can help us fight back against those who profit off our loneliness.
Doors open at 6, show at 6:30. Talks are 15 minutes with a 5 minute Q&A, and during the breaks, you can play along in our “alternate talk titles” competition to try to win a free drink on us. It’s rowdy, interactive, and the most fun you’ll have learning something all month.
The show is on the second floor of DC9 and is mostly standing room with limited seating available on a first-come, first served basis.
Nerd Nite DC is produced by Rae Pendergrass, navi, and Diva Darling.