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“Out Late” is Time Out’s nightlife and party column by DJ, Whorechata founder and Staff Writer Ian Kumamoto, which publishes every other Tuesday. The previous edition was about a secret rave that happens in a Bronx bodega.
I've been writing this column for a few months now, and there's a topic that always at the forefront of my mind: For a lot of people, partying in a big city like New York doesn't feel safe, whether it's because of late night crime or the increasingly dire fentanyl problem. Although safer partying isn't the sexiest topic, it's something we all need to take seriously: There are no parties without people, so we gotta make sure we're keeping ourselves alive.
Although I'm anti-fear mongering, especially when it comes to nightlife, we can't ignore the fact that every once in a while, tragic things happen when people go out. I'm thinking of last summer, when two men were found dead on separate occasions after they left the Brooklyn Mirage. I’m also thinking about two summers ago, when several gay men were roofied and robbed at different Hell’s Kitchen bars and two ended up dying. Then, there's the case of Christina Yuna Lee, who was followed into her apartment after a night out and killed.
Luckily, New York provides resources that might make your night out safer, and there are ways to minimize risks by planning ahead. Here’s a comprehensive list of things you can do to stay safer the next time you plan on partying, broken down by category.
Transportation
It's New York City, so chances are that you're taking some form of public transit to get to the club. It might be uncomfortable to take an empty bus or train late at night. Here are our suggestions for how to approach transportation.
1. Make sure you know how you're getting back home after the club. Just as important as going to the club is having a plan for how you're going to leave. If that means budgeting extra money to take an Uber home instead of the train, so be it. Scheduling an Uber ahead of time could also prevent you from entertaining the thought of taking the train at 4am, when you're not thinking clearly.
2. Bring a change of clothes if you're riding public transit. As a queer person, I don't always dress the most demure when going out. If I have to take the train, I'll wear a big white tee to avoid being harassed on and put it in my tote bag once I get to the club. Demetrius Winn, a friend who also goes out a lot, does something similar. "Usually I'll wear a button down shirt or a jacket I don’t mind losing should it get stolen or I get too drunk," he tells me. I used to feel ashamed for hiding my outfit—shouldn't I embrace my full queerness?!—but this isn't about ego. You gotta do what you gotta do to stay safe.
3. If you have to take the bus late, know that you can stop anywhere. Bus drivers are required to stop and let you out wherever you ask them to between the hours of 10pm and 5am, even if it's not an official stop. Take advantage of this rule and minimize how far you have to walk home.
4. Be aware of whose car you're in. If you decide to take an Uber alone, don't get in a car just because it looks like it's waiting for you. "Make sure the license plate matches what’s shown in your app," a spokesperson for the New York Office of Nightlife tells me.
Protect yourself from weirdos
1. Take a self-defense class. The great thing about New York is that there are many self-defense classes that center and are led by members of marginalized communities. Out Box is a trans-owned boxing gym in Williamsburg that creates an inclusive environment for those wanting to brush up on their fighting skills. There are also self-defense classes specifically tailored for women.
2. Invest in pepper spray. It’s completely legal to carry pepper spray in the state of New York and in a worst case scenario, you’re going to want to have one on hand. Although bouncers at clubs might confiscate your pepper spray if they find it, many will return them to you once you leave a venue, so make sure to ask if you can have it back. “Our bouncers will never keep someone’s pepper spray because we know it’s for self-defense,” Chip, the owner of the club and music venue Brooklyn Monarch, tells me. “A lot of venues understand this.” Here is a list of places that sell pepper spray in NYC; you can also get it on Amazon, and we recommend getting one with a dummy pepper spray that you can fill with water to practice with at home.
Let's talk about drugs
We don't judge—sometimes you decide to take a bump (or three) to stay up. I spoke with Sheila Vakharia, the Deputy Director of the Drug Policy Alliance and author of The Harm Reduction Gap, and other experts about how to consume drugs more safely.
1. Get fentanyl test strips and order naloxone. To test drugs for fentanyl, crush a portion of the pill and dissolve it in water before introducing the test strip, then follow the test instructions to read the results. “If you’ve never taken opioids you might have a very low tolerance and even a little fentanyl can be deadly,” Vakharia tells Time Out. Although fentanyl isn’t as commonly found in drugs like coke, it’s possible for there to be trace amounts from cross contamination. Fentanyl test strips are available at vending machines, harm reduction centers or you can even order them online. You should also get access to naloxone, which reverses opioid overdoses, which you can get in a pharmacy or by mail.
2. Make sure you're in a good headspace wherever you're taking drugs. "Beyond the actual contents of a drug itself, someone's experience of a drug is highly influenced by the physical environment that they're in," Clare Schmidt, who works at the naloxone distribution organization Remedy Alliance, tells me. "Be intentional with where you're using drugs and be aware of your headspace so you can maximize the pleasure and enjoyment that many people are seeking when they use drugs."
3. Be aware of the surfaces you're taking drugs from. The mucous membrane absorbs many things directly into the bloodstream, so be mindful of the surface you're snorting from. Even if you're bumping from a key, you're introducing unknown contaminants into your body. Also, make sure you're reducing irritation to your nose. "Using a saline spray can also help to reduce inflammation and the chance of a sinus infection," Schmidt tells me.
4. Keep track of how many substances are in your body at once. Do you take psych meds? Are you drinking alcohol? "When we have more drugs in our system, we increase the likelihood of having adverse effects," Vakharia says. When possible, try to pick one drug and stick to it for the night.
5. Go slow. You can always take more, but you can't take less.
6. Never do drugs alone and know the signs of an overdose. “Overamping” happens when you take too much of a stimulant such as coke—step out if you’re in a crowd. If someone is in the process of overdosing on fentanyl, their breathing will slow down. If they take less than 10 breaths per minute, that probably means they’re overdosing, Vakharia tells me. Administer naloxone and call 911.