Category: Events

SL20B Lab Gab Special: Patch Linden – summary notes

Posted on by Inara Pey
via Linden Lab
On Monday, June 26th, Linden Lab streamed a special session of Lab Gab featuring Vice President of Product Operations, Patch Linden.

The interview was built around questions submitted by users in the wake of the announcement of the session, together with those asking during the session via the live and  asked via You Tube audiences.

Notes:

  • The following is a summary, not a full transcript of everything said.
  • Timestamps to the video are included within each topic / sub-topic.
 Table of Contents

About Patch Linden

[Video: 5:09-14:10]

  • Originally a Second Life resident and business owner who joined the platform in 2004, and became a Linden in September 2007.
  • Initially worked as a support agent and then as a support liaison. From there he moved to the Concierge team, eventually becoming that team’s manager.
  • Shifted focus to the role of Operations Support Manager for a year, then moved to the Product group, the team responsible for defining the features, etc., found within Second Life.
  • At Product he developed the Land Operations team, which includes the Linden Department of Public Works (LDPW).
  • In 2018, he established the company’s support office in Atlanta, Georgia, and in 2020 he oversaw the move to larger office space in Atlanta, interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • In 2019 he was promoted to Vice President, Product Operations.
  • Together with Grumpity, Mojo and Brett Linden, he forms the leadership team overseeing Second Life’s continued development.
  • In his management team role, Patch continues to oversee all of the Lab’s user support operations (some 5 teams), including the LDPW.

Premium Membership and Linden Home Announcements

[Video 1 – 20:07-25:44]

Premium Membership Benefits

  • No specific announcements on additional benefits, but this is something LL are constantly reviewing to see what fits with the overall structure of Premium and Premium Plus.

SecondLifeTime Memberships

  • Two limited-time offers.
  • SecondLifeTime Plus:
    • All of the features of the current Premium
    • Limited to 200 users.
    • Once-time charge of US $749.
  • SecondLifeTime Premium Plus:
    • All of the features of the current Premium Plus
    • Limited to 20 users.
    • Once-time charge of US $1749.
  • Requests must be made via support ticket.
  • It may take time for requests to be responded to.
  • Please see this blog post or this official announcement for more.

Linden Homes

[Video: 14:25-20:06]

  • The next Linden Home theme to be released with the the Ranch Theme, which is dropping as a part of SL20B.
    • These are for Premium Plus subscriptions only, and have a 2048 sq m land parcel.
    • There are 7 styles within the theme.
    • They have a land impact of 703 LI.
    • The will not be subject to region request support tickets until July 10th.
    • See my blog post on the theme for more.
  • The next release after this is code-named “Thousand Island” – which is a hint as to the theme – and the code-name derived from salad dressings (coming off the back of “ranch” – geddit?).
  • [Video: 1:10:23-1:10:58] The Linden Homes web pages will be updated so that if you already have a Linden Home, it will be possible to see if a theme you’d like to switch to is currently available, rather than having to abandon your existing home in order to see the list of available themes via the web page .
Premium Plus Ranch Theme – June 2023

New User Experience (NUX)

[Video – 25:58-35:40]

New Starter Mesh Avatar

  • These were previewed at SL19B but are still to be released.
  • In the interim, the avatars have undergone further testing and approvement.
  • The project now has an overall brand name  – Senra (which fits with the Linden branding, given the latter is a tree and Senra is a genus of plant).
  • Alongside the new avatars, LL has developed a full line of clothing, accessories and attachments, which will be released at the same time as the avatars.
  • A devkit with licensing agreement, for creators wishing to support the new avatar ecosystem and producing clothing and accessories they may wish to sell into that environment, is also in the final stages of preparation for release.
  • These avatars and their clothing / accessories lines (both from LL and creators) will be featured in the new Welcome Hub shopping areas (see below).
  • The entire system is almost now ready for release, and is just waiting on a couple of pieces to be put into place. One of these is on the web side of SL, where incoming new users will be able to select an avatar and customise it .
A preview version of the new, single mesh (head-to-toe) avatars now under the Senra brands, as originally unveiled at SL19B in June 2021 

New Welcome / Community Hubs

  • The new Motown Experience and the additional regions are a new Welcome Hub Experience.
  • It comprises multiple regions built around a central Welcome Area, which is part of the renewed Mentor programme.
  • Please see my blog post Linden Lab and Motown: a new approach to user on-boarding in Second Life.
  • This will be the model for future Welcome / Community Hubs.
  • The shopping area within the Hub idea will include times for the NUX Avatar described above, feature other items aimed at new starters, with stores being periodically rotated for different creators.
  • Within the current Hub, the Motown Experience will continue to be expanded in terms of events and offerings.
  • Other partnerships along this line are under consideration, and may be seen Soon™.

Initiatives in Development: TV Show Partnership

[Video: 35:41-37:00]

  • As noted above, the new Welcome Hub features a partnership with Capitol Record Group via their Motown label.
  • This is the latest in a series of partnership with external organisations (Adult Swim, Zenescope, Film Threat, etc.).
  • These are likely to continue.
  • Currently, development is in the works to see Second Life featured in a “fairly significant TV show” which is currently airing (at least in the US, if not on streaming services in general – details were not made clear – and about to enter its 2nd season). Within it, SL will have a “pretty prominent placement”.

Mainland Development

[Video: 49:59-54:26]

  • Due to the volume of work the LDPW is committed to, there have been changes in priority for various projects, meaning resources do get swapped between projects according to demand.
  • However, there are a number of Mainland initiatives underway, which may not always be particularly visible, but which are proceeding as resources allow (e.g. ongoing work to improve the Second Life Railroad (SLRR) and Mainland roads infrastructure).
  • As the page is turned with regards to the old Linden Homes themes and mini-continents, it is anticipated that more Mainland-focused work and activities will come to prominence. For example (and allowing for their historical value) Mainland Hubs might be given an update / refresh in the future).
  • In addition, it is likely that new features such as the upcoming PBR Terrain project (see: 2023 week #20: SL CCUG meeting summary: mirrors and PBR terrain – this blog, and Sneak Peek: Shaking Up the Terrain with Physically-Based Rendering – official blog, for details), although it was noted that care with this would have to be taken in how this is done to ensure full and proper consistency across regions and parcels.
  • Mainland residents with ideas for Mainland improvements can (preferably) submit them as Feature Requests through the  Second Life Jira, although they can be accepted via a Support ticket.

General Q&A

  • General observations in opening comments:
    • Linden avatars may at times be carrying a tablet. This is apparently clickable and related to the Bellisseria / Mainland passport system (run via the Bellisseria Bureau of Bureaucracy – residents who have a BBB passport can touch an Linden’s tablet and obtain their “passport stamp”.
    • The inclusion of Adult themed regions at SLB20B and the Shop and Hop was a conscious decision to express all of SL’s diversity at a milestone event.
  • [Video: 40:19-42:55] Last Names:
    • Will previously-offered Last Names be brought back? – Probably not, unless the name generates an exceptional number of requests for it to be brought back – and even then it would mean reversing a public statement that “used” Last Names would not be re-featured.
    • Will the cadence of new Last Name options be increased? – releases have largely been with an event / seasonal focus (with some themed offerings as well). It is unlikely this will change.
  • [Video: 43:00-45:40] Adult Linden Home Regions:
    • This has been requested from time-to-time.  However, as:
      • Adult activities / furnishings are permitted in private homes within Moderate Regions (+ Parcel Privacy can be invoked),
      • And additional research by the Lab suggests there is not a general request for residential places with Adult activities can be acted on in public,
      • It is not seen as offering benefit at present, at least in terms of replicating the current themes of Linden Homes within Adult-rated regions.
    • That said, this doesn’t preclude the potential for a special “Adult Theme” of Linden Homes within their own regions, were sufficient demand to arise. There are just no plans in the works for anything like this at present.
  • [Video 45:49-47-29] Zindra / Horizons:
    • Is Zindra (the Adult continent) ever going to be “finished” (in regards to shape, coastlines, etc)?
      • Yes. There are plans to add on to the Adult continent. However, this may not be done utilising the current Zindra “theme”.
      • Rather there are plans in development which may result in a complete overhaul / update of Zindra (at least in terms of the core builds by the LDPW).
    • Is it possible to order Private regions attached to Zindra or the Adult Horizons regions? – Yes, but with a caveat:
      • LL operate the Community Land Partnership Programme (CLPP), and requests for Private regions to join with LL continents as a whole (including Zindra and Horizons) must comply with the requirements of this programme.
  • [Video: 47:47-49:50] Can users consult with LL directly over issues of ToS, copyright, and other policies?
    • The best route for general enquiries / questions on matter of TOS and other SL policies as enforced by LL is via Support, who can generally answer general questions and provide assistance with navigating the policies to gain a clearer understanding.
    • However, Support (and user-facing LL staff in general) cannot consult on legal matters or provide any form of legal advice or recommendations, although very specific questions might be escalated to the Legal Dept for feedback.
    • Where matters of TOS / Community Standards  / violations are concerned, users should file these via the Abuse Report mechanism.
  • [Video: 54:55-58:34] The SL20B Sweepstakes:
  • [Video: 58:46-1:03:39] Demographics over the years:
    • There have been shifts in demographics over the years, some of which are clearly visible in-world, thanks to the changing face of content creation (e.g. from hobbyists happy to bang prims together to semi-professional mesh creators).
    • There have also been other shifts that have been visible – from the technically curious and engaged to the more socially-seeking users (in terms of making connections, seeking social events, etc.).
    • Demographics and changing patterns as a whole are something the Lab tracks as a part of efforts to try to encourage more people to enter SL and become engaged with it.
    • This will continue in the future as LL continue to seek to engage and draw and keep SL vibrant and active as a platform. It may include casting back to older initiatives and trying them again (hence the recent informal Twitter poll by Alexa Linden on Teen Grid and perhaps bringing that back), if it is believed they might work – not that a return of Teen Grid is currently in the works.

SL20B Sweepstakes in Second Life offer impressive prizes

Posted on by Inara Pey
via Linden Lab

So, around 30 minutes after I publish my unofficial guide to SL20B, an e-mail arrives announcing the SL20B Sweepstakes  – something which I admit I’d missed when visiting the event’s Welcome Area.

Why is this newsworthy? Because the prizes  – particularly for those in the United States – are pretty impressive, including as they do:

  • A physical world Chevrolet Bolt EV car (US residents only).
  • A physical world Asus high-end gaming laptop (US Residents only).
  • A Second Life Lifetime Premium membership.
  • A 1 Year Premium Plus membership.
  • DAILY 1 Year Premium membership.

No purchases are necessary to enter the sweepstakes, just a visit to the SL20B Welcome Area during the festivities, and click on one (or both, in the case of US residents) Sweepstakes kiosks.

The National (US residents only) and Global (US residents + rest of the world) Sweepstakes kiosks at the SL20B Welcome Area

There are also a couple of official web pages providing more information and rules, and which run a clock giving the time remaining to enter:

A screen cap of part of the official Global Sweepstakes website for SL20B

So why not give it a go – the Daily Premium prizes are worth a visit on their own, to say nothing of the rest. Just expect the Welcome Area to be busy!

SL20B: your completely unofficial pocket guide to the celebrations

Posted on by Inara Pey
via Linden Lab

Update: SL20B includes National and Global Sweepstakes with some impressive physical world and Second Life prizes – read more here!

Second Life marks its 20th anniversary in 2022 with 11 days of celebrations and exhibitions across multiple Birthday regions in Second Life. As with previous years, the event folds into in, live music, DJ sets, art, shopping (via the dedicated Shop and Hop event), exhibits by Linden Lab and – particularly exhibit by Second Life residents and communities.

The following is intended to provide a general overview of the celebrations and highlight some of the key aspects, although as there was (again) no preview opportunity (or even any announcement through the SLB Press Corps group, which makes me wonder what we’ve collectively done to be shunned by the Lab), this has in part been put together in a bit of a rush in order to still be relevant around the time of the opening ceremony.

SL20B: The Arboretum

Dates and Theme

This year the SLB festivities will open on Thursday, June 22nd, through until Sunday, July 2nd. Thing will launch on June 22nd with the start of the 3-day Music Fest, with the rest of the festivities and events running from June 25th.

We are pleased to announce our Birthday theme for this year: Our Fantastic Future. The cornerstone of this idea is what we would define as eco-futurism including sustainability, a focus on our environment, and the next generation of our world. Some might call this science fiction, but what is science fiction except a dream for a possible future? In Second Life we build worlds. Our worlds, our way. For SL20B, we invite you to show us your worlds of the future!

– From the official SL20B announcement

SL Birthday Calendar and Magazine

The best way the stay abreast of all that’s going on is via the official calendar of events, which I’ve embedded below.

  • Use the Week / Month options, top right to change the calendar view.
  • Click on any given line item on any given day of festivities to view more information, including teleport SLurls.

SL20B Guide Magazine

Published to coincide with the celebrations is the SL20B Official Guide Magazine. This not only provides a guide to all of the SL20B regions, it includes interviews with members of the Lab’s board and management team, it charts the history of Second Life, with input on the subject from both Lindens and a cross-section of residents (apparently including someone called “Pey”, for some reason who wibbles at some point within it).

The magazine is again a new venture for the Lab where SL Birthday events are concerned, and allows residents and also ISSSU users to find out more about the platform and its attractiveness, with articles tracking some of the popular activities within SL: fashion, content creation, and home décor. There is also a potted history of Second Life from 2003 through to 2023, which appears to be modelled on the (now) staple of SLB event: The Tapestry of Time exhibit, which appears within the SL20 Birthday regions.

For those interested in finding out what is where within the Exhibit regions, Pages 84 through  105 provide an alphabetical breakdown of the exhibitor regions and the exhibits to be found within them.

 

Key Events

Grand Opening

Patch Linden will be formally opening SL18B at 12:00 SLT at the Mandala Stage, which will also be streamed as a You Tube Lab Gab special, in which Strawberry Linden will afterwards host a tour of the SL19B regions.

Music Fest and Shop and Hop

As has become the tradition, the Birthday will kick-off with a 3-day Music Fest taking place at the Mandala Stage and featuring many of Second Life’s top vocalists and musicians. The full schedule (at the time of publication can be found in my SL20B: Music Fest, Lab Gab, Shop and Hop post, and in this official post post.

The SL20B Shop And Hop event is taking place across 20 regions, and features 480 creators and merchants. The best way to find out about this event is via the Shop and Hop Destination Guide entry and via the SL20B Shop and Hop Participating Merchants list.

SL20B: The community Walkway Gallery with the Welcome Area beyond

Lab Gab Linden Talk Shows

As per usual, SL20B will feature a series of Talk shows featuring various members of the Lab’s Board, management team and advisors. These will be a mix of live and pre-recorded sessions, and whilst also already covered in the Music Fest, etc., blog post mentioned above, I’m including the schedule here for completeness, and further information can be found in this official blog post.

Event SLurls: Arboretum 1 – Arboretum 2 – Arboretum 3

Day (Times SLT) Featured Guest(s)
Monday 26th June, 13:30
 Patch Linden, Vice President of Product Operations (Live)
Tuesday 27th June, 13:30 Grumpity Linden, Vice President of Second Life Product and Mojo Linden, Vice President of Engineering (Pre-recorded)
Wednesday 28th, June, 13:30 Linden Lab Executive Chair Brad Oberwager and Founder Philip Rosedale (Live)
Thursday 29th June, 13:30 Chief Marketing Officer StyFy Linden and VP of Marketing Brett Linden (Pre-recorded)
Friday 30th June, 13:30 Meet the Moles. The Moles are builders, scripters, and content creators employed by Linden Lab to work in the Linden Department of Public Works (Live)

The Welcome Area

Never been to an SLB event before – try starting at the Welcome Area where you’ll find lost of help, things like the SL20B Hunt HUD, and more!

The Tapestry of Time and Gift Area.

First presented in 2018, the region-wide Tapestry of Time presents visitor with a walk-through of Second Life’s history from 2003 through to the present day using images, text and videos. True, not everything has been recorded, but there’s enough within the region to be of interest to the historically minded.

within the Tapestry of Time can be found the SL20B Gift Area, offering gifts from the Birthday exhibitors and from merchants participating in the Shop & Hop event.

The Community Gallery Walkway

For 20 years, Second Life has offered us a virtual space to create, define and explore, bringing people from around the world together to create, share, discover new interests and make new friends, participate in games and adventures, to learn and discuss, and simply have fun.

For SL20B, the Community Gallery walkway, extending to / from the Welcome Area, has been created to offer a place where visitors can share their memories of their times and adventures, memories that turned a virtual world into a community of Residents.

SL20B The Tapestry of Time and Gift Area

Exhibitor Regions

As is common for SLB events, the mix of content is varied, and the representation of interests broad. Role-play groups, arts, communities, are represented across the nine regions open to exhibitors; some are static, others are interactive in nature.

  • Direct links to the exhibitor regions can be found in the SLurls lists at the end of this piece.
  • Information / SLurls for individual exhibitors can be found in the SL20B Exhibitor Showcase.

Note that teleport boards are available at the centre of all Exhibitor regions for easy of moving between them.

Adult Exhibitor Regions

for the first time at SLB, Adult content and groups are permitted to exhibit at the event, with four dedicated regions  – separate to the main exhibitor regions – open to visit. These have a dedicated Teleport Hub sitting kitty-corner admits the four regions, and I’ve also included individual region SLurls at the end of this article.

Advice on a Better Experience

The SL19B regions – celebratory and Shop & Hop can get exceptionally busy. To help ease the pain for you:

  • If you have a high draw distance, reduce it to  as low as is comfortable for your enjoyment.
  • Turn off shadows in your viewer if you usually have them enabled.
  • Go to Preferences → Graphics and reduce the slider Max # Non-Imposter Avatars to a minimum and dial-down your Complexity slider.
  • Remove texture-heavy HUDs to free-up more texture memory.
  • To assist the simulator, remove unnecessary scripted attachments.
  • Dress lightly, avoid accessories of high complexity.

SLurls and Destination Guide Links

Core Event Region SLurls

General Rated Exhibitor Region SLurls

SLB Beguile SLB Blissful SLB Breathtaking SLB Captivate SLB Celebrate SLB Delightful
SLB Electrify SLB Enchant SLB Fabulous SLB Fantasy SLB Glamorous SLB Incredible
SLB Marvelous SLB Outgoing SLB Sparkle SLB Spectacular SLB Stupendous SLB Triumphant

Adult Rated Regions

Adult Exhibitors teleport Hub SLB Alluring SLB Daring SLB Euphoric SLB Irresistible

Destination Guide and Other Links

SL20B: Music Fest, Lab Gab, Shop and Hop

Posted on by Inara Pey
via Linden Lab

The Second Life 20th Birthday celebrations are almost upon us, with the regions opening on Thursday, June 22nd, and will remain open through until until Sunday, July 2nd.

The following is a summary of the Music Fest and the Lab Gab sessions with will take place throughout the event. Please note that where SLurls are given, they will not be available for public use prior to the event opening.

Music Fest

As with more recent(ish!) years, festivities will kick-off immediately following the opening on Thursday, June 22nd with the Music Fest, a 3-day celebration of live music in Second Life, and on Monday, June 19th, Linden Lab published the line-up for the event. This year, the festival will be taking place at a dedicated 4-region venue (which presumably will be used for other entertainment as well), comprising the four SLB regions of Amaze, Astound (primary landing point), Astonish (alternate landing point) and Imagination (alternate landing point).

At the time of writing, the scheduled line-up comprised:

Time (SLT) June 22nd June 23rd June 24th
10:00 Gates Open — AnLaik
11:00 — — Fly Kugin
Noon Opening Ceremony¹ Made in SL: the Movie¹ Mimi Carpenter
13:00 SEMINA Tia Rungray TEMPIO Breil
14:00 Marqs DeSade DorianKash Tally Mercury
15:00 Justin Elias Anatra Randy De Lucia Jordan Lively
16:00 Holly Giles Joaquin Gustav Slade S. Simunyé
17:00 Ruvi Gatchie ryeshure spiritLed
18;00 Frogg Marlowe & Jaycatt Nico (Effinjay) Oblee Cosmic Cat
19:00 Grace Loudon FrankLee Ras Solaris | Waverino
20:00 Angelikus Deo Maximillion Kleene Gabriel da Silva
21:00 — John Rocky —
  1. At the time of writing, the Second Life Birthday calendar gave the SLurls for the Opening Ceremony and the film festival as those of the Music Fest. However, it appears that:
    • According to the official Talk Show blog post, the Opening Ceremony will in fact take place at the Mandala Stage (no SLurl available at the time of writing).
    • According to the Destination Guide, the film premiere will take place within the Exhilarate region of the SLB Arboretum.

Lab Gab: Linden Specials

SL20B will feature a series of  Linden Specials, featuring a mix of pre-recorded and live interviews with members of the the Lab’s board and management team. These can be attended in-world and will also be streamed via the Second Life You Tube channel. For those wishing to view the events in-world, the SLurl are as follows:

Arboretum 1 – Arboretum 2 – Arboretum 3

Day (Times SLT) Featured Guest(s)
Monday 26th June, 13:30
 Patch Linden, Vice President of Product Operations (Live)
Tuesday 27th June, 13:30 Grumpity Linden, Vice President of Second Life Product and Mojo Linden, Vice President of Engineering (Pre-recorded)
Wednesday 28th, June, 13:30 Linden Lab Executive Chair Brad Oberwager and Founder Philip Rosedale (Live)
Thursday 29th June, 13:30 Chief Marketing Officer StyFy Linden and VP of Marketing Brett Linden (Pre-recorded)
Friday 30th June, 13:30 Meet the Moles. The Moles are builders, scripters, and content creators employed by Linden Lab to work in the Linden Department of Public Works (Live)

Shop and Hop

Coinciding with the Birthday celebrations is another Shop and Hop event, this one on a vast scale: 20 regions and 480 merchants! Find out more via the SL20B Shop and Hop Destination Guide category, or check out the list of participating merchants (with SLurls).

Second Life Birthday Calendar

The provides a full breakdown of events -note again that all times are SLT. Click here to open it in a separate browser tab.

Destination Guide links

Note: some of these may not be available until Thursday, June 22nd:

Second Life Hair Fair 2023

Posted on by Inara Pey
via Hair Fair

The 2023 Second Life Hair Fair is currently open, and runs through until Sunday, July 2nd, 2023. As with previous years, is being run to raise money for Wigs for Kids, with every purchase seeing a percentage donated to the cause, with the Bandana booths and Donation kiosks donating 100% of all proceeds received.

As with recent years, the event takes place across six regions, appropriately called Foils, Brunette, Streaks,  Noirette, Redhead and Blonde, laid out in a block of six, with Foils, Brunette and Streaks to the north and Noirette, Redhead and Blonde to the south, separated by an intervening stream. The landing zones for the regions form decks spaced along both banks of the stream, both helping to lighten the load of arriving avatars and providing vantage points from which those (such as myself) who prefer to do so, can cam-shop without necessarily having to wander the stores.

As is usual for Hair Fair, the shopping regions are wisely lightly decorated in order to minimise viewer-side lag that might otherwise be created by having a significant amount of extra object and texture rendering. For those who enjoy perusing stores directly, the broad boardwalks ensure there is little chance of bumping into others, whilst those who might tire of walking can use one of the rezzers located along both boardwalks to rez a sittable “bus” and ride the length of the walkways.

The list of participating merchants can be found on the Hair Fair website, while for those who may not find something they wish to purchase, donation kiosks are available to help support Wigs for Kids, or there are the Bandana Booths, one located in Foils and the other in Blonde. within them, visitors can purchase a bandana or a Hair Fair Hare companion (all proceeds on both to Hair Fair), and learn about the history of the Hair Fair Bandana Day & booths.

Hair Fair 2023

About Wigs for Kids

For more than forty years Wigs for Kids has been providing hair replacement systems and support for children who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, Alopecia, Trichotillomania, burns and other medical issues at no cost to children or their families. The effects of hair loss go deeper than just a change in a child’s outward appearance. Hair loss can erode a child’s self-confidence and limit them from experiencing life the way children should. With an injured self-image, a child’s attitude toward treatment and their physical response to it can be negatively affected also.

Wigs for Kids helps children suffering with hair loss look themselves and live their lives. Families are never charged for the hair replacements provided for their children; Wigs for Kids rely completely on both the donation of hair and / or money to help meet their goals.

Read more about Wigs for Kids mission, and discover how hair can be donated.

URLs and SURLs

Second Pride 2023: a pocket guide to the celebrations

Posted on by Inara Pey
Second Pride, 2023: main stage

SL Pride, the event celebrating diversity organised by and on behalf of Second Life’s LGBTQ+ community officially opened on Friday, June 9th, 2023 and runs through until Sunday, June 18th, 2023.

Given the uncalled for backlash and targeting of the LGBTQ+ community and against gender rights within western nations, coupled with the overall suppression of the community around the world, the theme for this year’s event is, appropriately a message of strength.

NOT GOING BACK – NOT BACKING DOWN

– Second Pride 2023 Theme

As with recent years, the 2023 Second Pride event is hosted across two regions – Second Pride East, with its traditional urban theme, and Second Pride West, with its similarly familiar beachfront and pier design. Straddling the two is the central park and events area, with the landing points for both regions sitting-side-by-side and facing one another across the region boundary.

Second Pride 2023: Dim Sum Gardens

Also as with previous years, the regions utilise a Second Life Experience to assist with teleports, etc., and if you have not previously visited the event or joined the Experience, doing so is recommended. Posters at the landing points will also provide visitors with information on the festivities and entertainment, which will be focused on the main stage in the park, the Beach Stage, located alongside the beachfront with its Second Pride Boardwalk and associated amusements, rides and stalls, with smaller, more intimate events also being held at the Bandshell / City Venue.

And if that weren’t enough, the Bijou Theatre will be hosting a series of special performances and light shows. When you arrive there, just walk the red carpet to the doors and you’ll be TP’d directly to the theatre proper. Details of the shows – and on the more than 70 live performances and events taking place through the event, please refer to the Event Schedule on the Second Pride website.

If you’re new to the LGBTQ+ communities is second Life and wish to learn more, you can drop into the Second Pride Community Resource Centre, while those who wish to sit in quiet contemplation, the Second Pride Memorial Chapel with its message of Solidarity, is available. Or you can just relax at the Dim Sum Gardens or simply tour the two regions!

Second Pride: boardwalk and pier

Funds raised at this year’s even will benefit:

LGBTQ Freedom Fund: is a US-centric organisation which is focused on securing the safety and liberty of people in US jails and immigration detention centres, with a focus on LGBTQ individuals. Because of whom they love / hoe they identify, a tangle of discrimination and poverty disproportionately traps LGBTQ people in cycles of crime and incarceration, with the impact particularly felt by transgender, brown, and black individuals.

In tandem with provide financial support to secure the release of LGBTQ+ people unfairly incarcerated, the fund works with the public and policymakers to curb the mass detention of LGBTQ individuals, given the fact that sexual minorities are three times more likely to be incarcerated than heterosexual individuals. The sweep of criminalisation is extraordinary, with some estimates suggesting that, at some point in their lives, 70 percent of low-income LGBTQ people are homeless – and as a result can be considered vagrants and subject to arrest and indefinite incarceration in many US states.

The It Gets Better Project: founded as a non-profit organisation in the United States in 2010, the Project now involves international affiliate organisations across 19 countries. Together they are able to reach millions of young people around the world, promoting the vision of a world where all LGBTQ+ youth are free to live equally and know their worthiness and power as individuals. A huge part of this work is in outreach through storytelling – those within the community telling their stories and inspiring / encouraging others. The Project additional fosters community-building and promoting open discussions on the challenges young LGBTQ+ people have to face as a result of their sexual orientation and gender identity journey, and to positively influence the outlook of both those who identify as LGBTQ+ and those who do not.

Second Pride 2023

With entertainment, shopping, camaraderie, friendship, fun, support and more, do be sure to make time to visit SL Pride, share in the entertainment, tour the regions, have fun – and donate to the supported charities.

SLurl and Link Details

The Second Pride regions are rated Moderate