Party in your pants- Our latest in the naked interview series (and in the spirit of PiYP, we shall keep our pants on), with Judi Doodlecat.
19th of May – Party In Your Pants LONDON MAYHEM
Now, I’m well known for my discerning (if unconventional) taste in parties. Unicornhunting.blog has spent years giving you the run down on swinger and kink events which are actually fun, without the advertising BS. Not all of the events reviewed let you take your pants off, but it really takes something special to impress me outside of the kink and swinger scene. A specifically non-sexual party? How on earth could that be fun? But ooohhhh it so is. What’s more, it’s:
✔Feminist
✔Body positive
✔Accessible
✔Inclusive
✔Safe
✔Anti-capitalist
✔There are lots of nipples
What’s not to like?
But that really doesn’t do PiYP justice. I’d heard about PiYP for years from friends, and it sounded fun, but I never knew the secrets behind this implausibly ethical and revolutionary community. Let’s talk with Judi Doodlecat from Party in Your Pants about what this totally unique UK event actually is, and why this will blow your mind.
Where did Party In Your Pants come from?
We have been partying in our pants with trans and NB people, with cis men & women, with people of every size, shape, colour, nationality, sexual orientation, age and ability WITHOUT sexual harassment since 2015. We started out by popping up in Brighton pubs with a topless woman or NB person and their law-defying nipples on a table, inviting people to doodle ‘our sentient canvas’.
This involved a quick conversation about desexualising bodies with breasts, and about consent & respect. (And also about doodling – the fact that everyone who can hold a pen is artist enough to doodle is as important as the desexualised toplessness to us) Despite having no control over who might approach us to join in, we never once had a person disrespect our canvas. It was this realisation that led me to believe it was possible to have a club night where sexual harassment didn’t feature.
It was this realisation that led me to believe it was possible to have a club night where sexual harassment didn’t feature.
Judi Doodlecat
Our goal is to get PiYP to as many towns and cities as we can. Once people have experienced clubbing that way, they will demand it from EVERY promoter and EVERY venue.
How would you describe Party in Your Pants?
On the one hand, it’s a free the nipple, blacklight paint rave. On the other, it’s a celebration of the creativity, co-operation, non-judgment and joy that is the birthright of humanity. I call it re-childing – PiYP aims for the sexual tension and body-shaming levels of preschool, to take you back to a time before any art teacher told you you couldn’t draw, before any toxic self-doubt or inhibition taught you to be judgmental of your own body, before you learned to see yourself or others as sexual beings.
PiYP aims for the sexual tension and body-shaming levels of preschool, before any art teacher told you you couldn’t draw, before any toxic self-doubt or inhibition taught you to be judgmental of your own body
Judi Doodlecat
How do people learn about PiYP?
We don’t advertise, in fact, we make it quite difficult to discover us, and even more difficult to actually get a ticket. This is because one of our main USPs is our curated crowd. The most common compliment we get is about how friendly EVERYONE is. That isn’t an accident. It’s the reason we have grown so slowly, and why every party feels hand-made with love.
We were also the first desexualised topless, anti-harassment, inclusive feminist, black-light body doodle, arty party in the UK. We know because we Googled it back when we started. And, despite all the advice of successful promoters and venue owners to stop using passwords and dial down the use of the word feminism because it ‘puts people off’, we’ve stayed true to our conviction that putting those people off is precisely what makes PiYP what it is.
What kind of people is Party in Your Pants for?
PiYP is for everyone who’s not a misogynist or a bigot, who understands that tits happen, and that the people who possess them are SO over it already!
We don’t care what’s in your pants, either.
We are beloved of the weird people, the mxfits, the lonely and the neurospicy. Survivors of sexual assault and abuse and body dysmorphia tell us PiYP is healing. Trans people message us, celebrating their first post-op toplessness, or about the moment they understood that their body’s presentation was not going to be judged in our space.
Our regulars are people of all sizes, shapes, colours, nationalities, ages and abilities. What they share is that they understand how to have child-like fun, while respecting the people around them. Demographically PiYP is about 45% woman identifying, 35% man identifying and the rest choose neither. About 20% are aged 18 – 24, 60% are 25 – 40 and the rest are Gen X (we were there when rave was born, and PiYP has a definite flavour of the original rave scene) and a handful of the wokest boomers you will ever meet.
Is there anyone you cannot cater for?
TERFs, racists, misogynists. And narcissists – at PiYP one of our favourite slogans is: we’re all famous here!
Who works at PiYP?
Almost everyone who works at PiYP started out as a regular customer. Over time, they found joy in spontaneously facilitating various things, from acting as pen monitors or adopting solo first-timers, to inventing dancefloor games or monitoring people they thought looked suspicious; so we invited them to get paid for their labour. Our team is growing and changing all the time as our customers evolve the party , and we adapt to its new shape.
What should a first-timer expect at Party in Your Pants?
You’ll be greeted at the door by Simon Diamond in his trademark Doodle-couture top hat. Simon makes sure everyone knows where everything is, points out the rule (respect) and daubs you with your first bit of doodle. You follow his direction through to the cloakroom, where Chloë and Daisy will provide you and your bag with wristbands which give you all-night free cloakroom access (we’ll even lend you a bag if you’ve forgotten yours). This feature is VITAL to our ethos. It means you can remove as much or as little of your clothing as you like, at your own pace.
There is ZERO pressure on anyone to get topless.
If we don’t believe you should be shamed for showing your breasts, we’d be pretty hypocritical to shame anyone for not showing them! But body positivity is really important to us and we work hard to create an atmosphere where it feels safe to lose your inhibitions. Some people take an event or two to go pants only; others prefer to keep a vest or a bra on, but sooner or later they all relax and realise the sky isn’t going to fall in because they have a body.
Once you’re set, you can head to the bar where you’ll discover an array of wigs, giant sunglasses, googly eyes to play dress-up with, as well as plenty of ultra violet pens for body-doodling. And if you haven’t come with friends to doodle you, you’ll be (consensually) pounced on pretty soon by a Doodlecat or one of the regulars. From there, you can choose to chill in the ball pool or head to the dancefloor for more doodles and a little more chaos in the form of Holi powder, hand prints and from a few hours in, we start opening the paint tunnel for bursts of paint pistol action.
What should I bring to PiYP?
A backpack for your outerwear, and a bumbag for your wallet etc. All our paints are toddler-proof and washable, but we cannot guarantee wash-ability on all fabric types, so dress for mess.
We stop spraying you with damp stuff an hour or so before the end, so your clothes won’t get soaked when you dress to go home, but some of our favourite post-PiYP photos are posted by our customers as they interact with ‘normal people’ on their way home. It’s easy to forget you have a giant googly-eye on your forehead…
Where is PiYP?
Low Profile Studios in London every six weeks or so and Latest Bar in Brighton every couple of months starting in June. These are single dancefloor events, and small enough that you feel you’ve met everyone by the end of five hours. A couple of times a year, we find ourselves somewhere bigger and gather all of our delightful PiYPle under one roof, with more dancefloors and added silliness.
We always undersell the venue capacity by about a third because it’s important to us that you can keep some personal space around yourself if you want to, and also, queuing for cloakrooms, bars and toilets might be British but it’s not what you bought a ticket for!
Is Party in Your Pants linked with any other events or socials?
We partner with Apocalypse Club to create UV Apocalypse but unless we have total control over right of admission, we won’t associate PiYP with any other event. Our record of anti-harassment has been hard-won over almost a decade, and is our most precious asset.
Is it okay to come to PiYP solo?
YES! We even have Emotional Support Flamingos – you can ask for one at the door. When you get inside, you can look out for other flamingos but more importantly, our staff can look out for you and make sure you’re okay. Our regulars are also great at inclusion – your flamingo will alert them to the fact that you might appreciate being invited for a doodle…
We even have Emotional Support Flamingos
Is PiYP a kink/sex event?
While we are positive about those things, we are a desexualised space, where asexual people and abuse survivors are able to feel comfortable and safe, and where everyone is encouraged to relax about their sexual attractiveness for a night. That said, we find kink & sex-positive party people are really amazing at understanding consent, so when we say ‘if it isn’t appropriate for preschool, don’t do it at PiYP’ they have no problem respecting our boundaries.
Is PiYP body positive?
YES! At At PIYP our thinking is this: You were born into a meat suit. Some people have big suits, some have old saggy ones, some have suits with bits that don’t work, with the wrong genitals for who they are, with scars, with wrinkles, with too much or too little hair in the right or wrong places. Some people are born into beautiful suits, but many of those, too, struggle to find a place where they can enjoy the freedom to shine without their suit stealing all of the attention. At PIYP it is YOU that we want to join us; we don’t care what suit you wear. Only respect and pants are compulsory at PIYP.
Only respect and pants are compulsory at PIYP
Is PiYP inclusive of neurodiversity and disability?
Yes. We even have Recyclable Spoons Tickets for people living with unpredictable health conditions. (And yes, mental health is included) Just choose that ticket when you book. Then you can simply message us on the morning of the event to let us know if you won’t be using your ticket, and message us again when we list the next event if you intend to use it.
We even have Recyclable Spoons Tickets for people living with unpredictable health conditions
Our regular London venue, Low Profile Studios, is wheelchair accessible (by lift) and the event itself is all on one floor. We offer free PA passes (just message us and your PA will be added to our guestlist)
Speak to us directly about access at Egg – we haven’t used this part of the venue before so we’ll deal with your needs individually.
Our party has no flashing lights & no strobes, just blacklight. The ballpool and bar areas (where the doodling happens) are relatively calm, and we don’t pump the volume ’til your ears bleed, because it’s hard to discuss consent if you can’t hear yourself speak, so it’s more accessible to neurodiverse people than a lot of club nights. There is plenty of seating and we have a staff space which we use if someone is feeling overloaded and needs some time out. Just speak to a consent fairy, to Simon at the door, or to the cloakroom staff & we’ve got you covered.
no flashing lights & no strobes, just blacklight
Is PiYP a good place to start your adventure?
The adventurous, the rebellious and the exhibition-ous love PiYP, and we have large poly groups who come out to have desexualised fun. We’re a great gateway for those uncertain about sex positive/play parties to experience themselves in a topless space without the pressure or awkwardness they fear they might feel at a sexy event. NOT that PiYP isn’t sexy – there is nothing sexier than hundreds of women refusing to conform to beauty norms, the hundreds of men respecting them, and the courage of those who are neither, occupying their rightful, beautiful place. But PiYP is a sexy art thing, NOT an arty sex thing, and that is fundamental to us. .
a great gateway for those uncertain about sex-positive/play parties to experience themselves in a topless space without the pressure or awkwardness they fear
What are consent fairies?
They do The Most Important Job at Party In Your Pants. We have a ratio of Consent Fairies to customers that would make a primary school blush. Some are clearly identified as staff, others are incognito observers on the lookout for red flag behaviour. We rely on our customers to tell us if they feel discomforted by the attention or behaviour of someone at our event.
We are FIERCELY anti-harassment, whether it’s verbal or physical, and will never allow venue security to override our decision to remove a person. But our consent fairies ARE NOT monitoring a sex party, and we do not believe that breasts and their nipples are inherently sexual, so we don’t forbid selfies or phone pics on the dancefloor. Our fairies are there to make sure nobody gets the notion that they can party in anybody else’s pants, and to remind you, if you get caught up in a saucy moment, that hanky panky is for home time. Obviously if they (or you) notice someone excessively or creepily filming, we will intervene.
What do I need to wear?
All you need is pants – basic white ones glow fabulously under UV and look glorious once they’re splattered. We beg you not to smother yourself in body art before you arrive (especially the oil based variety – we have to scrub your bum prints off the walls) – the whole point of PiYP is that we all get to be the artist and the art. People do excel themselves at fabulous headwear, and outrageous VIPs (Very Impressive Pants) but it is by no means a requirement!
What gives someone status in the world of Party in Your Pants?
Being the sort of person for whom coolness and status don’t matter. Often it is the people who tell us at the door that they’re not planning on taking any clothes off ‘cos they’re too self-conscious who finish the night dancing on the stage in their pants. The courage to be yourself, to trust others, to be part of a collective artistic creation is what makes people cool at PiYP. We don’t do celebrity. I am the promoter, I am the creative director. I also wash the walls at the end of the night, and clean the paint tunnel and the toilets…
Is PiYP a good place to make friends?
It is! There’s an immediate kinship in realising you’re not the only person who thinks the idea of jumping about like a 3 year old, in your pants and drawing on your face with pens is a grand idea, so the friendship groups that spring from PiYP are myriad. The removal of dating-style tension means we meet each other in our purest state of selfhood.
We’ve lost count of how many long-term romantic relationships and even marriages have evolved out of meetings at PiYP. We think it’s because nobody has their Game Face on, or is intent on partner hunting, and so often it is when we are not looking for something that it falls into our lap.
What sort of music will I hear at Party in Your Pants?
We like the music to be real, with good beats, good bass and a lot of heart, but we definitely try to avoid being a music-genre night. Experience has taught us that people who attend for the music instead of the experience of joy, equality and respect don’t add anything to our party. So expect your DnB to be disrupted by Disney, and don’t be surprised if Gloria Estefan shows up… The music is heavily influenced by 90s acid house anthems, but each of our DJs has their own unique flavour.
…expect your DnB to be disrupted by Disney
At Egg on the 19th May 2023 we also have 4 hours of emo, metal and goth in the Apocalypse Room
When does it start and how late does it finish?
Usually 10 til 3, but it varies.
How much are the drinks?
£5-£7 for most things. Very reasonably priced for London.
What is door security like?
Extremely friendly and flexible. LGBTQIA+ aware in terms of ID, and always willing to assist customers with disabilities.
Does PiYP have a social platform to meet people before I go to a party?
We have a private Facebook group called Party In Your Pants East London. We vet members with a series of questions before adding them and we try really hard not to spam members with hundreds of posts. Our Facebook group operates like our events, a safe space with no trolls and no debating people’s existence.
Several of our regulars arrange pre-drinks gatherings for newbies using this group, and I monitor it and post regular feedback after events to provide the opportunity for discussion.
Is there a smoking area?
Yes. At our regular London home it is shared with the top floor venue (run by the same team) and has two dedicated security as well as a member of our staff to monitor interactions between upstairs customers and ours. The smoking area at Low Profile is where find a lot of new customers! They’re astonished and intrigued by all the friendly, painty people and our customer’s enthusiastic explanations are a brilliant, authentic advert for PiYP.
At Egg London, we will have our own top floor, dedicated smoking deck.
Look out for our famous ‘smoking jackets’ – a basket of business shirts and fleecy blankets, so you can smoke in your pants without freezing your nips off, or having to queue for the cloakroom.
How do I prepare for my first Party in Your Pants night?
Our rule is RESPECT. This includes the venue, the vibe and each other. Consent is key – ask before you doodle on someone. Be aware of the space you’re occupying & whether it’s impinging on others. And respect the fact that we are not like other parties where nudity occurs.
If it’s not appropriate for a 3 year old, don’t do it at PiYP. (Except boozes, obviously, and staying up late)
What is the substances vibe at Party in Your Pants?
We expressly request people not to take drugs at PiYP, because it is vital to the nature of our event that people are aware of the boundaries of those around them and are in a state to pick up signals from others. We remove anyone who is visibly off their face and help them find their way home, or keep them safe until they’ve found their feet again.
Obviously we can’t prevent people from doing what they do, and if I was to guess I’d say MDMA is probably the most common substance in use, but TBH our customers are subtle and sensible enough that we couldn’t say for sure and PiYP is such a warm, fuzzy event that is basically IS drugs…
What if I’m not a dancer?
We pride ourselves on being instigators rather than organisers on the night. There’s a ballpool, there are inflatable alligators and submarines, there are wigs, giant sunglasses, modelling balloons & glow sticks to play dress up, and hundreds of neon pens to bodydoodle yourself and others.
We bring out neon parachutes & tulle-netting, and there’s our world-famous-in-London paint-tunnel where we shoot you with paint pistols. We believe that our customers are the magic ingredient- they’ve used the things we provide to do everything from double-dutch skipping to limbo dancing, and a crowd surfing alligator is not an uncommon sight.
There’s our world-famous-in-London paint-tunnel where we shoot you with paint pistols
How does Party in Your Pants operate as anti-capitalist?
Hah! By being okay with being broke, because we believe our party empowers people in the struggle of our age – remembering that humans are better when they cooperate.
We operate ticket pricing on an honesty-box basis. The password is the same for all tickets, and whether you choose a Socialist Discount or Spoons Ticket, a Regular Ticket for Regular Earners or a PIYP Supporter Ticket is up to you. The Supporter tickets fund the Socialist Discount ones (from each according to their means, to each according to their need)
We pay above the real living wage and have a lot of staff, and our event has a hefty bill for pens, paints, potions and playthings. We’ve frozen our prices in response to Brexit and the cost of greed crisis because accessibility includes being financially accessible (this is also why we don’t charge for our cloakroom or anything extra once you’re at the event) – but we have yet to find a source of funding that would not have the potential to attempt to influence the political edge of our party and our integrity matters.
Accessibility includes being financially accessible
Can I send the PIYP party password to a group of friends?
YES! If you’ve understood our event well enough to be in possession of a password, we trust you to share it wisely. We don’t advertise, and we RELY on you to spread the word.
Where can I dive in?
19th of May – Party In Your Pants LONDON MAYHEM
For one night only we’re taking over the top two floors of Egg London. PiYP customers will be entirely secluded from the ground floor event customers, and our staff will be escorting you from the foyer, showing you around and answering your questions. We have a dedicated metal/emo room for this one, hosted by Apocalypse Club.
Next stop is 9th of June at Latest Bar in Brighton for Party In Your Pants BRIGHTON Return to Pantopia
Follow @partyinyourpantsofficial on Instagram, @judidoodlecat on TikTok, join our private Facebook group: Party In Your Pants East London, or email partyinyourpantsofficial@gmail.com to be added to our mailing list.
Message any of these to request a password. For accessibility queries, PA passes, or any other questions, my personal email is judidoodlecat@gmail.com . You can get passwords from me there too.
PiYP is such a warm, fuzzy event that is basically IS drugs…
