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Gay 13-Year-Old Kicked Out Of An “Inclusive” Church Finds True Community In Love From Strangers Kierra Johnson Will Become The 1st Black Executive Dir Of The National LGBTQ Task Force The First Person to Be Cured of HIV Has Passed Away From Cancer These Ballroom Legends Want You to Bring It to the Polls Hottest Gay Destinations Of 2020-21 Jimmy Will Be The First LGBTQ Candidate Elected County-Wide In Duval County Popular West Hollywood Gay Bar Gold Coast Closing After 40 Years Why For Some LGBT+ People, Halloween Is The Gay Christmas Trump Administration Instructed Law Enforcement Officials To Defend Kenosha Gunman Charlie Carver Found Humanity in the Hot Himbo of “The Boys in the Band”
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Gay 13-Year-Old Kicked Out Of An “Inclusive” Church Finds True Community In Love From Strangers By Robert Bennett
A gay teen was kicked out of his supposedly “inclusive” church when he wore Pride gear. But an even bigger part of his community rallied together to make him feel included. Gabriel is a 13-year-old eighth grader in Lincoln, Nebraska. He played piano at church every Sunday with a music group, calling himself “a proud member of the church.” “But then the elders of the church found out I was wearing pride gear,” he said.
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The issue? A white T-shirt with a small rainbow on it that said, “True to you.”
to get married sent a real nice That’s when things changed at letter,” Colleen said, going the church. Gabriel was forced through the mail her family has gotten as a result of the story. to step away from the music group. “I am a teacher and I have students who love and look up “They told me, since I’m a leader, they wouldn’t want me to me,” read another letter. “Sometimes it’s kids like you promoting things that they’re that need to teach grownups a against,” he said, probably thing or two.” referring to being gay. His mother, Colleen, told KETV Frank Roark, who owns a 7 News that she was surprised printing shop in Lincoln, saw the story and made 500 cards that the church reacted this way, saying that they describe that said, “Love is never wrong” on them, a reference to Melissa themselves as inclusive and Etheridge lyrics. He posted welcoming. about them on Facebook and So she shared the story on gave them to people who Facebook, and it got attention: wanted to send Gabriel “It only took a matter of hours. supportive messages. It got really big, really fast.” “You took what could have She didn’t share the name of been one of the worst the church, though, because experiences and turned them she wanted to keep the story into one of the best positive. And she got experiences,” Colleen said, “overwhelmingly positive” thanking Frank for his responses. kindness. A Facebook group called Drag “There’s a lot of good in the Queen Story Hour Nebraska world and there’s a little bit of shared the teen’s story and bad in the world,” Gabriel said created an address where he has learned from the people could send messages incident. “But when the bad of support. comes, the good comes too.” “Ryan and Ben, a couple about
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Kierra Johnson Will Become The First Black Executive Director Of The National LGBTQ Task Force
She is excited, she said, to lead the Task Force into its next chapter – and she also knows it will be a big undertaking.
“We, like many organizations Longtime Executive Director right now, are in the process of Rea Carey will be stepping figuring out what it means to down from her role with the serve our community in the National LGBTQ Task Force in middle of a pandemic, in the early 2021. Taking her place middle of an economic will be the current Deputy downturn, and in the middle of Executive Director, Kierra a crisis of overt and covert Johnson, who will make history racism, and I think at the center as the first Black Executive of that is focusing on racial Director in the advocacy equity as part of our work even organization’s nearly 50-year more deeply,” she said. existence. She feels emotional, she Founded in 1973, The Task added, about the fact that Force is dedicated to amidst all of this, she will also education, research, and be the first Black person to lead advocacy work and is known the organization. for campaigns like Queer the “I come from a long line of Census. It also hosts the Black women leaders and annual Creating Change advocates and organizers and Conference. freedom fighters, and I want to “I couldn’t be more thrilled and do that legacy proud,” Johnson excited to take on this role,” said. “I want to make my Johnson told cityXtra in an people proud in every sense of interview. the word, and I know it’s going Originally from Georgia, to be a challenge. Everything Johnson has been with the about being out loud at this Task Force for almost three time as a Black woman comes years, first as a member of the with risk, and I’m up for the Board of Directors and its challenge, and I know I’m not National Action Council and doing it alone.” now as Deputy Executive “Not only do I have the support Director. Before she joined the of my own colleagues and the organization, she was the board of directors at the Task Executive Director of URGE— Force, but the support of all my Unite for Reproductive & communities,” she continued. Gender Equity. “Black folks across social By Michael Downing
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justice sectors. Women who have been deep in the work for over twenty years in women’s rights and abortion rights work, so I know I’m really going to lean on those folks.” “And I do understand the weight of carrying this forward, and I don’t claim to do it alone. I don’t want to, I don’t need to, and the best can only come from working in collaboration with folks across our community.” In February, when she officially takes on the role, Johnson hopes to begin deepening relationships between the Task Force and other activists and leaders beyond the LGBTQ community. “That’s how the movement is growing. That’s how activists are working. They’re not siloed,” Johnson said. “I want to be a ‘household name’ across social justice movements, so really [focus on] building those relationships.” As we approach the November 3rd election, she added, it is even more crucial to spread the message that LGBTQ rights are inextricably entwined with other movements. “The reality is all of our wants and dreams and needs are wrapped up in political power,” she posited. “A lot of the work the Task Force does is explain that the issues that affect everyday people affect queer people.” She wants people to see the Task Force as not only an LGBTQ organization, but as a
democracy organization, a leadership development organization, and a racial equity organization. As a reproductive justice expert, she added that this cause will also remain crucial to the Task Force. “I want to center the experiences and knowledge and magic of women of color. Period,” she said. “You’ve got Breonna Taylor, and then you think about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and then you think about the fact that Betsy DeVos is withholding millions of dollars from a school district because they will not deny trans young people participating in organized sports, and for me, the connection is clear: control of bodies.” “It is the control of our sexuality. It is the assumptions that some people get to make about our identities and then place judgments on whether or not we should live or die or experience joy.” “So [I plan on] being intentional about raising the profile of women of color and putting the spotlight on the unique ways disenfranchisement and oppression looks,” she continued. “I think we can come up with some new creative, impactful solutions that will actually benefit all of us.” In keeping with the Task Force’s Queer the Vote campaign, Johnson also hopes to continue to do work around voting and elections. “It’s not just about how we do
the electoral work up to election day, but the work we have to do to build a base and fortify, educate, strengthen, and train our constituents to hold it down in between elections. [This means] holding elected officials accountable, being engaged in policy battles, proactively and defensively,” Johnson said. “Really deepening our democracy work is where I team she will have to help her, want to go.” though. At home with her kids throughout the pandemic, Johnson added that taking on the new position will be a challenge. “This is a big position, and I’ve got kids at home every day doing school work. It’s one of those challenges, how can we rethink what leadership means in this time where there are 4 or 5 people sitting at home all at the same time trying to live their lives in a not-normal time?” Another big challenge, she said, will be to decipher what it means to address racial justice and white supremacy within the organization itself. “In left of center movements and left of center organizations, it is a really difficult thing for people left of center to be able to see and own their own role in perpetuating white supremacy and racism,” she explained. “I fully expect that to be a challenge to figure out how as an organization we navigate that both internally and externally and how I do that as an executive director.” Johnson is excited about the
“I feel so lucky to be in cahoots with all of them and that I don’t have to hold it all,” she said. “It’s one of the fastest ways leaders burn out, is when they are literally alone or they have a perception of being alone, and I don’t feel alone, so it’s just reminding myself I can and should continue to lean on these brilliant people that are surrounding me, and that feels really good.” Above all else, Johnson said, she wants those engaged with the organization to know that she is headed into the position with a bridge-building mindset and that she is ready to roll up her sleeves and do the work. “I’m in it to win it. Take me to a red state. Take me to the Bible belt, take me to the rust belt, [or] sweet home Alabama, I am down. Let’s do this,” she ended. “I am ready to be a bridge in whatever way, and I want to bring together the not so usual suspects in a powerful way to leverage power for our communities. We deserve it, and we need it.” www.cityxtramagazine.com 09
The First Person to Be Cured of HIV Has Passed Away From Cancer By Drew Williams
The first person to be cured of HIV, Timothy Ray Brown known as the "Berlin Patient" has died from cancer, the International AIDS Society (IAS) announced Wednesday.
"We owe Timothy and his doctor, Gero Hutter, a great deal of gratitude for opening the door for scientists to explore the concept that a cure Brown made medical history and became a symbol of hope for HIV is possible." for the tens of millions of Brown was diagnosed with HIV people living with the virus that while he was studying in Berlin causes AIDS when he was in 1995. A decade later, he cured more than a decade ago. was diagnosed with leukaemia, a cancer that affects the blood He had been living with a and bone marrow. recurrence of leukemia for several months and received To treat his leukaemia, his hospice care at his home in doctor at the Free University of Palm Springs, California. Berlin used a stem cell trans"On behalf of all its members... plant from a donor who had a the IAS sends its condolences rare genetic mutation that gave to Timothy's partner, Tim, and him natural resistance to HIV, hoping it may wipe out both his family and friends," said diseases. IAS President Adeeba Kamarulzaman. It took two painful and dangerous procedures, but it was a success: in 2008 Brown was declared free of the two ailments, and was initially dubbed "the Berlin Patient" at a medical conference to preserve his anonymity. Two years later, he decided to break his silence and went on to become a public figure, giving speeches and interviews and starting his own foundation. "I am living proof that there could be a cure for AIDS," he 12 www.cityxtramagazine.com told AFP in 2012. "It's very
wonderful, being cured of HIV." 'Champion' Ten years after Brown was cured, a second HIV patient dubbed "the London Patient" was revealed to be in remission 19 months after undergoing a similar procedure. The patient, Adam Castillejo, is currently HIV-free. In August a California woman was reported to have no traces of HIV despite not using anti-retroviral treatment. It is thought she may be the first person to be cured of HIV without undergoing the risky bone marrow treatment. Sharon Lewin, president-elect of the IAS and director of the Doherty Institute in Melbourne, Australia, praised Brown as a "champion and advocate" of a cure for HIV. "It is the hope of the scientific community that one day we can honor his legacy with a safe, cost-effective and widely accessible strategy to achieve HIV remission and cures using gene editing or techniques that boost immune control," she said.
These Ballroom Legends Want You to Bring It to the Polls By Will Manzella
The presidential election is the biggest function of the year, and these ballroom icons won’t let you be late.
understand, I am the vote,” LaBeija says in the video.
voices of the LGBTQ+ community. With more than Vogueing legends from the The initiative was Houses of Balenciaga, Garçon, conceptualized for Unilever and 20% of LGBTQ+ adults not registered to vote, Unilever is Gorgeous Gucci, and When We All Vote by supporting nonpartisan Miyake-Mugler have joined RanaVerse, an LGBTQ-led forces for “I’m the Vote,” a new creative agency that develops organizations that are providing registration and voting campaign encouraging LGBTQ social-impact campaigns for Black or indigenous people of major brands. It’s ongoing until information to help ensure everyone within our color (BIPOC) to cast their Election Day on November 3, ballots in November. The with a Phase 2 launching soon communities are able to vote initiative launched earlier this to help LGBTQ BIPOC develop safely and fairly. week with a short film starring individualized voting plans and As cityXtra determined last Sinia Alaia. It also features make their votes count. year, any Democratic voiceover work from Paris Is candidate could feasibly beat In a statement provided to Burning icon Junior LaBejia, President Donald Trump if all cityXtra, Mita Mallick, head of who walks potential voters unregistered LGBTQ diversity and inclusion for through the step-by-step Americans who are eligible to Unilever North America, said process of registering to vote, vote registered. the company was proud to requesting a ballot by mail, and highlight “the creativity and Watch the full “I’m the Vote” casting your ballot by mail or vibrancy of the house and campaign video below—and IRL at an early voting site. ballroom communities”: dear God, if you haven’t figured “I know this sounds so drastic out a game plan to cast your There’s never been a more and so ’I’ve been there before,’ important time to ensure all ballot safely this election cycle, but darling, you have to voices are heard, including the what are you doing?!
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ever Muslim Pride. As of October, a £10,000, or $13,000, fundraiser goal Hottest Gay Destinations Of 2020-21 had been reached for a By David Vandygriff first-of-its-kind LGBTQ may as well stand for event to be held in spring “let’s go book travel quickly” recognizing the ongoing because some days it seems struggle of Muslim LGBTQIA+ like that’s all we’re ever doing people. Beyond the fest, this and 2020 shows no reason to city has always been fit for a call it quits. From fab festivals queen and by that we mean that will bring tens of thousands afternoon tea in neighborhoods together to seaside retreats that are twee, tasty suds in that are oh so sweet, here are charming pubs and queer 10 places you should—make London nights that feel so right! that must—visit in 2020-21. Taiwan Fort Lauderdale, FL Homosexuality has never been
2019 Pride than any other U.S. city (including NYC which was celebrating Stonewall 50!). The reason? In all its decades as a reigning gay mecca, Provincetown never had a Pride Week—until 2018. Celebrating its third year in June 2020, P-Town Pride is a chance to ditch congested legacy events like Bear Week, Girl Splash and Carnival and instead hoist the rainbow flag high at an (almost) brand new tradition. Costa Rica
Dreamy sunsets, mischievous howler monkeys and a pura vida mentality. Seriously, what’s not to love about Central America’s most sought after The Sunshine State’s reigning illegal in Taiwan, a small, but destination? How about margay mecca has a big year densely packed island nation riage equality, which washes ahead. In January, Olivia which did the unheard of in up on the country’s rainbow Cruises, the only company in May 2019 when it legalized gay shores beginning May 26, the world offering cruise marriage—a first for Asia. 2020? Picture an oceanfront vacations just for women, will Months later, its October Gay wedding in gay-friendly Manuel celebrate its 30th anniversary Pride in capital city Taipei Antonio followed by a hot with a Caribbean itinerary shattered attendance records springs soak at Arenal departing from Fort Lauderdale making 2020 the time to visit Volcano, hanging with and headlined by the Indigo this fascinating country. Taipei humpback whales off the Girls. In April, the city will host arguably boasts the largest gay Pacific coast, queer bar Pride of the Americas, a first of nightlife scene in Asia. Drink hopping in San Jose and, of its kind celebration recognizing and be a Mary at the Red course, making whoopie in a South Florida’s status as the House Complex (a building honeymoon suite at an gateway to Latin America; it’s housing lots of gay bars), but eco-friendly, luxury tree house. expected to draw upwards of save time for island attractions Long Beach, CA 350,000 visitors for a week of like mega-skyscraper Taipei revelry. 101, Taroko National Park, Sun Why Long Beach? Because this overlooked harbor town of Moon Lake, Rainbow Village London a half million people just 30 and more. We can think of a million minutes south of downtown Los Provincetown, MA reasons to visit the U.K.’s out Angeles has emerged into a full and proud capital, including a New England’s super gay -fledged gay mecca—and it’s pound that continues to fall hamlet should make this list time you visited. Zip around the against the dollar (hello, cheap every year, right? Yeah, city via electric scooter to take Europe!), but 2020 boasts probably. But recent Orbitz in sights like Harvey Milk another great reason—the first data revealed P-Town boasted Promenade Park, gay bar strip more hotel bookings for its Rainbow Row (the city boasts 16 www.cityxtramagazine.com
almost a dozen queer bars/ clubs), funky food hall the Hangar and ‘hoods like Belmont Shore and Naples— an island within an island within a city. The mayor is queer, so is native daughter Billie Jean King, plus the gayest named ship in the world—the Queen Mary—retired here. Colombia Hear that sound? It’s the shattering of a glass ceiling. In October, Bogota elected its first openly lesbian mayor of a capital city in Latin America. Additionally, LGBTQ rights are among the most progressive in South America (same-sex marriage was legalized in 2016) and the country offers a treasure trove of attractions like Cartagena‘s colorful Spanish colonial buildings, the Coffee Triangle and the super tall palm trees of the Cocora Valley, the Rainbow River and Bogota nightlife, including queer mega club Theatron. Indiana Because Mayor Pete, that’s why. Admit it, ever since the South Bend native announced his candidacy for President, you’ve been a little Hoosier
curious. In Indianapolis, there’s a bumping gay scene plus happening ‘hoods like Fountain Square and Mass Ave; cutesy and progressive college town Bloomington boasts excellent queer bar the Back Door; and the beaches at Indiana Dunes National Park are sublime. As for South Bend, there are a few gay bars, plus you can see St. Joseph High School where Buttiegeg graduated as class valedictorian and Cathedral of St. James where he is a congregant. Zipolite, Mexico
frequented hotels like El Alquimista and Heven, and on the opposite end at Playa del Amor (where there’s plenty of open displays of same-sex amor, wink wink). Enjoy your moment in the sun before the town gets too popular—which might be soon.
Greece Greece is the word. And not because gay men will rush to Mykonos in summer to catch rays in their bikinis or that cultured queers will rush to Athens to explore the Acropolis and Parthenon. But rather 2020 The secret about this breezy, is a spotlight year because Oaxacan beach town and boho second city Thessaloníki will gay paradise is nearly out, so host EuroPride the last week of don’t blame us when it June. which means thousands becomes overrun. In case of gay, lesbian, bisexual and you’re still in the dark, Zipolite transgender folks from across is home to Mexico’s only legal the globe will descend upon nude beach, a two-kilometer this sunny port city for 8 days stretch of Pacific Ocean-facing of revelry and reflection. Of sand that’s lined with shops, course, you’d be a fool to travel restaurants and hotels (many all this way and not explore the of which are gay owned and rest of the country. Hint: Book operated). The gayest sections your Mykonos hotel now! of the beach are near LGBTQwww.cityxtramagazine.com 17
Jimmy Will Be The First LGBTQ Candidate Elected County-Wide In Duval County By Victory Fund
Jimmy is a native of Jacksonville with deep family roots in Florida that go back to the 1830s. Jimmy was educated in Duval County Public Schools and attended Florida State College at Jacksonville, the University of North Florida, and received his law degree from The Florida State University. In 2010, to address the need for basic human rights protections for LGBTQ people in his beloved hometown, Jimmy helped to organize and lead the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality. After attempts in 2012 and 2015, the effort was
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successful in 2017 when sexual orientation and gender identity were added to Jacksonville’s human rights ordinance. Much of Jimmy’s career has been spent as a staff attorney in legal aid organizations in Florida, representing the neediest of our neighbors and working with other experts around the state and nation to expand access to justice for all those who are left behind. Jimmy also has worked in the private sector and as a staff attorney for the ACLU of
Florida where he made an impact on LGBTQ and voting rights issues. As a teen, Jimmy was a member of the JASMYN LGBTQ Youth organization. After law school he returned to JASMYN as a member of the Board, Chairperson of the Board, and still serves on the JASMYN Community Trustee Council providing leadership and support to the organization that set his course for success.
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Popular West Hollywood Gay Bar Gold Coast Closing After 40 Years By William Browning
West Hollywood is losing one of its oldest and most popular gay bars.
say goodbye to what has been a family of customers The Gold Coast is closing after and more than 40 years. employees. A few people stopped by the bar to pick up decorations and other mementos. The owners say they're being forced out by the landlord's rental demands. They say it's heartbreaking to
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"It breaks my heart that this has to happen," said co-owner Bryan Worl. "Not for me, but just for my employees and the customers." Some 20 employees are now out of work.
"I would have their drink ready for them," said bartender Billy Wilkin. "That's the key to being the 'Cheers' kind of bar we are. We knew all of our customers, we knew what they drink. Sometimes we didn't know their name but we knew what they drink."
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became clear to me that fashion and certainly makeup were not ways that boys were Why For Some LGBT+ People, Halloween encouraged to Is The Gay Christmas By Michael Lewis express themFor queer people it can be a selves. So before the school lifeline – a rare moment where week started it was an we can express ourselves understanding that the lid freely and subvert norms that would go back on the dressing restrict us for the rest of the up box. year. This is partly why, from a As a young effeminate boy, I young age, I have loved used to love dressing up in my Halloween. For one day every mum’s clothes. It was the year, all bets were off. There Nineties, before every child had was no costume too gruesome, iPads, mobile phones and no face paint design too social media accounts, so dramatic and going all-out to venturing into the dressing up look fabulous was – for once – box was a source of endless encouraged. entertainment. After painting Halloween might seem like a my nails all different colors, silly, over-commercialized day sometimes I’d even pry open that exists for the sole purpose the red velvet box, hidden in of encouraging us to buy things mum’s sock drawer, where she (sound familiar?). But for queer kept all her most precious people it can be a lifeline – a jewelry – sorry mum. rare moment where we can But this playful game, which express ourselves freely and was so freeing, wasn’t to be subvert norms that restrict us shouted about from the for the rest of the year. rooftops. I still remember not “Halloween was the first time I quite grasping why my mum tried on makeup”, explains insisted I take my nail polish off Adam Grossman, a writer from on a Sunday evening, because New York. “It allowed me to it “didn’t go with school experiment with how I wanted uniform”, even though girls to dress before I had even would wear nail varnish to come out of the closet. It was school all the time. Now, of an excuse to dress course, I do – she was flamboyantly and try looks that protecting me. It gradually were a little further from the 22 www.cityxtramagazine.com
mainstream”. Growing up, business strategist Mark also used Halloween as a way to experiment with looks “in character” before he felt comfortable being more bold himself. He still views Halloween as the “one time of year where I can unashamedly engage in the use of makeup and costume”. London-based drag artist Electra credits Halloween with allowing her to take the first steps into the art of drag, dressing as a witch and donning a green wig and black lipstick as a child. “It was a way to pretend to be someone else for the day”, she explains. “Halloween has always been an incredible release for creative and gender nonconforming people like me.” Makeup aside, it should surprise no one that Halloween is regularly described as “gay Christmas”, because it combines so many elements that are deeply woven into the tapestry of queer culture. A celebration of all things dramatic and camp, it merges the gothic with the tragic, allowing people to honor the popular culture icons that provide them with strength, sanctuary and entertainment as they negotiate their subcultural identities within the wider world. Lady Gaga referring to her fans as “little monsters” and trans pop icon Kim Petras’s Halloween-themed EP Turn Off the Light are two contemporary examples of the close relationship between
ghoulishness and LGBT+ cultural production. But there has also been much academic discourse surrounding coded queer desire in classic tales such as Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein, viewing them through a subversive homoerotic lens.
around their families, Halloween is more easily spent with a selfassembled queer family. Dousing yourself in glitter with friends is certainly easier than Queer people are often weary pretending you’re not going to return of visually expressing their everything your sexuality or dressing too family gifted you. flamboyantly on a day-to-day Yet this is not to say basis. With a 28 per cent rise in anti-LGBT+ hate crime and that Halloween is universally popular among LGBT+ people. 68 per cent of same-sex Just as, during my stay in couples still avoiding holding hands in public, it’s easy to see university halls, I discovered that not all people shared my why. Many LGBT+ people spend their youth suppressing rosy, family-centered experience of Christmas, not their sexuality and trying to fit all gay people have fond in with the crowd. While our memories of Halloween. To friends were experimenting some, it is the nightmare with embodying their before Christmas. sexualities openly, we were often left behind, trying to “Halloween just fills me with maintain a façade of normality. anxiety, similar to New Year’s Eve”, explains Jonathan, a Therefore it is unsurprising photographer from Edinburgh. that, in adulthood, skimpy outfits and sexualized imagery “You must have a great time are a big part of gay Halloween and a great costume that’s both sexy and intellectual and culture. In Tina Fey’s 2004 somehow more culturally teen classic Mean Girls, it is relevant to everyone else’s”. said that “in girl world” He cites the focus on nudity at Halloween is the “one night a year when girls can dress like gay Halloween events as a factor that puts him off: a total slut and no other girls “People love to get their bodies can say anything about it". In out at Halloween, which just “gay world” the same rule makes me feel a bit more applies. In a similar way to Pride parades, it can be a rare self-conscious about my own”. Media manager Jeremy also release when the shackles of tells me “there’s no time I feel normality are loosened. worse about my body than on While Christmas can be Halloween”. challenging and awkward for David, a playwright from LGBT+ people, particularly London, views Halloween as a those who don’t feel like they time that the complex politics can be their authentic selves of drag and nudity come to
ahead. “I think that there are ways in which people using nudity in their costume can be empowering”, he explains. “But there’s also ways in which widespread nudity can be seen as shutting down the space’s inclusiveness”. Though Halloween’s reputation as the “gay Christmas” is not undermined by the fact that some LGBT+ people do not feel able to enjoy it. In fact, this polarization, which represents a tension between collective and individual identities, is the way that it most closely resembles Christmas. Feeling excluded from a collective norm such as Halloween can create feelings of shame, similarly to how Christmas can make people reflect critically on their own lives and relationships. Yet for me, Halloween provides a feeling togetherness, representing a time when a queer people find joy in the most ridiculous and theatrical parts of our culture. For one night, I can be whoever I want to be - and there’s no one telling me to put my costume back in the dressing up box.
Trump Administration Instructed Law Enforcement Officials To Defend Kenosha Gunman By David Vandygriff
The Department of Homeland Security instructed federal law enforcement officials to publicly sympathize with a teenager who gunned down two protesters in Wisconsin. It’s not clear whether the talking points originated in the White House or in the DHS press office, but a document obtained by NBC News showed officials were instructed to describe 17-yearold Kyle Rittenhouse as a defender of small business owners from rioters “Kyle was seen being chased and attacked by rioters before allegedly shooting three of them, killing two,” the talking
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points instruct. “Subsequent video has emerged reportedly showing that there were ‘multiple gunmen’ involved, which would lend more credence to the self-defense claims.” Three former DHS officials, including two who served in Republican administrations, told NBC it would be unusual for law enforcement officials to express an opinion on an individual charged with a crime before the investigation had concluded.
The document instructs officials to say they would not comment on an ongoing investigation, saying anyone should be considered innocent until proven guilty, but then directed them to frame the Kenosha shootings in a law-and-order context. “This is also why we need to stop the violence in our cities. Chaotic and violent situations lead to chaotic, violent and tragic outcomes,” the document states. “Everyone needs law and order.”
“It is as unprecedented as it is A DHS spokesperson said the wrong,” said Peter Boogaard, a department “does not comment DHS spokesman during the on alleged leaked documents.” Obama administration.
Band and how he found the humanity in his himbo character. You first encountered “Charlie Carver Found Humanity in the Hot the play in Himbo of “The Boys in the Band” By Debbie Grisham high school. Did you Charlie Carver has no problem recognize yourself in any of admitting that Cowboy, his the characters back then? character in The Boys in the I recognized myself, and I Band, is a little dated. In Mart remember envying that the play Crowley’s groundbreaking was about a birthday party and 1968 play, the young hustler that these men were gathering arrives at a birthday party together. This was at a boardwhere he’s meant to be a gift ing school in the Midwest and I for the guest of honor. had my sights set on New York Beautiful, uncomplicated, and City and I just thought, Wow, essentially unknowable— maybe one day I’ll get to be a because, well, the other part of that. Which isn’t to say characters don’t seem to think that the themes of it were lost there’s much worth knowing on me at that age. But that’s about him—he’s in some sense just what stood out most. a foil to his older, toxically neurotic gay hosts. He’s also a I read that during the 2018 Broadway run, you thought a bit of a prop, equal parts eye lot about the fact that your candy and comic relief; a young, dumb and, presumably, father, who was also gay, could have been one of the hung kid who should be seen characters in the play. Was and not heard. there a particular character “It’s certainly something you associated with him? interesting to think about Oh, gosh. I think what’s so and something I’ve thought beautiful about this play is, we about,” Carver tells cityXtra. can see ourselves in so many “How might this character of them. They’re sort of exist in the world that we live refractions of different in now?” aspects—yet at the same time, Carver played Cowboy in the they’re such individual play’s Tony-winning 2018 characters. I think there was an Broadway run, directed by Joe aspect of my dad that was a Mantello and produced by Hank and an aspect that was Ryan Murphy. He reprises the maybe a Harold. He came from role, along with the entire cast, a different time and a different in Netflix’s new film adaptation. set of circumstances than I did. Ahead of the premiere, we While I think he had a sense of discussed The Boys in the self-love, I think he definitely had turned his shame into a 26 www.cityxtramagazine.com
source of power. He was incredibly funny and incredibly witty and could just take your knees out with a line. There is something familiar about Harold and Michael. The play is obviously an important work, but it also feels very much like an artifact of its time. What does The Boys in the Band have to offer to a contemporary audience? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with thinking of it as an artifact of that time. So much of the imagination around our own history is about the AIDS crisis, which is hugely important. But going back further to 1968 and thinking about the social climate of that period, it just gives us a sense of where we come from and, I would argue, of an essential queer spirit that has existed throughout time and continues to exist. When the play came out in 1968, it was before the Stonewall uprising. It was a revelation. No one had seen anything like it before. And by 1970, the gay rights movement was kind of on its feet and there was a real agenda about ensuring that gay was good. And this play ran counter to that in that it showed sometimes mean and imperfect people. And here we are 50 years later. Not only do we have more gay and queer stories, but we also have all kinds of characters who happen to be gay or queer. So, we can now see [the characters in The Boys in the Band] not as representatives of a community, but as
individuals. That’s a very humanizing thing and I think a very important thing. Your character, Cowboy, is very much objectified and dismissed by the other characters—and I think by the playwright. We don’t really get a sense of who he is or what he thinks. How do you approach a character like that? There was one thing that Mart Crowley shared with me that I thought was really sweet: We talked a lot about what fun was to be had back then, and we talked about Fire Island and how he met a hustler out there who was in a sailor costume who said the famous line at the end: “I try to show a little affection.” And Mart gets very moved when he talks about it. To me, it points to the humanity of this character and what I picked up and ran with, which is the notion of affection. This character, stuff is sort of glancing off of him, and part of that is because he doesn’t understand it. But part of it is just that it’s not what he’s preoccupied with. I think this character probably is just so grateful to be in New York City—as imperfect as that setting was for gay folks in 1968—just to be in a city where he could find any kind of community. So, being in this room with all of these men, even if they’re saying mean things, it’s one of the better nights of his life so far because he has a sense of place. That’s kind of how I found my truth in it. Huck, your character in
Ratched, and the Cowboy are both largely defined by their appearance. Did you make that connection between the characters? Did you think much about how people’s appearance affects the way they exist in and interact with the world? Oh absolutely. Huck’s way of being in the world, while the wounds come from a very specific event, the way he is received has nothing to do with the person inside. And I think in a funny way Cowboy is sort of the same. I think Cowboy sort of enjoys and makes opportunities out of how people find him attractive. But I always think it’s always important with a character whose looks are commented on to find something else about them. Otherwise, it’s kind of a superficial way to think of a character or another human being. How would you compare the experience of working on a film with a cast of out gay men and an out director to working on projects where you’re in the minority? Look, I think Hollywood is generally a pretty accepting place. And I don’t mean tolerant; I mean accepting. At the same time, so much of the journey into selfhood before, during, and after coming out— coming out as an individual, coming out professionally—is about realizing how much you’re accommodating other people’s comfort over your own needs. The point being that working on The Boys in the
Band, there was just no accommodation whatsoever. There was just this sense of respect and freedom. I will carry that experience of freedom forward in my career. Because I know what it feels like professionally now. I feel like I can afford to behave that unselfconsciously in any job moving forward. Did you find you had similar experiences in common? We talked about the signals that are sent largely around an incompatibility between desirable expressions of masculinity and homosexuality. I think while I have a career that I’m very grateful for and I’m happy about my career, I have to believe that I won’t necessarily be considered for certain parts because I’m gay. That might affect an audience’s perception of the character, or the box office, or what have you. But at the same time, I wouldn’t want my career to be any different. I don’t think we gathered with a sense of shared suffering. I think we gathered with a sense of a shared outlook on life, and I think that distinction’s important.