SOUTHERN WITH A GAY TWIST
07.17.2015 V6-16
MISS FAME IS “INSTAFAME”
6
UNIQUE ISSUES FACING OUR GAY ELDERS
the controls for the hearts of the son photography by: ben cornford model: kryean kalley
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CALENDAR: 7 GREAT THINGS TO DO
10
OUT & ABOUT PHOTOS
20
MISS FAME IS INSTAFAME
24
SUMMER’S HOTTEST DANCE BEATS
26
6 UNIQUE ISSUES OUR GAY ELDERS FACE
28
DO I SOUND GAY?
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GIVE BACK WITH A PACK 3500 KIDS NEED YOUR HELP
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FENUXE
07.17.2015
LOCAL DRAG SPOTLIGHT HEY GIRL HEY GAY NEWS AT A GLANCE
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POP CULTURE
Contents
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FUN
ATLANTA ICE CREAM FESTIVAL It’s the annual Atlanta Ice Cream Festival at Piedmont Park, Just in time for the dog days of summer. The annual event features live music, games, arts and crafts, health and fitness vendors, an ice cream competition and of course some of the best ice cream in the ATL. The event runs from 11am-6pm at Piedmont Park, enter at the 10th Street side of the park.
JULY 26
A MID SUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM A Goblin, a Fairy and an Amazon Queen walk into a midtown tavern, it must be “A Mid Summer’s Night Dream” at the Shakespeare Tavern, 499 Peachtree Street. The bard’s comedic romp through the woods takes the stage through August 2nd. There will be a
cast Q and A following the July 26th performance. Food and Drink service is available prior to the show and during intermission. Call 404-872-5499 or visit www. shakespeartavern.com for tickets and info.
SING CHARITY
THEATER
MUSIC AUG 12
THURSDAYS
The balcony of the Casa Rosada comes alive -Evita, the beloved Andrew Lloyd Weber musical that chronicles the climb of Eva Duarte de Peron from peasant girl to First Lady of Argentina opens at the Serenbe Playhouse. The show runs July 23rd thru August 6th. Serenbe Playhouse is located about 30 minutes South of Atlanta. Visit www.serenbeplayhouse.com for more info.
THEATER
FESTIVAL
AUG 2 05.03.15
EVITA!
JULY 25
THEATER
AUG 16
JULY 23
CALENDAR
COBB COUNTY FABULOUSNESS
THE ADDAMS FAMILY
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
CULTURE CLUB REUNION TOUR
Marietta is kind of a drag with the closing of Lebuzz, but drag lives on every Thursday at Faces Lounge, 138 Powers Ferry Road SE in Marietta. Join Heather Daniels, Lauren LaMasters and many of your favorite Divas for the All Star Cabaret with two shows Thursdays at 10:30 and 12:30.
After burning down camp Chippewa, what is the princess of darkness to do? Fall in love of course! The Addams Family Continues at Onstage Atlanta thru August 16th The Addams household is turns downside up when Wednesday falls in love with a smart young man from a respectable family. Call 404-897-1802 or visit www. onstageatlanta.com for more info.
The Fox is alive with the sound of music. The much anticipated annual sing-a-long screening of Roger and Hammerstein’s Classic, The Sound of Music, is presented at the Fox Theater, Sunday, August 2nd at 1:00pm as part of the Coca Cola Summer Film Festival, so grab your nun’s habit and call today for more info or tickets 404-881-2100 or visit www. foxtheater.org
Talk about an 80’s night, Culture Club reunites on the stage of the Fox Theater, Wednesday, August 12th at 8:00pm. Tickets are on sale now and selling fast so put down your Rubik’s cube and reserve your seats today! Call 404-897-1802 or visit www. foxtheater.org for more info.
FENUXE.COM : 09
OUT & ABOUT
10: July 17, 2015
PHOTOS
SUNDAY FUNDAY PARTY @ TEN PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
S H O W S & C O N C E R T S • P R I VAT E & G R O U P E V E N T S • T H E AT R E T O U R S • F O X T H E AT R E . O R G
SUMMER FILM
FESTIVAL
DON’ T MISS THESE CLASSICS!
THE BREAKFAST CLUB
GHOSTBUSTERS
SOUND OF MUSIC
SATURDAY, JULY 18
THURSDAY, JULY 30
SUNDAY, AUGUST 2
ENJOY A SPECIAL TOUR BEFORE SELECT FILMS! VISIT WWW.FOXTHEATRE.ORG FOR A FULL LIST OF SUMMER FILMS, SHOW TIMES, AND PRICING INFO
FENUXE.COM : 11
OUT & ABOUT
12: July 17, 2015
PHOTOS
SUNDAY FUNDAY PARTY @ ZOCALO PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
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OUT & ABOUT
14: July 17, 2015
PHOTOS
LOST N FOUND BENEFIT @ BURKHART’S PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
Wednesday Nights at The Hideaway!
8:30pm Ruby Redd’s Birdcage Bingo Bring your friends and enjoy prizes, laughs, and scandalous pleasures! Then, stay after the show and…
OUR PAST OUR PRESENT 1970’S
11:00pm Karaoke with Tyler King …get those vocal chords warmed up because it’s time for karaoke! We’ll be serving $3 well drinks until 3 a.m.
ATLANTA PRIDE FESTIVAL
OCTOBER 10-11, 2015 | PIEDMONT PARK #OURFLAGOURSTORY LEARN MORE ABOUT ATLANTA PRIDE THROUGH THE DECADES AT ATLANTAPRIDE.ORG
1544 Piedmont Avenue • Atlanta, Georgia 30324 • (404) 874-8247 Visit us on the web at atlantahideaway.com • Ansley Mall behind Publix
OUT & ABOUT
16: July 17, 2015
PHOTOS
ATLANTA BEARFEST 2015 @ THE EAGLE PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
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OUT & ABOUT
18: July 17, 2015
PHOTOS
DISCO DAY DRINKING @ EINSTEINS PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
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In the Atlanta division, the Towns at Druid Hills and Towns at Breton Ridge communities only, homebuyers for to-be built homes on accepted purchase agreements signed between July 1, 2015 and July 31, 2015 are eligible to receive $15,000 in Flex Cash; can be used towards MyStyle® Design Center Options and/or closing costs when using RMC Mortgage® and/or lot premiums. Buyer also eligible to receive up to $5,000 in Closing Costs. Closing cost assistance available from Ryland Homes to those financing through RMC Mortgage® Corporation and closing with a closing attorney selected by Ryland. Amount of closing cost assistance may vary by product and community, and is subject to applicable contribution limitations. For all financing promotions, see a RMC Mortgage® Corporation Loan Officer for details. Buyers financing through RMC Mortgage® Corporation and who complete a loan application by July 31, 2015 on above promotion are also are eligible to receive waived 1% Origination Fee (value amount is 1% of mortgage amount). RMC Mortgage® Corporation may withdraw this offer and change without notice. Please contact a RMC Mortgage® Corporation Loan Officer for details. RMC Mortgage® Corporation is located at 1000 Mansell Exchange West, Suite 200, Alpharetta, GA 30022 and is a Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, license number 24225 and NMLS number 203897. Prices, plans and specifications are subject to change without notice. Photographs are for illustrative purposes only. Towns at Druid Hills and Towns at Breton Ridge promotion may not be combined with any other promotion or incentives. Information shown believed to be accurate but not warranted. See a Sales Counselor for details on available promotions, restrictions and offer limitations. © 2015 The Ryland Group, Inc. RA1778
FENUXE.COM : 19
INTERVIEW
BY MICHAEL FIRESTONE
MISS FAME IS “INSTAFAME” THE DRAG RACE FAN FAVE RELEASES THE SECOND SINGLE FROM HER HIT ALBUM, BEAUTY MARKED
Everyone wants a piece of Miss Fame, and with magazine photo spreads, live stage shows and now music, they’re getting it. Miss Fame’s new single, “InstaFame” - an anthem about the phenomenon of sudden stardom from Internet platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube – releases today. It is the second single from Beauty Marked, her fulllength album that debuted on the iTunes Dance chart earlier this month at #3. “The Internet gave me my first stage to share my passion with the world,” she explains. “When I posted my first Instagram on Halloween of 2013, I didn’t understand how social networking worked. Almost immediately, thousands were responding to my face in 20: July 17, 2015
makeup! I then posted a video of my transformation on YouTube and within weeks, I had over a million views. The support and appreciation I received from people from all over the globe made me realize I had something special and it fueled my desire to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Miss Fame’s “InstaFame”, is available on iTunes and on all major online retailers now. “Anyone can achieve ‘InstaFame’”, continues Miss Fame, at home in New York. “We all have some unique quality or ability that has the potential to become a viral phenomenon. There are even videos explaining how to make a video go viral, so really, there is no excuse for anyone to not to have their big moment on
the Internet.” “The one thing I have learned is that ‘InstaFame’ is fleeting. It can’t be sustained with one stunt. What I believe creates longevity is persistence and consistent quality. I listen to my audience and I give them what they ask for. It’s an exchange of admiration.” Miss Fame’s path to fame began as a boy growing up on a farm in Templeton, California. She would create realist drawings of chickens and horses. Drawings led to portraits, some of which have been exhibited in large galleries. Miss Fame used the money from paid commissions to make the move from California to New York City four years ago. In the Big Apple, Miss Fame became an established male
model while also working as a makeup artist with MAC Cosmetics, freelancing for celebrity clients including talkshow host Wendy Williams and reality-show star Heidi Montag. “Seeing the positive effects of transforming others, I was inspired to transform myself,” Fame says. Miss Fame began experimenting with wild new looks. “I became a work of art, a goddess.” Soon, Fame was modeling for worldclass fashion photographers, pushing boundaries and proving beauty does not reside within a specific gender but is fluid and impactful to all who appreciate it.
“The one thing I have learned is that ‘InstaFame’ is fleeting. It can’t be sustained with one stunt.” The exposure led to appearances on TV (on the third season of MTV’s Snooki & JWOWW) and in music videos (in Brooke Candy’s “OPULENCE” and Jennifer Hudson’s “Go All Night”), as well as in the upcoming film A Change of Heart (produced by Kenny Ortega). Competing on RuPaul’s Drag Race was Miss Fame’s most challenging gig to date. “It required a constant internal fire to develop into something bigger and bigger. It made me realize how much I truly care about my art.”
Miss Fame
That passion and drive carries into Beauty Marked, Miss Fame’s first fulllength album. Produced by Killingsworth Recording
Company, Miss Fame describes the eleven-track ambient pop album as ‘an evolution of art creation’. Songs were taken straight from Miss Fame’s own diaries. “The album is smooth with a mix of up-tempo dance tracks like ‘Rubber Doll’ (the album’s first single, released last month) and down-tempo songs with a deeply humanizing vibe.” Songs depict the break out reality star’s metamorphosis from male model to elegant and sophisticated fashion icon. “I drew up the storyline for the album over a year ago when the persona of Miss Fame was still in development. The songs are true to who I am and how I feel.” To support the release of the album, Miss Fame has embarked on a worldwide tour with dancers. Over thirty dates have been announced. “Beauty Marked is the next stage in my evolution,” proclaims Miss Fame. “I’ve come a long way but there’s still a long way to go. Fame promises, “There is so much more to come!” “InstaFame” is available now on iTunes, along with Miss Fame’s entire Beauty Marked album. For more information, visit http://missfamenyc.com/.
22: July 17, 2015
FENUXE.COM : 23
MUSIC
By Jimmy Newsum
SUMMER’S HOTTEST DANCE BEATS Who remembers Will Smith, when he was one half of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, singing about summer, summer, summertime? If you’re among the boys shaking up dance floors today, you probably do not. The point is, even nineties kids knew the importance of summer grooves, when we’re all needing “just a little somethin’ to break the monotony, of all that hardcore dance that has gotten to be”. This isn’t the time for hard beats to get libidos pumping. Summer’s a natural aphrodisiac. Here are the top records that are a little bit lighter but still tearing up clubs right now.
“SASSY SUMMER” Team Heartbreak
Dance punk duo Caleb and Brian Raux, better known as Team HeartBreak, present six filthy tracks that will make fans wanna shake their asses. The album’s first single, “Do iT Like Miley”, pays homage to the wrecking ball songstress. Other album highlights are “U dope”, a song with notes so high it sounds like dolphins mating; “So good”, a track that started from a bunch of chopped up a cappella sounds that the boys whipped up into a song in the studio; and “Boys Just Wanna Have Fun”. A seriously fun record with booming beats, clever lyrics and catchy melodies..
“ALL AROUND THE WORLD” Guy Scheiman
Twenty five years after it became Lisa Stanfield’s biggest hit, uber stud producer Guy Scheiman is releasing his interpretations of “All Around The World” for today’s dance floor. Scheiman re-styles the R&B classic with a sexy progressive house vibe, featuring the vocal mastery of dance newcomer Michal S. He hits it home with all three of his new versions.
“EXTRA GOOD” Big Dipper
The gay bear rapper’s sound is as big as his look in his wildly fun EP featuring five super dope songs. “Ridiklus” is a club banger aimed at getting partiers hyped for a night of ass clapping and grinding. “Good At Sex” is an empowerment track that promotes body confidence. “Wish You Would” is a hard-hitting groove about feeling smitten over someone new. “Cute2Me” is a raunchy yet campy crowd-pleaser. Then there’s “Vibin’”, the album’s first single, with its beach-y party vibe that makes it the absolute perfect summer song.
“I SURRENDER”
Alicia Madison and Denny Berland After the success of their 2013 collaboration “Start It Over”, Alicia Madison and producer Denny Berland reunite on the smash of the summer. Where “Start It Over” was a fun pop record to jam to, “I Surrender” is about an abusive relationship. A heavy topic for summer, but Madison’s tender, ethereal approach to the record is lifting partiers high above the glorious clouds, right where they want to be.
“YOU ARE MY FAMILY”
Joe Gauthreaux featuring Inaya Day
Joe Gauthreaux latest production celebrates the tightest of friendships and features effusive vocals by the incomparable diva of dance, Inaya Day. It’s a dance record, for sure, but it also has elements of pop, EDM, and gospel house. Musical genres literally change throughout the track with a really good breakdown payoff in the end. Joe threw out all of his conventional ways of producing dance music on “You Are My Family” and the fruit he yields is ripe and delicious.
FENUXE.COM : 25
COMMUNITY BY: ANNE BRENNOFF
6 UNIQUE ISSUES FACING GAY ELDERS 3. LGBT elders are more likely to be alone. SAGE, which surveyed LGBT elders in preparation for the White House conference, heard from a lot of people about their diminished support networks. Support networks are smaller for LGBT people because their families of origin don’t accept them, they don’t have children, and in some cases because their social circles were decimated during the height of the AIDS crisis. One respondent noted that having lost so many friends to AIDS, he found himself facing aging “without cohorts.” LGBT older adults are twice as likely to be single and living alone, said a previous SAGE study. The issues facing LBGT elders are unique and need to be addressed. The once-a-decade temperature check on aging in America -- the White House Conference on Aging -- starts Monday and the spotlight is bound to shine on some of the special concerns facing the nation’s elderly LGBT community. Here are six of them: 1. What happens if you don’t have kids? Increasingly, the elderly are turning to their adult children for their care. So, what happens if you don’t have adult children to turn to? It’s a huge worry. Medicare doesn’t pay for long-term nursing home care -- even though 70 percent of people over age 65 are expected to need it. Nor, as a nation, have we embraced the idea of buying private long-term care insurance; just 3 percent of us have it, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. So who is going to provide that care if you can’t afford to buy it (and few can when the average nursing home costs about $91,000 a year)? As for having adult children: LGBT 26: July 17, 2015
elders are 4 times less likely to be parents than older people in the country at large. 2. Few have enough money for retirement, but LGBT seniors have even less. For LGBT older adults, a lifetime of employment discrimination and other factors has contributed to disproportionately high poverty rates. A UCLA study found that same-sex elder couples face higher poverty rates than their heterosexual peers; 9.1 percent and 4.9 percent among elder lesbian and gay couples, respectively, in contrast to 4.6% among elder heterosexual couples. The lagging behind in earnings has resulted in a lagging behind in retirement savings as well, notes Michael Adams, executive director of SAGE (Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders). Overall, 42 percent of all LGBT elders told SAGE that said “financial problems” are a big concern in their lives. One-third felt they were “poorly prepared” for retirement, and 47 percent said they had less than $10,000 in savings and other assets.
The absence of a traditional family structure is where the trouble starts. As people reach advanced age, they tend to be less connected to their non-family and rely more on their family. If there is no family there, they turn to services -- which leads to another LGBT problem. 4. Discrimination is still alive and well. Without adult children or other family members to care for them, LGBT elders often must turn to community and government services for their care. There is plenty of opinion research that shows that the older people are, the more likely they are to harbor bias against gays -- peer-to-peer discrimination. LGBT feel they are not often welcomed by people their age in senior centers. These centers aren’t just social gathering places; many elders rely on them for help filing out important paperwork and dealing with problems getting them services. Adams noted that often the professional staff at these service centers often doesn’t know how to handle these situations. “And what happens if they encounter a caregiver with strong anti-gay religious biases?” Adams asked. “It’s frightening.”
5. Housing is a hot button. As older LGBT people enter assisted living situations, nursing homes, independent elderly housing or retirement communities, “they are often presumed heterosexual and may feel the need to go back into the closet,” wrote one of the researchers in a test conducted by the Equal Rights Center last year that found 48 percent of the same-sex couples they sent into the field to find housing were discriminated against. The researcher noted that “Even if they have lived openly in the past, [same-sex couples] they may suddenly find themselves in situations where disclosing their sexual orientation or gender variance makes them vulnerable to discrimination or even abuse.” When it comes to moving into senior housing, LGBT elders said they worried about having to choose between being ostracized for who they are or going back in the closet to get along with their new neighbors. One trans respondent pondered whether he would “be de-transitioning?” Another man, with no family and contemplating a nursing home, pondered the wisdom of telling his prospective roommate that he was gay. 6. LGBT elders’ health concerns go beyond those of the general population’s. There are substantial numbers of older gay men living with HIV. People aged 55 and older accounted for more than one-quarter (26 percent, 313,200) of the estimated 1.2 million people living with HIV infection in the United States in 2011, according to the Centers for Disease Control. And then there is mental health. Many LGBT older people suffer from feelings of loneliness, isolation, depression and have thoughts of suicide, said SAGE’s Adams. The research shows that high percentages of LGBT older adults -- especially transgender people and people of color -- are dealing with mental health issues that dramatically affect their quality of lives as they age. Additionally, because many LGBT elders came of age during a time when homosexuality was considered a mental illness, the relationship between LGBT elders and the mental health field “is complicated,” SAGE notes. Many LGBT elders delay seeking the mental health care they need for fear of encountering discrimination and bias in those settings. While the White House Council on Aging may not produce solutions to the problems facing the older LGBT community, the discussion of these issues is at least a start. SAGE Atlanta is centrally located, only three miles east of downtown Atlanta and one-half block east of the Edgewood-Candler Park MARTA Station. Our facility is fully handicapped accessible. SAGE Atlanta, a division of the Health Initiative The Phillip Rush Center 1530 Dekalb Avenue NE, Suite A Atlanta, Georgia 30307 (404) 688-2524 ext 116 | info@sageatl.org FENUXE.COM : 27
MOVIE
DO I SOUND
GAY? David Thorpe has a “gay voice.” For the filmmaker’s latest endeavor, an autobiographical documentary, he embarked upon a long-delayed confrontation with his own “internal homophobia.” He was in his early 40s, recently single and he was bitter about “sounding gay.” For the project, Thorpe sets out to change the way he speaks. He meets with a Hollywood voice coach and a speech pathologist. “Do I sound gay?” he polls strangers on the street in Times Square, echoing the title of the film. Often humorously, the film explores the origins of an effeminate manner of speaking, taking an unexpected approach rooted in the study of linguistics as Thorpe learns about his own speech patterns and acoustics. It’s hilarious, thought-provoking and ultimately heartening. Thorpe dives deep into issues of self-loathing, stereotyping and the idolization of hyper-masculinity. “I’m embarrassed to say this but sometimes somebody will say, ‘I didn’t know you were gay.’ It’s like, why does that make me feel good? I hate myself for thinking that,” says author David Sedaris in the film. (Sedaris first broached the topic of “sounding gay” in his essay “Go, Carolina” from Me Talk Pretty One Day.) “It’s very disturbing I thought I was beyond that. Whats the problem if somebody assumes that I’m gay when I open my mouth. Why do I have a problem with that?” The film works to detach shame associated with the “gay voice,” and replace it with pride. But where did the shame come from? Why do gay men demean other gay men for their perceived effeminacy? Dan Savage 28: July 17, 2015
nails it: “Misogyny,” he says. “They want to prove to the culture that they’re not not men -- that they’re good because they’re not women. They’re not like women, they don’t want women, they don’t want to sleep with women, they don’t want to act like women. And then they’ll punish gay men who they perceive as being feminine in any way.” Savage’s assertions could be the foundation of an entirely separate documentary. But for gay men and boys who face the brunt of criticism and violence at hands of their straight counterparts, punishment is a constant consideration. Thorpe notes that voice can give away sexuality long before a boy has the courage to come out, exposing him to consequences. “I think that there are a lot schools where kids feel safe and are able to be gay and express themselves, but I don’t think that’s always the case,” said Thorpe, adding: “It’s a heavy burden for young people to bear.” “Do I Sound Gay?” endeavors to show how Thorpe, once a child with a similarly heavy burden, comes to terms with the complexities of his outward identity. Ultimately, he recognizes the importance of being part of a greater “chorus of gay voices,” because what’s so wrong with sounding gay? “If you can’t handle the answer,” he says, “that’s a question you’ve got to ask.”
David Thorpe, director and producer of Do I Sound Gay?
COMMUNITY
The food last year (pictured above) was really great
Give Back With A Pack: 3,500 Kids Need Your Help A new school year is right around the corner and everyone knows what that means… BACKPACK IN THE PARK! For kids in need, one local organization is working hard to make sure they are ready. For The Kid In All Of Us, an Atlanta-based nonprofit, is hosting the tenth annual Backpack in the Park on Sunday, July 26 from 12-3:30pm at the Cator Woolford Gardens at the Frazer Center (1815 S. Ponce de Leon Ave.)
Backpack in the Park provides much more than school supplies to less fortunate children. These children reap the rewards on a far more emotional level, as well. Chair Mindy Nissenberg states, “You donate $35 and a kid gets a backpack - but that’s not where the story ends. To the children we serve, these backpacks represent much more: confidence, self-esteem, a more level playing field, plus the feeling that they are loved.”
Last year Backpack in the Park filled thousands of backpacks with a variety of school supplies and gift cards. This year marks the tenth anniversary and they are hoping to fill more than 3,500 bags. “There is always a need for community support,” said Brian Isabell, president of For the Kid in All of Us. “This year is no different. We’re determined to meet the needs of our beneficiaries - and hopefully exceed them. Our goal is to fill more than 3,500 backpacks with school supplies to help local students start the new school year on the right foot.”
In order to boost donations from the greater metro area, Backpack in the Park is brining back its popular Corporate Backpack Challenge. Any of Atlanta’s largest, respected companies interested in participating from corporate teams collecting backpacks leading up to the event. If you are interested in donating a virtual “backpack” ($30) to Backpack in the Park or signing up to become a VIP donor please visit www.forthekid.org FENUXE.COM : 29
MOVIE BIQTCH PUDDIN’ Biqtch has been doing drag for just over a year now. “I understand that drag in the modern context is ‘female impersonation’ but the definition originates from theatre lingo - to put on clothes to embody a certain gender. I want to embody a female essence but alternatively channel it into my inspirations.” Biqtch goes on to describe her character as a “Kabuki Hentai Succubus, a member of the Performance Art Punk Scum Drag Troupe - The House Of Gunt. I am also William Belli’s botched abortion. I am what survived being flushed down the toilet and was mainly raised by Master Splinter and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I would say that my older sisters are Kiára from Virginia Beach and Atlanta’s own Kryean Kally (who just so happens to be my room mate).” Biqtch goes on to say, “Drag is such an addictive outlet for me. I take the emotion I am feeling that day and channel it into that creature/look for the night. In a sense it’s being a modern day clown. I’m a nightlife performer - I am a comedian and I perform songs. I get to be a superhero except for a cape - I get to rock a ripped fishnets and a thong. Yes with professional drag you receive a booking fee, tips and a free bar tab but I don’t care about the money. I live for those five some odd minutes of being on that stage. I get to take that audience out of the strife they experiencing during that week and I get to suspend them into Biqtch’s world. Make em’ smile, laugh or even cry; drag is an eerily relatable medium of art and I all I wish to do is to simply get better and to show the world what I love to do.” Biqtch is on cast at TOSSED SALAD at Burkhart’s on Sundays, and THE OTHER SHOW, where she switches off with Kryean every “other” Friday. You can also catch her hosting Karaoke at Burkhart’s and WILD OUT WEDNESDAYS’s at Felix’s.
MO'DEST VULGARE Mo’Dest has been doing drag for three years and finds her inspiration “by the negative aspects of situations I am surrounded with and the evils that influence them, especially when it all ends up disguised or justified by society and is completely fascinated by the entire process. I am aesthetically inspired by nature, texture, and the challenge of turning ugly things into fashion. Mo’Dest has strong opinions about the art form, during the interview she stated, “The layers of illusions and truths displayed using the artists actual body make it one of the most beautiful, complex, and sometimes confusing forms of art. A strong foundation as an artist is needed for drag and with the rise in popularity the art aspect of drag is certainly weakening. It was a complete surprise to her that for the first time she was told by a fellow “artist” to reign in her self-expression was in this art form. Drag queens who tell others not to present a negative subject or not to be “offensive” are so detached from what being an artist means that they have no place in any art field.” Her main goal in life is “to rule the world”. Currently, Mo’Dest works alongside Nicole Paige Brooks and Mychelle LaCroix Dupree for WILD WEDNESDAYS at Felix’s and is also a frequent guest of TOSSED SALAD at Burkharts.
ARRIANNA PARIS How it all began, “My birth name Joseph Titus Davis, and my duel spirit energy was named Ahchean Fluxx, but was latter changed to Arrianna Paris. I am drag daughter to former Miss. Black America and current raining Miss Duval 2015 Nichelle Paris.” However she points out the Marlynn K. Mays was the first person who got her a pair of heels. Arrianna recounts how she has been “doing drag since the age of three, dressing up in her mom’s clothes and prancing around in her heels.” She first started to paint in 2007 after meeting Mianna Monroe and Nichelle Paris and within a year felt confident enough to appear at Blake’s in the summer of 2008. She has been doing drag ever since. She developed her look and style of the next couple of years, “having a realization she can change and “gender-f***” Arrianna as much as she wanted.” She went on to say, “that was a fun process for me. I am an artist first and foremost so taking all kinds of prospective to the world of drag is very important, within the categories of Fem-Queen, Camp-Queen, Pageant Queen, T-Girl, Transgender, Androgynous aka Gender-F***, and lastly Club Kid, these are all very importa nt elements of the Drag world, and are somewhat forgotten There is no placement for art! It’s just pure expression. So the brand that I’m building for not only myself, but for others who feel like I do is to have love for what you do and know that you don’t fit in anywhere! Arianna is currently working on her health and strength so she can “finish what she starts.” She says her HIV positive status is shared through her performances to bring awareness to HIV and its prevention. Arrianna adds that she has “learned a lot from having great mentors of not only the drag community, but from all walks of life. The key to having longevity is to keep learning, be stern in your ideals and personality, and most of all have compassion for someone else’s story! 30: July 17, 2015
written by: peter garnet
MYAH ROSS MONROE Myah has been doing drag for 17 years. Myah came out at age 17 and six years later did her first drag appearance at The Apartment in Memphis Tennessee in the Turnabout Show where she won fist place. She was encouraged to enter by her first drag Mom Tanisha Cassidine. Myah says her early influences where Tommy Ross, “a classic lady” Latoya St. James and Moka Montrese, who helped her to develop her “passion for dance and Niesha Dupree for artistic expression” which helped her to “come alive when on stage.” Myah also gives props to her biological Mother who always encouraged her to to “be who you are”. The influence on Myah’s drag career paid of as she has won so many pageants over the last seventeen years that they are too numerous to list however a few notable titles held by Myah include: Miss Georgia USofA, Miss Florida USofA, Miss Gay Black Ohio, Miss Be Elegant, Miss Renaissance, Miss Queen of Hearts and Miss Armory just to name a few. Myah currently travels a lot doing shows and pageants and works at Brushstrokes’ where she gives kudos to Mark Jackson the owner for his years of support for Atlanta’s gay community as well as his patronage to the Atlanta drag community.
ALISSAH BROOKS Alissah has been performing for over ten years, and is a proud member of the House of Brooks. Alissah describes herself as s “sassy, playful and energetic pop princess and video tease”, inspired by “Kpop and the 90s and the Queens from before her time, who were original and not picked and chosen by reality TV.” Alissah is busy working on a couple projects, one with her best friend Kat Graham for GLAAD on a blog about current events in the community as well as on role in the film, “If I should Die Before I wake” Directed by Eric Ayala, due to premier this September.
MYCHELLE LACROIX DUPREE Mychelle has bee performing for over five years, it all began at Play Dance Bar in Nashville, Tennessee when she auditioned and made the house cast. When asked how her name came about, Mychelle replied. “It’s taken from my middle name, Michael and after deigner Christian LaCroix because the name is not only unusual but Lacroix’s designs showcase eccentric colors, patterns and shapes jus like my high energy numbers and colorful costumes.” Dupree of course comes from drag family legacy. She says, “over a year ago my drag mother Nicole Luv Dupree asked me to be her daughter. Mychelle says, “she has molded herself to become the next generation of Dupree and maintain the decades old high level of professionalism and standards the Dupree family has become known for. It is a humbling experience to be a part of that legacy,” Mychelle said. Mychelle also gives a shout out to Erica Andrews who’s penchant for large rhinestones and big hair compliments her own as well as her “accomplished onstage craftsmanship and creativity.” Mychelle is busy working weekends at LIPS Atlanta and co-hosts WILD WEDNESDAYS at Felix’s with her roomie Nicole Page Brooks. Mychelle has also set her sights on the Miss Continental Pageant and is preparing for the prelim later this month.
the controls for the hearts of the son photography by: ben cornford art direction: casey ehlers model: kryean kalley hair & make up by: kryean kally stylists & clothes: kimberlee ware FENUXE.COM : 33
HEY GIRL HEY
HOLLER POODLES!
With all the excitement regarding the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of Marriage Equality, I forgot to mention I am available to preside over your ceremony. That’s right folks! I am Rev. Dr. Mary Edith Pitts, Ed.D., DVM & DL. Seriously though, if you would like that “something special” to make your ceremony complete, I am registered and available to marry you and your partner. I’ve officiated 5 ceremonies so far and can say it is very touching and emotional to join two people who love each other in holy matrimony. Honestly, I never thought we would be in this position. I was always hopeful but never assumed we would be granted these rights. What’s especially meaningful to me is loving couples can now be in hospitals with their ailing partner and can’t have their homes ripped away by greedy relatives who for whatever reason chose to negate the legitimacy of their relationship and kick them out of their own home. We have come so far but yet we still have so far to go. But the change begins with us! With every interaction we have, and by living our lives in the open with honesty and integrity, we can change the world. I’m reminded of the beautiful words Mary Bonauto spoke after the Supreme Court’s ruling “So, today as we celebrate what is a landmark ruling, let us also rededicate ourselves to ensuring that all of us – all Americans -- no matter who they are or where they live – have the same opportunities and freedom to live equally, safely and securely. We owe that Constitutional promise not only to one another, but to future generations as well.” Be the change you want to see in others!! Love and lashes,
Mary Edith Pitts Mary Edith Pitts
PS. If you have any questions, comments or feedback, please email me at maryedith99@gmail or on twitter @maryedithpitts
Gay News At A Glance “STRAIGHT PRIDE” FLAG DEBUTS IN RUSSIA. Last week, on the heels of the same-sex ruling in the United States, the United Russia Party, the ruling party of the Russian Federation, officially unveiled a new Heterosexual Pride flag which shows the silhouette of a mother, a father and three children holding hands, emblazoned across the bottom of the flag is the hashtag #arealfamily. The flag was premiered at the “Day of the Family, Love and Fidelity” which has been an annual event at Moscow’s Sokolniki park since 2008.
In a public opinion poll conducted by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center earlier this month, Eighty percent of respondents believe homosexuals should not have a right to marry people of the same sex. Only 8 percent said they believe such unions should be legalized and 6 percent believe they are undecided on the issue of the legalization of samesex marriage.
United Russia Today’s deputy head Andrei Lisovenko, displayed the flag for Russian media saying, “This is our response to same-sex marriage, to this mockery of the concept of the family. We have to warn against gay-fever at home and support traditional values in our country.” The family flag is not unlike the symbol for La Manif Pour Tous, which is a French movement that opposes same sex marriage, which depicts a man, a woman and two children.
TWO BIG THUMBS UP TO ATLANTA PRIDE FOR HELPING OUR COMMUNITY AROUND THE WORLD: The Atlanta Pride Committee (APC) announced the details about their involvement with the International Association of Pride Organizers’ (InterPride) Solidarity Fund grant. Last week, InterPride announced their 2015 grant recipients. APC long time Board Director and past-chair and InterPride Vice President, Cain Williamson said, “As long standing members of InterPride, Atlanta Pride is a firm believer in the organization’s mission to assist with local LGBTQ activism across the globe. This is why we have 40: July 17, 2015
made contributions to the Solidarity Fund for the past few years. Though the intensity of the struggle for LGBTQ civil and human rights that we wage here in Georgia is different than other places on the planet, it is still the same struggle. And Atlanta Pride believes that standing in solidarity with peers around the world is the only way to change it.” Executive Director, Jamie Fergerson said of Atlanta Pride’s involvement, “For more than a decade, Atlanta Pride has been represented in the leadership of InterPride. Having so many of our leaders involved in InterPride has shaped who we are as an organization. Part of our work as a large Pride organization is to support smaller Prides – especially those in hostile environments – whether that be in the rural Southern United States or in other parts of the world.” She added, “We do this through providing logistical support, financial support, and by bringing a human rights focus to our own festival. In 2007, Atlanta Pride implemented an annual
human rights and cultural exhibit that seeks to highlight issues LGBTQ people face worldwide. We are a founding member of the Solidarity Fund, and we also support other LGBTQ organizations through our community reinvestment program. Our commitment to justice extends far beyond the geography of metro Atlanta and that commitment expands well beyond the festival weekend; we believe in a world where people of all gender identities and all sexual orientations should have equal rights and protections.” This year, the Solidarity Fund will provide support to 9 projects in 8 countries. Funds will be used to support art exhibitions as part of Sophia Pride Week in Bulgaria, a public gathering for LGBTI communities on World AIDS Day in Digali, Rwanda, support for the Hong Kong Pride Parade, and a performance as part of Delhi Queer Pride in India. Public events are also being supported this year in Ulan Bataar (Mongolia), Riga (Latvia), Nairobi (Kenya), Cape Town (South Africa), and Tirupati (India).
NEW MOVIE ON SAME SEX MARRIAGE RULING Fox 2000 is developing a movie about the plaintiff in the June 26 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court case legalizing same-sex marriage. Fox has set up the project with producers Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen who’s credits include the five “Twilight” films and “The Fault in Our Stars.” The studio purchased the right to the story from Jim Obergefell and his attorney Al Gerhardstein as well as the rights to a book titled “21 Hours to Midnight” proposed by Obergefell
WAY TO GO, OUT ON FILM! Out On Film, Atlanta’s LGBT film festival, has received two significant grants – a $10,000 Partner Grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts and a $2,000 grant from the Fulton County Arts Council. “We are obviously very excited,” says Jim Farmer, Out On Film’s festival director. “These are tremendous financial gifts as well as acknowledgment of the community impact Out On Film makes throughout Fulton County and Georgia. We are grateful for the Georgia Council for the Arts and for the Fulton County Arts Council for their support of what
and Pulitzer price winning journalist Debbie Cenziper. Obergefell married his partner John Arthur in Maryland in 2013, a few months before Arthur died. Later following Arthur’s death, the state of Ohio refused to list Obergefell as his spouse on the death certificate, so Obergefell sued. Obergefell recounted in an article in Variety how he and his husband had decided to take on the state of Ohio over its same-sex marriage ban.“We decided to stand up for our marriage and to no longer accept being treated as second-class citizens. We filed suit against the state of Ohio to we do and the growth they allow us. We look forward to making this year’s event the best in our history. These two grants will allow us to showcase more films and filmmakers.” After a record-breaking 27th anniversary in 2014, including two sold-out screenings of opening night film “Blackbird,” this year’s Out On Film 28 will take place October 1 – 8 at Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema. Already announced for this year is “Out to Win,” Malcolm Ingram’s looks at professional LGBT athletes, and Jamie Babbit’s “Addicted to Frenso,” a dark comedy with Natasha Lyonne and Judy Greer.
as the only U.S. territory to hold out against the recent Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage. But as the Pacific island’s attorney general reviews the decision, legal observers and gay rights advocates are saying it should go into effect immediately.
AMERICAN SAMOA: DOES GAY MARRIAGE RULING APPLY?
American Samoa Islands stands
“It should be unquestioned,” said Rose Cuison Villazor, a professor at University of California, Davis’ law school and an expert on territorial law. “The Supreme Court’s decision was pretty strong.” American Samoa Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale,
demand recognition of our lawful, outof-state marriage on John’s impending death certificate. Our decision, motivated by pain and anger, created a chain of results I never expected. The obvious result of that decision is my trip to the United States Supreme Court as the named plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark case about the right to marry throughout our country What I didn’t expect on my way to that courtroom was to discover how much our story and our fight resonated with people across the country. People stop me to say thanks, to tell me their story, to talk about a loved one, to offer condolences, or to simply hug me.”
The full line-up will be announced late August. More information can be found at www. outonfilm.org
however, hasn’t been ready to take that step. “We’re still reviewing the decision to determine its applicability to American Samoa, and I have no specific comments at this time,” he said. Asked if same sex marriage is legal in the territory, Ale said, “I don’t know. We’re reviewing the law.” U.S. territories have some self-governance rights. The right to marry, however, isn’t a question of self-governance, said Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, staff attorney for national gay rights group Lambda Legal. “This is a question of individual right, individual liberty.”
Other U.S. territories have voluntarily complied with the Supreme Court decision. In Puerto Rico, Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla signed an executive order soon after the ruling. U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Kenneth Mapp has said he would issue a similar executive order. In Guam, there is no effort to ignore or challenge the ruling, said territorial legislative Vice Speaker Benjamin F. Cruz, who is gay. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is also supporting the decision. As of Thursday, no one has applied for a same sex marriage license in American Samoa.
POP CULTURE
Blockbuster Ahead: Boone Style
Jennifer Lawrence Turns Heads
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Jennifer Lawrence, “Hunger Games” actress and your dream BFF, stole the spotlight at Comic-Con Saturday in a killer dress complete with a thigh-high slit. The 24-year-old was all smiles as she left the festival in San Diego and looked ready for a night on the town. Lawrence has been pretty much crushing Comic-Con this year: on top of promoting her two films, “The Hunger Games, Mockingjay - Part 2” and “X-Men: Apocalypse,” she managed to hop in on a fantastic, superhero-filled selfie. Oh, and did we mention that she got to hang out with Bill Murray?
YouTube comedy sensation Shane Dawson came out as bisexual in a heartfelt video to his fans on Tuesday. Dawson, who has more than 6 million subscribers to his YouTube channel, said he’d been confused about his sexuality his whole life and wanted others who felt neither gay nor straight to know they’re not alone. “I am bisexual,” he said in a video that had been viewed nearly 1.7 million times by Wednesday morning. “And the reason I’m talking about it is there’s a lot of coming-out videos of people who are gay or lesbian, and they’re so confident, like ‘I’ve known since I was 5. I’ve always been gay,’” he said. He mentioned YouTube beauty star Ingrid Nilsen, who came out as gay in a video on her hit channel last month. “I’m not that,” Dawson said. “I don’t know who I am 100 percent. And I know that a lot of you guys might feel the same way.” Dawson, 26, who’s been making YouTube comedy sketches since 2008, went on to describe being attracted to both boys and girls at a young age but being forced to “shut it down” because his religious family didn’t approve. He started dating women in his twenties, but it spiraled into self-hatred because he felt guilty for hiding his true sexuality from them. “What I’ve been trying to do for the last couple months is just not be so hard on myself,” he said through tears. “And just be open to love whether it’s a guy or a girl.”
Brody Jenner is opening up about his relationship with Caitlyn Jenner as it stands today. “Growing up, I didn’t really have the greatest relationship with Bruce. I didn’t really see him that often,” Jenner said during an interview on the “Today” show Tuesday, using the name by which Caitlyn Jenner was formerly known. “And Caitlyn is just a much freer person. It’s incredible to see the difference between Caitlyn and Bruce. Bruce and I just kind of really didn’t get along, to be honest, and [with] Caitlyn it’s literally like getting to know... your dad all over again, but in a better way.” The “Sex With Brody” host, whose mother, Linda Thompson, told him about Caitlyn being transgender three years ago, has long discussed the tense relationship he’s had with his parent through the years. Brody’s mom split from the Olympic athlete in 1985 when Brody was just 2 years old. She went on to marry David Foster. Now things have shifted, and Brody and Caitlyn are better able to connect. “Just to watch Caitlyn be so open, honestly, and just talk about certain things that Bruce would never speak about, you know?” he said. “Bruce had so many secrets and so many things that were building up, and finally it’s great to see Caitlyn where she is now.” The reality star also said he would be open to playing matchmaker for Caitlyn. “I mean if she needed it, of course,” he said during an appearance on SiriusXM’s “Shade 45” Tuesday. “I mean if Caitlyn really needed it, yeah, it’s good. Caitlyn likes women. 42: July 17, 2015
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Brody Jenner Opens Up
Lupone Seizes Phone
Last week, Tony award winning actress Patti Lupone calmly and in character walked off stage during a performance of “Shows for Days” and took a phone away from a woman in the second row that had been texting throughout the show. Lupone told a reporter after the show, “We work hard onstage to create a world that is being totally destroyed by a few, rude, self-absorbed and inconsiderate audience members who are controlled by their phones . . . When a phone goes off or when a LED screen can be seen in the dark, it ruins the experience for everyone else.” Unfortunately a couple of days later, despite Lupone’s request to the audience prior to the show, another phone went off. At another Broadway theater during a performance an audience member actually climbed on stage and plugged his phone into a fake outlet to charge. The problem of inconsiderate patrons and their lack of phone etiquette is getting to the point where some theaters are considering ejecting a person who’s ringer goes off or is found texting during a performance without a refund.