SOUTHERN WITH A GAY TWIST
07.31.2015 V6-17
J.TYLER: Be Who You Want To Be origins of
+
BOYS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN! TEAM HEARTBREAK’S NEW SINGLE
photo
sh by: jo
ood
hobg
OUR PAST OUR PRESENT 1980’S
ATLANTA PRIDE FESTIVAL
OCTOBER 10-11, 2015 | PIEDMONT PARK #OUR FLAGOUR STORY LEARN MORE ABOUT ATLANTA PRIDE THROUGH THE DECADES AT ATLANTAPRIDE.ORG
ATLANTA PRIDE 1983 | IMAGE PROVIDED BY ATLANTA HISTORY MUSEUM
Contents
FENUXE
07.31.2015
09
CALENDAR: 7 GREAT THINGS TO DO
10
OUT & ABOUT PHOTOS
20
BOYS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN
24
THIS SIDE OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY
26
GHOSTING OUT OF RELATIONSHIPS
28 32 38
ORIGINS OF NEVERLAND
40
GAY NEWS AT A GLANCE
42
POP CULTURE
J.TYLER: HEY GIRL HEY
Scan the QR Code with your smart phone to like us on
23,334
LIKES
VISIT US ONLINE
Page 32: J.Tyler: Be Who You Want To Be
INFO@FENUXE.COM
PHOTO BY: JOSH HOBGOOD
FENUXE.COM FOLLOW US ON
TWITTER.COM/FENUXEMAGAZINE
20
15
FESTIVAL PASS ON SALE THROUGH SEPT. 28, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!
SUPPORT A WORTHY ORGANIZATION AND GIVE YOURSELF THE VIP TREATMENT FOR PRIDE!
YOUR BENEFITS INCLUDE:
-ADMISSION TO THE DELTA VIP/SPONSOR PARTY ON OCT. 9 -USE OF THE VIP AREA IN THE MEADOW ENJOY FREE SNACKS AND DRINK TICKETS, PRIVATE BATHROOMS, A GREAT VIEW OF ENTERTAINMENT ON THE COCA-COLA STAGE, A PRIVATE CASH BAR, AND MORE!
QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED, SO DON’T DELAY! ATLANTAPRIDE.ORG/VIP
OUR PAST OUR PRESENT
45
YEARS
OF PRIDE
FENUXE
TM
TYLER CALKINS PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF TYLER@FENUXE.COM
Mike Stone - PUBLISHING/PRODUCTION Dino Thompson-Sarmiento - SENIOR WRITER Peter Garnet - WRITER Mark Cook - FASHION PRODUCTION
ATLANTA MARKETING
Jeff Anderson | 404.835.2016 - Sales Manager Andrea Dwyer - Sales
NATIONAL ADVERTISING Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com
To advertise, please call 404.835.2016 email info@fenuxe.com or visit www.fenuxe.com Published by TW Media Group Š 2015 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1599-A Memorial Drive, Atlanta GA, 30317 Phone: 404.835.2016 | Fax: 404.835.2356 Opinions and claims made by advertisers are those of the advertisers only. Fenuxe accepts no liability for any claims made by advertisers. The views and opinions expressed in this issue are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency of TW Media Group.
Fenuxe is proud to support:
COVER BY JOSH HOBGOOD
WANT YOUR EVENT FEATURED? SEND IT TO US AT INFO@FENUXE.COM
AUG 15
FUN
THE DECATUR BBQ, BLUES & BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
Ready for some great BBQ from Fox Brothers, Williamson Brothers and Sweet Auburn BBQ, combined with great beers, blues and bluegrass music? Saturday August 15th from Noon to 8:00pm at Harmony Park, 630 East Lake Drive in Decatur. Hurry, Tickets are on sale now for $10.
AUG 13
AUG 9
EATS & BEATS
The legendary live music event at the Masquerade marks it’s 25th Anniversary of presenting the finest in new, cutting-edge live entertainment. The twoday event featuring 60 bands on 4 stages August 8th & 9th. Heaven, Hell, Purgatory and the outdoor Masquerade Music Park will each host a full slate of artists both days. Tickets are $65 for a one-day pass. For tickets & more info visit, www.wreckingballatl.com
Thursday, August 13, 2015, 7pm-10pm. Atlanta chefs don their aprons AND guitars for an unforgettable evening of music, eats, spirits and a foodie silent auction like no other. Delight your senses at one of Atlanta’s most historic venues with food from the city’s top restaurants, music from Yacht Rock Revue and chef bands featuring Zeb Stevenson (Watershed) and Chris Talley (Common Quarter). Proceeds benefit Children of Conservation & The Giving Kitchen.
CONCERT SERIES The concerts continue with Steely Dan who’s hits include, Reelin’ In The Years, Ricky Don’t Lose That Number and Pretzel Logic along with Special guests Elvis Costello and the Imposters on Sunday, August 9th at 7:00pm at Chastain Park Amphitheater. For tickets, more concerts and info visit www. chastainseries.com.
FESTIVAL
FUN CHARITY
PIEDMONT PARK
HO SHO ATL 3
The 6th annual Piedmont Park Arts Festival is a 2-day outdoor event August 15-16 from 10am to 6pm with an emphasis on the visual arts. This event will feature up to 250 painters, photographers, sculptors, leather and metalwork, glass blowers, jewelers & crafters! For more information visit. www. piedmontparkartsfestival.com
Celebrating their third year of LIVE-SINGING drag show featuring some of the lousiest queens in Atlanta Aug 15th at Jungle. As part of their court ordered community service the girls are back for their third year and more nasty and contagious than ever. Please join the queens in a tragically trashy, risqué and live vocal show that is guarantee to entertain! All profits benefit the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus.
AUG 18-23
THEA - the alliance for Trans Health & Education is having a fundraiser Aug 1 at 11 AM at Tom Howell Park, in Virginia Highlands. Grilled hamburgers, Hot dogs, and fries will be available and a donation of $10 is welcome. They are raising money for the major convention Oct 30 at the Westin perimeter center. www.thea-plus.org. RSVP to Billie: 404-429-0509
FOOD
THE WRECKING BALL THE CHASTAIN
AUG 15 05.03.15
GRILL OUT FOR THEA
MUSIC
MUSIC
AUG 15-16
AUG 1
BENEFIT
AUG 8-9
CALENDAR
MUSIC
MOTOWN THE MUSICAL It began as one man’s story... became everyone’s music and is now a Broadway musical. This is the true story of Motown founder Berry Gordy’s journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson and many more. The show opens August 18th and runs through August 23rd. For tickets & more info visit www.foxtheatre.org. FENUXE.COM : 09
OUT & ABOUT
14: July 31, 2015
JOINING HEARTS
PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
FENUXE.COM : 13
OUT & ABOUT
10: July 31, 2015
PHOTOS
CHRIS KIDS: WHITE PARTY PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
OUT & ABOUT
14: July 31, 2015
PHOTOS
JOINING HEARTS AFTERPARTY @ JUNGLE PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
FENUXE.COM : 13
OUT & ABOUT
16: July 31, 2015
PHOTOS
DJ JOE GAUTHREAUX @ HERETIC PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
I KNOW
REAL ESTATE And I am here to help !!!
Your House Here
SOLD
Buyers are competing for a limited number of homes, townhomes and condos. Have you been waiting for just the right opportunity to sell? I will list your home and do the hard work for you. I do everything I can to ensure your home sells quickly and for fair market value. Call me today and I’ll put my team to work for you!!!
J Brian Crawford Associate Broker, Realtor , ABR ®
®
mobile 404.643.4577 brian@atlantahomespecialists.com
www.atlantahomespecialists.com
Keller Williams Realty Metro Atlanta
Looking for a Career in Real Estate? We’re seeking talented individuals to join our growing team. Contact us at: info@atlantahomespecialists.com
OUT & ABOUT
18: July 31, 2015
PHOTOS
LEGENDARY CHILDREN PHOTOS BY: WES SEVIER
OUR PAST OUR PRESENT
1990’S
ATLANTA PRIDE FESTIVAL OCTOBER 10-11, 2015 | PIEDMONT PARK #OUR FLAGOUR STORY LEARN MORE ABOUT ATLANTA PRIDE THROUGH THE DECADES AT ATLANTAPRIDE.ORG
ATLANTA PRIDE 1996 | IMAGE PROVIDED BY "ATLANTA PRIDE COMMITTEE
FENUXE.COM : 19
INTERVIEW
BY MICHAEL FIRESTONE
BOYS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN TEAM HEARTBREAKS SASSY NEW SINGLE
The fun-loving bro bud duo known as Team HeartBreak returns with the wildest party anthem of the summer. “Boys Just Wanna Have Fun” is the male perspective to Cyndi Lauper’s preeminent girl power track. It expertly mashes 80’s era guitar riffs with the huge dance drops of today. “Cyndi Lauper’s song is timeless,” explains Caleb, “one of the best ever made, but what about us? Boys wanna have fun too!” He says he and Brian relate to Cyndi Lauper as an artist: her crazy hair, untamed attitude, and her strong support of the LGBTQ community. “We wanted to make something even Cyndi would rock out to,” he adds. Team HeartBreak’s “Boys Just Wanna Have Fun” is available now on iTunes along with the 20: July 31, 2015
entire “Sassy Summer Sounds” album. “What happened to fun, happy bands like The Cars, Pet Shop Boys, and Wham?” wonders Brian, the other half of Team HeartBreak. “It doesn’t matter when you were born, I think everyone can appreciate fun, carefree music.” “We all wanna get loud, dance, down some drinks, turn speakers up, and blow off steam, but at the same time we all want to connect with somebody and share an experience,” continues Caleb. “We created ‘Boys Just Wanna Have Fun’ with the intention to capture the spirit of a super fun pool bash that everyone wanted to be at. When we
say ‘Come and have a drink with us’, we mean it! ‘Boys Just Wanna Have Fun’ is an all inclusive party and you’re invited.” Boys often get a bad rap for not being very deep and Team HeartBreak pokes fun at the stereotype. “The subtext of the song is definitely boys just wanna f**k…I mean, freaking have fun!” laughs Brian. The video stars Willam Belli, the breakout star from RuPaul’s Drag Race, along with her girlfriend, the nontraditional beauty GlamourBear, a seasoned San Francisco performer that the boys pulled out of retirement. The video also features a bevy of party kids soaking up the sun. “We want everyone to feel a part of our world because, to
Willam belli
us, they are,” explains Caleb. He admits to feeling like an outcast most of his life, until he met Brian. “Somehow, we met and we didn’t have to explain ourselves to each other. We just got it.” The guys describe themselves as “brothers from another mother”. They both enjoy dying their hair rainbow colors. They also occasionally wear female clothing. And they sleep with Hello Kitty and My Little Pony dolls. “We don’t believe in traditional gender roles. We like poking fun at them any chance we get,” says Brian. “I mean, who needs gender roles when you
“The subtext of the song is definitely boys just wanna f**k…I mean, freaking have fun!” laughs Brian. have pizza rolls? Have you tasted those things? They’re seriously bomb!” Caleb and Brian produce, write, sing and remix all of their music themselves: every song, every note. They play all their own instruments as well, and even do their own sound design from the ground up. “We will spend hours crafting a synth sound or a kick drum until we think it’s perfect and unique,” explains Caleb. “We may not take ourselves seriously, but we take our music very seriously,” confirms Brian. “Boys Just Wanna Have Fun” follows Team HeartBreak’s hit single release from earlier
in the summer, “Do iT Like Miley”. The track was years in the making. By the time the guys entered the recording studio with “Boys”, they were raring to knock it out of the ballpark. Caleb immediately took off his pants; he prefers to record in his underwear. All was going smashingly well until he decided to hoist himself onto a stool in front of the mic. The stool tipped over and Caleb came crashing down. The boys couldn’t stop laughing as Caleb hung upside down in his drawers. “He couldn’t walk for a week,” remembers Brian.
But he finished all his takes that day. Caleb’s dedicated like that.
Team HeartBreak’s “Boys Just Wanna Have Fun” is available on iTunes now, along with the Sassy Summer Sounds album. The boys love to talk to fans. Say hi and tell them you love their music on their facebook page: facebook.com/thbreak. You can also follow them for sexy and hilarious pics on instagram.com/thbreak and twitter @ thbreak.
team heartbreak
22: July 31, 2015
New Townhome Designs!
Towns at Druid Hills
Towns at Breton Ridge
Townhomes From the $470’s
Townhomes From the $370’s
For more information, please call Bakari Maxwell or Tarecia Johnson at 770.500.8635.
For more information, please call Heather Isaac or Jon Christensen at 678.627.0772.
Limited Time Only! Purchase a New Home and Receive:
15,000 Flex Cash
$
5,000 Toward Closing Costs!
– PLUS –
UP TO
$
– PLUS –
Waived 1% Origination Fee Through RMC Mortgage® (1% of Mortgage Amount)
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 15, 2015 and August 15, 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 August 15, 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 : 23
BY MIKE BAHR
INTERVIEW
THIS SIDE OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY Kit Williamson is an actor and filmmaker, best known for playing Ed Gifford on the final two seasons of Mad Men and creating the critically-acclaimed Logo web series EastSiders, which returns for its second season this October. His fiancé, John Halbach, is an actor and executive producer on EastSiders, and also works as a social media strategist creating digital campaigns for Broadway shows. Together for eight years, the couple announced their engagement this June, right before the Supreme Court’s favorable decision for marriage equality. We took the opportunity to listen as the two lovebirds discussed what the ruling means for their relationship, the gay community and the country. John: A lot of people never thought we’d see this day. Kit: Growing up in Mississippi, I can remember so many conversations about how this would never happen. I thought that maybe someday we’d see marriage equality in the more liberal blue states, but as a kid I never imagined we’d see marriage equality in the south. It seemed like a foregone conclusion. John: A lot of the southern states had passed laws against gay marriage. Kit: Right. 13 states had laws on the books. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that a lot of those same states also had anti-miscegenation laws on the books when Loving Vs. Virginia made interracial marriage legal. John: I remember being so elated when my home state of Minnesota passed marriage equality in 2013. My parents lived in the city and I remember visiting and seeing all
the orange Pro 99 signs EVERYWHERE so I wanted to be confident it was going to go our way, but after the heart break of Prop8 you just couldn’t tell. Thanks goodness it did go well, for my mom’s sake if nothing else, she would’ve been so mad! How does it feel for you, knowing that our marriage will be recognized in Mississippi? Kit: I’m surprised by how much it means to me. And my mom is pretty psyched too! It’s affirming to see how quickly the gay rights movement has progressed and it makes me really emotional to think about how certain I was as a kid that I would never meet anyone, much less get married to an amazing guy like you. John: Aw shucks. Kit: It also makes me more passionate than ever about fighting for equal rights, knowing that we now have a target on our backs in a lot of ways. We cannot allow this decision to get picked apart and legislated into oblivion the way Roe vs. Wade has been. The right to choose has been eroded in this country and is almost nonexistent in Mississippi; there is only one abortion clinic in the state and it is regularly under siege by protestors and politicians introducing measures that would cripple their operation, such as forcing doctors to have hospital admittance rights. John: Right, it doesn’t feel like it’s over. People have been trying to overthrow Roe vs. Wade my whole life. We need to constantly be on the look out for the gay equivalent of trans-vaginal ultrasounds. Kit: And we need to find solidarity with other causes, like the fight for equal pay for women, or trans rights, or the black lives matter movement. We can’t let this victory make us complacent or divided.
John: Equal rights means equality for everyone. Kit: Exactly. We agree on a lot of things! John: Let’s get married. Kit: Because we can now. Anywhere! John: Let’s do it in North Dakota. Kit: No thank you. John: Washington State? Kit: It’s supposed to be lovely. I’ve always wanted to go to Portland. We were supposed to go on a road trip to Portland but then you made us move to New York City.
want the same things for our marriage as a newlywed straight couple wants. John: What do you mean? Kit: Well we’ve talked about how we don’t necessarily want kids, at least not now. And a lot of things like that aren’t really as pressing a concern for us because we don’t have a deadline on that, biologically. John: There’s a lot of pressure on married couples to have kids, as though their relationship is somehow less valid if they don’t procreate. Kit: Which is ridiculous. Babies are great but there are a lot of other reasons to get married. John: Like love and stuff? Commitment? Insurance?
John: Let’s talk about something else. Jodi Kantor had Kit: Cohabitation, hospital visitation rights, protecting your an interesting piece in The New York Times about spouse if you die. feeling a twinge of loss for our outsider culture. Do you feel like this makes us a little less cool? John: Speaking of kids, what do you think this means for gay families? Kit: I definitely feel the pressure to have a traditional wedding coming at us from all angles. Most people Kit: I can only imagine how affirming it must be. assume that’s what we’re doing because that’s what they did. I don’t think it’s intentional; people just want John: Not that everyone has to get married to have kids. to relate their own experiences to ours. That’s the way norms are reinforced, right? You give a little girl Kit: Do you think there’s more pressure on gay couples to pink princesses her whole childhood and she grows get married now? up thinking all boys are made of puppy dog tales or something. John: I think there’s definitely more of an expectation, but certainly no more than is placed on straight couples. John: For all our subversiveness, some gay men are pretty guilty of reinforcing gender norms. Kit: Even though we’re engaged, it bothers me when people act like married couples are somehow better than Kit: You masc, bro? partnered couples or people who have chosen to be single. I hope that all people, gay and straight, feel the freedom John: Totes masc, brah. to forge their own paths in life and in their relationships. Marriage isn’t some magic bullet that completes a Kit: I don’t want to see our community straight relationship, or a person. washed. I love how diverse LGBT people are. So many of us grew up being told that the way we were was John: But you do get a registry. wrong, that our mannerisms were wrong, that we couldn’t pass. Then we grow up and find out that we’re Kit: That’s true. You could register for a magic bullet. actually just special and awesome and the things that made us different are our favorite parts of ourselves. John: What does marriage mean to you? That said, I’d be lying if I said I don’t sometimes struggle with insecurity about being “too gay.” Kit: Marriage means spending the rest of your life with the person you love. It means I cannot imagine being happy John: Especially as an actor. without you. It means the cat is officially our human baby. What does marriage mean to you? Kit: I’ve definitely had people tell me I was too gay, and that I would need to “work on that.” Not referring John: It means you’re my guy and I’m you’re guy, the two of to my work, by the way, referring to me, to my face, in us are a family, and we’re in this crazy life together. a meeting. Kit and John are engaged to be married in March, 2016. You can follow them on twitter at @KitWilliamson and @ John: Do you think marriage equality is going to JohnHalbach. The first season of their hit show, EastSiders, reinforce this idea that gay people need to behave is available on iTunes, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Visit www. exactly like straight people? EastSidersTheSeries.com. Kit: I do. I think it’s all jumbled together in the same part of our brains. Norms serve a function; they help people understand society. But a lot of people don’t take the time to analyze WHY they think little girls should have pink princess dolls. I don’t necessarily
LOVE + DATING
GHOSTING out of
RELATIONSHIPS BY: RYLEY RUBIN POGENSKY
When relationships end, one word seems to be spit out the most: closure. Inevitably when a relationship ends, one of if not both parties, are looking for answers, solutions, and ultimately a close. The thing is, feelings aren’t like Broadway plays. Though relationships may happen in stages -- we’ll call them acts for this metaphor -- they often don’t wrap up and end in a finale that makes sense. Enter ghosting. Ghosting is a term that has recently entered the online blogosphere at a rapid pace. With many people calling out the ex’s of their pasts who have ended relationships in such a way that it was like they never existed. A distant memory, vapor, a ghost. I have been a ghost. I have been left behind. I have done this and 26: July 31, 2015
can honestly say that sometimes ghosting is all you can do. We’ve all been there, facing the end of a relationship, talk after talk, fight after fight, make up after make up, sometimes (most times) these conversations end up going in circles. Ultimately something has to give. And this is when I will justify ghosting.
your best friends. And how do you cope with that? For me it has often been to leave them behind, without a second more spent on interaction. A clean break, that results in an agreement to not be a part of each other’s lives; whether it be indefinitely or for however long it takes for your life to be capable of sharing space wit theirs.
Sometimes, in order to restore order to your life post-relationship, you need to cut all ties. You need to act as if that person has essentially died. You are both ghosts to each other. Will you ever speak again? Maybe. But for the moment you need to find yourself again. You need to find out the person you are sans your partner. You need space and time to be your single solitary self.
I have also been an unexpecting ghost. Going from being madly in love with someone one day -- making out and making plans, to sending one worded texts and bailing. Quickly things go from hot and heavy, to please just leave me alone. But how? Why would you leave someone without so much as a conversation?
Whether or not we want to admit it, part of committing to a partner involves a form of dependence. You depend on that person to be there for you, to be your ears, your friend and your lover. When a relationship ends, you are often losing one of
Excuses are shitty, but sometimes they aid to explanations, so hear me out. I will present you with two reasons for why I have (and possibly will in the future) ghost someone. The first and hardest to articulate being that, I’m just not that into you.
We can often settle for what is comfortable. We find someone who we get along with well enough, whose schedule matches up with ours, and who for the most part is a-ok. You aren’t necessarily enamored, but dating is hard and you’re tired of the bad dates and flakes. You paint a picture in your head of what the two of you could be, and for awhile you think your painting prophecy is reality. But as time goes by, you realize that the image you’ve created is very different than the photograph that is your reality. After a bit of time it finally hits you, that you two just aren’t right for each other. Nothing is wrong per se, you don’t hate them, or find some flaw that is big enough to even complain to them about; you’ve just allowed yourself to fall into something that your heart ultimately could never fully commit to. And when your heart isn’t committed ghosting becomes easy. You have no major issues to vent about, no scandals to play detective in and call your partner out for. And so you find yourself over someone, without holding any resentment towards them, but without any reasons that sound like an actual breakup conversation. What is the dialogue for this? “I like you, except not really, but you really are a great person, I’m just not into that person.” It’s like relationship word vomit. If anyone has a breakdown of how to have this conversation, please I beg of you fill us in. The second reason I can give you for ghosting, at least for me has nothing to do with anyone or anything besides my own stupid head. I have a mood disorder mixed with serious anxiety, not the “take a Xanax and calm down kind,” the “I can’t get out of bed kind.” The “I can not respond to text messages or hear my phone ring” kind. When my depression kicks in with my anxiety and mood, or what I like to call the Seamless Netflix Trifecta, I can become a stranger to those who know me. If I look back on the times I have ghosted without merit, it has directly correlated with times when I was at my mental worst.
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 generation, that is the millennial generation, also has the ever-present always on, always going world of social media. When we listen to our parents reminisce about way back when, they’ll often say things like: “I wonder what happened to him” or “I haven’t heard from her in years.” But for us, those we once connected with stay buzzing around us like static. We see their updates on Facebook, their photos on Instagram. We know the names of their dogs, the cities that they live in, and the ins and outs of who they’re dating. Living in that world has its serious benefits, but also comes with a feeling that anonymity is no longer possible. And sometimes, just for once, that’s all you want, and so you become someone’s ghost. Follow Ryley Rubin Pogensky on Twitter: www.twitter.com/boizebite
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.
1544 Piedmont Avenue • Atlanta, Georgia 30324 • (404) 874-8247 Visit us on the web at atlantahideaway.com • Ansley Mall behind Publix
FENUXE.COM : 27
Last year’s Neverland party featured themes from outerspace built inside metal cages
TRAVEL
origins of If you’ve never heard of Neverland - this is your year to go! Neverland parties are known for their elaborate themes and production. Last year’s Market Days event whisked revelers deep into outer space with superstar DJ Boris at the helm, making his debut appearance at a gay circuit party in Chicago. This year, Neverland celebrates Chicago’s Market Days with its fiercest party ever, Origins - Taking place Friday, August 7th. This year producers will transform the city’s Circuit Nightclub into a Mayan jungle with over-the-top set designs and performers attired in fashions, costumes and headdresses of ancient tribal cultures. “Market Days draws thousands of gay tourists to Boystown in Chicago,” says Neverland’s founder and Creative Director, Anthony DiFiore. “The challenge for us is to make our Friday night an exceptionally extravagant experience so that it stands out amongst all the weekend’s other events.” We sat down with him to learn more.
our way of helping to immortalize ancient Mayan and Aztec fashions and costumes, by recreating and showcasing these pieces with high-quality construction and artisanship. How do Neverland parties compare with the dance festivals that have swept Europe?
Anthony DiFiore: Last year we built a metal structure made out of truss and LEDs. This year we are trying something totally different. We’re creating a theatrical jungle set.
Anthony DiFiore: Neverland is a team of artists, so we’re art-focused but also a little edgy and very much American. Look at our Ratchet Ball. You just wouldn’t see that in one of the big European brands. WE Party did a money theme, but we had our “Bougie Ball” and got real slang and conceptual. Neverland is very young; all the staff are in their 20s and early 30s. We go to parties, we follow current style, we know what’s going on. We don’t want to create anything that people in our age range can’t identify with. Neverland is also renowned for its theatrics.
Where did the idea for Origins come from?
What will you be showcasing at Origins?
Anthony DiFiore: One of Neverland’s coowners, Martin Luna, is Mexican of Mayan ancestry, and many members of our creative team are Mexican. They’ve been wanting to do a tribal theme that focuses on fashions and costumes of the ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations, because these societies created things of such profound beauty. It’s
Anthony DiFiore: We are working on two big performances, one with Shea Coulee and the other with Aurora Sexton. I’ll also point out that since this theme was handpicked by our costume designers, Martin Luna and Raul Redaggio, they are more dedicated than I’ve ever seen them in creating over-the-top looks for the dancers and performers.
How will you build upon last years’ Market Days Gravity party?
30: July 31, 2015 28:
Origins: This year’s Neverland theme
Will the Neverland go-go dancers be there in all of their wild jungle glory? Anthony DiFiore: We’ll have seven gogo dancers for Origins: many of them from out of Chicago. How can revelers join in on the fun? Anthony DiFiore: If you want to dress up, great! If not, come dressed however you want! Circuit is the perfect venue for the party, because in addition to being right in Boystown, there’s a huge dance floor for guys that want to dance and private booths and spaces where people can have drinks and watch the shows on stage. Will DJs Isaac Escalante and Alain Jackinsky will headline this year’s party together? Anthony DiFiore: I saw Isaac Escalante and Alain Jackinsky spin together at Winter Party in Miami. They produced some of the best music of the weekend. Since both are friends of ours and have spun for Neverland individually, I asked them right after the set if they’d be willing to spin together for us at Market Days. Anyone who attended that magical night in Miami will be counting down the days! August 7th is right around the corner. What’s left to do to make this party a spectacle? Anthony DiFiore: Not much, just work our asses off!
Are these parties a labor of love for you? Anthony DiFiore: The best part about Neverland is that I only bring in people who are the very best at what they do. It’s why you look at our alumni and you see famous names like Alexander Knox (Project Runway), Trixie Mattel, Pearl, and Gia Gunn. I only work with people who are driven and brilliant. When you get a team of passionate people with a united goal, you can do anything. In our case, it’s getting a bunch of artists to design a fun dance party. Not brain surgery, but you’d be surprised how much work it takes! Is there pressure to one-up yourself from Pride? Anthony DiFiore: I think of it as more of an exciting challenge. I see today, but I also have my eyes on Neverland in five to ten years from now. I see the potential for what we can become, and there will never come a point when I say, “I can’t top that.” Neverland takes place Friday, August 7th from 10pm-5am at Chicago’s Circuit Nightclub (3641 N Halsted). Tickets are on sale now at www.showclix.com/event/origins. They are also available in Boystown at Egoist Underwear (3526 N Halsted Street). Pre-sale: $40 / then $50 / then $60. Visit Neverlandchicago.com.
INTERVIEW
J.TYLER: Be Who You Want To Be By: Tyler Calkins Photos by: Josh Hobgood
J.Tyler has taken Atlanta by storm. He’s quickly becoming a local name and has won numerous awards for wordsmithing skills and delivery. From winning GA Voice’s Best Musician of Atlanta three consecutive years to being named one of the 15 Most Influential Gay People of Atlanta for 2015, J. Tyler is working hard to make a name for himself. I recently had the priveledge of sitting down with the artist. So, J.Tyler, tell us where you are from. Well, I was born in Chula Vista, California because my dad was in the Navy and was stationed in San Diego. He met my mom over there and had me. Then, when he was done, we moved back to Anderson, Indiana, where he was from. In 1997, we moved to South Georgia and I was raised around there for most of my life. I just tell everybody that I’m from Pelham, Georgia, because that’s where I feel home is. What was it like growing up near Pelham? It was okay.. I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t the best. The gnats are horrible, and so are the bugs! (Laughs.) No, but seriously, if you can just picture nothing but fields on a narrow two-lane road, with little to no WiFi, that’s how it was! I don’t think I have to say anything else. Like I said, I grew up in Pelham for most of my life, and like every place, there are people that you love and people that you don’t necessarily care about. When did you come out & was it hard? Why? I came out the first week of my senior year in high school, so that was around August 2010. I told my best friends and a few others before I told everybody. One night, I was laying in bed, thinking about why I’m so different, and it hit me. So, I wrote a note to my parents and put it on my Dad’s lunchbox. I told them thank you for everything that they’ve done, and I wanted to tell them that I was bisexual. I was too scared to fully come out at that time. One reason is because everybody at school would be right, and I didn’t want that. I told my parents in that note, and then I posted a Facebook status that morning, not to get attention, but to tell everybody at one time. It was hard for me to
PHOTO BY: JOSH HOBGOOD
tell one person, let alone everybody, so I felt that was easiest. I knew that everybody has a mouth, so they’ll all talk about it. It definitely was hard for me, being one of the only people in Pelham to come out. There were definitely more, but I’ll keep their closet doors closed for now... But yeah, once I came out, it was definitely easier for me because I felt like I had nothing to hide now. I felt free in a sense.. Did you know you were always different? I knew I was different from the start. I have an older sister and a younger brother. My mom and sister would always do things together, and my dad and brother would do things together. I’d tag along with either group, but I never felt like what they were doing was fun. I didn’t want to go hunting nor did I want to get my nails done. I kind of felt alone for a long time, so that’s my reason for feeling like I have to do things alone. That’s when I turned to music. I started singing when I was two. My favorite was Shania Twain. When her Come On Over album came out, I got it for Christmas. And we used to spend Christmas in Indiana. So, the whole ride up
there, I learned every single song and performed it in front of my family. If that didn’t show that I was gay, my folks must be blind! (Laughs.) But from then, I started writing my own little country songs and stuff. It felt fun and like an outlet for me to write and sing. I knew that’s what I wanted to do, was to be on stage performing. So, what brought you here to Atlanta? I came to Atlanta for only one reason and one reason only: my music. I wanted to move to a place that was close enough to home, yet far enough to be more accepted by the community and for a place to do my music. When did you know you wanted to be a rapper? How did all of that come about? So it was kind of popular back when I was in high school to learn Busta Rhymes’s verse in “Look At Me Now”. Everybody would try and rap it, and only some could do it. At this time, I was introduced to Nicki Minaj, so I was obsessed, and I mean OBSESSED with her. I thought it would be fun to try and rap the verse. I rapped it before the bell rang in my journalism class, and afterwards, this girl
looked at me and told me, “You would never be a rapper...” I really couldn’t stop thinking about her saying that. So, that night, I went home and I sat down and wanted to write my own verse. So I got the instrumental for Nicki Minaj’s song, “Moment 4 Life” with Drake, and I started writing. When I finished, I recorded it on my iPod Touch and sent it to a few people. From there, it got sent around and everybody knew about it. When I think about it now, that verse was the most horrible thing I’ve ever heard, but back then, it was amazing to me. How did you get your musical career get started here in Atlanta? I guess it’s different for everybody, but how it happened for me was I was introduced to Brent Star, who was hosting an event called East Atlanta’s Got Talent. This was in September of 2012. I entered the contest, which was this variety contest with comedians, drag queens, and a guy dressed in a panda suit who hyperventilated.. Anyway, I won the round. That was my first show here in Atlanta. Then, I started looking at open mic contests and things to get up on stage, but I only found drag contests. I came across this one drag contest flyer that said, “Open Mic Drag Contest”. It was for Ruby’s Tuesdays at Jungle. I messaged Ruby Redd on Facebook, and she told me that she’d accept me to come and perform. From there, I won the whole entire contest, and that’s when everybody started picking up on what I wanted to do. I was getting invited to perform here and to perform there. People started following along with me, and it felt great! What was the best show you’ve ever given here, and why?
PHOTO BY: JOSH HOBGOOD
I always have a great time performing, but the ultimate best show that I think I’ve ever done was this past April. I was given a spotlight number on a Saturday night at Burkhart’s, and I absolutely gave it my all. I had the perfect ingredients for
a phenomenal show. The audience was hyped, my performance was topnotch. Everything happened exactly how it should have gone. It was beyond amazing. Also, one of my favorites is when I performed in Fort Lauderdale at The Manor. That was the first time that I got goosebumps from the reaction of the audience. That was an incredible feeling. Where do you like the audience best? Definitely MSR or Burkhart’s. I absolutely LOVE those audiences for different reasons. Burkhart’s is so small and intimate that people can help but focus on the music playing. MSR has a stage that everybody faces and listens to. So as soon as I perform, I know that these two crowds are going to be down to party with me! Where all have you performed? Everywhere. No, I’m kidding... I mean, I’ve been to Jungle, MSR, Burkhart’s, Blake’s... I’ve performed at Six Flags the past two years for Rainbow Days. I’ve performed at Park Tavern for their pride event in 2013. Like I said, I’ve gone to Fort Lauderdale to The Manor, and I’ve been over to Athens to perform there. I’ve also performed outside of the community. I’ve been invited to perform at Havana Club, which is great because I don’t want to be known as a “gay rapper”. I am simply a rapper who happens to be gay. How would you describe your writing process? Every time I write, I write with the imagination that I’m performing it on
stage. I imagine the audience going crazy. Most of the time, I imagine myself on stage at My Sister’s Room because that’s where the energy is highest for me. I like to write my lyrics in that sense. My lyrics are written in a hard-hitting flow that is full of punchlines and metaphors. I also write to showcase my creativity and cleverness. Whats your most favorite line that you’ve written? Hmmm... That’s a good one. I told you I like to write lyrics that will make people scream and holler. My favorite line is probably in my remix of Rich Homie Quan’s, “Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh)” where at the end, I say, “You just had yo jaw dropped my a motherfuckin’ queer...” When I perform it, the audience SCREAMS!!! I think that it’s so receptive to the audience because the word “queer” is primarily used by people not in the community. It’s my way of embracing the word, because if you give them something to call you, it’s an insult. Calling me queer or faggot isn’t an insult to me. Are people surprised by how talented you are? Am I talented? No, but seriously, I love when somebody doesn’t believe that I’m a rapper. In this instance, I’m kind of glad that there is that stereotype of a rapper that you can’t be gay, it’s difficult to be white, and somebody like me can’t be legitimized as a rapper. That’s when I find that bitches be pickin’ their jaws up off the floor. I’m definitely humbled and motivated by peoples’ reactions by how I rap.
PHOTO BY: JOSH HOBGOOD
Have you ever gotten any pushback because of your sexuality or race? I have a little, I guess, but it wasn’t significant enough to make any impact on me. I’ve gotten people say that people only listen to me because I have the “cute” factor. But you know, none of that matters to me. What matters is that nobody can ever say that they don’t see my drive and that they don’t see my talent. Once somebody genuinely feels that, I think that, you know, then I’ll have to evaluate what I’m doing more and see what I can do to make myself even better. Who are you most compared to? I get that I’m like Nicki Minaj in a gay boy’s body a lot of times. I’ve also gotten that I’m a gay Eminem. While those are some extremely high compliments, and I really am honored that they think of me in that way, but I don’t want to be compared to any other rapper. Some people tell me, “Oh, you’re the next Eminem!” or, “You’re the next Macklemore!” I always reply with, “No, I’m the first J. Tyler.” Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I see myself happy. I see myself stable and passionate about my music, whether that’s being signed to a record label or whether that’s even in Atlanta. I see myself still having some of the best supporters in my life, including my wonderful husband, Emilio, who always comes to my shows and cheers me on. So, yeah, I see myself happy. Simple as that. What else would you like for our readers to know? I’d like for the readers to know that despite whatever you think you can’t do, you can definitely do it if you set your mind to it. I know that may sound redundant, but look at me. Do you honestly think I would have said that I wanted to be a rapper at the age of two, when I was dancing around in my pajamas to Shania Twain at my grandparents’ house? Say goodbye to people’s initial perception of you and become who you really are.
Follow J.Tyler on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jtylermusic), Instagram (@jtylermusic), Twitter (@official_jtyler), and YouTube (youtube.com/justintellingwood) or at his website at jtylermusic.com PHOTO BY: JOSH HOBGOOD
Fe at u r
r all-STa a T N aTla ! T S ca
r ful A powe ma an dra Americ g the explorin nd a beauty g of bein r e g n a d a g pirit in Starrin a free s stem. h a NT y s TwoN G N d a e l s a e N clo hy hoMaS McM u r p T
aS r a nd
in g a n
MaN waSSer By dale e n ov e l f ro M t h d e t p a K e Se y ad By K eN d By directe . Bo o T h SuSa N V
le
iNcaid MaliS Ked S S e T a nd e r atch
aS nurS ideon, M A rie G r in g n u n t A a , e f r , and A rne e ze vich h A rd G
oe k n s, r ic yser , J de v rie A k id v uL x, is A r d h on, c eM y P ro Ator , s r n k e e J c B , A L J w L hA oniA A ndre Menden ifLou, ues t, t d, eric t riA nd t er ry G in L L ie e n n A n d yA riG ue z , Be t h A n y P. rod A r r en w t t o A n t hon c A nd s
Feb. 13–
September 2–20, 2015
Tickets as low as $15 @ 404.733.5000
alliancetheatre.org/cuckoo | groups 404.733.4690
FENUXE.COM : 37
HEY GIRL HEY
Hey Girl Hey!
Isn’t it funny how the universe works? One moment you’re feeling low and indifferent and then in the course of an evening, you’re lifted up so high, your spirit soars. That was my Sunday! This afternoon (following my 50th birthday,) I was at a particularly vulnerable, needy place wondering about my impact on this world, the relationships I’ve had and what difference I’ve made in my community. Because of this mood, I was reluctant to go to a birthday dinner my friends had planned. But I went and was immediately surrounded by friends who made me feel loved and accepted with all my flaws (of which there are many!) It is hard to convey how much those few hours meant to me but suffice it to say, it was exactly what I needed! As I was leaving, I decided to stop by a nearby bar and was immediately approached at the door by an entertainer I love and respect. Out of the blue, she hugged me and pulled me aside to tell me the impact I had had on her and the community. As our conversation continued, a young man walked into the bar, saw me (out of drag), looked at me and called out “MARY EDITH PITTS!” He spent the next five minutes recounting meeting me back in 2010 when he was having a really tough time. He wasn’t sure I remembered him but his face lit up when I told him I did and said aren’t you a flight attendant? After a little more conversation, he said something I will never, ever forget. He said “I don’t know if you know this or not but you saved my life back then!” My eyes welled up and he revealed he had been contemplating suicide back then. He said my words empowered him. I I didn’t realize back then he had been contemplating suicide. I did however, remember a man that was hurtIng and needed to be heard. I spent the time encouraging him and talking to him because I wanted him to know he mattered. After we hugged a final time, he went to the bar to get a drink and my drag queen friend said, “See Richard, you don’t realize the impact you have in this community.” Of course the tears started flowing. And I realized at that point it was exactly what I needed to hear when I needed to hear it. Make no mistake, I am a flawed person trying to be my most authentic self at all times. But I have feelings and low points just like anyone else. I’m so grateful for the full circle moment today and the people who made it possible. Thank you all for the birthday wishes! Look for my Birthday Fundraiser coming up soon!
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 ‘RUPAUL’S ALL STARS DRAG RACE’ RETURNING FOR SECOND SEASON ON LOGO TV On your mark, get ready, set make-up to stunning and go! Logo TV has announced that RuPaul’s All Stars Drag Race is returning for a second season. A stetment issued from the network read, “Ending years of fan speculation RuPaul’s All Stars Drag Race will return for a second season, packed with more eleganza and doublelashed side eye than Drag Race has ever seen.” Contestants from previous seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race will return to compete in the second All Stars edition of the show.
A statement by RuPaul released by Logo reads, “Every season they arrive as drag artists, and they leave as international stars. The chance to bring back my best girls for a new season All Stars is a dream come true for me and all the fans around the world.” RuPaul went on to say, “Now I’d like to tell you which queens are coming back, but then I’d have to kill you, but, never the lest, stay tuned for more updates. Because this new season of All Stars honey is going to be like no other, and it will leave you gagging!” The first season of RuPaul’s All Stars aired in 2012 with returning winner from season four of RuPaul’s Drag Races, Chad Michaels winning the All Stars competition and being entered into the Drag Hall of Fame.
A premiere date and casting lineup have not yet been announced for the second season of All Stars, which will see former contestants return to duel to the death for a chance spot in the “Drag Race Hall of Fame” alongside season one All Star winner Chad Michaels, however the show will premier sometime following the Eight season of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Supreme Court victory was a huge accomplishment indeed, but the virulent backlash from conservatives looking to score points among evangelicals is enough indication that the LGBT rights movement cannot be content with just the marriage ruling.
CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS MOVE EQUALITY FORWARD Building off of the momentum gained from the Supreme Court’s historic ruling on same-sex marriage, Congressional Democrats are organizing a push to pass an Equality Act, adding LGBT Americans to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, protecting them from discrimination in seven categories, including housing, education, and public accommodation. It is precisely the next step the equality movement needed to take; the 40: July 31, 2015
One of the sponsors, Rep David Cicilline, (D-RI) outlined the need for this bill in a statement: “In most states, a same-sex couple can get married on Saturday, post pictures on Facebook on Sunday, and then risk being fired from their job or kicked out of their apartment on Monday. A majority of states in our country do not have laws that protect LGBT individuals against discrimination. We need a uniform federal standard that protects all LGBT Americans from discrimination.” A poll from Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research indicated that 69% of Americans support such a bill- including 51% of Republicans. Unfortunately, it remains to be seen whether or not the bill can garner enough votes to overcome Republican filibusters in
both houses of Congress, which are still controlled by Republicans. At the same time, those Republicans are attempting to push through a completely opposite bill, the First Amendment Defense Act, which purports to defend a bigot’s right to discriminate against LGBT Americans as part of exercising their religious freedom. It remains to be seen which side will triumph, but the highest court in the land and the people have spoken: it’s time for LGBT Americans to take their rightful place in our society, free from discrimination and prejudice. America is a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-gendered society, and it is time for the right wing to accept that the world has moved on without them. This battle over LGBT rights is the GOP’s last desperate grasp for relevancy, and they will pay for it with the future of their party. National, state and local surveys of LGBT people have found evidence of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
TEXAS SUPREME COURT SUSPENDS HOUSTON’S EQUAL RIGHTS ORDINANCE. The Texas Supreme Court July 24 ordered the Houston City Council to either repeal the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) or place it on the November ballot. The ordinance, championed by the city’s lesbian mayor, Annise Parker, was passed by the City Council last year. It banned discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity as well as what is already covered by federal law which includes sex, race, color,
COURT RULES ITALY’S SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BAN A HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), in a unanimous decision sided with six plaintiffs, finding Italy’s lack of legal recognition and protections for same-sex couples a human rights violation. The court ruled that “Italy was in violation of article eight of the European convention on human rights,
GLASGOW PRIDE IS NOW ALLOWING DRAG QUEENS... AGAIN. Many are still fuming after a Scottish Pride gathering initially said no to drag performers. Glasgow Free Pride, an alternative, anticommercial LGBT celebration taking place August 22 in the Scottish city, created a firestorm when it banned drag performers in deference to transgender attendees. Glasgow Free Pride’s trans and nonbinary caucus instituted the ban in order to protect “transgender individuals who were uncomfortable with
ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, and disability. The court ruling court stems from a lawsuit filed by anti-LGBT activists after city officials determined they had invalid petition pages in their effort to repeal the measure. A district judge had ruled in April that the petitions lacked enough valid signatures. The Supreme Court decision overrides that ruling. Following the ruling Mayor Parker went on to say, “Obviously, I am disappointed and believe the court is in error with this eleventh hour ruling in a case that had already been decided by a judge and jury of citizens.” The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, Equality Texas, Texas Freedom Network, Texas Wins, Freedom for All Americans, Human Rights Campaign and Lambda Legal issued a joint
statement expressing confidence Houston residents will ultimately uphold HERO, the statement went on to say, ‘Houston cannot afford to be the one of the largest, most culturally diverse and business-friendly cities in the nation without comprehensive anti-discrimination protections.” Mayor Parker also pointed out that HERO is similar to measures passed in many other US cities and by most local corporations. She went on to say, “No matter the color of your skin, your age, gender, physical limitations, or sexual orientation, every Houstonian deserves the right to be treated equally, Our citizens fully support and understand this and I have never been afraid to take it to the voters. We will win.”
which provides for the right to respect for privacy and family life.” Italy is the only major Western European country without any form of legal recognition for same-sex couples. The ruling does not compel the Italian government to grant marriage rights to same sex couples however it does add pressure for the government to act amidst growing calls within Italy, despite the Catholic Church’s opposition to the issue, for them to do so. Because of the lack of movement on the issue by the national government, a number of cities including Rome, Milan, and Naples, have legalized civil union registries, which offer very limited
rights to couples however on the heels of largely Catholic Ireland’s legalization of same-sex marriage by popular vote, and the United States Supreme Court ruling, which was used as a precedent by the European court, the pressure is really starting to mount by Italy’s ever growing and increasingly vocal LGBT activist community.
having drag performances at the event” and because drag acts “might make some of those who were transgender or questioning their gender uncomfortable,” reports The Huffington Post. Twitter blew up after news of the policy broke, with many expressing anger at the decision and others invoking the drag queens who sparked the Stonewall Riots in 1969. Within a few days, Glasgow Free Pride organizers did a 180, apologizing and writing on their blog that they will indeed “welcome drag performers.” Read the post below: “There was never a ban on drag queens and kings
attending Free Pride. There was a decision to not book any drag acts, which has been overturned. Free Pride now welcomes drag performers of all genders and gender identities. Free Pride is inherently challenging; we have known that from the start. As a small organisation, we disagree with the highly commercialised and depoliticised nature of mainstream Pride. Our aim continues to be to create a safe, accessible space for the most marginalised LGBTQIA people. This issue was picked up by many famous LGBTQIA bloggers, spreading this local issue internationally. Sadly,
this attracted not just fair criticism, but also an immense amount of harassing, abusive behavior. This harassment took the form of rather nasty insults and threats which were aimed at free pride organisers. This kind of abusive behavior is unacceptable. The original decision was made because many trans members of Free Pride have had negative experiences with drag acts veering towards racism, misogyny and transphobia; the lack of contact with the drag community contributed. We made a mistake, and we apologise.”
POP CULTURE For this edition of Pop Culture, we wanted to mix things up a bit. We’ve been hearing a lot about these new republican candidates for President, but have you seen their spouses? Here are 6 of our favorite spouses of candidates running. We don’t know what’s more ackward... the way some of these GOP couples look or what they’re saying.
Donald & Melania Trump
Jeb & Columba Bush
Chris Christie & Mary Pat Foster
Maybe money really can purchase everything...
Yes, this picture is to scale.
Looks like a match made in heaven.
Donald Trump’s says: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
Jeb Bush’s says: “Immigrants are
Chris Christie’s says: “Infidelity in women is a masculine trait. A man is only as faithful as his options.”
Lindsay Graham?
Janet Huckabee
Ted & Heidi Cruz
Conveniently doesn’t have a wife... could it be the first gay republican candidate?
Got that same ‘crazed’ look in her eye as her preacher husband.
Stepford wife, much?
Mike Huckabee’s says: “I don’t think it’s a radical view to affirm marriage. I think the radical view is to say that we’re going to change marriage so that it can mean two men, two women, a man and three women, a man and a child, a man and animal.
Ted Cruz’s says: “Gay marriage” leads to Christianity becoming “hate speech”
Lindsay Graham’s says: “Free speech is a great idea, but we’re in a war.”
42: July 31, 2015
more fertile.”