01/19/18, Vol. 8 Issue 24 by Georgia Voice

LGBTQ Midtown’s “Tipp”-ing Point?

Cowtippers closing riles community as “I Am Midtown” movement emerges PAGE 3

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GEORGIA NEWS

I Am Midtown movement

seeks to empower businesses, end bullying Members allege harassment against My Sister’s Room, Blake’s and TEN from residents By DALLAS ANNE DUNCAN Atlanta’s skyline is changing. Along with the iconic high-rises, cranes building new condos find themselves in the silhouette. And with new condos come new people, which brings new concerns for the preservation of history in LGBT Atlanta. “Throughout the years, there have been instances of bullying, meaning that the residents and visitors in Midtown, they disagree with what the fabric of Midtown is, so they try to change it,” said resident Jason Dabbs. “They want their neighborhood to be exactly like they want it to be. They don’t want the gay bar. They don’t want the bar that has the dance music on Sunday afternoon, because they are seeing that the price of the property would probably increase if they eliminated anything that was not bright and shiny.” Following repeated alleged harassment of lesbian bar My Sister’s Room and the cluster of LGBT bars around the rainbow crosswalks of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue, Dabbs was inspired to create the I Am Midtown movement: an empowerment movement aimed to end bullying against these and other businesses. Right now, it has an active Facebook group and members are planning rallies at local bars and restaurants. Dabbs said members hope to raise money to help business owners recoup some of the money they have to pay for the noise violation calls being placed against them by residents in the new www.thegeorgiavoice.com

condo complexes. “The goal of I Am Midtown is not to make money, but to balance what’s existing so we can keep the fabric of Midtown there. We want it to be there in 20 years,” he said. Dabbs defined the “fabric of Midtown” as “a community that welcomes everyone without bias, without judgment” and one that is open to a difference of opinion, while also respecting what those who came before worked so hard to achieve. “Our population, everyone’s coming. It’s progress that we can’t really stop, but maybe we could guide it into the right direction,” he said. In the crossfire “There’s a couple, a husband and wife, that moved in adjacent to the [Blake’s on the Park] parking lot. They immediately started bullying the owner of TEN for the music being too loud. We’re talking normal business hours, 9:00 on a Saturday night,” Dabbs said. “They started the same thing with other businesses right there.” Dabbs said the owner of TEN spoke with the complainants, who told them that he wanted to work together for a common goal. The couple appeared to agree, but according to Dabbs, allegedly began making moves intended to have the LGBT bars shut down. This included taking photos of trash in the streets and parking lots near the businesses, and complaining about gay couples kissing in public. “Now there’s a resident at 77 12th Street that lives across the street from the lesbian bar My Sister’s Room, constantly complaining about the karaoke,” Dabbs said. “Every time that a resident calls the police and reports a noise ordinance, it costs the bar $50. The owners had the same resident call the

Atlanta resident Jason Dabbs started the I Am Midtown movement in late 2017 after repeated — allegedly unfounded — noise complaints were filed against lesbian bar My Sister’s Room, TEN and Blake’s on the Park by residents in nearby condos. (Courtesy photo)

“The goal of I Am Midtown is not to make money, but to balance what’s existing so we can keep the fabric of Midtown there. We want it to be there in 20 years.” —Atlanta resident Jason Dabbs started the I Am Midtown movement police several times in one night; multiple times over the course of the month.” My Sister’s Room opened in Midtown three years ago after a long history in East Atlanta Village. “It’s never our bar. It’s usually another club making the noise — or there’s no clubs making noise,” co-owner Jen Maguire said. “The police are being called to our establishment because they have to answer every call. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the police department’s been like, ‘Why is she calling on you guys?’” The neighbor who makes the complaints wishes to remain anonymous. The Maguires met with former Mayor Kasim Reed, two LGBT liaisons, Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields and other city officials to discuss what they say is harassment. Likewise,

Dabbs said members of I Am Midtown met with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who indicated “she is on board to fight with us.” Comments from Bottoms on the issue were not received as of press time. “This has been going on for three years. We’re a small business paying triple the amount of rent in Midtown. We’re in East Atlanta for seven years, had neighbors behind us, never, ever had the cops called on us. We’ve probably had the cops called on us 200 times at least,” Jen Maguire said. “The last one, I had had it. The cop came in a paddy wagon and this is the second time they came in a paddy wagon to our bar. I said, ‘This is embarrassing.’ They pull up out front with the blue lights on. I feel like we’re CONTINUES ON PAGE 4 January 19, 2018 News 3

GEORGIA NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 becoming known as a trouble spot because the cops always come up out front.” The Maguires met the complainant on several instances. She’s called the bar and screamed over the phone at them, and one day walked into the bar to scream at the bartender. “She does straight up not like black people or white people and gay people,” Maguire said. “One day she called and said I had too many black people out in front of the bar, and that was why we had cops outside. … If that lady wants us gone, I’d be happy for her to buy us out of our lease.” Maguire’s wife and co-owner, Jami, echoed her concerns. Both said My Sister’s Room plans to find a new location when its lease is up because of the problems. “Other cities, if you move next to a bar, that’s what you did. Here in Atlanta, the city is like, ‘Oh, this poor person having to listen to this bar that’s been there for over 30 years,’” Jami Maguire said. “I feel like Atlanta is favoring churches and residents over the entertainment industry that brings millions and millions of dollars into the city. Atlanta needs to change its way of thinking.” APD speaks out Similar noise complaints plagued LGBT bars during 2017 Atlanta Black Pride Weekend, when Atlanta police forced several locations to close early, despite a city ordinance allowing them to be open past regular Sunday night business hours. If a resident reports a noise violation, a patrol unit is dispatched. “If no violation is found, no further action is taken,” Atlanta Police Zone 5 Commander Maj. Darin Schierbaum told Georgia Voice. “If the officer believes a violation is occurring, then he or she will meet with the manager to seek voluntary compliance with the noise ordinance. A return call could result in a citation being issued.” He said if a caller is found to be intentionally falsely reporting businesses for noise violations, that caller could potentially be charged. As for businesses that feel they’re being harassed, Schierbaum said there’s the possibility to seek private and civil relief “if a matter does not rise to a criminal offense, but is still deemed by the citizen to cause harm.” “The zone commander remains available to meet with any individual who wishes to discuss concerns related to their home or

The intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue has long been a hub for Atlanta’s LGBT community, as it was pictured above when same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide on June 26, 2015. (File photo)

business in Midtown. The Atlanta Police Department values the vibrancy and diversity of Midtown, and is committed to providing for the safety and security of residents and business owners alike,” Schierbaum said. He told Georgia Voice that in the last year, 42 noise complaints were logged against My Sister’s Room and six against Blake’s on the Park. None resulted in citations. However, he said, “no citations” may mean that a violation was observed, but a manager voluntarily lowered the volume or took other steps to address the issue. Stitching a new fabric “If we sit back and don’t do anything, then the neighborhood that is there for you, your family and friends to come and enjoy an afternoon dancing at TEN or eating at Campagnolo … that’s being taken away from us. That’s being taken away from you,” Dabbs said. “Midtown is everybody’s. It’s not gay, it’s not straight, it’s everybody’s.” Fears of stalwart LGBT bars closing are the latest in a series of events to threaten Midtown’s history as a gay Mecca. Cowtippers — which won several placards in Georgia

Voice’s Best of Atlanta awards over the years — announced it will close later this month, and bars around the Cheshire Bridge area and the BeltLine face mixed feelings as to their future. Jungle Atlanta shuttered its doors late last year, and recently courts told Tokyo Valentino, an adult store, that it couldn’t remain open on Cheshire Bridge because it violated the city’s adult entertainment ordinance. “Clearly, they are trying to ‘clean up’ Atlanta from gay everything,” Georgia Voice reader Cazenrique Oliveira said via Facebook. Readers Jason Hall and Justin Ziegler, however, attributed the change more to assimilation of LGBT individuals into the mainstream population. “If we are talking about bars, clubs, restaurants with a primarily LGBT audience, I think location-based dating and hook-up apps have been more influential in their decline than development of new, high-density residential [developments],” Ziegler, a realtor, said. “I think the increased acceptance of LGBT people has also made it easier for people to be comfortable in places that aren’t necessarily LGBT-centric.” Jen Maguire said it’s up to LGBT Atlan-

ta and its allies to make sure these businesses survive. “Come back. Where the hell are you guys?” Jen Maguire said. “We’re getting shut down because there’s not enough support. Come support your LGBT-owned businesses, your black-owned businesses. We’re not saying you have to come to the bar every day, but … if we want to save our bars, come out and support. We’re fighting the good fight to try to keep these bars and establishments alive.” Dabbs hopes developers will consider the legacy they want to leave. “Are you going to be just another midrise condo that looks the same everywhere, or will you represent some of the community that developed there over the last 20 or 30 years? That is a really good balance if you just look for it,” he said. For the neighbors who aren’t enthused about being so close to bars, LGBT or not, Dabbs wants them to come off their porches and become part of that Midtown fabric. “Take some time to get to know us. Go to the bars. Go to the restaurants. Give your community a chance,” he said. “You might find that you have some great friends.”

4 News January 19, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

NATIONAL NEWS

LGBT candidates hoping to ride Democratic wave Record number of openly LGBT candidates running in sign of anti-Trump political wave

currently serving. A victory for Chandler would make her the first openly transgender person elected to Congress.

By CHRIS JOHNSON, WASHINGTON BLADE courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association

With President Trump facing low approval ratings, signs continue to point to a political wave against him in this year’s midterm elections — and LGBT candidates are hoping to benefit. A record number of openly LGBT candidates are running for office, many in high-profile statewide races, which could result in a milestone election for a group that has been historically underrepresented. Annise Parker, CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, predicted LGBT candidates endorsed by the organization in 2018 “are going to do well.” “We’re in this business because we think our candidates are going to do well in any election, but we don’t see just a Democratic surge, we actually see a progressive surge across the United States,” Parker said. 24 in the House, 2 in the Senate Democrats have their goals in sight. To win control of the House in 2018, Democrats needs 24 seats. To win control of the Senate, Democrats need just two thanks to the surprise victory of Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) in the special election late last year. Part of the effort for Democrats to win control of Congress will be LGBT candidates seeking election to the House and Senate. In Wisconsin, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), the only out lesbian in Congress, will seek to keep her seat in the Senate. That seat might be a challenge for Democrats to hold even in a good election cycle. According to a Huffington Post article, conservative groups have reported spending at least $3.1 million against Baldwin, which is more than what all the other Democratic Senate incumbents on the ballot this year have faced combined. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

From left: Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Virginia state Sen. Rich Madelino (D-Montgomery Co.) and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Meanwhile, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) is running for the U.S. Senate seat in Arizona being vacated by retiring Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). If Sinema is elected, she’d be the first openly bisexual person elected to the Senate. Sinema’s race could be interesting because a slew of right-wing candidates seeking the nomination could be her opponent in the general election. Parker said the Victory Fund is “working hard” on Sinema’s race because “that’s an opportunity to move a seat into a progressive column.” LGBTs in Congress could double A number of non-incumbent LGBT candidates are also running in U.S. House races and seeking to take seats from Republican candidates. Non-incumbent candidates with good shots of winning are Lauren Baer, who’s running in Florida’s 18th Congressional District; Angie Craig, who’s running in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District; Albuquerque City Councilor Pat Davis, who’s running in New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District; Gina Ortiz Jones, who’s running in Texas’s 23rd Congressional District; and Florida State Rep. David Richardson, who’s running in Florida’s 26th Congressional District.

Meanwhile, gay Reps. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Mark Takano (D-Calif.) are seeking to keep their seats in the House and will likely prevail given their incumbent status, favorable districts and strength of Democrats in 2018. Other LGBT candidates could replace Democrats who are leaving their seats at the end of this year. In New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, State Rep. Chris Pappas is seeking to claim the seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.). The race to replace retiring Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.) in Massachusetts’ 3rd Congressional District is a veritable free-for-all of LGBT candidates. No fewer than 12 candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination, including three LGBT candidates. Other gay candidates are in uphill battles seeking to claim seats in Republican strongholds. Among them is John Duncan, a gay HIV/AIDS activist running in Texas’ 6th Congressional District. If LGBT House and Senate candidates win each of these races, it could significantly shake up LGBT representation in Congress and potentially more than double the number of seven openly LGBT public officials

State races could bring several firsts LGBT candidates are involved in other significant state races. At the top of the list are the gubernatorial campaigns of Rep. Jared Polis in Colorado and State Sen. Rich Madaleno in Maryland. Should either of them win, they’d claim the distinction of being the first openly gay people elected as governor in the United States. In Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown, who’s bisexual, is seeking re-election. In 2016, she already claimed the distinction of being the first openly LGBT person elected as governor. In Nevada, State Assembly member Nelson Araujo (D-Las Vegas) is running to become Nevada secretary of state. If he wins, he’ll become the first openly gay person of color to win statewide election anywhere in the United States. In Maryland, transgender activist Dana Beyer is seeking Madaleno’s seat as he pursues the bid for governor and could be the first openly transgender candidate elected to a state Senate anywhere in the country. In Texas, the “blue” wave could result in the election of a record number of LGBT candidates running for office at various levels of state government. The Houston-based OutSmart Magazine reported 42 people are running for office in Texas, including two candidates for governor: former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez and Dallas businessperson Jeffrey Payne. Parker declined to identify her highest priority race for 2018, but said the Victory Fund’s “bread and butter is local races.” Also important, Parker said, are Baldwin and Sinema’s races for Senate seats and the gubernatorial elections with gay candidates. When analyzing candidates to support, however, Parker said the Victory Fund doesn’t take into account whether a year will be a Republican or Democratic wave. “It’s going to be great for our candidates, but it’s not what we depend on, it’s not what we look at when we’re vetting them,” Parker said. “It’s just means that if it happens, we’re going to take advantage of it.” January 19, 2018 News 5

NEWS BRIEFS Gay man running for Congress in northwest Georgia Openly gay Waleska resident Adam Wynn has announced he is running for U.S. House of Representatives in Georgia’s 11th Congressional District. If elected, Wynn would be the first openly LGBT person ever elected to Congress in Georgia. If he makes it through a Democratic primary, the internet software professional and entrepreneur will have tough sledding against incumbent Republican Congressman Barry Loudermilk, who will seek a third term in the heavily Republican district. Loudermilk beat Democrat Don Wilson by 35 points in the 2016 contest and faced no Democratic opposition in the general election in 2014. “I am running for Congress to bring real representation to GA11,” Wynn, a Democrat, said in a news release. “I’m tired of politicians who say they’ll represent us in Washington, only to have them rubber stamp the agendas of big corporations and lobbyists while ignoring the needs of those who sent them there. It is time we have a representative who is in touch with people all across our district, and understand the struggles we face every day. I intend to win this election and be a leader in Washington, DC, not a follower. My friends and neighbors across this district deserve nothing less.” The political newcomer lists fighting for LGBT protections by passing the Equality Act as one of his campaign issues. The Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include protections that ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and sex. However, it has stalled so far in a majority Republican Congress. There are currently seven openly LGBT people in Congress, and Wynn becomes the eighth LGBT non-incumbents running this year in what is being seen as an anti-Trump political wave. Georgia Senate committee strips anti-LGBT language from bill The Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 10 voted 8-2 in favor of a bill to update Georgia’s adoption laws without an anti-LGBT provision that caused the bill to stall in the final days of last year’s legislative session. However, the committee chairman said a separate bill is in the works that will include such language. The committee also approved changes that could hurt the adoption bill’s chances of becoming law.

Openly gay Waleska resident Adam Wynn would become the first openly LGBT person ever elected to Congress in Georgia if he wins this November. (Courtesy photo)

House Bill 159 looked well on its way to becoming law last year — the first rewrite of the state’s adoption laws in 27 years — passing unanimously in the House and moving over to the Senate before Crossover Day. However, while in the Senate Judiciary Committee, state Sen. William Ligon (R-Brunswick) introduced a religious exemption that would allow private adoption agencies — including those that receive taxpayer funding — to refuse to place children with same-sex couples. The bill later stalled in committee before the session ended, leaving Gov. Nathan Deal and House Speaker David Ralston furious. Deal and Ralston made it clear that passing a clean adoption bill without the anti-LGBT amendment was a priority in this year’s session, which started on Jan. 8. They got their wish, and the same Senate Judiciary Committee in which the bill stalled last year instead pushed it through without the religious exemptions. Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle told the AJC that a final vote on HB 159 before the full Senate could come as early as this week, and it would then return to the House. However, amendments the committee added to the bill in Wednesday’s meeting include a proposal Gov. Deal vetoed last year — limiting expense payments to birth mothers and partially reinstating waiting periods before adoptions can be finalized — and could cause the bill to stall yet again.

LGBT Atlanta favorite restaurant Cowtippers closing down Popular LGBT Atlanta favorite restaurant Cowtippers is closing at the end of January. The announcement was made by the restaurant’s owner, Metrotainment Cafes, in a statement issued Jan. 10. “Metrotainment Cafes can confirm that Cowtippers will unfortunately be closing at the end of this month. The restaurant has been a part of our restaurant group for a very long time, and we’re proud of the more than 20 years we have been in business, but with the changing climate of the city, we are going to close the restaurant and turn our attention to our other successful concepts including Hudson Grille, Einstein’s, Joe’s on Juniper, Hudson FC and Guaco Joe’s,” said Metrotainment Cafes CEO Jeff Landau. The owners of the restaurant near the intersection of Piedmont Avenue and Monroe Drive also wanted to make clear that there are no plans (at this time at least) for the space to be turned into apartment complexes. “Metrotainment Cafes still owns the property and we are weighing several options including selling the restaurant and property,” Landau said. “In the interim, we will use the space for private events handled by our catering company, Epic Events. We are thankful for the many years of patronage from Atlanta and looking forward to continued success with our other concepts as we continue to grow in this city.”

6 News January 19, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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Mytesi (crofelemer): • Is the only medicine FDA-approved to relieve diarrhea in people with HIV • Treats diarrhea differently by normalizing the flow of water in the GI tract • Has the same or fewer side effects as placebo in clinical studies • Comes from a tree sustainably harvested in the Amazon Rainforest What is Mytesi? Mytesi is a prescription medicine that helps relieve symptoms of diarrhea not caused by an infection (noninfectious) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Important Safety Information Mytesi is not approved to treat infectious diarrhea (diarrhea caused by bacteria, a virus, or a parasite). Before starting you on Mytesi, your healthcare provider will first be sure that you do not have infectious diarrhea. Otherwise, there is a risk you would not receive the right medicine and your infection could get worse. In clinical studies, the most common side effects that occurred more often than with placebo were upper respiratory tract (sinus, nose, and throat) infection (5.7%), bronchitis (3.9%), cough (3.5%), flatulence (3.1%), and increased bilirubin (3.1%).

Should I Take Mytesi If I Am: Pregnant or Planning to Become Pregnant? • Studies in animals show that Mytesi could harm an unborn baby or affect the ability to become pregnant • There are no studies in pregnant women taking Mytesi • This drug should only be used during pregnancy if clearly needed A Nursing Mother? • It is not known whether Mytesi is passed through human breast milk • If you are nursing, you should tell your doctor before starting Mytesi • Your doctor will help you to decide whether to stop nursing or to stop taking Mytesi Under 18 or Over 65 Years of Age? • Mytesi has not been studied in children under 18 years of age • Mytesi studies did not include many people over the age of 65. So it is not clear if this age group will respond differently. Talk to your doctor to find out if Mytesi is right for you

What Should I Know About Taking Mytesi With Other Medicines? If you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicine, herbal supplements, or vitamins, tell your doctor before starting Mytesi.

What If I Have More Questions About Mytesi? For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com or speak to your doctor or pharmacist. To report side effects or make a product complaint or for additional information, call 1-844-722-8256.

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• Upper respiratory tract infection (sinus, nose, and throat infection) • Bronchitis (swelling in the tubes that carry air to and from your lungs) • Cough • Flatulence (gas) • Increased bilirubin (a waste product when red blood cells break down) For a full list of side effects, please talk to your doctor. Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

RELIEF, PURE AND SIMPLE

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Who’s down with G-O-D? BY PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com PO Box 77401 • Atlanta, GA 30357 P: 404-815-6941; F: 404-963-6365

EDITORIAL

Editor: Patrick Saunders psaunders@thegavoice.com Editorial Contributors: Ashleigh Atwell, Cliff Bostock, Dyana Bagby, Melissa Carter, Dallas A. Duncan, Jim Farmer, Elizabeth Friedly, Shannon Hames, Just Toby, Bill Kaelin, Ryan Lee, Robbie Medwed, Matt Schafer, Dionne N. Walker, Simon Williamson

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FINE PRINT

All material in Georgia Voice is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of Georgia Voice. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons. We also do not accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Unsolicited editorial material is accepted by Georgia Voice, but we do not take responsibility for its return. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject or edit any submission. Guidelines for freelance contributors are available upon request. A single copy of Georgia Voice is available from authorized distribution points. Multiple copies are available from Georgia Voice office only. Call for rates. If you are unable to reach a convenient free distribution point, you may receive a 26-issue mailed subscription for $60 per year. Checks or credit card orders can be sent to Tim Boyd, tboyd@thegavoice.com Postmaster: Send address changes to Georgia Voice, PO Box 77401, Atlanta, GA 30357. Georgia Voice is published every other Friday by The Georgia Voice, LLC. Individual subscriptions are $60 per year for 26 issues. Postage paid at Atlanta, GA, and additional mailing offices. The editorial positions of Georgia Voice are expressed in editorials and in editor’s notes. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Georgia Voice and its staff. To submit a letter or commentary: Letters should be fewer than 400 words and commentary, for web or print, should be fewer than 750 words. Submissions may be edited for content and length, and must include a name, address and phone number for verification. Email submissions to editor@thegavoice.com or mail to the address above.

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8 Editorial January 19, 2018

“We go into putting our Religion & Spirituality issue together carefully, knowing how fresh some of those wounds are for some of you.” When I think back to my childhood mem- know? To be told to go back to church is like ories growing up in the church, the first thing being told to go back to that husband who that pops into my head is me crammed into a beats you,” he said. “The experience of LGBT suit I was uncomfortable in (I was a butterball people in most religious groups has been suas a kid), rushing through the parking lot of premely negative. So it seems almost like a Peachtree Presbyterian Church self-loathing thing to do.” early Sunday morning with my He went on to make the case family as my dad licked his hand for why the community can and and smeared it on my head whershould turn back to God if they ever there was an out-of-place want, but it’s a tough sell. Most tuft of hair. It didn’t dawn on my of the LGBT people in my social until years later how disgusting circle are atheist, or at the very that particular move is, but I have least agnostic. Some have a physigrown to respect how difficult it We all worship in our cal reaction when the issue of God must be to corral three rambunc- own way, don’t judge me. or religion comes up — they tense tious boys for something they up, or they recoil. have no interest in taking part in. So we go into putting our Religion & SpirThe church service itself usually consisted ituality issue together carefully, knowing how of playing games of hangman on the backs of fresh some of those wounds are for some of the Bible class sign-up cards tucked away in the you. This year, we have three pieces we think pews. Then, more times than not my brothers you’ll enjoy whether you’re a believer or not. and I would go off in the general direction of We speak to a transgender Atlanta minister Sunday school class then, when the coast was who has some fascinating thoughts on LGBT clear, jump on the shuttle bus to head down affirmation in scripture, even going so far as the street to Dunkin’ Donuts, arriving back to to theorize that God is genderqueer. We’ve church just in time to cover our tracks. never explored the afterlife before in these As to my relationship with God, the pages, so we put the question to y’all and church and religion in general since then, asked you what you think happens after you I’ve written about that here before so I’ll die. And we’ve got an interview with a lesbian spare you the details but the gist is that it’s author of a YA book with lots of Georgia ties complicated — I pray every night, but I’m that you’ll just have to check out. not entirely settled on what my concept of Elsewhere in the issue, we do a deep dive God is (or if I even believe there is one). into the I Am Midtown movement and the It’s a tricky subject for LGBT folks. It re- evolution of Atlanta’s LGBT culture (better minds me of an interview I did a few years grab that table at Cowtippers before time ago with Gene Robinson, the first openly gay runs out on Jan. 28). We talk to gay Atlanta bishop in a major Christian denomination. I rapper Anye Elite about his latest, profile a asked him about the fear LGBT people have transgender inclusion organization that has when it comes to embracing religion, con- big news and much more. sidering how often it’s used against us. So grab your Jesus mug, spitshine your “It’s not unlike an abused spouse, you hair and enjoy!

FEEDBACK “Republican lawmaker announces effort to (finally) pass Georgia hate crimes bill,” Jan. 4 “Bills like this need to be passed if we expect Amazon to seriously consider the Atlanta area for its HQ2 development. This is an example of how state-level legislation has a huge impact on the City of Doraville. We need to show our support for this!” -Stephe Koontz “Meet the gay man running for a state House seat in Brookhaven,” Jan. 4 “I am sorry that Matthew thinks Meagan’s move is an election year stunt for political gain. I honestly know nothing about either candidate, but no matter how hate crimes legislation gets passed, it is something that needs to happen. So Matthew, instead of sounding bitter, please help make this happen! Fight for it. Thank you!” -Deborah Wise “He is trying to fight for it. That’s why he’s running for office.” -Robbie Medwed “Aww I love Matthew. He’s awesome!” -Jaden Thomas “Here’s your first look and snap analysis of that Georgia hate crimes bill,” Jan. 5 “The likelihood that it gets through the Georgia house with LGBT provisions, if at all, is slim to none. It’s a bill designed to give cover to Republicans in moderate swing districts (that can now say look at us, we’re really not that bad) while the rest of the Georgia Republican Legislature knows full well with a wink and a nod that it’s going nowhere. Smart politics, but I’m highly skeptical of the intentions to actually pass anything.” -Clayton Skinner “LGBT Atlanta favorite Cowtippers closing down,” Jan. 10 “Would be great to see gay Atlanta entrepreneurs come together and define a true district like Boystown and Santa Monica Boulevard. 10th and Piedmont is a start ... but there needs to be retail, etc. Not just three bars and a dry cleaner and Caribou.” -Stephen Thompson Want to be featured in Feedback? Leave a comment to a story via social media or on our website, or email editor@thegavoice.com with the subject line “Feedback.” www.thegeorgiavoice.com

OUT IN THE WILD By Simon Williamson

The power of shutting up and listening Simon Williamson lives with his husband in heteronormatively-assimilative fashion in Athens, after a year of surviving rural Georgia.

I don’t really watch movies, but I am mar- from this season’s movies that weren’t even in my ried to someone who reviews them for a liv- ballpark. In some cases it was like we watched ing, so I have been dragged around some of totally different movies. I have overlooked the the more high-profile ones this film season, rehabilitation of utterly reprehensible racist along with the odd low-profile indie. I don’t characters like in “Three Billboards Outside usually have complicated thoughts about Ebbing, Missouri,” and the wimpy defense of a them because I am about as cultured as Ted black couple in “The Shape of Water” by a man Nugent on downers and grade them sort of who turns out to play a major role in saving the on a pass-fail basis, with extra nuance for RE- day. If those people were as homophobic as they were racist, it is more than likely I would have ALLY good, and things I walk out of. A triumvirate of friends tries to watch every had an explicit emotional rejection of them. It is sometimes easy to think that “The Oscar-nominated movie before the ceremony every year and reviews them on social media, Resistance” began when President Trump beand this is the first year I have actually watched gan his reign of white supremacy and took his along with them. The reason I am telling you club to American democratic institutions, but this is that all three of them are black, and I am in actual fact this has gone on for decades. A AF_ATL_Ad_GeorgiaVoice_HalfPageHor_10x5_Female_FINALOUTLINES_Print.pdf 2 9/26/2017 5:36:57 PM white. And they have brought up takeaways scholar at a panel I attended at a political sci-

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“My husband and I recently adopted a black child who is now only two months old. It is up to us to prepare him for what this America is going to throw at him.” ence conference last year showed there was no apparent rise in anger among black voters since the election of the president like there was in white voters, because that level was high, and had been sustained since reliable data began. It is also sometimes easier to think that anger among minorities who shit all over racists online began with social media. Nah — you know as well as I do that people were saying this, but it was easier to ignore them when they couldn’t directly tweet at @truthteller443342. The only reason I know these things is because I shut up and listened, a skill I luckily picked up after being raised during apartheid South Africa, and spending my 20s and early 30s unlearning some of the horror knowledge that was passed down by generations and the pro-

paganda within the education system. My husband and I recently adopted a black child who is now only two months old. It is up to us to prepare him for what this America is going to throw at him. But we obviously can’t because we simply don’t know what many of those things will be. But we can do well to shut up and listen to those who do know. We can make sure our son is surrounded by people who he can listen to. And we can make sure that everything we say and do is not as a result of the privilege we have, which allows us white folks to choose to be ignorant. I am lucky to have my friends who display their knowledge about movies, and through that, life. It is vital that people like me listen to people like them all the time.

January 19, 2018 Editorial 9

WORK IT!: BUSINESS PROFILE

Transformation Journeys Worldwide announce new partnership Atlanta transgender inclusion “You know, this is really organization partners with top not rocket science we’re 10 diversity and inclusion firm talking about. It’s just By ELIZABETH FRIEDLY In 2015, Gabrielle Claiborne and Linda Herzer created a company devoted solely to training employees on transgender inclusion in the workplace. Only three years later, Transformation Journeys Worldwide has announced their official partnership with The Kaleidoscope Group, a diversity and inclusion firm recognized as one of the top 10 pioneers in their industry. Kaleidoscope works to cover a broad range of issues from race to gender to learning or management styles. Transformation Journeys’ partnership will now add trans inclusion to those offerings. Claiborne and Herzer met in 2012 through the City of Light church, where Herzer served as reverend. Claiborne had recently come out as trans, and she invited Herzer to the trans support group that she led. Herzer, a cisgender woman, became more and more active in trans issues. She eventually authored a book titled “The Bible and the Transgender Experience: How Scripture Supports Gender Variance.” The two women struck up a friendship which turned into a working relationship. Claiborne sold her cleaning business and Herzer left the congregation, and the two formed Transformation Journeys Worldwide to further educate others. They now work full-time in diversity training. Transformation Journeys works with all organizations including corporations, religious institutions and both physical and mental health professions. Their goal is provide the tools to help others to interact respectfully, and to integrate trans individuals successfully into their organizations. Now, more than ever, such services are becoming essential to any modern company. Herzer points to GLAAD’s third annual “Accelerating Acceptance” report, which found that 12 percent of millennials iden-

a respectful dialogue to create this respectful space for acknowledging each other as you are.” —Gabrielle Claiborne, co-founder of Transformation Journeys Worldwide tified as transgender or gender non-conforming. This, coupled with the fact that by 2025, millennials will make up 75 percent of the workplace, makes a powerful statement. “That’s what we really need to help companies to understand,” said Herzer. “You [the companies] may not have seen much gender diversity in your workplace to this point, but you are about to.” Claiborne has seen the way awareness has become heightened around trans issues, but also how many organizations don’t know how to start the conversation. Thus, more people continue reaching out to Transformation Journeys to help lead them and their employees in the right direction. “We recommend to our clients that the time to buy a fire extinguisher is not when you have a fire. The time to buy is about being proactive, in preparation. The question becomes not if, but when,” said Claiborne. Combination of trans, cis perspectives leads to success Transformation Journeys addresses subjects beyond restrooms or company guidelines. Claiborne and Herzer cover a wide variety of operations in the workplace such as health benefits or health care programs, training on recruiting trans individuals and even looking at diversity in suppliers. They start by helping others to recognize our cultural assumptions. By meeting clients where they are,

Transformation Journeys Worldwide was founded in 2015 by Gabrielle Claiborne (pictured), a transgender woman, and Linda Herzer, a cisgender woman. (File photo)

Claiborne and Herzer can build a rapport. “Then you can say, ‘Well, did you know that there are actually 12 countries in the world today that don’t operate by the gender binary. In fact, they allow their citizens a third gender option because they recognize that there are intersex or non-binary people,’” said Herzer. Both credit their success in part to the impact of Claiborne’s personal story, as well as the combination of both trans and cis perspectives. Herzer’s presence has encouraged other cisgender individuals in attendance who may be entirely new to the subject of trans issues. The strategy has worked for a whole variety of audiences. “It kind of gives them an invitation, if you will,” said Claiborne. “It’s an invitation to say, ‘You know, I can embrace this just like Linda [Herzer] embraced this because she started at ground zero as well.” Claiborne talked about how rewarding it is to discover when their work has had a real, quantifiable change. She spoke at a conference in Washington, D.C. on strategies for incorpo-

rating the trans community into lesbian and gay organizations, and later had an opportunity to visit the same organization’s board in New York, where they shared that they had implemented her advice to real results. “It made my heart feel so good,” said Claiborne. “You know, this is really not rocket science we’re talking about. It’s just a respectful dialogue to create this respectful space for acknowledging each other as you are. It’s meaningful to know that you too can do this.” Transformation Journeys Worldwide will be hosting a webinar alongside Kaleidoscope Group on Feb. 7 to formally introduce the partnership. Claiborne and Herzer will continue to work with clients alone, as well as with clients alongside Kaleidoscope. Transformation Journeys will therefore benefit from Kaleidoscope’s established position. “They recognize this as an opportunity for them to expand and grow,” Claiborne said. “This way, they can service existing and new clients in a deeper, more meaningful way. We saw this as a win-win.”

10 Community January 19, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

COMMUNITY PHOTOS

2018 Rustin/Lorde Breakfast marks MLK Day in Atlanta

If it’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day then that means it’s the Bayard Rustin/Audre Lorde Breakfast, the LGBT Atlanta tradition which celebrated its 17th annual event on Jan. 15 at the Loudermilk Conference Center. This year’s theme was “Love Letters Across the Generations: Honoring Our Elders,” and special remembrances were made in honor of Joan Garner, the Fulton County Commissioner who died of cancer last April, and Antron-Reshaud Olukayode, the poet, painter and self-described “artivist” who died last November. Trans activist and LaGender, Inc. CEO Dee Dee Chamblee was also honored with The Fellowship of Reconciliation USA Peace Award for Local Hero. (Photos by Sher Pruitt)

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January 19, 2018 Community 11

SPIRITUALITY

The queering of the divine Transgender pastor shares their beliefs on LGBT affirmation in biblical scripture By DALLAS ANNE DUNCAN It’s no secret that growing up in an anti-LGBT religious household or community can have negative effects. Rev. Kim Sorrells, an Atlanta minister in the United Church of Christ who identifies as transgender and genderqueer, knows this all too well: but Sorrells also believes the Bible is filled with instances of LGBT acceptance and celebration, if one only knows where to look. “I think there are queer images of the divine in scripture. There are characters in stories that people have read as possibly queer, or certainly having queer themes,” said Sorrells, who uses they/them/their pronouns. “Most of us who come from Christianity or Western tradition have this very patriarchal view of God, who’s this sort of old dude in the sky. Sadly, it’s not the full picture of the divine.” The Bible book Deuteronomy speaks of God birthing the nation of Israel. Genesis, the first book of the Bible that talks about creation, offers that God created man and woman in His own image. “If God created male or female, masculine and feminine people, in God’s image, then that inherently means God encompasses both male and female and everything in between,” Sorrells said. “What you see is this genderqueer God. … For me, I find that to be a very affirming thing, to be able to say that we as trans people just represent a different aspect of the divine than cisgender people.” Even the stories of Jesus, who Christians believe to be the son of God, has queer themes to it. “He very much challenged the status quo,” Sorrells said. “Because he lived his truth in a very unapologetic way, he was killed for it. That kind of awareness of the divine, that maybe it knows what it’s like to be cast out for who they are and standing www.thegeorgiavoice.com

up for what they believe in, is a very positive image of the divine for me.” The book of Ruth also has potentially queer themes. After her husband dies, Ruth chooses to live with her mother-in-law rather than take another husband. The two form an intentional family, much like many in the LGBT community do, Sorrells said. And in Joseph of “the coat of many colors” fame, the Biblical translation of that coat is essentially a princess dress. “This gender-fluid person — by that read — is rejected by his siblings and sold into slavery, but he kind of rises to power because of his gifts in dream interpretation,” Sorells said. HEEDING THE CALL “I’ve always been a very mystical person and have always longed for something deeper. My desire and call for ministry was really around as I did start to find affirming faith experiences,” Sorrells said. “For me, spirituality or religion is about finding a way to live fully alive. It’s really not to me about what happens after we die, it’s really more about

this life and finding ways to be centered, to find ways to encounter something bigger than ourselves.” Sorrells grew up with a conservative religious background, and underwent a “dramatic conversion experience” in middle school. “Because of the way that it happened and the speaker and what they were talking about, I thought this was God telling me I needed to be straight,” Sorrells said. “My sort of coming into spirituality and religion was me entering this ex-gay world.” Sorrells did that through high school and college, and then realized that maybe they misunderstood the message. In college, they started to study religion, and began to see that some Christians were reading the Bible without taking into account the historical context of the day. “These passages were written to specific people in a specific context, and to throw a modern-day interpretation of sexuality and gender into them … it just doesn’t compute,” Sorrells said. “That was how I came to reconcile my identity with my faith practice. I think it was around that time that I

started to feel a sense of a call to ministry.” The “clobber passages” — those that are typically used to preach against LGBT individuals and homosexuality — aren’t really a top priority for Sorrells anymore. “There’s really two stages, I think, in looking at these scriptures. One is apologetic, to be able to say, ‘No, these aren’t in fact condemning queer people.’ Kind of coming to the point of neutrality to be able to say, ‘Gay is OK,’” they said. “What I think is important is to go beyond the clobber passages and look at the ways queer and trans people are able to find affirmation in Christianity, or whatever their faith is.” Sorrells said a number of religious and secular organizations alike have resources to help LGBT individuals find ways they are celebrated in religious texts. “There are many faith communities that will celebrate all that queer and trans people are,” Sorrells said. “I see a lot of that in scriptures and I find that to be a lot more fun than looking back at these handful of passages and re-looking at them over and over again.” January 19, 2018 Spirituality 13

? News January 5, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

SPIRITUALITY

What happens to you after you die? Georgia Voice readers weigh in on what happens after that last breath By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com Whether you are a person of faith or not, most of us have an opinion about whether or not there is an afterlife. So for Georgia Voice’s Religion and Spirituality issue, we reached out to our followers (social media followers, that is) to see what you think happens after you die. A simple fade to black/ nothing? An afterlife of some sort? Reincarnation? Your responses were at different times passionate, humorous and profound. “When you die that’s it. Game over. No need to suffer while alive for a ‘reward’ that will never happen.” -Peter Ent “As a Christian (Episcopalian/Anglican), I believe that I will go to an individual judgment before a loving God who will review and judge my life. He will forgive my shortcomings and sins through the salvific action of Jesus Christ and draw me into loving relationship with Him. All of those so lovingly judged will then live with God in spiritual form, waiting for the resurrection of perfected physical bodies at the General Resurrection on the Last Day.” -Ken Cribbs “My sincere belief is that after death, we go back to the state we were in before life. That is, there is no individual consciousness, no ‘I,’ no ego, id or superego. What we remember from before we were born is what we will experience when life is done. The atoms within us will continue to cycle through space and time, they were once formed in the belly of stars and when our planet is gone, they will continue on their journey. That is the true meaning of everlasting life and is a huge comfort to me. I like to imagine atoms that once formed parts of me composing other forms of

life or inanimate objects, millions and billions of years from now, on other planets and riding asteroids through space. As for the sentience that animates us, it continues as well, but it is anyone’s best guess as to where it goes when our bodies cease to function. I do not feel we have found the right answer, but we will continue to strive for it because we are curious beings. Philosophers will continue to bend their minds to the question, scientists will continue to try to define it and find its source. Religion is a red herring invented to keep the people in line, and until we can learn to behave in ethical ways without the scare tactics, religion will continue. Hopefully it will help more souls than it harms overall until we can learn to act with love and compassion towards each other in this one glorious moment in time in which we are sentient and experience the amazing opportunity of being alive.” -Jenny Royal “As a Christian, I believe in the afterlife, where we are either joined back to God or separated from him. This is not really on the same subject, but I also believe our pets go to heav-

en. Why would God create something without bringing it back to himself? I don’t necessarily believe pets have an option in that, but humans certainly do get to make the choice.” -Mark Thomas Broomfield-Ranney “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn. I’ve lived a good, honest life, have loved and been loved. Have created a bit of beauty and joy, and hopefully only a tiny bit of sorrow. If there’s something to come, great! If there’s not, I won’t know it, so why worry about it? This life and the present moment is all we really can be sure of.” -Brenda J. Gannam “I am a lapsed Catholic, dust to dust. No going to a better place. The resurrection will come and we will be made anew to live again.” -Camilla Barnett “I feel that life is everlasting, and while I don’t know how we continue on, as spirit or as energy through other forms of matter even or as reincarnates, the belief resonates within my heart.” -Gre Chanda

“After you die, you are gone. Please, leave others good memories of you.” -Lori Clark “I believe you return, but not in a Shirley MacLaine sorta way. Energy is neither created or destroyed, only transferred.” -Mark Cline “Here lies an atheist, all dressed up and no place to go.” -Andrew Martz “There’s definitely a Heaven and a Hell! Things that won’t get you into Heaven: heterosexuality, baptism, church, Sunday school, communion, charity, good works, money, political affiliation and thoughts and prayers. Things that will get you into Heaven: Jesus Christ. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ John 3:16.” -Jamie Ensley “I just become deactivated.” -Arthur W. Graves

14 Spirituality January 19, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

SPIRITUALITY

Jaye Robin Brown examines religion, sexuality in latest young adult novel ‘Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit’ features lesbian protagonist By DALLAS ANNE DUNCAN Grits and sweet tea are stalwarts of Southern tradition. In many communities, so is church. “When you grow up in the South, one of the first things people ask you is, ‘Where do you go to church?’ In smaller communities, it’s just such a part of the fabric of life,” out author Jaye Robin Brown told Georgia Voice. “I consider myself really spiritual and I get really irritated that gosh, doesn’t the LGBT community get God too?” It was that thought process — along with a NPR report on the wealth of evangelical radio preachers — that led Brown to write her latest young adult novel, this one with a LGBT protagonist. Inspired by that NPR report, Brown wondered what it would be like if one of those preachers had a lesbian daughter, and the plot for “Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit” came to life. “It’s not a religious book. It’s a romance, first and foremost, but religion is one of the themes in it,” Brown said. “I found as I started writing, I wanted to write a happy love story. None of the gay girls die. But I also wanted to explore this idea of religion and being queer and can the two co-exist.” “Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit” tells the story of Jo Gordon, the out lesbian daughter of a Georgia-based evangelical radio preacher. “He is marrying for the third time and moving them from Atlanta to Rome, Georgia, and he asks his daughter to lay low for her senior year so he can ease into this new family. She agrees … but she’s a girl, and shenanigans ensue,” Brown said. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

“I consider myself really spiritual and I get really irritated that gosh, doesn’t the LGBT community get God too?” —Jaye Robin Brown, out author of “Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit”

‘I HAVE A BOOK IN ME’ Brown was nervous when she approached Harper Collins about publishing a young adult novel featuring a lesbian protagonist. But her nerves were unnecessary: the publisher thought it was a great idea, and there was zero resistance to the pitch. “I’ve gotten tons of emails from people around the world just like, so appreciative to read about a gay teen who wants to stay in her faith and wants to be both,” Brown said. “Even though it felt really vulnerable personally, it’s felt really good to have a story out there.” Brown, who now lives in Boston, grew up in south Alabama and moved to Atlanta after college. She made her home in the Little Five Points area for seven years, and then moved to North Carolina — where her writing career took off. Brown started taking classes at the University of North Carolina-Asheville’s Great Smokies Writing Program. “I kind of always wrote, and I read a book by a woman named Kate DiCamillo called ‘Because of Winn Dixie.’ I love children’s literature and at the time I thought, ‘Gosh, I want to make a reader feel this way,’” Brown said. “People are like, ‘Man, I have a book in me; I want to write a book one day.’ That was me, but I really wanted to do it.” Her debut novel, “No Place to Fall,” hit shelves in 2014. “Georgia Peaches,” her third book, followed in late 2016. She hopes that the growing amount of young adult novels featuring LGBT characters will help LGBT teens who read them.

Former Atlanta native Jaye Robin Brown’s latest young adult novel, ‘Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit,’ tells the love story of a young lesbian whose father is an evangelical radio preacher. He wants her to stay in the closet because of his latest marriage. (Courtesy photos)

“I’m gay, so I experienced it,” Brown said. “I didn’t come out in high school, but when I moved to Atlanta, to rural North Carolina, I had to go through a little bit of the same kind of thing as Jo. Do I reveal this? Do I not reveal this?” However, she maintains that “Georgia Peaches” isn’t based on her own life. “As a writer in fiction, you do tend to draw from your experiences and what you know,” Brown said. “I feel like I was able to draw on a similar feeling of parallels.” ON CHOOSING FAITH AND FAMILY Brown said the religious themes in “Georgia Peaches” are things many LGBT teens in the South struggle with. “I feel like in larger cities a lot of times your worth is placed on your education and your success and your accolades, whereas in

the Appalachians it may have been based on how much land you owned, or how pious you were. So maybe you didn’t have a lot of land, but you went to church on Sunday and you walked the path, so you were well-respected in your community,” she said. Though there are LGBT faith-affirming resources available online, not all teens can access them or feel it’s safe for them to do so, much less come out in a religious environment. Even with these struggles, Brown believes that if faith is important to LGBT teens, it is possible to find a place the two can coexist. “You might choose to step away from your faith, which is fine if that’s where you’re going to go, but if it’s something you want in your life, you might not find it in your home church, but that doesn’t mean it’s not out there,” she said. January 19, 2018 Spirituality 15

? News January 5, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

TER AIN M T

Gay Atlanta rapper is turning heads with his no-filter rap By J. MATTHEW COBB Late last year, “Empire” producer Lee Daniels made a stunning prediction to TMZ that a gay rapper will eventually top the charts and “it’s gonna happen soon.” Anye Elite could be the one to do it. He’s a fresh talent with no filter, pushing the envelope with a blunt, in-your-face apwww.thegeorgiavoice.com

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proach to sexuality, evidenced mightily on his latest album, 2017’s “No Faux.” On album tracks like the steamy slow jam “Wet” and “Yass Lawt,” the Atlanta-based indie hip-hop artist squeezes in grown folks’ Quiet Storm into his poesy cock worship. The latter has even caused a major controversy, the biggest he’s seen so far, due to its use of religious references in a sexualized manner. “To date, it’s one of my most popular songs, but I did get a lot of pushback, particularly from people in the South and from the Caribbean,” Elite told Georgia Voice in a recent phone interview. “I’ve been called

everything under the sun; a blasphemer. But I grew up in church and I still have a very solid and fruitful relationship with God.” Elite, a proud and openly gay rapper, goes on to address how hypocritical the blowback seemed since mainstream audiences have used religious imagery in their lustful admirations for ages. “Why can’t I say ‘Yes, Lord?’ And if I can take it one step forward, I wrote the song while I was single,” he said. “I think it was through that exercise of allowing my spirituality to meet my artistry and my sexuality that it was like a prayer. I’m happy now that

it ended up being answered.” An Atlanta Pride epiphany A native of Philadelphia, Elite dabbled with music while growing up in church, but became serious about having a musical career after an epiphany he had at a Pride event after moving to Atlanta from Miami. “So I started making music in Atlanta around 2008 or 2009, kinda making music for Pride and stuff,” he said. “And I was listening to artists, but no one was speaking from CONTINUES ON PAGE 18

January 19, 2018 A&E 17

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our point of view. And I was tired of that.” Since going headlong into his music, the reception he’s received from Atlanta — a city blessed with rap royalty and a thriving gay hiphop community — has been phenomenal. “Atlanta is very supportive,” he said. “When I look at stats and when I see what market is responding the best, they’ve always been number one.” With a pretty diverse 13-track set layered with a broad range of talent including Dragon Score’s Brenden Leigh and sultry vocalist Tameeka Thompson on the feelgood urban R&B gem “It’s on You,” Elite’s musical influences shine through. They are many and diverse, including Lil Wayne, former Bad Boy rapper Mase and East Coast duo The Diplomats — in particular Dipset leader Cam’ron. But he also points to Mariah Carey. “I saw the way she implied being biracial to her music,” Elite said. “I kinda saw an overlap, a map for me to incorporate my sexuality and being a minority into the music.” List of LGBT voices in hip-hop growing The emergence of a talent like Elite couldn’t have come at a more perfect time, since a number of hip-hop artists are now identifying as gay or bisexual, including Azealia Banks, the ever-controversial Tyler, the Creator and most recently, Chance the Rapper’s brother Taylor Bennett. But it was when one-time Kanye West hookman Frank Ocean came out as bi in 2012, after the release of his Grammy-winning tour de force “Channel Orange,” that new possibilities arose for openly gay artists in hip-hop. It became a proverbial moment, a defining watershed for a genre that oftentimes felt like the last of mainstream musical genres that needed to break free from layers of suppressed homophobia. If there’s a precedent for LGBT talent in the world of hip-hop, in terms of popular success, Elite feels Young M.A., the mastermind behind last year’s critically-acclaimed “OOOUUU,” may have topped the list. “There’s artists like Sylvester, who had a major deal back in the ‘70s … but if you really want to give credit to someone for really having a big hit and being openly gay [in hip-hop], I think she deserves that,” he said. His most recent single, “Real Reasons,” even has a connection with Young M.A. “A lot of times I’m not aware of what else my producers have done. I’m just finding out after finishing it that it was produced by UDub [of NY Bangers], the same producer who

This year, gay Atlanta rapper Anye Elite will release a new song every month. The first — “Real Reasons” — was released Jan. 2. (Photos courtesy Anye Elite)

did ‘OOOUU,’” he said with a level of elation. Even with the string of successes coming from acts like Ocean and Young M.A, Elite still feels LGBT artists in the rap game have a very long way to go. “I don’t think we’re waiting on people to just be successful and be out,” Elite said. “I think we’re looking for content that very clearly speaks to our experience and is able to be received by the general audience. We have success, but if you’re successful, you’re not being very overt, and if you’re being very overt, maybe you’re not as successful. So I think that’s what we’re waiting for to all come together.” But Elite isn’t worried about the mainstream embracing him. “I want to stress that I do this for us, not the mainstream,” he said. “Success is great and we all want it, but my first and foremost goal is to be true to hip-hop and innovate it.” In the New Year, Elite is already preparing to roll out the next batch of music, but will go about it in a different way than in 2017. “So this year, instead of an album, I’m going to drop a new song every month,” Elite said. “You know, people can make it an album with a playlist on streaming services like Spotify. Make your own album. We’re gonna Chipotle-style music now. Like, what do you like on your album?” And our response to that: Yass Lawt. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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Even though the great wave of LGBT films from 2017 has passed, both the upcoming Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and the new movie “Film Stars Don’t Live in Liverpool” offer up fare that LGBT audiences should gobble up. The city’s largest film festival, the 18th annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, kicks off next week with two LGBT titles. “The Cakemaker” follows a young man, Tomas (Tim Kalkhof) who is a pastry chef at a Berlin café. One day Oren (Roy Miller), a married Israeli businessman, stops in and the two men begin a relationship. When Oren dies, Tomas goes to Jerusalem and takes a job at a diner of Oren’s unsuspecting wife Anat (Sarah Adler). She doesn’t know the truth, and soon the two have turned to each other for comfort. “The Cakemaker” is very well-made and acted, dealing with the need for connection after loss has entered its character’s lives. Director Ofir Raul Graizer will be present for the screenings of the film. In “On My Way Out: The Story of Nani and Popi” (the other LGBT screening), a couple who have survived the Holocaust and 60-odd years together face a hurdle when the husband announces he is gay. Nonetheless, they try and stay together. It’s a short film (40 minutes) that in the end packs some mighty emotion. Filmmakers Brandon and Skyler Gross will also be present for the screenings. Gloria Grahame, in real life, was legendary for her career (she won an Oscar for “The Bad and the Beautiful”) and for her personal life, including affairs with men and women. The new “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool,” directed by Paul McGuigan and based on an autobiographical book by bisexual Liverpool native Peter Turner, stars Annette Bening as Grahame. When she is in England prepping to star in a play and staying in a British boarding house, she meets and starts an affair with aspiring actor Turner (Jamie Bell), despite the fact that he is considerably younger. The film waters down the sexuality of the characters, although in one scene Turner reveals that he has been involved with men before Grahame — and she reveals she has been involved with women.

‘The Cakemaker’ screens Jan. 27 as part of the 18th Annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. (Photo courtesy Atlanta Jewish Film Festival)

Details

“Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool” Opens Jan.19 at the Midtown Art Cinema and AMC Phipps Plaza, www.landmarktheatres.com and www. amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/atlanta/ amc-phipps-plaza-14 The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Jan. 24 – Feb. 15 Opening and closing night at the Cobb Energy Centre with other venues in-between “The Cakemaker” screens Jan. 27 at 3:25 p.m. at Regal Atlantic Station and at 8:20 p.m. at Regal Hollywood 24, Jan. 28 at 7:45 p.m. at Regal Perimeter Pointe, Feb. 4 at 7:55 p.m. at UA Tara and Feb. 6 at 3:45 p.m. Springs Cinema & Taphouse “On My Way Out: The Story of Nani and Popi” screens Feb. 11 at 3:55 p.m. at the Springs Cinema & Taphouse and at 6 p.m. at the UA Tara www.ajff.org

Bening’s Grahame is proud and diva-esque, but aware that she is aging and that her professional prospects are dwindling. The actress makes her vivid and complex, but surprisingly Bell is just as compelling. After a very engaging first hour, the film gets a bit soapy in its second act when Turner finds out about Grahame’s health and a backstory about her family comes out. The charisma of Bening and Bell makes this worth checking out. Look for Julie Walters and Vanessa Redgrave in the supporting cast.

20 A&E January 19, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

EATING MY WORDS By CLIFF BOSTOCK 650 NORTH AVENUE NE, SUITE 201, ATLANTA, GA 30308 PONCE CITY MARKET | CITYWINERY.COM | 404.WINERY1

Fried chicken with a side of mindfulness You may not realize it, but working out and eating both provide an experience the human soul requires as much as the body does. It’s called mindfulness. Let’s say you are angrily complaining to your gym friends that last night’s Grindr hookup is in the sauna wearing the rainbow thong he stole from you. Then, you throw your outraged self on a bench and grip the barbell above your head. You lower and raise the weight with complete concentration. The thong kleptomaniac evaporates from your mind. You breathe deeply and count. You are fully present. That is mindfulness. In recent years, the Buddhism-inspired practice has become a favorite teaching tool of psychotherapists. If you can come fully present, and sustain the state, you’re not ruled by your anxieties. That — plus a gush of happy hormones — is why exercise ranks more effective than antidepressants in study after study. In our obsessive culture, all food has become candy. Applying mindfulness to eating can change that. The directions sound like Table Manners 101. Take a bite, put down your fork, chew at least a dozen times before swallowing, consciously noting texture and taste — the way different flavors intermingle. You also want to pay attention to scent (it requires breathing) and appearance (it requires seeing). Food prepared with respect by mindful chefs is inherently beautiful, just like your stolen thong. Meanwhile, I suggest you bring mindful attention to spicy fried chicken. Popeye’s is offering its annual Ghost Pepper Wings special now. You get six pieces for $4.99 that have been marinated in spices including the ghost pepper, literally the world’s hottest. I hit the store on Boulevard, which is always a good opportunity to practice mindfulness. Notice the filthy kitchen. Notice that your order is probably screwed up. Notice that the cash register clerk is literally dusted with flour as if he were about to be fried. Notice that the wings are delicious. You get crispiness, moist but not greasy meat and a mounting degree of heat with each bite. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Urban Wine Country HOST YOUR WEDDING IN

The fried chicken at Korean bistro Dish is superlatively crispy and mildly seasoned, says Cliff Bostock. (Photo by Cliff Bostock)

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, a chain that serves Nashville-style spicy-hot chicken, has opened in Chamblee (5486 Peachtree Road, 770-557-0839, gusfriedchicken.com). Notice the brick wall, the checked tablecloths, the randomly decorated walls and the friendly staff. You will be tempted to compare the chicken to Popeye’s, but be mindful and just enjoy its delicious, somewhat thin-crusted spiciness. Notice the higher-than-average prices that get you a Styrofoam plate and plastic forks. Notice the neighborhood. It’s become a village full of tempting restaurants, for real. I also paid my first visit to Dish, a Korean bistro adjacent to the always-mobbed Food Terminal (5000 Buford Highway, 470299-8886). You will bring mindful attention to the playful symmetry of Dish’s bright dining room and the parade of gorgeous, complex dishes. I’ll write more about Dish soon, but it feels right to mention their fried chicken. It’s superlatively crispy and mildly seasoned, but accompanied by a hot sauce tempered by a strong shot of sweetness. You will notice, reading this, that you should get yourself the hell there ASAP. Cliff Bostock is a former psychotherapist now specializing in life coaching. Contact him at 404-518-4415 or cliffbostock@gmail.com.

Start your journey by contacting

AtlantaEvents@CityWinery.com or call 404-WINERY1 January 19, 2018 Columnists 21

Our Guide to the Best LGBT Events in Atlanta for Jan. 19-Feb. 1

T BETS S E

T B G L

TA N A AT L EVEN

FRIDAY, JAN. 19

OnStage Atlanta presents the regional premiere of “Silence! The Musical,” a parody of the book and film “The Silence of the Lambs.” Keep the kids at home — this one’s for adults only! 8 p.m., ending tonight, 2969 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. # A, Decatur, GA 30030, www.facebook.com/events/111814696122996 (Courtesy photo)

SATURDAY, JAN. 20

Today is Power to the Polls, a gathering to celebrate the anniversary of the Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women. In the process, organizers will be collaboratively developing the 501(c)3 for the Georgia Alliance For Social Justice, fighting bad legislation and winning some important races. 12 – 4 p.m., The Bakery Atlanta, 825 Warner St., Atlanta, GA 30310, www.facebook.com/ events/161813877754837 Come join the Field Day kick-off beer bust. You can learn more about Field Day, play some solo cup bar games, enjoy beer and register to participate or volunteer, 2 – 5 p.m., Woofs on Piedmont, 2425 Piedmont Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/ events/380911355703819 Celeste Holmes, Taylor Van Pelt, Destiny Brooks, Nicole Paige Brooks, Tristan Panucci, Romeo Lee and comedians Julie Osborne and Brent Starr are the performers for Lung Love Benefit, raising money for Midtown bartender Kim Bell, who is waiting on a kidney transplant and has

22 Best Bets January 19, 2018

been diagnosed with stage IV metastatic melanoma. 2 – 5 p.m., Cowtippers Steaks & Spirits,1600 Piedmont Ave. N.E, Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook. com/events/126389154717388 Drag Queen Story Time is just what it sounds like — drag queens reading stories to children in libraries, schools and bookstores. Join Edie Cheezburger as she reads to children, chat with adults and take pictures after the event. 3 – 4 p.m., Posman Books Atlanta, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta, GA 30308, www.facebook.com/events/150649362251728 The re-scheduled Friends Friday Charity show — snowed out in December — is here. Come on out for a fabulous throwback night of music and fun. Ruby Redd is returning as host, and the following girls will work those sequence and high heels: Tequila Mockingbird, Dame Leona, Kissya, LaTonya O’Hara, Charlene Boufontaine, Stella D’Oro, Holly Walden, Berlinda Wall and more. 6 – 9 p.m., Mixx Atlanta, 1492 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.facebook. com/events/139112520139884

The visually stunning, Tony Award-winning musical “The Lion King,” with music by Elton John, returns to Atlanta tonight, running through Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m., Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. N.E, Atlanta, GA 30308, www.foxtheatre.org

SUNDAY, JAN. 21

The PFLAG support group for parents and families of LGBTQ children meets today from 2:30 – 4 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, 1605 Interstate 85/Frontage Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, www.uuca.org “In Memory Of: Honoring Trans Lives and Losses” is a group show featuring portraits of trans folks killed in hate crimes, created by a variety of Southern artists. The show was curated by trans artists and activist Maddy Laing. The goal of the show is to create a space and time to honor trans folks who have been killed in hate crimes, as well as engage people of all intersectionalities and identities to take a stand against this issue. Portraits were created in a variety of mediums,

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EVENT SPOTLIGHT FRIDAY, JAN. 19

Hammonds House Museum launches its 30th anniversary season with an exhibition and film by acclaimed visual artist Carrie Mae Weems. The exhibition “From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried” exposes how photography has played a key role throughout history in shaping and supporting racism, stereotyping and social injustice, 6:30 – 8 p.m., 503 Peeples St. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30310, www.facebook.com/events/133957433968487 (Courtesy image)

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TELL US ABOUT YOUR LGBT EVENT Submit your LGBT event for inclusion in our online and print calendars by emailing event info to editor@thegavoice.com

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 from paintings to zines to ceramics. The show will also include an installation in the basement and a live performance by African Space Program, 7 – 10:30 p.m., Murmur, 100 Broad St. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.facebook.com/ events/320435065142540

MONDAY, JAN. 22

The acclaimed gay film “Call Me By Your Name” continues at the Midtown Art Cinema and AMC Phipps Plaza today, various showtimes, www.landmarktheatres.com/atlanta/midtown-art-cinema, www.amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/ atlanta/amc-phipps-plaza-14

TUESDAY, JAN. 23

Out performer Suzanne Slair — who has been singing and songwriting professionally since the age of six in Calgary, Canada — appears at Eddie’s Attic tonight with special guest Wyatt Espalin, 7:15 p.m. 515-B North McDonough St., Decatur, GA 30030, www.eddiesattic.com

THURSDAY, JAN. 25

SAGE Atlanta’s bi-monthly meetings occur from 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of each month, Phillip Rush Center Annex, 1530 DeKalb Ave., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.rushcenteratl.org Do you want to read books by amazing black women writers? Do you want to discuss works from a black feminist perspective in a feminist book store? Then the Black Feminist Book Club is for you. This month’s book is “Here Comes the Sun” by Nicole Dennis-Benn, 7 – 9 p.m., Charis Books and More, 1189 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.charisbooksandmore.com In partnership with Atlanta Contemporary’s signature program Contemporary Cocktails night, WUSSY

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24

The city’s biggest film festival — the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival — kicks off tonight at 7:30 p.m. with the documentary “Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me,” with the LGBT film “The Cakemaker” also in the mix later in the run, Cobb Energy Centre tonight (and closing) as well as various other venues through Feb. 15, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta GA 30339, www.ajff.org (Publicity photo) magazine will be releasing “The Queer Sex Issue,” a brand-new arts/literary zine featuring work from over 30 queer artists. A selection of work will be read at the event by local queer writers, 6 – 8 p.m., Atlanta Contemporary, 535 Means St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318, www.facebook.com/ events/233909453860596

FRIDAY, JAN. 26

Today’s quarterly meeting is a chance to learn about Rainbros and what’s happening with the organization in 2018. For this meeting, pairings will be made of two people up in four categories where they will share their stories in how things have changed in the past 40 to 50 years, 7 – 9 p.m., Out Front Theatre Company, 999 Brady Ave. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318, www.facebook.com/ events/737375703119588 Congregation Bet Haverim’s Shabbat Shirah Service — Wave After

Wave: Strength & Spirit — is today, 7:30 – 9 p.m., Oakhurst Baptist Church, 222 E. Lake Drive, Decatur, GA 30030, www.facebook.com/ events/399932623779622

SATURDAY, JAN. 27

Actor’s Express has opened Tony Kushner’s epic, AIDS-themed “Angels in America,” running through Feb. 17. Catch a double feature of both parts, “Millennium Approaches” and “Perestroika,” today at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., 887 West Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318, www.actorsexpress.com The Trans Gentleman Support Group empowers, educates and brings together the trans gentlemen in the surrounding areas of Atlanta in a safe haven for the gentlemen to engage with like minds and speak openly. 7 – 9 p.m., The Hangout

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EVENT SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY, JAN. 27

Join Patrick Joseph Boston and Kate Cunningham of Crystal Child Collective for a deep healing day retreat to awaken your senses and higher self. Participants can indulge in yoga, reiki and more in a safe and sacred space. All levels are welcome. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., ARTHAUS Grant Park, 332 Ormond St. S.E., Atlanta, GA 30315, www.facebook. com/events/196730494209506 (Courtesy photo)

January 19, 2018 Best Bets 23

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 ATL, 448 Ralph David Abernathy Jr. Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30312, www.facebook.com/ events/1689496627739243 The Atlanta Eagle hosts an event remembering the late Pamm Burdett, leader of the Lloyd Russell Foundation and Ms. Atlanta Eagle 2002 – 2012. Organizers will be retiring her vest. 8:30 p.m. – 3 a.m., 306 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30308, www.facebook.com/ events/137470587042925

SUNDAY, JAN. 28

Join fellow riders and potential riders to learn about the AV200 and the important mission of Jerusalem House and the Emory Vaccine Center. 4 – 7 p.m., HENRY’S Midtown, 132 10th St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.facebook.com/ events/396499120786093 Join Cowtippers on the restaurant’s final day for the Final Herd. Ruby Redd and her Stable o’ Heifers will stampede one last time. The queens will be choosing their favorite hits from the year the restaurant

opened in 1993. Cowtippers Steaks & Spirits, 1 – 4 p.m., 1600 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook. com/events/351399918659282

MONDAY, JAN. 29

Enjoy cliMAX Monday from 7 p.m. – 3 a.m. at the Atlanta Eagle, 306 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E, Atlanta, GA 30308, www.atlantaeagle.com

TUESDAY, JAN. 30

GCADV, in collaboration with the Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault and the Georgia Commission on Family Violence, will provide breakfast with legislators and networking with other advocates and allies. Learn about current public policy issues and join in the movement to stop violence against women, Central Presbyterian Church, 201 Washington St. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., www.facebook.com/ events/125121034935211

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31

Angelica and Malibu co-host The AM

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PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

24 Best Bets January 19, 2018

SATURDAY, JAN. 27

Bearracuda is back for its first party of 2018. Join DJ Wayne G for the Winter Beef Ball. 9 p.m. – 3 a.m., Heretic Atlanta, 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/events/1845695015460293 (Publicity photo)

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THURSDAY, FEB. 1

Out Front Theatre Company presents the southeastern premiere of Bathsheba Doran’s poignant and humorous “The Mystery of Love & Sex,” running through Feb. 18. Deep in the American South, Charlotte and Jonny have been best friends since they were nine. She’s Jewish, he’s Christian; he’s black, she’s white. Their differences intensify their connection, until sexual desire complicates everything. 8 p.m., 999 Brady Ave. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318, www.facebook.com/events/1123717461099106 (Publicity photo)

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

By hsheba oran

Show tonight at Burkhart’s, 1492 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.burkharts.com

THURSDAY, FEB. 1

“Respect Yourself: The Music of a Movement” will celebrate the great musical contributions of African Americans during the civil rights movement. In addition to the music will be remarks from Congressman Hank Johnson about the accomplishments of Congressman John Lewis. 8 – 10 p.m., City Winery Atlanta, 650 North Ave. N.E., Ste. 201, Atlanta, GA 30308, www.facebook.com/ events/137313763609341

UPCOMING SATURDAY, FEB. 3

HRC Atlanta is going to Bourbon Street with its 21st annual bowling tournament, Mardi Gras Bowl. Join for a fun and festive masquerade-themed afternoon of bowling, prizes and music. Remember to bring your credit card, 12 – 5 p.m., Midtown Bowl, 1936 Piedmont Circle N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/ events/704524109740080

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

February 1 - 18, 2018

Atlanta Prime Timers meet today at 3 p.m., Phillip Rush Center Annex, 1530 DeKalb Ave., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.rushcenteratl.org

A special recital performance featuring world-renowned tenor Gianluca Sciarpelletti is a fundraiser for Angels Among Us Pet Rescue, 4 – 6 p.m., First Baptist Church of Decatur, 308 Clairemont Ave., Decatur, GA 30030, www.facebook.com/ events/366267873838381

MONDAY, FEB. 5

Trans and Friends is a youth-focused group for trans people, people questioning their own gender and aspiring allies, providing a facilitated space to discuss gender, relevant resources and activism around social issues. 7 – 8:30 p.m., Charis Books and More, 1189 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.charisbooksandmore.com

SATURDAY, FEB. 10

404 - 448 - 2755

Join the Atlanta Bucks for the first ever Bucks Meat Raffle, a different kind of Bachelor Auction. Highlights include 10 date packages, a beer bust and lots of rugby boys to flirt with. Woofs on Piedmont, 8 p.m. – 12 a.m., 2425 Piedmont Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook. com/events/1756394217768500

January 19, 2018 Best Bets 25

THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID By MELISSA CARTER

Cowtippers helped me through kidney disease fight “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” That quote from Maya Angelou represents not only individuals in your life but also businesses, since the best companies include people willing to make you feel good. Cowtippers has been that kind of business for me. When I heard Cowtippers was closing, it hurt my heart. That space has served as the backdrop to some very important times in my life. Several dates have been enjoyed there, plus a few controlled arguments as those relationships evolved. I caught up with many a friend on the deck and the bar inside, all while rushing to the magazine stacks nearby to show off my budding career as a freelance columnist. I first saw musician Chris Burke perform there, and invited my new colleague Jeff Dauler for lunch to loosen up his naive nervousness around gay people. I conducted several interviews at those tables, and hosted a few appearances as a radio personality. I suggested “Xanadu” for one of their movie nights, and received heckles from patrons who didn’t appreciate Olivia Newton-John on skates as much as I do. I even held a goingaway party there before my kidney transplant, and still have the “Get Well Soon” poster patrons signed as good luck. But the most important thing Cowtippers did was give me dignity when I was sick. As my kidneys began to fail, my diet restrictions increased, and having to explain them in public became a source of irritation for me. If you’ve ever suffered from a long-term illness, you know that being defined by the struggles of your body is something you try to avoid. Others’ need to constantly bring up your illness feels like an invasion of your privacy at times, despite their good intentions. All I wanted was to be able to go out, order a meal and not have an extensive conversation with the server of how that order needed to be prepared so as not to kill me.

“All I wanted was to be able to go out, order a meal and not have an extensive conversation with the server of how that order needed to be prepared so as not to kill me.” At the time, management of Cowtippers included a transplant recipient who was empathetic to my insecurities. They discussed with me menu options and provided the cook at Cowtippers a cheat sheet on what I could have. You must realize that my food had to be stripped of all sauces, butter, spices and prepared as plainly as possible. That meant the cook had to clean the stovetop to ensure nothing dangerous for me remained from the last order that could touch my food. So for the entire year I remained at my sickest, I could walk into Cowtippers and feel normal, be like any other patron, with no questions asked. They also assured me this was something they would do for any of their regulars, not just the media personality who felt awkwardly like a diva asking for so much effort from their staff. I can’t express how much that meant to me and how it offered me an escape from the constant reminder of how fragile my life was. I’ll never forget that or forget them. Raise your glass and give a heartfelt toast to Cowtippers. I encourage them to sell off pieces of their deck to those of us who spent much of our lives there. What a great conversation piece that would be. Melissa Carter is recognized as one of the first out radio personalities in Atlanta and has been heard over the years on B98.5 and Q100 and can currently be heard daily on the Progressive Voices podcast “She Persisted.” Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCarter.

26 Columnists January 19, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

SOMETIMES ‘Y’ By RYAN LEE

When I almost joined a cult On my way out of the kingdom of God, I did a little trolling for Jesus. My final burst of religiosity occurred around the same time I was fully accepting my homosexuality, and I was determined to not let the latter amputate me from the Body of Christ. Attending college in Alabama, I developed an addiction to Bibles, accepting one whenever a student group was distributing them, mailing coupons to daily devotional companies and buying every translation I discovered. I always rushed to find Leviticus 18:22, ever hopeful of reading a reinterpretation of His word that didn’t condemn me as abominable. The scripture’s phrasing varied by edition, but the essence never changed: God hates you, fag. Damned by battered soul syndrome, I attended a speech by Kent Hovind, a creation scientist who toured universities offering $100,000 to anyone who proved the theory of evolution. Hovind’s lecture was witty and had a certitude my own faith envied. He outlined how a literal interpretation of the Bible aligned with scientific evidence to prove the earth was between 4-6,000 years old, carbon dating was hocus-pocus and the Great Flood created the Grand Canyon. I ordered from his website a creationist Bible and coloring books that explained how people and dinosaurs co-existed, and finally synced my intellectual snobbery with my spiritual desires. Reading the Bible literally, I even found peace with my homosexuality since I did not lie with womankind as with mankind — gotcha, God! With this fresh righteousness, I enrolled in an introductory geology course and tortured the teaching assistant, gave a presentation in my religion class about the cult of evolution and started lingering in the audience of the “Concourse Preachers,” Auburn’s sect of the Christians who stand outside Pride festivals casting everyone to hell. All of this was trolling before that word defined obnoxious online behavior — conwww.thegeorgiavoice.com

“As a fellow disciple of the literal word of God, I empathized with their ministry and defended them when mobs of infidels tried to overwhelm the couple. I shifted from protecting them to offering unsolicited judgment, enlightening strangers about God’s plans for their souls.” trarianism feasting on outrage and attention. One married couple was particularly captivating, the wife petite and demure until she saw a sinner walking by, whom she would scorch with fiery wisdom and wrath. And every passerby was a sinner. As a fellow disciple of the literal word of God, I empathized with their ministry and defended them when mobs of infidels tried to overwhelm the couple. I shifted from protecting them to offering unsolicited judgment, enlightening strangers about God’s plans for their souls. It felt good to finally be on the Lord’s team, to be on the holy side of His will and His word. One afternoon, the married couple asked me and a few others to join them for lunch at Pizza Hut, where they de-robed from their Concourse personas and revealed themselves as bigamists, bigots and the type of assholes who don’t cover their portion of a restaurant check. I had too many natural insufferable qualities to adopt artificial ones or finance others’, so I never interacted with them or any form of religion since, including disengaging from some Buddhist neighbors who I felt were too evangelical. There will always be traces of Christianity and unhinged antagonism inside of me, but I had done enough reading about sodomy and was ready for more lived testimonies.

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Ryan Lee is an Atlanta writer. January 19, 2018 Columnists 27

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