IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®
This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.
(bik-TAR-vee)
MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY
BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including: Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.
BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including: Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section. Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY. Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY. Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%). These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. 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. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.
ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains: dofetilide rifampin any other medicines to treat HIV-1
BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you: Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection. Have any other health problems. Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY. Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.
HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.
GET MORE INFORMATION This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more. Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.
BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, KEEP ASPIRING, and LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2021 © 2021 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0369 04/21
BVYC0369_BIKTARVY_B_10X10-5_GeorgiaVoice_Dimitri_r1v1jl.indd All Pages
DIMITRI LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 2018 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT
KEEP ASPIRING.
Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.
BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.
Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you. See Dimitri’s story at BIKTARVY.com. Featured patient compensated by Gilead.
Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.
3/31/21 12:27 PM
voice
georgia
VOLUME 12•ISSUE 23
About the cover:
Cover photo by JARPhotography
TheGeorgiaVoice.com
PO Box 77401 • Atlanta, GA 30357 P: 404-815-6941; F: 404-963-6365 BUSINESS Principal/Publisher: Tim Boyd tboyd@thegavoice.com EDITORIAL Editor: Katie Burkholder kburkholder@thegavoice.com EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS: Sukainah Abid-Kons, Brammhi Balarajan, Cliff Bostock, María Helena Dolan Jim Farmer, Divine Ikpe, Buck Jones, Ryan Lee, Sydney Norman PRODUCTION Art Director: Rob Boeger rboeger@thegavoice.com SALES Sales Executive: Dixon Taylor dtaylor@thegavoice.com Sales Executive: Jim Brams jbrams@thegavoice.com Business Advisor: Lynn Pasqualetti Financial Firm of Record: HLM Financial Group NATIONAL ADVERTISING: Rivendell Media 908-232-2021 sales@rivendellmedia.com Publisher Emeritus: Chris Cash 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 24-issue mailed subscription for $99 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 twice a month by Georgia Voice, LLC. Individual subscriptions are $99 per year for 24 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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4 Editorial February 18, 2022
EDITORIAL
Hobbies Are for Everyone! Katie Burkholder Confession: I am a serial hobbyist. I’m 23, so I’m in the phase of life marked by struggles to know who I am and what I like. Therefore, I’ve tried a lot of different hobbies: learning to play bass guitar; writing poetry and short stories; making zines; embroidery, crochet, jewelry; playing video games … I always manage to find something new to try. While I consistently dip into and out of hobbies without firmly committing to any for a long period of time, I’ve come to realize that I am always at my best when I am regularly engaging with whichever hobby of the month I have. When I’m spending my free time instead on Netflix, social media, or some other passive screen-based activity, I feel like a shell of a person, someone who has no discernible identity outside of the content they consume. Needless to say, it feels like shit. I don’t think this is just a “me” thing. Many of my friends say they feel the same way, and yet almost every time we hang out, we commiserate about how much time we’ve been spending on TikTok. Even though it can be difficult to force ourselves to do it, regularly engaging with a hobby has a ton of benefits. It’s good for your mental health, it’s a nonaddictive or harmless way of spending time, and it allows for selfexploration and self-expression. As seen from some of the articles in this issue, shared hobbies also create space for connection, community, and cooperation. There is a misconception that hobbies are only realistic for privileged people — people who have ample free time and disposable income to spend on expensive classes and materials. Of course, privilege always makes things easier and more accessible, but even taking an hour a week to do something you love is beneficial. As for funds, there are plenty of hobbies that don’t require a lot of money (see for yourself on page 14!). In fact, having a hobby you regularly engage in can also offer some solace from the harsh realities of capitalism.
PHOTO BY PEXELS.COM / KSENIA
In an episode of her podcast, The Happiness Lab, cognitive scientist Dr. Laurie Santos explains that choosing an activity that is fun, engaging, and encourages “flow” (that allencompassing feeling of focus that makes time fly) over lounging around on Netflix is a more meaningful way of recharging outside of work. That’s because we view the opposite of work as rest when, in reality, it’s play. When we aren’t working, we should be playing. Knitting a sweater, playing a game of basketball, doing a puzzle — whatever it is that makes you feel present and engaged in childlike fun and flow — is energizing and nutritious. It reaffirms your humanity and identity outside of your job, which, in a system determined to make you a mindless worker and consumer, can be a radical act. When we’re burned out, it’s tempting to just veg out on TV and TikTok and avoid using any brain power whatsoever. But you won’t come out of that day feeling rested and ready
to work again. Chances are, like me, you’ll feel empty, stale, guilty, and just all-around gross. However, if you find yourself spending most of your free time on social media or streaming services, but don’t have the nerve to delete them, you can simply adjust the way you engage: plan a fun photoshoot with your friends to post, do a creative makeup look and post a selfie, or watch a new movie with the intention of writing an in-depth Letterboxd review. If you participate mindfully, social media and TV can be much less draining and way more fun. In short, hobbies are for everyone, regardless of interest, ability, or means. Everyone should be allowed to pursue their passions and regularly have some fun — including you. So, put down your phone, turn off the TV, read through this issue and maybe you’ll be inspired to pursue a pastime that’ll bring a little bit more pleasure into your life. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
NEWS BRIEFS Staff reports Georgia Senate Committee Passes Anti-Trans Sports Bill A bill banning transgender athletes from playing on teams aligning with their gender identity was passed by the Georgia Senate Education and Youth Committee on February 9. SB 435 would make it unlawful for transgender women and girls to participate on women’s sports teams in Georgia public schools and participating private schools whose teams compete against a public school. The bill was introduced by Sen. Marty Harbin, who told the committee members the bill was about “fairness.” However, Sam Ames, the director of Advocacy and Government Affairs at the LGBTQ youth suicide prevention organization The Trevor Project, says that “fairness and exclusion cannot exist.” “There is nothing fair about powerful Georgia lawmakers’ working to exclude transgender students, who are already marginalized,” Ames said in a statement. “The nationwide wave of bills like these attacking our youth in school sports and doctor’s offices isn’t just making life even harder for young trans and nonbinary youth – a group that already faces higher rates of suicide risk than their peers – it’s also taking a serious toll on their mental health and wellbeing.” The statistics reflect this: according to a recent poll conducted by The Trevor Project and Morning Consult, 85 percent of trans and nonbinary youth said recent debates about laws restricting trans rights have negatively impacted their mental health. When asked about anti-trans sports policies, 74 percent of trans and nonbinary youth said it made them feel angry, 57 percent felt sad, 43 percent felt stressed, and nearly one in three felt scared. The committee passed a similar bill also sponsored by Harbin last year, but it failed to reach the Senate floor. However, 2021 was a recording-breaking year for anti-transgender legislation and similar bills are being passed in states nationwide. Last month, SB 46 was signed into law in South Dakota, banning trans girls from playing on girls’ sports teams. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, and Mississippi 6 News Briefs February 18, 2022
If SB 435 is passed and signed into law, transgender girls in Georgia public schools will be prohibited from participating on girls’ sports teams. PHOTO BY PEXELS.COM Gov. Tate Reeves all signed similar bills into law as well, according to CNN. More Gay and Lesbian People are Vaccinated than Straight People, CDC Finds Gay and lesbian adults in the U.S. have gotten the COVID-19 vaccine at a higher rate than their straight counterparts, according to data released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the report, which collected data from more than 150,000 respondents, gay men and lesbians over the age of 18 were vaccinated with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination at a rate of 85.4 percent compared to 76.3 percent of their heterosexual counterparts. This higher rate reflects more confidence in the vaccines, as 76 percent of gay and lesbian adults stated they were either completely or very confident in the vaccine’s effectiveness, compared with 64 percent of straight respondents. 87 percent of bisexual adults believed getting the vaccine was somewhat or very important, compared to 90 percent of gay men and lesbians. When broken down by gender identity, the data revealed “no significant differences” in vaccination rates. Across the board, Black individuals were less likely to have been vaccinated than white individuals — particularly among gay men and lesbians. Whereas 91.7 percent of white gay men and lesbian had been vaccinated, 66.8 percent of Black gay men and lesbians had. According to a study on racial disparities in COVID-19 vaccination, this disparity is not due to “vaccine hesitancy” but instead factors like socioeconomic background and political ideology. This aligns with the CDC’s
data: 74.3 percent of gay men and lesbians living below the poverty line had received the vaccine compared to 94.3 percent of those making more than $75,000 a year. Moderna Launches Trial Testing New mRNA HIV Vaccine Moderna, the biotechnology company responsible for one of the COVID-19 vaccines, has begun its phase 1 trial of an experimental HIV vaccine that utilizes the company’s mRNA technology used to create the COVID-19 vaccine. The first participant in the trial took their first dose on January 27. The trial, called IAVI G002, is testing a vaccine that delivers HIV-specific antigens to the body with the intention of inducing an immune response. In a “proof-of-concept” trial last year, the research team found the HIV antigens produced the desired immune response in 97 percent of participants. The new trial is being conducted in partnership with IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research organization. “We are tremendously excited to be advancing this new direction of HIV vaccine design with Moderna’s mRNA platform,” Mark Feinberg, IAVI’s president and CEO, said in a press release from Moderna. “The search for an HIV vaccine has been long and challenging, and having new tools in terms of immunogens and platforms could be the key to making rapid progress toward an urgently needed, effective HIV vaccine.” IAVI G002 will follow 56 HIV-negative adult participants. 48 of the volunteers will receive at least one dose, 32 will also receive the booster, and the remaining eight will receive the booster alone. The Hope Clinic of Emory Vaccine Center is one of four sites across the country hosting the trial. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
NATIONAL NEWS
TikTok Bans Misgendering and Deadnaming Katie Burkholder Social media giant TikTok updated its community guidelines to explicitly ban certain types of anti-LGBTQ content. In a move to add “clarity on the types of hateful ideologies prohibited on our platform,” the updated guidelines now ban deadnaming, using a transgender person’s pre-transition name; and misgendering, using incorrect pronouns. Content supporting or promoting conversion therapy is also prohibited. The platform also added recently added a new feature allowing users to add their pronouns to their profiles. Other updates to the guidelines include banning the promotion of disordered eating. According to the site, they already prohibited and were removing this kind of content but decided to make these prohibitions explicit in the guidelines after recommendations from creators and advocacy groups. “Though these ideologies have long been prohibited on TikTok, we’ve heard from creators and civil society organizations that it’s important to be explicit in our Community Guidelines,” Cormac Keenan, TikTok’s head of trust and safety, said in a statement. “On top of this, we hope our recent feature enabling people to add their pronouns will encourage respectful and inclusive dialogue on our platform.” Along with the new guidelines, TikTok also published its most recent quarterly Community Guidelines Enforcement Report. According to the report, about one percent of all uploaded videos were removed for violating the guidelines in the third quarter of 2021. Of all videos removed, 1.5 percent were due to hateful behavior, which includes anti-LGBTQ hate speech. The move comes a year after GLAAD released a report on LGBTQ safety on social media sites. While the report found that TikTok saw the smallest rate of LGBTQ harassment and hate speech (9 percent compared to 8 National News February 18, 2022
PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / XANDERST
75 percent on Facebook, 24 percent on Twitter and Instagram, and 21 percent of YouTube), GLAAD said TikTok and other top social media sites are all “effectively unsafe for LGBTQ users.” A survey from the Anti-Defamation League revealed similar findings: 64 percent of LGBTQ respondents reported experiencing online hate and harassment. GLAAD celebrated the update, saying it would have real-life effects. “When anti-transgender actions like misgendering or deadnaming, or the promotion of so-called ‘conversion therapy,’ occur on platforms like TikTok, they create an unsafe environment for LGBTQ people online and too often lead to real world harm,” GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. “TikTok’s move to expressly prohibit this harmful content in its Community Guidelines and to adopt recommendations made in GLAAD’s 2021 Social Media Safety Index raises the standard for LGBTQ safety online and sends a message that other platforms which claim to prioritize LGBTQ safety should follow suit with substantive actions like these.” According to research, deadnaming and misgender can have serious effects on the mental health of transgender youth. A 2018 study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, which surveyed trans youth ages 15 to 21, found that those who were allowed to use their chosen name at work, school, and home had a lower risk of depression and suicide. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
presents
March 18-22, 2022 With the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra Cobb Performing Arts Centre
Experience one of ballet’s grand romantic ghost stories—a tale of love, betrayal, madness & passion. For tickets go to atlantaballet.com or call at 800-982-2787. Groups of 10+, email groupsales@atlantaballet.com Supported by:
Jessica Assef & Denys Nadak.. Photo by Rachel Neville.
HOBBIES
The Glamorous and Accepting
World of Burlesque
Even though it’s open to everyone, queer people specifically tend to flock to neoburlesque. Despite not being a queer-specific organization, 75 percent of the ABS’s members are queer. Roulette says this is because burlesque creates space for those who live outside of the society’s norms.
Katie Burkholder
Burlesque has its glitz and glam roots in history, but today the art form is a space for acceptance, where all people, regardless of age, body type, race, or sexuality, can express themselves, share their story, and feel beautiful.
“We’re all weirdos,” they said. “A lot of folks who are artistic are not what society says is the norm. Like gathers to like, and I think in a lot of ways we [queer people] all saw our people and flocked to [burlesque].”
In Atlanta, burlesque finds a home in Metropolitan Studios, a queer-owned studio and venue space out of which the Atlanta Burlesque School (ABS) and the burlesque troupe The Candybox Revue operate. Through Metropolitan Studios and the ABS, teachers like Talloolah Love and Roula Roulette are sharing the freedom and expression of burlesque with everyone. Burlesque as a sexy pinup striptease (a la Christina Aguilera in the 2010 film) has its roots in the ’40s and ’50s. Love, who has been in the burlesque world for 20 years, told Georgia Voice that this form of burlesque (called “classic burlesque”) was defined by an exploitative male gaze, as most of the club owners and show producers were men. Therefore, most of the performers were thin white women. However, that began to shift in the ’90s, when professional strippers wanted to add more artistry and theater to their routines. This era of burlesque, known as “neo-burlesque,” created an entirely new art form that steps away from the male gaze and toward sensual self-expression. “It’s very, very different [now],” Roulette said. “A lot of it has moved away from the male gaze. You’re seeing political pieces, think pieces, comedy, and satire. You’re seeing beautiful dancers bring their own training into this art form and create ballet burlesque and modern dance-style burlesque. You’re seeing people with amazing storytelling abilities. It’s not just the tiny outfit and big headdress and being pretty for 20 minutes onstage. It’s much more theatrical, and 10 Hobbies February 18, 2022
Main photo: Talloolah Love; Inset: Roula Roulette PHOTOS BY JARPHOTOGRAPHY there’s a lot more freedom and joy.” What once was reserved primarily for thin white women is now open to everyone. Even those without dance or theater background can still participate in and enjoy burlesque; in fact, Love herself has no background in dance or theater at all. It was her exclusion from other performance avenues that brought her to burlesque in the first place. “Burlesque is open to everyone who is openminded and compassionate and empathetic. I believe that all people have a story to tell,” she said. “I don’t come from a dance or theater background. I got into burlesque because I was told ‘no’ by directors. So, when I found burlesque, I had a fire and passion to be onstage. Even people who are not dancers can come to burlesque and find a way to express themselves.” That’s why, regardless of time, ability, or
interest, there’s a class for everyone at ABS. There’s the Burlesque Academy, a 12-week program split by levels one through four (one through three being a choreography-based course, level four being a solo one-on-one mentorship) that culminates in a graduation recital. However, for those who can’t commit to 12 weeks or don’t want to perform in a recital, there’s also a progressive series that runs concurrently with the academy where people can go through the levels in four to six weeks without the recital. There are also several one-off drop-in classes weekly: Burlesque Basics on Sundays at 3 p.m.; Boudoir Burlesque, a choreo class all about slow and sultry burlesque, on Sundays at 5:45 p.m.; Tricks of the Trade, a chair and floorwork class, on Sundays at 7pm; Sexify, a workout-focused dance class open to all nonmen, on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm; and several sexy stretching classes throughout the week.
While burlesque is becoming more and more accessible as time goes on, there’s one frontier Love and Roulette say the art form still falls short in overcoming: ability. Movement disabilities and other disabilities that make it hard for people to leave their home to go to venues can make burlesque inaccessible for many. However, there are strides being made to overcome that — especially now with the establishment of virtual shows. “Something that is incredible to see as a result of the pandemic was the move to a virtual space, which creates a level of accessibility that we didn’t have before,” Roulette said. “Some are still going on even as we’re going back to live shows. If you’re someone who struggles with accessibility or distance to a venue, there’s now a much easier path to stepping into the burlesque community.” Overall, burlesque offers a unique opportunity for marginalized people who may have not been given the allowance of sexiness and independence by society to connect with their bodies, tell their stories, and find a supportive and loving community. To learn more about Metropolitan Studios (1259 Metropolitan Ave SE) and ASB and to sign up for classes, visit metrostudioseav.com. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
HOBBIES
Bringing Magic to Children Through Cosplay COURTESY PHOTO
Meet a group of volunteers using their hobby for good Sukainah Abid-Kons What if you could take the hobby you are most passionate about and use it for good? This was the idea that Gina Gereau-Clark had and made a reality back in 2013. What started with one woman’s desire to give back to her community has turned into a volunteer group with almost 100 members who are bringing kids’ favorite characters to life all over Atlanta. The group, known as the Cosplay Volunteers of Atlanta, describe themselves as costumed performers whose purpose is to “bring characters from popular children’s media to life for the purpose of volunteering for children’s hospitals, charity TheGeorgiaVoice.com
organizations and more.” Cosplay, a portmanteau of “costume play,” is an activity involving performance and costume in which individuals will dress up as a character and assume the personality of that character. Essentially, cosplayers bring characters to life, making it the perfect hobby for making a kid’s day. The group will attend events held by nonprofits, community functions that are open to kids, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Beyond dressing up, the volunteers get into character so the child can feel like they’re having a conversation with their favorite superhero or princess. Kace Lane Garcesa, one of the administrators of the group, says that volunteers need to be equipped with extensive knowledge of the characters. “Kids will ask the most obscure questions, and
sometimes they’ll dig deep,” they said, “I think that we all [the volunteers] have these niche pockets of information that are completely useless for everyday life, but they will save us every time when we’re in costume.” For the volunteers, it’s a great experience in two ways, according to Elly Watson, another administrator of the group. “It’s the magic of being able to make a child’s day,” Elly said. “Then on the cosplay side, it’s the opportunity to get a second life out of our costumes instead of only showing them off at conventions.” Kace agreed, reflecting on one particular visit to the children’s hospital that had a particular impact: “After we left, the girl’s grandmother called me and told me that she would not
stop smiling and talking about the visit, and she hadn’t smiled or talked in weeks.” While their visits have been stalled due to COVID-19, the group’s admins shared that they had just recently started visiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta again and hope to start doing more events soon. Looking further in the future, Elly told me that if the group were to become a nonprofit, it would expand their ability to attend events. Until then, the group will continue to run as it always has; with good people who are passionate about cosplay and making a kid’s day. If you are interested in learning more about Cosplay Volunteers of Atlanta, more information can be found online at cosplayvolunteers.wixsite.com and on Facebook. February 18, 2022 Hobbies 11
HOBBIES
Valley of The Dolls: Q&A with Vintage Doll Aficionado Cole Eugene Divine Ikpe When it comes to his hobbies, Cole Eugene is a lover of all things vintage. Under the name “KitschyFlower,” he’s a vintage reseller whose items range from clothing and home goods to dolls and toys. The whimsical child of antique sellers, he also uses his vintage passions by restoring vintage toys and making custom dolls. I got the chance to sit down with him to discuss the birth of his vintage passions, the ins and outs of his hobbies, and where he gets his inspiration. Quotes have been edited for clarity. Read the full article online at thegavoice.com. When did you first discover your love for crafting, antiquing and vintage toys? Pretty young in life. Both of my parents have owned antique stores; my father still does in the Marietta area, so growing up around vintage has impacted every part of my life. And how I got into doll making? I’ve kind of just always been into dolls, and I’ve always wanted to put my drawings into 3D form, so I finally did about three-and-a-half to four years ago. You sell a bit of vintage fashion, but the majority of the stock on your Etsy shop and posts on your Instagram consists of vintage toys and dolls. Would it be safe to say that that’s your main focus when it comes to collecting vintage items? I would definitely say so. Of course, I love vintage fashion. I’ve been wearing vintage clothes since I was 14 or 15. I really enjoy clothes from the ‘70s and ‘60s, anything that’s just super bright and funk — even though I’m not a big fan of ‘80s fashion, which is definitely that, but it’s just not the same, like ... I’m not gonna do leg warmers, I’m sorry! I also love the ‘20s. It’s just very hard to come across any clothes past, really, I’d say the ‘50s. So, when you do, you gotta grab it. But because of Instagram, I have 12 Hobbies February 18, 2022
PHOTO BY DIVINE IKPE
weeks, just depending on the project. The ones I’ve been making more recently have been taking longer because I’ve been doing more detailing: the clothing and accessories, stuff like that. But if I wanted to do a really simple one, I could probably pop one out in a day.
own hair and hair in general, but it’s more fun to do it on an object rather than a person because It’s less nerve-wracking. Sometimes I’ll use human hair on the dolls. I have a few friends who I’ve sourced hair from, which has been really cool to make them custom dolls and “mini me’s.” Being a licensed cosmetologist, I’m getting to use my degree in hair a little bit, so that’s always nice. I’ve dabbled in this and that and what I’m doing now is bringing everything together: fashion, hair, sculpting. It’s pretty awesome!
Do you sew the clothes and style their hair yourself? Yeah, most of the time I source vintage fabric for the clothes. I’m super inspired by that psychedelic kind of look, so they fall right into place. On Etsy, a lot of sellers make custom sewing patterns for doll clothes and they’re usually pretty cheap, but I usually free hand it. Being a pre-fashion major helped with that.
Where do you find your inspiration? I can kind of find them anywhere. It really just depends on the day and what I’m looking at. A lot of times I’m able to find my inspiration from vintage decor catalogs combined with the knowledge from current trends. I also love Twiggy! I always look back on her makeup and style. Anything kitschy, [I love] turning things that are kind of ugly and making them cute.
And yes, I do style the hair myself. I’ve been into the big beehives recently, so I’ve been doing those a lot on dolls. I love doing my
Where can people find you? @kitschyflower on Instagram, KitschyFlower on Etsy, and @kitschyflowers on TikTok.
Cole Eugene with some of his dolls. PHOTO BY DIVINE IKPE found a little niche in the doll community, and it has been really fun. How did you find other vintage doll collectors to collaborate with? Mostly through Instagram! Back in the day it was through Tumblr. There were a few doll artists and collectors that were really cool on there, but the community wasn’t really developed compared to how it is now on Instagram. Also kind of through TikTok, but it’s still a newer app. It’s funny, I do a lot of media for TikTok, but I don’t really use it because I just know it’s super addictive. I have to use it a little bit, so I can get ideas and see what’s popular, but I’m not just gonna sit there and scroll for hours; I feel like my brain would be mush. When making over a doll or vintage toy, how long does that take? It can take anywhere from two days to two
TheGeorgiaVoice.com
HOBBIES
Hede: A-Town Showdown Brings South Asian Representation, Community to Atlanta Brammhi Balarajan When Minnesota Junoon’s intro video featured a ragtag group of friends searching desperately for fast food, the entire audience laughed when the friends finally came across the gleaming lights of the Taco Bell sign. Most people would not have been so enraptured, but for South Asian Americans, it’s a love language. A-Town Showdown (ATS), a premium dance competition that featured Raas-Garba and fusion dance teams, brought dance teams from across the country to perform on February 12. A total of 16 South Asian dance teams performed. Penn Raas kicked off the show with high kicks, setting the tone for the night. NCSU Nazaare meshed story and dance together effortlessly, with a dancer dressed as Beck from the Netflix show “You” being trapped in a giant prop transformed into a cage. Michigan Wolveraas danced around a giant blender and fridge, hitting the floor as a dancer cracked a prop crafted into a giant egg. Whether ridiculous or serious, story-heavy or choreography-focused, each performance represented a blending of cultures and traditions. Raas-Garba reflects the modern and the traditional, a glimpse into the contrarian yet comforting feeling that embodies South Asian American identity. It merges the distinct identities into one, with each aspect enhancing the other and fitting together seamlessly. While its roots lie in the traditional dance, the RaasGarba we see today at dance competitions is the product of college students’ redefinition of the dance form. The staples of the performance — from the neck-breaking head movements to the seamless weaving of formations — were standardized and perfected at the collegiate level for the first time. The Asian American community as a whole is often treated as a monolith, despite the TheGeorgiaVoice.com
A-Town Showdown (ATS) PHOTO BY BRAMMHI BALARAJAN
“Everyone meets people that they end up knowing long term, and it’s a life-changing experience.” — Chirag Jain, a member of Minnesota Junoon fact that the community holds the largest income gap. In fact, the community as a whole is exceedingly diverse in languages, socioeconomic status, cultural traditions, and many other facets. But dance teams provide South Asian American college students to bring together two different parts of their identity — the traditional connection to their culture with Bollywood or Raas-Garba dance with an American influence on the storyline themes. For many South Asian American dancers, attending dance competitions is a way to
meet people outside their bubble. Chirag Jain, a member of Minnesota Junoon, noted he’s been able to “learn more about different cultures within the diaspora itself.” While there can also be pitfalls, such as judgment on how cultured you are, he reflected that “everyone meets people that they end up knowing long term, and it’s a life-changing experience.” A-Town Showdown also featured greater queer visibility this year. Duke DBS Raas’s Frankenstein theme showcased a lesbian couple in the intro and a wedding skit
during the performance. As a part of their training, ATS liaisons underwent inclusivity and sensitivity training, reading firsthand accounts of queer experiences. This year, as part of its fundraising initiatives, ATS also raised money for Callisto, a nonprofit organization that raises money to support sexual assault survivors on college campuses. Double steps and dandiya spins aren’t the traditional mode to bring stories about Paris or the Mafia to life. But Raas-Garba embodies an intersectional approach to dance that melds art forms and above all, tells stories. February 18, 2022 Hobbies 13
HOBBIES
Put Down Your Phone, Pick Up a Hobby Sydney Norman It happens to all of us. We come home from a long day at work, exhaustion creeping into our every movement, and we plop down and pull out our phones. Whether it’s a conscious decision or not, we begin to scroll, watch, or otherwise mindlessly consume media. Then we look up, and the small pool of blue light from our screen is the only blip in a pitchdark room. The day’s completely over, and we feel like we’ve wasted it. The average 9-5 worker gets about two to four hours of free time per workday after all is said and done – If they don’t have children, pets, or a partner to eat away at that time as well. Two to four hours a day per weekday for 50 work weeks a year equates to roughly 750 hours a year. 750 hours breaks down to about 31 days. You get one month of free time a year, and if you spend even one hour a day scrolling through Instagram, that time is cut down to about 21 days. If your social media screen time surpasses 2 hours a day, you’re looking at under 10 and a half days of free time a year. That’s roughly a week to yourself where you aren’t staring at a screen. If you, like many of us, have found yourself in a rut of not quite knowing what to do with yourself when you aren’t on your phone, consider picking up a hobby. If you’re staring at the hefty price tag on a gaming console or wondering how you’ll be able to afford pottery classes, don’t worry. None of these hobbies require more than $50 to pick up. Whether or not you feel comfortable mingling with others, there are plenty of enriching and inexpensive interests for you to try out. If you’re looking for a fun new way to mingle: Join a Running Club While running solo is an amazing way to get some peace and quiet, running with a club is a great way to make new friends, find new routes, and hold yourself accountable for remaining active. Since running can be so 14 Hobbies February 18, 2022
PHOTO BY PEXELS.COM / MONSTERA
brutal on the body, getting tips and tricks from others that may be more experienced than you can be truly beneficial in preventing injuries. If you’re willing to shell out a little cash for a community with more resources, events, and races check out the Atlanta Track Club. For $35 a year, you get access to their running community, organized group walks and runs, a subscription to their monthly magazine, various discounts, guaranteed entry to the AJC Peachtree Road Race, and more. There’s also the Front Runners Atlanta, an LGBTQ specific club that meets for weekly runs every Wednesday evening and Saturday morning. They also host an annual Pride Run 5k. There’s also the Atlanta Run Club. When you join them on their weekly runs, you have the option to “count your miles” towards their current “Miles for Change” campaign. Their current campaign utilizes funds to feed families in the Buford Highway community. Join a Book Club If running for fun sounds like absolute torture, try joining a local book club! You
can either organize one yourself with friends, family, and coworkers or you can look on websites like Meetup.com to locate inperson or virtual book clubs. Acapella Books in Inman Park also hosts a variety of both online and IRL book clubs as well. (Atlanta Track Club also has a book club called “Runners Who Read!”) Try finding book clubs focused on genres you already love or check out something completely new! If you’re looking for a way to enrich your alone time: Send Some Snail Mail Do you remember the last time you opened your mailbox and found something other than a bill or junk? It’s always a nice surprise to see that someone thought about you enough to take the time to put pen to paper and pop it in the post. Whether you simply want to spark some joy in your neighbor’s life, or you want to find a creative way to keep in touch with far-flung relatives, snail mail is a fun, inexpensive way to connect with those you love. You can stick to a simple letter jotted on notebook paper, or you can move into more extravagant spaces, creating elaborate cards with scrapbooking paper,
washi tape, and wax seals. Cross-Stitching All you need to cross stitch is monk’s cloth, embroidery thread, and a tapestry needle. You can purchase an inexpensive pattern from a local craft store, or you can create your very own using a website like stitchfiddle.com. Try cross-stitching your favorite cartoon character or your best friend’s catch phrase for a fun birthday present. Many people find that the simple repetitive movements of cross-stitching and the mindfulness required to count stitches and concentrate can work to soothe stress and anxiety. Yoga If you spend much of your time at a desk, on a couch, or otherwise sedentary, you could likely benefit from practicing yoga. All you really need is a mat, and you can even get started on a blanket! Yoga can bring mindfulness and bodily awareness into our otherwise hectic lives, and it’s been proven time and time again that stretching and movement are immeasurably beneficial to both our mental and physical well-being. If you’re looking for an instructor to follow along with, check out Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
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February 18, 2022 Ads 15
MARÍA HELENA DOLAN REELING IN THE YEARS
Moll Cutpurse: ‘Bawd, Bully, Pick-purse, Receiver, Forger, Fortune Teller’ gallop through the center of town, dressed outlandishly, a large cape flowing behind her, blowing a trumpet — all to win a wager. But she always redounded to her chosen life.
María Helena Dolan When you hear the term “militant bisexual woman,” a certain image may come to mind. That image is probably not that of a 17th century female “highwayman” who ran a gang of cutthroat thieves, swaggered through London streets in male drag and lived unrepentantly to the age of 75.
It was the wearing of men’s clothes that particularly infuriated the moralists. She was arrested from time to time for this particular crime. As Moll told it: “An Accusation was exhibited against me for wearing indecent and manly apparel … I was sentenced … to stand and do penance (naked but) in a white sheet at Paul’s Cross (Cathedral) during morning Sermon on a Sunday
Born instantly rebellious, Mary Frith was indulged by middle-class parents. She grew up “very tomrig and rumpscuttle” and became an exceptional horsewoman and fine shot. But Daddy Frith eventually thought to guide his rebel girl into womanly ways.
They might as soon have shamed a Black Dog as Me, with any kind of such punishment.”
Endure a proscribed and deadly sedentary life sewing samplers? According to The Newgate Calendar—a series of 18th- and 19thcentury criminal biographies named for Newgate prison in London, “[H]er needle, bodkin and thimble she could not think quietly, wishing them changed into sword and dagger for a bout at cudgels.” Despairing, her father sought to pack her off to the colonies (i.e. America) dressed as a man for a life of indentured servitude. Placed on a Boston-bound merchant ship, the 14-yearold managed to jump overboard and swim ashore to fulfill her criminal destiny. Early on, Mary excelled at cutting the “purse” worn at the waist by Elizabethan and Jacobean men. She graduated to running a gang of cut-purses and and finally robbing carriages with aplomb. And she warmly received the name “Moll,” which denoted a woman of scandalous reputation. Tall, with piercing blue eyes and dark, curly locks, she took to wearing elegant men’s clothes, with richly appointed doublets and 16 Columnist February 18, 2022
When asked if she would ever wed, Moll replied, “I have no humor to marry. I love to lie a’ both sides of the bed … I have the head of myself and am man enough for any woman.”
Moll Cutpurse HISTORICAL IMAGE always topped with a black cape, tricorn hat and a fine pipe. In fact, she is said to be the first woman to smoke tobacco in England. Moll spoke with the stentorian tones of a general. She sauntered through London streets, radiating power and sexuality, turning the heads of both men and women, her minions and her manner usually affording proof against impediment. Such a mythology grew around her that she was nicknamed “the roaring girl,” which she adored. A successful play was written about her with The Roaring Girl as its title. The play’s author, Thomas Middleton,
declared Moll a “handsome and graceful woman,” kindhearted and generous in her dealings with other criminals, a woman who covered the walls of her houses with looking glasses and amused herself with lovers of both sexes. She excelled in carriage-robbing on the many highways and byways of London, suddenly appearing bestride her horse, in mask and swirling cape. She could resort to female dress if chased, thus confounding pursuers. Of course, she could not always elude the law. She had her hand branded — the fate of thieves — and served some time. In fact, she was once jailed for riding at full
Her career on the highways ended after an exchange of gunfire and a great chase, successful until her horse gave out. Tried and jailed and forced into female clothes, she bought her way out of Newgate prison with a £2000 bribe (this was equivalent to the purchase of 242 horses or the paid wages for 40,000 days of skilled tradesmen. Crime paid). She was still able to buy a house on Fleet Street, near the Globe Theater, where she began an extremely lucrative trade fencing stolen goods. Unfortunately, almost seven decades of riotous living took a toll. With no husband or children, Moll had no hedge for old age. But despite spells spent in Bethlem Hospital, a psychiatric facility, she died in her own bed, unrepentant to the end. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
BUCK JONES THE FRENCH CONNECTION
A Love of Philately Buck Jones There’s no other explanation, really, how I got from there to here. It all started when I was a little kid, six or seven years old probably. My dad’s father, Grandpa Jones, had a side business selling collectibles — mainly Hummel figurines and imported plates from Denmark. Every few months, I went with him to the various antique shows where he would set up his stand, and while he and my grandmother patiently chatted up other seniors about B & G commemoratives, I would go exploring on my own the other stands in the convention center. What I was drawn to were old Life magazines from the 1930s to ’50s, with the beautiful full-page color ads and fascinating black and white photos from around the world. My grandpa’s one dollar “tip” he paid me for “helping” him was burning a hole in my J.C. Penney jeans, and I took my time lingering at each stand that had a collection of old magazines. But soon I became curious about something that was usually in a neighboring bin next to the Life, Time, and National Geographic magazines. Beautifully preserved in clear plastic sleeves
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were old stamps, neatly organized like the card catalogue at the public library, separating country after country with a tab. My fingers ran across the tabs until I started finding exotic countries like “Romania” or “Mongolia,” places I had vaguely heard of but had no idea where they were on a map. The stamps were sometimes written in a script that was completely different from English, languages that were known to others who weren’t me, with images of castles, palaces and rulers who were equally mysterious to me. It seemed like each of these tiny prints told their own story, their own secrets waiting to be solved. I found the one or two that captured my imagination the most and paid with my dollar. The rest of the weekend I would examine the stamps with my grandpa’s magnifying glass, wondering who the figure was, what the history of this far-off land entailed, and my imagination took flight as I began piecing together more about each of these foreign lands. When it became apparent that this was no passing interest, my grandparents gave me a pair of books for my next birthday. The first one was a “Child’s Atlas of the World,” which became my constant companion. The back cover had about a hundred flags of the world emblazoned on it, and the interior had a simple map of each country with a cartoon
PHOTO BY PEXELS.COM / PIXABAY
drawing of the people who lived there along with a brief paragraph about that country’s population, language, and capital. The other book my grandparents got me was a “Child’s First Stamp Album” (the two books must have been sold as a set, which was good marketing on the part of the publisher). I was enthralled and began leafing through the pages, seeing some of the now-familiar images of commonly circulated stamps from Brazil and France and Israel that I recognized from the antique shows I had gone to. That following Christmas my grandparents got me a subscription to National Geographic, which they continued to give me until I was well into my college years. But it was those first two books that I treasured the most. Around this same time, I think my dad realized that I was never going to be the kind of son he could bond with by throwing
the football together in the backyard — although he did try repeatedly to teach me how to throw a spiral. Thankfully, he decided instead to spend some quality father-son time by taking me to the local philatelist shops in the area. With my weekly allowance in my stiff leather Mount Rushmore wallet, my dad and I would look over the inventory of stamps from around the world and I made my purchases to add to my slowly growing collection. This fascination with foreign countries and their history and culture might have begun in the dusty bins of the antique conventions of my youth, but it continues to this day and propelled me to finally take the leap by moving permanently to France. My grandparents as well as my parents have since passed, but the love and encouragement they gave me is always with me, and I think of them each time I paste a stamp on a letter.
February 18, 2022 Columnist 17
CLIFF BOSTOCK OLD GAY MAN
A Fear of Passion
reconciled by the year before her stroke. We last spoke when she was at her summer place in Vermont. She told me she had enrolled in an art class at the university there and was happier than ever. This happened at a time when her frustration with my father had become quite obvious. Art was her declaration of independence.
Cliff Bostock
When I was a young homo of eight years old, the woman across the street scooped me up and took me to my first Cub Scout meeting at a Catholic church. Our first den meeting began with a visit inside to see the gigantic images of the Magical Jesus being tortured and draped on some woman’s lap. Then we went outside and learned how to tie a slip knot. Then we were told if we learned how to tie enough knots, we could earn a badge to decorate our blue uniforms. Thus, tying knots became a hobby like stamp or coin collecting or erecting a tent to sleep with mosquitoes while savoring the aftertaste of marshmallows charred on sticks over an open fire while singing dumb shit. My father, who hated camping even more than I did, was elated when I announced that I was retiring. My mother, intent on manning me up since I was five, then enrolled me in horseback riding classes, which I loved. She ended that hobby when she showed up one day and saw that everyone else in the class was a girl. Meanwhile, I had developed a secret hobby. As I’ve written before, I lay in the grass and curled into a ball in my bed and imagined myself in other places. I wrote stories about these places and intuitively hid them from my mother. One day, Mrs. Akers, my third-grade teacher, showed up at our door. She had come by to talk to my mother about the stories I was writing. Yes, I had shown them to her and she, basically my ideal mother, had me reading them to the class. Her goal, I later learned, was to encourage my mother to enroll me in a writing class. My mother was very confused. “Why didn’t you tell me you were writing this?” she asked, predictably followed by, “And why are you spending your time writing in the first place?” Did you know that writing about toasting marshmallows with Jesus is not masculine? 18 Columnist February 18, 2022
PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / GORODENKOFF
My mother, who read at least one book a week, didn’t outlaw my hobby, but she wasn’t supportive for a long time. Even when I won second and third place in the state’s poetry contest at 16, she told me all the reasons why writing was going to make my life miserable. All these decades later, I can’t say she was entirely wrong, but I think the misery was in great part modeled by her. My mother was a gifted artist who quit painting before she was 40. I asked her why and she said, “Because I wasn’t any good.” When she was in her mid-sixties, she had a stroke that left her unable to read, write, walk, or talk for the remaining 15 years of her life. Soon after her stroke, I found a handmade volume, “An Artist’s Notebook,” on a table in the living room. When I started reading it, I had the eerie feeling I was reading something I had written but didn’t remember. I asked my father, my brothers, my mother’s sisters, and the nurse where it
came from. Nobody knew. It turned out to explain everything. The thick volume was put together for a class when my mother was 16. Each page contains a single paragraph about my mother’s idealization of art, her ambitions, and her fears that if her art wasn’t perfect, she would be sucked into poverty. The illustrations — her own drawings and paintings by admired artists — reflected the same conflict. Half of them idealized domestic life (Norman Rockwell) and half idealized the surreal (Salvador Dali). Thus, the real reason my mother gave up art was because she could not reconcile her perfectionism, her thirst for art, and her thirst for money that led her to marry my father. Her life was predicted in the book. As parents often do, she projected her frustration on me. We were estranged most of the time after I left home but had
In the meantime, though, I really had internalized her message that all art was an embarrassment. When I received a threebook contract just before I turned 30, I immediately developed writer’s block. While I had come to make writing and editing my occupation, I was haunted by her same feeling that she was never good enough. I was also afraid the first book would embarrass and enrage my parents and, frankly, jeopardize my inheritance. So, I defaulted on my contract (and I was disinherited anyway!). Later, in the throes of a decade-long “midlife crisis,” I pursued an M.A. and Ph.D in psychology. My goal in large part was to help other people integrate creative expression. My mother’s experience and my own are not unique. What calls you, what enlivens you at the deepest level, inevitably causes fear. You may never even acknowledge that, instead dismissing your estrangement from it to not being good enough. It is uniquely and rather stupidly American that we think our passions should finance our lives and that we should dismiss them if not, as my mother did. I am thankful she regained happiness for a brief period before her stroke. Find a way to increase your creative expression, stick to it, and I promise that it will positively affect your entire life — no matter your age, income, or social status. Cliff Bostock, PhD, is a former psychotherapist who now specializes in life coaching, focusing on creativity; cliffbostock. com, cliffbostock@gmail.com. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
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February 18, 2022 Ads 19
JIM FARMER ACTING OUT
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Features Sexy LGBTQ Film, “The Swimmer” Jim Farmer The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival It was supposed to be a hybrid event this season, but omicron has forced it to be all virtual this year. Included in the lineup is the sexy LGBTQ-themed film, “The Swimmer.” It’s directed by Adam Kalderon and is based on his own personal experiences as a competitive swimmer on the Israeli swimming team. The central figure is Erez, a young swimmer who attends a training camp where the winner gets a prestigious chance to participate in the Olympic Games. Erez’s attention gets sidetracked, however, when he meets Nevo, a beautiful and talented fellow swimmer. Erez’s coach does not believe in fraternizing with other competitors, which adds even more pressure. When he wrote the script, it was important to Kalderon for the audience to be put into a very specific bubble — that of the elite swimmers’ program. “I wanted to be truthful as much as I can to stay close to reality,” he said. “The rest of the swimmers arrive to become the best swimmers that they can. Erez arrives because he has to survive and blend in and be good in a sport that is considered manly, which can give him freedom to live his life as he wants. Erez is in 99 percent of the scenes. It was important to show his unique point of view.” Meeting Nevo takes Erez’s mind off competition. It’s his first time falling for another man. “The world around him becomes slow motion and his instincts take over without him even knowing what’s going on,” Kalderon said. “I know that there are a lot of people who can relate, especially young people, that suddenly 20 Columnist February 18, 2022
“The Swimmer” PUBLICITY PHOTO you can go from zero to 100 and nothing can ever be the same again. He is falling in love and doesn’t know it yet.” An interesting dynamic takes place between Erez and his coach, who is also a foreigner and is also experiencing being locked in this institution like Erez. “Erez can see in him the reflection of what will happen if you will not follow your heart and your real passion, if you will try and stay the person driven by power and gold medals and politics,” Kalderon said. “Both of them are locked in the same castle.” Just as in other areas of life, Kalderon feels there is homophobia in the swimming world. While there is progress in many fields, there is much more to do.
“I feel it in my skin on a daily basis,” he said. “I don’t think people will throw stones at me. I grew up at a much more homophobic time and it’s rooted in me as well, so I say there is so much more to do. I decided to become a director because this is where I feel I can spotlight subjects that are close to my heart. I want to raise my voice that will let me make a change.” Finding lead actor Omer Perelman Striks was a long process. Kalderon and his team went to several acting schools in his pursuit. “It’s a gay character, which narrowed the opportunities,” he said. “It was important that the lead actor be gay. We needed to find the best actor who could act like a swimmer and have this aura of an elite sport. Our lead actor took to his part. He took it all the way and is so talented. I was very happy that it
happened this way in the end.” “The Swimmer” contains a much-discussed dance sequence, of sorts. It took the director a while to nail it, to give another interpretation to what a victory means for Erez. “I didn’t feel that swimming was the real issue at the moment. Is winning just about medals, or can you find other things?” Two other LGBTQ short films are also included this year in the AJFF lineup — “Bracha” and “In the Image of God.”
MORE INFO “The Swimmer” Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Through February 27 www.ajff.org
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February 18, 2022 Ads 21
RYAN LEE SOMETIMES ‘Y’
HRC ‘Divorce’ Sullies Both Spouses Ryan Lee Despite avoiding celebrity news like idiocy were contagious, even I could’ve predicted Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s separation would break the internet’s bottom floor and chart new depths for marital toxicity. I can’t name Kanye’s last five albums or tell you the last time Kim did that thing that makes her noteworthy (whatever it is), but of course I knew their divorce and custody dispute would eventually be adjudicated via Instagram. I’ve often called the Human Rights Campaign “the Kardashian of the LGBTQ movement” — famous for being famous, rather than for any merit — and it is equally unsurprising for the queer nonprofit to be embroiled in a messy split from its former president. After two years at HRC’s helm, Alphonso David was fired last September for failing to disclose that he assisted former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo — for whom David previously served as legal counsel — during the sexual harassment investigation that led to Cuomo’s resignation. David claims in a federal lawsuit he was actually fired because he is Black, HRC will undoubtedly respond that it is not a racist organization — blah, blah, blah. Without forecasting the disposition of David’s case, his lawsuit is a damning indictment of both parties. Anyone paying attention to HRC’s priorities and employment demographics since its founding in 1980 would not be surprised by the suggestion that its offices are awkward, unwelcoming and even hostile environments for minority employees. Given that history and culture, it is also not unexpected for the organization to attract the type of person of color willing to bite his tongue about HRC’s racism until his favored status was revoked. 22 Columnist February 18, 2022
Alphonso David OFFICIAL PHOTO “I am filing a lawsuit for the millions of Black and brown people who face discrimination every day but fear retaliation or lack the resources to challenge it,” David said when announcing his lawsuit, which accuses HRC board members of admitting to David he was paid less than his predecessor because of race, ordering David to mute his Blackness to avoid alienating white donors and belittling the work ethic of Black contractors. Witnessing such discrimination in real time did not compel David to file a lawsuit for millions of people, but rather to meet with HRC board members at a white-tablecloth restaurant off Broadway to sign a contract extension for more than half a million dollars. Imagine how much louder David’s accusations would’ve rung if they had come from inside the house. David’s lawsuit suggests his tenure and salary increase were warranted because he “exceeded all expectations” and “performed extremely well as HRC president, by any measure” — which may be true as long as you’re not expecting or measuring LGBTQ progress. Rather than an initiative launched or legislative goal achieved, the lone accomplishment David cites in his pleading is having “shattered HRC’s previous fundraising records, bringing in $60 million for the organization.” There are TikTok accounts that have more effectively championed LGBTQ rights in the past two years than HRC has in four decades. David’s court filing lays bare how the organization measures success, and how David was willing to remain silent about HRC’s toxic workplace as long as he headed it. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
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February 18, 2022 Ads 23