02/19/16, Vol. 6 Issue 25

Atlanta’s own Terry Burrell brings the wit of amazing performer Ethel Waters to life in this one woman play with music from the American popular song canon, including Irving Berlin and Harold Arlen.

By and starring Terry Burrell Directed by Kenneth Roberson

Ticketass as low

$20

March 25–April 17

Tickets @ 404.733.500

alliancetheatre.org/ethel // Groups 404.733.4690

Series on the Hertz Stage Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

By and starring Terry Burrell Directed by Kenneth Roberson

GEORGIANEWS

LGBT support leaning towards Clinton for GA presidential primary Local LGBT leaders speak out about their candidate of choice; GOP support lags

By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com Early voting is underway in Georgia’s presidential primary, and based on interviews conducted with community leaders, activists and various political players, as well as a Georgia Voice reader poll, the state’s LGBT community appears to be leaning towards former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to come out on top on March 1.

In a poll of over 400 Georgia Voice readers, Clinton notched 54 percent of the vote, with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders getting 40.5 percent and 5.5 percent saying they would be voting for one of the six remaining Republican candidates.

The vast majority of those we interviewed sided with Clinton, with many claiming she is stronger on LGBT rights, but a closer look reveals both candidates have been creative with how they’ve framed their historical support of the community.

Sanders draws distinctions on DADT, DOMA The first thing a Bernie Sanders supporter will tell you if asked to compare the senator’s LGBT rights record to Secretary Clinton’s is that Sanders voted against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) in 1993 and against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 1996 as a congressman, while President Bill Clinton signed both into law with his wife’s public support at the time.

Clinton claimed in an interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow last October that her husband signing DOMA into law was a “defensive action” meant to prevent passage of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Sanders claimed Clinton was “trying to rewrite history” on the matter, and her claim drew criticism from longtime LGBT and political activists like Michelangelo Signorile and David Mixner. Even Hilary Rosen, a lesbian longtime political activist and Clinton supporter, voiced her displeasure at the claim, tweeting, “@BernieSanders www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton edged Sen. Bernie Sanders by double digits in a Georgia Voice reader poll, and she is drawing strong support from Georgia’s LGBT leaders, activists and political players. (Photo by Patrick Saunders; file photo)

“I’m just really looking for somebody who can really be decisive, is very firm and incredibly knowledgeable to actually be the president of the United States. For me it comes down to trust, who do I totally trust with our lives to be the president of the United States to make those important decisions and will listen to people.”

—Hillary Clinton supporter Glen Paul Freedman

Details

Voter Registration Deadline: Was Feb. 1, 2016 Early Voting: Through Feb. 26, 2016 Primary Election Day: March 1, 2016 Check registration status, polling location and more: www.mvp.sos.ga.gov is right. Note to my friends Bill and #Hillary: Pls stop saying DOMA was to prevent something worse. It wasn’t, I was there.”

The Sanders campaign is eager to point out those two votes to LGBT voters, with campaign spokesperson Michael Briggs telling Georgia Voice, “When you look at his record and find out more about him, our

experience is the more people know about him, the more they like him. He didn’t have to think about it, he voted against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. He didn’t have to think about it, he voted against the Defense of Marriage Act.” But after that, things get a little tricky.

Marriage equality evolution Despite his votes against the two anti-LGBT laws, Sanders has remained silent on marriage equality for much of his career, explaining for years after those two votes that they were based more on constitutional grounds and government overreach.

Both candidates evolved on marriage equality, as President Barack Obama and many others have over time, with Sanders coming out

publicly for it in 2009 and Clinton following him four years later, a few months after she left the State department. But Clinton did struggle with the topic in an interview with NPR’s Terry Gross in 2014, and didn’t say it was a constitutional right until April 2015.

One event that has stuck in the minds of numerous LGBT supporters of Secretary Clinton who we spoke to is a speech she gave before the United Nations in Geneva on International Human Rights Day in 2011.

She devoted the entire 30-minute speech to LGBT rights, with the line, “Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights,” leaving an indelible mark considerCONTINUES ON PAGE 4 February 19, 2016 News 3

GEORGIANEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 ing the audience and the time.

“Hillary Clinton is the only candidate who understands that if we are going to dismantle inequality, we need to tackle it head on,” Clinton’s Director of LGBT Outreach Dominic Powell tells Georgia Voice. “Her comprehensive plan to pass the Equality Act, promote LGBT-inclusive schools and family policies, and champion transgender equality proves that she’s putting the LGBT community front and center, instead of shying away from addressing the key issues that matter.”

Sanders is also in favor of adding LGBT people to the 1964 Civil Rights Act via The Equality Act, advancing anti-bullying policies in schools, and working on police department interactions with transgender people—especially transgender women of color.

Clinton gets support of local LGBT leaders Glen Paul Freedman, co-chair of the board of directors of the Atlanta Pride Committee, is one Clinton supporter who, judging by his social media activity, perpetually seems just a few more #I’mWithHer hashtags away from winning a free toaster.

“I’m just really looking for somebody who can really be decisive, is very firm and incredibly knowledgeable to actually be the president of the United States,” he tells Georgia Voice.

“For me it comes down to trust, who do I totally trust with our lives to be the president of the United States to make those important decisions and will listen to people.”

He cites that 2011 speech before the United Nations when asked about her support of LGBT issues, saying, “She didn’t have to do that, she wasn’t forced to do that, she was the only person who did it and she had the support of the president. I think that’s a telling moment and it shouldn’t be swept under the rug,” adding that he thinks Clinton has been more outspoken than Sanders about LGBT issues over the years.

A number of other local LGBT leaders, activists and political players appear to agree with Freedman, with the following confirming their support for Clinton: Lesbian state Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) � Stan Fong, Atlanta Pride Committee member and board member of the National �

4 News February 19, 2016

Republican Candidate 5.5 percent

Bernie Sanders 40.5 percent

Hillary Clinton 54 percent

Over 400 Georgia Voice readers voted in our online poll, with Hillary Clinton beating Bernie Sanders by double digits.

Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance � Leo Martinez, president of the board of Latino LinQ and community education coordinator for anti-domestic violence organization Caminar Latino � Marckeith DeJesus, openly gay candidate challenging state Rep. Mable Thomas in the House District 56 primary in May � Bob Gibeling, openly gay candidate in this year’s House District 54 race, treasurer of the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Georgia � Rafer Johnson, openly gay candidate in this year’s House District 62 race � Jim Taflinger, Chair of the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Georgia � Colton Griffin, First Vice Chair of the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Georgia, Stonewall Caucus Chair at Young Democrats of Georgia � Juliana Illari, board member of the Georgia Stonewall Democrats � Ken Britt, LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Georgia � Tony Kearney, community advocate

Among those who either declined to publicly state their preferred candidate or failed to respond by press time were lesbian state Rep. Keisha Waites (D-Atlanta), lesbian former state Rep. Simone Bell (now with Lambda Legal), Human Rights Campaign national board member Ames Simmons, Micky Bee of the Transgender Law Center, transgender activist Raquel Willis, Lambda Legal director of community education and advocacy Holiday Simmons, Southerners On New Ground co-director Paulina Helm-Hernandez, lesbian House District 62 candidate Valerie Vie, openly gay House District 59 candidate Josh Noblitt, queer House District 58 candidate Park Cannon, Larry Pellegrini, board member of the Georgia Stonewall Democrats and Georgia Stonewall Democrats board chair Tim Cairl.

None of the Georgia LGBT community members we spoke to voiced support for Senator Sanders, and the Sanders campaign could not provide a list of prominent Georgia LGBT supporters.

STILL LONELY OUT THERE FOR GAY REPUBLICANS A poll by Community Marketing & Insights (CMI) released Feb. 15 appears to show LGBT voters slightly favoring Clinton over Sanders on the national level as well. The CMI poll of 563 LGBT citizens who plan to vote in the 2016 presidential elections showed Secretary Clinton getting 48 percent of the vote, Sen. Sanders getting 41 percent and the six remaining Republican candidates each getting less than 2 percent each.

When asked which of the Democratic party presidential candidates would be “the most supportive of LGBT civil rights,” the results were evenly split between Clinton and Sanders.

When asked the same question about the Republican party presidential candidates, a whopping 73 percent indicated that none of them are supportive of LGBT civil rights, while 6 percent selected Ohio Gov. John Kasich, 4 percent selected Donald Trump and the remaining candidates received 2 percent or less.

Couple that with the Georgia Voice poll showing less than 6 percent of readers planning to vote Republican in the primary and a familiar picture emerges—it’s still lonely out there for gay Republicans. It’s not a surprising finding seeing as how several of the candidates—Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio in particular—are publicly embracing numerous anti-LGBT views in order to capture the evangelical vote.

Atlanta’s Jamie Ensley, national board chair for the Log Cabin Republicans, tells Georgia Voice that while the organization doesn’t make endorsements in federal or presidential primaries, he personally plans on supporting Trump. And Allen Fox of Georgia Republicans for the Future said his group also doesn’t endorse presidential candidates and that he had yet to make a decision on who he supports personally.

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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Ellie’s severe asthma attacks were triggered by secondhand smoke at work.

She and her partner have to live with its effects forever. If you or someone you know wants free help to quit smoking, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW. #CDCTips

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NEWSBRIEFS ‘Pastor Protection Act’ passes in Georgia House A bill that would keep religious officials from being required to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies passed 161–0 in the House on Feb. 11. It was the first of eight religious exemption bills under consideration in the legislature to reach the chamber for a vote, and a move that widens the national spotlight on Georgia’s legislative reaction to last summer’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage.

House Bill 757 was first suggested last summer by House Speaker David Ralston following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Rep. Kevin Tanner (R-Dawsonville) introduced the bill in January, and it breezed through a House subcommittee before making it through the full House Judiciary Committee.

While there is nothing in state or federal law that would require religious officials to perform such ceremonies, Tanner has said he’s heard concerns from those who fear the opposite, and that HB 757 is meant to alleviate that “unease.”

Several lawmakers took the opportunity to speak out in favor of the bill on the House floor Thursday, reciting Bible passages and making it seem more like a church service than a legislative day.

While many consider the bill the least controversial of the religious exemption bills, some legal scholars worried that Section 3 of the bill was too broad and could allow religious organizations to discriminate against the LGBT community.

Rev. Graham bashes gay marriage, transgender rights at rally Anti-gay preacher Franklin Graham decried marriage equality and transgender rights at a prayer rally on Feb. 10 at the Georgia State Capitol. Thousands of people packed Liberty Plaza for the event, which is part of Graham’s “Decision America Tour.”

The son of evangelist Billy Graham listed the “sins of our nation,” which he said included racism, abortion and gay marriage.

He also referenced city leaders in Charlotte, who resurrected a controversial bathroom ordinance that involved ensuring transgender people the right to use the public bathrooms that match their gender identity.

“If this person wakes up in the morning and they feel like they’re a woman, and it’s a man, and he wants to go into a ladies restroom then they can do that. That’s [Char-

Rep. Kevin Tanner (R-Dawsonville) discusses his Pastor Protection Act on the House floor on Feb. 11. (Screenshot of Georgia House live feed)

lotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts’] goal,” Graham told the crowd. “And I’m going to tell you right now, that’s wicked and that’s evil.

Men belong in men’s bathrooms and women belong in women’s bathrooms, and we don’t need men and predators going into women’s bathrooms. I’m just telling you. Now, that’s what happens when Christians don’t vote, this is the kind of garbage we get.”

Hundreds rally against religious exemptions bills at GA Capitol Roughly 150 opponents of the numerous so-called “religious exemptions” bills under consideration in the Georgia legislature braved the cold and descended on the State Capitol on Feb. 9 to voice their opposition.

The rally, organized by LGBT rights coalition Georgia Unites Against Discrimination, took place in Liberty Plaza roughly a year after a similar rally. While that event featured mostly faith leaders on the speaker list, this year’s rally included speakers from a broader coalition.

Georgia Equality executive director Jeff Graham hit back against the bills’ supporters who say that they will do no harm, citing a lawsuit filed by conservative groups in Indiana (where similar legislation passed last year) to strike down municipal ordinances protecting LGBT people from discrimination.

LGBT nondiscrimination amendment fails in bill hearing An effort to include sexual orientation, gender identity and several other classes in a bill aimed to prevent businesses from discriminating against customers failed on Feb. 9 in a House Judiciary Committee hearing.

House Bill 849, the Georgia Civil Rights in Public Accommodations Act, would have prevented businesses, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, movie theaters, concert halls and sports venues, from denying service to people on the grounds of their race, color, religion, veteran status or national origin. It was introduced in January by Rep. Rich Golick (R-Smyrna) and has a bipartisan list of co-sponsors including House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones and lesbian Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates).

During the hearing, state Rep. Taylor Bennett (D-Brookhaven) introduced an amendment that would add sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and sex to the list of those protected. Bennett, whose mother and sister are lesbians, made opposition to state Sen. Josh McKoon’s (R-Columbus) so-called “religious freedom” bill the centerpiece of his first political run last August.

The amendment failed and HB 849 will now go to the House floor for a vote.

6 News February 19, 2016 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Outspoken PO Box 77401 • Atlanta, GA 30357 P: 404-815-6941; F: 404-963-6365

Editorial

Editor: Darian Aaron daaron@thegavoice.com Deputy Editor: Patrick Saunders psaunders@thegavoice.com Editorial Contributors: Ashleigh Atwell, Melissa Carter, Jim Farmer, Vandy Beth Glenn, Shannon Hames, Bill Kaelin, Ryan Lee, Kim Riggins, Simon Williamson

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Art Director: Rob Boeger rboeger@thegavoice.com

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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.

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8 Outspoken February 19, 2016

“Men belong in men’s bathrooms and women belong in women’s bathrooms, and we don’t need men and predators going into women’s bathrooms.

I’m just telling you. Now, that’s what happens when Christians don’t vote, this is the kind of garbage we get.”

—Rev. Franklin Graham, speaking to supporters during his ‘Decision America Tour’ at the Georgia Capitol (2/10 Screencap image)

“If you are a liberal, you are not a majority of this country and you know it, and it always feels this way.

But this Democratic race with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders—campaigning this way against each other—that happened because Bernie Sanders got into this race. All these kids who are enthused about this race will never feel like mainstream politics isn’t about them.”

—Rachel Maddow on Bernie Sanders’ historic New Hampshire primary win (2/9 Screencap image)

“And Jaden is 100 percent fearless, he will do anything, you know? So as a parent it’s scary, it’s really terrifying, but he is completely willing to live and die by his own artistic decisions and he just doesn’t concern himself with what people think.”

—Will Smith on his son Jaden’s androgynous image in an interview on BBC Radio 1Xtra (2/10 Screencap image) www.thegeorgiavoice.com

OUT IN THE WILD Creepoftheweek

By Simon Williamson

let the dimples fool you; Pink dollars and averages Don’t Rubio is as dangerous as Cruz

Simon Williamson lives with his husband in heteronormatively-assimilative fashion in Athens, after a year of surviving rural Georgia.

“While the Pink Dollar is a phenomenon about how much extra money we get to throw around, largely because more of us work and fewer of us have children than our breeding counterparts, it dismisses the problem that our community doesn’t only boast disposable income, but disposable people.”

Winter is a nice time to reflect on how much prep we put into summer bodies. While the rest of humanity uses the cover-up months to get snuggly with their own bodies, we chomp away on Wasa rye with cottage cheese and save our calories for wine consumption, the results of which we then try to remove, with mixed success, on stationary bicycles because it’s so effing cold outside. What? Just me?

Winter is also a good time to reflect on homelessness, and the scourge of it that the LGBT community faces. While the Pink Dollar is a phenomenon about how much extra money we get to throw around, largely because more of us work and fewer of us have children than our breeding counterparts, it dismisses the problem that our community doesn’t only boast disposable income, but disposable people.

Not only is homelessness a widespread problem in LGBT circles, directly related are even more problems specific to our people. Consider that thanks to rank discrimination, LGBT homeless people have even more difficulty finding shelters that accept them, and on top of that, they are a far higher risk of violence—a risk exponentially larger for transgender people.

I began writing this regular column when I lived in the middle of nowhere, out past Covington, which is why it is still called “Out In The Wild.” The gay rights fights we won while I lived there didn’t really permeate the area to the extent that they did in Atlanta and surrounding areas. In fact, if you never came to Atlanta you wouldn’t know that much had changed.

The rights of LGBT people are far more protected in the areas we’ve overrun than in www.thegeorgiavoice.com

places sparsely populated by openly gay people. And it is in places like this that people are still thrown out of their homes when they come out as gay, lesbian or transgender, where bisexual people keep their same-sex attractions to themselves, and where there is very little recourse when terrible reactions to coming out take place. There aren’t always friends to go and stay with, or new jobs to get, or kinder relatives. There isn’t the immense media backlash against homophobia or transphobia that is common in areas where we are electorally important. According to the True Colors Fund, one in four teens who come out are thrown out of their homes, and 40 percent of homeless young people in the United States are LGBT (relative to 7 percent of the population).

And they have nowhere to go.

I now live in Athens, where I am studying political science, and part of the course is statistics: we’re learning how data are distributed, and how means and averages and deviations all work. On average, we may display high levels of disposable income, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a bottom to the statistic. Our mean may be high because many of us are DINKs (dual income—no kids, not to be confused with twinks), but it is a false statistic, because of how concentrated the Pink Dollar is on one end of the scale.

Those teens? Their homelessness, and the cycle of shit that comes with it, began through absolutely no fault of their own. People’s ability to have a roof over their heads is commonly dependent on whom they want to shag or marry. And until we fix that, the Pink Dollar is a one-sided myth.

By D’ANNE WITKOWSKI According to the Washington Post, on Feb. 8, New Hampshire resident Timothy Kierstead, a man who said he’d been married for a “long time,” asked Marco Rubio a very important question: “Why do you want to put me back in the closet?”

“I don’t. You can live any way you want,” Rubio responded. “I just believe marriage is between one man and one woman.”

Kierstead wasn’t placated by that answer, and after some words about marriage equality, the Post reported that the tense exchange ended with Rubio disengaging and walking away.

Poor Rubio. He’s so misunderstood. People think he’s a moderate (a.k.a. “the least scary” among the GOP’s presidential contenders), but he’s really as far right as Ted Cruz. And yet Cruz seems to get all the credit—and the criticism—for these radical positions.

Everything that comes out of Cruz’s mouth sounds insane, but when Rubio says it, people are all, “Oh my, are those dimples I see?”

Just like Cruz, Rubio is anti-abortion with no exceptions for rape. Just like Cruz, Rubio supports so-called “religious freedom” laws, which are by and large aimed at protecting

Marco Rubio has formed an advisory board aimed at repealing the 2015 Supreme Court decision legalizing marriage equality. (Official photos)

those who discriminate against LGBT people.

When Rubio says, “You can live any way you want,” he’s being disingenuous at best.

Because for many same-sex couples, the way they want to live is married, and they’ve fought for that right, and all the legal protections that come with it, for decades. Rubio would like to see all of that undone. And he’s not shy about it.

February 19, 2016 Outspoken 9

CATCHING UP WITH …

Former state Rep. Rashad Taylor Only openly gay man to serve in Georgia legislature reflects on being outed and looks forward

By PATRICK SAUNDERS Rashad Taylor cleared his throat before stepping up to the microphones, wiped the sweat from his brow as numerous cameras snapped away, then looked up with a broad smile on his face, saying, “All right.”

It was May 27, 2011, and he was at a press conference at Georgia Equality’s offices at the Phillip Rush Center, flanked by his mother, other family members, fellow state legislators and LGBT activists to let the world know one thing.

“I am a gay man.”

With those words, Taylor became the only openly gay male to ever serve in the Georgia General Assembly. The decision to come out wasn’t entirely up to him, though, as the ex-boyfriend of Taylor’s then-partner had sent emails to state legislators outing him two days earlier. Taylor lost a reelection bid the following year. At least a dozen openly gay men have tried to win election to the Georgia legislature since then, and all have failed—three more will try again this year.

Taylor, now 34 and a political consultant splitting time between Atlanta and Washington, D.C., looks back on that tumultuous 48 hours before coming out and talks about his political future.

How did you first hear about the emails going around about you being gay?

I got it forwarded from a colleague in the legislature. We get weird emails from various people all the time as legislators, so it was nothing to get an outrageous email about something. My colleague said, ‘what is this?,’ so that was the first that I had heard about it or found out about it.

What were the ensuing days like for you?

That same day, I called a good friend of www.thegeorgiavoice.com

“I told people it was sort of courage thrust upon me. I really came to life and became comfortable with myself enough to reveal it to the world.

It’s not how or when I wanted it to happen but I’m glad that it happened.

I actually thanked the person that outed me months after that.”

—Rashad Taylor mine, Tharon Johnson [who served on Mayor Kasim Reed’s 2009 mayoral campaign with Taylor], and I told him what was going on and I came out. That was the first step in all of these calls, right? Coming out and telling them what was going on to get their assessment of the situation and recommendations on how to move forward.

Then I left the campaign office in Baltimore and I headed to Washington, D.C., where my mom lived, to have a conversation with her face to face. On the way I made a bunch of calls back to folks in Atlanta, five or six people who sort of made up my core inner circle. And we got on a conference call that evening after I talked to my mom and after I had a conversation with my pastor. I made the decision that the next morning I would come out.

The next morning at 6 a.m., my mom and me were on a flight to Atlanta for a press conference at 10 a.m., I didn’t sleep the entire night. I wrote my speech the next morning on the plane and when I landed I went to my house, changed my clothes, headed over to Georgia Equality and changed my life forever.

It was really based on a conversation I had with my pastor, who said that the only way to kill rumor is with truth. You know,

Rashad Taylor, 34, went back to being a political consultant and currently splits his time between Atlanta and Washington, D.C. (Courtesy photo)

nobody talks about something everybody knows. And he said it would be the best sleep that I’ve had in the past 15 years, and that my life will be different but it will be better.

And it was true; it was the best thing that I’ve ever done.

So then the 2012 election happens. How long did it take you to get over that loss?

I have on my Twitter handle that I’m a recovering politician. I’m not sure what step I am in my recovery, but I can tell other recovering politicians that it gets easier every day.

What was it that was keeping you from coming out on your own before then?

You know, I tell people that it really is an individual journey where you’ve got to become comfortable enough with yourself to the point where you can reveal it to the world. For some people it happens faster than others. I’d always expected to come out, I didn’t expect it to be that day or that time or that way but I’d always expected to do it in my own time.

I told people it was sort of courage thrust upon me. I really came to life and became comfortable with myself enough to reveal it to the world. It’s not how or when I wanted it to happen but I’m glad that it happened.

I actually thanked the person that outed me months after that.

One day at a time?

One day at a time, that’s right [laughs].

Really? How so, did you give him a call?

Yeah, we just happened to cross paths and I just told him that looking back on it, it was the best thing that could have happened to me.

What about your political future? Are you interested in making another run, either on this level or another one?

I loved my time in the legislature and my time serving in office. I did it at a young age, I got elected when I was 27, and I’ve been working in politics for a long time, you know? Really since I was 18. So taking a break from elected office I think is generally a good thing, it’s healthy and it’s been a good thing for me.

I don’t see myself going back to serve in the legislature, but I certainly am not closing the door to serving in office again. I think it’s some of the highest levels of service you can give to your community and your country. I want to keep helping good people get elected to office and I’ll make a decision down the road if I want to serve again.

February 19, 2016 Community 15

PINKDOLLAR

BANKING ON EQUALITY DURING TAX SEASON A lifetime commitment and a new tax filing status. You’ve got questions and we’ve got answers.

By LYNN PASQUALETTI Last year’s hard-fought victory at the Supreme Court has brought an overwhelming sense of joy and dignity to samesex couples across the nation, but navigating through the American tax system as a newly married couple has also been rife with confusion and questions. I’m here to answer a few of the most pressing questions I’ve received from same-sex couples now that tax season is upon us.

Can same-sex spouses file federal tax returns using a “married filing jointly” or “married filing separately” status?

Yes. Thanks to the Supreme Court ruling on June 26, 2015, in the Obergefell decision, if a same-sex couple is legally married, whether they were married in the United States or another country, the IRS and all states will recognize them as married for tax purposes. This means they will follow the same set of tax laws for heterosexual married couples. Your filing status on the last day of the calendar year will determine your filing status. If you were married or divorced as of Dec. 31, 2015, you can file as married filing jointly (MFJ) or married filing separately (MFS) if you are married on Dec. 31. If you are divorced, you will be single or head of household if

you qualify for those filing statuses. The last day of the year determines how you file for the entire year, even if you got married or divorced on the very last day of the calendar year.

If you get married during the year, you can file as married filing jointly (MFJ) or married filing separately (MFS). When you file a joint return with your spouse, you are jointly and severally liable for whatever is on the return. This means whether or not liabilities are attributed to you, if you file a joint return, you become fully responsible for liabilities on the return. If you have any concerns or do not want to take on the liabilities of your spouse, you would need to file as married filing separately.

Additionally, you would file your state returns as MFS or MFJ. What are the benefits of filing either way?

Believe it or not, there are actually marriage penalties built into the tax code. Typically if one spouse has lower or no income and the other spouse has income, it is advantageous to file a joint return at both the federal and state levels. However, if both taxpayers are in higher tax brackets, it could create more tax due to file a joint re-

turn. The “marriage penalty” kicks in once two single people each make more than $37,450 for 2015 and $37,650 for 2016.

complicated, you may need to really evaluate if MFS is worth the loss of many of the tax benefits.

If same-sex spouses (who file using the married filing separately status) have a child, which parent may claim the child as a dependent?

Normally, this should be the parent with the highest annual gross income (AGI) and because this can get a little

If an employer provided health coverage for an employee’s same-sex spouse and included the value of that coverage in the employee’s gross income, can the employee file an amended Form 1040 reflecting the employee’s status as a married individual to recover federal in-

16 Pink Dollar February 19, 2016 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

come tax paid on the value of the health coverage of the employee’s spouse?

They would not amend their returns.

Rather, under Rev. Rule 2013-17 the employer has a way to remedy this for the taxpayer so the individual should consult their HR department to get this resolved.

My understanding of this is that only the FICA/Medicare withheld will be refunded to the employee from the employer, as the federal and state taxes withheld will www.thegeorgiavoice.com

be reconciled when they file their personal income tax returns. The employer will only refund the employee’s portion of the FICA/Medicare taxes if the tax returns for which they are claiming a refund are filed as married filing jointly or married filing separately. If the taxpayer filed their returns as single or head of household and have not amended their returns to married filing jointly or married filing separately, they will need to amend their returns before re-

questing the refund from their employer.

In many cases, this may not be advantageous and could cost the taxpayer more in tax than the refund they requested.

and tax attorneys where she has taught classes to other professionals in her industry since 1992. Lynn specializes in taxation, consulting and business development.

Lynn Pasqualetti is licensed with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), the US Treasury and many states as a Continuing Professional Education (CPE) provider for certified public accountants (CPAs), enrolled agents (EAs)

Editor’s Note: This is general tax information and should not be relied upon to prepare your returns as each situation is unique and may have other variables. Please consult a CPA or EA who specializes in federal and state tax matters.

February 19, 2016 Pink Dollar 17

PINKDOLLAR

So you want to be a business owner?

Here’s some useful advice.

LGBT business owners open up about lessons learned, keys to success

By DARIAN AARON daaron@thegavoice.com Most people dream about leaving the cubicles and boardrooms of corporate America and the day-to-day execution of someone else’s vision, while others strike out on their own to make it happen. There is no shortage of local LGBT entrepreneurs who have made the leap, and equally, no shortage of dreamers who could benefit from the advice and a little nudge from those who have turned their dreams into reality.

We asked six Atlanta LGBT business owners two questions: “What do you know now that you wish you’d known at the start of your business?” and “What are some best practices that are key to your success?”

This is how they responded.

Jack Kinley CEO & Founder, Lab Monkey Communications, and Vice President of the Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce If I could tell younger Jack anything about being in business, it would be that it

done it a year or two earlier. Knowing my clients depend on me to help mold their financial future is very rewarding. Yes, it was scary at first, but the confidence and experiences I’ve gained are priceless.

As a small business owner, you must stay organized and have structure. It is important that you have workflows set up for recurring tasks. They can be set up as simple reminders or detailed steps in a process. Either way, the workflows will help you make sure nothing is missed along the way.

takes time, patience, persistence and a strong network of supporters. My confidence in my business and myself grew over time thanks in large part to the safe networking space I found in the AGLCC. I make time every Sunday morning to sit quietly and map out my three main priorities for the week. Then I schedule the rest of my tasks around those priorities. Anything that competes with my top three priorities or threatens to derail them gets delegated, delayed or discarded.

Cleo Meyer Owner, Cleo Meyer State Farm Agency Recognizing that your people are your greatest asset as a business owner is the key to success. I have since shifted my personal focus from being the most important sales person in my office to working toward constantly developing and training my people with the goal of making them the best insurance agents they can be.

Don’t be afraid to try new practices, but quickly adjust if things are not working.

Believe in yourself and deliver your service from the heart and the business will come.

Kyle Strahl Owner & Creative, KEYLAY Design, LLC There are a number of things I wish I’d known when I started KEYLAY Design seven years ago. Learn to delegate, because

you will never grow unless you start trusting in others to do the job as well as you can.

If you run a one-person shop, get used to saying “we” when referring to your team— otherwise people will always see you as an individual and might not trust your ability to accomplish their larger goal.

As for best practices, compensate your contractors quickly and with compliment whenever possible—their loyalty will grow as a result. Keep notebooks at your fingertips for spur of the moment ideas. And always call a client if you think an email will be misinterpreted.

Carol Berger Owner and President, Berger Wealth Management The thing I wish I’d known before? How great it is to be on my own! I would have

Gabrielle Claiborne & Linda Herzer Co-founders, Transformation Journeys Now we know that when we’re following our passion to change the world by doing what we love, we don’t have to go beating the bushes to find our clients; our clients find us! If we had known how much fun it was going to be to share our passion for educating people about the transgender experience, we would have founded Transformation Journeys a long time ago!

We have followed the universal “Law of the Vacuum,” and removed things from our lives that were not leading us in the direction we wanted to go. This has opened up space for new business opportunities to rush in and fill the void. Now, instead of struggling to “make things happen” we find ourselves “in the flow”—which is way more fun! It’s just like that old adage says, “Nature abhors a vacuum!”

18 Pink Dollar February 19, 2016 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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R E VI S E RT

W

S

TE

RT

T

EN

L G B T AT L A N TA AIN ME

N

SOUL SERENADE

A

RASHOD OLLISON’S

Music and culture critic’s new memoir taps into pain, triumph of a black, gay son of the South

By SHANNON HAMES

Photo by Hyunsoo Leo Kim

After a move from Baltimore to Virginia Beach to accept a position as the music writer and culture critic at the Virginian-Pilot, Rashad Ollison found himself with the need to write about his childhood journey.

Growing up in rural Arkansas amid soul music and dysfunction, Rashad took the route of introspection and saw that many of the problems that plagued his family were rooted in pain that had been passed down for generations. The result was a thoughtful, poignant book called “Soul Serenade: Rhythm, Blues, and Coming of Age Through Vinyl.”

22 A&E February 19, 2016

The Georgia Voice: What inspired you to revisit your childhood in order to write a book about it?

Rashod: After I moved to Virginia, I was in a brief and painful relationship that stirred some abandonment issues in me. I was in a very lonely and depressed place. I decided I needed to get myself together, so I started “Operation Reinvent Rashod.” I hired a therapist to help me work through my depression and abandonment issues. I also hired a fitness CONTINUES ON PAGE 23 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

black men have had.

trainer to help me get in better shape. I was wearing a size 48” waist. Finally, I wanted to challenge myself creatively as a writer. As a journalist, most of the writing I do is contextual where I report and explain things. I wanted to show a reader instead of explaining to a reader.

Initially, I wanted to appropriate parts of my childhood into a novel. But it ended up being a memoir written like a novel. I hoped that it would give the reader a visceral feel for what it was like to grow up in central Arkansas during that time as a gay AfricanAmerican male.

On your current book tour, what has it been like to meet your readers?

It has been an exhilarating, affirming experience. Some of the people who were in the book—church members, teachers—they came out to hear me read excerpts. It’s been emotional.

Why do you think audiences are con-

You wrote about how your parents both came from a place of dysfunction due to past traumas that impacted your childhood.

My mom had come from a traumatized childhood and sometimes people who experience trauma early in childhood never get to a point where they open up themselves emotionally to others. She was a reliable person and wonderful provider, but not very nurturing. My father, on the other hand, couldn’t be depended on for anything but he was very emotionally available and affectionate. Getting hugs and kisses from my dad was very validating.

When he left, that left with him. I spent a lot of time after he left looking for more of that type of validation. I finally had to learn to validate myself.

What was your experience of growing up as a gay, black kid?

I think my family knew, although there was never a “coming out” moment. I knew pretty early on what was going on with me sexually. I worked in the library at 15 and what I needed to know (like sexual health), I looked up. Other than the whispers of “He’s a fag,” I didn’t really have the harassment, rejection and other negative experiences that many other

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

ent ways. There are people who have gone through a lot of trauma that has long ago been normalized and sometimes, all some people are capable of doing to show love is to keep you fed and alive. It’s important to recognize that. These are people trying to find a way out of no way. I think everyone can relate to that.

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necting with your story?

My story is a human story of resilience, of finding your way, defining who you’re going to be and charting a course to become that despite the chaos that may be around you. I told this story through some rich and vivid cultural specificities that are unique to my black experience in central Arkansas between 1983 to 1996.

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February 19, 2016 A&E 23

ACTING OUT

By JIM FARMER

‘The Toxic Avenger’ and ‘The Sound of Music’

Cast members from the Off-Broadway hit ‘The Toxic Avenger’ now running at Horizon Theatre Company and Broadway classic ‘The Sound of Music’ at The Fox Theatre. Publicity photos)

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24 A&E February 19, 2016

Long before he hit the mainstream and won a Tony Award for writing the musical “Memphis,” out playwright Joe DiPietro wrote the lyrics for the off-Broadway hit “The Toxic Avenger,” in which an idealist scientist gets thrown into a drum of waste and emerges a green superhero.

It’s now playing at Horizon Theatre in a terrific production directed by Heidi Cline McKerley.

One of the ensemble members is openly gay Austin Tijerina, who plays a number of supporting characters, including some women.

Georgia Voice: How familiar were you with this show before you auditioned?

Tijerina: I was in New York when it came out and I was an usher for it and some other shows. And I loved it.

How many characters do you play and do you have a favorite of the characters?

I play 15, I think, and four of them are women. I think my favorite is the cop.

What about a favorite musical number?

I would say “My Big French Boyfriend” (in which a blind librarian falls for the Toxic Avenger.) I think one of my favorite parts of the show, though, is seeing (co-star) Michael Stiggers get ready to play Shinequa (one of the backup singers in one number) and really get into it.

How gay is this?

There are some obviously very gay parts.

It can be very campy.

Do you think that LGBT audiences can relate to the outsider main character?

Yes, I think that is an easy connection

Details ‘The Toxic Avenger’

Horizon Theatre 1083 Austin Ave. Atlanta, GA 30307 Through March 13 www.horizontheatre.com ‘The Sound of Music’ Fox Theatre 660 Peachtree St., NE Atlanta, GA 30308 March 1–6 www.foxtheatre.org to make. I think nowadays, though, we are more like the avengers, which is nice.

‘The Sound of Music’ Another musical about to open is the classic, “The Sound of Music,” brought to town by Broadway Across America. We caught up with out actor Christopher Carl, a Broadway veteran who spent three years in the New York cast of “Mamma Mia!,” who plays Admiral von Schreiber.

Georgia Voice: Why does “The Sound of Music” hold up?

Carl: I think there is a universal message in the show about good triumphing evil. I think that is one thing that never gets old. It exudes warmth, it’s about family, but it’s also more than that. That is why it is such an audience pleaser.

To me, for the main characters in the show, it’s all about people who fight a nemesis, like this looming darkness on the horizon. That is a gay and lesbian life. You live with this looming out there. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

EATING MY WORDS

By CLIFF BOSTOCK

Craving more at ‘Bread & Butterfly’ “’Crawling at your feet,’ said the Gnat (Alice drew her feet back in some alarm), ‘you may observe a Bread-and-butter-fly. Its wings are thin slices of bread-and-butter, its body is a crust, and its head is a lump of sugar.’”

You won’t find insects on the menu of Billy Allin’s new restaurant, Bread and Butterfly (290 Elizabeth St., 678-515-4536), but you’ll find plenty of playfulness worthy of the quote above from Lewis Carroll’s trippy kids’ book, “Through the Looking Glass.”

Some history: Allin’s original restaurant, Cakes & Ale (155 Sycamore St., 404-3777994) in Decatur, is a foodie favorite. He opened the restaurant 10 years ago, and it was among the city’s first to rely on uncomplicated, pointed flavors of sourced, often local ingredients.

Last year, he began a thoughtful expansion when he opened the addictive Proof Bakeshop (100 Hurt St., 678-705-3905) across from the Inman Park MARTA station. It serves a limited lunch and breakfast menu, including maybe the best Monte Cristo I’ve ever eaten.

The main deal is the decadent pastries. Just go.

The new Butterfly will instantly remind you of a Paris bistro. Large windows are trimmed in dark green. Round tables and a dark-blue bar are topped with white marble. A black banquette stretches across a bright green, tiled bar.

The only thing that doesn’t remind me of a Paris bistro is the seating. You don’t have to sit knee-to-knee with your neighbor.

I’ve had one dinner with friends at Butterfly. The menu is mainly shareable small plates.

Among those on our table were sliced Cherry Belle and D’Avignon radishes with impossibly rich Devon cream butter and crumbled, cured egg yolk. This was the only dish I don’t rate an A. It was all crunch with no peppery zing.

On the other hand, a side of braised Hakurei turnips was heavenly. You get a tender, barely crisp taste that’s typically earthy but followed by a strong shot of sweetness. A three-salad plate features lentils, beets, and celery root, all elegantly married to individual seasonings. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

‘Bread & Butterfly’s’ Burger Américain served on a brioche bun with Swiss, caramelized onion, grain mustard & mayonnaise.

Three entrees were available the night of my visit, including a moan-worthy burger with caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, mustard, and mayo with a side of thin, super-crisp fries. Another friend and I chose an amazing half-chicken anointed in crème- fraîche and then roasted and served thoroughly juicy, with lightly seasoned skin. My tablemate complained that his chicken was not fully cooked because of a bit of pink near the bone. I had no problem with that, but cooking fancy, well-bred chickens does seem to be challenging. They can be a bit stringy, especially if overcooked.

Next time I visit, I plan to order the red snapper baked in parchment served with olive relish and beurre blanc.

Dessert? I knew I’d be waddling from the table, but I can never resist pecan pie. This one was made with chocolate chips.

I can’t wait to try breakfast, lunch, and weekend brunch here too. Allin’s perfectionism and a stellar staff on the floor and in the kitchen will make this as popular as Cakes & Ale, no doubt.

Cliff Bostock, PhD, is a longtime Atlanta food critic and former psychotherapist who now practices life coaching for creative types; 404-518-4415.

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Our Guide to the Best LGBT Events in Atlanta for Feb. 19-March 3

ST BET S

BE

L G B T AT L A N TA EV

ENTS

SATURDAY, FEB. 20

Atlanta Lyric Theatre has opened the musical, “The Full Monty,” the tale of everyday blokes in Buffalo dropping trousers to raise money, with a gay subplot, tonight at 8 p.m. running through Feb. 28, www.atlantalyrictheatre.com (Publicity photo)

FRIDAY, FEB. 19

SCAD FASH, the Savannah College of Art and Design’s museum celebrating fashion and film, presents “Be Yourself; Everyone Else Is Already Taken”—the first U.S. exhibition featuring the work of artist, stylist and designer Daniel Lismore— through April 1, www.scadfash.org

EVENT SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY, FEB. 20

“Art AIDS America,” is an exhibition that reveals for the first time how the AIDS crisis forever changed American art. Its stop at Kennesaw State University’s Zuckerman Museum of Art is the only Southern stop on its national tour, zuckerman. kennesaw.edu. (Photo via Facebook)

26 Best Bets February 19, 2016

The Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce has rescheduled its Friday, Jan. 4 event to tonight. It’s a combined membership drive and networking night, 5:30–7:30 p.m., Atlanta History Center, 130 West Paces Ferry Rd. NW, Atlanta, GA 30305

SATURDAY, FEB. 20

The Atlanta Rollergirls host a double feature game today, 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Yaarab Shrine Center, 400 Ponce De Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30308 LGBT writer Rashod Ollison reads from his new memoir, “Soul Serenade:

Rhythm, Blues & Coming of Age Through Vinyl” at A Cappella Books, 6 p.m., www.acappellabooks.com Now in its sixth year, PBJ Gallery hosts “Body and Soul,” which celebrates the male nude form. Artists involved include videographer Drew Davis, presenting an erotic video short, and award-winning photographers Bob Burkhardt and Trevor Green. An artist and model reception lasts from 7–10 p.m. The show will be on display through March 18. www.pbj-gallery.com Leather & Lace—ATL will bring together the worlds of leather and drag for an amazing performance show to benefit Lost-NFound Youth. Performers will be donating tips, Jell-O shooters, and 50/50 raffle ticket sales, 8–10 p.m., Atlanta Eagle, www.atlantaeagle.com International DJ sensation Paulo spins at the Heretic, with doors opening at 10 p.m., www.hereticatlanta.com

SUNDAY, FEB. 21

Hotlanta Softball League hosts a New Player Day at Piedmont Park Field 1, 12:30 p.m., followed by a draft party and beer bust with DJ Linedrive from 4–6 p.m. at Atlanta Eagle, www.atlantaeagle.com The PFLAG Support Group for parents and families of LGBTQ individuals meets from 2:30–4 p.m. today, Spiritual Living Center of Atlanta, 1730 Northeast Expressway NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 It’s that time again—time to come together at Amsterdam Atlanta to celebrate and remember the time and place that was The Armory, hosted by Jimmy Sugarbaker, Joel Bradshaw, Mitch Grooms, Wild Cherry Sucret, and Bubba Dee. Reception will start at 3:30 p.m. with DJ Christopher Kind with a show at 5 p.m., including past and current members of The Armorettes and Armory Divas. Drinks will be served by some of your favorite Armory bartenders, Alan B Creasy, Mitch

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Grooms, and Vaughn Ritschel. All funds raised go to persons living with and affected by HIV and AIDS, 3:30–7:30 p.m., www.amsterdamatlanta.com

TELL US ABOUT YOUR LGBT EVENT

Written by out Joe DiPietro, Horizon Theatre’s very funny musical, “The Toxic Avenger” runs through March 13, with a 5 p.m. show today, www.horizontheatre.com

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

MONDAY, FEB. 22

Play Texas Hold ‘Em for free tonight at 8:30 with all sorts of prizes, Friends on Ponce, www.friendsonponce-atl.com

J’s Lounge is the home for Rainbow Tuesdays, with Dymond Onasis and Nicole Paige Brooks leading the fun and DJ Destin providing house music, 1995 Windy Hill Road #1, Smyrna, GA 30080

TUESDAY, FEB. 23

Art It Out Therapy Center is now offering an Expressive Art Therapy Group for LGBTQ Teens on Tuesdays.

Through art, the group will explore self-identity, coping with stress, intimate and parental relationships, and coming out. 7 p.m., 255 Village Parkway (in Paper Mill Village), Suite 580, Marietta, GA 30067 Come join Game Night w/ Trivia with host Jason Walker, 8:30–10 p.m., The Hideaway, www.atlantahideaway.com

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24

Join Charis and SONG (Southerners On New Ground) to celebrate the release of “When We Fight, We Win,” featuring stories of radical 21st century activists including SONG’s own co-director, Paulina Helm-Hernandez. Longtime social activist Greg Jobin-Leeds joins forces with AgitArte, a collective of artists and organizers, to capture the stories, philosophy, tactics, and art of today’s leading social change movements. Now, in a visually rich and deeply inspiring book, the leaders and activists of these and other movements distill their wisdom, sharing lessons of what makes and what hinders transformative social change. 7:30–9 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com

THURSDAY, FEB. 25

Enjoy Country Night at 7 p.m., Woofs Atlanta, www.woofsatlanta.com The Pretty Girl Hideout Thursdays is tonight, hosted by Mook Dahost, Soul Bar at Pal’s Lounge, 254 Auburn Ave., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.traxxgirls.com

FRIDAY, FEB. 26

Mistress Kountessa presents Unchained, a free, extreme fetish nightclub event, featuring dominatrices Mistress Ultra Violet, Samantha Strong, Ayn Rules, Gianna Monticello and Mistress Vanity Vain, with burlesque, Grinder shows, miscellaneous performances, go-go dancers, demos and interac-

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2

It’s Piano Night at Mixx Atlanta with Happy Hour from 4–9 p.m., www.mixxatlanta.com

THURSDAY, FEB. 25

Out On Film hosts a free, pre-Oscar screening of the now-classic romance, “The Way He Looks,” at 7 p.m. at the Midtown Art Cinema, with Oscars trivia, prizes, and the launch of a new website. RSVP at info@outonfilm.org (Publicity photo) tive stations, fire and wax, a large dungeon play area and more. 9 p.m.–3 a.m., Atlanta Eagle, www.atlantaeagle.com

SATURDAY, FEB. 27

“The Danish Girl,” “Carol,” and a lot of white people contend for the Academy Awards tonight, 8 p.m., ABC, www.oscars.org

DJ Tommy spins tonight while the boys of BJ’s come out, 9 p.m., BJ Roosters, 2043 Cheshire Bridge Rd., Atlanta, GA 30324

Ten Atlanta and David Atlanta host Oscar night, 8 p.m., www.tenatlanta.com

DJ Caprice spins at Bulldogs, 893 Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA, 30308

Join Blake’s for trivia every Monday night, with $250 in prizes up for grabs and special guest hosts every week, www.blakesontheparkatlanta.com

OurSong, Atlanta’s Gay and Lesbian Chorus, presents an encore performance of Dan Forrest’s “Requiem for the Living” at 7:30 p.m. in the First Baptist Church of Decatur. This concert will benefit four partner organizations: PFLAG, Lost-n-Found Youth, Living Room Atlanta, and Decatur First United Methodist Church, 308 Clairemont Ave., Decatur, GA 30030

SUNDAY, FEB. 28

Dee Martello, aka Twisted Dee, spins at Xion Atlanta at 3 a.m., www.facebook.com/events/1651890191744720 From the movies to television, a cappella is soaring in popularity. “Vocalosity” captures this excitement live, onstage.

Twelve performers, in unlimited combinations, explore styles from oldies to the most YouTube-worthy hits. Fox Theatre, 6:30–p.m., www.foxtheatre.org

MONDAY, FEB. 29

TUESDAY, MARCH 1

Make your lunch break a networking opportunity and connect with business professionals, small business owners, job seekers and community supporters to expand your circle of influence and grow your business at Connecting Atlanta, a networking lunch by MAAP (Metro Atlanta Association of Professionals). Join MAAP at Egg Harbor Café the first Tuesday of every month from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a networking lunch. There is no set price; just pay for your meal on your way out. The event is limited to 20 participants. Please preregister by emailing Todd Cosper at tcosper@maapatl.org.

My Sister’s Room hosts Karaoke Night starting at 9 p.m., with $2 tacos and all sorts of drink specials, www.mysistersroom.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 3

Building on the activist tradition of consciousness-raising groups, each month Charis invites community members to join The Personal is Still Political: Feminist Vent, a lightly facilitated group to talk about issues in their personal lives or in society as a whole that they are trying to process or deconstruct. The group will then use intersectional feminist strategies as tools to help talk through those issues. People of all genders, levels of political experience, and education are welcome. 7:30–9 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com Join KJ Steve for karaoke, 9 p.m.–1 a.m., Faces Lounge, www.faceslounge.com

SOLUTION TO PUZZLE ON PAGE 31

Phat Tuesdays is a night featuring Atlanta’s most talented plus-size divas, including Shavonna Brooks and Extasy Grey, Jungle, www.jungleatl.com

February 19, 2016 Best Bets 27

!

S K EE

W L A FIN

OUTSIDE THE BOX

By BILL KAELIN

Atlanta’s LGBT community deserves respect

© Peter Essick, Afternoon Thunderstorm, Garnet Lake, CA, 2010. Image courtesy of Lumière.

This year marks my 20th anniversary living in Atlanta. I moved here the summer before the Olympics, and I can still remember the uncertainty this Midwestern boy had before moving to the “dirty South.” I was a Northerner with some stereotypical images of the South, and I was newly out of the closet.

I had some fears walking into my new adventure. I wondered if I would be welcomed with open arms or would wake up one morning with burning crosses in my front yard.

Surprisingly, I walked right into one of the biggest, most vibrant, out and open gay communities in the country. In 1995, Midtown was a much different place from now.

Locally owned hot spots like Urban Coffee Bungalow and Outwrite Bookstore were my neighbors long before all the Starbucks arose, and it seemed the only people living in Midtown were artists, progressives, the homeless and the gays. I can still remember the first day I arrived in Atlanta and drove down Piedmont through Cheshire Bridge and saw it lined with rainbow flags. I immediately felt safe, at home and for the first time in my life: empowered.

Our community’s vision, money and support are what have made Midtown and Atlanta what they are today. I have grown up a lot since those early days and it’s been fun to watch our city expand and evolve along with me, but when our state government starts proposing anti-LGBT legislation, it makes me want to withdraw all my cash and move out for good.

The LGBT community has a long history of turning undesirable neighborhoods into vibrant, thriving areas. Don’t we deserve some respect and thanks for making Atlanta one of the most desirable places in the country to live?

I often pitch Atlanta to my friends who live in other places. I am proud that we are the home of my idol, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and that we have rolling hills and winding roads that are covered with a natu-

“The LGBT community has a long history of turning undesirable neighborhoods into vibrant, thriving areas. Don’t we deserve some respect and thanks for making Atlanta one of the most desirable places in the country to live?” ral canopy of trees. We have the luxury of getting to enjoy all four seasons, but with the nicest of them lasting the longest. We are only an hour away from the Blue Ridge Mountains, four hours from the beach, and have the world’s busiest airport that allows us to escape to cities all over the world. Our art, entertainment and food scenes rival any world-class city and revitalization projects like the Atlanta Beltline and Ponce City Market are connecting dozens of different neighborhoods like never before. The LGBT community has helped build all of these things that have made us the unofficial Capital Of The South, so why are we constantly fighting to be respected?

Didn’t our state government officials learn anything from last year’s Indiana “Religious Freedom” debacle? Maybe they should be reminded that they should never bite the hands that have been feeding our local economy for years or we might just bite back. I never thought I would have stayed here as long as I have, but Atlanta has become home. I know I have been very good to this city and she has been good to me. I just wish our government leaders would return the respect, back off, and say thank you to our community for helping to make Atlanta what it is today.

Bill Kaelin is the owner of Bill Kaelin Marketing Events and Consulting Agency in Atlanta. www.BillKaelin.com

28 Columnists February 19, 2016 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID

By MELISSA CARTER

Investing in Millie Pete What would you do if you had all the pink dollars in the world? Buy a new car or home, make those long-sought improvements to your existing home, or take that exotic vacation you’ve dreamed of for years? I’ve considered all those things too, but a recent experience with my mother made me realize I’d invest in a whole lot of paint.

My mother, Millie Pete, recently had a minor fall in her apartment and the unfortunate way she landed broke some small bones in her wrist. This caused her to spend some more time in the medical rehab facility where she stayed in December with pneumonia.

In this phase of when-it-rains-it-pours for mom, she had time to see what it’s like to be an elderly patient in a strange place.

First, she realized everyone assumes she has dementia. Either by the way they talk to her, or attempt to avoid her, mom says she found it hard to connect with the staff if the assumption was there, since no one would pay particular attention to what they assumed were disconnected thoughts.

Secondly, she was left alone a lot. Unless she had to be escorted to the gym for her exercise or was brought a meal, there was very little interaction with the staff. Spending too much time alone can be monotonous, and can add a large amount of stress if you feel detached from the world around you.

Third, she was scared. My mother is pretty tough and can handle most situations. That doesn’t mean she isn’t nervous, and she needs to feel protected and appreciated. The more anxious she became, the harder it was for her to express herself effectively, which further convinced others she had mental issues.

This is certainly not criticism of the staff and fellow patients at her rehab center, nor is it a commentary on the mentally ill, since this is not an isolated incident but a societal issue. During the experience, I realized that the elderly and children have a lot in comwww.thegeorgiavoice.com

“Just as I have spent a lifetime trying to feel included and safe, I would try to do the same for people like my mom when life isn’t going their way. Her hospital room would be adorned in bright, hopeful hues…” mon when it comes to battling any illness.

Both groups have a harder time expressing their true feelings and are seen as lesser than those of a different age, and this can hinder their healing in a hospital situation. Yet a children’s hospital is filled with color and entertainment, while places geared toward the elderly rarely offer anything similar.

What would I do with my money? Just as I have spent a lifetime trying to feel included and safe, I would try to do the same for people like my mom when life isn’t going their way. Her hospital room would be adorned in bright, hopeful hues, and the clowns, musicians, and storytellers I hired would wander the halls to make sure no one is alone for too long. The life of my mother and her peers isn’t over yet, and regardless of how much longer she or they may have on this earth, everyone should be treated as if they belong, especially when they’re sick.

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Melissa Carter is one of the Morning Show hosts on B98.5. In addition, she is a writer for the Huffington Post. She is recognized as one of the first out radio personalities in Atlanta and one of the few in the country. Follow her on Twitter@MelissaCarter February 19, 2016 Columnists 29

SOMETIMES ‘Y’

By RYAN LEE

On LGBT rights: Scalia was the supreme loser Given his lifetime appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court, there was no way Justice Antonin Scalia was going to end his war of intolerance against LGBT Americans, women and minorities other than by dying. So, from a strict constructionist perspective, I’m glad he is dead.

My sympathy goes out to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and others who were able to find endearing, loveable qualities in someone who cultivated a most spiteful public persona, but I won’t feign any personal sorrow that Scalia’s heart stopped beating. I doubt a man with such an acerbic pen and disposition, someone who assaulted political correctness (and basic politeness) in his judicial rationalizations of inequality, would expect to be mourned by those he considered inferior.

Scalia’s passing renews my optimism for things like criminal justice reform, redistricting, and maintaining protections for affirmative action and a woman’s right to choose. In regards to LGBT progress, Scalia’s death feels almost inconsequential, as, frankly, he was the high court’s biggest loser on our issues.

When Colorado voters approved a state constitutional amendment to prohibit LGBT residents from enjoying any and all rights, including protection from discrimination, in the early 1990s, Scalia wrote that it was “not the manifestation of a ‘bare ... desire to harm’ homosexuals ... but is rather a modest attempt by seemingly tolerant Coloradans to preserve traditional mores against the efforts of a politically powerful minority.”

According to Scalia’s 18th-Century understanding of our world, the persecuted group that lost in Colorado was “politically powerful,” while the group that enshrined discrimination into the state constitution was “tolerant.” Thankfully, Scalia’s poisonous reasoning was in the minority when the justices ruled in Romer v. Evans, and Colorado’s bigoted amendment was struck down 6-3 in the first LGBT rights case to reach the high court.

Seven years later, when the Supreme Court ruled in Lawrence v. Texas that states could no longer imprison LGBT Americans for engaging in consensual sexual acts with

“A man who believed that Reconstruction should be the baseline for modern human rights is not someone I will miss influencing our nation’s parameters of equality.” a person of the same sex, Scalia characterized the decision as “a massive disruption of the current social order.” Unable to seduce his colleagues with his colonial-era paranoia, Scalia was again on the losing side of a 6-3-landmark decision.

He was also among the defeated justices in United States v. Windsor, which struck down portions of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and he was subjected to an indignity that felt appropriate for a sore loser. Scalia’s dissent was characteristically loaded with predictions of the dire consequences that Windsor would unleash upon our country, only to have his words used by a dozen federal judges to bolster the case for marriage equality nationwide.

When the Supreme Court decided whether marriage equality was the law of the land in Obergefell v. Hodges last year, Scalia was, per usual, leader of the losers.

“When the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified in 1868, every State limited marriage to one man and one woman, and no one doubted the constitutionality of doing so,” Scalia wrote in his Obergefell dissent. “That resolves these [2015] cases.”

A man who believed that Reconstruction should be the baseline for modern human rights is not someone I will miss influencing our nation’s parameters of equality. I only hope Scalia’s bloated corpse leaves enough room in the casket or crematorium for his expired ideology to be put to rest as well.

Ryan Lee is an Atlanta writer.

30 Columnists February 19, 2016 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

LAST WORD QPuzzle EASY TO REMEMBER

ACROSS 1 Deep throat problem 6 _Lawrence of Arabia_, e.g.

10 He “Looks Like a Lady” to Aerosmith 14 Style Tracy Turnblad’s hair 15 Vegetable soup bean 16 Shakespeare’s Hathaway 17 Kofi of the UN 18 Debtor’s slips 19 Neighbor of Minn.

20 Area of concern for Natalie Cole 23 Bowie collaborator Brian 24 Dildo batteries 25 Closemouthed 28 Prisoner’s term 31 Extremely hard 33 Brewing tank 34 Maugham’s _Cakes and ___ _ 35 AfterEllen.com and others 36 Area of concern for Natalie Cole 39 Son of Adam and Eve 41 Ballerina’s perch 42 Mean Amin 43 Ann-___ of _Grease_ 45 They may act up 49 “___ little silhouetto of a man ...”

50 Dusk, to Dickinson 51 “Cool” amount

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52

57 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66

Iconic song that Natalie Cole sang with her dad Anderson of TV and film Peter Nero’s 88 Porn director Francis Ballet skirt Ready to eat, like a fruit Tough to climb Deity in Kahlo’s land Colony dwellers Well-hung, e.g.

DOWN 1 Hotties in a gay bar get these 2 Rent payer 3 Ill will 4 Morales of movies 5 Elizabeth of _Transamerica_ 6 Half-brother of Chaz 7 Upright, but probably not erect 8 Don of radio 9 Playbill list 10 “I Will Survive” genre 11 Secret target that may be hairy 12 Crime lab study 13 Cartoon squeal 21 Secrete white stuff 22 Suffix for Juan 26 NBC sketch source

27 29 30 31 32

34 36 37 38 39 40 44 45 46 47 48 50 53 54 55 56 57 58

Cause of Venus envy?

Rupert Everett’s Dr. Claw, e.g.

T, as in Torah He was a knockout at the gym Straying from the inclusive norm, perhaps Absorbed, as a loss To this, to Evan Wolfson Simple sack Puts the finger on a bad man Mate in Montreal U. degrees Eng. flyers Witherspoon’s favorite cups?

One who comes slowly Easter flowers Yawning Disney dwarf _Aida_ setting Stew veggie Leather strap for a stallion New Age composer John Butch’s part in a choir Ford of old Yves’s “yes”

Answers on page 27

February 19, 2016 Last Word 31

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