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, 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_Hugo_r1v1jl.indd All Pages
HUGO LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 1995 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT
KEEP CONNECTING. 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 Hugo’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.
4/26/21 4:07 PM
voice
georgia VOL.12 • ISSUE 4
GUEST EDITORIAL
ABOUT THE COVER: Cover photo by Shutterstock.com / Eugene Onischenko
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
Deputy Editor: Katie Burkholder
kburkholder@thegavoice.com
Editorial Contributors: Conswella Bennett, Melissa Carter, María Helena Dolan, Michael Dubin, M.A. Jim Farmer, Buck Jones, Bill Kaelin, 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 $60 per year. Checks or credit card orders can be sent to Tim Boyd, tboyd@thegavoice.com Postmaster: Send address changes to Georgia Voice, PO Box 77401, Atlanta, GA 30357. Georgia Voice is published twice a month by Georgia Voice, LLC. Individual subscriptions are $60 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.
Join us online: facebook.com/thegavoice twitter.com/thegavoice instagram.com/thegeorgiavoice youtube.com/user/GAVoice
4 Editorial May 7, 2021
PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / NATASA ADZIC
The Geometry of Choice Michael Dubin, M.A., Counselor at Living Skills, Inc. Do you ever stop and think about the number of choices you make every single day? From the moment you open your eyes, you are choosing to do or not do something. How good are the choices you make? Do you ever stop to evaluate them? Are they good, bad, or neutral? Further, when you make a bad or neutral choice, does it register differently with you than when you make a good one? Do you take your good choices for granted? How about your bad and neutral ones? We don’t always pay attention to our choices, because many of those that we make are habitual. Habitual choices are those that have become automatic. I don’t consciously choose to feed the cat while my coffee is brewing. It is something I do every morning without thinking about it. I leave my keys in the same place every time so I don’t have to think about where to leave my keys. No thought involved, but with both of these examples, a choice was made. Then there are choices made around the initial choice. If I want to have coffee, how many cups do I want this morning? Do I want my usual Folgers or do I want one of Peet’s varieties? These kinds of choices define the area around that initial determination of having coffee or going out to lunch. In geometry, the initial choice to go out, for example, would be a single point on the page.
The rest of the choices supporting that initial decision — what kind of food, etc. — define the area around it: length times width = area.
People are basically good. People are selfish and rotten. The world is a friendly place. The world is a scary place.
Then there are the choices that define the volume (length times width times depth) of our lives in which all of those things happen. These are the fundamental choices that we make about ourselves, our beliefs, our emotions, other people, our relationships, our work, how we see rest of the world. They shape and mold, and in many cases twist and distort, the choices we make on a daily basis. They not only affect the individual ones that define a singular point in space and time, but all the others we make around those individual choices. Here are some examples of the kinds of foundational choices we might make, and keep in mind that sometimes we make a number of fundamental decisions that come to define who we are and how we live our lives:
All the many choices contained within the volume of that cube of choice are defined by these fundamental decisions.
I am good enough. I am not good enough. I can forgive myself. I am unforgivable. I can trust myself. I can’t trust myself. I seek to be understanding of others. I only try to understand people who try to understand me first. Love heals. Love hurts. I can easily create successes. I have to struggle with everything. I can handle it when challenges arise. I have to control everything so there are no surprises. I can handle my feelings. I avoid my feelings. I am responsible for my life, the good and the bad. I get to blame everybody else for anything bad in my life. I get to decide what matters in my life. I let other people tell me what matters in life.
It is always a good idea to review the choices we make — both the simple, point-in-time ones and those we make around them that make them happen. It’s also a good idea to evaluate and review the environment, the structure of our own direction and design, that we have created for ourselves by the big choices, the foundational choices we make about ourselves and our lives. Do you make good or bad choices? Do you practice making them? Do you think about their potential impacts and outcomes? Do you look at the really big foundational choices that don’t often come up for review? As you review and revise the big, fundamental choices you make, the single point-in-time choices you make will change. And as those choices change, the choices that you make around those single choices will change. And as all of those choices change, your life will change. Change for the better. Living Skills offers positive psychology counseling, spiritual counseling and life coaching services in Atlanta focused on, but not exclusively for, the LGBTQ community. Sessions are available via Skype. Learn more by emailing livingskillsinc@gmail.com. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
NEWS BRIEFS
Mayoral Candidate Felicia Moore COURTESY PHOTO
Staff Reports Mayoral Candidate Felicia Moore Hosts Meet and Greet Mayoral candidate and Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore will be meeting constituents on the patio of X Midtown on Wednesday, May 12, from 6pm. to 8pm. Moore will highlight her platform and its effects on the LGBTQ community, and guests will have the opportunity to ask her questions relating to Atlanta’s LGBTQ community. Complimentary cocktails and appetizers will be offered to guests, and masks are required. To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/o/ felicia-moore-for-mayor-33125006201. Anti-LGBTQ Bills Pass Legislatures of Four States Four state legislatures have passed antiLGBTQ legislation in the past week. The state legislatures of both Arizona and Tennessee passed laws that ban teachers from mentioning LGBTQ people without parental approval. Tennessee’s HB 529 requires schools to notify parents if sexual orientation or gender identity will be mentioned in class 30 days prior, and parents have the ability to opt their children out. The bill was passed by the state senate by a vote of 64-23. The bill has yet to be signed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee. Arizona’s bill is much stricter; SB 1456 requires parental permission to opt students into any lesson or discussion on gender identity, sexual orientation, or HIV/AIDS. The bill passed the Republican -controlled House along party lines and has passed the state senate. Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has yet to sign it into law. The legislatures of Alabama and North Dakota passed laws banning transgender girls from participating in school sports. North Dakota’s senate passed a ban on students from playing on K-12 sports teams that don’t match their assigned sex at birth. The bill passed the state senate by a vote of 27-20 after passing the state house on Wednesday with a 69-25 vote. A similar bill was passed in Alabama by 25-5 in the house and 76-13 in the senate. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has not yet said whether she would sign the bill into law. 6 News Briefs May 7, 2021
Just days before the two bills were passed, the NCAA Board of Governors released a statement of support of transgender participation in collegiate sports.
barring discrimination in housing against LGBTQ people and was widely expected to be scrapped in the Biden administration, won’t be implemented.
“The NCAA Board of Governors firmly and unequivocally supports the opportunity for transgender student-athletes to compete in college sports,” the statement reads. “This commitment is grounded in our values of inclusion and fair competition … Inclusion and fairness can coexist for all studentathletes, including transgender athletes, at all levels of sport.”
“Access to safe, stable housing — and shelter — is a basic necessity,” Fudge said. “Unfortunately, transgender and gender nonconforming people report more instances of housing instability and homelessness than cisgender people. Today, we are taking a critical step in affirming HUD’s commitment that no person be denied access to housing or other critical services because of their gender identity. HUD is open for business for all.”
The NCAA further insinuated that championships may not be held in states with anti-trans legislation: “When determining where championships are held, NCAA policy directs that only locations where hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination should be selected.” HUD Withdraws Proposed Trump-era Rule Allowing Anti-trans Discrimination The Biden administration announced it has formally withdrawn a rule proposed in the Trump era by the Department of Housing & Urban Development that would allowed taxpayer-funded homeless shelter to turn away transgender people on the basis of their gender identity. HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said in a statement the proposed regulation, which would have weakened the Equal Access Rule
The Trump administration ended this year without HUD making final, which was proposed in July 2020 under former HUD Secretary Ben Carson. It’s not clear why HUD never went through with making its rule final unlike other changes undoing regulations barring discrimination on the basis of transgender status made during the Obama years, which could be due to the volume of comments, public backlash over the anti-trans regulation or simply incompetence in the Trump administration. The Trump administration’s proposed regulation would allow federally funded single-sex homeless shelters to turn away transgender people seeking emergency housing. The sole basis would be the staff perception on whether or not that transgender person appears sufficiently masculine or feminine to be housed in that facility. Read these stories and more online at thegavoice.com. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
NEWS
Transgender Sports Bans are a Solution Looking for a Problem Sydney Norman
“Shannon Clawson, the Outreach Manager at Georgia Equality, calls these bills ‘solutions in search of a problem,’ comparing them to the slew of bathroom ban bills that were proposed several years ago, such as the HB2 bill in North Carolina.”
Six point eight million: that’s the number of children who are already students in school systems with trans-inclusive policies in place, allowing transgender students to play on teams with their correct gender. Throughout these systems, few to no issues have arisen. These school systems use their policies to create an all-inclusive environment for both cisgender and transgender youths in their athletic programs, all while maintaining a level playing field. Recently, several states have passed or proposed bills banning transgender students from playing in-school sports on teams with their correct gender, instead forcing them to play as the gender they were assigned at birth. Shannon Clawson, the Outreach Manager at Georgia Equality, calls these bills “solutions in search of a problem,” comparing them to the slew of bathroom ban bills that were proposed several years ago, such as the HB2 bill in North Carolina. Clawson also emphasized that allowing transgender children to participate in school sports as their correct gender not only helps to affirm their gender identity and make them feel safe and welcomed in a supporting environment, but also has the same benefits that school sports have for any other student. They create tight-knit friend groups which can foster a safe space for students as well as teaching leadership, teamwork, and decision-making skills which have real world benefits throughout life. Allowing transgender children to participate on the correct teams can also help benefit their mental health, which is key for transgender children. According to the CDC, “35% of trans students have already attempted suicide by the time they reach high school.” According to Clawson, “the last thing we 8 News May 7, 2021
Shannon Clawson, the Outreach Manager at Georgia Equality PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK
need are policies that further isolate and stigmatize these children.”
traumatizing experience that could stay with a child as they develop.
Many politicians have claimed that these bills are here to increase fairness and are being drafted in order to “protect” cisgender female athletes, but Clawson points out that the best way to help female athletes would be to provide better funding for their programs, increase Title IX reporting, and support female coaches. Many of these bills require that students “confirm their gender.” While the bills are not particularly clear about the processes that would be used to confirm a child’s gender, Clawson points out that these bills state nothing about intersex children or cisgender children who do not conform to traditional gender stereotypes. Any child going through puberty is prone to body image issues and insecurities regardless of their gender identity, and being forced to go through invasive examinations or submit personal medical records could be a
Many of the bills recently passed or proposed have also targeted the medical treatment of transgender children. According to a BBC World News report, a recent ban passed by the Republican-controlled House and Senate in Arkansas (despite being vetoed by the Republican governor for being what he deemed a “vast government overreach”) “in effect bans doctors from providing puberty blockers, or from referring them to other providers for the treatment.” When commenting on these medical bans, Clawson says that these types of bans are the “hardest on transgender children and parents.” Treatment that can help put off the effects of puberty for transgender children is lifesaving, and criminalizing the doctors who provide this essential care to these children helps no one. Clawson says that encouraging
doctors to practice in the rural areas of states like Arkansas or Georgia is already difficult enough. Stacking additional legislation against medical professionals does no favors for any politician or constituent seeking a sound medical system in their area. These bans may seem to be about fairness on the surface, but they are simply working to alienate a small, already vulnerable portion of the population. Treating transgender students as their correct gender from 8am to 3pm, only to treat them as their incorrect gender from 3pm to 5pm, creates a confusing, nonaffirming, and potentially hostile environment. It sends the message to all students that transgender students are not to be treated with respect. These bans seem to be Republican representatives using buzz words and hot topics to gain support from their followers by perpetuating their fight against trans inclusion in public spaces. Now that the bathroom ban bills have fizzled out, they’re moving on to infringing upon the rights of minors. These bills are harmful not only to transgender children, but to communities, athletic programs, and medical systems as a whole, and they need to stop now. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
TheGeorgiaVoice.com
May 7, 2021 Ads 9
COMMUNITY
2021 Atlanta Sports Preview Katie Burkholder
Front Runners Atlanta PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK
With vaccinations rolling out and COVID-19 slowly but surely receding in our rearview mirror, Atlanta sports are beginning to return to normal. The Braves and Atlanta United both announced they would be returning to fullcapacity seating at Truist Park and MercedesBenz Stadium, respectively. Truist Park will be resuming 100 percent capacity seating starting with the Braves’ homestand against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 7, and Mercedes-Benz will be full capacity starting with the soccer team’s match against CF Montreal on May 15. The Falcons intend to be at full capacity when they return to Mercedes-Benz stadium this fall, according to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The Hawks are also increasing attendance in light of the COVID-19 vaccines. State Farm Arena will allow 45 percent capacity — or 7,625 seats — for the postseason, which begins on May 18. The Hawks opened the 2020–21 season with no fans in attendance before increasing to 1,300 attendees on January 26 and later 3,000 fans on March 13. Professional sports aren’t the only athletics coming back in full force in Atlanta; LGBTQ teams are reemerging, as well. Hotlanta Softball is marking its 40th anniversary this year and will celebrate with an event on June 26. “The Hotlanta Softball League was founded in 1981 with just a few teams that wanted to get together in an inclusive environment and play softball,” Commissioner Kyle Miller told Georgia Voice. “Not much has changed since then, except that we are now known to be one of the most successful and best leagues in the country.” Miller exclusively told Georgia Voice that 10 Community May 7, 2021
the celebration will “feature a full-plated meal, include members new and current in our Hall of Fame, entertainment, and a mix of current and past stories and images of our league from the past 40 years.” More information on the event will be announced. Hotlanta Softball’s normal park, Johnson Park, was closed due to the pandemic. However, the team has returned to the park since its reopening at the start of May. Their season started on April 11 and ends June 27. Learn more at hotlantasoftball.org. Front Runners Atlanta is hosting its annual Atlanta Pride Run and Walk on June 20. The 5k race and fundraiser is returning to in-person after last year’s run — the 30th anniversary of the event — was hosted virtually because of the pandemic. The race will be held at Piedmont Park at 8am, and registration is $35 (Front Runners members
get discounted registration). The event, which raises money for community partner Joining Hearts, aligns with Front Runners’ mission of building an accepting community. “While the world has become more accepting, having queer spaces or groups with people who share similar experiences is not replaceable,” Thomas Barker, the president of Front Runners Atlanta, told Georgia Voice. “Front Runners combines love of fitness with building community … it’s such a diverse group of people to flourish with.” Front Runners also hosts a weekly run on Wednesdays at 6:30pm and Saturdays at 9am. They meet in front of the Cunard Memorial Playground at John Howell Park (797 Virginia Ave NE). For more information, visit frontrunnersatlanta.org. The AIDS Vaccine Ride, hosted by
Action Cycling Atlanta (ACA), is currently underway. The virtual 200-mile ride stretches out until May 31, and all money raised by riders will benefit Emory Vaccine Center. Learn more and donate at actioncyclingatl.org. Unfortunately, ACA’s annual field day will probably not be making a return this year; as of February, the ACA board and Emory University dictated the event wouldn’t take place. However, people are encouraged to stay tuned for updates as conditions of the pandemic change. The National Flag Football League of Atlanta kicked off its 2021 season on May 1 at Silverbacks Park. As of the time of writing, Beckwith, Las Margaritas, and Henry’s lead the pack in the Falcons division, and Beckwith, State Farm, and Irby’s lead the United division. Games will be held on Saturdays until July 31. For more information, visit nffla.com. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
TheGeorgiaVoice.com
May 7, 2021 Ads 11
COMMUNITY
Nicholas House Helps Homeless Families The shelter is one of only a few in Georgia that accepts same-sex families
how quickly people could be homeless. It reinforced how many people are living on the edge instead of making a living wage.” Nicholas House’s programs are accountability-based. Upon entry into the programs, all clients identify personal goals that will help them become self-sufficient with their case manager and meet to assess their progress toward those goals every 90 days in order to re-qualify for continued participation in the program. While Nicholas House has been successful, it continues to need support. The summer’s Dream Builders event is the perfect opportunity to learn about Nicholas House and donate so that they can continue to help those in need.
Conswella Bennett One of the first shelters in the state of Georgia to focus on family homelessness, Nicholas House, is preparing to hold its annual fundraiser: the 2021 Nicholas House Dream Builders event, held this summer at the Georgia Aquarium. The 2021 Nicholas House Dream Builders fundraising event will take place on Thursday, June 17, at the Georgia Aquarium in the Oceans Ballroom from noon until 1pm. Guests will learn all about the work the organization does in the community and hear firsthand testimonies from families who have received support from the organization. Another special treat will be a performance by the Nicholas House Children’s Choir, along with a video presentation about the group’s work. This year, special guest, comedian, actor and radio personality Rickey Smiley, will be on hand for the celebration. “The annual fundraiser is an opportunity for people who are passionate about making an impact and want to make long-term partnerships to support Nicholas House with various monetary donations and volunteer opportunities,” Dennis Bowman, executive director of Nicholas House, told Georgia Voice. For 39 years, Nicholas House has been providing help for homeless families, but Bowman said they do more than provide families with temporary shelter or support. “Our goal is to help families achieve selfsufficiency long term,” he said proudly. According to Bowman, they continue to provide support for two years after families have received services, and 90% of their families have been able to maintain their own housing after leaving the Nicholas House program. 12 Community May 7, 2021
PHOTO COURTESY OF NICHOLAS HOUSE
Bowman attributes his organization’s success to its mission of addressing the root causes of their homelessness in the hopes that they never become homeless again. According to a Nicholas House press release, “37% of Georgia’s homeless are family members. On average, there are 1,100 family members, 800 of whom are children, who are homeless in Atlanta every night. The average age of a homeless person is only 9 years old.” Nicholas House, unlike some shelters, takes in and helps LGBTQ families. “Nicholas House is unique,” Bowman said. “The number one thing about Nicholas House is we take any composition of families — single mothers with kids, single dads with kids, same sex couples with kids, large families and families with teenage boys. We’re there to assist.” Nicholas House offers comprehensive case management, youth services, adult education and employment assistance, and a continuum of housing programs that address the needs of families at different stages of homelessness, whether they are homeless with no income or
are working, but just need a little help to get into their own apartment. Last year, with the COVID-19 pandemic, Bowman said their need of support doubled. He recalled that with many of the service industry jobs being shut down, they added another 1,000 people who turned to Nicholas House for support from some of the services. Bowman said they were able to quickly add more case managers and help to provide rental assistance, housing, and other areas of need. They were also able to keep the shelter open by doing what they’ve always done: constantly cleaning and disinfecting common areas. Instead of volunteers serving the food, they dropped off food and staff members served it during staggered meal services. They also provided hand sanitizer, masks and other necessary cleaning supplies to clients in apartments and educated them on the necessary steps to remain safe and COVID-19--free. “The pandemic has done several things,” Bowman said. “It brought attention to
Proceeds from the Dream Builders event support Nicholas House’s mission to assist families struggling with homelessness, unemployment, poverty, mental illnesses, addiction, physical challenges and more. Funds raised from past fundraisers allowed Nicholas House to respond to emergencies and opportunities involving homeless families. People are encouraged to sign up for a Nicholas House Dream Builder Membership, which supports the ongoing maintenance of their Grant Park shelter as well as program materials and supplies for families. The giving society recognizes individuals who donate $1,000–$10,000 per year over the course of five years to the mission of Nicholas House. For as little as $83.33 per month (about $3 per day), you can help more homeless families and impact lives. Over 200 individuals and families are currently members. People are also encouraged to volunteer. As the world begins to return to normal after the pandemic, Bowen said volunteers will be needed again in various capacities, such as working with children in after-school programs, summer programs for children, serving food, and many others. To learn more about Nicholas House and register for the fundraiser, visit nicholashouse.org. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
Find Your Way Home!
TheGeorgiaVoice.com
May 7, 2021 The Pink Page 13
COMMUNITY
Storytime Cabaret Fosters Intimacy in the LGBTQ Community The event launches May 22 at Heck House
“You really get to know who people are, what they’ve been through, what their struggles are, and it’s easy to connect intimately on that level. Especially postCOVID when we’ve all been living in isolation, to come out in a socially distanced, outdoor environment and share that connection is really important.”
Katie Burkholder A brand-new LGBTQ event is launching in Atlanta this month. Storytime Cabaret is Atlanta’s newest storytelling and live performance event, where queer performers from a myriad of disciplines will share their talents in an intimate, yet socially distanced, space. The event is coproduced and emceed by Louisa Merchant and Quinn O’Briant, who both have a long history of running shows like Cliterati, the 20-year-old queer feminist open mic. Merchant, who first had the idea for Storytime Cabaret, is a reality storyteller, which inspired her concept for the event. “I was interested in having a regular, recurring event that highlighted queer storytellers and also have drag and burlesque and other performance genres,” she told Georgia Voice. “The idea is to have it at a variety of venues with a variety of performers.” The launch of Storytime Cabaret happens on May 22 at Heck House, a venue in Scottdale designed to platform local artists. About four years ago, owner Paula Novelle Davis gutted an old, overgrown house to create a functional and community-focused space for artists to host workshops and performances and make money. The eclectic outdoor space will be the backdrop for the six performances of the night. Nikki Roberts and Jazzhands will be telling personal stories, something fellow storyteller Merchant finds crucial to creating genuine, connective community. “[Storytelling] is an opportunity to have intimacy, which is central to cabaret,” she said. “You really get to know who people are, what 14 Community May 7, 2021
Staff photo
From left: Quinn O’Briant, Louisa Merchant, Paula Novelle Davis, Intellect Alllison, and Yeme Jeaneè perform in Atlanta’s newest storytelling and live performance event Storytime Cabaret.
they’ve been through, what their struggles are, and it’s easy to connect intimately on that level. Especially post-COVID when we’ve all been living in isolation, to come out in a socially distanced, outdoor environment and share that connection is really important.” Guests will also enjoy performances from aerialist performers The Flying Seraphim, drag king Al Schlong, burlesque dancer Yeme Jeaneè, and musician Intellect Allison. Jeaneè and Allison, who are partners, opened up to Georgia Voice about the self-expression and acceptance associated with performance that they hope to share with their audience on the 22nd. “For all communities, especially the LGBTQ
community, performance is expression,” Jeaneè said. “This is a community that didn’t always have freedom of expression, so when we have music and art of any kind, it gives us a space to be without judgment, ridicule, or criticism. When we have events like these that are open to the community, it allows us space to let go. We can’t always truly be ourselves, so the arts allow ourselves to have a space to say, ‘Hey, this is me!’” “Performance is also about experience options,” Allison added. “Over time, we base our life on what society says. A lot of what society says isn’t what we go through in our community. So, it’s important for everybody to know that being free to be your true self is an option.”
While Storytime Cabaret will be a recurring experience — Merchant and O’Briant plan to host six to 12 shows a year — each show will be one-of-a-kind. “We want to create a different experience every time: a different set of performers, different audience, different place,” O’Briant said. While future plans are still fluid, the pair hope to host a show for SAGE — an advocacy group for LGBTQ elders — featuring performers who are 65 and older, as well as a BDSM-themed event. To keep an eye out for future events, follow Storytime Cabaret on Instagram and Facebook @storytimecabaret. Doors open at 7:30pm, and the show begins at 8:30pm. Guests are encouraged to bring their own food and drinks; masks are required when walking around the venue, but not necessary when seated. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at bit.ly/launchtoheck — spots are limited, so get your tickets ASAP. Heck House is located at 3498 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. For more information, visit heck.house. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
MARÍA HELENA DOLAN REELING IN THE YEARS
Before Stonewall, There Was California María Helena Dolan
picketed outside Compton’s, protesting the persistent maltreatment. One August night, two patrons got into a scuffle, the police were called, and everyone knew the ensuing drill. But instead of going quietly, the first trans woman grabbed by the arm threw a cup of coffee in the grabby officer’s face, and then almost everyone in the packed place began hurling everything around them, including furniture. A few “perverts” even bashed the cops with purses and heels.
Read the full article with footnotes online at thegavoice.com. In June, you’ll hear all about the Stonewall Rebellion and how electrifying it was, and how it marks the BEGINNING of The Gay Rights Movement. But a number of queer Californians reacted to news of Stonewall with a shrugging, “well, it’s about time the East Coast caught up with us. We’ve had our riots for years.” California a decade before Stonewall? Surf and sunshine and sex … and the Free Speech movement, Black Panthers, farm workers, Chicano liberation, hippies, anti-war movement, Mattachine, Daughters of Bilitis, and legal, capital H-sized institutional homophobia. Riot-causing homophobia. These are events we don’t usually hear about in the post-Stonewall age. But these moments also helped bring queer people into the 21st century. Ten years before Stonewall, Cooper’s Donuts was a 24-hour joint in Los Angeles, literally on Main Street, the main drag for L.A.’s 1950s and ’60s Skid Row and “Gay Ghetto.” Cooper’s was snugly ensconced between two gay bars. Trans people, drag queens, street kids, dykes, and the strung out all hung out there. The management was equal-opportunity friendly, serving cops and queers alike. One early morning in May 1959, two cops came in, simply to beleaguer the queers with an ID check. No ID? Jail. An ID with information that does not agree with your gender presentation? Better believe you’re headed for jail, charged with the crime of “Impersonation.” Impersonation could include not wearing enough of the clothing expected for your ID’s typed-in sex, three articles being the minimum, or if a cop simply didn’t like your look or attitude. Five individuals were slated for arrest that morning, including the butch appearing, sometime hustling, and soon-to-be16 Columnist May 7, 2021
And queers drove the cops out! Plus, Compton’s rather large plate glass window was smashed, and for good measure, a few fires were lit (unfortunately, damage was sustained by nearby, non-Compton’s properties). The next day and night, the heavy picketing seriously locked down automobile traffic. Police tried to disperse the protestors, as well as their seat-occupying sisters. Rioting broke out again, and the newly replaced plate glass suffered the same fate as its predecessor. The following day, Vanguard organized a Street Sweep-In: they got out brooms and swept up and down the street, letting everyone know what they thought of the “sweeping the streets” police tactic.
celebrated author John Rechy. In fact, he wrote about this event in his (dare we say) seminal book, City of Night. This law enforcement “harass and arrest” ritual usually went down as smoothly as a priest genuflecting at the altar. But Cooper’s regulars, especially the cross-dressing queens, were fed up. Sick of the street sweeps, shakedowns and violence, they began to express their frustration with a furious physicality: they threw doughnuts, coffee cups, everything they had on hand. Bystanders from the bars happily joined in the chaos. And queers actually drove the cops off! Reinforcements for the boys in blue appeared in short order. But you can’t bring enraged queers to heel once we act up. Main Street was shut down for hours and Rechy and two others managed to escape from their cop car confinement.
In 1966, Compton’s Cafeteria, located in the sleazy Tenderloin area of San Francisco, was a 24-hour place where queer street people and others gathered for late-night food and companionship. It was “our place,” as a regular customer put it. Ours, until the gay night manager retired. Regrettably, the guy who took his place did not like the look or “noise” of “those people.” Periodically, employees called the police to come and do the “ID Check Shuffle.” 1966, though, was a summer of resistance, where night after night young people of all stripes, including politically radicalized liberationists, defied police efforts to get them off the streets. In July, queer street youth and friends, outraged at that summer’s particularly constant harassment, formed a group called Vanguard. Vanguard loudly
Amazingly, all the attention brought a sustained outcome. Over the succeeding months, social services attention began to focus on the trans community, eventually building an infrastructure. And a major demand was getting the sweeps and arrests stopped. Today, there is a plaque in front of Compton’s commemorating the riot. It anchors what is officially known as the Transgender District, the first area on the planet to legally recognize transgender history. Before Stonewall, there were queers in the United States who said, “No more!” and roared in fight-back mode. Doughnuts and push brooms and beating back cops may not be as dramatic as bricks and tear gas and making cops fear for their lives, but all of these actions are spiritually connected and helped move us from supine to upright. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
BUCK JONES THE FRENCH CONNECTION
IMAGE BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / BRAT82
Culture Shock
Buck Jones I recently returned to the United States. It was my first visit back “home” in almost two years, my annual visit to family having been delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Although I permanently live in France, I am still deeply immersed in American news and culture. My husband and I channel surf each evening, watching the news on English-language stations such as CNN and the BBC (although we tend to settle for watching France24’s top of the hour headlines: we like their aesthetic, and they have a wider outlook for news stories), followed by watching American films and series on Netflix. But there is something about being physically someplace, breathing in the scenery, seeing and listening to real people in unguarded moments, that watching remotely on television can never replace. Prior to returning to ‘Merka this spring, I was prepared to grant that while Hollywood and the mainstream media sought to accentuate the absurdities of contemporary America for ratings, it largely exaggerated the differences that might exist between the U.S. and France. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
My first inclination that I was unprepared for the growing disparity between my “rosetinted” view and the reality of life in America was when I turned on the television in my hotel to learn of the daily toll from gun violence. A mass shooting at a UPS warehouse, followed by another shooting of an unarmed Black person, followed by a workplace shooting … each day brought a new tragic story which would immediately be tsk-tsked by the commentary professionals and discarded down the Memory Hole. I had forgotten how gun violence was such a persistent feature of the daily American psyche. Surely this must eat away at one’s soul. The next day, while having breakfast in the hotel morning lounge (it wasn’t really a restaurant, but they did serve a sort of breakfast that would horrify most French people due to the levels of sucrose offered — fruit drinks, sugary cereals, frosted muffins and pastries, and artificially flavored yogurt), one of the television monitors was broadcasting an MMA fight. I had completely forgotten about this uniquely American subculture, how kids grow up watching the ridiculous and slightly homoerotic “professional” wrestling, how they act out the simulated fights in their backyards and then graduate to MMA with these
matches filling arenas across the country. In France they televise pétanque (bocce ball) matches on their sports channels, not MMA. Of course the American diet of sugar and processed food has been generations in the making, so that today there is an explosion of diabetes in the country. While diabetes exists everywhere (even in France), its proliferation in the land of fast food, sedentary comfort, and obesity is astonishing to me. In the past I was used to seeing a Starbucks on almost every major intersection in cities, but now I saw at least one (sometimes two) dialysis “spas.” I decided I wanted to take a walk from my hotel to a nearby restaurant that night; it was slightly less than a mile away and would be some incidental exercise for me, since I had spent most of the day seated. I quickly discovered that walking in this suburban neighborhood was at my own peril. There were absolutely no sidewalks, just one parking lot after another, from each strip mall to the next, which forced me to either walk on the highway shoulder or cut through shrubbery to get to the next parking lot as I plodded toward my goal. I took an Uber back to the hotel afterward. Again, the contrast with France, and Europe more broadly, was stark. Every village, town,
and city comes equipped with sidewalks; the urban experience is meant to be shared between pedestrians, bikes, cars, and buses. In America, however, the car is king. There is much that I miss about the United States. The level of customer service is still high, at least when compared to France. I was usually greeted with a smile and “how are you” when entering a business, and employees made an effort to help me out if I asked a question. I was able to get my COVID-19 vaccination while visiting as well, whereas the delays and hurdles to get one in France are endemic of a larger problem with the French bureaucratic mentality. And as much as I might decry the nutritional challenges faced in the States, I feasted happily on dinner after dinner of delicious Tex-Mex (a rarity in France). One afternoon I listened in on a conversation as a woman was talking about going to the gun range, followed by an evening cheering on her husband and son as they participated in a darts competition at a local bar where they “snacked” on chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, and a plate of nachos. While she seemed like a lovely enough person, I wondered what, if anything, we had in common other than having been born in the same country. May 7, 2021 Columnist 17
BILL KAELIN ONE-ON-ONE
One On One with
Brandé Elise Bill Kaelin bill@billkaelin.com
For this month’s one on one, I decided to sit down with my new friend Brandé Elise. I was first introduced to Brandé when my company produced an Out On Film event with Lexus and she was on the list as one of Atlanta’s most sought-after social media influencers. I immediately felt a connection with her as I learned that she was so much more than a typical thirsty Instagram star. She is a smart, sassy, Black and beautiful entrepreneur who is ready to change the world with her own CBD brand based right here in Atlanta. Bill Kaelin: Hey Sweetie. How are you doing today? Brandé Elise: I’m just now waking up from going to Killer Mike’s Birthday party last night and finally feel like I’m not high anymore. It was such an uplifting night that I’m finally coming back down to Earth. Literally and figuratively. LOL. I remember a few weeks back when I called you because I had accidentally put the wrong kind of honey in my coffee and instead of using the one made by bees, I actually put the kind that can be grown among the trees in my morning cup of Joe. I was a hot mess for a minute, but it was a blessing in disguise when you said, “Girl the only suggestion I have for you is that you need to just take the day off ” and truthfully, that’s exactly what I needed. I spent the entire day just to breathing deep and relaxing. I swear to God I spent half my day in child’s pose. LOL. OMG. Yes! That’s the thing about cannabis. It sort of forces us all to slow down and just be present. 18 Columnist May 7, 2021
It really does. We are all running around a mile a minute in the modern world and truthfully, it’s a gift to have a natural resource to connect with and actually ground us for an hour or two. You and your gorgeous partner of three years, Danielle Gray, own and operate a 100% legal cannabidiol (CBD) company called UNOIA, that actually helps people achieve this goal. How did this come about? So, I’m a hustler. I’m sure you already know that about me. I have done a lot of things for work. I have always had my hands in a variety of different projects, but one of the bigger sources of income that I have is voiceover work. I love to partake in a spliff here and there, but honestly, it’s just not good for my voice, so I started to explore different ways I could benefit from all the amazing things CBD can provide. Our first creation were these amazing CBD honey sticks, and we slowly just gave them to friends and family to try. People were going crazy over them and the next thing we knew we couldn’t roll them out fast enough. That’s when we knew we were on to something. So where can we get UNOIA products? There is an all-Black-owned store in Ponce City Market called The Village Retail. It’s so amazing and inspiring and a great way to support the Black community. The paintings, the clothing and the furniture is all African American owned and operated. Even the walls are painted black. LOL. You can also order it online at our website or even go to Virgil’s in College Park and get it added to your cocktail or get a doughnut infused with UNOIA at Sublime. Girrrrrl doughnuts and cocktails infused with CBD? Sign me up. I love watching you walk on your Instagram. When did you become a member of the House of Balenciaga?
Brandé Elise COURTESY PHOTO
I became a member of the House of Balenciaga in 11/22 of just last year. I always wanted to be part of the ball scene but didn’t think I had the guts. I also am not shady at all and I didn’t think I could get into some battle with someone. My most favorite thing to do is to put outfits together. If you know me, you know I love fashion, and instead of looking at the runway as a place to battle,
I look at it as a safe space for me to get as creative as I want to get and that freedom to express my creativity is what gives me the guts to do it. The balls give me the freedom to be extra and to add more feathers to my outfits. They are my chosen family, and they support me so much. It’s just so awesome. Read the full interview at thegavoice.com. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
Restaurant GUIDE
YOUR GUIDE TO LOCAL EATERIES
TheGeorgiaVoice.com
May 7, 2021 Restaurant Guide 19
JIM FARMER ACTING OUT
FX’s ‘Pride’ Set to Bow, Gay-themed ‘Tu Me Manques’ Hits DVD Jim Farmer Six episodes. Six different directors and decades. That’s the premise of FX’s new “Pride” documentary series chronicling the fight for LGBTQ rights in America, debuting next week. The second episode, “1960s: Riots and Revolutions”, is directed by Andrew Ahn, who was asked to be part of the project by producer Christine Vachon. Once he learned more about the concept, it seemed like a great way to dig into some queer history that he did not have the opportunity to do in school. “There was so much happening in that time period, and I had never studied it in a meaningful way,” he told Georgia Voice. He read a few books and then had a research team help him put together notable figures from the era. His episode explores not only Stonewall but a whole lot more: Bayard Rustin, the civil rights movement, transgender rights, and the seminal documentary, “The Queen.” Ahn wanted to be comprehensive and cover the time period’s most fascinating subjects. “Stonewall is rightfully considered a watershed movement, but there was so much happening before and that is something I wanted to shine a light on,” he said. “We don’t realize how much the LGBTQ movement owes to the civil rights movement and the fight for Black liberation in this country.” The interception of queer and Black identity and figures like Bayard Rustin was exciting for the director to explore. “I could see from the research how direct the connection was. Early queer organizers took strategies such as sit-ins directly from the organizers of the civil rights movement,” Ahn said. “We owe a lot to organizers such as Bayard Rustin.” 20 Columnist May 7, 2021
Publicity photos
Left: Andrew Ahn directs an episode of FX’s “Pride.” Above: “Tu Me Manques”
the key to the movie. Jorge needs to redeem himself and go to New York and know his son after his death.” Ahn’s breakthrough was the 2016 gay-themed drama, “Spa Night,” which premiered at Sundance, played other festivals around the world and received distribution. His 2020 film, “Driveways” was also acclaimed, featuring the last performance of actor Brian Dennehy. The director feels this is an ideal time for the series. “It’s so important as we move forward that we understand our history and the scope of what we’ve done as a community,” he said. “For many queer people, as we are coming of age, we think we are the only ones. There is a loneliness in understanding you are queer. This history allowed me to feel a sense of community with the past.” After a successful festival run starting in 2019, the highly acclaimed and gay-themed “Tu Me Manques” is now available for home viewing. It was Bolivia’s official submission for the 92nd Academy Awards. In it, a father comes to New York from Bolivia after the death of his son Gabriel and connects with
his late son’s boyfriend, Sebastian, trying to understand more. The film is semiautobiographical, dealing with director Rodrigo Bellott’s experience losing a partner from a homophobic family to suicide. His experience led to him writing a play, which changed his life and many others’ lives in Bolivia. He spent three years adapting the play into a movie. “In our best dreams we did not know it would have this kind of reception,” he said. The play and film differ somewhat, but both share the same theme. “The essence here is of a father, Jorge, looking for someone to blame for the death of his son and being challenged by this young man who represents everything he hates in the world,” Bellott said. “A man has died — someone’s boyfriend, someone’s son. I imagined Jorge would go to New York and look for answers. There was a phrase that moved everybody — ‘shame on you for losing a son you never met.’ I felt that was
Actor Jose Duran, who lives in New York but hails from Bolivia, plays one of the versions of Gabriel in the film. He sees the film as a tragic love story. “You know Gabriel and Sebastian are in love,” he said. “This is an experience Gabriel has never felt before. Sebastian introduces him to this world.” Duran admires Bellott for being who he is and being comfortable being out. “He grew up as a gay man in Bolivia and even now it’s very conservative. I think we still lack some representation in the country.” After so much time working on the film, Bellott and Duran are both thrilled it’s finally reaching people’s homes.
MORE INFO “Pride” airs its first three episodes on May 14 and the next three on May 21 on FX “Tu Me Manques” is now available on DVD and digital.
TheGeorgiaVoice.com
MELISSA CARTER THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID
INGENUITY HELICOPTER PHOTO VIA NASA.ORG
Mars Mission Melissa Carter
Funny how things you share a last name with seem to garner your attention. I knew a colleague with the last name Danzig who had albums by that band hung in his cubicle. I used to have posters of Carter the Great in my home, and wished the movie John Carter had done better for the same reason. I actually enjoyed that movie, not only because of his name, but because it took place on Mars. If you never saw it, Carter could jump higher and run faster than on his home planet. He also had incredible strength. Those abilities were because of the gravity there, which is only one-fifth as strong as Earth’s. The Martian atmosphere is still bringing about wonder, because NASA just sent a helicopter, called Ingenuity, on its latest mission to the Red Planet. It’s currently undergoing test flights, and as of the writing of this article the latest flight got as high as 16 feet and traveled 872 feet at a speed of around 8 mph. It’s amazing for many reasons, the most important being the aforementioned atmosphere of Mars. Getting lift and flight from a helicopter there is the stuff of miracles for our ancestors. Currently the United States, United Arab Emirates and Japan have probes on Mars. Our mission was the only one to include a drone. I’ve written about my fascination with space before. Ever since I can remember, 22 Columnist May 7, 2021
I have always gobbled up what knowledge I could about the universe we know so far and I have a keen awareness that there is far more we’ll never know. One of the first movies I remember was Disney’s “The Black Hole,” which followed a harrowing mission to the then only theorized about object. We have now moved beyond discovering black holes and are theorizing about dark matter. Currently hanging in my home is an engineer’s layout of the space shuttle. I remember being in elementary school when Columbia first launched. It was a special day, not only because a television was brought into the classroom for us to watch it on, but also that my hometown’s name was Columbia. I fell in love with the program and even had the privilege of seeing a launch in person. I have been glued to a computer during Red Bull’s space jump, SpaceX launches, and lately the Mars missions. Ironic that someone who isn’t a fan of heights loves the idea of touching the universe so much. Approaching Mother’s Day, I was recently asked to describe what it was like being a mother. I responded by saying Mr. Carter is the evolution of me. Hopefully he will take the best of me with him, discarding the worst, and take those characteristics further than I ever could. That includes knowledge of our world. A mother’s love means he will likely get to see a person land on Mars, and I am happy for that opportunity that I will never know. But that’s the beauty of loving something at times more than yourself, and why he’s my favorite thing I get to share a last name with. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
RYAN LEE SOMETIMES ‘Y’
Toeing the Shoreline of Tolerance Ryan Lee It’s odd returning to a place you’ve never been, which was how I felt during a recent family weekend at a beach house on Lake Michigan. It was the same body of water I grew up alongside in Chicago — where I learned to doggy paddle, watched Fourth of July fireworks and worked as a teenage lifeguard — but I couldn’t recognize my memories in the waves washing up on shore. For anyone unfamiliar with the view of Lake Michigan from Chicago, it is indistinguishable from an ocean in that you cannot see the “other side” of the lake, with the water seeming to drift off into infinity. Our family gathering took place about a 90-minute drive from Chicago, on one of the other sides of infinity, and it was hard to grasp the polarity in the stories told by natives of this Indiana community and me about our childhoods on Lake Michigan. It was my second time in a beach house in April — having gone to Destin, Florida, two weeks earlier with one of my cycling groups — and in both instances I used fashion to share more of my queer side with heterosexual friends and family. Dinner on the Gulf Coast was an ideal setting for me to debut a draping shirt that looks like a blouse, and although the temperature rarely climbed out of the sixties, I spent most of the weekend in Florida wearing a variety of bathing suits normally reserved for gay pool parties. A few days before my trip to Indiana, one of my sisters sent an itinerary that included a Friday night pajama party, which is problematic for someone who sleeps in the nude. However, a recently purchased garment popped into mind as something that could be liberally considered sleepwear, and I decided to dip my toes further into my family’s acceptance of my sexual orientation. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / KRAKENIMAGES.COM
While provocative, my outfit felt no different from the lace gowns or lingerie regularly worn at such soirees. Still, I waited until all of the youth were asleep or sequestered in a different part of the beach house before I walked into the room where everyone was playing Drunk Jenga, wearing pajama shorts and a leather harness across my chest. Some family members burst into laughter, others let out a sound that was half-gasp, halfchuckle; but two family members, two leaders of the family who have shown me supernatural love, gave me a look colder than the mid-April waters of the Great Lakes. In their eyes I saw concern that children might see me, disgust with what they themselves were seeing, and before I could see anything worse I put on the hoodie I had been wearing and let everyone laugh the incident off as a prank. A part of me is disappointed for having covered myself, for reducing my expression to a joke. The reactions reinforced my suspicions that much of the acceptance LGBTQ Americans have enjoyed is predicated on our sterilization, and my beach attire at least alerted my family and friends that whatever coming-out conversation we had is an ongoing discussion. When someone says they’re cool with me being gay, I need them to know that includes being cool with a man who wears what look like (and sometimes are) women’s shirts and swim trunks that reveal part of the booty cheeks, a man with a vibrant and occasionally kinky sex life. Viewing LGBTQ people exclusively from the heteronormative side of the lake leaves folks oblivious to our greatness. May 7, 2021 Columnist 23