Georgia Voice 06/07/24, Vol. 15 Issue 6

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.

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT 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.

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. Talk to your healthcare provider about the risks of breastfeeding during treatment with BIKTARVY.

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.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

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.

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.

About the cover:

Dolly Parton photo by Vijat Mohindra

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Pride in the Face of Fear

Working in LGBTQ media makes you keenly aware of every piece of bad news for the LGBTQ community. Homophobia and transphobia have never died; in all the six years I’ve spent working in LGBTQ media, it has never escaped me that there is always more negative news to report than good news, with the ratio becoming more and more tilted toward negative as the years pass. This year, that knowledge is particularly difficult to cope with. Over 500 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in the U.S. this year, and 34 have been passed into law. Target has not only pulled Pride merchandise from shelves, but some of the queer artists commissioned for that merchandise have allegedly received no compensation for their work. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security just released a public service announcement warning Pride organizers of foreign terrorist attacks, and both domestic terrorism and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric are on the rise. Zionist conservatives and liberals alike use

the LGBTQ community as an excuse for genocide, and over 35,000 Palestinians have been killed. An Atlanta police officer murdered Lyft driver Reginald Folks because he thought Folks was a member of a gay fraternity trying to recruit him.

As Pride month begins, a question on my mind is: how do we celebrate? What does Pride look like when the world turns its back on us? Fear weighs heavily on my heart, less so for myself, a straight-passing cis person in Atlanta, and more for my trans siblings, LGBTQ Palestinians, my Black queer friends, and those living in cities and towns where safety from bigoted violence is less easy to find than in Atlanta. If I am wracked with fear, what must they be feeling?

In the words of John Lennon, “When we are afraid, we pull back from life.” When we operate from fear, we close ourselves off from love, from acceptance, from openness, from living the life we know we want to live. This fear is intentionally wrought by those who are afraid of us, who wish to find company in misery by trying to shut us off from the

freedom of fearlessness, of safety, of comfort. They want us scared. We cannot give them what they want.

As fear tries to find a permanent home in my body, I am reminded of Stonewall. I harken back to a time when being gay was a crime, putting you at risk of state-sanctioned violence at any moment simply for being who you are, and the subsequent revolt against it. I think of Michael Hardwick, the gay man caught having sex with his partner after police raided his home and he was arrested for sodomy — and who eventually fought back against the law in court.

How frightening must that existence have been? And yet LGBTQ people still persisted. They lived openly when they could and fought back when they had to. Pride then was what it has always been: an insistence of our humanity. We are here, we are going to live how we wish, and we will not be frightened away. This Pride month, the same message rings true. No matter how much bigots rally against us, we will always fight harder, and we will always prevail.

Katie Burkholder

Staff reports

Read these stories and more online at thegavoice.com

Fire Breaks Out at

Blake’s on the Park Fire officials are investigating after a fire broke out at Blake’s on the Park on May 25. Atlanta Fire Rescue spokesperson Anaré Holmes told  11 Alive that fire fighters got multiple calls between 6am and 6:30am about heavy smoke emanating from inside of Blake’s, one of the establishments near the rainbow crosswalk on 10th Street and Piedmont Ave. When fire fighters arrived, heavy smoke and flames were seen coming from the back of the building.

According to fire officials, no one was inside the building during the fire and only “moderate damage” was caused, so Blake’s is expected to be “back and operating as soon as possible.”

“As you all may be aware, there was a fire in the early morning today,” Blake’s posted on Instagram. “Minor damages occurred but no one was in the building and all of the staff is safe. Many thanks to all of the love and support we’ve received. The community has shown it’s [sic] beautiful colors and we’re forever grateful. We will be closed until further notice and any updates will be shared with all of you as we receive them. We’ll be back in no time and better than ever!”

To stay up to date with Blake’s on the Park, follow them on Instagram @blakesatl.

Biden Honors Pride Month, Issues LGBTQI+ Community Safety Partnership Resources

President Joe Biden honored Pride Month with a proclamation on Friday calling out “dangerous and hateful anti-LGBTQ+ laws” while the Biden-Harris administration also debuted new resources via the White House LGBTQ+ Community Safety Partnership.

“Advancing equality for the LGBTQI+ community is a top priority for my administration,” the president said, citing his signage of the Respect for Marriage Act, repeal of the anti-transgender military

ban, and issuance of “historic executive orders strengthening civil rights protections for housing, employment, health care, education, and the justice system.”

Biden also noted his administration’s work combatting conversion therapy, the HIV epidemic, and “the disgraceful practice of banning gay and bisexual men from donating blood.”

“The Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Justice launched a safety partnership to provide critical training and support to the community, including resources to help report hate crimes and better protect festivals, marches, community centers, businesses, and health care providers serving the community,” the president said.

His proclamation came on the heels of a new guide containing key federal resources, which a White House official said will cover “a number of key areas, including physical security, online safety, and targeted violence prevention.”

For example:

1. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) offers a training, tools, and best practices to inform risk mitigation efforts, as well as resources to improve physical security, protect infrastructure during public demonstrations,

and securely plan mass gatherings or other special events.

2. CISA offers a catalog of cybersecurity resources for high-risk communities, such the LGBTQI+ Community.  This catalog not only offers customized tools your organizations can use to assess and mitigate cyber risks but provides organizations with access to rapid emergency response and cybersecurity advice free-of-charge.

3. The FBI has a step-by-step guide for individuals receiving written, visual, verbal, or physical threats. This guide overviews what to do, and not to do, when you or someone you know is a victim of a perceived hate crime.

The official said representatives from the safety partnership, which the White House introduced last year during Pride Month, led a call on Friday with LGBTQ stakeholders to review the new materials and address questions.

Earlier this month, DHS and the FBI released a public service announcement to raise awareness about the potential targeting of LGBTQ events while the Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team released a First Responder’s Toolbox containing guidelines designed to “drive communitybased relationships through collaborative and inclusive practices.”

Fire breaks out at Blake’s on the Park FILE PHOTO

Atlanta Wrestler Killed by Former Local Police Officer

Reginald Folks, known also by his wrestling persona Reggie Rage, is remembered by loved ones as “a good soul” after he was shot and killed in Union City by former Atlanta police officer Koby Minor on May 12. Minor has been charged with murder and aggravated assault.

At the time, Folks was working as a Lyft driver to raise money for his wrestling career when Minor, an APD officer on unpaid administrative leave following an unrelated arrest in December 2023, ordered a ride home.

According to reports, Minor said he heard voices in his ear telling him that Folks was “in a gay fraternity and trying to recruit Minor into it and believed he was getting kidnapped by Folks.

The report also states that “he heard what he thought was another voice in his ear talking to him but did not say what the voice said.”

At the intersection of Stonewall Tell Road and South Fulton Parkway, Minor told police that he attempted to unlock and exit the vehicle. When he was unable to, he shot Folks in the head three times.

Folks trained at AR Fox’s World Wrestling Alliance 4. In a post on social media, WWA4 wrote, “We are heartbroken. Devastated. Reggie Rage, we all love you. You lit up the 4 EVERYTIME you came. Gonna miss you.”

Friend of Folks and fellow wrestler Christian Turner told Atlanta News First about the last day he saw Folks.

“The last time I saw him was Monday. He was very hyped,” Turner said. “He was showing everyone his brand-new shirt because he had

made his first professional wrestling shirt.”

Despite what his stage name suggested, Folks was known for being a happy person.

“A lot of little kids looked up to him,” his coach, Thomas Ballester, said. “He was a role model.”

Now, a community mourns the tragic and unexpected loss of a beloved member.

While the circumstances of Minor’s current mental health and December 2023 arrest are not known to the public, his statements to Union City police allude to, at least partially, homophobic motivations. Folks’

sexual orientation is neither confirmed nor relevant to Minor’s actions. However, homophobia and anti-LGBTQ attitudes have long since been perpetuated by law enforcement, and gay panic defense — a legal strategy seeking to “excuse crimes such as murder and assault on the grounds that the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity is to blame for the defendant’s violent reaction,” according to the American Bar Association — is only prohibited in 19 states. Georgia is not one of them.

Sgt. John Chafee, an APD spokesperson, confirmed Minor’s resignation from APD was immediate and effective upon his arrest. He also spoke about the department’s

Reginald Folks, known also by his wrestling persona Reggie Rage, is remembered by loved ones as “a good soul” after he was shot and killed in Union City by former Atlanta police officer Koby Minor on May 12. Minor has been charged with murder and aggravated assault.

collective efforts to promote safety for the LGBTQ community. He did not speak about the reasons behind Minor’s extended leave of absence nor confirm the contents of his statements to police.

“We feel we have made significant progress ensuring each of our communities feels valued and protected,” Sgt. Chafee said. “Our agency is representative of the diverse city we serve. Many of our officers are members of the LGBTQ+ community, including multiple officers in leadership and senior leadership positions, as well as our Chief of Police.”

Renegade Independent Professional Wrestling is hosting a “Rage Against Gun Violence” wrestling match in Reggie’s honor on Sunday, June 30 at Kagez Sports Hall, located at 3788 Campbellton Rd. SW. Tickets range from $7-$20. Follow @ RIPWrestling404 on Instagram or see the event flyer here for more information.

Adalei Stevens

Reginald Folks was killed by former Atlanta police officer Koby Minor. PHOTO COURTESY OF @INTRFACELLC ON TWITTER/X

Atlanta Pride Fosters Unity with Pride Across the Peach State

On June 6, Atlanta Pride announced that this year’s festival theme will be “United With Pride,” a sentiment reflected in its newest endeavor, the Pride Across the Peach State initiative.

Last month, Atlanta Pride announced the recipients of Pride Across the Peach State, a grant initiative supporting LGBTQ organizations and events throughout Georgia. This year’s recipients include Atlanta Black Pride, Carrollton Rainbow, Compassionate Atlanta, Cultivate Savannah, Debra Smith Wellness Center and Colgay Pride, First City Pride Center, Macon Pride, Out On Film, Rome Georgia Pride, Smyrna is Fabulous, South Georgia Pride, Southern Fried Queer Pride, and Statesboro Pride.

Atlanta Pride’s support extends beyond the $50,000 shared among these organizations; according to Executive Director Chris McCain, there are plans to have representatives of the grant recipients meet to create a Pride network across Georgia in which organizers can share best practices and foster unity with one another.

“This year, we were reflecting on where our community has significant needs and where Atlanta Pride has an opportunity to really make an impact across the state of Georgia,” McCain told Georgia Voice. “We recognize the increasing hostility that our community has experienced and is continuing to experience, especially outside of the city of Atlanta, so we wanted to do something to support Pride partner organizations across the state to make sure they have the resources they need to host and sustain their events and to be able to do so in really visible ways this year.”

On May 10, the FBI and Department of

Homeland Security released a public service announcement warning about Pride month events being targeted by foreign terrorist organizations, emboldened by domestic far-right antagonists like Chaya Raichik, the Libs of TikTok creator who has sparked campaigns against Planet Fitness for its trans-inclusive locker room policy — leading to bomb threats made against the chain. With this heightened risk of violence, safety concerns are even more on the forefront of Pride organizers’ minds — but with the funds and increased connectivity between Pride organizations that come with the Pride Across the Peach State initiative, smaller and more vulnerable Pride organizations are better equipped to handle safety concerns.

“I know many of our Pride partners across the state have concerns — and have for years had concerns — about safety,” McCain said. “This year, I think we all feel that those are somewhat heightened, especially with the alert that the FBI and Homeland Security issued a couple of weeks ago. We know that our Pride partners across the state are monitoring that and also have relationships with their public safety partners. We’ll be working as best they can to ensure the safety of their events.”

In the face of increased risk and rising antiLGBTQ sentiment and legislation across the country, Pride month and safe Pride celebrations are more important than ever —

especially ahead of the Presidential election in November.

“I think it’s no secret to anyone that Atlanta influences everything, and our festival is one of the largest free Pride events in the country and the largest LGBTQ gathering in the Southeast,” Steven Igarashi-Ball, the Director of Communications and Community Engagement at Atlanta Pride, told Georgia Voice. “We always talk about the fact that visibility and representation matter, but we know that that matters even more now in this election year. We know that Georgia is going to play a pivotal role in determining the future of our country.”

With less than half a year until our own Pride festival on October 12 and 13, McCain and Igarashi-Ball say that Atlantans can expect an expansion of the Family Fun Zone; a continued increased attendance of the Trans, Dyke, and Bi/Pan Pride Marches; the addition of new elements around history and legacy ahead of Atlanta Pride’s 55th anniversary; and the announcement of the entertainment lineup coming soon.

“Our community has made significant progress over the decades in securing our rights and being able to live our lives more visibly and openly, but we do see a lot of pushback against our community and attempted rollbacks of our rights,” McCain said. “We know that in order for us to stand up against attacks against our community and work towards greater progress, we need to come together in unity and promote our visibility, to make sure that people know that we matter, our lives matter, and that we won’t tolerate the intolerance that we're seeing.”

To keep up with Atlanta Pride, visit atlantapride.org.

Katie Burkholder

This year’s Pride festival theme is “United With Pride FILE PHOTO

Full Radius Makes Dance Accessible to the Disabled Community

When Douglas Scott founded the dance company originally known as Dance Force in 1990, he had no idea what it would become. Growing up gay in the ’60s and ’70s, Scott was always keenly aware of and connected to others marginalized in society — and his experience in the dance world showed him whom the art form was often exclusive of. When he began teaching dance classes for people with physical disabilities in 1993, the course of his career completely changed, eventually leading to the foundation of E=Motion, a company specifically for disabled dancers, in 1995 and the eventual merger of Dance Force and E=Motion into Full Radius in 1998.

“I grew up in the ’60s and ’70s, which was a repressive time to be gay,” Scott, who is the Artistic and Executive Director of Full Radius, told Georgia Voice. “There were no role models, I was in a small town in Ohio and a small town in Kentucky. There were no [gay] neighborhoods to go to, there were no organizations or clubs … [That experience] has made me more aware of the ‘other’ in society. There are so many people in society who are marginalized — in dance, someone who does not have what society thinks of as the traditional dancing body, they’re certainly marginalized. I just wanted to create a place where we could explore freely, where we all felt accepted, where we all felt valued.”

Full Radius believes that access to the arts is a human right and works to make dance accessible to both performers and audiences with disabilities. While other venues and companies offer American Sign Language interpretation for deaf and hard of hearing audiences when requested — with often as much as a month in advance needed for the request — Full Radius always includes

an ASL interpreter at every Saturday night show. Sensory kits with stim toys and other materials are always offered at every performance and information regarding the duration of each performance is clearly on display in the lobby.

Full Radius operates with the knowledge that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to accessibility. People often have competing access needs, so it is impossible to make a space accessible to every single person. Prioritizing accessibility is often challenging, and mistakes are made, but the most important goal of Full Radius’ accessibility practices is to create a space where everyone feels empowered to vocalize their needs and speak up on behalf of themselves when their needs aren’t being met. Both disabled and nondisabled dancers are members of the company, and all are treated with bodily autonomy and respect.

“If we're in the middle of a rehearsal and you need to go sit down, because your blood sugar's low, you go sit down and we make no judgments about that,” Scott said. “I never would have dreamed of doing that in the ballet companies and the other companies I was in. We respect you as an individual, and you must do what's best for you as an individual and your body in order for you to fully contribute to the company and be there with your whole self … We are committed to the principle of body integrity, meaning there is no one way to have a body. All bodies have the right to exist as they are. Everyone determines how they want to feel about their body, what foods they want to eat, and how they define their health, physical, emotional, and/or psychological.”

The company’s idea of body integrity differs from the more traditional idea of body positivity. Instead of being focused

on encouraging unconditional love for the dancers’ bodies, the members of Full Radius understand that disability often leads to a complicated and painful relationship with the body — and that’s completely okay. The company focuses instead on honoring the individual and their body’s needs, something not common in many traditional dance spaces: according to a study published in the Journal of Eating Disorders, dancers are three times more likely to develop an eating disorder than their peers.

“There's just so much that we all carry, so much judgment around their own bodies, and sometimes around the bodies of other people,” Scott said. “So, we choose the word body integrity. Some people say body positivity, but if you're in chronic pain, you may not really like your body. Body integrity says, ‘Okay, I will eat what I want to eat. I will do what I want to do with my body. I have the control over it.’”

Full Radius is preparing for the Modern Atlanta Dance Festival on June 7 and 8, a festival founded by Scott and hosted by Full Radius showcasing the diversity and excellence of Atlanta’s dance scene. This year’s festival will be held at Emory Performing Arts Studio and feature A. Raheim White, Caroline Alcott, Catching Mangoes Dance, Fuerta Dance Company, Monica Hogan Danceworks, Nadya Zeitlin, and Novoa Dances. After the festival, Full Radius’ season comes to a close and they will soon begin preparing for next season.

To keep up with Full Radius and find them around the city, visit them online at fullradiusdance.org or follow them on Instagram @fullradiusdance. You can purchase tickets for the Modern Atlanta Dance Festival at fullradiusdance.org/madfestival-2024.

Katie Burkholder

Full Radius works to make dance accessible to both performers and audiences with disabilities. COURTESY PHOTO

Lavender Graduation and its History

Lavender is an important symbol of reclamation and empowerment in LGBTQ history. Combining the black triangle that designated lesbians as political prisoners in Nazi Germany and the pink triangle that gay men were forced to wear in concentration camps creates lavender, which became a symbol of resistance during the queer rights movement during the 20th century.

Now, the color and the flower can be seen on graduation stoles and are often the main theme of Lavender Graduations, an annual commencement tradition honoring LGBTQ graduates and recognizing students’ accomplishments, preferred names, and pronouns. Official ceremonies may not respect or acknowledge a student’s identity, rendering an already impersonal tradition completely dismissive.

In 1995 at the University of Michigan, an openly lesbian member of staff, Ronni Sanlo, was not allowed to attend her children’s graduation due to her sexual orientation and created the first Lavender Graduation in response. That same year, President Clinton signed the executive order that ended the ban on security clearances for gay workers.

Lavender Graduations are often student-led, more personal gatherings than the official commencement, and usually held on the same weekend.

A rising senior at Prairie View A&M University, who wished to remain anonymous, looks forward to her Lavender Graduation in 2025.

“The Lavender Graduation has become one of the most valued traditions of PV Spectrum [a student organization group] for me,” she told Georgia Voice. “Next year, I get to be one of the honored graduates as my undergraduate years come to an end, and I am extremely excited to receive my special stole.”

She also spoke about the importance of

honoring and celebrating LGBTQ students as anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and legislation spread across the country. The Trevor Project bill tracker currently reports 633 active antiLGBTQ bills.

“As LGBTQ families grow and anti-LGBTQ legislation spreads, it’s important that we create spaces where LGBTQ families can celebrate their graduates free of hate and discrimination,” she said.

Spelman College celebrated its first Lavender Graduation this year, joining forces with Morehouse College to celebrate 25 students at a combined ceremony on May 6, supported by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) HBCU Program.

The HRC Foundation’s HBCU Program is the only national project that partners with historically Black colleges and universities to establish an LGBTQ-inclusive campus climate.

The HBCU Program arose out of a need to support LGBTQ students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) after two violent, anti-LGBTQ incidents occurred at two prominent HBCUs in 2004. Shortly after the incidents, HRCF convened a dynamic group of HBCU LGBTQ student-leaders committed to advocating for LGBTQ inclusion and social justice on campuses and in their communities.

Leslie Hall, Director of the HBCU Program, spoke about the necessity for Black, queer spaces and celebrations, like Lavender Graduations, in an interview with Georgia Voice

“W.E.B. DuBois’s notion of ‘double consciousness’ is that we understand our lives and identities as both LGBTQ people and Black people, which are double marginalizations,” Hall said. “Lavender Graduations allow LGBTQ people to be authentic while celebrating this academic milestone in an environment/ceremony that

“A big reason why I started the HBCU Convention was because I saw the vitality of the Black community coming together in kinship for the sake of a unique experience, we can call our own. It is essential that Black institutions be included in this collective action.”

— Associate Director of the HBCU Program Chauna Lawson

truly embraces them.”

Associate Director of the HBCU Program Chauna Lawson is passionate about creating safe spaces for Black students, on and off campus. In 2018, Lawson founded the HBCU Convention, where “Black geeks-atlarge” and HBCU students are encouraged to be authentically nerdy.

“A big reason why I started the HBCU Convention was because I saw the vitality of the Black community coming together in kinship for the sake of a unique experience, we can call our own,” Lawson said. “It is essential that Black institutions be included in this collective action.”

“Both [cosplay and drag] are unapologetic forms of self-expression.” Lawson continued. “There are essentially no rules in either art form. The various forms of media, literature, and events that inspire cosplayers and drag artists often have storylines with sociopolitical underpinnings… As such, many conventions champion inclusion and belonging… All of these spaces are essential environments for people to be celebrated for all of who they are rather than just bits and pieces.”

Visit hrc.org/resources/lavender-graduation and hrc.org/our-work/the-hbcu-program to learn more and see which institutions participate. Learn more about HBCU Con at hbcucon.org.

Adalei Stevens

Spelman's Lavender Graduation PHOTO COURTESY OF HRC

SLIDE INTO SUMMER

Pride Month Across the Country

Katie Burkholder

To avoid the summer heat, Atlanta doesn’t host their Pride festival until October – the 12th and 13th this year – but if you can’t wait the five months until then, there are Pride festivals, parades, and events across the state, region, and country happening this month that will whet your appetite until then!

Georgia

Fervid Camraderie:

Kiara Gilbert Exhibition

June 12-29

Hapeville Depot Museum

Kiara Gilbert highlights the power of the queer community in South Fulton through an art show that features original, handprinted pieces that reflect the strength of the local queer scene. They strive to incorporate Black LGBTQ history from the area, such as queer changemakers, and nightlife. Learn more at hapevilledepot.org/whats-on.

Gwinnett Stripers Pride Night

June 14, 7:05pm

Coolray Field

Join the Gwinnett Stripers as they celebrate the LGBTQ community and take on the Nashville Sounds for their fourth annual Pride Night. Purchase a Pride Pack and receive a Field Box ticket and a Stripers Pride Cap at fevo-enterprise.com/event/2024pride6.

Augusta Pride

June 21-23

Augusta Common

Enjoy the free main event with speakers, entertainers, music, and vendors before winding down with sponsor-hosted pool parties at the Metropolis Complex, the largest gay resort in the Southeast! Learn more at prideaugusta.org.

Smyrna Pride

June 22, noon to 6pm

Smyrna Market Village

Join Smyrna is Fabulous for the only Pride Festival in Cobb County! They will be covering Smyrna Market Village in rainbows

with the help of 38 LGBTQ vendors, entertainment, and more. Learn more at smyrnaisfabulous.org.

Rome Pride

June 28-30

Ridge Ferry Park

Rome Pride celebrates their third annual Pride with a kick-off party with drag, an artisan and vendor market, a march and parade, a Pride church service, and more! Learn more at romegapride.com/test.

Southeast

New Orleans Pride

June 7-9

Citywide – New Orleans, LA

One of the most exciting annual traditions at New Orleans Pride is PrideFest, a block party hosted outside The Phoenix Bar on Elysian Fields on June 8. Queer people representing a wide range of subcultures and communities come together for a day of revelry and fearless expression. After enjoying the live entertainment, food, drinks, and shared joy, you can stay tuned for the NOLA Pride Parade, which starts at Pride Fest and runs through the Marigny and French Quarter. Learn more at neworleans.com/event/new-orleans-pride.

OUT!Raleigh Pride

June 22, 11am to 7pm

Fayetteville Street – Raleigh, NC

Performers include Dawn, Jorgeous, Maya, Saint Ahmad, Tulliz, DJ Wicked, Tina

and Her Pony, and more! Learn more at outraleighpride.org.

St. Pete Pride

June 22, 2pm to 10pm

North and South Straub Parks – St. Petersburg, FL Saucy Santana headlines. Learn more at stpetepride.org.

Nashville Pride

June 22-23

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park –Nashville, TN

Tinashe, Billy Porter, Icona Pop, Slayyyter, Shea Couleé, Brooke Eden, and G Flip all headline an incredible lineup of performers. Learn more at nashvillepride.org.

Nationwide

Capital Pride

June 8-9

America’s Mainstreet – Washington, D.C. Enjoy a full day of entertainment on three stages, food, drink, and advocacy with over 300 exhibitors. This year’s theme is “Totally Radical.” Learn more at capitalpride.org.

LA Pride in the Park

June 8-9

LA State Historic Park – Los Angeles, CA

Ricky Martin, MUNA, and JoJo Siwa all perform on June 8 before the parade on the 9th. This year’s Grand Marshals are George Takei, Cassandro, El Exotico, and LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley. Learn more at lapride.org.

Chicago Pride Fest

June 22-23, 30

Northalsted – Chicago, IL

Chicago Pride Fest is the two-day street festival the weekend before the Chicago Pride Parade on June 30. The 23rd annual Chicago Pride Fest is a celebration of LGBTQ life, culture and community in Chicago’s landmark LGBTQ Northalsted neighborhood. JoJo Siwa, Sapphira Cristál, and Natasha Bedingfield all perform. Learn more at northalsted.com/main-events/ chicago-pride-fest.

Pride Houston

June 29, noon to 6pm

Houston City Hall – Houston, TX

With over 500,000 sq ft of space, the Houston Pride festival footprint is the largest Pride Celebration in Texas and the third largest in the U.S. David Archuleta, Brooke Eden, Kayla G, and K. Michelle perform before the parade kicks off at 7:30pm. Learn more at pridehouston365.com.

San Francisco Pride

June 29-30

Civic Center Plaza – San Francisco, CA

Billy Porter is the celebrity Grand Marshal and headline performer of the San Francisco Pride festival! This year’s theme is “Beacon of Love.” Learn more at sfpride.org.

Twin Cities Pride

June 29-30

Loring Park – Minneapolis, MN

Twin Cities Pride highlights the best in LGBTQ entertainment on four stages, featuring over 650 vendors, including LGBTQ & BIPOC community resources, artists, and businesses. Learn more at tcpride.org.

NYC PrideFest

June 30, 11am

Greenwich Village – New York, NY

PrideFest is back for their annual LGBTQ street fair that combines exhibitors, food, and activities for a day of fun and celebration in the name of equality. The NYC Pride March will simultaneously begin on 25th Street. Learn more at nycpride.org.

PHOTO BY SHUTTERTOCK.COM/ RAPHAEL RIVEST

Pride Month in Atlanta

Katie Burkholder

While our city’s Pride festival isn’t until October, that doesn’t mean Atlanta doesn’t celebrate Stonewall Month! From book signings and poetry to art markets and pub crawls, there’s so many opportunities to show your Pride.

Drag Story Hour and Book Signing

June 8, 11am

Charis Books and More

Charis welcomes Miss Terra Cotta SugarBaker and Angela Yarber for a celebration of “AffirSLAYtions: Affirmations to Slay Your Day the SugarBaker Way” and “Queering the American Dream.” Bring your kids for the story read by SugarBaker, and grown-ups can get their “Queering the American Dream” copy signed! No reservation or ticket required.

Art in the Park:

Pride Month

Edition

June 9, 3pm

Piedmont Park

Join Queer Craft Night for a day of creativity and community! Whether you’re a seasoned creator or just looking to have some fun, this event is for you! Register for free via Eventbrite.

Hella Gay Trivia

June 12, 7pm

Guac y Margys

Get ready to test your knowledge and have a blast with your friends in a welcoming and inclusive environment! Your ticket gets you a reserved seat, two tacos, and a margarita! Tickets via Eventbrite.

Meet Me There:

Trans Poetry Showcase

June 13, 7:30pm

Virtual

"Meet Me There" is a monthly intergenerational poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction experience curated by trans/ genderqueer poet and sound artist Samuel Ace. This month’s featured poets include JD Pluecker, Julian Carter, K. Iver, Syd Staiti, Violet Spurlock, Zefyr Lisowski, and Zoe Tuck. This event takes place on crowdcast, Charis’ virtual event platform.

Love Out Loud: A Book Signing with Terrell and Jarius Joseph

June 15, 1:30pm

Charis Books and More

Charis welcomes LGBTQ influencers Terrell and Jarius Joseph for a book signing of “Love Out Loud: Building a Relationship and Family from Scratch.”

Rainbow Art Market

June 15, 2pm

EAV Community Park

Shop small, support local, and show your Pride with over thirty vendors of handmade goods, arts, crafts, vintage, and tarot; a DIY craft station; and music by DJ Stone!

Rainbow Pub Crawl

June 15, 6pm

My Sister’s Room

MSR is back with their annual Rainbow Pub Crawl for Stonewall Month, benefitting

Atlanta Pride and Joining Hearts! Enjoy food and drink specials and free entry all night at participating bars before the afterparty at My Sister’s Room ‘til 3am! Tickets at mysistersroom.com.

Haus Blend Drag Brunch

June 16, 11am and 2pm

ASH Coffee

Miss Thea hosts this new drag brunch just in time for Pride month. Accompanied by the musical stylings of DJ Taylor ALXNDR, performers Aqua De’ La Roja, Coco Iman Starr, and Pony Boy will wow guests as they enjoy brunch and bottomless mimosas. Come dressed to impress: category is Pride Pattern Clash! Tickets at theatrickality.com/tickets.

Pride Showcase

June 22, 8pm

ArtsXchange

Renowned artists Theresa Davis and Vandellour have teamed up to bring you a night of burlesque, poetry, and music, all celebrating the LGBTQ community. Enjoy performances by Ken J Martin, Billie Sainwood, Kassidy Luvit, and Jordyn King. Tickets via Eventbrite.

Up Top! Drag Bingo

June 23, 2pm

Citizen Supply at Ponce City Market

Bring your friends and your Bingo skills to Citizen Supply inside Ponce City Market (2nd floor above West Elm). Compete for prizes provided by the local businesses inside

Citizen Supply. Hosted by Taylor ALXNDR. Tickets via Eventbrite.

Southern Fried Queer Pride

June 24-30

Little Five Points

Southern Fried Queer Pride’s 10th annual Pride festival is back with a full week of art and community! The schedule includes a retrospective gallery, a trans and non-binary cabaret, a Black sex workshop, lesbian and queer dance parties, a queer variety show, a pop-up thrift shop, an artist market, a drag pageant, and SO much more! Learn more at sfqp.info/sfqp2024fest.

Atlanta Pride Bar Crawl

June 29, 2pm

Brewdog Atlanta

Get ready to celebrate love, diversity, and unity at the Official Pride Bar Crawl! Enjoy a vibrant journey through the heart of the city, where you’ll paint the town with Pride in every color of the rainbow, with specialty Pride-themed cocktails and lively entertainment! Tickets via Eventbrite.

Drag Me to Church

June 30, 6pm

St. Luke Lutheran

Immerse yourself in a family-friendly worship service like no other, as St. Luke Lutheran Church, The Atlanta Pride Committee, and community faith leaders come together to honor those at Stonewall and celebrate Pride. Register for free via Eventbrite

The Dolly Parton Experience Celebrates the Life of the Country Icon

Dolly Parton never gets too far from her roots in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her story is well documented, growing up in a poor family with little access to the big city lights. The lights haven’t shined much brighter than they have in recent years. In 2023, she was estimated to be one of the richest women celebrities with a net worth said to be higher than $400 million. It’s no longer just her being a singer, actress, or writer. None of that even considers her main source of making money. Her big money comes from the 160 developed acres about four miles northwest of Atlanta — Welcome to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. If you haven’t been, you’re missing out on what people refer to as the amusement park that’s “clean.” Here at Dollywood, co-workers refer to Parton as the “Dreamer in Chief.” At age 78, the dreams aren’t slowing down — not at all.

Her most recent feather in the cap (or

wig) is The Dolly Parton Experience. It just opened before the summer season and includes multiple buildings that focus on everything Dolly. It’s designed to let people get as close to her as possible. They get to see her different looks, the custom wardrobe displays, the wigs, and her “signature style.”

One of the notable spots where people can step onto includes one of her tour buses. People can see how she lived and walk past the different bunks, bathrooms, and her own bedroom on the road.

For Dolly, this was an easy move.

“Our old museum really needed a facelift, but instead of a nip-and-tuck, we just decided to start all over! There are a lot of interactive elements and technology all through the area, but there are no holograms of me in there anywhere. I think the last thing this world needs is a bunch of ‘Dolly-grams’ running around everywhere,” Dolly said with a laugh. “Seriously though, I’m so proud of the work

our people have put into this new experience to make sure it is something our guests will enjoy for many years. It’s been almost three years in the making, and it’s three times larger than anything like this we’ve ever created before, so it really is something! For me, the most special part is the area called ‘Precious Memories,’ because it’s about my family and everything they have done to support me through the years.”

Dolly has long been a supporter of gay rights, despite her efforts to keep the conversation from ever getting too political. She’s never shied away from her LGBTQ fans.

“You’ve got to stand up for what you believe in,” she said. “If you’re trying to pretend to be someone other than you are, then it’s a fake. Whoever you are, be that.”

Each year, about three million people visit Dollywood in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Pigeon Forge. And the list

of accolades that comes with that popularity is growing. In June, Dollywood was named “favorite amusement park” by the National Amusement Park Historical Association. Dollywood was named number 27 on Forbes’ first-ever Top 300 Best Companies for Customer Service in 2024. Dolly comes here a few times a year and keeps an apartment at one of her resort hotels to make the visits that much easier. Her fans are rabid about her presence and hope for a glimpse of her whenever there are rumors of the country star being anywhere near the theme park. For Parton, it’s about having a place to celebrate her world and her family — then and now.

“Hopefully, people will be moved by [the Dolly Parton Experience], the stories, and things about my family,” she said. “I’m very proud of my family.”

To learn more about Dollywood and the Dolly Parton Experience, visit dollywood. com/themepark/rides/dolly-parton-experience.

The Dolly Parton Experience at Dollywood is designed to let people get as close to the icon as possible. COURTESY PHOTO

Blair Miller

‘Last Call’ Docuseries Looks at NYC Serial Killer, 96-Hour Opera Festival Includes Queer Voices

Jim Farmer

Told in four powerful parts, the HBO docuseries, “Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York” looks at the murders of four gay men in the 1990s. Its creators are Anthony Caronna and Howard Gertler.

According to Gertler, HBO sent him Elon Green’s book, “Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York,” which the series is based on, and asked if there might be a show there.

“In addition to be a gripping read, there was an opportunity to illuminate and talk about the nature of violence against queer people during that time period and the nature of anti-violence that was required to combat it,” Gertler told Georgia Voice. “The lives of the victims we knew were quite complex and there were questions of who got justice and who did not get justice during that time period that were fascinating. These are hard questions, but the story organically allowed us to have them in a format that is really popular now.”

He was looking for a filmmaker and sat down one night with Caronna. Over dinner, Caronna realized another company had asked him to direct it and he was not interested. He loved the book, but was not interested in doing true crime at all.

“I was also nervous about re-victimizing the queer community with the stories in the book,” Caronna said. But Gertler eventually convinced him.

The 1990s were a different time, when gay men couldn’t be as open as they can now. AIDS had also entered the community.

“AIDS exacerbated the violence that was

happening, but there was also a lack of understanding about the queer community,” Caronna said. “Everything was pushed down to Christoper Street, and for many people it was open season on the queers down there. I think that obviously AIDS affected it, but [the community] was looked at as a diseased population and a lack of understanding of who we are, which made violence rise and made all the things we explore with the NYPD in our show also happen.”

In a few of the episodes, the filmmakers lean into the fact that the NYPD was not as helpful as it needed to be. It was only around the time of the fourth victim that the NYPD joined the fight.

It was also a time when gay men had to be closeted.

“The closet was obviously a part of the lives of the men we covered, except for Michael,” Caronna said. “ADP talked about that a lot in interviews. People in the closet don’t necessarily want to give up information on themselves or the people they are with. Obviously we’re not blaming us as a community, but it perpetuates this cycle of not wanting to talk about the violence and

the violence continuing and people not being caught. I think the police did a really horrible job of making queer people comfortable and making them feel secure in talking about the violence. They were not talking in a caring, understanding way. They were met with aggression and complete misunderstanding.”

The Atlanta Opera’s upcoming annual 96-Hour Opera Festival always tries to highlight underrepresented voices in opera. Some of the contestants this year are queer: David Davila and Mo Holmes. In the competition, five teams of two are given four days to complete a 10-minute opera. Each team gets a pianist and a singer and the winning team receives a $10,000 prize and a commission to write a chamber opera for the Atlanta Opera. The topics for this year were distributed in April.

Holmes is a Black queer Southern playwright and dramaturg who has been interesting in expanding into opera.

“I am interested in scale in general as a writer and I like the theatrical heightened scale of I, and the big voices,” she said. “I like the idea of writing about everyday people, but giving it grandeur.”

Holmes’ opera, “The Binya and the Comya” is about an elder from the sea island community off Georgia and South Carolina. She is a weaver who is passing along her legacy to an AI-powered robot.

Being queer is a big part of Holmes’ artmaking.

“Imagining a future where queer people and POC can see themselves is a big part of my writing,” she said.

Queer representation and Latino representation is important to Davila, who will be working with George Tsz-Kwan Lam, a composer also interested in queer representation. Their project is titled, “Vimeo or Mimeo.” The premise is that an artist has created an AI duplicate of himself. The world is coming to an end and he wants to use his last minutes to make sure his duplicate can create art with other AIs.

MORE INFO

“Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York” is now on HBO and streaming on Max

The 96-Hour Opera Project will take place June 17 at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at Morehouse College.

“Last Call” PUBLICITY PHOTO

Jim Farmer

Kink Down South Weekend

JUNE 7-9

VARIOUS VENUES

Kink Down South Weekend offers a series of parties, workshops, and social activities that celebrate the kink and BDSM community. Opening night at Blake’s on the Park features a meet and greet with Mr. Kristofer and other guests.

The Preacher’s Wife

JUNE 7, 8PM, THROUGH JUNE 16

ALLIANCE THEATRE

In their fast-gentrifying Harlem neighborhood, Preacher Henry and his wife Julia struggle to keep their congregation going in the face of development.  When all seems lost, Henry asks God for help, and receives it in the form of an angel.  But will this mysterious newcomer really help or make matters worse? Featuring an original score by actor, comedian, and writer Tituss Burgess (TV's “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”) and a book by actress, producer, and writer Azie Dungey (TV's “Harlem”), the Alliance Theatre’s “The Preacher's Wife” is a can't-miss theatrical celebration of community, family, and faith.

The Golden Gals Live

JUNE 8, 8PM, THROUGH JUNE 16

OUT FRONT THEATRE COMPANY

The award-winning cast and crew of “The Golden Gals Live!” have returned to Atlanta with a brandnew show, directed by and starring Ginger Minj from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” as Blanche.

Texas Hold ‘Em Drag Bingo

JUNE 11, 6:30PM

LIPS ATLANTA

Come support PALS Atlanta at Texas Hold’ Em Drag Bingo with a great cast of performers/ hostesses.

Retro Play Pride Series

JUNE 11, 18, AND 25, 7PM

MIDTOWN ART CINEMA

Landmark Theatre’s Retro Play Pride Series includes the classic “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” today followed by a talkback/discussion, with “Moonlight” on June 18 and “But I’m a Cheerleader” June 25, all hosted by Out On Film.

Supplier Diversity Forum and Matchmaker

JUNE 13, 9:30AM

FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF ATLANTA

OUT Georgia hosts its Supplier Diversity Forum &

EVENT SPOTLIGHT

The Golden Gals Live

JUNE 8, 8PM, THROUGH JUNE 16

OUT FRONT THEATRE COMPANY

The award-winning cast and crew of “The Golden Gals Live!” have returned to Atlanta with a brand-new show, directed by and starring Ginger Minj from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” as Blanche. Photo via Out Front Theatre Company

The Glass Menagerie

JUNE 13, 8PM, THROUGH JUNE 22

7 STAGES BACKSTAGE THEATRE

Authenticity Theater presents the Tennessee Williams classic “The Glass Menagerie.” Set in St. Louis during the depression era of the 1930s, the play is the poignant drama of a family’s gradual disintegration, under pressure both from outside and within. A frustrated mother persuades her rebellious son to provide a ‘gentleman caller’ for her shy, crippled daughter, but her romantic dreams are shattered by the intervention of harsh reality.

Sister Act

JUNE 14, 8PM, THROUGH JUNE 23

AURORA THEATRE

In Aurora Theatre’s musical “Sister Act,” lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder and is in fear for her life. The cops answer her prayers, sort of… They put her in protective custody in the one place the police are sure she won’t be found — a convent. Based on the hit 1992 film, this uplifting musical is reason to rejoice.

Gay Paris!

JUNE 15, 7PM

THE CHURCH AT PONCE AND HIGHLAND

The countdown to the 2024 Olympic games has begun. In “Gay Paris!” Atlanta Freedom Bands takes you on a musical journey to the City of Light, showcasing the sights and sounds of this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris. This Olympic celebration includes music by French composers for band and orchestra along with pieces celebrating sport and competition. The program features several pieces never before heard in Atlanta along with some favorites you are sure to recognize. Guest vocalist Rachelle Barr will sing songs made popular by Edith Piaf.

PFLAG Support Group

JUNE 16, 2:30PM

SPIRITUAL LIVING CENTER

The PFLAG support group for parents and families of LGBTQ children meets in person today.

Dream vs. Sparks

JUNE 16, 3PM

GATEWAY CENTER ARENA

The Atlanta Dream take on the L.A. Sparks today.

Trans and Friends

JUNE 17, 7PM FOR YOUTH, 8PM FOR ADULTS

CHARIS BOOKS AND MORE

Trans and Friends is a youth-focused group for trans people, people questioning their own gender and aspiring allies, providing a facilitated space to discuss gender, relevant resources and activism around social issues.

Lavender Fest

JUNE 19-23

OUT FRONT THEATRE COMPANY

Lavender Fest, an LGBTQIA+ performing arts festival, launches today. The lineup of shows will include: “The Real Black Swann: Confessions of America’s First Black Drag Queen” by Les Kurkendaal-Barrett; “You Are Not Your Face”  by Sof Delgado; “Drag Reflex,” a lip-sync free drag show featuring local Atlanta drag performers; “By the Light of the Moon”  by Quinlan Orear; “Open”  by Davin Grindstaff; “The Heterosexuals “by Johnnie McNamara Walker; “Very Queer Comedy Hour” featuring Jessica, Richard, Dani, & Twiggs; “Strings Attached” by Chayton Pabich Danyla; and “Moonshot: A Musical Comedy”  with book by Marc Erdahi & Tyler Oberle and music & lyrics by Corey Everly.

Black Panther

JUNE 20, 8:30PM

1005 PEACHTREE ST NE

Come see the classic “Black Panther” for free as part of Midtown Movie Night, sponsored by Midtown ATL and Out On Film.

LGBTQ Book Club

JUNE 22, 10AM

VIRTUAL

The LGBTQ Book Club is a group for LGBTQ folks and allies to read queer-themed books and books by queer authors. The aim is to have diverse, thought-provoking discussions about queer identity, history, and topical issues. All are welcome to join. This month's book is “Don't Cry for Me: A Novel” by Daniel Black. No registration is required. This Zoom link will allow you to join the meeting at any time: https://us02web.zoom. us/j/85007056372.

Thursdays R&B

JUNE 27, 10PM

MY SISTER’S ROOM

Enjoy Thursdays R&B with Melissa Scott at My Sister’s Room.

Matchmaker.

Katie Burkholder

Myah Ross Monroe’s House of Love

JUNE 7, 9PM

ATLANTA EAGLE

Featuring Just Jermaine, Malaysia Black, Lacie Bruce, Tatiana Tuesday Dickerson, A’Jivan Avioncé Dickerson, Chavon Scott, and Jeremiah Tymes Starr. $5 cover.

Chet Faker

JUNE 7, 10PM

DISTRICT ATLANTA

Tickets at collectivpresents.com.

Fort Troff Grunt Party: Kink Down South

JUNE 7, 10PM

FUTURE ATLANTA

Kick off Kink Down South Weekend with DJ Ryan Willing! Get a free KDS dog tag and consent indicator at the door1 $20 cover.

Ron Pullman

JUNE 7, 11PM

ATLANTA EAGLE $5 cover.

Paragon Munch: Impact Play in Small Spaces

JUNE 8, 5PM

ATLANTA EAGLE

With CerebralPulse.

All Gear Social: Kink Down South

JUNE 8, 8PM

ATLANTA EAGLE

Perfect for those who want to connect and mingle with kinksters but not looking to stay out to 3:00am! Featuring DJ Calvin.

Atlanta Eagle Cabaret

JUNE 8, 9PM

ATLANTA EAGLE

Starring Lena Lust, Shawnna Brooks, Misti Shores, Elea Atlanta, and Niesha Dupree. $5 cover.

Candela

JUNE 8, 10PM

DISTRICT ATLANTA

Featuring DJ EU and DJ Eduardo Franco. Tickets via Eventbrite.

Deviant’s Disco: Kink Down South

JUNE 8, 11PM

ATLANTA EAGLE

Gear up for the ultimate night of kink celebration with DJ James Anthony! $20 cover.

Karaoke Night

JUNE 9, 7:30PM THE T

Trivia Night

JUNE 11, 8:30PM

ATLANTA EAGLE

With DJ DeWayne.

Country Night

JUNE 11, 9PM

ATLANTA EAGLE

Show up at 8pm for the dance lesson before line dancing the night away with DJ Dice at 9pm!

Wigging Out – Week 5

JUNE 11, 9PM

FUTURE ATLANTA

A drag competition for people who want to try drag for the first time, all while raising money for their favorite charity! Tickets at future-atlanta.com.

Karaoke Night

JUNE 13, 9PM

THE T

Rock Haus Karaoke

JUNE 13, 9PM

ATLANTA EAGLE

Hosted by Raqi.

Disco Dolls –Angeria Paris VanMichaels

JUNE 14, 9PM

FUTURE ATLANTA

Front runner on this season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars” and Atlanta’s own, Angeria Paris VanMichaels is back to ATL for Disco Dollz, hosted by Phoenix and Destiny Brooks. Tickets at future-atlanta.com.

Myah Ross Monroe’s House of Love

JUNE 14, 9PM

ATLANTA EAGLE

Featuring Just Jermaine, Malaysia Black, Lacie Bruce, Tatiana Tuesday Dickerson, A’Jivan Avioncé Dickerson, Chavon Scott, and Jeremiah Tymes Starr. $5 cover.

Cloonee and Sosa

JUNE 14, 10PM

DISTRICT ATLANTA

Tickets at collectivpresents.com.

EVENT SPOTLIGHT

Sonny Fodera

JUNE 21, 10PM

DISTRICT ATLANTA

Tickets at bit.ly/SONNYATL2024. Photo via Facebook

Atlanta Eagle Cabaret

JUNE 15, 9PM

ATLANTA EAGLE

Starring Lena Lust, Shawnna Brooks, Misti Shores, Elea Atlanta, and Niesha Dupree. $5 cover.

Karaoke Night

JUNE 16, 7:30PM

THE T

Cowboy Carter: A Non-Stop, Full Album Drag Show Experience

JUNE 16, 8PM

MY SISTER’S ROOM

Canzara SZN, Cici Nicole, Dotte Com, Drew Friday, EllaSaurus Rex, JayBella Bamks, Tyra Rex, and Taylor ALXNDR all perform to EVERY song from Beyoncé’s latest album, Cowboy Carter! Tickets at bit.ly/hoaccshow.

Trivia Night

JUNE 18, 8:30PM

ATLANTA EAGLE

With DJ DeWayne.

Wigging Out – Finale

JUNE 18, 9PM

FUTURE ATLANTA

A drag competition for people who want to try drag for the first time, all while raising money for

their favorite charity! Tickets at future-atlanta.com.

IDOL WORSHIP: An Evening with Mink Stole and Peaches Christ

JUNE 20, 8PM

CITY WINERY

Don’t miss this intimate, revelatory, and heartfelt cabaret show starring living legend and cult film icon Mink Stoke and drag impresario Peaches Christ, brought to you by Wussy Mag! Tickets at citywinery.com.

Karaoke Night

JUNE 20, 9PM

THE T

Rock Haus Karaoke

JUNE 20, 9PM

ATLANTA EAGLE

Hosted by Raqi.

Sonny Fodera

JUNE 21, 10PM

DISTRICT ATLANTA

Tickets at bit.ly/SONNYATL2024.

Ron Pullman

JUNE 21, 11PM

ATLANTA EAGLE

$5 cover.