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:
BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:
Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare
Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY”
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.
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
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.
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, lightcolored 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.
Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if
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.
BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.
Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.
Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not
breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.
HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:
Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.
Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter
GET MORE INFORMATION
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.
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, GSI, and KEEP ASPIRING are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2021 © 2022 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. US-BVYC-0085 02/22
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DIMITRI LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 2018 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT
KEEP ASPIRING. Because HIV doesn’t change who you are. BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.
Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you. ONE SMALL PILL, ONCE A DAY Pill shown not actual size (15 mm x 8 mm) | Featured patient compensated by Gilead.
Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.
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voice
georgia VOLUME 13• ISSUE 8 About the cover:
Courtesy photo by Stefan Shagwell
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4 EDITORIAL JULY 8, 2022
GUEST EDITORIAL
I have always talked about having a chosen and/ or drag family, but little did I know the true meaning of this until very recently. June 22 is the day I decided to actively take actions toward hurting myself and perhaps ending my life. The moment it happened, I freaked out and reached out to my tribe. If it weren’t for these people, I wouldn’t know if I were here to write about it. For that reason, I wanted to take my unsteady journey at the moment and provide some hope and insight about what happened. When I think about it I, I think of how COVID-19 was a huge part of it, where everything started, not just for me but for my whole community. Most of us our worlds were flipped upside down during the pandemic, and what I want to highlight about this is not about my story but our community’s story as a whole and how we came together in ways that is thicker than blood. Many of us in the drag industry are entertainers and artists who feel need to express ourselves in a unique way. For me, it’s through photographs, but I also feel best when I’m expressing myself socially. Throughout the last two years, I saw most of my friends, my favorite entertainers, be challenged in so many ways that shook both me and them to the core. When I entered the pandemic, I was working so much that I didn’t care about clicking on another photo. I had lost my faith in the art and the spark that would give me the chills every time I had a gig. You might think that working with the most famous entertainers or the coolest gigs that have the best afterparties wouldn’t be something I would complain about, but at the end of the day, it’s a job. People get overworked or overwhelmed by it.
During the pandemic, I started seeing how much of my social media feed was dominated by my queer community asking for help: seeking a voice, seeking advice, seeking connection. Within months, I had seen many people shift into fight-to-live mode. I started reaching out to individual people, just to check up on them just so they can tell me what they are going through. Many of them at the beginning were strong, driven and had a drive thirstier than glory hole. At the same time, I was struggling, and I couldn’t understand how in that climate how people managed to remain so happy and energetic. As time went by, I started seeing some people were looking for other ways to find ends meet, finding new jobs, and doing live shows online only to be paid a fraction of what they used to make. COVID-19 was no joke, and it was hard for me to see in my LGBTQAI+ family going through a roller coaster of emotions. Drag was stagnant, people were at home alone, thinking about every thought possible and just trying to live a normal life. When a queer person is isolated from their tribe, it can have deeply harmful effects – especially if they spent their youth closeted or otherwise isolated from a sense of community and truth. For this same reason, I started taking care of my friends, and I started falling in love with drag again. During the pandemic, I got to experience another side of drag: the palpable impact of chosen family on drag entertainers. During this time, many were being lifted up by their closest friends, For me, it felt like seeing “Paris is Burning” live in action, where drag families in New York City would take care of each other and protect one another. I got to see people connect in a different way. Close friends and chosen family would push one another to do better, they would exchange makeup tips and creative ideas. If someone struggled financially, their tribe would start a GoFundMe account
and charity events and even worked extra jobs to support their friends. Gratefully, this was no different for me. When I decided to hurt myself, I immediately called my closest friends. It was all a blur, but my tribe got together in a unit and took care of me in every way I could possibly imagine. I am truly thankful they sacrificed so much to get me all the help and support I needed in a matter of hours. This was my first time I 1000 percent depended on the love, trust and support of my chosen drag family. I learned that my friends truly want the best for me and wanted me to give me the safe space and support, they wanted to take care of me like I had taken care of them. These past few weeks have really made me think of the impact we have on each other, as humans and cheerleaders to one another. From this new COVID synergy, a new generation of drag has been born, and a new collective unity within our community has flourished. For that, I am truly thankful.
PHOTO BY JUST TOBY
THEGEORGIAVOICE.COM
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NEWS BRIEFS Staff reports Read these stories and more online at thegavoice.com
U.S. Orders 2.5 Million More Monkeypox Vaccine Doses The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that it has ordered an additional 2.5 million doses of Bavarian Nordic’s JYNNEOS, an FDA-licensed vaccine indicated for prevention of smallpox and monkeypox, for use in responding to current or future monkeypox outbreaks and as part of U.S. smallpox preparedness. Deliveries from this latest order of the Bavarian Nordic‘s Jynneos vaccine will begin arriving at the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) later this year and will continue through early 2023 HHS said in a statement. “We are working around-the-clock with public health officials in states and large metro areas to provide them with vaccines and treatments to respond to the current monkeypox outbreak,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “This order of additional JYNNEOS vaccine will help us push out more vaccine quickly, knowing that we have more doses on the way in the coming months — and is only possible because of our longstanding investment in smallpox and monkeypox preparedness.” The order is in addition to the 500,000 doses of government-owned vaccine the company is producing in 2022 for use in the current response to monkeypox in the U.S and brings the total vaccine doses to be delivered in 2022 and 2023 to more than 4 million. The company will produce these doses in liquid frozen form using vaccine already manufactured in bulk under an existing 10year contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, within the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; that contract was part of ongoing national preparedness efforts against smallpox. “The medical countermeasures available to help respond to the current outbreak are the result of years of investment and planning made possible through the ongoing work between HHS and private industry,” said Gary
6 NEWS JULY 8, 2022
As of June 29, the CDC has received reports of approximately 350 cases of monkeypox in the U.S., primarily among men who have sex with men. PHOTO COURTESY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY Disbrow, director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. “We are pleased that we have been able to work with our partners at Bavarian Nordic to accelerate delivery of vaccines that can help keep people safe and stem the spread of the virus.” BARDA supported the development of JYNNEOS, which is approved by the FDA to prevent smallpox and monkeypox. The U.S. government owns enough smallpox vaccine — JYNNEOS and ACAM2000 — to vaccinate millions of Americans, if needed. As of June 29, the CDC has received reports of approximately 350 cases of monkeypox in the U.S., primarily among men who have sex with men. To learn more about monkeypox, visit cdc.gov/ monkeypox.
CVS Offers Free HIV Testing Until July 13 CVS is offering free HIV testing at participating Atlanta metro-area MinuteClinic at CVS HealthHUB locations now through July 13, in collaboration with Gilead Sciences. HIV disproportionately impacts historically underserved communities, including Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ communities. CDC data show gay and bisexual men made up 69 percent of new HIV diagnoses in 2019, Black people made up 42 percent, Latinx people made up 29 percent, and trans people made up two percent. Georgia, and Atlanta in particular, have increasingly become a hot spot for HIV diagnoses. Atlanta’s HIV diagnosis rate of 44 is over three times the U.S. average (per 100,000 people). In 2020, Georgia had the
highest rate of new HIV diagnoses of any state, according to CDC data. Drexel Shaw, the National HIV Liasion for CVS Health, says that testing is the first line of defense against HIV. However, the use of CDC-funded HIV tests dropped by nearly half in 2020. This could be due to stigma: according to a study from the National Library of Medicine, participants who had not been tested in the previous six months (the CDC recommended time frame) reported significantly higher anticipated stigma scores than did those who had had a recent HIV test. Lack of access, awareness, testing and resources in areas of high infection rates also magnifies the issue; the CDC attributes a 17 percent decrease in testing from 2019 to 2020 to a lack of access to testing and carerelated services due to COVID. “Testing is the critical first step to HIV prevention and care and yet testing rates have plummeted in recent years, partly due to the ongoing pandemic,” Shaw said in a release. “We are thrilled that with this collaboration Gilead, we can offer convenient, no-cost testing in communities with some of the highest HIV diagnosis rates in our country so that more people can learn their HIV status and take steps to protect themselves. Working together, we can end this epidemic.” To take advantage of CVS’s free testing, visit CVSHealth.com and download a free HIV test voucher onto your mobile device. You will then have the option to test in a private exam room at a MinuteClinic at CVS HealthHUB location or receive a referral to a participating lab. You will either receive a rapid test with results in 15 minutes or a blood test, in which the practitioner will schedule a follow-up, confidential consultation with results. Those 18 or older are eligible.
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NATIONAL NEWS
ANALYSIS: THE ROGUE SUPREME COURT Victoria A. Brownworth Hillary Clinton warned everyone in 2016 that if Donald Trump were elected, the Supreme Court would pass into his hands. Ceded with it, she suggested, would be Roe v. Wade, Obergefell v. Hodges and a myriad of other precedent-setting laws. And now, here we are. Roe is gone. Obergefell is next, if everyone from Jim Obergefell himself to President Biden to — most importantly — Justice Clarence Thomas, who wants to overturn that next, is to be believed. Thomas also referenced the landmark 2003 case of Lawrence v. Texas, which overturned U.S. sodomy laws which had been used to penalize gay and lesbian Americans for centuries. The Supreme Court, in a decision authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy, held that “Texas law criminalizing consensual, sexual conduct between individuals of the same sex violated the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.” Sodomy laws were used regularly to separate women from their children in custody cases and arrest gay men. Noted Civil Rights icon Bayard Rustin was jailed on a sodomy charge. And the Sharon Bottoms case was notorious. Thomas, the only justice other than Stephen Breyer who was on the SCOTUS at that time, dissented in Lawrence. Along with Thomas, the late Antonin Scalia argued, presciently as it happened, that the decision would lead to acceptance of same-sex marriage. Kennedy would author that same-sex marriage ruling in Obergefell as well. There has been a lot of talk on social media about expanding the court, which will not
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happen — there aren’t even enough senators willing to pass the Voting Rights Act (which had massive bipartisan support in 1965 when it was first signed into law only to be overturned by Scalia and Thomas in 2013). President Biden has stated he is not behind such a plan. Neither is Speaker Pelosi nor even most Democratic senators. The unremediated fact that few on the left side of the aisle are willing to acknowledge is that what was the Roberts court in 2016 — a divided but largely balanced mix of liberal, conservative and swing justices — is now the Trump court in 2022. And, like Donald Trump himself (if testimony at the latest January 6 hearing is to be believed), the Trump court is a short-sighted, out of control, tantrumthrowing, personal-vendetta-and-grievances holding, group of five right-wing extremists: Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. The clique these five have solidified has taken originalism to its most extreme point. The other members of the court, conservative swing voter Chief Justice John Roberts and liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and incoming justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, are largely irrelevant in this new configuration wrought in the Trump years. For anyone paying attention past this explosive overturning of Roe which has riveted the country and spawned spontaneous protests nationwide, the dangers inherent in this newly emboldened conservative extremist court are manifold and reach into nearly every aspect of American life. As always, those who will be most impacted are those in historically marginalized communities: women, Black and brown Americans, immigrants, poor people, disabled people, and LGBTQ people. Safe abortions will always be available for those with money and access.
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett
PUBLIC DOMAIN PHOTO
But for young and poor women, lesbians, and also trans masculine, nonbinary and gender nonconforming people with uteruses, access is limited, and risks are high. Corrective rape of lesbians is a growing component of hate crimes. Bisexual women are frequent targets of sexual assault. And as Supreme Court expert Mark Joseph Stern wrote on Twitter June 29, “There is a reason why so many modern abortion bans have no exception for rape. The anti-abortion movement has coalesced around the idea that rape victims must be compelled to carry their rapist’s child from the moment of fertilization.” As grim as these facts and the Roe decision are overall, there is much more than Roe being adjudicated by this rogue court. In this month’s flurry of decisions have been the vitiation of bans on concealed carry gun laws, weakening of Miranda rights against self-incrimination, and the total obliteration of the separation of Church and State in two cases, one involving a coach who was fired for coercing students to pray Christian prayers with him at every game, and another which found Maine may not exclude religious schools from a state tuition program, a violation of the Establishment Clause of the Constitution.
had virulently anti-LGBTQ curricula. And every case in which the SCOTUS has ruled against LGBTQ people in recent years, like Masterpiece Cake Shop, has had a religious component. These religious cases signal one of the most disturbing aspects of the rogue SCOTUS: the continual blurring of the separation of Church and State leading — as in the case of the coach, where Gorsuch’s ruling stridently stood for the coach’s rights over that of all the students — to a dominance of Christian ideology. This does not bode well for anyone who is not Christian and certainly not for LGBTQ people who are already under assault from the GOP at the state level. Both the GOP gubernatorial and senate candidates, Doug Mastriano and Dr. Mehmet Oz, are stridently religious, antiabortion and anti-LGBTQ. Both applauded the SCOTUS ruling on Roe, and Mastriano has pledged to make Pennsylvania’s already highly restrictive abortion law more so, with no exceptions at all.
That last was just the latest in a series of rulings forbidding the exclusion of religious institutions from government programs. As PGN reported last June when the SCOTUS ruled in the case of Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, this has been a growing trend in the court.
The evolution of the Trump court — a rogue extremist court that goes against the majority of Americans’ wishes on Roe and possibly on these other cases as well — has just begun. The right to carry a gun is now more protected than the right to control one’s own uterus. The slippery slope was set in November 2016. It remains to be seen just how many rights — those which Americans thought were codified and established laws — will be upended by this court.
Looking more closely at the Maine case, for example, shows that the schools in question
Story courtesy of Philadelphia Gay News via the National LGBTQ Media Association.
JULY 8, 2022 NEWS 7
DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA
57 Years of
Fabulous: DINA JACOBS’ LEGENDARY CAREER, FROM HAWAII TO ATLANTA Sukainah Abid-Kons Dina Jacobs has been described as a “drag legend,” and it’s a title she’s earned. Her drag career has lasted 57 years. Starting in Waikiki in Hawaii, it has moved to Chicago, California, and Atlanta, earning her many awards and accolades along the way. This career, which has preoccupied the majority of Jacobs’ life, started on a dare. “My cousin and I were invited to this party … and they said we could come only if we came in drag,” Jacobs told Georgia Voice. “That’s how it all started: on a dare.” Neither she nor her cousin had done drag before, but Jacobs decided to try it out in order to get into the party. That marked her first time in drag, and it wouldn’t take long for Jacobs to start doing it professionally. After hearing about auditions for an act at a new gay bar in Honolulu, The Clouds, Jacobs decided to showcase her skills. “I wasn’t asked to audition because I didn’t do any shows yet at that point,” Jacobs explained. But the lack of invitation did not deter her. “So, I went in there, brazen as all get-up, and I asked to sing and to emcee, and I got the job!” Jacobs worked at The Clouds until she was offered a position at The Glade, also in Honolulu, which was bigger and better known than The Clouds. Eventually, in 1970, an opportunity came for Jacobs to travel to the mainland and work at a bar in Kansas City. But, after some bad experiences, Jacobs returned to Hawaii and thought she would “never travel to the mainland again.” But Jacobs was good at what she did, so the opportunities kept coming. Soon she left
8 DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA JULY 8, 2022
“Nobody understood, nobody understands, and nobody ever will understand how incredible Atlanta was back in [the] 1970s to the ’90s. It was so lively, the gay community was so tight … and we supported each other back then.” Hawaii again to work in Minneapolis, and from there traveled to work in Los Vegas, Atlanta, and even Canada. “Back in the ’70s, my head was in a spin! I was going everywhere,” Jacobs said, adding that from there, jobs in different states kept coming, and she traveled to all of them with a group of friends who also did drag: “We had a road crew, maybe there were about ten of us, and we traveled around.” They started in Minneapolis, then moved on to other jobs in Las Vegas, Edmonton, Canada, and San Francisco. After reaching California again, Jacobs returned to Hawaii. “This time, I really thought that I’d never return to the mainland,” said Jacobs. “But then a great opportunity came up in Los Angeles.” So, Jacobs returned to the road once again. After traveling to Chicago for a job at The Baton, Jacobs found out that a permanent spot had opened in their show. A long-term job was just what she was looking for, because “at this point, I was sick
Dina Jacobs
PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK
and tired of traveling.” Jacobs auditioned and showcased her singing talents, earning a standing ovation after performing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” and was offered a job “on the spot.” That began Jacobs’ long-term career on the mainland, where she spent many years performing in both Chicago and Atlanta. During her time in Atlanta, Jacobs came to consider the city a second home. Jacobs first arrived in the city when the performers at The Baton had arranged to switch shows with a bar in Atlanta. She immediately loved it, moved down to Georgia, and spent 25 years working in the city. “Nobody understood, nobody understands, and nobody ever will understand how incredible Atlanta was back in [the] 1970s to the ’90s,” Jacobs said. “It was so lively, the gay community was so tight … and we supported each other back then.” But for all the fond memories, Jacobs also reflected on how difficult it was to be in her profession — or a part of the LGBTQ community in general — during those decades. Jacobs vividly remembers queens in LA telling her about their careers, and how they used to have to wear men’s clothes over their drag for their own protection.
“In between this story is the ugly part of what life was back then for people like us,” she said. Even in Jacobs’ earlier career, things were still difficult. Hormone therapy and genderaffirming surgery were more complicated than they are now, and Jacobs waited a long time to go on hormones out of fear that the treatment could leave her bald. “It wasn’t an easy life, that’s for sure, by no means,” said Jacobs. “In LA if you got caught walking around in drag, the police would pummel you and take you downtown. It was horrible, and it was demeaning.” While things have arguably gotten better and drag is more visible, Jacobs also recognizes the critical time that we are in. She was firm about the need for everyone to vote and for those in the LGBTQ community to support each other during these times. Jacobs emphasized the need to “keep to your family” and make sure that members of the LGBTQ community are lifting each other up, not tearing each other apart. Despite these concerns, Jacobs has faith that her work will continue: “I feel like because I’m still working, I haven’t hit my high point yet.” You can learn more about Dina Jacobs in her biography, “Forever Her Mother’s Son: The Dina Jacobs Story” by Larry Dwayne Ponder.
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DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA
A Labor of Love: HOSTING DRAG IN THE HOSTESS CITY Matt Schafer Read the full article online at thegavoice.com. It’s a steamy summer Friday night in Savannah, Georgia: bachelorettes in matching dresses, straight folks in polo shirts, vacationing LGBTQ folk and a contingent of locals climb the narrow, steep steps to the top floor of Club One and wait for the show. Blair Williams, wearing high heels and higher hair, takes the stage, cracks a few jokes and polls the crowd. By a show of hands, most of the crowd is from out of town and has never seen a drag show live before. Williams came to Club One, named for its address at One Jefferson Street, in 2008 after a decades-long sabbatical from drag. Needing to do a guest appearance to raise money for a local charity, she asked for a hot spot in a weekend show and eventually became one of the stalwarts at the 34-year-old gay club. “With drag, I have a love-hate relationship, I always have,” Williams explained one night as she was prepping for a weekend slate of shows. “The five minutes I’m on stage is the best feeling in the world. The process of getting yourself there is sometimes laborious, but this bar has welcomed me with open arms since the first day I walked into this facility. Of course, I love it, I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t still love it.” An average week includes bingo on
10 DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA JULY 8, 2022
Monday, three shows Friday, two shows on Sunday, and hosting a brunch at Moon River Brewing Company on Sunday. Club One also has the long running “Just a Little Drag!” with Chi-Chi Bonet Sherrington and a Thursday night show. It’s a busy schedule, but Club One reinvigorated her love for the art form in which she’s gone from frightened first-timer to winning the 2015 Miss Gay America pageant. Her journey to a national drag title started in the late 1980s in Charlotte’s venerable nightclub, The Scorpio. She took the stage under her own name, but with someone else’s look. “I was probably a hot mess,” she said. “I had found someone who took a liking to me and put me in drag, and so I didn’t look like a rank amateur, but I was still a rank amateur because she had done everything: costuming, makeup, face, none of it belonged to me, it all belonged to her.” As Williams found her feet, she turned her eyes to a bigger prize: the Miss Gay America pageant. Williams started competing, and she started losing. In 1992, a bar owner called her at short notice because they were hosting a direct qualifier for Miss Gay America and only one other contestant had registered. “I finished first runner up, second out of two people,” Williams said. Once qualified, she finished 17th out of
Blair Williams
PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK
more than 60 contestants, and that was enough to think she could win one day. Williams kept competing, but she and her husband moved, first to Chicago and then other cities, and she didn’t return to drag until after she moved to Savannah. “My entire goal was to go to Miss America [in 2012] and not embarrass myself, and when the dust settled that final night, I was fifth, and I was ecstatic because I hadn’t been in a pageant since 1995,” Williams said. “The next year I went back I was first runner-up, second place; the year after that I went back, and I was first runner-up, second place; and the next year I went back and first place to win.” “Being Miss America was a great experience, and I’m grateful for the Miss America foundation, I’m grateful for Club One,” she said, noting the emotional and financial support the club’s entertainers, owners and managers gave her. “I thought because Miss America was my goal in this business, I’d be able to sunset this, but I gave up that title and this is 2022 and I’m still working.” She’s working performing, scheduling the other 14 entertainers Club One employs, finessing lineups, promoting the club, and occasionally coming in to clean dressing rooms before big holiday weekends. In June, Williams also launched a podcast with Treyla
Trash, who she hosts bingo with every week, called “Can I ask you a personal question?” “It is an interesting market, especially on the weekends,” Williams said. “Predominately tourists, bridal parties, I call them ‘Straight gawkers’: people who have seen our sandwich board or walked by the bar and thought, ‘That seems like a good time!’ on Fridays and Saturdays, and even throughout the week. We used to have a more regular crowd on Thursdays and Sundays, and ChiChi’s show on Wednesday of course, but the tourists, we see them more coming in during the week as well.” For many, it’s their first time seeing a drag show live. For some, it’s likely the only time they’ll set foot in a gay bar. Williams is certain the performers are putting on a show that meets anyone’s expectations. “I say this all the time, but we have fourteen entertainers on our cast and the depth of entertainment in this building is mind blowing,” she said. “Their hair, their costuming, their makeup skills, their stage presence, it’s incredible and it’s definitely one of the best shows in the Southeast. I think it’s one of the best shows in the country.” Learn more about Club One at cluboneonline.com.
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DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA
War on the Catwalk Brings ‘Drag Race’ Queens from Around the World to One Stage said. “Atlanta is a beautiful city, and I can’t wait to see more of it!”
Katie Burkholder Calling all Drag Race fans! Icons from across the global franchise will be sharing the stage this summer in War on the Catwalk, a nationwide touring coming to Atlanta on August 10. War on The Catwalk is a high-energy drag show starring contestants from RuPaul’s Drag Race franchises around the world, including “Drag Race USA,” “Drag Race UK,” “Canada’s Drag Race,” and “Drag Race Down Under.” The show, presented by Murray and Peter, will hit 37 cities in less than two months. The host and lineup of queens of each will vary city to city. The Atlanta show will be hosted by Brooke Lynn Hytes, the runner up of “Drag Race” season 11, with performances by Krystal Versace from “Drag Race UK” season three; The Vivienne, the winner of “Drag Race UK” season one; Kita Mean from “Drag Race Down Under” season
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There will be two other shows in Georgia with the same line-up of queens: one on August 14 at Johnny Mercer Theatre in Savannah and another on August 19 at Miller Theater in Augusta. All the shows are welcome to fans of all ages, and there will be a twenty-minute intermission in the middle of each.
Heidi N Closet from “Drag Race” season 12. PHOTO BY JUST TOBY one; Kornbread from “Drag Race” season 14, Jimbo from “Drag Race Canada” season one; Denali from “Drag Race” season 13; and Heidi N Closet from “Drag Race” season 12. Hytes told Georgia Voice that fans who come to the show can expect “singing, comedy,
D I X I E AVENUE Madison, GA 30650
Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess. - OscarWilde
9
11
4
bedrooms
full bathrooms
half bathrooms
dancing, and lots of shenanigans.” The show in Atlanta will be at Center Stage Theatre on August 10. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 8pm. “I’m so excited [to come to Atlanta],” Hytes
Fans who purchase a VIP ticket for $199 will also have the opportunity to meet all the queesn before the show, take photos, and score autographs. The VIP ticket also includes an official tour poster and laminate with lanyard. If you purchase merch at the venue, the queens will autograph it during the meet and greet. Meet and greets start at 6pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit dragfans.com.
FOR SALE or TRADE in the Historic Madison District. Oak House, c. 1890, likely the largest home in town, was massively renovated and expanded in the 1990s to its current grandeur as an en suite 7+ Bedroom Estate with pool, guest house, 6 car garage and more! This Colonial Revival is ideal for large families, a historic bed and breakfast or for anyone that enjoys living on a grand scale. These marvelous staircases, soaring ceilings with stained glass domes, fantastical model train room, tufted leather elevator, 13 fireplaces, caterer's kitchen, and full-size gym can be your very own. Owner financing and adjacent horse barn available. Some images have been virtually staged.
Call Carol for a private showing or OPEN HOUSE dates. FMLS: 6981531
CAROL CAHILL
REALTOR ® | AEROTROPOLIS
404-918-8438 direct 404-250-6060 office
Carol.Cahil@harrynorman.com
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THE AEROTROPOLIS OFFICE | 3775 Main Street, 2nd Floor, College Park, GA 30337 | 404-250-6060 Office | HarryNorman.com
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The above information is believed accurate, but is not warranted. This offer is subject to errors, omissions, prior sale and withdrawals without notice. Equal Housing Opportunity.
JULY 8, 2022 DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA 11
DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA
Lips Atlanta: DINNER AND A (DRAG) SHOW
Lips Katie Burkholder Picture this: you’re out to dinner, celebrating a special occasion. The food is delicious and the company is even better, but something’s missing. If you said “drag queens,” then Lips is the place for you. Lips is the premier establishment for drag dining in Atlanta. The business was founded in New York City by Yvonne Lamé. The idea was to create a dining experience that rivaled New York’s beloved gay nightlife. “I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun to go to a restaurant that was like going to a club?’ Like you would hear good music, there would be a good atmosphere, drag queens and fun,” Lamé told Georgia Voice. “Lips is a place to have a good time, to let your hair down — or, as a drag queen would say, put your hair up!” What started as a simple weeknight drag open mic eventually transformed into a national empire. “My partner had a bar that was successful called Rome,” Lamé said. “I started a night
12 DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA JULY 8, 2022
there called Pop Tarts; it was sort of like an open mic for drag. I gave the newbies a stage. The night really took off. One of our original partners had a restaurant that was floundering, so they had the space, so we pitched the idea of Lips. They thought it was a good idea, so we built it out. We brought a lot of the drag queens that were working at Rome over, and we put it all together, [and] added some glitter to give it a more drag atmosphere. There was a magazine called New York Magazine. They wrote a blurb and took a picture, and after that article came out the phones never stopped ringing.” Since its inception, Lips has expanded and now has locations in San Diego, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, and Atlanta. The Lips experience begins when you walk through the door, when you’re met with a glam palace fit for a queen. “Atlanta is definitely one of the grander Lips,” Lamé said. “The experience starts the moment you open the door — you’ve arrived into another world. The decor is way over the
top, it’s definitely something a drag queen would do. The chandeliers on the main floor are 15 feet tall. It’s ornate and very drag, it’s not like your typical restaurant.” Lips differs from other drag venues by not limiting the drag to the stage. The party starts the moment you sit down. “The difference that makes us stand out is our waitresses; they’re drag queens,” Lamé said. “That was the concept: let’s bring the party to the table. They’re coming over, they’re dressed up, they’re campy. If you go to other drag brunches, they’re really just doing a show and you’re not getting that interaction before the show.” The queens will serve you up a delicious dinner and cocktails (or brunch and bottomless bloody marys and mimosas if you’re there on Sunday afternoon!), and the show begins! Lips Atlanta currently has seven different shows happening five days a week, each as fabulous as the last. On Wednesdays at 7pm is Twisted Broadway, hosted by Brigitte Bidet. Catch the biggest
PHOTO BY RUSSELL BOWEN-YOUNGBLOOD
and best of Broadway as the queens perform hits from every decade with a demented twist. On Thursdays at 7pm is The Divas, the night when all the stars come out — also hosted by Brigitte Bidet. On Fridays at 7 and 9:45pm and Saturdays at 6 and 8:45pm is Glitz and Glam, a show filled with over-thetop glamour hosted by Christian Valentino. Then on Saturday nights at 11:30 is the newest 21+ show, Taboo: The Dirty Show, hosted by the Mistress of Seduction, Taejah Thomas. On Sunday, catch the Dragalicious Brunch at 11:30am and 2pm, hosted by Taejah Thomas, and then Showstoppers at 6:30, hosted by Ms. Blush. If you’re looking to party, celebrate, and have fun, Lips Atlanta is sure to deliver. “Most of our guests leave with a smile on their face. If not, we did something wrong,” Lamé concluded. “At the end of the day, if you want to have a good time, you want to have fun, then Lips is the place for you!” Lips Atlanta is at 3011 Buford Highway NE. For more information, visit lipsatl.com. To make a reservation, call 404-315-7711.
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DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA
Atlanta Drag ROUNDUP Katie Burkholder
Phoenix. Tickets at future-atlanta.com.
Atlanta is truly the drag capital of the South! From weekly shows to one-time events, the city has a myriad of options when it comes to all things drag.
Myah Ross Monroe’s Moonlight Cabaret
Twisted Broadway!
Wednesdays at 7pm Lips Atlanta Catch the biggest and best of Broadway as you’ve never seen it before! The biggest hits from every decade with the ladies’ own demented twist! Annie, Wicked, The Lion King … and more, all hosted by Brigitte Bidet. Call Lips to reserve your spot at 404-315-7711.
Ruby Redd’s Birdcage Bingo
Wednesdays at 9pm Midtown Moon Sounds by DJ Sugarbaker. Benefitting For the Kid in All of Us, an organization providing backpacks and toys for children in need.
Weekly Karaoke
Wednesdays at 10pm Future Hosted by Dynisty St. James, no cover!
The Divas!
Thursdays at 7pm Lips Atlanta A night when all the stars come out, this show is fierce, fabulous, and flawless. Hosted by Brigitte Bidet. Call Lips to reserve your spot at 404-315-7711.
Glitz and Glam
Fridays at 7pm and 9:45pm Lips Atlanta Hosted by Christian Valentino, this show is filled with over-the-top glamour: Big hair, high heels, and a lot of duct tape! Call Lips to reserve your spot at 404-315-7711.
Disco Dollz
Fridays at 9pm Future Atlanta Hosted by Brigitte Bidet, starring Coco Iman Starr, Cici Nicole, Raquel Heart, Lala Ri, and
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Fridays and Saturdays at 11pm Midtown Moon No cover before 10pm!
Yes Queen! Drag Queen Guided Pub Crawl and Cabaret
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm 10th and Piedmont Experience Atlanta with your very own world class drag queen guiding you to ALL of the hot spots! Grab a cocktail and prepare to party the night away. Every tour ends with a world class cabaret. Tickets at eventbrite.com.
Glitz and Glam
Upside Down Tea Party: A Drag Brunch
Sundays at 12:30pm through July 31 Rowdy Tiger Rooftop Sip serve and slay at this rooftop drag brunch, hosted by Wussy Mag. Featuring Dotte Com, Orchid, Ivy Fischer, Katrina Prowess, and Drew Friday. Tickets at exploretock. com/therowdytiger.
Wussy Mag has collaborated with the CDC’s Let’s Stop HIV Together campaign for an evening of dance and celebration, bringing the Queer community together to fight stigma. Hosted by Brigitte Bidet, Drew Friday, JayBella Banks, and SHI, the event will feature sounds by MikeQ, Divole S’vere, and Ree de la Vega as well as a performance by Aja. This event is free with RSVP through Eventbrite.
Ruby Redd’s Heifer Review Drag Brunch
Hairsprayed: A Musical Parody
Sundays at 3pm Midtown Moon Hosted by the outrageous Ruby Redd with sounds by DJ Sugarbaker, $3 mimosas and a diverse lineup of queens, this is one of the best drag brunches in Atlanta. You don’t want to miss it!
Saturdays at 6pm and 8:45pm Lips Atlanta Hosted by Christian Valentino, this show is filled with over-the-top glamour: Big hair, high heels, and a lot of duct tape! Call Lips to reserve your spot at 404-315-7711.
Showstoppers
Fantasy Girls Cabaret
SWITCH! A Queer Dance Party and Drag Show
Saturdays at 9pm Future Atlanta Hosted by Destiny Brooks, featuring Phoenix, Lala Ri, Dynisty St. James, Tahjee Iman, and special guests. Tickets at future-atlanta.com.
Taboo: The Dirty Show
Saturdays at 11:30pm Lips Atlanta This 21+ show is hosted by Mistress of Seduction, Taejah Thomas. See what happens when the sequined dresses drop! If you can’t handle dirty and nasty, stay home. Call Lips to reserve your spot at 404-315-7711.
Dragalicious Brunch
Sundays at 11:30am and 2pm Lips Atlanta Enjoy delicious brunch entrées, bottomless mimosas or Bloody Marys, and fabulous overthe-top performances full of sing-along hits! Call Lips to reserve your spot at 404-315-771.
Sundays at 6:30pm Lips Atlanta The queens bring the action with a night of Mega Hits, all hosted by Ms. Blush. Call Lips to reserve your spot at 404-315-7711.
Sundays at 9:30pm My Sister’s Room Make your way to SWITCH, a queer dance party & drag show presented by the House of ALXNDR. Every week they’ll switch it up with new performers and new DJs from Atlanta and beyond! $5 cover.
The Other Show
Every second Friday at 8pm Guac Y Margys Starring Edie Cheezburger, Dotte Com, Edna Allan Hoe, Orchid and Miss He. This is an all-ages show, but there will be adult themes and dirty language throughout the show. Tickets at eventbrite.com.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Flourish ATL July 9 at 10pm Wonderkid
July 14 through 23 at 9pm RoleCall Theatre at Ponce City Market Drunk Drag Broadway gives you the John Waters smash hit “Hairspray” like you’ve never seen it before! Featuring Nicole Page Brooks and live singing, the event will be one part drunk history, one part live musical theater, one part fierce drag. Tickets at rolecall.tix.page.
DRAG 101
July 30 at 8pm Out Front Theatre Company As seen on America’s Got Talent, Delighted Tobehere will leave nothing to the imagination as she reveals all of drag’s best kept secrets, personal stories, gossip, pro tips, how to’s, side-splitting comedy, and 100% live singing entertainment. Tickets at outfronttheatre.com.
The Odd Ball with Willow Pill
July 30 at 9pm My Sister’s Room A celebration of all the odd balls, outcasts, and freaky fresh club kids that continue to push the proverbial envelope. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind carnival of cooky, weird drag, featuring Willow Pill, Deacon Sanders, EllaSaurus Rex, Mavis Gary, Saliva Godiva, Taylor ALXNDR, and more! Tickets at eventbrite.com.
Drag Brunch with Thorgy Thor
July 31 at 1pm City Winery Enjoy this boozy drag brunch, hosted by Wussy Mag, featuring special guest Thorgy Thor and Nicole Paige Brooks from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Tickets at citywinery.com.
JULY 8, 2022 DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA 13
DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA
Just Toby, ONE ON ONE WITH
THE ICON BEHIND THE SCENES Katie Burkholder
If you know drag, you know Just Toby — or you’ve at least seen his work. He’s a prolific drag photographer based in Atlanta who has shot just about everyone, from local girls to Drag Race legends. We caught up with the legend behind the camera to take a walk down memory lane and explore how he became a darling of the drag world. Quotes have been edited for clarity. Read the full interview online at thegavoice.com.
So how did you get involved in drag photography? The market crashed. I was in the corporate world as a research coordinator. At the time, I had a boyfriend, and I said, “Hey, I would like to leave Jacksonville.” Once I moved to Atlanta, I tried to do small jobs here and there. When I was in Jacksonville, I was petrified of queens. I didn’t know how to talk to them, it happens to everybody. Queens and entertainers like that are so confident in their roles, and at first that scared me. When we moved to Atlanta, I said, “I would like to meet one queen and understand their world.” So, when I got here, it was right around Pride season, and we went to the aquarium
14 DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA JULY 8, 2022
party. That was my opportunity to meet a queen. I met Mariah Paris Balenciaga. I was trying to find some work, and I was talking to Mariah, and she trusted me to manage her social media. We worked for a couple months like that, and during that time we hung out a lot. I had all these questions, and she basically took me under her wing and taught me everything I know. The first thing she said was, “Watch ‘Paris is Burning,’ and after you watch it write your questions down and then we can talk about drag. But I’m not going to discuss anything with you until you watch that movie.” So, I did, and she was able to explain the vocabulary of the drag world. One day, we were at my house, and she looked at an album of pictures of mine from when I traveled. She fell in love with the album. She looked at it and said, “Oh my god, is this your work?” and I said, “Yeah!” She said it was vibrant and that I could tell a story. She said, “Hey, why don’t you photograph a local queen and see how that goes, and if it goes well, I can connect you with ‘Drag Race, but I could see you doing something great.’” I was out and about, and I met Evah Destruction, and we had a photoshoot. The
Just Toby
COURTESY PHOTO
pictures came out really ridiculously cool. We posted it on Facebook, and it was pretty popular, so Mariah said, “The next time a RuGirl comes in, we’ll talk.” Then she said BenDeLaCreme was coming over, and she connected me with her. That’s how it all started.
take me at least an hour.
Mariah got me in touch with Drag Race, and I went to the season premiere of season six. From there, I started getting hired to take meet and greet pictures and stuff like that, and I was invited to work a Drag Race cruise with Mariah. I met every girl, and like any other industry, it’s a bubble. The Drag Race bubble is very tightknit and secure because a lot of people try to take advantage of them. I was able to get in that circle, and during that cruise I started planning photo shoots. I did a shoot for Bianca Del Rio, and from there it was nonstop.
When it comes to who you’ve worked with, have you ever been starstruck or just in awe that you’ve worked with someone so legendary? So, I got to meet my idol Madonna, and I was a shit show. My legs were shaking, she talked to me, she asked me questions. So since then, I lost my ability to get starstruck. My idol who I thought was not reachable became human for me.
So, to talk about being a drag photographer in practical terms, how does it differ from just being a portrait photographer? Can you talk about your process or what it means to be a drag photographer? Insanity. It’s all over the place. The first thing I want to say is that these are men or women pretending to be another gender. So, I want to create the illusion. I think editing is harder on drag entertainers — I want them to be perfect. A regular picture headshot would take 20 minutes to edit, a drag photo would
I just want to capture the essence of my subject. I want to be able to see someone in a picture and understand who they are. That’s my main goal. I want them to connect with me.
However, I have been starstruck a handful of times. Lady Bunny is one, I had met her a few times and when I was told I was going on tour with her, I was shitting my pants. RuPaul is one, I was able to talk to him for a few minutes at an intimate party when he was nominated for his first Emmy. Another one was Coco Peru. What makes me more starstruck is what someone has done with their career. RuPaul and Lady Bunny opened up so many doors for the LGBTQ community. Keep up with Just Toby on social media @ justtobyme.
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THE FRENCH CONNECTION BUCK JONES
Atlanta Has Pineapple Juice Buck Jones I have often decried the lack of political music in today’s popular culture. There aren’t any anthems like the ones in the 1960s that supported civil rights or protested the Vietnam War. Surely, the political environment is just as fraught with the ever-accelerating regressive agenda of the Republicans, with their MAGA minions turning back America’s hard fought reproductive freedom, voting rights, and soon the inevitable shoving back into the closet of the LGBTQ community. Into this void comes the talented Atlantan, Neo soul artist who goes by the name of kAREEM Adonis. With the release of his debut album, “Pineapple Juice,” Adonis not only serves up the perfect summer playlist to listen to poolside or at the beach, but also provides some intellectual candy to savor for its subversive political message. On the opening track, “Blackness,” we have Adonis at his militant best, with its deep hook that reverberates in your head long after you’ve moved on to another track. This album is more than just a stirring of consciousness for the slacktivists who think getting involved requires no more than clicking “like” on social media or signing a meaningless online petition that is used to harvest email addresses for future fundraising. The album is also a meditation on relationships and sexuality. The eponymous track, “Pineapple Juice,” is a fun celebration of sensuality, while “Tammi” is destined to be a favorite for drag queens; it’s a funky anthem that begs to be mimicked by both listeners and lip-syncers alike. That’s not to say that this debut isn’t eminently listenable for lovers of R&B. “Light Me Up” and “Real Love” are destined to be classics
16 COLUMNIST JULY 8, 2022
kAREEM Adonis
PHOTO VIA INSTAGRAM
for lovers of deep grooves reminiscent of the greats in the genre. Indeed, Adonis has many inspirations when it comes to his music. I caught up with him recently for an interview, during which he said that he grew up loving the music of his parents (he grew up in Queens, New York). Artists such as Prince, Missy Elliott, and Babyface are present throughout this remarkably complex album that brings together so many different threads. The origin for “Pineapple Juice” is, like so much of our lives in recent years, the pandemic. COVID-19 came out of nowhere. With no warning, it cost him his job and his sense of community, leaving Adonis unsure and anxious. Watching the murder of George Floyd and the social upheaval that followed sent him into a tailspin of pain and anger. At the same time, his personal life was spiraling out of control. He had been in a ten-year relationship, engaged to be married, and it came to a crashing end (the album’s final song, “Never Again,” is a beautiful tribute to that fateful chapter in his life). He admitted to his partner
that he was developing strong feelings for another man. That other “relationship” soon ended as well. Adonis found himself alone, unemployed, and in lockdown, fading into a deep depression. He became terrified of his own thoughts and experienced countless moments of hopelessness. He didn’t see a way out and had no will to fight. Out of the ashes of that horrible year of COVID and the murder of George Floyd came one of the biggest social justice movements in history. It blossomed in hundreds of places across the country and around the world (even here in Paris we had our own massive protests in support of Floyd and against police violence). Gradually, Adonis saw his family, friends, and a sea of global strangers pick themselves up every day and brave not only angry streets but also a pandemic, just to make their voices heard. Their bravery and sacrifice filled him with hope. He reached out to friends — and a licensed therapist — and started talking to people. He began rebuilding himself, and ultimately, he turned to writing the music for this album.
“Pineapple Juice” is an aural cocktail of love, pain, anger, and healing. It is Adonis’s truth and vision. Many times, as he put pen to paper, he found myself in tears. He thought of Floyd, the serial killings of his trans brothers and sisters, Matthew Shepard, Ahmaud Arbery, and the challenges so many minority groups face daily. Not to mention, of course, his own personal mistakes and adversity. Though “Pineapple Juice” was created at the darkest moment in his life, it is intended to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Some of what he experienced is unique to him, but he believes its message is universal, and that many can relate to what he felt — and still feels. “I want to take people on a journey with me,” he said. “I want them to hear my story and feel my emotions. Most of all, though, I want to inspire the minds and touch the hearts of those who listen.” Find kAREEM Adonis on Instagram @ kareemadonis as well as on Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud.
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ACTING OUT JIM FARMER
‘First Kill’ Mixes Lesbian Vampire and Romance, ‘Baloney’ Looks at Beloved Gay All-Male Revue Jim Farmer Based on a short story V.E. Schwab wrote for the anthology, “Vampires Never Get Old: Tales With Fresh Bite,” the teen lesbian vampire series, “First Kill” debuted recently on Netflix and has become a certified hit. It was filmed in Savannah and Atlanta last year. It’s hard getting a project made, and Schwab was a little wary going in. “There are several steps to getting a show made, and I am a skeptic at all of them,” she said. “I am a popcorn optimist. Once I can sit down with a bucket of popcorn and watch it, then it’s real and not a moment before. Netflix came aboard and bought the short story and had me write the pilot in 2020. I was not convinced it was going to happen. We got a green light for the series, we got a writer’s room. We got preproduction, production and post. I finally saw the trailer two weeks ago and I thought — maybe this show is going to happen!” Writing the pilot was simple, she said, since it was based on the short story, but building past that was a challenge, as she was going to
‘First Kill’
18 COLUMNIST JULY 8, 2022
work in a writers’ room with many cooks in the kitchen. She grew up watching “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Supernatural,” but didn’t see herself in those narratives — or she would only see LGBTQ characters in minor roles. “I feel like we’ve come so far in terms of queer entertainment, but it still feels like the vast majority of it has to be about queerness,” Schwab said. In the show, Sarah Catherine Hook plays Juliette, a vampire looking to make her titular first kill, and Imani Lewis plays Calliope, a vampire hunter. The two fall for each other, despite the fact that they are supposed to kill each other. Lewis loved the representation. “I thought it was time for a show like that to put all these communities out front and let them shine,” she said. “The individual characters were also enough to wrap me in. They all have such great attributes to them.” Hook fell in love with Juliette after the first audition and decided she had to play her. “It’s quite a tumultuous time for Juliette,” the actress said. “She is going through vampire puberty and then she has this new chick in town she really likes. Her parents are expecting her to make her first kill and it is so against who she is.” The new documentary, “Baloney,” looks at the San Francisco-based troupe of the same name, a gay all-male revue. The co-creator of Baloney is Michael Phillis, who started the troupe eight years ago with his husband Rory Davis, with Phillis as the director and Davis the choreographer. Previously they had been arranging drag performances and decided to do a show with their own set of backup dancers.
‘Baloney’
PUBLICITY PHOTOS
“We thought, what if we took the queen out of it and moved all these sexy back up boys forward?” Phillis said. “That was the beginning, as well as us joining our love for performance and porn together in an entertaining exploration of gay sexuality. Over the years, it has morphed into something deeper that reached beyond our community.” Phillis has been living in San Francisco for 18 years and at one point went to work for corporate America, until he realized that wasn’t for him. “It didn’t take long to realize that my worst day as a fulltime artist was still better than my best day as a fulltime corporate wage slave,” he said. The film’s director, Joshua Guerci, was familiar with the troupe already and had collaborated with Phillis. He saw firsthand that while it is a strip show, Baloney doesn’t shy away from going deeper and having an emotional aspect to the story. “I thought there was something special in Michael’s
leadership and directing style,” Guerci said. “He has a collaborative approach and involves the cast.” One of the performers is Will Tantra, who has been involved since 2015. Tantra came with a friend as a fan and found the show to be sexy, uplifting and funny. “For me, I wanted to be up there,” Tantra says. “The show represents all ages, races, sizes, colors, shapes of the gay community. I went to another show, took some dance classes, hit [Michael and Rory] up and joined the club.” There was a real turning point when Tantra joined, setting an example of full self-ownership, sex positivity and comfort in his own skin. According to Phillis, “it unlocked something for us that we could be comfortable in our own skin.”
MORE INFO “First Kill” is now streaming on Netflix “Baloney” is now available on VOD
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BEST BETS THE BEST LGBTQ EVENTS HAPPENING IN JULY Jim Farmer
for youth and 8pm to 9pm for adults, Charis Books and More
FRIDAY, JULY 8 – SATURDAY, JULY 9
TUESDAY, JULY 19
Come support My Sister’s Room’s grand reopening in their new location at 1104 Crescent Ave NE in downtown Atlanta, which includes a beautiful 2000-square-foot patio and two dance floors.
It’s so fetch! “Mean Girls” is a ferociously funny new musical from an award-winning creative team, including director Casey Nicholaw (“Aladdin,” “The Book of Mormon”), composer Jeff Richmond (“30 Rock,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), lyricistNell Benjamin (“Legally Blonde”), and book writer Tina Fey (“30 Rock”). It’s based on the beloved film. 7:30pm, through July 24, Fox Theatre
SATURDAY, JULY 9
Make sure to dress in your best rainbow outfit and watch Atlanta-themed teams battle it out at the Roller Derby Pride July Double Feature. This month, you’ll get to see each and every Atlanta skater as all levels of skaters hit the track. First, you’ll see the Bloody Mary’s up against the Amsterdamned Café at 5pm and then Frenemies on Ponce vs My Sister’s Doom at 7pm. Tickets are $18 for one bout or $30 for the doubleheader, and $25 per bout for VIP seating. As always, children aged four and younger get in for free. Get more details and purchase tickets at atlantarollerderby.com/schedule/. Yaarab Shrine Temple, 400 Ponce De Leon Ave
FRIDAY, JULY 22
DJ Mohammad spins during the Harness Gear and Leather Party. 10pm, Heretic Atlanta
SATURDAY, JULY 23
The LGBTQ+ Book Club is a group for LGBTQ+ folks and allies to read queerthemed books and books by queer authors. The goal is to have diverse thought-provoking discussions about queer identity, history, and topical issues. This month’s book is “Zami: A New Spelling of My Name: A Biomythography” by Audre Lorde. Register in advance for this meeting at https:// us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ tZEkcO2rpzojGdANXXiqdPgA0TsjdZcs_rYe
Wussy Mag’s Flourish ATL features iconic DJ/producer MikeQ from HBO’s “Legendary” and Aja from the House of LaBeija, hosted by Brigitte Bidet, Drew Friday, JayBella Banks and SHI. 10pm, Wonderkid
SUNDAY, JULY 10
Don’t miss Ruby Redd’s Heifer Review Drag Brunch. 2pm, Midtown Moon In the comedic romp “Always a Bridesmaid,” four friends have sworn to keep the promise they made on the night of their senior prom: to be in each other’s weddings … no matter what. More than 30 years later, these Southern friends for life are still making “the long walk” for each other, determined to honor that vow. 3pm through July 24, Onstage Atlanta
TUESDAY, JULY 12
Don’t miss PALS Bingo – Vacation Night, a fun night to raise money for PALS Atlanta. Hosted by Bubba D. Licious and Erica Lee and presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Tickets must be purchased in advance, find the ticket link on their Facebook page, facebook.com/ PetsAreLovingSupport. 7:30pm, Lips Atlanta
WEDNESDAY, JULY 13 – THURSDAY, JULY 14
OUT Georgia Business Alliance is proud to hold the Power of Connection: 2022 LGBTQ+ Business Summit & Expo, hosted by the Atlanta Braves. The two-day experience will be held virtually on July 13 and in-person at Truist Park on July 14. This year’s theme Power of Connection explores meaningful
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EVENT SPOTLIGHT
SUNDAY, JULY 24
SATURDAY, JULY 9
“Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.” Or did she? This blistering rock musical “Lizzie” upends what we think we know about the notorious crime that has captured our collective imagination since that bloody night in 1892. Was Lizzie Borden a cold-blooded killer or a victim of the Victorian patriarchy? 8pm, through July 24 at Actor’s Express and measurable impact for those LGBTQ+ businesses, organizations, communities, and Georgia residents who stand to benefit most from intentional support, resources, visibility, and action.
and the legendary fireworks show. Doors open at 6pm for VIP admission and 7:15pm for general admission. Piedmont Park Greystone Pool House
THURSDAY, JULY 15
The Chicks come to town with special guest Patty Griffith. 7:30pm, Ameris Bank Ampitheatre
“Hairsprayed,” a musical parody starring Nicole Paige Brooks, opens tonight at 9 p.m. and runs through July 23, Rolecall Theatre at Ponce City Market.
FRIDAY, JULY 15
The Connecticut Sun takes on Atlanta Dream. 7:30pm, Gateway Center Arena at College Park
SATURDAY, JULY 16
When Love Takes Over is the theme for the 35th annual Joining Hearts event, featuring DJ Enrico Meloni, an open bar, entertainment,
SUNDAY, JULY 17
The PFLAG support group for parents and families of LGBTQ children meets in person. 2:30pm to 4pm, Spiritual Living Center
MONDAY, JULY 18
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. 7pm to 8pm
Join Yeahbuzzy & the DJs from Deep South to celebrate National Tequila Day at Guac y Margys in Midtown. There will be a queer vendor market, daytime grooves from Deep South and tequila specials from GyM. It’s the perfect recipe for a Summertime Sunday Funday. 3pm to 8pm, Guac y Margys
THURSDAY, JULY 28
ART Station presents “The Pin Up Girls,” described as a musical love letter. 8pm, through Saturday, July 30
SATURDAY, JULY 30
In “DRAG 101,” Delighted Tobehere of “America’s Got Talent” will leave nothing to the imagination as she reveals all of drag’s best kept secrets. She’ll pull from her over 19 years of experience to give you a behind the scenes look at the world of drag. Personal stories, gossip, pro tips, how to’s, audience participation, side splitting comedy, and live singing entertainment are part of the fun. 8pm, Out Front Theatre Company
SUNDAY, JULY 31
Out late? Join Xion with guest Nina Flowers. 3pm, Believe Music Hall
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DANTE RHODES THE GAYLY DOSE
PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / PETER KIM
THE IMPORTANCE OF DRAG Dante Rhodes, Co-host, The Gayly Dose Drag has been one of the cornerstones of queer life and culture for decades. Through this medium of art, we have moved mountains not only in nightlife and humor, but in politics; we have taken the world by storm by amplifying our voices on platforms like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “Dragula,” and in cities as advocates in government. In some ways, people see drag as a silly, campy hobby, but for so many in the world, it is the spark that ignites a link to their true identity. I can remember my first time seeing a drag show and being enamored by the talent and, more than anything, the bravery: the bravery it took to stand in front of a crowd, dripping in glamorous jewels and clothing, face snatched, the embodiment of what society made me feel was wrong or taboo. From that moment on, I began to view my queer identity as something more valid, something that was correct, and something that I truly could own without the fear that I wasn’t a lone soldier. “Drag Race” was an escape from the realities of the world around me; that was important. It had the same effect that “Queer as Folk” had for queer people in the early 2000s. Seeing it in person, it hit me like a brick. I finally felt free. I know that this experience isn’t unique to me, and I am very appreciative of this because years ago this wasn’t a possibility for many. Before the popularity of drag, before the nonqueer world got these training wheels to seeing queer people
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as valid peers in society, the only way we had visibility was through the lenses of stereotypical, uncreative avenues. Not to say that these weren’t valid or significant, but there weren’t any prominent ways to express ourselves without it being seen as deviant. And yes, many people still think drag is taboo, but it would be ignorant to ignore the progress we have made on such large stages around the world. Some of the most impressive people I know in the world are drag queens. They have served as trailblazers for our community and continue to do so in ways that are undeniably important. Whether it’s being a lead actor in a movie (because media visibility is more important than most want to admit) or serving as a host of one of the most critically acclaimed prime-time shows in the world, these people deserve more admiration than words can describe, and I only hope their legacy is one that is revered in the same light as Picasso and Van Gogh. Dante Rhodes is a founding chief host and lifestyle expert of The Gayly Dose, an Atlanta-based podcast hosted by an all-queer cast. Unique in its mission and follow-on format, weekly episodes are known for their real conversations — featuring real live guests — about things that matter to the community and their listeners. Purposefully candid and brutally honest, the cast speaks on a range of topics, including monogamy, body issues, coming out, dating apps, and growing up gay in the church. Listen at thegaylydose.com.
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ON EXHIBIT NOW MEMPHIS MUSEUM
3050 CENTRAL MEMPHIS, TN 38111 901.636.2362
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® This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
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