07/09/21, Vol. 12 Issue 8

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

(bik-TAR-vee)

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:  Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:  Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.  Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.  Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.  Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death.

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.  Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death.

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.  The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:  dofetilide  rifampin  any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you:  Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.  Have any other health problems.  Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.  Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:  Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.  BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other.

Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION  This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.  Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5  If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, and LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies.

Version date: February 2021 © 2021 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0369 04/21

BVYC0369_BIKTARVY_B_10X10-5_GeorgiaVoice_Hugo_r1v1jl.indd All Pages

HUGO LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 1995 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT

KEEP CONNECTING. Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.

BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you.

See Hugo’s story at BIKTARVY.com.

Featured patient compensated by Gilead.

Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.

4/26/21 4:07 PM

voice

georgia VOL.12 • ISSUE 8

ABOUT THE COVER: Cover photo by Shutterstock.com / Julia Zavalishina

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

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

BUSINESS

EDITORIAL

Animals are People, Too!

Principal/Publisher: Tim Boyd

Katie Burkholder

EDITORIAL

Animals are like children — the way one treats either reveals a lot about their character.

tboyd@thegavoice.com

Editor: Katie Burkholder

kburkholder@thegavoice.com

Editorial Contributors: Conswella Bennett, Cliff Bostock, Melissa Carter, María Helena Dolan, Jim Farmer, Ryan Lee, Olivia Martin

PRODUCTION

Art Director: Rob Boeger rboeger@thegavoice.com

SALES

Sales Executive: Dixon Taylor dtaylor@thegavoice.com

Sales Executive: Jim Brams jbrams@thegavoice.com

Business Advisor: Lynn Pasqualetti Financial Firm of Record: HLM Financial Group National Advertising: Rivendell Media 908-232-2021 sales@rivendellmedia.com

Publisher Emeritus: Chris Cash

FINE PRINT

All material in Georgia Voice is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of Georgia Voice. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons. We also do not accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers.

Unsolicited editorial material is accepted by Georgia Voice, but we do not take responsibility for its return.

The editors reserve the right to accept, reject, or edit any submission. Guidelines for freelance contributors are available upon request.

A single copy of Georgia Voice is available from authorized distribution points. Multiple copies are available from Georgia Voice office only. Call for rates. If you are unable to reach a convenient free distribution point, you may receive a 24-issue mailed subscription for $60 per year. Checks or credit card orders can be sent to Tim Boyd, tboyd@thegavoice.com Postmaster: Send address changes to Georgia Voice, PO Box 77401, Atlanta, GA 30357. Georgia Voice is published twice a month by Georgia Voice, LLC. Individual subscriptions are $60 per year for 24 issues. Postage paid at Atlanta, GA, and additional mailing offices.

The editorial positions of Georgia Voice are expressed in editorials and in editor’s notes. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Georgia Voice and its staff.

To submit a letter or commentary: Letters should be fewer than 400 words and commentary, for web or print, should be fewer than 750 words. Submissions may be edited for content and length, and must include a name, address, and phone number for verification. Email submissions to editor@thegavoice.com or mail to the address above.

Both animals and children are vulnerable creatures who can only communicate through body language and cries (or, in the case of older children, English). While, for most people, this status of relative helplessness elicits a particularly nurturing and kindhearted response, some particularly miserable and selfish individuals choose to violate and exploit these beings that can’t fight back.

There are the more egregious cases of animal cruelty; only recently, a Georgia resident was convicted of federal dogfighting charges. There’s the ordinary cases of animal cruelty; most state criminal anti-cruelty laws prohibiting unnecessary animal suffering exempt “customary farming practices,” according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

There’s also the less violent, but still pervasive, abuse of irresponsibility among pet owners.

I am currently living in a high-rise student residence in Downtown Atlanta, and surprisingly enough (please note the sarcasm), college students aren’t the most responsible people group out there! My roommate recently informed me that someone had been keeping their dog on their balcony all day long (which, mind you, is only about 3 feet by 10 feet) and throwing its shit off the balcony instead of taking it out for a walk.

While this kind of treatment is not the norm, I’ve seen many busy college students living in small accommodations with limited outdoor space adopt or buy puppies. If you’ve ever had or just interacted with a puppy, you know they require as much attention, energy, and space as a newborn baby — three things people in their early 20s typically don’t have an abundance of.

Join us online: facebook.com/thegavoice twitter.com/thegavoice instagram.com/thegeorgiavoice youtube.com/user/GAVoice

4 Editorial July 9, 2021

This irresponsibility, in my opinion, comes from the belief that animals are accessories or

PHOTO BY PEXELS.COM / SAMSON KATT

companions first and not living things that need constant care and that can experience pain and abandonment. There are many people, particularly young people, who don’t take seriously enough the obligation they have to their animal.

Luckily, I don’t think this is a common mindset. According to the New York Times, despite reports that pets adopted during the pandemic were being returned to shelters at record rates, “national animal welfare groups say that, in fact, dogs adopted during the pandemic are largely remaining in their new homes.”

However, to combat the less common, but still harmful, mistreatment and negligence of animals, I think we can all be better pet owners and animal advocates.

If you’re considering getting a pet, adopt from a shelter! Don’t buy from a breeder or pet store; according to PAWS, about 90 percent of puppies in pet stores come from “puppy mills” — commercial breeding kennels where, in most states, dogs can legally be kept in cages their whole lives.

These puppies often suffer from malnutrition or starvation and receive little to no veterinary care. Animal shelters always have an abundance of animals in need of loving homes, including many who have been the victims of abusive and negligent households.

Again: animals aren’t accessories! You shouldn’t spend your money somewhere that

perpetuates animal abuse just because you want a pretty purebred.

If you’re thinking of getting an exotic or nonfurry friend — a reptile, amphibian, fish, or rodent — remember that these guys still deserve quality care, too! Do the proper research into what size tank or cage they need and their food and exercise requirements.

If you’re not on the pet route — or you’ve already got enough furry friends — you can always volunteer at a shelter! No-kill shelters like PAWS Atlanta, Angels Among Us Animal Rescue, and the Atlanta Humane Society offer volunteer opportunities, such as cleaning and organizing the shelter, offering dog and cat care and enrichment, administering medicine and vaccines, and more. These opportunities require some training, so be sure to look into their training calendars before showing up.

The way we treat animals reveals in us the way we view the people and world around us. If we are lackadaisical in our treatment of animals simply because they can’t verbally communicate with us, I believe we will treat other humans in the same way. Proper treatment of animals reveals empathy for living things — something we should all strive to have more of.

Learn more about volunteer opportunities at shelters in Atlanta at PawsAtlanta.org, AngelsAmongUsAnimalRescue.org, and AtlantaHumane.org.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

HIGH

ALDER Alexander Calder and Pablo Picasso are two of the foremost figures of twentieth-century art. Through more than one hundred paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, Calder-Picasso reveals the radical innovations and enduring influence of these two artists and explores the rare intersections between their lives and their works. Reserve today at high.org.

HIGH MUSEUM OF ART ATLANTA JUNE 26-SEPTEMBER 19 Alexander Calder (American, 1898-1976), Vertical Foliage, 1941, sheet metal, wire, and paint, Calder Foundation, New York. © 2021 Calder Foundation, New York/Artists Rights Society CARS), New York. Photo courtesy of Calder Foundation, New York/ Art Resource, New York. Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973), Reclining Nude (Nu couche), 1932, oil on canvas, Musee nationale Picasso-Paris, Pablo Picasso Acceptance in Lieu, 1979. © 2021 Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Photo© RMN-Grand Palals-Adrlen Dldlerjean.

Calder-Picasso is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; de Young Museum, San Francisco; and High Museum of Art, Atlanta, in partnership with the Calder Foundation, New York; Musee national Picasso-Paris (MnPP); and the Fundaci6n Almine y Bernard Ruiz-Picasso para el Arte (FABA).

PIS;Ac ; s9

FUNIACliN Al.MINEYBllNAID IUIZ-PHWSO PAil EL UTE

This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.

PREMIER EXHIBITION SERIES SPONSOR

A.DELTA

PREMIER EXHIBITION SERIES SUPPORTERS Sarah and Jim Kennedy Dr. Joan H. Weens Estate

w1\.h.

BENEFACTOR EXHIBITION SERIES SUPPORTERS Anne Cox Chambers Foundation Robin and Hilton Howell AMBASSADOR EXHIBITION SERIES SUPPORTERS The Antinori Foundation Corporate Environments Louise Sams and Jerome Grilhot Elizabeth and Chris Willett

CONTRIBUTING EXHIBITION SERIES SUPPORTERS Farideh and Al Azadi Sandra and Dan Baldwin Lucinda w. Bunnen Marcia and John Donnell Helen C. Griffith Mrs. Fay S. Howell/The Howell Fund Mr. and Mrs. Baxter Jones The Arthur R. and Ruth D. Lautz Charitable Foundation Joel Knox and Joan Marmo Margot and Danny Mccaul The Ron and Lisa Brill Family Charitable Trust The Fred and Rita Richman Fund In Memory of Elizabeth B. Stephens Mrs. Harriet H. Warren

GENEROUS SUPPORT IS ALSO PROVIDED BY Alfred and Adele Davis Exhibition Endowment Fund, Anne Cox Chambers Exhibition Fund, Barbara Stewart Exhibition Fund, Dorothy Smith Hopkins Exhibition Endowment Fund, Eleanor McDonald Storza Exhibition Endowment Fund, The Fay and Barrett Howell Exhibition Fund, Forward Arts Foundation Exhibition Endowment Fund, Helen S. Lanier Endowment Fund, Isobel Anne Fraser-Nancy Fraser Parker Exhibition Endowment Fund, John H. and Wilhelmina D. Harland Exhibition Endow• ment Fund, Katherine Murphy Riley Special Exhibition Endowment Fund, Margaretta Taylor Exhibition Fund, and the RJR Nabisco Exhibition Endowment Fund.

NEWS BRIEFS Staff reports Find these stories and more at thegavoice.com.

Atlanta Pride Committee Welcomes Two New Members The Atlanta Pride Committee (APC) has announced two new additions to their team: Steven Igarashi-Ball, who will serve as the organization’s Director of Equity and Engagement, and Lance Mealer, who will come on board as their new Administrative Coordinator.

Photos via Facebook

Igarashi-Ball joins the APC team from AID Atlanta, where he was employed for nearly 13 years. During his tenure with AID Atlanta, Steven helped coordinate the largest HIV/AIDS fundraiser in the Southeast and was a featured speaker at a variety of high profile conferences and events. He is activist, educator, and fundraiser and has been recognized internationally for his work with Drag Queen Story Hour Atlanta.

Mealer is a seasoned administrative professional and brings experience in office administration, database management and process management to this new role. He is committed to social justice, a conviction born out of his own coming out story. Lance has volunteered during the Atlanta Pride Festival every year since 2000 and is thrilled to be joining the full-time staff.

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Case on Trans Bathroom Access In a limited but important victory for transgender access, the U.S. Supreme Court announced June 28 that it would not review a lower court decision that favored a transgender student’s restroom access at a public high school.

Steven Igarashi-Ball (left) and Lance Mealer join the Atlanta Pride Committee.

student Gavin Grimm, who was represented by the ACLU. Grimm had filed suit after he began transitioning and sought use of the boys’ restroom because he said girls reacted negatively to his presence in the girls’ restrooms because they perceive him to be a boy.

School officials initially accommodated Grimm’s request, but the school district intervened after some parents complained.

The ACLU pressed Grimm’s case and won, and the Fourth Circuit repeatedly ruled in Grimm’s favor. In the latest go-round, the Fourth Circuit ruled in Grimm’s favor, citing the Supreme Court’s ruling last year in Bostock v. Clayton (that “sex discrimination” under Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act includes sexual orientation and gender identity). The appeals court said the same logic should apply to the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education.

World’s First LGBTQ EDM Festival Comes to Atlanta This Fall GAYDM “One Love” has announced its initial lineup for the first LGBTQ+ EDM festival in the world, which will be held on Saturday, September 11 in Atlanta.

Taking place at Cellairis Ampitheatre at Lakewood, the 11-hour festival will include three stages featuring a stacked lineup of top LGBTQ DJs, including Danny Tenaglia, Pagano, Ralphi Rosario, Boris, Citizen Jane, Samantha Ronson, Dave Aude, Alex Lo, Marti Frieson, Alex Ramos, Oscar Velazquez, Hector Fonseca, Tommy Love, DJ Tatiana, Binomio, Enrico Meloni, and Marco da Silva, with more to be announced. GAYDM “One Love” will offer the largest dance floor in the Southeast with 30,000 sq. ft. of cryo full-tilt madness.

General admission lawn, regular admission seats, and pit standing-room-only tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online here through Live Nation.

Prices begin at $95.00 + taxes and are currently being offered with early bird pricing of 20% off through July 1.

This festival is an all-ages event. Merchandise will also be available for purchase at the festival, online, or at GAYDM’s pop-up store located on 10th Street & Piedmont Road from July 1 - September 13. Be part of the conversation by visiting Facebook, Instagram, Twitter + www.gdmfest.com.

The court declined a request by a Virginia public school district to review a decision of the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, which covers five states — Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Maryland. By refusing to hear the appeal, the high court leaves the favorable decision intact for those states.

The case, Gloucester v. Grimm, has been on the U.S. Supreme Court docket before.

In 2017, the high court vacated a previous Fourth Circuit ruling in favor of high school 6 New Briefs July 9, 2021

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

NEWS

Laurel Hubbard of New Zealand and Other Trans Athletes Revolutionize Sports Olivia Martin

“New Zealander Laurel Hubbard, a transgender woman, is set to go to the Olympics as a weightlifter this month, and she will be the first openly trans competitor at the Olympics as a participant in the women’s over-87 kilogram weightlifting category.”

In spite of strict requirements regarding their participation, transgender athletes continue to take the world stage. New Zealander Laurel Hubbard, a transgender woman, is set to go to the Olympics as a weightlifter this month, and she will be the first openly trans competitor at the Olympics as a participant in the women’s over-87 kilogram weightlifting category.

In order to be considered for the Olympics, Hubbard had to meet criteria laid out by the International Olympic Committee. Put in place in the early 2000s and updated in 2015, this guidance creates rules regarding trans women’s participation in the Olympic Games. Requirements include a measured testosterone level below 10 nmol/L (nanomoles per liter) for a year prior to competition and throughout the duration of competing, as well as compliance with testing to ensure this testosterone requirement is met.

If an athlete does not meet the requirements laid out by the International Olympic Committee, they will be barred from competition and not allowed to compete.

American runner Cecé Telfer, who is a trans woman, was ruled ineligible to compete in the Olympic trials this year due to not meeting guidelines.

For trans men, Olympic policies look different, and the International Olympic Committee’s guidelines allow them to “compete in the male category without restriction.” Many trans men athletes have taken the world stage, too — for example, though he was unable to finish the race due to an injury, Chris Mosier competed as a racewalker in the USA Olympic trials.

Controversy surrounding Hubbard’s involvement in the upcoming Games abounds on the Internet, but does she really have any kind of advantage in her sport as 8 News July 9, 2021

dictate whether someone excels as a shortdistance or long-distance runner.

Laurel Hubbard OFFICIAL PHOTO

compared to cis women? Dr. Rami Hashish, of the National Biomechanics Institute, spoke to Georgia Voice about the biomechanics and policies, like the ones the Olympics puts forth, regarding trans athletes.

From the standpoint of hemoglobin performance, for instance — an advantage that increases with boosts in testosterone — trans women athletes have no advantage following hormone therapy.

“Following hormonal therapy, trans women athletes actually have this reduction in hemoglobin levels — and hemoglobin basically carries oxygen from the lungs,” Dr. Rami said. “The reduction reaches levels equivalent to somebody who is cisgender.

So, that’s not really an advantage.”

From other standpoints, Dr. Rami noted, trans women typically maintain higher scores and levels in certain categories than their cis counterparts.

“What has been found to be above cisgender

levels are things such as strength, lean body mass, and muscle area,” he said.

In Laurel Hubbard’s case, Dr. Rami believes she should be allowed to compete despite this, since she was able to meet the Olympic guidelines.

“She met the criteria,” he said. “There’s an international committee of medical professionals and transgender athletes and they came to a conclusion that is based upon inclusivity, but it’s also deep rooted in science. And she met the requirements.”

Of course, individual differences in athleticism exist regardless of whether someone is transgender or cisgender. Many elite athletes are not of average build or strength, and some have even starker advantages in their respective sports. For example, Michael Phelps experiences lower-than-typical levels of lactic acid, a quality that likely contributes to his much better than typical swimming performance.

Similarly, differences in muscle fiber might

“There’s people who have advantages in life,” Dr. Rami explained. “Some people are taller than others, some people have a greater predisposition to certain types of muscle fibers versus somebody else. If I have a predisposition to a certain type of muscle fiber, I’ll be a better long-distance runner, and if I have a different type of predisposition for a different type of muscle fiber, I will be a better sprinter.”

That said, many competitions’ policies do require hormone levels that not all trans people might be able to reach. As of now, there is uncertainty surrounding other ways for trans people, particularly trans women, to be permitted to participate in athletics.

Frontiers for trans athletes might seem wider open than ever, but in cases where people either cannot take hormones or do not wish to, trans athletes may experience even more barriers to accessing sports. And state legislatures’ recent pushes to ban transgender children from youth sports further build up the walls around competition for many, from kids wishing to play in rec leagues to adults vying for the world stage.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

July 9, 2021 Ads 9

PETS

Reader’s Pets

We love our readers — but we might love their furry friends even more! These fluffy ATLiens are shining stars, through and through.

Xena the Warrior Princess (left) and Darling Duke Dhaulagiri are the little angels of proud mamas Diane and Jamie. These two darling divas are local celebrities in their East Atlanta ‘hood.

This is Austin’s pretty pup, Lady.

Can you guess who her namesake is?

10 Pets July 9, 2021

Teeny tiny Olive is small but mighty.

She’s simple hamster; give her a ball to roam around her apartment, and she’s good to go.

Penny loves long hiking adventures, socializing with the neighborhood dogs, and listening to classical music. She’s sensitive to the mood of a room and always knows when it’s time to play or when it’s time to relax. Although it may not seem like it, beneath Penny’s energetic personality is a lot of intelligence and gentleness: you just have to tire her out first!

Liza’s sweet weenie Brick is a funloving guy – he’s well known for his love of boats and a good time!

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

PETS LET’S STOP HIV TOGETHER

Fetch Park PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK

Critter-friendly Cuisine Katie Burkholder Who says you have to leave your furry best friend at home to go out for a bite? Atlanta has a plethora of options for animal lovers.

Whether you’re looking for coffee in a quaint café surrounded by purring cats or a night out with friends — furry or otherwise — there’s something for you!

Fetch Park Tonight’s plan: take Fido to the park, or go out for Happy Hour? Why not both? This trailblazing new off-leash dog park-slash-bar (a bark, if you will) in Old Fourth Ward is the perfect summer spot. It’s free to come without a dog and enjoy the open-air bar, but it’ll cost you $10 to bring your pup.

520 Daniel Street SE FetchPark.com Henry’s Midtown Tavern The huge outdoor patio at this modern pub is a favorite among Midtown’s poshest pups.

The restaurant’s namesake is owner Maureen Kalmanson’s dog, Henry — so you know this is a dog-friendly space!

132 10th Street NE HenrysAtl.com Java Cats Café The first and only cat café in Atlanta, this charming spot is where cat lovers unite!

Order a coffee or tea and book an hour-long session with their family of felines — ALL TheGeorgiaVoice.com

up for adoption through PAWS Atlanta. Pro tip: make a reservation beforehand, as this place gets busy quick.

Atlanta: 415 Memorial Drive SE Ste C Marietta: 85 Atlanta Street SE JavaCatsCafe.com The Treehouse Restaurant and Pub Enjoy beer, bourbon, wine, and delicious food at this woodsy establishment. The outdoor patio is spacious and lush, making it the perfect spot to bring your furry friend.

7 Kings Circle NE TreehouseAtlanta.com ParkGrounds Sip on a delicious cup of coffee outside in this spacious, shady dog park. This spot has an ample amount of outdoor seating and space for your dog to roam, and with hours extending to 8 pm, you can enjoy their delicious breakfast menu all day long.

142 Flat Shoals Avenue SE ParkGroundsAtl.com Park Tavern This eclectic bar/restaurant offers a massive menu of grub and drinks to enjoy on their dog-friendly patio overlooking Piedmont Park. Park Tavern has been voted the best patio and dog-friendly restaurant in Atlanta, so you know it’s worth a visit.

500 10th Street NE ParkTavern.com

HIV prevention our way.

PrEP is a daily pill that can help prevent HIV. FIND A PrEP PROVIDER NEAR YOU

July 9, 2021 Pets 11

PETS

Shopping Guide for Your Furry Friends Conswella Bennett A. Wild Meadow Farms Magic Dust Topper If your pet isn’t enjoying their mealtime, then try adding Magic Dust to their food!

The Magic Dust topper is a jerky topper that comes in a variety of flavors such as chicken, beef, duck, turkey, and lamb. Magic Dust is made with human-grade ingredients and is grain-free. $12.99, Inman Park Pet Works

B. Fabdog Fold Up Dog Rain Jacket The perfect raincoat for those rainy walks, it not only helps your dog stay dry but look fashionable at the same time. This dog parka folds up into a pouch for easy storage, and it’s easy to put on with touch fastener closures at the neck and belly. It also features a hood with toggles to keep it in place and a covered leash access hole to keep your pet dry. $36.99, Inman Park Pet Works

C. Yeowww! Catnip, Rainbow Cat Toy This rainbow toy is not only great for your cat to show their pride, but it is also stuffed with 100% organically grown catnip that comes from trusted farmers. It contains no cotton fillers or dangerous plastic pieces.

The outer fabric is durable cotton twill that is sure to hold up to your cat’s biting. $8.99, Inman Park Pet Works D. Haute Diggity Dog Chewy Vuitton Collection Get your fashionable girl or guy the latest Chewy Vuitton chewy purse. The Chewy Vuiton purses have a plush exterior with a squeaker that will keep your dog busy.

Pictured is the XL for the white Chewy Vuiton and the brown checker Chewy Vuitton. $19.50, The Pet Set E. Bubble Rose Biscuit Company Happy Birthday Cake Make your dog’s birthday special their very own gourmet cake. They come in pink and blue and two different flavors: peanut butter apple butter and peanut butter banana. The 12 Pets July 9, 2021

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cakes are made with real, wholesome, clean ingredients. The cake can be cut to serve four medium-to-large dogs, and there’s a candle in the box, too! $28, The Pet Set F. Claudia’s Canine Bakery Happy Birthday & Love Me Baked Dog Treats These vanilla-flavored treats are sure to your dog’s favorite. These gourmet treats are made with high quality ingredients and can be used for training purposes or as a special snack for your special dog. $8.95, The Pet Set G. Beer Paws Have you always wanted to share a brew with your favorite canine? Now you can!

This is a special brew made just for dogs.

It is made of beef base, malt extract, and

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vegetarian K9 Glucosamine – and of course, it’s alcohol-free. $6.99, The Pet Set

traditional squeaky toys without the noise. $17.99, Inman Park Pet Works

H. Sticky Paws If you have a cat or kitten that trying to use your furniture as their personal scratching post, then you need Sticky Paws to keep them off your furniture. Sticky Paws furniture strips are transparent adhesive strips that you can stick directly onto your furniture to stop them from destroying your home furnishings. $15.99, Inman Park Pet Works

J. Yabozi Royal Heels Pet Bowls Make mealtime fashionable and stylish with these pet bowls. The bowls offer fiveounce serving size and are great for small to medium size dogs and cats. $35, The Pet Set

I. Hear Doggy Tired of hearing the constant squeak of your dog’s toys as they run around the house?

The Hear Doggy plush toys may be just what you need to bring peace to your home.

Hear Doggy uses an ultrasonic squeakers to give your pet the same fun and enjoyment of

MORE INFORMATION Inman Park Pet Works 914 Austin Avenue NE Atlanta, GA 30307 404-522-4544

The Pet Set Midtown 976 Piedmont Avenue Atlanta, GA 30309 404-249-6668 TheGeorgiaVoice.com

Find Your Way Home!

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July 9, 2021 The Pink Page 13

BENNETT SCHNYDER THE GAYLY DOSE

Stella is My Best Friend Bennett Schnyder, Co-Host, The Gayly Dose Many of us adopted furry friends over the COVID-19 pandemic.

I’m one of those people. I fell in love with pit bulls when my ex had one.

I hadn’t necessarily thought about wanting or getting one at that time, but when the coronavirus hit, I jumped on the puppy train.

I found PAWS Atlanta, a no-kill shelter in Decatur. PAWS was committed to finding me the perfect fit; they asked me personal questions about the dog I wanted and even took a virtual tour of my home. It was evident that they wanted the match to be as ideal for me as the dog I would be bringing into my life. I opted not to go the puppy route and knew that I wanted an older 14 Pets July 9, 2021

dog, since I live in a fairly small high-rise apartment. And with my work schedule, I knew I couldn’t commit to the responsibility of owning a puppy.

After a thorough matching process, I brought home Stella, a five-year-old pit bull.

The connection was instant. Stella was the perfect companion. I now had someone to sit by my side as the days went by and as I adjusted to the new normal that was quarantine. She was perfect company during my first-ever home renovation project in Hilton Head, which took me away from Atlanta for a time. As a new pet owner, I have realized how much Stella gives back with her sense of calm, which helps me to stay grounded.

These days I try to bring her everywhere I go: restaurants, home improvement stores, and even on the construction site for my

PHOTO BY PEXELS.COM

new home on the Westside. One thing that has come to light in my time with Stella is how truly inaccurate the stigma is against pit bulls. Most people who dislike pit bulls and who have met Stella have absolutely loved her. It makes me truly sad how people can generalize a breed and not allow them the chance to show how truly amazing they are.

and emotionally stable enough to take care of one, do it. Having Stella in my life has been the biggest blessing, and I would not trade her for the world. The past year of quarantine — the masks, vaccines, you name it — has been extremely exhausting.

We all deserve a furry companion to light up our days as Stella has mine.

As a gay man, having Stella is important to me — a sentiment often shared by my peers.

If I wished to have children, it would be a difficult journey. We live in a country where barriers keep LGBTQ people and couples from adopting simply because of who we love. Surrogacy is a difficult and often expensive process. Adopting a dog allows us to fill the hole of parenting that is sometimes extremely out of reach.

Bennett is the founding chief sound editor and co-host of The Gayly Dose, an Atlanta-based podcast hosted by an all-gay cast. Unique in its mission and follow-on format, weekly episodes are known for their real conversations 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.

The moral of the story: if you’re considering getting a dog and you are financially stable

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July 9, 2021 Ads 15

MARÍA HELENA DOLAN REELING IN THE YEARS

Perry Watkins Takes on the U.S. Army — and Wins María Helena Dolan

Perry Watkins PHOTO VIA THE LEGACY PROJECT CHICAGO

Until the U.S. military lifted “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” it enshrined a “Homo?

You go!” protocol. So, why would any queer person want in?

Meanwhile, Perry decided to go for 20 years so he could retire with a pension.

But the Army separated him in 1984 after 16 years. He worked for the Social Security Administration while Watkins v. United States Army wound through the courts. Perry said, “For 16 years the Army said being homosexual wasn’t detrimental to my job.

Then, after the fact, they said it was.”

For multiple reasons, some seen in the amazing saga of Perry James Henry Watkins (1948– 1996). Perry was born in Joplin, Missouri, to an economically disadvantaged Black family.

Perry’s father left early on, but his mom Ola loved her only child and fully accepted his queerness from the time Perry began to have “relations” at age 13. Perry, in turn, was always truthful about such relations. Later, he maintained the racism he encountered daily was more difficult than any homophobia.

Ola got a new husband, and the family moved to Tacoma, Washington, where Perry took high school dance classes and even interned with the Tacoma City Ballet. But as the Vietnam war ramped up, Uncle Sam sent him the “I want you” love letter.

Perry marked “yes” in the “homosexual tendencies” box on the induction center’s questionnaire. He was interrogated by a psychiatrist, then asked if he had any problems serving his country. Nope. So Watkins was “qualified for military service.”

Thus, in May 1968, Perry began his military career as an openly gay man. But it wasn’t all roses, so he sought to leave a few times, referring to his “tendencies.” After all, several white men he knew had done it successfully.

But no, his Black self had to stay.

Thinking of college financial assistance, he 16 Columnist July 9, 2021

court declared the Army needn’t act against its own regulations.

Finally, the court ruled only “a compelling interest” justified gay exclusion. Otherwise, it violates the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. So, the Army had illegally fired him.

Perry settled for a retroactive promotion, $135,000 in retroactive pay, full retirement benefits, and an honorable discharge. reenlisted in 1970 for a six-year hitch. Again, Perry said he was a “homo,” and again, the Army said “okay.”

Originally assigned as a chaplain’s assistant, he was removed due to that pesky gayness. He then trained as a personnel clerk. Meanwhile, the Army made use of his other talents. Perry entertained in drag as “Simone” in enlisted men’s clubs in Korea and across Europe. He received several commendations for his work.

Perry was investigated in 1972 for removal from the service due to sexual orientation.

Oddly enough, the report concluded his own admissions were insufficient to prove homosexuality. So, he’d stay. And reenlist.

Mysteriously, the Army would continue to try to kick him out. In 1975, for instance, his commanding officer said, “Remove

him.” The military inquisitors harped on the fact that Perry admitted having relations with other enlisted men, but would not name names. Eventually, the thick report said his exemplary service record argued for retention “despite” his homosexuality.

In 1978, his security clearance was reviewed.

Again, he was retained, and again he reenlisted — for a third time without challenge.

But in 1981, the Army mandated “the discharge of all homosexuals, regardless of merit.” However, this took a lot longer than anyone expected.

Meanwhile, another review pulled his security clearance, which affected his pending promotion. This meant an ACLU attorney and a district court ruling in Perry’s favor. Retained! But on review, the appeals

The George H.W. Bush administration asked the Supreme Court to review the decision. It declined.

Perry managed to do what tens of thousands couldn’t: he successfully fought the Army.

Now he wished to assist those wanting to stay in the military. But the servicemembers support groups weren’t interested — only young, white, and straight-appearing poster boys need apply.

While serving as a grand marshal at New York City’s 1993 Pride, he told an interviewer: “Racism within the gay community is a big problem. The primary reason is that we are a direct reflection of the society from which we come, which is controlled by white males.

When the gay community was formed and became political, the leaders were white men, and they brought their prejudices with them.”

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JIM FARMER ACTING OUT

Eytan Fox Discusses New Film, “Sublet,” Queer Characters Present in “Summertime” Jim Farmer It was supposed to be a splashy premiere.

Acclaimed director Eytan Fox was set to debut his new film, “Sublet,” at the Tribeca Film Festival last spring, but COVID-19 caused the event to go virtual.

That pattern repeated all of last year, but the film is finally getting in theaters and is now available on VOD. Starring Tony Award-winning actor John Benjamin Hickey and Niv Nissim, making his film debut, “Sublet” follows New York Times writer Michael (Hickey), who visits Tel Aviv after a tragedy back home in the States. He is brought back to life by both the city and younger man Tomer (Nissim).

Fox says 2020 was a difficult year for him.

“Niv and I were talking about what we were going to wear at the [Tribeca] premiere and had ordered tickets and were expecting to meet John in New York and see it on a big screen with people,” he said. “We did not have that, or the closure we needed.”

Finally, though, the film opened recently in Tel Aviv and the U.S. The Israeli director, known for such gay classics as “Yossi & Jagger,” “The Bubble” and “Walk on Water,” sees a lot of himself in the central character of Michael. “I am 50 something, a gay artist, a filmmaker,” Fox said. “Michael is a writer. I am married to my partner Gal of 33 years. I have no children.

I am partially American. I am struggling whether to become a father.”

Casting was crucial for the film. Fox knew Hickey’s work but had to search for a Tomer.

“I started with John,” he said. “I knew I wanted him for this role. The first time I saw him was in the 1994 off-Broadway show, ‘Love! Valour! Compassion,’ and I fell in 18 Columnist July 9, 2021

Courtesy photos

Left: A scene from “Summertime.”

Above: “Sublet” director Eytan Fox

love. I have been looking at all his work in theater, television and film. Then I needed to find a wonderful partner for him. I looked at all the relevant actors in Israel. Niv was and is an actor at an acting school, and I auditioned him. John came to Israel, and we did chemistry tests. It was clear that Niv was the right match for him. They seemed very compatible.”

The world of young LGBTQ people worldwide is much different from the world Fox grew up in. “It’s so interesting to study this world and get to know it,” he said. “I got young people to work with me because they said I knew nothing about the new world and that I was not 25 anymore.”

The new film, “Summertime,” is a Robert Altman-like work in which the lives of 27 young Angelenos in Los Angeles intersect over one hot day. The film is directed by Carlos López Estrada (“Blindspotting”) and many LGBTQ characters are part of the ensemble. According to Estrada, the project

came together two and a half years ago when he was invited to the Get Lit spoken word showcase. More than two dozen poets were present and performed. “I was inspired and invigorated by hearing about their stories,” he said. “I presented to the director the idea of trying to develop this poetry into some form of narrative. I wasn’t sure how it would take shape, but that kickstarted a summerlong workshop trying to figure out how the poets wanted to adapt it.”

Lee Blankenship was one of those poets. “I was graduating from high school and had a lot of changes happening in my life and wasn’t sure what I wanted to write about,” Blankenship said. Blankenship eventually wrote about home and growing up in Los Angeles and it came together as part of a group poem. The poets also wound up in the film.

It was important for Estrada and Blankenship that the film have an LGBTQ component.

“Something that I love about ‘Summertime’

is that it gives a microphone to people from backgrounds that are historically overlooked,” said Estrada. “Specifically when it comes to Los Angeles, the narratives we took are singular and narrow, and the movie — just by virtue of being told by 27 points of view — tries to give you nuance. A city we think we understand so well is a lot more complex and interesting and flavorful. The only way to do that is by showcasing diverse perspectives.”

Blankenship grew up with an almost entirely gay group of friends and feels the movie wouldn’t be an accurate portrayal of the city if it weren’t inclusive. “We didn’t want to be afraid to approach that,” she said. “I feel that in mainstream media you just get a portion of a marginalized group.

It can be too complicated. I am a femmebodied queer and a Black person; that needs to be brought.”

MORE INFO “Sublet” is now in theaters and on VOD “Summertime” opens July 16 at the Midtown Art Cinema

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July 9, 2021 Ads 19

CLIFF BOSTOCK OLD GAY MAN

The Consolation of Amnesia and Nonexistence Cliff Bostock

exactly what I’d experienced and could be seriously exaggerated by the other drugs.

It turns out I’d also prepared a dessert at 3 am the night before and carried it upstairs.

I had no memory of that either. The doctor dismissed my explanation, but the tests found nothing to explain the event. My MRI, however, turned up an almost certainly unrelated abnormality. The neurologist prescribed a brain biopsy. I haven’t arranged it yet. I’m convinced, having a history of medical errors that include the destruction of both my knees, that the brain surgeons will turn my biopsy into a lobotomy.

The worst part about getting old is dying.

Freud said the reality of death makes life inherently tragic and that life requires, basically, that we not think about it as long as possible. Fine, but the day arrives when you open your eyes and, even if you’ve enjoyed a life without the constant haunting of depression, you have the experience of nonexistence.

That happened to me on April 12. It is virtually impossible to describe, since nonexistence means you have no self-awareness. On that afternoon I found myself talking to a doctor.

I had no idea who he was or where I was.

It turned out I was in the emergency room of Emory Midtown Hospital. The doctor told me I’d been in a traffic accident after apparently having a seizure. This occurred, he said, near the state Capitol. He said the driver of the other car was also brought to the hospital, but immediately released because she had no injuries at all.

I had utterly no memory of what happened, and I still don’t. It occurred about four hours before I became self-aware, so I also didn’t recall the CT scan or the countless lab tests I was given, none of which showed abnormal results. The doctor wanted me to stay overnight so a neurologist could see me the next morning. Of course, my insurer, Kaiser, insisted I be discharged and see one of their doctors instead. The discharge papers said I was suffering an hours-long episode of amnesia after a seizure.

Here’s the odd thing. Because I had no memory of the incident, I did not feel particularly upset. I have virtually no trust in the medical system. In fact, when I was 27, I had a classic near-death experience at Piedmont Hospital because the doctor I’d 20 Columnist July 9, 2021

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK / FGC

been assigned could not diagnose me and was apparently too vain to consult a specialist until my life began to evaporate. I remember all of that, and the classic narrative changed my life profoundly for many years.

The next day, I took an Uber to the lot where the city tows cars. I was dreading to see the damage on the car I’d wrecked. There was none. I asked the clerk where I could find an accident report. “From the police, of course,” she said. She explained there was also a website that reported accidents. I watched it for the next week and never saw anything. I called the city. They had no record of an accident — just a report that my car had been impounded.

I asked if I could talk to the cop who was at the scene. Over a week later, he called and told me there was indeed no accident, that I had parked in the middle of the road, that I was “out of it,” and the EMTs called to the scene took me to the hospital.

In the weeks that followed, I had an EEG, an MRI, a spinal tap, and over 30 lab tests.

An echocardiogram is on the way. I kept telling my neurologist that I knew what had occurred. I had increased the dose of a new medication the night before and I’d taken it with my usual dose of Ambien plus an earlier small dose of Xanax. I told her I read that the side effects of the new medication included

Amid all this drama, I keep returning to the fact that the amnesia, by basically destroying self-awareness, consoles me more than it troubles me. But I’m aware, too, that in the absence of my memory, the ER doctor constructed a fiction that my neurologist has struggled to reinforce. I have access to her notes and it’s clear she didn’t fully listen to my account of the drugs in our first appointment.

Think about that. So much of our life stories is constructed and edited by others when our explanations don’t fit their own stories.

I already knew this to some degree. It’s why, despite a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in psychology, I became a rebel.

My mother had a stroke that left her unable to read, write, walk, or talk for 15 years before dying. She did retain much self-awareness and frequently slashed at her throat with her index finger, obviously signifying her wish to die.

She occupied a place between existence and nonexistence and was denied full access to the latter. Now I understand the consolation that nonexistence ultimately can be.

Cliff Bostock, Ph.D., is a former psychotherapist who now provides life coaching to creative clients. cliffbostock@ gmail.com, 404-518-4415, cliffbostock.com.

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MELISSA CARTER THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / ELENA11

Middle Age Melissa Carter

I’m trying this middle age thing on for size. It’s a new era for me, one I’m not exactly sure how or when I entered, yet here I am. Jenn Hobby and I tried to narrow that answer by gearing our new podcast to women over 40, so I suppose I’ve been middle aged for over a decade now. Funny thing is, I didn’t think about it until integrating into the parent culture now that my son is older.

If we go on the assumption that middle age begins at 40, then my mother had me while middle aged. At that time, she was unique, yet never made excuses or complained about her age. In fact, she never even complained about her body, her skin, or her hair. I am grateful, because in hindsight she has proven to be a valuable resource on how to navigate the world as an older woman.

Radio is a juvenile environment. I’ve spent a majority of my career in radio, and that is certainly not a place you feel old. Music, creativity, pranks and general humor are the tools of the trade clothed in concert tees and ball caps. I left morning radio after my son was born, since the benefits no longer outweighed the sacrifices, and I now serve in more of a media consultant role while working with nonradio professionals.

Doing so has allowed me more time with my son, which was the goal, yet spending time alongside his peers’ parents has been a shift in how I view myself. You see, I was older than my own mother when I had a 22 Columnist July 9, 2021

child and am not exactly unique for it. Many women have waited until their careers were in order before having children, so I assumed I wouldn’t be the oldest parent of his class.

So far I am. And those women who have waited to have children until they were older aren’t living near me at the moment. The main difference in being around younger moms is the level of energy they have. I’m not talking about physical endurance-type energy, I’m talking about nervous energy.

They are stressed. Stressed about their schedule, their husbands, their cars, their jobs, the line at their coffee shops — you get the point. In contrast, I am less concerned about the small things. I’ve lived through a kidney transplant and a pandemic and have vowed not to allow the stresses of old to dictate my life anymore.

I don’t hang in clusters with these parents to trade the latest Woe Is Me story, setting myself a little on the fringe as an observer.

That results in some awkward silences from me not knowing how to relate and them not knowing what to do with the quiet old lady.

This translates to the kids, too. Recently my son pointed me out to a swim teammate at practice to introduce me. I waved and they continued to talk. My son told me later what his teammate said.

“She looks like a Karen.”

Charming. Like I said, I’m trying on this middle age thing to see how it fits, and what needs to be altered. The first is apparently my middle age resting bitch face, which even a 6-year-old can spot across the pool.

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RYAN LEE SOMETIMES ‘Y’

No Fairy Tales for Side Pieces Ryan Lee With jovial terror surging through his system at the end of his first electric scooter ride, my friend grabbed my hand and recounted what he considered several near-fatal incidents as we started to walk down the BeltLine. Our fingers were still interlocked, and I was giggling at his animated recap when we passed three young gay men and one of them said to the others, “See, that’s all I want.”

It was a sweet but heartbreaking sentiment.

The moment was too casual for me to offer clarity that might ease the young man’s longing or adjust his expectations, but I wanted to ask, “Which do you wish to be: the one taking an out-of-town break from his fiancé, or the side piece?”

As idyllic as we looked on the BeltLine, as key as my friend’s presence has been in the manifestation of romantic fantasies that sprouted in my heart pre-puberty, and as fiercely as I have advocated for nontraditional companionship, even I had never daydreamed about my current relationship status. There are no fairy tales for secondary lovers.

Some months ago, we met at a venue intended to be exclusively sexual, but by the second round of fucking we both recognized a connection that might be worth exploring while at least partially clothed. He soon told me about his partner of 10 years, and once I verified his fiancé’s knowledge and consent of our activities and potential bond, our communications and interactions have been the closest thing I’ve had to a relationship since 2010.

While this is my second open relationship, it presents a fresh test for what have mostly TheGeorgiaVoice.com

been theories about establishing loving unions outside of monogamy. With my previous boyfriend and in any visions I’ve had of a relationship since, I was half of a nuclear partnership rather than an add-on to an already existing couple.

It hasn’t felt easy or natural to tiptoe through hope, exuberance and other emotions that accompany a new romance knowing another has priority access to your partner’s time, plans and concerns. Living in different states helps, but not as much as the realization that some of our long-term aspirations do not align perfectly, and don’t need to for us to continue exploring each other.

I have no interest in disrupting their goals or dislodging his fiancé, and after more than a decade of bachelorhood I honestly doubt I’m prepared to be anyone’s primary lover.

Even our little liaison has reacquainted me with insecurity, guilt, and other challenging emotions, and working through those without a fear of losing something that doesn’t belong to me has been liberating and enlightening.

IF… YOUR HANDS SWEAT AS YOU THINK OF PRIOR BAD ACTS… DON’T RUN. YOU WONDER ABOUT OUTSTANDING WARRANTS AS THE OFFICER APPROACHES… DON’T RUN. PULLED OVER WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT LICENSE AND INSURANCE… DON’T RUN. STOPPED AND QUESTIONED BY POLICE IN A WELL-KNOWN AREA FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING AND STING OPERATIONS… DON’T RUN. CAUGHT WITH AN OPEN CONTAINER OF BEER IN THE VEHICLE… DON’T RUN. NO PROOF WHEN ASKED BY COPS TO SHOW PROOF OF I.D… DON’T RUN.

YOUR CHANCE TO SURVIVE IS MUCH GREATER IF YOU

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS. ATTEND OUR WORKSHOPS.

Although sex was and remains the basis of our pact, I was touched by his care and support during a difficult stretch this spring and grateful not to feel as if I were going through a struggle alone. Our intimacy has fulfilled both personal and political needs, as I’ve long considered casual PDA to be the most underused tool for LGBTQ acceptance.

I appreciate having someone willing to express gay affection by my side, to broaden the minds of straight folks and warm the hearts of queer people. However, unlike too many gay couples who are looked upon as inspirations, I hope no one mistakes our romantic solidarity for monogamy or doubts their ability to customize a fairy tale to their own reality and desires.

ACRBGOV.ORG July 9, 2021 Columnist 23