07/20/18, Vol. 9 Issue 11

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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

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EDITORIAL

Editor: Berlin Sylvestre bsylvestre@thegavoice.com Deputy Editor: Jason Rhode jrhode@thegavoice.com Editorial Contributors: Cliff Bostock, Katie Burkholder, Melissa Carter, Dallas A. Duncan, Aidan Ivory Edwards, Conner Emery, Jim Farmer, Dawn Felton, Morgan Nicole Fletcher, Elizabeth Hazzard, Ryan Lee, Joseph Miller, Allison Radomski, Jamie Roberts, Catharine Romero, Dionne Walker

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4 Editorial July 20, 2018

Don’t Get Caught Driving Heads -Free, Ya Nerds Berlin Sylvestre bsylvestre@thegavoice.com “I’m always looking forward as I text in the car,” a younger relative of mine said, her voice dripping with bitterness. “I can still see the damn road.” She was bitching about the new hands-free law as I admonished her for not having a device to hold her phone, assuming it actually unglues from her hands, an event that could actually warp the space-time continuum and send our reality into the 53rd dimension.

“I ride a motorcycle, and I see you nerds swerving all the time with your ‘still seeing the road’ business,” I bitched back. She didn’t seem too fazed, the carefree/careless teenager she is.

Truth is, I’m stoked about this new law.

Without fail damn near, anytime I’ve ever seen someone zag when they should zig, or cross lanes without signaling (because they didn’t even realize they were crossing lanes

until they were halfway in the new one), it’s been someone who was so fixated on their phone that actual driving took a backseat. I don’t say this as a hyperbolic curmudgeon, either. When I was younger, I did stupid crap like that, too. But we’re years into “don’t text and drive” campaigns, complete with crushedmetal imagery and “final texts” that go along with them, so ignorance is not the issue.

It’s hubris.

What I find annoying, oddly, is that most people assume it’s the younger generation who’s solely to blame. Yes, my unnamed relative drives that point a bit, but you want to know the bulk of the offenders I’ve seen while swearing through my helmet? Folks who appear 40+. I’m not even kidding. I’ll look over at the numbskull who’s looking up from his lap, then slamming on brakes once he realizes he’s about to run up the back of the vehicle in front of him, only to go back staring at his lap. As I pass him? He’s reading something on his phone. Then there

was the woman who flipped me off after I mimicked hanging up a phone. (She’d swerved into my lane while she was holding her phone in front of her face on the interstate.) I just shook my head and raced far ahead of her, to get some good distance between us. It’s such an issue for me that I watch what people are doing in their cars almost more than I watch the vehicle itself — it’s usually a pretty good indicator of how much I can trust them to drive relatively normally.

At any rate, I hope everyone sees the good in this new law. I dropped by a retailer that sells hands-free devices and picked some up for friends and snarky, young, bull-headed family. Look for that on page 12.

And hey: I’m not trying to be preachy. I really just want y’all safe. And if your phone ungluing from your hand sends us careening into the 53rd dimension, at least you’ll have something to cradle that device as we rip through the fabric of reality as we know it. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT (…BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE TAKE A DIGITAL DETOX.) We understand you need an info break. Or maybe you were just in the mountains. Either way, Georgia Voice has you covered. Here’s a selection of recent story snippets you might have missed. Find the rest of them and more at TheGaVoice.com, or like us on Facebook for all the latest in local and national news that affects our community.

LGBTQ ACTIVISTS AT PUTIN-TRUMP SUMMIT

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Finland on July 16, and the people who rallied around were all but quiet. LGBTQ advocates spread the word about the anti-gay purge in Chechnya, throwing shade by projecting light.

JEROME BROOKS, NEW DIRECTOR OF LIVING ROOM

Living Room’s Board of Directors has just announced Jerome Brooks as their new Executive Director. Living Room is a nonprofit organization located in Atlanta. The group serves the HIV/AIDS community by providing housing services to persons in need.

Chair Alex Ortiz said Jerome will be able to build upon the strong work done by departing Exec Director Angela Susten.

Activists from the Human Rights Campaign projected critical messages on the side of Helsinki’s Presidential Palace. HRC claims that the Trump Administration has not done enough to condemn Russian harassment of LGBTQ persons, and, according to Pink News, “Russia maintains an ‘Orwellian gay propaganda’ law which is used to clamp down on the LGBT community, while a homophobic purge began in the autonomous region of Chechnya in 2017 that has shattered the Chechen LGBT community.”

“We are excited to work with Jerome,” Ortiz states, “to continue to expand our programs, develop our wonderful staff, bring in new sources of funding, and make sure that Living Room is the leader for Atlanta and the state of Georgia for housing services for people living with HIV.”

SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER DIVERSITY RISING

The latest news comes to us courtesy of the University of California at Los Angeles’ Williams Institute. The Institute studies law, public policy, and how the two interact and interface with questions of gender identity and sexual orientation.

The study finds that 66 percent of young people today identify as exclusively heterosexual, the lowest of any generation up until this point.

According to the study, baby boomers prove to have the highest percentage, with 88 percent identifying as solely heterosexual, whereas that number drops to 85 percent with Gen X, and 71 percent among millennials.

6 News July 20, 2018

“STEVEN UNIVERSE” FEATURES LESBIAN PROPOSAL SCENE

“Steven Universe” has long been a favorite of anyone with two eyes, free time, and a heart. (Including a certain writer here at the Georgia Voice.)

Since its premiere in 2013, the long-running Cartoon Network show has drawn applause and audience ratings for its deeply felt, carefully thought-out plotlines, character-driven moments, and design. What isn’t as well known, at least outside of the fandom, is the show’s dedication to an open, diverse, and tolerant worldview, which includes diversity of sexual orientation and gender.

So it’s no surprise — but welcome news — that the beloved series just featured a lesbian marriage proposal scene.

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NEWS

LGBTQ Children: The Special Minority of Alzheimer’s Caregivers Katie Burkholder “Your mother has dementia,” the doctor tells you somberly. Your heart drops to your stomach, but you’re already planning. Of course, you’ll be the one to take care of her.

“I’ll just take her into my home. That will be easiest and most financially sound,” you think to yourself, when you remember: You live with your partner… and you haven’t even come out to her yet. *** For each of the 30 million people suffering from dementia worldwide, a support system exists behind them: caretakers, the invisible second patients, the people who put their lives on hold to care for a loved one who is losing themselves to disease. These caretakers experience their own suffering at the hands of Alzheimer’s — not only the emotional toll of losing a loved one, but the financial burden, social isolation, and physical malady. The effects are, in truth, generally negative.

In this tough but crucial world of caregiving, there is a special minority, a group of caregivers with unique struggles, struggles that aren’t being addressed — the LGBTQ community. I spoke to Dr. Whitney Wharton, a clinical investigator and cognitive neuroscientist at Emory University who studies people at risk for Alzheimer’s but are currently cognitively normal, in hopes of preventing it.

“There’s a big push this year for the LGBTQ community to be recognized as a special population of caregivers caring for their parents and spouses who are suffering from Alzheimer’s,” she says, as she shares her findings on this unique community with me.

8 News July 20, 2018

Compared to our “heterosexual siblings,

we are more likely to be caregivers, especially for our parents.

”

Dr. Whitney Wharton,

clinical investigator and cognitive neuroscientist at Emory University As members of the LGBTQ community, we have a higher likelihood of becoming a caregiver for someone we know and love, she explains. “Compared to our heterosexual siblings, we are more likely to be caregivers, especially for our parents,” for reasons such as the lower likelihood of having children, the higher likelihood of living alone, and, for gay white men particularly, having more available income.

Dr. Wharton describes the issues that arise when a member of our community takes a family member into their home to care for them. The need to care for a family member can force the caretaker to come out when they’re not ready, potentially causing a strain on the relationship and the caretaker’s emotional stability. This is a problem especially among the older generation, who are more likely to feign heterosexuality out of fear of discrimination or exclusion.

Not only do LGBTQ people care for their biological families, but their families of choice as well.

“We tend to form close-knit families within our communities who we’re probably caring for. We can have responsibilities that

aren’t represented in the traditional family dynamic,” says Dr. Wharton. The LGBTQ community is faced with a multitude of opportunities to be a caregiver, and that responsibility has unique effects.

“On average, we drink more, smoke more, and have a higher incidence of social isolationism and depression [than our heterosexual counterparts],” she says, attributing these to the stresses of being LGBTQ, being isolated from family, or living alone. Lesbian women also have higher average BMI and incidence of hormone-related issues like polycyclic ovarian syndrome than straight women. “There’s definitely more stress put on the LGBTQ community,” says Dr. Wharton — stress that can translate into physiological issues like hypertension and inflammation, stress that is amplified by being a caregiver.

Race is also an important factor of stress to consider, as LGBTQ African Americans face obstacles pertaining to not only sexuality and gender identity, but race as well. The income disparity between races, with black people living in lower-class neighborhoods on average, means the heavy financial burden of caregiving can be heavier.

Many more struggles for gay caregivers exist:

prejudice from healthcare professionals, lack of social and emotional support, opposition from employers when taking compassionate leave, among other items of note.

So, what’s the solution? Dr. Wharton stresses the need “to work together to navigate the healthcare, legal, and education system to educate the public on the unique needs of the aging LGBTQ community as well as what caregivers are going through to ensure the best care be given to both the patients and the caregivers.”

She also encourages caregivers in the community to become involved in research, so they can better understand the specific healthcare needs of LGBTQ caregivers. If you’re an LGBTQ caregiver interested in being involved, email Dr. Wharton at w.wharton@ emory.edu for more information.

For caregivers looking for support, the next LGBTQ AD Caregiver Support Group meeting is on August 14 at the VirginiaHighland Church from 7–8pm. You can visit the Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter’s Facebook page for more info.

Learn more about LGBTQ caregiving at Caregiver.org/Legal-Issues-LGBT-Caregivers. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

NEWS

Sankofa: Engineered Strides in Curing HIV O’Brian Gunn To this day, the AIDS epidemic that flared up in the 1980s is considered Gay History 101. It’s a deeply sobering part of our community’s history that saw some of our older members attending multiple funerals a week, being afraid to hold hands for fear of catching the then-unnamed-and-unknown disease, and witnessing fearful nurses who refused to deliver meals to HIV+/AIDS patients. Medical and scientific knowledge and treatments have come a long way since then, but still a vaccine or cure eludes us — but recent developments have brought us one glorious step closer.

In September 2017, scientists from the National Institutes of Health shared their discovery of a special, engineered antibody capable of binding to three vital sites of the HIV virus. The antibody can attack 99 percent of HIV strains, a similar feat that occurs in 1 percent of HIV patients. What makes the virus so difficult to cure and “pin down” is that it’s constantly mutating, which allows it to break through the barrier created by HIV antibodies.

However, a unique quality in the new antibody is that it uses a three-pronged attack on the microscopic battlefield inside the human body. Even if the virus managed to overcome one front through a new mutation, there would still be two more gatekeepers for it to deal with. And because the new antibody is a single combination of three other antibodies, it’s hoped that it will be approved by the Federal Drug Administration sooner, and that it can be used as a vaccine as well as a treatment. With successful preliminary testing on monkeys over, human trials should start this year.

While breakthrough treatments, PrEP, and combination therapy have slowed the spread of HIV and made the virus less of a death sentence, they have also contributed (albeit inadvertently) to a sense of forgetfulness and even unappreciation. Our community must recall the fact that early treatments and medications were either physically harmful, abjectly ineffective, or both. The HIV treatment knowledge and technology we have today were not available back in the 80s, meaning that many gay men were

essentially test subjects, ones who suffered from the many physically, emotionally, and mentally debilitating effects of HIV. This isn’t to suggest that HIV is no longer a devastating and life-changing diagnosis; just that all of us in the community (as well as our allies) have to make an effort to remember and continue to support our long-term survivors as well as the memories they carry of their peers. While it most certainly takes courage to be open about your sexuality, there’s no denying that it takes even more bravery to be open about being HIV positive. There are certainly those who have educated themselves about what it means to be undetectable/ untransmittable, but there are also individuals who still shame the HIV positive.

“Sankofa” is a word from Ghana’s Twi language, a dialect spoken by the Akan people, that translates to “go back and get it.” It’s symbolized by a bird facing backward to take an egg from its back. The core concept of sankofa is that we must go back and retrieve the wisdom and knowledge of the past and bring it with us into the present

as well as the future and use it to manifest positive change.

We cannot allow ourselves to forget our gay history or the people, events, and breakthroughs that brought us where we are today. Even if the new antibody works and HIV is cured and a vaccine for AIDS is created, there’s no telling what “next big thing” lurks around the corner. But by carrying the stories and sense of community of our rainbow ancestors with us into our future, we are sure to be lifted and soar, come what may.

Bullied Teens Have a Place With Us Blake Newton

the way I was presenting my speech.

Sometimes, the most amazing things are created during the most imperfect times.

When I launched Teen Talk Hotline, I was going through a tough time. At just 15 years old, I was being harassed and bullied at school. The harassment became so bad that there were times when I didn’t even want to get out of bed.

On another occasion, I was walking through my school hallway alone when two high schoolers walked past me calling me a faggot. I had decided to wear a v-neck that day, along with my favorite boots. All I was doing was expressing myself in my favorite outfit, but I got put down for wearing it.

I never wore that outfit to school again.

Hateful words and actions from others really do have an effect on people. I felt like I didn’t even matter to anyone. I felt degraded as a human, not being welcomed by my peers.

My classmates would bully me because of my sexuality and my mannerisms, and the worst part was that this harassment was completely unprovoked. One day, I had to make a presentation in front of those very peers who made me feel so unwanted.

During my presentation, which was a speech about how kindness can benefit others, those classmates started to laugh and make fun of www.thegeorgiavoice.com

One day, during that period last year, I thought of turning the pain I felt into something that would help others feel like they were not alone. I was inspired by other teenagers who

start their own nonprofit organizations, so I thought to myself, Why not start my own out of the conflict I went through?

This is when I decided to channel my pain and create Teen Talk Hotline, a blogging platform where young people can make their voices heard. Sometimes they write about serious things, and sometimes they write about music, movies, pop culture, or fashion. Our motto: is “Our voices will be heard to make a positive difference,” and it has an important meaning to me. I wanted to create something out of my own pain to help others get empowered and be inspired to stand up and use their voices for good.

When I started the site, I felt as if I had no voice, but Teen Talk Hotline changed that.

I would use it as a way to escape the pain I felt and to help others avoid the way I felt.

I created this platform not only for myself, but for others. There are so many people out there that are being bullied or harassed, who are ashamed of themselves, and who are being silenced with no sense of hope or help available to them.

As of 2016, more than one out of every five students has reported being bullied and LGBTQ students are twice as likely to be bullied in school. I was told so many times not to worry about “typical teenage stuff,” but deep down I knew how much this was affecting me personally, and I wanted to make sure all the other kids that this is happening to every single day has the outlet I wish I had.

Feeling ostracized? Find out more about the group at TeenTalkHotline.org.

July 20, 2018 News 9

NEWS

BRETT KAVANAUGH

OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY D. MYLES CULLEN

Brett Kavanaugh:

For Better or For Worse?

A BI-PARTISAN LOOK AT A POTENTIAL SUPREME COURT JUSTICE. Berlin Sylvestre bsylvestre@thegavoice.com July 9, 2018: In the moments after President Trump announced Brett Kavanaugh as his nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States — a U.S. Court of Appeals judge for the D.C. area and one who could replace the soonto-retire Justice Anthony Kennedy, 81 — a predictable information firestorm tore through the blogosphere. From far-right outlets to far-left talking heads, this was either the beginning of all the winning or the end of the world. So let’s take a moment to approach Kavanaugh from a more objective viewpoint — by observing some of his stances in past judgments.

LIBERALS MAY LIKE THIS: He takes a strong stance against warrantless

�

10 News July 20, 2018

wiretapping, stating that it infringes on the Fourth Amendment — the one involving unreasonable search and seizure — that’s granted to American citizens. The wiretapping, taking place without going through legal steps to prove the process is warranted, is an action exposed by former NSA contractor and current legal refugee Edward Snowden.

In his congressional interview after his nomination to the High Court of Appeals, Kavanaugh was questioned by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on whether he considered Roe v. Wade to be (per the senator’s words) “an abomination.” Kavanaugh’s response: “If confirmed to the D.C. Circuit, I would follow Roe v. Wade faithfully and fully. That would be binding precedent of the Court.

It’s been decided by the Supreme Court.” �

Kavanaugh has a blank slate when it comes to gay rights. There’s no record of him having said anything for or against. However, in a quote in a segment to follow, he does talk about making an amendment for equal rights.

Still ambiguous, but not the language of someone who doesn’t like the idea of equality. �

In another case, involving whether authorities could put a GPS tracker on criminal suspects’ vehicles, Kavanaugh did admit that (much like taking pictures of people on the street), the suspect had no expectation of privacy in public areas.

However, he ultimately concluded that tampering with vehicles violates property rights — criminal suspects or not. �

CONSERVATIVES MAY LIKE THIS: � In 2015, Kavanaugh argued that

the Affordable Care Act’s mandate for contraception coverage infringed on the rights of religious organizations.

Proponents of strict immigration laws dig Kavanaugh for at least two highcourt opinions. In one case, he contended that a union election was void because undocumented immigrants “tainted” the results by illegally voting in it. In another, he smacked down special visas for Brazilian workers, citing that Americans could do the job just as well. �

In 1999, Kavanaugh wrote on behalf of the Center for Equal Opportunity — a group against race-based affirmative action in college admissions — and argued that a Hawaiian law that only allowed native �

CONTINUES ON PAGE 11 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 Hawaiians to vote in elections for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs was unconstitutional.

Kavanaugh believed the law prohibited people from voting because of their race.

(The Supreme Court would later agree with that argument in a 7-2 decision.)

In 2014, Kavanaugh wrote, “The IRS doesn’t have the power to regulate paid tax preparers.” This was his opinion in Sabina Loving v. IRS. He said that such oversight could make sense, but it was ultimately “a decision for Congress and the President to make if they wish by enacting new legislation.” n

CONSERVATIVES/LIBERALS MAY LIKE THIS: n Kavanaugh also dissented from a decision last fall that permitted a detained, undocumented teenager, 17, to have an immediate abortion. Citing in both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey as Supreme Court “precedents we must follow,” Kavanaugh also saw the grey area: That the abortion would infringe on the detainee’s right to be quickly transferred to her immigration sponsors, hindering her expedited release in the process. That would be a constitutional infringement.

Additionally, abortions of undocumented detainees are not to be funded by the U.S. government, but rather by sponsors of released detainees. Therefore, a swift transition to her U.S. sponsor (usually a relative, friend, or acquaintance) would be necessary in order to find an appropriate program for the abortion which, in this case, is illegal in her home country of Mexico.

Ultimately, the high court decided that it could take too long for pregnant detainee to find a sponsor, so allowing her the abortion while in custody went forth.

Kavanaugh sided against the U.S. meatpacking industry when they collectively argued that the Department of Agriculture was violating their First Amendment rights by requiring labels that disclosed where their meat-production processes took place. Kavanaugh stated that historically, our government has kept an interest in supporting American manufacturers, farmers, and ranchers against foreign competition.

In an introduction to a speech after the death of Justice William Rehnquist, he wrote: “We revere the Constitution in this country, and we should. We also, however, must remember its flaws. And its greatest flaw was the tolerance of slavery. That flaw cannot be airbrushed out of the picture when we celebrate the Constitution. It was not until the 1860s, after the Civil War, that this original sin was corrected in part, at least on paper, by ratification of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution.

Many think we could use a few more constitutional amendments: term limits for Supreme Court justices, term limits for members of Congress, an equal rights amendment, a balanced budget amendment, abolition of the death penalty.” n

WE HAVE TO WONDER WHO LIKES THIS: In a case involving the the FCC’s 2015 Open Internet Order (known as net neutrality), Kavanaugh was no friend of those who feel the internet service providers should be required to treat all data on their networks equally. The grey area lies in that the FCC — of course a governmental agency — considers internet service providers “common carriers.”

Others, like Kavanaugh, see the service as a means of providing editorial content, much like newspapers. In other words, he sees companies like AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast as private companies that shouldn’t have special rules placed on them by the government. To Kavanaugh, imposing regulations that crack down on such practices as “throttling” data usage (which slows down service), or charging more for visits to certain websites is simply part of what happens in private free-market practice. In a 2017 dissent, he wrote that the “Supreme Court precedent establishes that Internet service providers have a First Amendment right to exercise editorial discretion over whether and how to carry Internet content.”

protecting our hearts can’t wait one more second.

Everyone in Atlanta has the right to breathe smoke-free air.

We need your help to ensure their rights are protected.

LEARN MORE

n

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

In summation, this is just a preliminary look at Mr. Kavanaugh. There are lots of cases in which he presided that you can access with a quick Google search. Looking directly into court documents is a much more accurate way of learning the truth behind some of the candidates who are up for such influential positions in our high courts or, in this case, our highest.

www.smokefreeatl.org @sftal

July 20, 2018 News 11

TECH

Review:

Cellairis’ Hands-Free Cell Phone Mounts Berlin Sylvestre bsylvestre@thegavoice.com July 1, 2018 rolled around like any other day, except that it wasn’t. As the distracteddriving crackdown went into effect, the cops were out in full force, waiting for knuckleheads with cell phones in their paws to pass by and get lit up with blue lights.

Some of you readers undoubtedly felt the sting, so I wanted to share a few devices that I tried out to ensure y’all could count on us to save you a buck or two by 1) getting legal and 2) avoiding the cheap trash that calls itself “compliant.” I swear: I’ve purchased so many garbage phone-mounts in my lifetime that’ve melted in the heat, wouldn’t properly suction to my windshield, or just flat-out broke after a week of normal use. “Why does this have to be so hard?” I would ask my wife, showing her yet another busted $10 POS I was throwing in the trash.

I don’t have that issue anymore, so let me pass the secret on: It’s Cellairis, a company that does phone repair fast and with 12 Tech July 20, 2018

killer guarantees, and also sells top-notch accessories that aren’t made from recycled Solo cups, or whatever it is I’ve stupidly been buying. Chances are, if you’ve been to any concerts at Lakewood, you already know the company, as it’s technically the Cellairis Lakewood Amphitheatre.

Right out of the gate, I was stoked. Instead of having to clamp my phone into a holster using two hands — one to hold the grip open and the other to situate my phone — the hands-free devices are all magnetic.

Literally, all you do it it touch your phone to the device and it’s stuck there until you pull it off. Magic, right? In order for you to achieve that magnetic magic, you simply put the provided, thin, adhesive plate onto the back of your phone (it’s wafer-thin and weightless), and voila! That’s the magnet that’s drawn to the one the holster’s actually made of. And it’s strong!

You can get one for your windshield, which has a suction-cup base that latches like a famished algae eater onto the glass with a reinforced compressor that squeezes all the

air out, creating a literally air-tight seal.

I’ve intentionally left it on the glass in the straight-up baking sun for days and it’s still there. I figured it might’ve melted off like my other ones, and that may be something I could warn you about. Nope! Still going strong. There’s a matching suction-cup version that’s a little stickier, and attaches to your dashboard — in case having anything on your precious glass is a no-no.

Then there’s one that clamps onto a slat in your air vent, kind of like an air freshener, but one that’ll keep points off your driver’s license. Again, it’s magnetic, so you simply touch your phone to it once you’re in the car and you’re ready to rock. What’s pretty killer about that is that heat will destroy electronics, so if you’re charging it or having a road-trip conversation on speakerphone, the A/C will keep it nice and cool. There’s also a utilitarian one you can mount anywhere, for those who have a more clandestine approach to where their cellular telephonic communication device is implanted within the cockpit of their transport module, in the case of “Big Brother’s prying eyes.” Or if you

just want it somewhere you think is cooler — you do you.

Personally, though? The absolute best is the mount that’s not only magnetic, but wirelessly charges your phone. (Cellairis is living in 3018, y’all.) If your phone is capable of wireless charging, then you’ve got it made, honey.

There are a few Cellairis dealerships around Atlanta, and for those way up north of OTP, hit up the Mall of Georgia. That’s where International Retail Account Executive Melissa Garcia, an out lesbian, got her start and helped me out with tracking down some actual hands-free devices that do not suck.

Seriously: I’ll never spend another dime with another company for these types of devices, should I lose one of the two I use for each car.

And no, I was not paid to write this. I just think everyone out there should know you don’t have to put up with garbage anymore.

The Cellairis items are a few bucks more than the cheap stuff, but so is just about anything that’s gonna last. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

TECH

Cutting Through the Noise of the New Hands-Free Law Berlin Sylvestre bsylvestre@thegavoice.com

Am I be required to purchase a hands-free accessory, such as a mount or bracket?

No. The proposed law simply states that a driver cannot hold or support a mobile phone. A phone can be left on a vehicle’s console, a front seat, etc. However, for the safety of all Georgians, state and local law enforcement recommend the purchase and use of a hands-free device if using a mobile phone while driving.

n

n

A driver may not record a video, but continuously running dash cams are allowed.

When a first responder (law enforcement, fire, EMS) is performing their official duties.

NOTE: For civilians, these actions must be while you’re in a lawfully parked vehicle, which does not include times when you are stopped for traffic signals and stop signs on the public roadway.

Headsets and earpieces can only be worn for communication purposes — not for listening to music or other entertainment.

Music-streaming apps can be used provided the driver activates and programs them when they are parked. Drivers cannot touch their phones to do anything to their music apps when they are on the road. Music-streaming apps that include video are not allowed. Drivers can listen to and program music-streaming apps that are connected to and controlled through their vehicle’s sound system.

WHEN CAN I USE MY PHONE WHILE I’M DRIVING?

n

The driver cannot reach for a wireless telecommunications. device or stand-alone electronic device when it requires the driver to move from his/her seat via an unlocked seatbelt.

When an employee or contractor of a utility service provider is acting within the scope of their employment while responding to a utility emergency.

School bus drivers cannot use a wireless telecommunication device or two-way radio while loading or unloading passengers.

The driver can only use a wireless telecommunication device while the bus is in motion.

A driver cannot have a phone in their hand or use any part of their body to support their phone. Drivers can only use their phones to make or receive phone calls by using speakerphone, earpiece, wireless headphones, a phone that is connected to the vehicle, or an electronic watch. n

A driver may not send or read any textbased communication unless using voicebased communication that automatically converts messages to written text, or is being used for navigation or GPS. n

A driver may not write, send, or read any text messages, emails, social media, or internet-data content. n

n A driver may not watch a video unless it is

for navigation. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Can I still talk on my phone while driving?

Yes, as long as it is done hands-free.

Drivers are able to use their phone’s speakerphone, Bluetooth technology, an earpiece, a headphone, or other device to allow them to communicate on a hands-free basis.

Can I touch my cellphone to dial a number or receive or end a call?

Yes. The law would simply prohibit drivers from holding or supporting the phone.

House Bill 673, also known as the “HandsFree Law,” was passed by the Georgia General Assembly this year, and signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal. It went into effect on the first of this month, but there’s still plenty of confusion out there. In fact, I got a Facebook message from a friend who was pulled over for rejecting a call on her phone while it was mounted, and the cop told her that was illegal. She was given a warning, but still made it a point to reach out to me to see who was right. Turns out, even some cops out there aren’t up to speed.

Let’s change that. The following information comes directly from the Department of Driver Services (dds.georgia.gov). Feel free to rip this from the pages of this newsmag, or head to their site to print the official version yourself.

SO WHAT’S NOW ILLEGAL?

A QUICK FAQ:

n

n When you’re using GPS navigation devices.

When you’re reporting a traffic crash, medical emergency, fire, criminal activity, or hazardous road conditions. n

n

WHAT IF MY WORK INVOLVES COMMUTING COMMERCIALLY? n Commercial motor vehicle operators can only

use one button to begin or end a phone call. n

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My vehicle does not have Bluetooth technology/capability. How can I comply with the law?

Many online retailers offer a Bluetooth adapter for vehicles without Bluetooth or similar technology built into the vehicle. These adapters can be found at local retailers or online by searching for “Bluetooth hands-free car kit” online.

Can I listen to music stored on my mobile phone, thus not requiring an internet connection?

Yes, as long as you are not holding or supporting your phone.

Can I talk to someone via video telephone apps, such as FaceTime or Skype, if doing so hands-free?

No. The proposed hands-free driving law states that a driver shall not “record or broadcast a video” on any mobile phones, iPads, computers, etc. while operating a vehicle.

What are the fines/penalties?

First conviction: $50 and one point on your license.

Second conviction: $100 and two points on your license.

Third and subsequent convictions: $150 and three points on your license.

July 20, 2018 Tech 13

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Diets & Weight Loss Is there a “Best Of” for diets?

This is a very common question in the nutrition world. You may hear on TV about a fantastic new diet, or a friend might tell you that the diet they recently tried is “the best!” Truth is, there is not one diet that works best across the board. While there is an overwhelming amount of diet options available, the diet that works best is whatever works best for you.

One nutrition tip to keep in mind: if you hear of a diet that recommends cutting out an entire food group (grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat/protein), that is typically a red flag! Unless you have a medical need to eliminate certain foods, consuming a diet with plenty of variety from all food groups is essential. It’s important to note that there are many harmful diets out there, so please be sure to speak with your provider or dietitian before following any diet. Just remember that each person has different medical needs, health goals, dietary preferences, schedules, and so much more! Also, it’s best to avoid the “diet” mentality, and try to aim for more lasting lifestyle changes. To learn more about how your diet can impact your life, try to meet with a registered dietitian — it’s a great way to get answers from a nutrition professional about what will work best (once again) for you.

Julia Bleecker, MS, RD, LD Dietitian AbsoluteCARE Medical Center & Pharmacy

Can you tell me more about bariatric surgery?

There are multiple types of surgery for people who struggle with excess weight. These surgeries are now much less invasive and much safer than back in the 90s. Hundreds of thousands of these surgeries are done each year and follow up over 5-15 years has shown sustained weight loss of 25–30% of body weight. Plus, the risk of serious complications is very low, like that of a gallbladder surgery.

The improvement in heart and brain health, diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, and even risk of cancer, is significant. The most common surgery involves cutting the stomach down to a “sleeve” shaped like a banana. It reduces hunger and makes people feel full so they lose weight. A couple months after the operation, they go back to eating normal food but smaller amounts of it. The other common operation is bypass and that is more effective, but has slightly more complications. It is still very safe and preferred for those who are very obese.

Anuj Malik, MD Board Certified in Obesity Medicine AbsoluteCARE Medical Center & Pharmacy

Ask The Doctor is a monthly health column where the experts at AbsoluteCARE answer your pressing medical questions. Have a question you want answered? Email it to askthedoctor@thegavoice.com!

14 Health July 20, 2018

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

“ Thank you, Georgia Voice readers, for naming me your politician of the year.

As governor, I will fight for equality and ensure every Georgia family, including LGBTQ+ Georgians, will have the freedom and opportunity to thrive.�

ENDORSED BY

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The City of Atlanta Says: You are the Chosen Ones Draw in a deep breath and get dramatic.

Go, “It’s an honor just to be nominated,” as you hold an invisible Oscar in your hand, feigning tears. It’s often a running joke for folks who are up for actual awards — sometimes to quell nerves — but if you really, truly consider it: It is an honor “just” to be nominated. After all, the city of Atlanta is honoring you, and that’s no joke.

Think about it: Let’s pick a “Best of Atlanta” category … say an attorney or a restaurant, right? Envision the hundreds upon hundreds of those we have in this city! They’re all over the place, and beloved by our residents and visitors alike. Now think about this: Of all these hard-working folks in your industry, only three have made this list — and of those three? There’s you.

If you’ll let me brag on you for a moment:

PEOPLE

POLITICIAN: STACEY ABRAMS Pro-LGBTQ powerhouse Stacey Abrams has earned the respect of the rainbow community evidenced by your overwhelming vote for this former Georgia House Minority Leader and current Democratic candidate for governor as your favorite politician. Abrams has been a continuous supporter of the community, partnering with LGBTQ business leaders and cosponsoring legislation prohibiting anti-gay discrimination within state agencies.

Runners-up are Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms www.thegeorgiavoice.com

You’re doing a damn-fine job and Atlanta … is … loving you for it.

So whether you’re taking home the plaque at the Georgian Terrace on the 19th, or you’re getting your honorable mention in front of hundreds of people who are proud of you, you better know that you’re a part of what people mean when they say the cream rises.

So c’mon: Let us at Georgia Voice honor you with food, drinks, laughter, good company, pride, and the accolades that all of you deserve in a setting that’ll make you feel like the winners you are.

Winners selected by the City of Atlanta, no less.

We’ll see you there, Georgia Voice.

and Representative Park Cannon.

ACTIVIST: ARICA LOVE ROYAL It’s all love for Arica Love Royal, a proud transgender woman whose commitment to community causes earned her your vote as the top activist in the community. Royal is a self-described supporter of both animal and human rights, in addition to being the host of a funky weekly show called “What’s The T.” Runners-up are Sadie Vice and Anne Clarke.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 18

BEST ACTIVIST

ARICA LOVE ROYAL

BEST UP & COMING LGBTQ YOUTH BENTLEY HUDGINS

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 UP & COMING LGBTQ YOUTH: BENTLEY HUDGINS Fired up and ready to make a change, young activist Bentley Hudgins is your pick for the top up-and-coming LGBTQ youth in the city. A Mercer graduate, Hudgins hails from Macon, where he created an event to remember the victims of the Orlando Pulse massacre in addition to being a key part of a movement that helped change the MaconBibb Charter to be more inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Runners-up are Keith X Harding and Qween Farrazz.

BEST BUSINESS PERSON MAUREEN KALMANSON

BUSINESS PERSON: MAUREEN KALMANSON Founding Campagnolo, Henry’s, Peasant Bistro, and a slate of other tasty eateries earned Maureen Kalmanson your vote as top business person. This Miami native’s appeal no doubt lies in both her knack for creating awesome eateries and her commitment to the community: She has held AIDS-related benefits at many her businesses.

BEST HOTEL

Runners-up are James Menge and Terry Frick.

PARTY PROMOTER: JEN AND JAMI MAGUIRE Partnering in life and in business has worked out well for Jen and Jami Maguire, the female dream team you all voted as top party promoters in LGBTQ Atlanta. The pair are the owners and operators of lesbian staple My Sister’s Room, as well as owners and promoters of popular Memorial Weekend Pride event Sexacola Beach.

Runners-up are Tom Thomas and Barry Brandon.

SERVICES

CHIROPRACTOR: EASE WELLNESS CHIROPRACTIC Located in Old Fourth Ward, Ease Wellness is on a mission to cultivate healthy communities through modern chiropractic care. Their holistic approach utilizes nutrition, exercise, mental 18 Best of Atlanta July 20, 2018

THE GEORGIAN TERRACE

wellbeing, and precise chiropractic care in order to access the body’s full healing capabilities.

Runners-up are Loretta Sandy and Randy Culig.

PHOTOGRAPHER: JUST TOBY Just Toby is an award-winning photographer who captures runway couture, drag queen divas, and burlesque performers. From local drag personalities to the superstars of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Just Toby covers the best of the best. Having Just Toby snap your pic is a sure sign that you’ve made it big.

Runners-up are Brian McCall and Chelsea Raffkind.

HOTEL: THE GEORGIAN TERRACE The Georgian Terrace is a Midtown icon famous for its Beaux-Arts architectural

style and luxury accommodations. It offers everything from modern suites and versatile event spaces to an award-winning restaurant and a Sotherly experience that can serve as your guide to the best of Atlanta.

brand of body positivity that connects inner happiness with outward beauty. At Bliss, self-care is the heart of wellness, so take a breath and a moment to give yourself a little boost with spa-powered products that are 100 percent cruelty-free.

Runners-up are W Atlanta Midtown, and Loews.

LAWYER/LEGAL: RANDY FRY Randy Fry, of the Fry Law Firm, has worked in personal injury law since 1999 and has many years of experience working with various litigation firms in Metro Atlanta. He belongs to the Atlanta Bar Association, the Dekalb County Bar Association, and is an active member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association.

Runners-up are Jason White and Marc Mallon.

SPA: BLISS SPA Bliss Spa, located in Midtown, promotes a

Runners-up are Natural Body Spa and Shop, and Blue MedCenter.

HAIR SALON: BLO SALON Blo Salon, located in Ansley Mall, is a fullservice, kid-friendly salon offering cuts, color, highlights, blo-outs, and waxing for women and men. Stylists Craig Garrett and Terry Frick both have devoted client bases that have been with them for years. It’s no wonder this is their second consecutive year on the Georgia Voice Best of Atlanta list.

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BEST DOCTOR

DR. SCOTT PARRY

Runners-up are Midtown Mann Salon, and Melrose & McQueen.

GYM: LA FITNESS LA Fitness offers 10 locations from Buckhead to College Park. The franchise boasts over 20 different group workout classes, basketball and racquetball facilities, heated pool, personal training, and childcare options. Since 1984, LA Fitness has been committed to the lifelong benefits of good health and tailors its services to the unique needs of each community.

BEST DERMATOLOGIST

RUTLEDGE FORNEY

Runners-up are Gravity Fitness, and Planet Fitness.

DERMATOLOGIST: RUTLEDGE FORNEY Rutledge Forney, serving patients in Buckhead, East Cobb, and Midtown, founded Dermatology Affiliates in 2004.

Her mission is healthy, beautiful skin with a special focus on treating the effects of sun damage. From 2010–2016, Dr. Forney received annual recognition from her peers as one of Atlanta’s Top Doctors.

BEST DENTIST

Runners-up are Mark Rachal and Diane V. Duvall.

REALTOR: JUSTIN ZIEGLER Justin “JZ” Ziegler is the President of Common Ground Real Estate, and a five-time recipient of the Georgia Voice Best Real Estate Agent title. He has also been recognized by the Dekalb Board of Realtors and CommonCreativ Magazine. JZ is proud to support the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the Human Rights Campaign, and the Stonewall Bar Association.

Runners-up are Eddie Romero and Brian Guffey.

PHARMACY: ALLIANCE COMMUNITY PHARMACY Alliance Community Pharmacy has served the Midtown community since 2013, offering pharmaceutical services, Medicare counseling, and immunizations. Alliance also partners with MISTER and Positive 20 Best of Atlanta July 20, 2018

DR. CHIP HILL

Impact Health Center to provide free, confidential HIV-testing services every Thursday afternoon as well as counseling and risk-reduction plans.

Runners-up are Midtown Kroger, and AbsoluteCARE Pharmacy.

BANK: WELLS FARGO Wells Fargo offers several locations across the Atlanta Metro and provides a variety of services related to banking, loans, investment, wealth management, and retirement planning. Wells Fargo also offers online financial education services in the areas of homeownership, credit management, and small business needs, and is frequently seen at Pride events around the country.

Runners-up are BB&T, and Private Bank of Decatur.

DENTIST: DR. CHIP HILL Located in Midtown, Dr. Chip Hill has been practicing general and cosmetic dentistry in Atlanta for 18 years. In addition to providing modern and gentle dental care as well as state-of-the-art whitening services, Dr. Hill’s practice is proud to donate to several Atlanta charities, including Lost-nFound Youth, CHRIS Kids, and Hotlanta Roundup.

Runners-up are Ansley Midtown Dental, and Dr. Thomas K. Sparkman.

FINANCIAL PLANNER: HLM FINANCIAL GROUP Located in Decatur, HLM Financial Group is a full-service firm that has been providing accounting, tax, and financial services since 1986. Their team has a combined total of over 100 years of experience and has the

expertise to meet a variety of financial and business needs.

Runners-up were actually tied in votes: Element Wealth Advisors, and Don Dusick of Cornerstone Financial.

DOCTOR: DR. SCOTT PARRY Dr. Scott Parry opened Intown Primary Care in 2001. Since then, the clinic has served over 10,000 patients and become Georgia’s leading provider of Testosterone Replacement Therapy and Testopel insertions. Dr. Parry is also an educator and speaker in the areas of HIV, Hormone Replacement Therapy, and Primary Care Psychiatry.

Runners-up are Dr. Dennis Melton and Dr. Suzanne Shirey.

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PET CARE

PET ADOPTION: ANGELS AMONG US RESCUE Angels Among Us Pet Rescue is a nonprofit charity based in Alpharetta dedicated to saving dogs and cats from high-kill shelters and connecting them with loving foster families and “forever” homes. Angels also seeks to promote public awareness of highkill shelters and educate would-be owners about the responsibilities of pet ownership.

Runners-up are LifeLine Animal Project, and Laskey’s Lucky Ones & Volunteers.

BEST DRAG KING MYSTERY MEAT

PET DAYCARE: PIEDMONT BARK Established in 2002, Piedmont BARK offers a stress free, home away from home for all your canine friends. In addition to dog daycare, Piedmont BARK provides overnight boarding, supervised playgroups, a professional grooming salon, a self-serve dog wash, and regular Yappy Hour mingling events for canines and their human parents.

Be prepared to make tons of new friends.

Runners-up are The Pet Set, and Central Bark Doggy Day Care.

PET SUPPLY AND GROOMING: THE PET SET SUPPLY Since 1975, the Pet Set Supply has offered a wide range of services for dogs and cats, from boarding and daycare to spa treatments, haircut services, and various pet-care products. The Pet Set offers 100-percent natural pet foods for all guests and has a mobile grooming service that will bring professional groomers to your door.

Runners-up are Piedmont BARK, and Furside Pet Grooming.

VETERINARIAN: ANSLEY ANIMAL CLINIC Established in 1980, Ansley Animal Clinic offers full-service veterinary and dental care in the Morningside/VirginiaHighland neighborhood. A family-owned business, Ansley provides spay/neuter services, microchipping, grooming, and boarding, plus a broad range of pet-related 22 Best of Atlanta July 20, 2018

BEST DJ

BEST DRAG QUEEN

health products. Their team of friendly veterinarians will put you and your furry friends at ease.

and comedy, and for his hilarious social media videos. He has clinched the title of best comedian for the sixth year in a row.

Runners-up are VCA Pets Are People, Too, and Village Vets.

Runners-up are Kia “Comedy” Barnes and Ian Abner.

His drag has been described as “devilish monster” because he’s known for also wearing devil horns while performing to thundering metal music. Meat was also named number one in Hornet’s writeup of the top eight drag kings to follow on Instagram.

DJ NEON THE GLOWGOBEAR

A&E

ACTOR: ROBERT RAY A Broadway veteran performer, Robert Ray is a cabaret king known for his pianostyle show performances at Campagnolo Restaurant + Bar. Patrons can sing along and become part of the show. He is the owner of Robert Ray Productions.

Runners-up are Ben Thorpe and Justice Leak.

COMEDIAN: BRENT STAR Brent Star is known for his own drag style

DJ: DJ NEON THE GLOWGOBEAR DJ Neon the Glowgobear is known for his “glow” parties with upbeat house, top-40 remixes, and classic tracks. He has DJ’d for a number of worldwide events such as Dragon Con, Glitter Ball, ManShaft, and TrophyDad’s Prime in San Francisco.

Runners-up are DJ/Producer Seth Breezy and resident DJ at Xion, DJ Karlito.

DRAG KING: MYSTERY MEAT Mystery Meat brings his own Goth style to drag and audiences can’t get enough.

SHAWNNA BROOKS

Runners-up are Hayden Fury and LJ Taylor Fury.

DRAG QUEEN: SHAWNNA BROOKS The legendary drag queen known for not only giving ‘face,’ but also for her formfitting bodysuits, Shawnna has been a regular performer at Blake’s on the Park and other clubs around the city. Brooks, mother of the House of Brooks, has been performing for over 20 years.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 Runners-ups are Nina Bo’Nina Brown, and Autumn Skyy.

MUSICIAN: J TYLER For the fifth consecutive year, rapper J Tyler keeps the title of best musician. Tyler first had plans to be an actor but switched to music after friends doubted his abilities to make an impact in the rap game. Tyler is known for his fast-paced flow. His debut EP, “Prelude,” can be down streamed on iTunes, Spotify, and other digital markets.

BEST PERFORMANCE/ VISUAL ARTIST/ACTOR

Runners-up are Robert Ray and Matt Brooker.

ROBERT RAY

RADIO STATION: Q100 The Atlanta top-40 radio station is beloved by Atlantans, and possibly most known for “The Bert Show,” whose host, Bert Weiss, can be seen at LGBTQ-friendly events in Atlanta. Q100 is owned and operated by Cumulus Media.

Runners-up are WABE 90.1 and 88.5.

PERFORMANCE ARTIST/VISUAL ARTIST: ROBERT RAY Robert Ray scores again! The former Broadway veteran, singer, and performer continues to make an impact on the artistic scene in Atlanta.

BEST MUSICIAN J TYLER

Runners-up are Ronnie Beets and Royce Hall.

WRITER OR PLAYWRIGHT: DEL SHORES Who hasn’t heard of the play “Sordid Lives”?

Del Shores’ independent films have become a well-known part of LGBTQ culture.

Shores directs and produces his own work for theater, film, and TV and tells the stories of characters everyone can relate to. He often uses his work to raise money and awareness for various LGBTQ causes. Next month, Shores’ “A Sordid Three Ring Circus” will present the comedy to benefit Positive Impact Health Centers.

Runners-up are Darrell Grant and Zak Horn.

THEATER: OUT FRONT THEATRE COMPANY Out Front is a local nonprofit theater known 24 Best of Atlanta July 20, 2018

for telling the stories of the LGBTQIA. The theater is also known for showcasing its popular plays and hosting festivals that include musicals.

Trump presidency and teaching children how to undo white supremacy.

to help homeless LGBTQ youth has again taken the title of best nonprofit.

Runners-up are Book Nook and Oxford Comics.

Runners-up are Actor’s Express, and Theatrical Outfit.

JEWELRY STORE: WORTHMORE JEWELERS Known as the coolest store in America by InStore Magazine, Worthmore Jewelers arrived on the jewelry scene opening in the early 1990s in Midtown Atlanta. The store is known for its fine jewelry, watches, custom designs, and art.

Runners-up are Positive Impact, and Sister Love.

SHOPPING

BOOKSTORE: CHARIS BOOKS Charis Books is Atlanta’s independent feminist bookstore, known not only for its left-of-center titles, but also its central role within the local progressive community. In addition to hosting special monthly events, such as the Cliterati Open Mic night and a black feminist book club, Charis curates specialty reading lists for surviving the

Runners-up are Midtown Jewelers, and Jonathan Buckhead.

LGBTQ NONPROFIT: LOST-N-FOUND YOUTH The popular group known for its mission

THRIFT STORE: LOST-N-FOUND THRIFT AND CONSIGNMENT STORE A thrift store set up to help fund Lost-nFound Youth, it sells everything you could need — clothing, furniture, art, collectibles, and electronics — all for a good cause: supporting homeless LGBTQ youth.

Runners-up are Out of the Closet, which benefits the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and vintage dynamo Buffalo Exchange.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 VINTAGE ANTIQUE & CONSIGNMENT STORE: PARIS ON PONCE The eclectic winner is a local vintage favorite. The formidable consignment store along the Atlanta Beltline offers a plethora of unique wares from art, antiques, furniture, and scads of the unexpected.

Runners-up are Kudzu Antiques, and Kaboodle Home.

FURNITURE STORE: INTAGLIA HOME COLLECTION It was a close one for the title of best furniture store, but Intaglia Home Collection garnered this year’s win. The locally owned store is known for allowing buyers to create their own custom furniture.

BEST TATTOO PARLOR

TIMELESS TATTOO

Runners-up are Domestic Comfort, and The Mission Motif.

GIFT SHOP: GIFT CARD BOUTIQUE Another close one, Gift Card Boutique, a variety style gift shop that offers a little bit of everything for its shoppers, pulled ahead at the last minute for the win. It’s here that you’ll find everything you need to provide the perfect gift: cards, T-shirts, DVDs, music, jewelry, Pride items, and so much more.

Runners-up are The Merchant Atlanta, and Eco Denizen.

BEST APPAREL

BOY NEXT DOOR MENSWEAR

Runners-up are ABETTERBUZZ Brand Goods, and M2/Mode Marche.

FLORIST: FOXGLOVE & IVY FLORAL A Little 5 Points florist, Foxglove & Ivy Floral takes the prize as top floral design studio this year. For over 20 years, the floral shop has been a fan favorite for providing for the perfect selections for all occasions.

TATTOO PARLOR: TIMELESS TATTOO If you’re looking for the perfect tattoo shop to bring your design to ink reality, look no further than Timeless Tattoo. The parlor has been around since 1995 and is known for their high and professional standards. The shop is operated by Cap Szumski and his daughter, Jasmine.

Runners-up are Flower Cottage on Main, and TWELVE.

Runners-up are Southern Star Tattoo, and Black Owl Tattoo.

APPAREL: BOY NEXT DOOR MENSWEAR Gay men setting the standard for fashion turn to Boy Next Door Menswear. The staple on Piedmont is known for its trending suits, casual wear, swimwear, and underwear.

ADULT NOVELTY STORE: BRUSHSTROKES PLEASURES Couples and individuals looking for ways to spice up their love life need look no further than the offerings of Brushstrokes Pleasures, one of the community’s long-time popular

26 Best of Atlanta July 20, 2018

novelty stores. They offer a large supply of adult items sure to spice up the love lives of folks across the city.

Tokyo Valentino makes for the first runner-up, and no third was nominated by Atlanta.

COMMUNITY

HIV/AIDS NONPROFIT: PROJECT OPEN HAND In 1986, Project Open Hand was created as a meal-delivery service for AIDS patients who were too ill to cook for themselves. Today, Project Open Hand has an expanded mission, extending their services to those with nonHIV related illnesses. Their mission is to help individuals prevent or manage chronic illness through Comprehensive Nutrition Care, which encompasses both meal delivery and nutrition education.

Runners-up are The Armorettes and Living Room.

LGBTQ EVENT: PRIDE Atlanta Pride is the oldest non-profit serving the LGBTQ community in Atlanta and is busy planning the 48th Annual Pride Festival, this year running from October 12–14.

Currently operating with a staff of three, they are a nonprofit with 501(c)(3) status that also sponsors events year-round like “Bi Visibility Night” and “Atlanta Pride Gaymer Night.”

Runners-up are Out On Film, and AIDS Walk.

SPORTS TEAM/LEAGUE: ATLANTA ROLLER GIRLS Our Atlanta Roller Girls are a local CONTINUES ON PAGE 30 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26 representative of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, (WFTDA), an international organizing force for the sport’s latest incarnation formed over 15 years ago as a movement of teams in leagues owned by the players themselves. Moving strong since its founding in 2004 by Angela Ward, the Atlanta Roller Girls is a league composed of four teams: Apocalypstix, Denim Demons, Glamma Rays, and Toxic Shocks.

Runners-up are Hotlanta Volleyball, and Atlanta Team Tennis Association.

BEST LGBTQ CHARITY EVENT ARMORETTES EASTER DRAG RACE

LGBTQ CHARITY BENEFIT: ARMORETTES EASTER DRAG RACE This year, Easter Sunday fell on 4/20, and this annual event jamming the parking lot in front of the venue formerly known as Burkhart’s was high times for those who love both camp drag and competition for cash and prizes. There’s an annual award for Best Easter Bonnet and the fun includes drinks and carnival games.

Runners-up are For The Kid Toy Party, and PALS Bingo.

HOUSE OF WORSHIP: SAINT MARK’S For many, Saint Mark United Methodist Church, easily recognizable with its grey gothic architecture and red doors, is a rock of stability on ever-changing Peachtree Street in Midtown Atlanta. Its many programs are enriched and enhanced by its welcoming and diverse congregation that embraces its role as an urban ministry.

Runners-up are New Covenant Church of Atlanta, and Congregation Bet Haverim.

LGBTQ BLOG/WEBSITE: PROJECT Q This local online news source for things LGBTQ has been embracing our Queer since 2008, and has earned numerous awards, plaudits, and kudos for its founder Matt Hennie and its roster of contributors including Mike Fleming and Georgia Voice former editor, Patrick Saunders. Last year, it even began a print weekly, Q. 30 Best of Atlanta July 20, 2018

BEST HOUSE OF WORSHIP

SAINT MARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Runners-up are Wussy Mag, and Rigel Gemini.

EATS

ASIAN: BANGKOK THAI Boasting itself the first Thai restaurant in Atlanta (est. 1977), this familiar culinary institution also has the benefit of being located slap in the middle of the Ansley Square Mall area. It is so close to Midtown Moon that you could hit it with a delicious soft-shelled crab if you had the urge and disposable income to do so.

Runners-up are Su’s (Chinese) and Chai Pani (Indian).

BAR FOOD: WOOF’S This one-of-a-kind gay sports bar is a great place to go check out your favorite team, go bear-watching, nibble on some spicy hot wings, or all of the above. They also engage

with the community by collecting school supplies for disadvantaged children through their Back Packs For A Cause drive.

Runners-up are Roxx, and Mixx.

COFFEEHOUSE: STARBUCKS ANSLEY Exactly like it sounds, it’s Starbucks, but at Ansley Square, bringing it closer to home. Be sure to get some coffee and scones from the boho boulangerie there, too. We’ll take our cappuccino venti with lots of whip cream and rainbow sprinkles on top, thank you very much.

Runners-up are Intermezzo, and Moonbird Coffee BREAKFAST: FLYING BISCUIT This local institution broke out of its original Candler Park home slinging big ol’ biscuits, apple butter, and tofu scrambles

BEST SPORTS TEAM/LEAGUE ATLANTA ROLLER GIRLS

hither and yon. They’re not just all about breakfast, though — I had some of their Turkey Pot Roast down at their Peachtree City location, of all places, and it was slapyour-grandma good.

Runners-up are Silver Skillet, and Radial Cafe.

SUNDAY BRUNCH: HENRY’S Located on 10th St. in gayest of gay Midtown, Henry’s outdoor patio is the perfect spot to check out the comings and goings of Federal Reserve bankers, firemen, and of course, the Pride parade. The atmosphere inside and out is woody and modern and the food is classy but approachable. A great place to nosh on a Sunday and catch the Falcons game.

Runners-up are Roxx, and Poor Calvin’s.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30 LOCAL CHEF: KEVIN RATHBUN He came, he saw, he cooked — very, very well. This award winner and former “Iron Chef America” contestant is originally from Kansas City. Credited with bringing southwest as well as fusion cuisine to Atlanta, he’s built a culinary empire stretching from the Old Fourth Ward to Buckhead with locations like the eponymous Rathbun’s, Krog Bar, Mediterranean Wine Bar, Prime Steakhouse, and KR SteakBar. Runners-up are Deborah VanTrece and Ford Fry.

BEST BAKERIES/SWEETS HIGHLAND BAKERY

LIQUOR & WINE STORE: TOWER BEER, WINES AND SPIRITS Over the last several decades, so many epic benders began with a simple run to a Tower liquor store for a six-pack and a bag of ice that it boggles the imagination. When you absolutely, positively have to find your favorite obscure stout from Lichtenstein or a good Bordeaux approved by the right French wine-control authorities — but at a reasonable price — you probably have one within a couple of miles of your residence.

BEST CHEF/MEATERY

KEVIN RATHBUN/ KEVIN RATHBUN STEAK

Runners-up are Green’s Beverages, and Ansley Wine Merchants.

BAKERIES/SWEETS: HIGHLAND BAKERY With several locations around town, including the campuses of Georgia State, Georgia Tech, and Emory, they have just enough of all the good stuff to sip, nibble, and savor to get your day going gay. Vegan and vegetarian friendly, they make Southern food made for comfort with none of them fancy chemicals and such — and great coffee to boot. They also cater.

Runners-up are Sublime Doughnuts, and Sweet Hut Bakery & Cafe.

MEXICAN: LAS MARGARITAS Chef Juan Hernandez brings his experience living in Columbia and Mexico to his panLatin fusion cuisine on Cheshire Bridge.

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sandwich, try one of the tasty mixed drinks both eponymous and rare, such as a Brazilian Caipirinha. This establishment is a great place to chow before retiring to your suite across the street at the Cheshire Motor Inn. Then, get some Sunday Rehab at their unlimited late brunch running from noon until five.

Runners-up are La Hacienda, and Superica.

NEW RESTAURANT: CACTUS HOUSE Where in Midtown, might you ask, can you find hand-crafted tacos and tequila on Tuesday? Look no further than this taqueria, owned by Ten Atlanta founder James Nelson. Rainbows, occasional drag shows, and a recent change in management add intrigue while you ponder the symbolism of the desert succulent it’s named for.

Runners-up include The White Bull, and Donetto.

PATIO: COWTIPPERS You know it, you love it, you were part of a large party that ate and drank for hours.

This gem of a steakhouse orbiting just a block from Ansley Square Mall on the other side of Smith’s Olde Bar is a bona fide Atlanta LGBTQ institution in all but name.

Though it’s threatened to close several times lately, this place has been rode hard, put up wet, and rode hard again and again. We just can’t quit you, Cowtippers!

Runners-up are Henry’s, and Roxx.

ITALIAN: CAMPAGNOLO Located near the rainbow corner of Piedmont and gay, this place is the scene of a lot of classy dates with yummy Italian

BEST PATIO COWTIPPERS

fare. If you want really impress your date, try pronouncing the words on the menu with a fancy Italian accent. That’s amore! Just a quick dash across the street to Blake’s, this restaurant opened in 2012 and is owned by Atlanta-famous Maureen Kalmanson, who also owns Henry’s Midtown Tavern.

Runners-up are Nino’s, and BoccaLupo.

ROMANTIC: CAMPAGNOLO Like we said: Italian … classy … a quick dash to Blake’s. What’s not to love about this place with dishes like pappardelle (duck confit) and pork chop with polenta? It boasts an extensive selection of wine, as well. Hang out on the patio and wonder how the gays OTP live as you survey the urban masses passing you by.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 32 Runners-up are The Lawrence, and Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours.

TAKEOUT: MELLOW MUSHROOM What began as the little hippie pizza joint that could in Little 5 Points has, like the fungus of its namesake, had its spores carried on the wind across state lines to find many places to sprout. Maybe it’s the reliably crunchy crust made in brick ovens with a trace of cornmeal to help ’em slide, or the way they make a more-than-decent vegan pie you can get carry-out or through GrubHub? Whatever it is, its Shaggy-meetsThe-Allman-Brothers vibe has become ubiquitous and indispensable.

BEST VEGETARIAN

METROFRESH

Runners-up are Doc Chey’s Noodle House, and Willy’s.

VEGETARIAN: METROFRESH Healthy food in a fast, casual, and walletfriendly setting defines MetroFresh and impresses our readers, who voted this cozy Midtown bistro tops for vegetarian fare.

Tucked in a shopping center near Piedmont Park, this tiny eatery makes up for its little size with big taste, including a daily changing menu of mouthwatering soups and sandwiches. We’d pop in for a vegetarian herb “chicken breast” any time!

Runners-up are Green Sprout, and Recess at Krog.

CHEAP EATS: EATS When you’re ballin’ on a budget, nothing beats Eats according to our readers, who voted it the best cheap eats in the city. This Atlanta mainstay prides itself on an eclectic menu with enough variety to suit even the pickiest eater.

Grab a meat and two sides plate or a tasty pasta bowl, all for under $10. Now that’s good eats!

Runners-up are Victory Sandwich Bar, and Moe’s in Ansley.

BURGER: THE VORTEX BAR & GRILL After over 25 years, Atlanta’s favorite “idiotfree zone” is still considered tops in the city, according to our readers who voted it No. 1 34 Best of Atlanta July 20, 2018

BEST BURGER

THE VORTEX BAR & GRILL

for a great burger. Visit either of its locations in Little 5 or Midtown for a selection of creatively named burgers incorporating everything from peanut butter and plantains (The Fat Elvis) to pineapple salsa (The Freaky Tiki). They’ve got plain burgers too — but it’s 21 and up to enter!

Runners up were trendy Grindhouse Killer Burgers, and Cowtippers Steak and Spirits.

PIZZA: ANTICO For pizza that’s way beyond basic, Antico Pizza is the top place to go to according to our readers. From its original location at an unassuming (and somewhat tricky) corner near the bustling West Marietta food district, this pizza spot has risen to popularity on its reputation for authentic pies featuring fresh ingredients and cooked to perfection in a brick oven.

Runners-up are Gino’s NY Pizza Bar, and Savage Pizza.

MEATERY: KEVIN RATHBUN STEAK For a juicy cut you won’t soon forget, Kevin Rathbun Steak is tops according to our readers. Voted top meatery in the city, this modern chophouse serves up tantalizing wagyu, sherry-soaked salmon, double-cut pork chops, decadent lobster, and more. All from a converted warehouse with a trendy industrial feel. The perfect choice to impress your date!

Runners-up are Bone’s, and Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse.

NIGHTLIFE

BARTENDER: RACHEL POWERS A bartender can make or break a watering hole, and Rachel Powers makes My Sister’s

BEST CHEAP EATS EATS

Room a destination for great cocktails, according to our readers who voted her the city’s top bartender. In place since 2017, Rachel is tops for serving up a tasty tequila or a sickening screwdriver with a smile.

Runners-up are Chad McDaniel and Brian “KitKat” Willis.

DANCEFLOOR: HERETIC ATLANTA Dance the night away in style at Heretic Atlanta, the club our readers selected for the best dancefloor in the city. Flanked by multiple bars for quick access to a drink, this dancefloor is not only spacious but pulsating with energy, thanks to the rotating lineup of DJs and performers at this Cheshire Bridge staple.

Runners-up are Atlanta Eagle, and Xion.

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BEST NEW BAR MIDTOWN MOON

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34 DRAG SHOW: THE ARMORETTES There’s nothing worse than a drag show that’s a drag. Fortunately, you’ll have a howling good time when you go see The Armorettes, voted the best drag show by our readers. Alive and kicking for 39 years, this drag organization can keep you entertained for a purpose: Over the years, they’ve raised over $2 million for AIDS research.

The first runner-up is The Other Show.

TO MEET WOMEN: MY SISTER’S ROOM Whether you want a little company for the evening or for a lifetime, My Sister’ Room is the place to start your search. That’s 36 Best of Atlanta July 20, 2018

according to our readers who voted this the No. 1 place to meet women. MSR is a lesbian mainstay with a dedicated audience that’s stayed true through various moves.

The club is now in a sexy Midtown location, so come on down!

Runners-up are Mary’s, and Midtown Moon.

TO MEET MEN: BLAKE’S ON THE PARK If you’re looking for Mr. Right, or simply Mr. Right Now, Blake’s on the Park is the perfect place to visit, according to our readers who voted it the top spot to meet men. Frequented by boys of all types, Blake’s is known for its live entertainment, good eats, and street-side seating — perfect for being seen. Pull up a chair at this 10th and Piedmont spot and find your Prince Charming in no time!

Runners-up are Heretic Atlanta, and Woof ’s.

AFTER HOURS: FLEX After 40 years in the city, Flex has still got it according to our readers who voted this long-standing bathhouse to the top among after-hours spots. This 24-hour men’s spa offers monthly, weekly, and even daily passes, as well as dressing-room rentals and massage services from licensed massage therapists.

Runners-up are Midtown Tavern, and Deep End. NEW BAR: MIDTOWN MOON Being the new kid on the block has been a success for Midtown Moon, according to our readers who consider it the best new bar in the city. The bustling joint replaced Burkhart’s, the wildly popular Ansley Square bar that sank after decidedly racist social media posts from its former owner surfaced. The new, all-

inclusive spot welcomes everyone for great drinks and a great time.

Runners up include Midtown Tavern, and the Deep End. OVERALL LGBTQ BAR: ATLANTA EAGLE Leather fan or not, you’re sure to find fun at Atlanta Eagle. You guys voted it the top overall LGBTQ bar in the city, and it isn’t hard to see why. Centrally located off Ponce de Leon, and with a full slate of theme nights, this decades-old mainstay is sure to be a favorite for many more years to come.

Runners-up are Oscar’s, and Felix’s.

This list was created by Georgia Voice writers Jamie Roberts, Dionne Walker, Allison Radomski, and Conswella Bennett. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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July 20, 2018 Best of Atlanta 37

ACTING OUT

Throw Two More Docs on the LGBTQ Barbie Jim Farmer In a year already filled with captivating documentaries about fascinating real-life subjects (Ruth Bader Ginsburg in “RBG,” Mr. Rogers in “Won’t You be My Neighbor, Whitney Houston in “Whitney,” Grace Jones in “Bloodlight and Bami,” Andre Leon Talley in “The Gospel According to Andre”), throw two more into the mix — “McQueen” and “Love, Cecil,” detailing the lives of two influential gay designers.

He’s a two-time Academy Award winner and a three-time Tony Award winner, a man who served as a photographer, costume designer, and much more, yet Cecil Beaton is not a household name. He should be. “Love, Ceil” focuses on Beaton’s career. He was almost obsessed with beauty and brought a lot of it to his projects. The early portion of his career was devoted to photography, but Beaton is also well known for his work on Broadway and the films “My Fair Lady” and “Gigi.” During his life, he had something of a liaison with actress Greta Garbo. Ironically, she was rumored to be a lesbian and Beaton was gay. He had relationships with several men but the love of his life was art collector Peter Watson.

Lisa Immordino Vreeland’s new film is way www.thegeorgiavoice.com

DETAILS

“Love, Cecil” Opens July 27 Landmark Midtown Art Cinema “McQueen” Opens July 27 TBD theaters

more interested in Beaton’s professional life than it is his personal one — and that’s a disappointment. It can feel sterile and dry, never satisfyingly giving much depth to its talented subject. It’s narrated by Rupert Everett, who reads from diaries that Beaton kept. Beaton passed away in 1980 after a marvelous career, and while “Love, Cecil” is a serviceable look at what all he accomplished, Vreeland should have been able to pour more life and style into this.

“McQueen” is a much better, more focused film, chronicling the rags-to-riches story of Lee Alexander McQueen, who became one of the most radical, distinctive designers of his time before his tragic suicide in 2010.

It’s vivid, yet extremely sad, showing how the designer’s life was mostly all about his professional endeavors while his personal life

was often lonely. His closest relationships were with his mother and his once close friend Isabella Blow, both of whom died before him. The film is imaginatively brought to life by director Ian Bonhôte and co-director/writer Peter Ettedgui, who manage to get telling interviews with family members and colleagues.

McQueen’s style irked many — especially early in his young career — but soon, everyone agreed he was a fashion genius and provocateur, working at Givenchy several years and then forming his own label in 1992. He was the youngest-ever winner of the British Designer of the Year award and in all won that award four times. Yet fame lead to partying and drugs.

His collections are used as cornerstones in the film. Some of the most exciting scenes in “McQueen” revolve around the designer’s runway shows, which are electric, including his 13th, where dual robots spray paint the strapless white dress of model Shalom Harlow. McQueen was friends with composer Michael Nyman and scores from some of Nyman’s films are hauntingly peppered throughout this. A wonderful tribute to a talent lost too early, “McQueen” is easily one of the best films of the year.

July 20, 2018 Columnists 41

EATING MY WORDS

Midtown Moon Brings Back Steak with the Queens Cliff Bostock I’m not a bar person. I’m introverted. I quit drinking 30 years ago. I got old and didn’t want to be anywhere but my own bed after midnight. Every now and then, I did, however, visit Burkhart’s — either to see Morticia Deville, my friend who performed Sundays with the Gospel Girls, or to grab the pub’s $10 steak, a major Midtown deal.

Morticia disappeared and died. The menu killed the steak. And Burkhart’s itself died in February after its cast of queens bravely quit, accusing owner Palmer Marsh of racism. Then, new owners reopened the space as Midtown Moon.

The queens came back. So did the steak.

So, I visited the bar early Thursday night two weeks ago for a quick meal. I was, I confess, shocked that nothing architecturally seems to have changed in 20 or more years.

It’s still all shiny, dark wood with the same tiny performance/dance space, and a goodhearted, smoke-free ambiance. Since it was about 6:30, there were very few people.

The bartender handed me the menu of usual pub food and, sure enough, there was the sirloin steak for about $10 with two sides. I ordered and moved to a table by a window. Then. I. Waited.

The menu warns that the kitchen is tiny but I’m talking over 30 minutes. That’s a long, long time in a bar when you’re alone and don’t drink anything but straight-up tonic water. At one point, the bartender walked over, put his arm around me and said, “We’re going to take 10 percent off your meal because of the wait. It will be out in two or three minutes.” It wasn’t, but I was happy to stare at my phone, like everyone sitting at the bar. A friend happened to come in and we talked a bit. The clock ticked. Someone on Facebook called me a “libtard.”

The meal arrived — a giant steak, a giant pile of fries, a giant bowl of mac ‘n’ cheese. As was always true in the past, I was surprised by the quality for the money. The steak, while tender and cooked medium-rare, was, however, coated in a virtual crust of salty seasoning of the sort I haven’t encountered in a long time.

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To my fussy palate, it all but eclipsed the beef’s natural flavor. I know this is an entirely subjective reaction and others will love it. The mac ‘n’ cheese, which is undergoing another huge comeback at restaurants, was homey and straightforward. The fat, crispy fries begged for malt vinegar, but only ketchup was available.

Would I return? Yes, but I’d probably order the also-bargain-priced filet or ribeye, assuming they are not heavily seasoned too.

Beef is certainly not your only option, but it remains the big bargain. I’m glad the space has returned to normal!

Let’s talk chicken: The much-anticipated Hattie’s B’s Hot Chicken has opened at 299 Moreland Ave. in Little Five Points. The specialty is the highly trendy, super-spicy chicken popularized in Nashville, where Hattie’s is based. You can literally order six levels of spicy heat, the ultimate being “Shut the Cluck Up.” I’ll report more later. You can also find (cheap) hot chicken at the newish Mary Hoopa’s House of Fried Chicken and Oysters at 2371 Hosea Williams Dr. in East Lake. It’s overdosed with cumin, so I prefer the also-available classic version. It’s the somewhat complicated small plates that really rule here. My recent favorite was the bread slices coated with whipped chicken livers, chopped banana peppers, and sliced peaches. It sounds absurd, but, in the hands of brilliant chef Robert Phalen, absurdity always tastes fantastic. The oysters: Last week’s, available raw or grilled (the better), were way too anemic for their $15-per-six cost.

Cliff Bostock is a former psychotherapist now specializing in life coaching. Contact him at 404-518-4415 or CliffBostock@gmail.com. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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2018 ga voice awards cowtippers is grateful for everyone's outstanding support throughout the years. our patio is the best thanks to the wonderful contribution of our community!

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BEST BETS Our Guide to the Best LGBTQ Events in Atlanta for July 20-August 2 FRIDAY, JULY 20

It could be the concert event of the season — Culture Club, The B-52s, and Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey join forces for an amazing evening.

7pm State Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park

FRIDAY, JULY 20

Written by out actor/director/ playwright Colman Domingo, the play “Dot” — directed by Kenny Leon at his True Colors Theatre Company — is a comedy about aging parents and midlife crises in a Philadelphia neighborhood. 7:30 tonight, running through August 12

Join Charis in celebrating Krystal Smith’s debut collection of speculative fiction, “Two Moons: A Collection of Short Fiction.” A North Carolina native, Smith is a black lesbian writer of poetry and speculative fiction. Her poems have appeared in “Tulips Touching” and recent short stories have appeared in Ladylit Publishing’s “Summer Love: Stories of Lesbian Holiday Romance” and “Lez Talk: A Collection of Black Lesbian Fiction.”

7:30pm Charis Books and More Written by out actor/director/playwright Colman Domingo, the play “Dot” — directed by Kenny Leon at his True Colors Theatre Company — is a comedy about aging parents and midlife crises in a Philadelphia neighborhood. 7:30 tonight, running through August 12

SATURDAY, JULY 21

It’s the party of the summer. Don’t miss Shine: Joining Hearts 31. When Joining Hearts held its first main event in 1987, there was still a lot to learn about HIV/AIDS. The world began to recognize its grave importance, and so our founders stepped it up to start helping people living with HIV/AIDS in Atlanta. And now 31 years later, the metro Atlanta community is once again in an HIV/AIDS crisis. While other cities in the country are seeing virtually no new HIV infections, Atlanta is seeing new infections at numbers we haven’t seen since the 1980’s. Come out tonight, have fun, and help raise needed money to prevent HIV/AIDS. 5–10:30pm The Greystone At Piedmont Park Playoffs begin today for the Atlanta Rollergirls this evening with the 1st and 4th place team playing against each other at 5pm, and the 2nd and 3rd place teams squaring off at 7:30pm Yaarab Shrine Center

44 Best Bets July 20, 2018

Swank is back for its quarterly event at Henry’s Midtown with DJ FreeCity, who will be spinning all sorts of music all night.

Expect to see a great mix of beautiful peeps enjoying the sexy vibes, dancing, and old friends reconnecting. There’s no cover for the night.

9pm–1am Henry’s Midtown

overview of the profound impact of American self-taught artists on the evolution of modern and contemporary art over the past 100 years. They also reveal how these artists galvanized the mainstream art world to embrace difference and diversity across race, region, class, age and gender.

12–5pm, running through September 30

Deep South is proud to welcome back to Atlanta Chelsea Starr and Vicki Powell, with Phoenix Ashe also on tap.

10pm– 3am The Music Room

Need some laughs in these dour times? The nine-time Tony Award winner (including Best Musical) “The Book of Mormon” is back in town, closing its run tonight.

7:30pm Fox Theatre

SUNDAY, JULY 22

The High Museum of Art has opened the major touring exhibition “Outliers and American Vanguard Art.” The show brings together more than 250 diverse works by more than 80 trained and untrained artists, and includes sections and featured works by artists including Greer Lankton, Zoe Leonard, Forrest Bess, and Henry Darger that examine sexuality and gender. Together, the works on view offer an unprecedented

Fandom’s Sexcellent Adventure, hosted by The FANDom Nerdlesque and Red Light Cafe, is sure to leave every Fandom fan with nostalgia.

8–11pm Red Light Cafe

MONDAY, JULY 23

The terrific, lesbian-themed “Hearts Beat Loud” continues at the Midtown Art Cinema today, with various showtimes.

TUESDAY, JULY 24

In July, Pride School is hosting Open Houses to visit the new Home School and Tutoring Resource Center, meet educators and tutors, and sign up for classes and/or tutoring. Students can attend Pride School for all or some of their courses, to supplement home or cyberschooling, or they can simply use Pride School as a tutoring resource. Pride School offers semester-long courses based on the Georgia Department of Education Standards, or tutoring for students ages 9–18. Today’s Open House is from 5–8pm, with another to follow on July 31.

3125 Presidential Parkway, Suite 335 in Atlanta Come join other tennis enthusiasts at the BB&T Atlanta Open’s Pride Night.

Food and cocktails will be provided courtesy of USTA Diversity & Inclusion Department. Also enjoy 20 percent off Platinum Level tickets to the Tuesday night matches with entry to the Pride Reception.

Use code PRIDEBBTAO in the password

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Standing with you, Atlanta.

Then. Now. Always.

Standing together with the LGBTQ community. It’s a commitment we made 30 years ago.

Since then, we’ve contributed over $50 million and countless team member volunteer hours to organizations that are making a difference. We’re proud to stand together with the LGBTQ community now, and we promise to be there always.

Visit wellsfargo.com/standingtogether to watch our video series about inspiring organizations that are having a positive impact in the LGBTQ community, and learn how you can help.

© 2018 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. IHA-23081

BEST BETS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 44 field. See their Facebook event for more details.

5:30–7pm

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25

TEN Atlanta will once again transform from a crowded dance club into a cozy NYC Cabaret for consecutive Wednesday Nights tonight with Boys Night “OUT” on Broadway, a one-hour musical and comedy revue written by Broadway veteran performer Robert Ray. 7–9pm

THURSDAY, JULY 26– FRIDAY, JULY 27

New Covenant Church of Atlanta is hosting a spirit-filled, Christian conference for LGBTQ believers. There are classes throughout the day on Friday and Saturday and a 7pm service on each day. This year’s Immersed Conference is all about being healed and experiencing miracles through faith. See their Facebook event for more details.

THURSDAY, JULY 26

SAGE Atlanta’s bi-monthly meetings occur from 10:30am–1pm on the second and fourth Thursday of each month.

Phillip Rush Center Annex.

Join Trans Housing Atlanta Program and Atlanta Pride for a free screening of the Film “Happy Birthday, Marsha!” The film is about iconic transgender artist and activist, Marsha “Pay it No Mind” Johnson and her life in the hours before she ignited the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City. Screening will take place in the Annex Building, located behind the Phillip Rush Center.

7pm

FRIDAY, JULY 27

The Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce hosts Fourth Friday Networking Night at Einstein’s.

5:30–7:30pm The John Lewis Fellowship | Humanity in Action Program, in collaboration with the Auburn Avenue Research Library, will host a staged reading of viBeStages’ original show “Through our Eyes: A

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 25

TEN Atlanta will once again transform from a crowded dance club into a cozy NYC Cabaret for consecutive Wednesday Nights tonight with Boys Night “OUT” on Broadway, a one-hour musical and comedy revue written by Broadway veteran performer Robert Ray. 7–9pm Black Girl’s Perspective — The Stolen Girls of the Leesburg.” This powerful work is an intimate exploration into the unjust incarceration of African-American teenage girls at the Leesburg, Georgia Stockade. These young activists who would become known as the “Stolen Girls” were arrested in the summer of 1963 for protesting racial segregation in Americus, Georgia. This event will include Dr. Shirley Green-Reese who, at 14, was arrested and taken to the Leesburg, Georgia Stockade. viBe Theater Experience (viBe) works to empower underserved teenage girls to write and perform original theater about the reallife issues they face daily. This event is free and open to the public.

6pm AFPLS.org Actor’s Express’ excellent version of the lesbian-themed “The Color Purple,” the musical based on Alice Walker’s book, runs through July 29.

8pm The Atlanta Pride Committee & Genre Monster present the auditions for the new Shooting Stars Cabaret — a new drag show event happening Saturday, Oct 13th during Atlanta Pride featuring the rising stars of local Atlanta drag and performance art. This event will be judged by local show directors and performers.

9pm–1am Heretic

SATURDAY, JULY 28

The Big Queer Sizzle II is the second annual fundraiser for Charis Circle, featuring a smokin’ hot night

of performances by queer artist and dance, poetry, porn, and song. Featured performers include Jericho Brown, The Adodi Muse, Ami Mattison, Karen G, Maggie Cee, Theresa Davis, Collin Kelley, Adriana Chiknas, Phoenix YZ, Franklin Abbott, Sid Robinson, X Venus Valentine, and hostess Kathleen Delaney-Adams.

7–9:30pm Charis Books and More Serenbe Playhouse and out director Brian Clowdus present the musical “Titanic” and will actually sink a ship each night.

8pm through August 12 2018 marks Johnny Pine’s 20th year as a performer, bartender, and club personality. This project is the meshing of these three occupations. Written to be performed specifically from the bar at Red Light Café, Johnny is going to perform his best and favorite songs, enthrall you with the truest of tales from his career, and tend bar.

9–11:30pm Red Light Cafe

SUNDAY, JULY 29

Don’t miss Tossed Salad, hosted by Brigitte Bidet and featuring new queens weekly.

10pm My Sister’s Room

MONDAY, JULY 30

Join CLIMAX Monday tonight from 7pm–3am at the Atlanta Eagle.

TUESDAY, JULY 31

The Atlanta Dream host the Washington Mystic.

7:30pm McCamish Pavilion

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1

Chronicling the life of fashion editor Andre Leon Talley, the documentary “The Gospel According to Andre” opens at the UA Tara Cinema 4 today.

Various showtimes.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 2

Building on the activist tradition of consciousness-raising groups, each month Charis Books and More invites community members to join The Personal is Political: Feminist Vent, to talk about personal issues or societal issues they are trying to deconstruct. The group will use intersectional feminist strategies as tools to talk through these issues. 7:30–9pm

UPCOMING SATURDAY, AUGUST 4

Atlanta Prime Timers meets today, 3pm Phillip Rush Center Annex

MONDAY, AUGUST 6

The PFLAG support group for parents and families of LGBTQ children meets today, from 7:30–9pm at the Atlanta International School.

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.

7–8:30pm Charis Books and More

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FINDING MYSELF AT 54

The Appalachian Fail Joseph Miller Warning: Graphic Content My article on hiking for Georgia Voice was supposed to be about how I got excited, how I planned, and how I was to conquer the miles — but this year was different.

I went through the stages: booking flights, scheduling shuttle pickups, planning out medications, and stocking up on food. I had it all under control. I came off a film shoot in Alabama and decided to fly out the next day to New York. Bear Mountain is where I left off last year, and I was going to pick up there this year.

The film shoot went a week over, so I planned to take fewer rest days and try to pack on a couple extra miles each day. It seemed like a good plan. I had trained for it, being the four-times-a-week gym rat that I am.

NY and CT were going through a heat wave when I got there. The steam rising from the grass and dirt was stifling. I had originally planned to hike 10–12 miles of mountainous trail the first five or six days. But I increased it to 14 on the first day, 16 on days two and three, 18 on day four, and was planning to hit 20 miles on day five.

That’s when my hiking adventure fell apart.

I got to Kent, CT, and decided to stop at an ice cream shop just a mile or so off the trail.

It was scorching hot, and I could’ve used the mid-day break. When I got there, I took my shoes and socks off — normal hiking activity. You rest and air your feet out. If you don’t air them out, you get blisters.

When I took my socks off, the skin from both of my little pinky toes tried to come off with the socks. My feet had become so blistered that the blisters had popped and the layer of skin under the first had blistered. When I took my socks off, dermis and epidermis were trying to come with it. I could see what looked like raw steak under the skin. I was a mess.

The first thing I did was schedule a doctor’s visit. I had to take a “selfie” first. No one back home was EVER going to believe this. had I not. (I had almost degloved my toes!) I called over some other hikers to see. It was a “hold my beer” moment.

But then, the reality set in: My 2018 hike was over. This hike is my pinnacle event of every year. It’s the activity where I can recenter and refocus. I was devastated. I started crying right there in the ice cream shop. The tears were not from pain, but from defeat.

I pushed the skin on the best that I could and taped the toes back up. The storeowner helped me secure a room at a B&B for the night, and also helped me schedule a shuttle to the Hartford Bradley International Airport. I was going home. A year of training and about $1,500 were down the drain.

I made it back home with the help of some great friends from Dillard, GA who picked me up at midnight at the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport. I don’t know what I would have

done without them.

My doctor’s visit on July 4th confirmed that I had a bacterial infection called cellulitis, and it was bad. By evening, I was sweating profusely and shaking. Luckily, antibiotics are doing the job though.

Being a teacher, I try to look at “teachable moments” in every situation. My learning outcome from this experience is that no matter how much you plan, things can go wrong. I didn’t listen to my “whole body” in this situation. My back and legs were fine, but I ignored my pinky toes. Funny how such a little thing caused so much peril!

But I’ll be on the trail again next summer.

I will go out with greater knowledge and greater confidence. I have no plans of stopping my hike on the AT until I complete the entire thing. And if you take a look at some of the scenery (I’ll spare you the toe selfies), you’ll see why it’s worth it.

Y’all take care of yourselves out there.

50 Columnists July 20, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID

Sorrow, Two-Fold Melissa Carter It was a simple Facebook post, but it soon made me aware of the quite sensational death of a classmate some 20 years ago that I had no idea about.

I had found two news stories that would qualify for my Can O Crazy, a segment I once did on B98.5 and now do on my podcast, “She Persisted.” I asked everyone to choose their favorite headline from these options. The first was: “Burglar breaks into escape room, can’t figure out how to escape.”

Rye Wardlaw is accused of breaking into the escape experience, which if you’ve never been is a locked room with clues and puzzles participants need to solve in order to leave, in Washington state. He caused so much damage to the facility that he couldn’t get out after breaking in. Wardlaw eventually had to call police himself.

The second headline, which I will reveal later, was even more dramatic and ironic than the first, and the one I assumed most would vote for. That’s when I saw a comment from several hometown friends who said that very thing happened to one of our classmates. I had to know more and contacted one buddy directly. His feedback was that the woman, who graduated a year before me, was “buck naked” and that she and another person “were smiling” postmortem.

He also said the funeral was “one of the damnedest ever,” with mourners so overtaken by grief it “sounded like being beside a livestock truck with the waiting and kicking.”

So now seems the best time to reveal the second headline I posted on Facebook: “Married woman and mechanic die from carbon monoxide poisoning while having sex in garage.”

The story I referenced happened in New Jersey, where Tameka Hargrave’s husband

found her and her mechanic lover dead in the back of a car in their garage. I couldn’t believe a mechanic didn’t realize that having sex in a running car in a closed space might not be a good idea, but with no disrespect I guess the moment just hit them both.

Then sure enough that very scenario, married woman cheating with her mechanic lover in the back seat of a running car within a closed space, was the way my friend went out. And the fact that more than one person mentioned this on my Facebook page the other day made me realize how far removed I am from my hometown, since that salacious drama from decades ago completely passed me by.

I also realize how disconnected from the people within these stories we become, since their shortcomings are seen as justification for our teasing. But when you actually know the people in the story, and are familiar with their family and friends, it’s not as easy to make fun of them.

Human connection, that’s the key to it all.

Knowing a gay person makes you less likely to be homophobic, knowing someone with different skin color makes you less racist, and seeing the struggles women go through makes you less misogynistic. And now I know that one irresponsible action of a person shouldn’t reduce their entire life to a simple punch line.

One of the first out radio personalities in Atlanta, Melissa’s worked for B98.5 and Q100. Catch her daily on theProgressive Voices podcast “She Persisted.” Tweet her! @MelissaCarter

52 Columnists July 20, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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SOMETIMES ‘Y’

Mixed Memories from the ‘Cesspool’ Ryan Lee

committed suicide in 2005.

It’s strange when scenes from my past pop up in sexual abuse scandals. It’s obviously unsettling to have even a derivative connection to episodes where young men were reportedly preyed upon and violated, and hard to juxtapose the pain those men live with.

“He is absolutely lying if he says he doesn’t know what was going on,” former Ohio State wrestler Mike DiSabato told NBC News, which broke the story.

My emotions are scrambled enough to where I’m almost empathetic toward Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), an archconservative obstructionist who hates our government so much he acts as a legislative suicide bomber.

Prior to becoming the face of GOP goonery, Jordan was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University from 1986–1994, and this month almost a dozen former wrestlers have accused the conservative lawmaker of not reporting sexual abuse perpetrated by team physician Richard Strauss, who

Jordan acerbically insists having no knowledge about Strauss’ predatory behavior. Ohio State wrestlers call “bullshit” has tripled.

I neither believe Jordan, nor think he should be spared the harshest personal and political consequences for his dereliction in protecting young men he was entrusted to mentor. But prior to the deluge of accusers, part of the case against Jordan was the existence of a “cesspool of deviancy” at the Ohio State athletic facility.

“Larkins Hall, the building that housed athletic teams, became such a well-known target that people who frequented it at the time

have reminisced in anonymous postings online how easy it was to ogle naked members of the wrestling team,” Politico reported.

I have been in Larkins Hall, or Auburn University’s version: Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum. The depiction of Larkins, like that of the Penn State locker room during the Jerry Sandusky scandal, is familiar to many gay men in small college towns who discovered the simplest, most discreet way to meet other homosexuals was by taking long showers in the secluded, desolate section of the school’s athletic facility.

Jim Jordan did not create the environment at Larkins or Beard-Eaves, other than being of an era and ideology whose hostility to gay men restrict their search for companionship, and every other aspect of our existence, to corners and shadows. As delighted as I am by Jordan’s downfall, I’m not sure I appreciate

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an important part of LGBTQ history being used to kneecap him.

It’s important to remember that before the internet and online dating, heterosexuals still had the whole world to search for partners, while gay men had cruising. I shudder thinking about what my college years in Alabama would have been like without the … release ... provided by Beard-Eaves, where I hooked up with football players and track runners.

I’m grateful to have never seen any minors or witnessed any apparent wrongdoing, and that my most regrettable episode from the coliseum was running into an unimpressively erect teaching assistant from one of my classes. Yet, an environment I was a part of, an environment I was confined to, and an environment I enjoyed being uniquely fertile for sexual violence is something with which I am wrestling.

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54 Columnists July 20, 2018

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