Georgia Voice 08/04/23, Vol. 14 Issue 10

About the cover: Cover photo courtesy of Rial Rye TheGeorgiaVoice.com

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ARTISTIC ATTENTION

Katie Burkholder

In my seemingly everpresent quest to maintain autonomy over my own mind, I was excited to read “How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy” by Jenny Odell. What I expected was an exploration and critique of how the attention economy and the addictive algorithms that dominate it affect our minds. To my surprise, the book was more about art than it was about technology.

This came as a surprise to me because, admittedly, I didn’t do my research beforehand to know that Odell is an artist and art professor at Stanford University. But as I read her book and contemplated my own relationship with social media and the digital age, I started to recognize the role art plays in influencing our attention and, therefore, who we are.

“Millions of items of the outward order are present to my senses which never properly enter into my experience,” William James says in “The Principles of Psychology, Volume 1.” “Why? Because they have no interest to me. My experience is what I agree to attend to.”

Art has the capacity to train and change our attention, and therefore our experience, by altering the context through which we see the world. Odell argues that this context is a necessary component of understanding, which is why social media feels so draining— you’re overloaded with information that lacks spatial and/or temporal context. Everything happens all at once, everywhere.

“I imagine different parts of my brain lighting up in a pattern that doesn’t make sense [while I’m scrolling on social media] that forecloses

any possible understanding,” she writes. “Many things in there seem important, but the sum total is nonsense, and it produces not understanding but a dull and stupefying dread.”

Art, on the other hand, necessitates context — the space and materials the piece is made of, the lived experience of the artist, when it was created (both within the larger scale of history and the smaller scale of the artist’s life and career), etc. — and that context naturally lends itself to an expansion of our understanding. When discussing social media algorithms that are designed to encourage healthy behaviors, Odell writes, “To me, the only habit worth ‘designing for’ is the habit of questioning one’s habitual ways of seeing, and that is what artists, writers, and musicians help us do.”

One such piece Odell references as enforcing this habit is “Pearblossom Highway, 11th–18th April 1986,” a collection of hundreds photographs by David Hockney all taken of the same subject, a highway scene, from different angles and on different days, as the title suggests. The photos were arranged to create a kaleidoscopic perspective on an everyday sight — and the intended impact was effective.

“Some museum goers who had seen the piece came back to tell [the docents] that afterward everything outside had looked different from

what they were used to,” Odell writes. “… [T] hose who visited [the San Francisco Botanical Garden near the museum] directly afterward found that Hockney’s piece had trained them to look a certain way — a notably slow, broken-up luxuriating in textures.”

This fragmented attention differs from the shattered inattention of social media Odell describes; the former necessitates a careful consideration of each part. A park becomes the grass, and then the bugs in the grass, and then the breeze, and then the sounds of birds, each element its own and yet dependent on the others, a simultaneous part and whole.

What I love about art, both creating and consuming it, is this slowness: meandering through a museum, lingering on that which makes your heart catch for reasons that might be unbeknownst even to you. Reading a book and underlining the lines that will fill your mind for days on end, painting everything you see in a new light. Writing only a few lines of a poem at a time, trusting the next lines will come when they come. It feels revitalizing and connective where social media feels dull and impersonal, and the older I get (and the seemingly more chaotic the world becomes), the clearer it becomes to me that that revitalization is not just a pleasure; it’s a necessity to survival.

PHOTO BY PEXELS.COM/ VINCENZO MALAGOLI

Staff reports

Read these stories and more online at thegavoice.com

Out On Film Hosts Free Screening of Queer Comedy “Bottoms”

Out On Film will be hosted a free early screening of the hilarious queer comedy “Bottoms” on August 22.

“Bottoms” focuses on two girls, PJ (Rachel Sennott of “Shiva Baby” and “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies”) and Josie (Emmy nominee Ayo Edebiri of “The Bear”), who start a fight club as a way to lose their virginities to cheerleaders. Their bizarre plan works. The fight club gains traction and soon the most popular girls in school are beating each other up in the name of self-defense. But PJ and Josie find themselves in over their heads and in need of a way out before their plan is exposed.

The screening will be at 7pm on August 22, three days before the film opens in Atlanta on August 25, at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. You can RSVP for the event online at outonfilm.org.

Mike Pence Again Pledges to Ban Transgender Military Personnel

Thirteen Republican presidential candidates attended the Iowa GOP’s annual Lincoln Dinner in Des Moines.

While most of the evening’s focus was the sparring between GOP frontrunner Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, stuck to his hardline conservative social policies including stating he would reinstitute a ban on military service by transgender Americans.

According to a FiveThirtyEight poll released this past week, Trump leads with 52.4 percent, over DeSantis with 15.5 percent and the rest of the current GOP field at under 10 percent in the race for the party’s nomination at the Republican National Convention scheduled to be held July 1518, 2024, at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

Each candidate was slotted 10 minutes to speak at the Republican party fundraiser, after which at the 10-minute mark the microphone was to be turned off. The

speaking order for the event was in order save for Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor, who skipped the fundraiser as he focuses on New Hampshire:

• Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley

• Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

• U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.)

• Businessman Perry Johnson

• North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum

• Former Vice President Mike Pence

• Former Texas Rep. Will Hurd

• Miami Mayor Francis Suarez

• Businessman Ryan Binkley

• Conservative talk radio host and former California gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder

• Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy

• Former President Donald Trump

In his remarks to the more than 1,200 people in the huge ballroom the former vice president said:

“We can embrace our role as leader of the free world to confront Russian aggression and Chinese provocations with a new military fitted to the challenges in the 21st century. And we can end the political correctness at the Pentagon, including reinstituting a ban on transgender personnel in the United States military.”

Forty Percent of Transgender Adults in the US Have Attempted Suicide

A new study from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law finds that 81 percent of transgender adults in the U.S. have thought about suicide, 42 percent of trans adults have attempted it and 56 percent have engaged in

non-suicidal self-injury over their lifetimes.

Using data from the U.S. Transgender Population Health Survey, researchers examined the prevalence of hazardous drinking, problematic drug use, serious psychological distress, suicidality and nonsuicidal self-injury between trans and cisgender adults. Results from this study, which is the first national probability sample of trans people in the U.S., support previously reported findings that showed significant disparities in health outcomes for trans as compared with cisgender Americans.

While trans and cisgender adults reported similar rates of hazardous drinking and problematic drug use, trans people were significantly more likely to experience poor mental health during their lifetimes. Compared to cisgender adults, trans adults were seven times more likely to contemplate death by suicide, four times more likely to attempt it, and eight times more likely to engage in non-suicidal self-injury.

Notably, trans nonbinary adults reported higher rates of harmful substance use and poor mental health than trans men and women.

“The rates of suicidal ideation and self-injury among transgender people are alarming— particularly for transgender nonbinary adults,” said study author Ilan H. Meyer, distinguished senior scholar of public policy at the Williams Institute. “A lack of societal recognition and acceptance of gender identities outside of the binary of cisgender man or woman and increasing politically motivated attacks on transgender individuals, increase stigma and prejudice and related exposure to minority stress, which contributes to the high rates of substance use and suicidality we see among transgender people.”

Out On Film hosts free screening of queer comedy “Bottoms.” PUBLICITY PHOTO

Fall Arts at a Glance

Katie Burkholder

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

August 17 through September 17

Aurora Theatre

This musical chronicles the inspiring true story of Carole King’s journey from teenage songwriter to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Tickets start at $21 at auroratheatre.com.

Rooted

August 25 through September 24

Horizon Theatre

Plant researcher and YouTuber Emery Harris lives alone in a house in a tree named Mabel surrounded by plants that, other than her overbearing sister Hazel, are her only source of conversation. When Emery’s calm and quiet is disrupted by a massive and growing crowd of YouTube channel devotees singing to her, she is forced to look down from the branches and face the outside world. Tickets start at $30 at horizontheatre.com.

The Lost Art of Dreaming

September 14 through 16

7 Stages

Trailblazing transgender choreographer Sean Dorsey comes to 7 Stages with the Atlanta premiere of Sean Dorsey Dance’s new work. Tickets are available at 7stages.org.

La Sylphide

September 15 through 17

Atlanta Ballet

A beloved masterpiece, La Sylphide contains all the elements of Romantic ballet: a dark setting enshrouded in mist, a melodramatic love story doomed by a mysterious enchantment, and ethereal women in white. The famously specific Bournonville style provides joyful high points in the tragic story of a Scottish nobleman who finds himself in love with a sylph — a fairy-like spirit who is not of his world. Tickets start at $26 at atlantaballet.com.

The Shining

September 15 through October 1

Alliance Theatre

Alliance Theatre and The Atlanta Opera present Stephen King’s iconic, supernatural tale of

possession and murder. Jack Torrance, a father with a troubled past, finds new employment as the winter caretaker for the Overlook Hotel. But as the family settles into their new accommodations, demonic spirits from the hotel’s past begin to take hold of Jack as he becomes a vessel for their murderous intents.

Tickets start at $25 at allinacetheatre.org.

Pabllo Vittar in Concert

September 17

Variety Playhouse

Becky G in Concert

September 21

The Eastern

Cullud Wattah

September 21 through October 25

Actor’s Express

It is 2016, and it has been 936 days since Flint, Michigan, has had clean water. As sole provider for her daughters, sister, and elderly mother, third-generation GM employee Marion finds herself on the cusp of a promotion to management. When her sister begins participating in protests against the company for their role in poisoning the water, secrets emerge and tensions mount. Tickets start at $25 at actors-express.com.

That Serious He-Man Ball

September 22 through October 15

Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Sky, Jello, and Twin have been friends since high school. Now in their 30s, they meet up on their local basketball court to talk trash and attempt to exorcize the demons that pursue them through their everyday lives.

Tickets start at $20 at truecolorstheatre.org.

Frankie Cosmos in Concert

September 25

Terminal West

Passing Strange

September 27 through October 22

Theatrical Outfit

A soulful and electrifying coming of age musical, “Passing Strange” takes us on an odyssey in search of identity, acceptance, and

the “Real.” A young man discovers his musical calling and sets off for Europe, leaving behind his mother and comfortable suburban life. In his rebellion filled with sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll, he yearns for something in life that he thinks can only be found in art. Tickets available at theatricaloutfit.org.

Kim Petras in Concert

October 4

Coca-Cola Roxy Fiddler on the Roof

October 6 through 22

City Springs Theatre

Winner of nine Tony Awards when it debuted in 1964, “Fiddler on the Roof” has touched audiences worldwide with its humor, warmth, and honesty. Set in the little village of Anatevka, the story centers on Tevye, a poor milkman, and his five daughters. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to protect his daughters and instill them with traditional values in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia. Tickets available at cityspringstheatre.com.

Janelle Monáe in Concert

October 6

Fox Theatre

Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812

October 20 through November 26

Horizon Theatre

Based on a 70-page slice of War and Peace, this Tony Award-winning musical is Tolstoy like you’ve never experienced. Step into a glamorous, romantic world of chandeliers, vodka, and caviar in the salons and opera houses of 19th century Moscow. Tickets start at $30 at horizontheatre.com.

Kesha in Concert

October 21

The Eastern

The Prom

October 26 through November 11

Out Front Theatre Company

Four fading Broadway stars are in desperate need of a new stage. So, when they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town Indiana prom, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue … and themselves. The town’s parents want to keep the dance on the straight and narrow — but when one student just wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, the entire town has a date with destiny. Tickets start at $25 at outfronttheatre.com.

Free Spirits

October 27 through 28

Venue TBD

“Demons, Witches, and other Ghoulish Creatures” utilizes a plethora of spooky music for women’s voices ranging from Orban’s “Daemon Irrepit Callidus” to “Time Warp” from the Rocky Horror Picture Show! This concert from the Atlanta Women’s Chorus will provide something for everyone with a touch of scary. Tickets available at voicesofnote.org.

Frankenstein

October 28

Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

The 1931 silent film of Mary Shelley’s classic novel “Frankenstein” is given a lush and vibrant score composed by Michael Shapiro and presented by The Atlanta Opera orchestra and an intimate collection of voices for an entertaining evening at the theater. Tickets start at $30 at atlantaopera.org.

Cirque Du Soleil ECHO

November 5 through January 21

Under the Big Top, Atlantic Station

Recognized over the world, Cirque du Soleil has constantly sought to invoke imagination, provoke senses, and evoke emotions. Tickets start at $54 at cirquedusoleil.com.

Janelle Monáe comes to The Fox on October 6. PUBLICITY PHOTO

LGBTV:

Queer-Inclusive TV Shows and Movies That Are (Maybe) Coming in Fall 2023

characters the spotlight.

For the first time in 60 years, the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild are both on strike. While the majority of their demands differ, there are two major demands that overlap: residuals from streaming services and the use of AI in production. After weeks of trying and failing to negotiate new contracts, writers went on strike May 2. The WGA has a list of demands, which includes higher pay for writers, noting that while streaming services have been able to increase profit, writers’ pay has been falling. Writers are also demanding that AI tools such as ChatGPT are only used as tools to assist writers, not as a replacement for their work. Actors joined the picket lines on July 14, also asking for higher pay and increased residual payments from streaming services, which continue to make money off an actor’s work years after a movie leaves the theater.

The strikes have led to halts of shows that are in production , as well as shows that tape live, such as late-night talk shows and Saturday Night Live. No one knows how long the strike will last or how it will affect the release dates of shows or movies. With that in mind, unless a listed show or movie has a listed release date, the arrival is up in the air until the strikes are resolved.

All that said, enjoy the following list of TV shows and movies that are making strides to include queer representation and give queer

Doctor Who

After many seasons that were sorely lacking in representation, Doctor Who is diversifying in more ways than one as the series will return with its 15th doctor. The new season, which had been promoted as coming out in November, will start Rwandan-British actor Ncuti Gatwa, best known for his roles in Sex Education and Barbie. Gatwa will be the first Black doctor and the first gay doctor, according to Gatwa’s co-star Neil Patrick Harris, who will be featured as the new villain. In a podcast, Harris commented that having the first gay doctor this season will be “super cool.” The series is expected to premier in November, and has so far not been included in lists of shows affected by the writer’s strike, but only time will tell if the release gets delayed or not.

Kaiser Karl

This Disney+ miniseries will serve as a biopic of fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld and will explore his life in the Parisian fashion world during the 1970s and 1980s, as well as his rise to fame. The series comes in a year where more attention has been paid to Lagerfeld, as his legacy was the theme of the 2023 Met Gala. The series is expected to feature six episodes and is most likely to premiere during the fall or early winter of 2023, barring any delays in production.

Ghosts

This American adaptation of a British

series ended its second season on a major cliffhanger, but audiences need not worry, as the show was renewed for a third season in January 2023. Both seasons were renewed in the middle of their runs and aired from fall to spring, so if production followed its previous schedules a new season could be expected in the fall of 2023. The show follows Samantha and Jay, a young and strappedfor-cash couple who move into a haunted house. The paranormal characters are an eclectic ensemble of individuals from various backgrounds and time periods, including Captain Isaac Higgintoot, a gay (and formerly closeted) Continental Army officer.

Bridgerton

(This paragraph will contain spoilers for Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, so proceed with caution.) While the first season of Shonda Rhimes’ Bridgerton did feature a closeted gay man, both seasons one and two were criticized for the lack of clear queer representation in the show. Shonda and her writers seem to have taken the criticisms seriously and included a much more developed gay storyline in Queen Charlotte, including both romantic and intimate scenes. While we don’t know much about season three, apart from the fact that it will focus on Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington, one could hypothesize (with supporting evidence!) that Rhimes and her team will continue to

include and hopefully expand on their queer representation. We don’t have a release date for the show yet, but filming wrapped in March, so most outlets are predicting a late fall or early winter release, with a possible repeat of the show’s 2020 Christmas debut. Because filming has wrapped, it’s most likely that the release won’t be delayed by the strikes.

Bottoms

This comedic film directed by Emma Seligman is a Fight Club-esque comingof-age film, focused on two friends trying to lose their virginity. Best friends PJ and Josie aren’t popular, so they devise a plan to meet girls and get some action: a fight club in their high school. Soon, the club grows, and the friends find that they might have bit off more than they can chew when even the most popular kids in their school start throwing punches. The movie is set to premiere August 25 in theaters.

Red, White, and Royal Blue

Based on the BookTok sensation of the same name, Red, White, and Royal Blue is a comedic, dramatic, and heartfelt romance about an unexpected love between the Prince of England and the First Son of the United States. The story includes all your favorite tropes, including enemies-to-lovers, forbidden love, and lots of witty banter.

Sukainah Abid-Kons

The new season of “Doctor Who” will come out on Disney+ in November, starring actor Ncuti Gatwa, best known for his roles in “Sex Education” and “Barbie.” PUBLICITY PHOTO

Nonbinary Rapper Imp is

Expanding the Boundaries of Rap

As a lifelong fanatic of hip-hop and rap music, I’ve struggled to deconstruct the role hip-hop music and culture has played in my suppression as a queer listener. While the majority of hip-hop and rap music doesn’t contain blatant, anti-gay subject matter, it would be misguided to pretend homophobia hasn’t infiltrated the genre.

Rap is my first love, and hip-hop is more than just music to me. It has been the sound of Black culture for roughly four decades, and I don’t think it’s something I could ever turn my back on.

Instead, I have hope that the genre I love can be further molded into something that embraces the LGBTQ community. There are many young artists whose music is going against the grain of societal norms. One such artist is local queer producer/MC Imp, who spoke to Georgia Voice about their artistry and thoughts on LGBTQ inclusion in rap.

The artist got their start in music as a battle rapper early in high school.

“I was in one of my classes and this kid was rapping obnoxiously loud and started dissing me in class, and I was like, ‘I don’t ever want to have to deal with this again,’” they said. “I was like, ‘[Battle rapping] is kind of silly. I would rather get into recording.’”

The battling spirit still lives on in their music. Imp has a brash style with bold subject matter. They cover issues from race and classism to sexism and gender identity

in a blistering medley of lyrics supercharged with an extensive vocabulary.

Imp has stirred up revolution in their music dating all the way back to their first fulllength album, 2018’s “Hell If I Know.” The album starts with a monologue stating, “This is our last chance. We have nothing left but threats. We’ve fought for them, and they hate us … All we have left is the threat of a fight we hope they don’t want.”

When asked about what was going on in their life in 2018 to inspire this project, Imp replied, “Well, I was reading a lot of X-Men comics. That quote [the intro monologue] is actually taken from an X-Men comic.”

Imp has always been an avid reader, not only of comics, but also of history. In 2018, Imp had many thoughts about all of the ongoing targeting and killing of youth that didn’t fit the “hegemonic persuasion.” They were also very mindful of censorship in education in school systems when it came to revolutions.

“Historically, revolutions aren’t taught in school unless it’s the American Revolution or the Civil War … There’s never any mention of the Rent riots or Stonewall or the Jamaican Revolution or the Haitian Revolution, etc.,” they said.

While Imp is vocal about the struggles against oppression in their music, their contribution to the culture may be instrumental in revolutionizing the genre itself. Mainstream rap and hip-hop are historically plagued with misogyny and homophobia that can leave a sour taste in the mouth of many members of

the LGBTQ community.

When questioned about this struggle, Imp used one of their favorite artists and biggest influences as an example.

“Lupe Fiasco said some homophobic things in his latest album, and I’m still a fan of his work,” they said. “The difference is allowing myself to like problematic things because no one is perfect … Like, I can say I like this piece, but here are things I don’t like about this work and its creator … I can like and accept things that are flawed.”

“Children of the Atom” is a full-length album that eloquently weaves class struggle and the queer experience into the allegory of mutant oppression in X-Men comics. Imp uses comic outtakes on multiple tracks to speak on the paranoia that plagues common hetero society and in turn puts members of the queer and other oppressed communities in danger. However, as meticulously written as these tracks are, “I use they/them pronouns btw” is more direct and impactful than most rap songs you will come across, as it bypasses many of the metaphors characteristic of lyrical rap music and instead adopts a cut

and dried approach.

“Closeted or obvious, check the stats, we out here. Y’all safe too, we’re tryin’ to live without fear,” Imp raps on the track.

“I use they/them pronouns btw” was one of the oldest written songs as Imp prepared to release the album in 2020, and it almost didn’t make the cut.

“I tussled with the idea of if I even wanted to release the song, honestly, just because of how transphobic a lot of the hip-hop scene is,” they said.

The producer of the song’s final version, Kaffo, The Sensei, urged Imp to include the track, saying, “This is something you would want to hear if you were out and about looking for new stuff, right?”

“That’s a valid point to make,” Imp replied. “I’ll do it for the weird nonbinary kid who needs this, because I’d need it.”

You can listen to Imp’s music on Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music. Keep up with them on Instagram @theuncannyimp.

Mars Stone

Nonbinary rapper Imp COURTESY PHOTO

Under the Tent: Serenbe Art Farm’s New Performance Series

Hunter Buchheit

As a child, I — lying in bed at night, bored but not tired enough to sleep — would sometimes dream of going downstairs, opening the back door, and walking into the night — and into another world. How fantastic it would have been if I could, only a short ways away from my room, find myself transported to a circus or fancy party or a peaceful and powerful poetry performance. Something like “The Chronicles of Narnia,” or at least its real-world equivalent.

That childhood dream — of a new, exciting world right in people’s backyards — is what the leaders of Serenbe’s Art Farm are seeking to make a reality.

Serenbe, the nationally recognized Chattahoochee Hills neighborhood just over thirty minutes outside of Atlanta, was founded by Steve Nygren and officially came to life with the construction of its first home in 2004. Since then, the community has blossomed to over 650 full-time residents. With deep ties to wellness, sustainability, and the surrounding environment, Serenbe blends upscale living (with a median home price shy of $800,000) with small-town woodsy comfort.

For those privy to Serenbe, the community has become a destination, even for those who don’t live there. Walking through Serenbe — which is divided into three “hamlets” spread over 1,000 acres — is both beautifully developed and lush with nature, with swaths of land set aside for locals and non-locals alike to enjoy and immerse within.

It is that immersion — within nature and art — that Serenbe’s Art Farm, a community-

focused nonprofit established in late 2021, looks to deepen. The Farm, which currently sits on two acres of land in the eastern edge of Serenbe, is currently home to green space, an office building, and two artist cottages.

Managed collectively by six councils — Environment, Theater, Film, Dance, Music, and Special Projects — the Farm, in the past year alone, has hosted anything from movies to ballet to a wine dinner complete with live classical chamber music. But the Art Farm’s upcoming “Under the Tent” series, coming to Serenbe from September 21 to October 1, is the organization’s most ambitious undertaking yet.

Speaking to Brandon Copeland, who is Art Farm’s Program Manager and grew up just a few minutes from where Serenbe was eventually constructed, it is clear that Art Farm’s mission to bring together both Serenbe residents and visitors is motivated by a desire to bring artful wonder to a community in a way that hasn’t been seen before.

The series, kicking off with a soirée in celebration and support of Art Farm on September 21st, will feature three different events, coordinated by Copeland as well as the Series’s co-chairs, Lisa Challenger and Anne Pratt.

The “Mashup in the Meadow” event on September 22 features a lineup of five singers, including Diana Degarmo, an American Idol finalist.

“Voice: A Night of Spoken Word” on September 23 centers the wordsmithing of half a dozen performers, each with ties and connections to Atlanta.

And, to end the series, from September 26

to October 1, the Farm will host nightly performances of a brand new cirque show entitled Serenity, created and performed by the cirque company Les Farfadais.

The company, founded by brothers Stephane and Alexandre Haffner in 1998, drew international recognition after Stephane proposed to his husband during the finale of Italy’s Got Talent in 2015. Since then, Stephane and Alexandre have utilized their platform as the leaders of a successful LGBTQ+ performance group to reach audiences around the world. Brandon, who has worked with the brothers previously, can attest to the quality of their shows, especially Serenity, created just for Serenbe.

The “Under the Tent” series is a lofty endeavor for the relatively new Art Farm, but Copeland hopes that its success can usher in the next phases of expansion that are currently in the works.

“The goal for the money is to really activate our campus,” he said. “The goal is to turn this into a community property that is very interactive, like a hub for the arts, environmental enrichment, education, and things like that.”

The first phase of expansion will be the addition of an outdoor theater, a space for performances, workshops, and classes that

the Art Farm can control. Next are more artist cottages as the Farm looks to draw in more talent and artists-in-residency.

“And then, in the very distant future,” Copeland said, “there’s a 500-seat amphitheater in the plan.”

But for now, Brandon and the Farm’s council members are focused on making the “Under the Tent” Series as successful as possible, expanding their reach past the Serenbe borders and making it known to people and families in surrounding counties and beyond that Art Farm is there for them.

“We want programming, whether it be public art, dancers, singers,” Copeland said, “that pushes the envelope, not necessarily just in content, but in making people think.

Reflecting on the distinct lack of arts in the area when he was growing up before he left Georgia to pursue dance, Copeland pointed out the opportunity the Series and Art Farm as a whole presents: “I always think if I was a little kid and we had things like this, would I have left Georgia? We want to bring in kids who don’t have the opportunity to go see a Broadway performer or even classical music. And we really have the chance to bring it to their backyard.”

For more information, visit artfarmatserenbe.org.

COURTESY PHOTO

Queer Latinx Muralist Celebrates Community Through Art

If you’ve ever seen the “Our Love” mural on the Atlanta Beltline, then you know the work of Atlanta-based queer artist Maite Nazario.

The mural depicts two lovers in black and white with a yellow circle highlighting their faces at the center of the piece. The stunning artwork also includes a QR code, which viewers can scan to hear an interview with the lovers depicted in the mural.

“My first mural was about queer love and about a queer couple that was living in Atlanta at the time,” Nazario told Georgia Voice. “They really inspired me because they would host extremely queer parties in their home, and they had really open hearts. They’re both trans and I wanted to document [their story], so that’s how the mural ‘Our Love’ got made.”

As a proud nonbinary Latinx immigrant, Nazario’s art reflects their love of nature and desire to celebrate queer people of color.

“I really love putting nature and queer people together because I feel like queerness is so beautiful and natural,” Nazario said.

One of their more recent pieces that exemplifies the union of queerness and nature is the “Be Free” Mural done for Getaway, a cabin rental company about two hours outside of Atlanta. Complete with a rainbow, fairies, and woodland creatures, the mural beautifies the side of the camper in the middle of the spearmint green forest. Nazario was inspired by the natural site and said they aimed to “make the nature gay” with this piece.

Born in Guatemala and growing up both

there and in Puerto Rico, Nazario moved to Atlanta as a teen and has been an artist since they were a child. Their first painting was of their mom sitting on a suitcase during that immigration process.

“I started making art because of the experiences I was going through,” Nazario said. “I felt very isolated in moving a lot as a kid — a lot of changing of scenery and feeling like I didn’t fit in anywhere, not only because I was moving a lot but also because of my very obvious queerness. I used art as a refuge.”

Another local piece Nazario is proud of is the “Start talking; stop HIV” mural, a colorful art piece based on community panel discussions on living with HIV. It was completed in 2019 in a collaboration among local artists.

“One of the other artists was my friend Ash Walsh and after we completed that mural, they, unfortunately, passed away during the pandemic,” Nazario said. “I feel like that mural is super beautiful and important because it’s a testament to their art and the mark they left on the world … I feel super lucky that I got to be their

friend and collaborate with them. They were an incredibly talented artist, and the world deserved so many more of their murals.”

Now Nazario is living with their partner in the Dominican Republic, which is just one island over from their former home Puerto Rico, and thus sees a lot of solidarity and community migration among queer people from both islands.

Being back and forth between Atlanta and the DR has allowed Nazario to work in both places, and they recently finished the passion project of painting La Jaula, one of the few lesbian bars in the Caribbean. Adorning the inside with 17 murals meant a lot to the artist, who feels it is extremely special to see a lesbian space in the Caribbean and described the experience as “extremely healing.”

Another one of their projects is also about celebrating queer Latinx people, this time by telling the stories of queer people from all the places Nazario has lived outside the continental United States.

“I’m doing a series where I’m documenting Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Guatemalan queer people through paintings,” Nazario said. “I also have a podcast that’s in Spanish that goes with each painting, so as you’re looking at the painting you can listen to the stories of the people who are painted and try to feel more empathy and understand where they’re coming from.”

Nazario calls their work “artivism,” a combination of art and activism. Nazario said that celebrating and sharing the stories of queer people, people of color, Latinx people, and immigrants shouldn’t be political, but it inherently is because of political attacks on those groups.

Their own experiences have informed that message — be it the erosion of Indigenous culture by the U.S. occupation of Puerto Rico, the struggle to celebrate nonbinary people in deeply religious communities, navigating a racist U.S. immigration system, or the barrage of transphobic attacks from the Republican party.

Throughout the struggle, Nazario continues using their art to spread love and acceptance. Planning to get married and move back to Atlanta later this year, they aim to help create resources and art for queer immigrants forced to leave their communities and for those who don’t speak English.

“I love telling the stories of the people that I love,” Nazario said. “It makes me very excited because I know the people that I’m painting and my community deserve to be celebrated and deserve to be heard out. Ultimately my goal is to continue to amplify the voices of my community through my art.”

You can keep up with Maite Nazario and their work online at maitenazario.com or on Instagram @maitexnazario.

Luke Gardner

Nazario’s mural “Our Love.” COURTESY PHOTOS

Atlanta-based queer artist Maite Nazario

Feeling Comfortable Being Uncomfortable with Rial Rye

Adalei Stevens

As life begins to feel as close to life before a pandemic can feel, I sometimes feel nostalgia for what felt like a renaissance. While there was collective uncertainty and social unrest, there was more space to create than before. During that time, I learned how to crossstitch and found comfort in botching dye jobs on myself and those around me.

A 2022 study in France found people were more creative during the lockdown than before. The study also found that more creative people were more adaptable at overcoming obstacles. Art is a valuable tool that brings people together and can help both artist and audience better understand their own feelings.

That’s how queer mixed-media visual artist and sculptor Rial Rye feels about his art. Growing up queer and multiracial meant Rye often felt out of place and unrepresented. Rye hopes his work can be relatable and said he finds the mourning faces oddly comforting.

“I never really felt represented, I never really felt like I belonged in a certain group of people, or places,” he said. “So, I think that there is a commentary on [colonization] there because I am the result of colonialization … It’s something that I have to grapple with myself, and I hope that I can help other people grapple with as well.”

Inspiration strikes often since moving to Atlanta, Rye said. Whether he’s visiting galleries like Whitespace or KAI LIN ART,

or walking down the street, the city’s art scene shows itself to be as ubiquitous as it is full of talent.

“I’m finding some of the most amazing stories and creative spirits on the same street as me,” he said.

Rye is a transplant, having bought a home and moved here from Las Vegas with his husband two years ago. Without so much as a Zoom tour of the place, Rye fell in love with Atlanta from afar.

“Atlanta is super artistic,” he said. “It’s very creative and has a big city vibe, but with small town heart. It’s kind of a real community of people … I have no plans on leaving. I’ve always kind of been moved around, like my whole life, so being able to put down roots is really important to me.”

Blending elements of Cubism, Neoexpressionism, and more recently, Naïve art, Rye often depicts grief and trauma and is “inspired by his experiences as someone whose very identity transgresses the binaristic logics of race and gender upon which our society is built,” according to his website.

“I love that my art is for other people,” Rye said. “I love that I make it in my mind for other queer people. Other people of color, other people who are just feel different or feel the loss.”

One of Rye’s greatest inspirations is Wifredo Lam, a Black Cubist artist, who worked alongside postwar, European avant-garde

artists, including Pablo Picasso and André Breton. Much of his work depicts the complex history of his home country, Cuba.

Rye started sculpting less than a year ago, and Home Depot quickly became a necessary but daunting space for him to enter.

“I don’t see very many people like me doing that, and I actually have always wanted to work with power tools,” he said. “In high school, I took wood shop, and I felt so uncomfortable there. I think I dropped it after a week … As I became more comfortable as just a human on this planet, I wanted to go back to that.”

Quickly, though, he said, “you start to learn the language, and you start to learn the culture and the space. Once you start doing that, you realize that there’s no magic, there’s nothing barring you … I hope that, in the future, people don’t feel uncomfortable in any space.”

Community is invaluable, but Rye said it’s

up to the individual to show up authentically and embrace the discomfort of unfamiliarity.

“I think that there’s so many stereotypes in my life that I’ve come to find out are just not real. None of that stuff is real,” he said. “Everyone is unique, and … it takes each one of us to feel uncomfortable but to embrace our confidence.”

As important as community is, it cannot exist without accessibility.

“I always loved totem poles,” Ryan said. “I love how accessible they are. It’s not art that’s tucked away behind the museum wall. It’s for the community … I think that my inspiration, especially now, is being in a community, and it’s probably the first time I’m really inspired by the local artists around me.”

You can keep up with Rial Rye through his website rialrye.weebly.com and on Instagram @rial_rye.

Queer mixed-media visual artist and sculptor Rial Rye. COURTESY PHOTO

Wide Awake: One on One with Actor Fin Argus

If Fin Argus, who stars as Derek in the movie, “Stay Awake,” now available on VOD, looks familiar to you, you may recognize them from their portrayal of Mingus in Peacock’s 2022 revival of “Queer As Folk.” Depending on how old you are, you may also recognize them from the time they spent as a member of “Kidz Bop.”

In “Stay Awake,” Argus’ character Derek and his kid brother Ethan (Wyatt Oleff) struggle to keep their prescription drug-addicted mother Michelle (Chrissy Metz) alive and prevent her from overdosing, which she does with some frequency. Argus is marvelous as Derek, believable and empathetic. It’s a credit to Argus that their performance is so strong. Fin was kind enough to make time for an interview before the VOD release.

Read the full interview online at thegavoice.com.

Fin, what was it about the character of Derek in “Stay Awake” that appealed to you as an actor?

Derek is a born and bred people-pleaser. That’s something I can relate to. I grew up in an evangelical environment, which for me, turned into appeasing everyone else’s wishes for my life path and personality. I saw a lot of that in Derek. There were things that I could relate to in his experience of caring for some past the point of actually being able to make a meaningful impact on their health or well-being. There comes a point when you start taking away your own light in order to keep someone else alive. That’s been a recurring theme throughout my life that I’d like to think I’ve dealt with. This was a way I could find catharsis and help get that story

told so other people realize that they don’t need to be that crutch for people. There’s a certain point when you need to let people help themselves.

Addiction and rehabilitation are complex issues, occasionally resulting in families being torn apart. And yet, Derek and his brother Ethan do everything they can on their mother Michelle’s behalf. Do you think that that’s a reflection of your upbringing, to hold things together?

Yes, definitely. I think I’ve done a lot of work to not behave on that wavelength anymore. But it’s still a voice in my head, and that’s what spoke to me about Derek, and the brothers’ experience, in general. But, specifically, Derek, because I think he’s more on the wavelength of, “We need to live our

own lives and move on.” It kind of personifies the battle I’ve had within my own brain.

Derek has acting aspirations and Ethan describes him as “the most prolific TV commercial actor” in the region. Did you, at any point in your career, do regional or national commercials?

I did! That was my start in the TV/film industry. I was a part of a children’s music franchise called “Kidz Bop” for three years. That was my launch pad. I’ve done plenty of other commercial work here and there. That embarrassment in that audition scene [laughs], I deeply resonate with. Commercial auditions tend to be humiliating, I’ll be honest. But it’s a super-valid work path, and I was on it for quite some time.

Your “Stay Awake” co-star Chrissy Metz performed in early June 2023 at the annual Pride month Concert For Love & Acceptance, produced by gay country singer/songwriter Ty Herndon and GLAAD. As a member of the LGBTQ community, what does it mean to you that Chrissy is part of such an event?

Allyship is important. That’s what provides queer people with safety and a large sense of community. While it’s incredible that the queer community is so close-knit and we support each other, we’re part of a larger community, which is just the fact that we’re humans, and we need to take care of one another. When people who are outside of

marginalized communities use their voice and their platforms to uplift marginalized communities, that’s the best thing you can do. I really appreciate her doing that, as well as any ally using their voice to help queer folks.

You played the role of Mingus in the 2022 revival of “Queer As Folk.” There is a devastating scene in which a gunman opens fire in the bar when Mingus is performing onstage. At a time when the LGBTQ community is under constant attack from ultra-right-wing conservatives, what do you think it will take for real societal change to occur?

I think everything starts on a micro level. Outreach to your immediate community and being active in local politics. I think that’s what will make long-lasting impacts and being open to difficult conversations. It’s a scary time to be a queer person in America. It has been, basically since America’s inception, but especially now, there’s so much hate targeting trans folks specifically. I don’t know what the answer is. I don’t know what’s going to push us over the edge into a safer living environment. But I do know that what we can do is focus on community. Helping people day-to-day, making sure people are supported emotionally, and staying active in local politics. Making sure that we maintain our rights and make our voices heard, whether that’s protesting or using our vote or just being there for our queer friends or queer loved ones.

Gregg Shapiro

Fin Argus (right) with his “Stay Awake” costar Wyatt Oleff. PUBLICITY PHOTO

“Allyship is important. That’s what provides queer people with safety and a large sense of community. While it’s incredible that the queer community is so closeknit and we support each other, we’re part of a larger community, which is just the fact that we’re humans, and we need to take care of one another.”

A Most Unusual Leading Lady: An Interview with Charles Busch

Gregg Shapiro

Is there anything Charles Busch can’t do?

With a curriculum vitae that includes Tony Award-nominated playwright, actor, cabaret performer, novelist, filmmaker, and visual artist, Busch is simply brimming with talent. With the publication of “Leading Lady: A Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy,” Busch can now add memoirist to his long list of accomplishments. Bursting with details both personal (the loss of his mother Gertie at a young age, his close relationship with his Aunt Lil, his coming out) and professional (his amazing performance career, his interactions with entertainment legends), Busch takes readers into his confidence and generously shares his life experiences. He was gracious enough to make time for an interview in advance of the release of “Leading Lady.”

Read the full interview online at thegavoice.com.

Charles, why was now the time to write your memoir, “Leading Lady: A Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy”?

I could say that now that I’m in my late sixties I’m finally in a place of wise self-reflection. However, I began this book when I was in my early fifties! [laughs] It’s taken me all this time to figure out the structure and to get it all down and then to edit it to a reasonable length. At one point, the manuscript was over 450 pages, and I hadn’t yet reached the age of 14. [laughs] In every way, I’m a storyteller. I transform my experiences into narrative while I’m living them. It was inevitable that I share these memories in book form.

Portions of the book are told in a nonchronological fashion. Why did you decide to take that approach in telling your story?

I made an attempt at writing it in a strictly linear form. “Chapter One. I am born.” But I get antsy reading show biz autobiographies where it takes many chapters detailing their grandparents and parents’ lives and then the author’s childhood and adolescence before it gets to the glamorous part. Therefore, I chose to begin with a scene from my adulthood then flashback cinematically. When I write about a childhood incident, I’ll be reminded of a later experience as an adult and go off on that tangent. I’m continually amazed that I’ve been able to meet and even become friends with the stars of stage and screen that I worshipped when I was a stage-struck child.

I’m so glad you said that, because, throughout the book, you generously share space with other high-profile folks, including Kim Novak, Patrick Swayze, Liza Minnelli, Zoe Caldwell, Joan Rivers, and Claudette Colbert, writing respectfully about your interactions with them.

I’ve had such a unique career. As a male actress who evokes stars of the golden age, it’s wild that at times I’ve been accepted as one of those actresses and have even shared dressing rooms with these legendary ladies. With Joan Rivers, the relationship was a profound one where she became something of a mother figure for me.

“Leading Lady” is being published 18 years after John Catania and Charles Ignacio’s documentary, “The Lady in Question is Charles Busch” was released. Do you consider the two to be connected?

I’ll always be grateful to John and Charles for making that documentary. It was something of a three-year ordeal to get through, but they gave me a beautiful gift with this tribute. However, being a film, they couldn’t delve into the psychology of many of my life choices with the thoroughness that one can in a memoir. That said, the narrative is the same and it might be fun for the reader of this new book to watch the movie and see many of the people and clips from the theatrical productions I’ve written about.

One of the longer chapters in the book, the Chicago-set “The Shopworn Angel,” reveals your experience with David’s Models Agency. What was it like to revisit that chapter of your life?

During my youthful struggles, I viewed my life as an ongoing sitcom with me as the wacky star. I threw myself into the life of a rent boy with enthusiasm and a determination to see how my very individual personality would affect these sexual situations. I have no regrets about my year as a sex worker because I came away with insight and sympathy for men entrenched in the closet and the need for lonely people to have someone listen to their stories.

Beginning with the chapter, “The Bad Old Good Days or The Good Old Bad Days,” and continuing in the chapters that follow, you write about the impact of the AIDS epidemic. Did you find it difficult to write about that subject?

When you push yourself to remember, you get into a kind of hypnotic zone where all sorts of forgotten details float to the surface. A number of times I found myself sobbing in front of my desktop computer. I think so much about my friends who died young. I wonder what would have become of them had they lived. I love them and miss them and am haunted by how they suffered. It was a time of villains and great bravery.

Tony Award-nominated playwright, actor, cabaret performer, novelist, filmmaker, and visual artist, Charles Busch COURTESY PHOTOS

“Kokomo City” Looks at Atlanta Black Trans Women, Including the Late Koko Da Doll

Jim Farmer

Decatur-based Liyah

Mitchell and New Yorker

Dominique Silver had never met “Kokomo City” director D. Smith before they made the film, but both were excited about the way she pitched the project. An acclaimed look at four Black transgender sex workers in New York and Atlanta, the documentary made a big splash at Sundance earlier this year.

Mitchell recalls that when Smith told her that the project would help out other transgender people in the world, she agreed to participate. It was a similar story for Silver.

“D. said it was going to be epic and monumental and talk to the Black community to speak about the struggle we have as Black trans women,” Silver said. “I thought it was a love letter to the community to put a face to the suffering we have endured as Black trans women.”

The experience working with Smith, who is well known for the reality series Love & Hip Hop Atlanta and for being the first trans woman to appear on a prime-time unscripted TV series, was one that made the project exciting.

“She is very chill and mellow and has a personality that you become comfortable with her,” Mitchell said. “That made the experience overall not as stressing. She told us to be ourselves and be authentic and that made it a more confident one.”

Silver immediately sensed Smith’s passion.

“Her passion for the film and the name she came with and what she represented gave me incentive to feel comfortable, to know that

our story was not going to be misconstrued and would be delivered how we wanted it to be delivered,” Silver said. “For us by us, by a Black trans woman. It was refreshing to give us a platform and a voice and let us talk about issues we have been dealing with our whole lives.”

When the two first saw the film at Sundance, it was a life-changing moment.

“I actually cried, seeing myself on screen with everybody laughing,” Mitchell said. “It’s like you don’t want to look away for one moment. The film draws you in with its intensity.”

It’s been a pleasant surprise for the two seeing the audience reaction, with patrons wanting to meet them after and snap photos.

“It’s been a real surreal experience, seeing your story celebrated,” Silver said. “As Black trans

women, we are not really celebrated so much in media in a positive light. It’s uplifting and makes me feel we did the right thing by sharing our stories and being vulnerable.”

Growing up, the two did not see much authentic representation of trans women. Mitchell’s initial time was the documentary, “Paris is Burning.”

“Just seeing [the characters] live their everyday normal life and maneuvering through society and showing the struggle of what it was like being trans back at the time in the ’80s and ’90s, that was the first for me,” she said.

Silver was also inspired by seeing the rise of Laverne Cox’s career and the performer’s success story.

“It is possible to be who you are and still be celebrated and put on mainstream TV shows

and awards shows,” she said.

Earlier this spring, between local film festival appearances for the documentary, tragedy struck. The other Atlanta subject of the project, Rasheeda Williams, aka Koko Da Doll, was murdered on April 18. It was the third murder of a transgender woman in the city at the time and a stark reminder of the challenges these women face.

“Around the time the documentary was first filmed, that is when transgender murders were going crazy,” Mitchell said. “I remember that year it was at least 30 or 40. Each year gradually went down, but this year when Koko unfortunately passed, it shook all the sex worker girls in Atlanta. It brought back the unsafe feeling. Gun laws definitely need to be more prohibit[ive]. Now they are allowing anyone to walk around without a gun license. That is also one of the main issues and a part of the problem. There are so many people who have access to guns here.”

She feels “Kokomo City” is needed now, to show trans women in a more positive light and as humans and everyday people.

For Silver, the film destigmatizes sex work and personifies the trans experience.

“It shows the joys and struggles, the dichotomy between our families and this community and helps to educate and show some of the dark side these women have to face, but in a positive, beautiful and artistic way,” she said. “It will start conversations that are way behind due and maybe educate people to protect Black trans women because we are a marginalized community that has been under attack lately.”

“Kokomo City” PUBLICITY PHOTO

“Kokomo City” opens August 11 in Atlanta

Jim Farmer

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

August 4, 8pm and 11:59pm, through August 19

Actor’s Express

Actor’s Express continues its run of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” tonight. Join “internationally ignored” rock singer Hedwig as she searches the world for stardom and love in this groundbreaking musical that has become one of the great cult classics of all time. A rock and roll explosion for anyone who has ever felt like a misfit, the musical will have you singing along and unleashing your own inner rock star.

Red. White, and Tuna

August 6, 3pm, through August 27

Onstage Atlanta

The third installment in the “Tuna” trilogy takes the audience through another satirical ride into the hearts and minds of the polyester-clad citizens of Texas’ third smallest town.

Trans and Friends

August 7, 7pm for youth, 8pm for adults

Charis Books and More

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

Disco Bingo

August 8, 7:30pm

Lips Atlanta

Hostesses Bubba D. Licious and Erica Lee and special guest performers will delight, amaze, and shock you as they call bingo, put on a show, and help raise money for Pets Are Loving Support (PALS).

Business Builder Lunch

August 10, 11:45am

Henry’s Midtown Tavern

Join OUT Georgia Business Alliance for its Business Builder Lunch (BBL) Midtown at Henry’s Midtown Tavern on the 2nd Thursday of each month.

Atlanta Angels

August 10, 11pm

Blake’s

Blake’s is proud to present the Atlanta Angels. Each Thursday at 11pm, be ready for special performances by the legendary cast hosted by Brigitte Bidet, featuring Cici Nicole, Lena Lust, Phoenix and other guests.

The Blonds: Glamour, Fashion, Fantasy

August 11 through January 28

SCAD FASH

Don’t miss “The Blonds: Glamour, Fashion, Fantasy” at SCAD FASH Atlanta. Dripping in sparkles, spikes, and all things glamorous, The Blonds’ signature looks have been worn by celebrities like Beyoncé, Paris Hilton, and Jennifer Lopez. In their first solo museum exhibition, the duo beckons viewers into a dazzling mirage of more than 80 designs manifesting the surreal magic of self-expression.

The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA

August 11, 8pm

Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

Dance to some of your favorite songs at The Concert – A Tribute to ABBA.

Everything Old is New Again

August 12, 3pm and 7pm

Lawrenceville Arts Center

“Everything Old Is New Again” is a fresh and bold Broadway revue-style production featuring a stellar ensemble of members from the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus and Atlanta Women’s Chorus.

The Big Atlanta MADONNA Drag Brunch

August 13, 12:30pm

Southern Exchange Ballrooms

Southern Exchange Ballrooms, a 200 Peachtree Group brand, in collaboration with WUSSY Magazine, presents The Big Atlanta MADONNA Drag Brunch. Join the festivities at 200 Peachtree St. with performances by Ada Manzhart, Brigitte Bidet, Dotte Com, Drew Friday, Ellasaurus Rex, Ivy, Jaybella Banks, Miss He, Orchid, Royal Tee and SH. DJ Kimber, of Nonsense ATL, will be playing all the best tracks and remixes from the “Queen of Pop” throughout the event.

English

August 16, 7:30pm, through September 17

Alliance Theatre

Playing out in awkward lessons of word games and mistranslations, The Alliance Theatre’s “English” is both a comedy of miscommunication and a look at the ways speaking a new language can expand your world and limit your identity. A hit in its 2021 New York premiere, the show was described as “a rich new play, both contemplative and comic” by The New York Times and was awarded the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

R&B Thursday

August 17, 9pm

My Sister’s Room

EVENT SPOTLIGHT

The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA

August 11, 8pm

Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

Dance to some of your favorite songs at The Concert –

Mr. Gay Southern America Fundraiser

August 18, 8pm

Out Front Theatre Company

Join Out Front’s very own JaredLance, newly crowned Mr. Gay Southern America as he prepares and raises funds to compete and win Mr. Gay America this October in Las Vegas. Showcasing some of Atlanta’s best queer entertainers, this is an evening not to miss.

PFLAG Support Group

August 20, 2:30pm

Spiritual Living Center

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

Bottoms

August 22, 7pm

Midtown Art Cinema

It’s the queerest and funniest LGBTQ movie of the year, and Out On Film gives you a chance to see it free before it opens. “Bottoms” stars Rachel Sennott “Shiva Baby”) and Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”) as two unpopular and queer high school students who start a fight club to have sex before graduation. RSVP at www.outonfilm.org

Dirty Dancing

August 24, sundown

10th and Peachtree

Blackatlanta Night

August 25, 7:30pm

Gateway Center Atlanta

As part of Blackatlanta Night with the Atlanta Dream, the home team will take on the Los Angeles Spark.

LGBTQ Book Club

August 26, 10am

Virtual

The LGBTQ Book Club, sponsored by Charis Books and More, is a group for LGBTQ+ folks and allies to read queer-themed books and books by queer authors. The goal is to have diverse thought-provoking discussions about queer identity, history and topical issues. All are welcome to join. This month’s book is “The Prophets” by Robert Jones Jr. RSVP in advance for this meeting at https:// us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ tZAqdumorTMsEtD4enOYgb1CiOLuTOqEpYHy

Twilight

August 26, 7:30pm

Fox Theatre

Come see out actress Kristen Stewart in the original “Twilight” tonight as part of the Coca Cola Summer Film Festival.

Hosted by Melissa Scott.

Have the time of your life as Midtown Alliance and Out On Film host a free screening of “Dirty Dancing.”

A Tribute to ABBA. Photo via Facebook

LGBTQ NIGHTLIFE FORECAST AUGUST 4-18

Katie Burkholder

Queer Bait

August 4

Mary’s

Gay pop videos with DJ Headmaster every Friday! $5 cover.

Fisher Official Afterparty

August 4, 11pm

District Atlanta

Tickets at bit.ly/FISHERAPATL2023.

3rd Annual Boozy Brunch Crawl

August 5, 1pm

Midtown

Come stroll throughout Midtown enjoying mimosas, brunch shots, Bloody Mary specials, DJ’s, and your favorite brunch bites from Zocalo, Casa Almenara, Fado Irish Pub, Senor Patron, Ponko Chicken, My Sister’s Room, and Ten Midtown, all while dancing your brunch lovin’ butt off. Tickets at BoozyBrunchAtlanta2023.eventbrite.com.

Hotlanta Rubber and Gear Night

August 5, 9pm

Atlanta Eagle

Come join up with the HRG crew in your favorite latex, rubber, sports gear, leather, and uniforms — whatever gear makes you feel hot, sexy, and ready to party — on the first Saturday of every month on the back patio!

$2 Jell-O shooters will be ready on deck!

InvAsian: Cyberpunk 360

August 5, 10pm

District Atlanta

Get ready for a night of cyberpunk bliss, where technology, music, and culture converge in a mind-bending extravaganza. Come dressed to impress in your most futuristic attire and be prepared to dance to music from Minii, Johnny K, GYU, Kaf, and DJ Beignet b2b Sho-Fi, drink, and lose yourself in the wonders of InvAsian! Tickets via Eventbrite.

XION

August 6, 3am

Believe Music Hall

With Paulo Fragoso. Tickets at futureatlanta.com.

A Very Pop Punk Drag Brunch

August 6, 2pm

Atl Comedy Theater Underground

Hear the best pop punk hits by Paramore,

Avril Lavigne, My Chemical Romance, Willow Smith, Olivia Rodrigo and more performed by Drew Friday, Dotte Com, Hera Kane, Eden, and Miss He. Doors at 1pm. Tickets via Eventbrite.

Karaoke Night

August 6, 7:30pm

The T

The Spread Eagle Comedy Night

August 7, 8pm

Atlanta Eagle

Stand-up, drag, music, and more every first Monday of the month at the Eagle! Hosted by Connor Lyons and Mason Frost.

Trivia with Matthew

August 9, 8pm

Woofs

Karaoke Night

August 10, 9pm

The T

Queer Bait

August 11

Mary’s

Gay pop videos with DJ Headmaster every Friday! $5 cover.

Hotlanta Softball League

Thank You Party

August 12, 4pm

Atlanta Eagle Free beer and food for league members!

WussyVision: The Parent Trap

August 12, 7pm

Plaza Theatre

WussyVision presents a special 25th anniversary screening of the Nancy Meyer’s classic ‘The Parent Trap’ starring Lindsay Lohan — with a special appearance by Meredith Blake herself, Elaine Hendrix! There will be a Q&A and VIP meet and greet with Hendrix, plus a costume contest! Tickets at plazaatlanta.com.

CVNTY/CVNTY/CVNTY

August 12, 11pm

Underground ATL

Hosted by JayBella Banks, Jash Jay and Ree de la Vega will be playing Beyonce all night! Featuring a performance by Kevin Aviance. Tickets via dice.fm.

EVENT SPOTLIGHT

A Very Pop Punk Drag Brunch

August 6, 2pm

Atl Comedy Theater Underground

Hear the best pop punk hits by Paramore, Avril Lavigne, My Chemical Romance, Willow Smith, Olivia Rodrigo and more performed by Drew Friday, Dotte Com (pictured), Hera Kane, Eden, and Miss He. Doors at 1pm. Tickets via Eventbrite. Photo via Facebook

The Big Atlanta MADONNA Drag Brunch

August 13, 1pm

Southern Exchange Ballrooms

This huge drag brunch will feature performances by Ada Manzhart, Brigitte Bidet, Dotte Com, Drew Friday, Ellasaurus Rex, Ivy, Jaybella Banks, Miss He, Orchid, Royal Tee, and SHI. DJ Kimber, of Nonsense ATL, will be playing all the best tracks and remixes from the Queen of Pop throughout the event. Doors at noon. Tickets via Eventbrite.

Karaoke Night

August 13, 7:30pm

The T

Trivia with Matthew

August 16, 8pm

Woofs

Karaoke Night

August 17, 9pm

The T

Little

Mx. Wussy Drag Pageant

August 18, 8pm

City Winery

Eight Atlanta queens, kings, & things will compete for the top prize of becoming Little Mx. WUSSY, hosted by Brigitte Bidet. Tickets at citywinery.com.

Margaret “Mom” Chung (1889 -1959)

Maria Helena Dolan

Mom: a cross-dressing Chinese American lesbian doctor who fought racism and sexism and loved the impoverished, China’s neediest, Sophie Tucker, and the 1500 WWII Servicemen naming her “Mom.”

Born in Santa Barbara, California, to a mother trafficked to the U.S. from China at the age of five, Ms. Chung had great ambition and a work ethic to match. A waitress at age 12, she went on to sell the most subscriptions in a Los Angeles Times contest. The Times then provided a scholarship to USC. She met living expenses by selling surgical instruments and winning cash prizes in essay contests. She also began wearing male clothing and going by the name “Mike.”

She graduated from med school in 1916, becoming the U.S.’s “first Chinese American girl” to do so according to “The Chinese American Doctor Who Raised Hell — and 1,500 WW2 Servicemen.” Yet she could neither work as a missionary doctor — her heart’s desire, but open only to white males — nor find internships locally. She went to Chicago, working at the Mary Thompson’s Women and Children Hospital, and eventually becoming the State Criminologist for Illinois.

She turned to L.A. in 1919, working as a surgeon in the Santa Fe Railroad Hospital, treating victims of industrial accidents. (Chillingly, unable to find a hospital that treated Chinese, her father bled to death in 1917 after an L.A. car accident.)

Mike moved to San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1922, where she wanted to establish radical community health care, (providing Western systemic medicine, including birth control, hygiene, diet, and simple procedures).

But this young, unmarried, cross-dressing girl with reports of bad behavior while frequenting North Shore bars? She made

little headway — until she saved the life of a prominent businesswoman.

Upon her recovery, women and children who would never have gone to a male doctor began flooding Mom’s office. They joined the ranks of white people who believed Mom was “a sister” and performers such as Helen Hayes, Tallulah Bankhead and Sophie Tucker.

In fact, Sophie began spending lots of time at Mom’s house, even reporting that she wrote her memoir, Some One of These Days, there.

But as Japan began its assault of China in 1937, U.S. sympathy for the Chinese began

to grow. Plenty of U.S. servicemen wanted to fight a clear and present danger. Several stories exist of how Ms. Chung became “Mom.” One is that U.S. Navy Reserves Ensign Steve Bancroft approached her to see if she could provide influence to get him and some buddies commissions in the Chinese military. She had none, but she began hosting him and some buds at her place for dinners, eventually going on hunting and camping trips together.

She volunteered as a front-line surgeon but was asked to secretly recruit pilots for what became the acclaimed “Flying Tigers.”

She co-founded “Rice Bowl Parties”: fundraising festivals held in hundreds of cities to raise $235,000 — the equivalent of $3.5M today — to send to aid China.

Mom also pressured the Navy to create WAVES — Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service — which was established in 1942. She pressed repeatedly to either lead or work with the WAVES. But it became clear that her “dubious” personal life meant she would never have government work.

After the War, she helped vets find work. She eventually retired, spending time visiting her boys, driving sports cars, and “first nighting,” often accompanied by her beloved parakeet “Beauty,” sitting in the ermine-wrapped cage matching Mom’s ermine-wrapped shoulder.

Margaret “Mom” Chung HISTORICAL PHOTO