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GEORGIANEWS
Coalition begins to form to address LGBT Atlanta divisiveness Blake’s dress code incident sparks debate and disagreement By PATRICK SAUNDERS Activists and other leaders have begun to meet to address issues of division within Atlanta’s LGBT community and figure out what steps to take moving forward. The meetings were sparked by a July 9 incident in which popular Atlanta gay bar Blake’s On The Park posted a controversial new dress code which many in the community felt targeted African-Americans. A contentious debate broke out, with one side saying the sign was racist and the other saying they saw nothing wrong with it. Blake’s eventually removed the sign, but
the conversation continued. Gee Session-Smalls, co-founder of The Gentlemen’s Foundation, was at Blake’s the night of the dress code incident and posted to social media the picture that led to the debate. He has met with Branden Mattox, director of LGBT rights group Love Under Fire, and Jeff Graham, executive director of LGBT advocacy group Georgia Equality, to discuss what’s been done about such issues in the past and what to do next. “There’s lots of segregation within the community,” Session-Smalls tells Georgia Voice. “It’s not just black and white although black and white is probably the most apparent. From feminine to masculine to trans to the gays there is a lot of segregation and I think what happened at Blake’s has started a larger conversation.”
He says the next step is inviting key community leaders to another meeting, including representatives from Atlanta Pride, Lambda Legal and AID Atlanta. Mattox has been spearheading the meetings, but so far there is no official hierarchy. HIV/AIDS activist Greg Smith created a logic model to help the group identify the problems, potential strategies and desired outcomes around the issue. “In the LGBT community, race is the 800-pound elephant in the room, and if it’s not facilitated in a healthy manner, it creates even more division,” Smith says. “This is about finding out what commonalities we have right now. It enhances the opportunities for us to collaborate on stuff so it lessens the chance of peoples’ triggers coming up, whether it’s around race, gender or sexual orientation.”
Gee Session-Smalls says the Blake’s incident sparked a larger conversation about segregation within Atlanta’s LGBT community. (File photo)
Transgender Georgia inmate says warden leaked information to inmates Threatening letter from fellow inmate appears to implicate Rutledge State Prison warden By PATRICK SAUNDERS Attorneys for transgender Georgia inmate Ashley Diamond say that she is receiving threatening letters from fellow inmates and that prison administrators are the cause. The accusation came in a July 29 court filing with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Included was a letter Diamond says she received from a fellow inmate urging her to drop a sexual assault claim that she made against a different inmate in June. “You act like a nigga ain’t never put dick to you before,” the letter from the July 29 filing reads. “It will be better for you to drop the shit cuz. It’s gone make yo time hard, and get you fucked up.” The letter’s author also appears to state what Diamond’s attorneys at the Southern Poverty Law Center had previously claimed— that Rutledge State Prison Warden Shay
Ashley Diamond says she received a letter threatening her to drop a July 5 complaint that she was sexually assaulted by a fellow inmate. (File photo)
Hatcher, who is a defendant in Diamond’s federal lawsuit against the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC), shared information from her Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) complaint with other inmates.
“And you filed the shit. Hatcher said that in G bldg,” the letter continues, before ending with, “Take good advice and tell your peeps to drop it. Nothing happened.” The name of the inmate who wrote the
letter is redacted for, as the filing states, “confidentiality and in order to mitigate any additional threats Ms. Diamond may receive as a result of sharing the document.” Diamond’s attorneys have asked the court to call a hearing about this latest incident and are waiting on a date to be set. “The Southern Poverty Law Center’s additional filing in Ashley Diamond’s case demonstrates that she remains in a dire situation,” SPLC staff attorney Chinyere Ezie said in a statement to Georgia Voice. “She continues to be threatened by other inmates and endangered by staff. We hope the state prison officials will help remedy the situation or that the court will intervene. We continue to be concerned about Ashley’s safety, health and well-being.” Diamond’s lawyers filed the federal lawsuit against the GDC in February, claiming that she had been denied medical treatment and had been sexually assaulted by other inmates at Georgia State Prison. Her hormone treatments were restored and GDC officials transferred her to Rutledge State Prison in May. But then Diamond claimed she was sexually assaulted by an inmate in June while in a holding cell back at Georgia State Prison, a stopover on the way from Rutledge to a medical appointment.
4 News August 7, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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GEORGIANEWS
Ga. updates procedures allowing same-sex couples to file taxes jointly Move is another step following U.S. Supreme Court’s June 26 ruling By PATRICK SAUNDERS The Georgia Department of Revenue updated its guidelines to allow married same-sex couples to file joint tax returns and possibly even file amended returns if they were married in a different state during the past three tax years. “In light of the June 26, 2015, U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, the Department will recognize same-sex marriages in the same way it recognizes marriages between opposite-sex couples,” the July 14 memo reads. “The Department will recognize a marriage where the license was issued in Georgia and a marriage lawfully licensed and performed out of state.” “If, on or before the date of this notice, a lawfully married same-sex couple filed Georgia income tax returns as though they were not married, or had their Georgia income tax returns adjusted by the Revenue Department based
“This means that those taxpayers waiting to file 2014 as joint may do so now. Also, if any couples filed as single but were married in the most recent three open years, then they could possibly file an amended return to claim a refund. Depending on the tax situation for each couple, this may or may not make sense. They should consult their tax advisor.” — Mercedes M. Pasqualetti, general manager of HLM Financial Group on treating them as not married, those persons may file amended Georgia income tax returns under the rules that applied for the tax years in question to lawfully married opposite-sex couples,” the memo continues. “Whether a refund claimed on such an amended return can be paid will depend on the statute of limitations, which requires that such a claim be filed within three years of the later of the date of payment of the tax to the Revenue Department or the due date (including any extensions granted) for filing the original return for that period.” The Department of Revenue’s action was one of the final steps made to reflect the U.S. Supreme Court striking down same-sex marriage bans nationwide.
“This means that those taxpayers waiting to file 2014 as joint may do so now,” says Mercedes M. Pasqualetti, general manager of HLM Financial Group. “Also, if any couples filed as single but were married in the most recent three open years, then they could possibly file an amended return to claim a refund. Depending on the tax situation for each couple, this may or may not make sense. They should consult their tax advisor.” The move follows notification by the state to its more than 90,000 employees that samesex spouses are now eligible for employment benefits, and the University System of Georgia instructing its employees that same-sex spouses are eligible for benefits as well.
The Georgia Department of Revenue clarified tax filing procedures for married same-sex couples in a July 14 memo. (File photo)
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6 News August 7, 2015
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NEWSBRIEFS NGLCC conference coming to Fort Lauderdale in August The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce will hold their annual business and leadership conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from August 11 to 14. The conference is the largest LGBT business development event in the world, with more than 800 LGBT and allied business owners, entrepreneurs, LGBT chamber leaders and corporate representatives expected to be in attendance. The event includes three days of symposiums, seminars, panel discussions and other special events. Speakers will include personal finance guru Suze Orman, CNN anchor Richard Quest, Washington Post columnist and MSNBC contributor Jonathan Capehart and personal branding expert Sally Hogshead. Georgia Voice was recently named an NGLCC certified business. “The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce has a stellar record of proving that LGBT people are an essential part of the U.S. economy and we are honored to be certified by them,” says Georgia Voice publisher Tim Boyd. Registration for the 2015 NGLCC Business & Leadership Conference is available at www.nglcc.org. Emory named most LGBT-friendly university in Georgia Emory University was named by eCollegeFinder as Georgia’s most LGBT-friendly college or university. They looked at factors like LGBT clubs, events, programs, housing, support centers, and overall campus environment attitudes to come up with the list. “Emory regularly trains its staff on how to both prevent violence and aid survivors with counseling and psychological services,” they wrote in their reasoning behind Emory topping the list in Georgia. “In addition to individual attention, the school hosts events including the Emory Pride Drag Show. Since 2004, the show has brought both students and faculty to the stage to perform their hearts out. The money students pay to see professors and peers dress in drag goes straight to keeping the campus LGBTQ support organization thriving. Another great quality is that gender-neutral housing is available and has recently expanded.” www.thegeorgiavoice.com
A rainbow crosswalk appears set to come to the intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue should the project get approved by the city on Aug. 5. (File photo)
Emory made Campus Pride’s list of bravest campuses for LGBT students in the South last year, and they have a long history of LGBT involvement, whether it’s hosting a conference on black civil and LGBT rights or an LGBT documentary screening, holding their annual Pride Awards, or housing LGBT documents for historical purposes. Although there was a dust-up in 2013 when the school’s Candler School of Theology honored an anti-LGBT minister. Rainbow crosswalks appear set to come to Atlanta Splashes of color appear to be coming to Atlanta’s 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue with the installation of rainbow crosswalks. Robert Sepúlveda, founder of RSJdesign, has been working with the city of Atlanta for nearly a year to find a way to mark the epicenter of LGBT Atlanta with the colors of the rainbow and it appears the project is about to be greenlit by city officials. Sepúlveda, a frequent traveler, got the idea from seeing similar projects in other cit-
ies. Rainbow crosswalks have been painted in cities including Seattle, Key West, Philadelphia, and the Castro in San Francisco. “I saw the significant benefits it brought to the local community and I didn’t understand why Atlanta didn’t have one with such a big, diverse LGBT population,” he tells Georgia Voice. Sepúlveda contacted the city of Atlanta last year with the proposal, hoping to get them in place before Atlanta Pride last October. “There have been many hurdles and as you can imagine lots of red tape and city bureaucracy, but alas we are only one meeting away with the City of Atlanta’s Urban Design Commission for this project to be completely approved,” he says. If the project is approved, Sepúlveda plans on collaborating with Joining Hearts to host fundraising benefits, as well as acquiring corporate and private sponsorships since the city of Atlanta does not pay for such projects. The meeting was scheduled for August 5 and the results were not available as of press time. August 7, 2015 News 7
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All material in the Georgia Voice is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the Georgia Voice. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons. We also do not accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Unsolicited editorial material is accepted by the Georgia Voice, but we do not take responsibility for its return. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject or edit any submission. Guidelines for freelance contributors are available upon request. A single copy of the Georgia Voice is available from authorized distribution points. Multiple copies are available from the Georgia Voice office only. Call for rates. If you are unable to reach a convenient free distribution point, you may receive a 26-issue mailed subscription for $60 per year. Checks or credit card orders can be sent to Tim Boyd, tboyd@thegavoice.com Postmaster: Send address changes to the Georgia Voice, PO Box 77401, Atlanta, GA 30357. The Georgia Voice is published every other Friday by The Georgia Voice, LLC. Individual subscriptions are $60 per year for 26 issues. Postage paid at Atlanta, GA, and additional mailing offices. The editorial positions of the Georgia Voice are expressed in editorials and in editor’s notes. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Georgia Voice and its staff. To submit a letter or commentary: Letters should be fewer than 400 words and commentary, for web or print, should be fewer than 750 words. Submissions may be edited for content and length, and must include a name, address and phone number for verification. Email submissions to editor@thegavoice.com or mail to the address above.
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8 Outspoken August 7, 2015
“We taped the show. I had a ball. Then we went back to New York, and I went back to school. A while later, my manager called me into her office. ‘What happened at the Smothers Brothers show?!’ I had no idea what she was talking about, and said so. ‘Well, no one else on TV is willing to have you on. Not out there, anyway.’ Why? I wondered. And was told that Cosby, seeing me asleep in the chaperone’s lap, had made it his business to ‘warn’ other shows that I wasn’t ‘suitable family entertainment,’ was probably a lesbian, and shouldn’t be on television … Banned from TV. Unbelievable.” — Lesbian singer/songwriter Janis Ian says Bill Cosby got her banned from TV in the ‘60s because of her sexuality. (Queerty, July 28; publicity photo)
“Truth be told it was ‘sweet’ iced tea, not coffee. I am a ‘sweet’ mannered Southern boy who was taught not to start a fight. Nobody ever told me I could not end one. I refused to sit and watch these hate crimes continue. I guess our work for equality is not done yet!” — Leslie Jordan responded to those reports about him throwing a drink at homophobes at a West Hollywood Starbucks. (Official Page of Leslie Jordan, July 31; photo via facebook)
“I knew it would be a difficult film to make, and something that would put people off, but I didn’t know how difficult it would be to get made. My closest family members, my godfathers, were a gay couple, so it was something I just inherently had no prejudice about.” — Jake Gyllenhaal from Out’s oral history (get your minds out of the gutter, folks) of “Brokeback Mountain” on its 10th anniversary, which also features recollections from Anne Hathaway, director Ang Lee, Randy Quaid and more. (Out magazine, July 28; publicity photo) www.thegeorgiavoice.com
OUT IN THE WILD
Making the big move Simon Williamson lives with his federally-recognized spouse in the wild yonder of Newton County. Follow him on Twitter at @simonwillo.
My husband and I have just moved to Athens, which means we’ve traded in rural near-middle Georgia for the home of the B-52’s, which, since they had RuPaul in a music video, are among my favorite performers of whom I know one song (others being A-Ha, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Lambchop the puppet). This means change for us, as we no longer need to be as paranoid about being ourselves in our own community. Did you hear about the county commissioner who uttered a racial epithet at a woman who dared insult the American flag, and then lied about it, and then refused to apologize, and then realized what a foreskin he was? He was ours. The largest Jodi Hice sign I saw in all of 2014 was on our street. Confederate Flag Day oy
s
to nk od lie ok)
he so aid to)
By Simon Williamson
“I told him that it was a play about a kid who’s assaulted for being gay. He gave me the look that a certain kind of straight dude gives you, a look of both amusement and confusion. I braced myself for follow-up questions or worse, but there was only silence.” A few weeks back I was co-hosting a staged reading of the Tarell Alvin McCraney play, “Choir Boy,” and I ended up in a really horrible mood. The traffic had been awful, and there was an annoying beeping sound filling the space where our event was being held. But by the end of the evening, I felt silly for obsessing over such trivial things. We (Counter Narrative Project, Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships [MAPP] and Staticc Productions) decided to organize this event because black LGBTQ kids are terrorized in schools around this country, as well as in Atlanta, and it seemed like a useful strategy to amplify the issue. We wanted the staged reading to spark dialogue and hopefully inspire action. So I was running around like a maniac, www.thegeorgiavoice.com
was celebrated with the gusto of a Victory Over The War On Christmas. Luckily, our neighbors, whom we avoided like Hillary Clinton does reporters, kept their distance, even though we are in the wellestablished process of taking away all their religious freedom and guns with our foreignborn White House Islamo-Communist. Much like Leonardo DiCaprio still has to write himself an Oscar acceptance speech, we had to be prepared to get our straight face on at any time, even though we never really had to use that talent. This, along with my and my husband’s 6-foot Caucasian frames, his muscles, my guttural foreign accent, and the seriousness with which we take self-preservation, kept us out of trouble. While I would love to tell you
that we gave no fig for the potential bigots out in the wilderness, obviously we did. Luckily, because of who we are, the fact that we’re the G in our abbreviation, the fact that we’re white, and the fact that we have no community out of which to be thrown, means we have it easier than others. Currently, we’re the most socially acceptable of the nontraditional folks. There are many people in the LGBT+ community who don’t get that. The murder and suicide rate of our transgender friends and family is stunning in its grotesque scope, especially for black and brown transgender women. Even in cities that are supposed to be less dangerous for us. Society’s un-embracing attitude toward any male-ish body that exhibits feminine qualities, from
“Luckily, because of who we are, the fact that we’re the G in our abbreviation, the fact that we’re white, and the fact that we have no community out of which to be thrown, means we have it easier than others. Currently, we’re the most socially acceptable of the nontraditional folks.” gentle schoolboys all the way to adult transgender women, results in death at an unacceptably high rate, and, failing that, a life of prejudice. Breaking gender stereotypes has long been a core value of the LGBT+ movement, even when we decide that assimilating is easier than a full sexual revolution But, like the Human Rights Campaign, we found it easier not to rock the boat too hard, and to leave behind people who fucked with our mantra of “we’re just like you, love wins.” In the part of the state we just left, assimilation isn’t just more convenient. In many respects it is a survival technique. Although sometimes we pretend so that you won’t hurt us, many of us are not “just like you.” We just act like it when we’re OTP.
THE ICONOCLAST
By Charles Stephens
On problems and perspective Charles Stephens is the Director of Counter Narrative and co-editor of ‘Black Gay Genius: Answering Joseph Beam’s Call.’ trying to get the beeping noise inside the space to stop. The beeping noise seemed to keep getting louder and louder, threatening our event and my sanity. I ended up going outside for a moment to take a deep breath and to greet our guests as they walked in. In the parking lot I saw a middle-aged black man sort of standing around as if he were waiting for someone. I greeted him and asked if he was there to see “Choir Boy.” “No. What’s that?” he asked. I told him it was a play about a kid who’s assaulted for being gay. He gave me the look that a certain kind of straight dude gives you, a look of both amusement and confusion. I braced myself for follow-up questions or worse, but there was only silence. After a moment or two he smiled and asked, “Do
you know what this building used to be?” He pointed to the Carver Neighborhood Market, where our event was being held. “Nope.” “A liquor store.” “Really?” “Yeah. But I like this better. Everything is changing so much around here.” “So you grew up around here?” I asked. “No. My grandmother lived up here. I used to come during the summer.” Time passed and we continued to exchange pleasantries. I invited him to stay for the play. “No, I can’t. I’m waiting for my daughter to get off work.” He told me she worked at the coffee shop attached to the Carver Neighborhood Market. “And I have to go back down to the hos-
pital,” he continued. “Is everything OK?” I asked. “Well, they removing the breathing tubes from my wife today,” he said, his eyes dancing, careful not to meet mine, “and I have to tell my daughter.” Then he was the one who seemed to brace himself for follow-up questions. I offered none. More silence passed between us. Only the sound of the cars driving by broke it. “I’m sorry. I...” I said awkwardly, “will keep your family in my prayers.” Suddenly the beeping sound and my other complaints seemed less significant. He thanked me for my words and walked toward the coffee shop to get his daughter. I watched him head off before I went back inside. August 7, 2015 Outspoken 9
PROFILES IN
Drag Six Atlanta kings and queens on life in the spotlight By PATRICK SAUNDERS
D
rag comes in many forms and you can catch any type on almost any given night in Atlanta. But we wanted to take a look behind the makeup and the wigs, behind the facial hair and the binding. So we posed the same questions to six different kings and queens across the city, some new on the scene, others who’ve reached drag legend status. What was the first song they performed? What have they learned about themselves as performers? What are the biggest misconceptions? What’s the most money they made in one night? How long does it take them to get dressed? How much longer do they want to perform? So take a look at some profiles in Atlanta drag, followed by a listing of where to catch these and other kings and queens throughout the city on any given night.
(Photo via Facebook)
What’s your favorite thing about being a drag performer? Getting it all on and ready to go to work. That’s all I’ve done all my life ever since I was 21 so I truly enjoy the entertainment part of it. I enjoy the transformation of going from a fat bald man to what I think is a lovely old woman [LAUGHS].
Charlie Brown
You can’t talk about Atlanta’s drag scene without talking about Mr. Charlie Brown. The Backstreet legend and Nashville native is still going strong at 65, doing two shows on Friday and three on Saturday every week at Lips. Find out about the old days, the new days and why he’s not stopping anytime soon. How old were you when you first dressed in drag? About 21, when I was old enough to get
www.thegeorgiavoice.com
What have you learned about yourself as a performer since then? I truly enjoy entertaining. My drag mothers taught me early that the day you think you’re a star you’ll never be one. And every time you walk on stage you have to prove to those who’ve heard of you why you’re there and to impress the ones that haven’t heard of you.
Charlie Brown
into the bars. I started out as the male lead, I did the male parts in productions in duets. And then I transferred over from there. How old were you when you first performed publicly in drag? Same age, 21. What song did you do at your first performance? “Maybe” by The Three Degrees. It was a big number for me.
Has your being a drag performer had a negative effect on your dating life? If so, how? I’ve been with my lover since 1977. I met him in the bars. I met him in drag. The next night he met me out of makeup and we fell in love. It didn’t bother him either way, he liked me as a man or a woman. He preferred me as a woman onstage but as a man at home. What’s the biggest misconception about being a drag performer? A lot of people think that we all live in drag 24/7 and I have thoroughly enjoyed my life as a man and thoroughly enjoyed my career as a CONTINUES ON PAGE 12 August 7, 2015 Drag 11
Always Love You” just because everybody’s always given me so much love over the years and that would be appropriate to thank them for all the love they’ve given me.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 woman, so I’ve had the best of both worlds. Have you ever been harassed or physically assaulted for being a drag performer? If so, what happened? Not in the latter years. When I first started, when I was 21 we had to hide the fact that we did drag. We had to do our makeup in the clubs and hide the fact that we were bringing dresses and wigs in.
Rate Atlanta’s drag scene on a scale of 1 to 10. Atlanta’s has always been rated as one of the top female impersonation cities in the country. Our entertainers look like a woman here more than anywhere else because our customers have demanded the perfection of it. That’s a 10. How much longer do you want to be a drag performer? Well I’ll be 66 this year. I can do it as long as I can run my dirty mouth, they love my dirty mouth [LAUGHS].
Chase Daniels
What’s the most money you ever made in one night performing? Oh, Lord. I don’t know. I’ve made a $1000 in one night in tips. But that, my friend, is a once in a lifetime thing and it was many years ago too [LAUGHS].
Chase Daniels has retired from performing, but has stayed busy emceeing shows on Fridays and Saturdays at My Sister’s Room with Jami ATL—the pair may be better known as MSR co-owners and wives Jennifer Maguire and Jami Siden. See what Daniels had to say about Atlanta’s drag scene and check out MSR’s new location in Midtown.
How long does it take you to get dressed and get ready for a performance? From sitting down to walking out the door, about an hour and 15 minutes. That’s makeup, hose, bras, dresses, wigs, everything.
How old were you when you first dressed in drag? Maybe 8 years old.
If you had to pick one, what would be your all-time favorite song to perform? Probably Whitney Houston’s “I Will
How old were you when you first performed publicly in drag? MSR in Decatur about 10 years ago. Do you remember the song you did at the first performance? [Kanye West’s] “Gold Digger” mixed with “Beep” by The Pussycat Dolls. It was a duet with my drag mother Jade Daniels and late friend Dee Scott!
Chase Daniels (File photo)
12 Drag August 7, 2015
What was the hardest thing about being a drag performer? Getting the same respect as our other fellow performers such as queens. It’s tough to get gigs at other venues and get equal pay as a drag kings versus drag queens. That’s why my wife Jami Atlanta and I try to have a venue where
Diamond Lil (File photo)
performers receive equal pay. From femme girls and burlesque to kings and queens, all are included and equally respected. Did your being a drag performer ever have a negative effect on your dating life? If so, how? No because I married her, but I can see where it would be a problem for some folks who may not want to be in the nightlife scene all the time. You have to date someone that supports what you love to do on the side or if it’s a full-time job. What was the biggest misconception about being a drag performer? That you identify as the opposite gender all the time. How long does it take you to get dressed and get ready to emcee as Chase Daniels? About an hour. What are your favorite places to shop for drag clothes/accessories? Thrift stores. If you had to pick one, what would be your all-time favorite song to perform? “Under Pressure” by Queen. Rate Atlanta’s drag scene on a scale of 1 to 10. 8. There’s lots of talent but I would love to see more kings, burlesque and femme performers
Diamond Lil
Diamond Lil has been a drag performer in Atlanta since before
Stonewall and if you run into her at Pride or the SAGE Center or any number of places around town, she’ll be sure to try and sell you her CD of original songs. We check in with her as she talks about taking eight hours to get ready and contemplating retirement. Where were you born? The oldest settled city in Georgia: Savannah. Do you have a day job? I’m a retired antique dealer. How old were you when you first dressed in drag? Five years old in Savannah. How old were you when you first performed publicly in drag? 18. Do you remember the song you did at the first performance? “Three Letters” by Ruth Brown. I tore up three letters in front of the audience. CONTINUES ON PAGE 13
drag performer? The constant competing between the queens in Atlanta, this city is literally vicious. Help is really hard to come by, because no one “wants anyone to be better than them.”
Evah Destruction (Photo via Facebook)
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 What have you learned about yourself as a performer since then? There comes a time when it’s time to hang up your skirts. Have you ever been harassed or physically assaulted for being a drag performer? If so, what happened? Walking down the street going to a party in Savannah I was arrested for loitering. How long does it take you to get dressed and get ready for a performance? Eight long hours. What are your favorite places to shop for drag clothes/accessories? The Lost-N-Found Thrift Store. If you had to pick one, what would be your all-time favorite song to perform? My original song “Cabbagetown Katie.” Rate Atlanta’s drag scene on a scale of 1 to 10.
Poor because all the stages have disappeared. How much longer do you want to be a drag performer? I’m now considering retirement like Rachel Wells.
Evah Destruction
The reigning Best Drag Queen (as voted on by Georgia Voice readers) is one of the young guns making a lot of noise on the scene. The Texas native talks about her first show, how being a drag queen has affected her dating life and how the competition between queens in Atlanta is “vicious.” Do you have a day job? No! I am a full time entertainer, which I love. Not a lot of people can say they do what they love for a living these days, so I’m very thankful. How old were you when you first dressed in drag? I was 18 years old, off to a costume party in what I thought was a Ke$ha illusion that was turning the party [LAUGHS], nope.
Has your being a drag performer had a negative effect on your dating life? If so, how? At first yeah, because there’s always this stigma with drag queens in the community among so many others in general. People think we’re always divas, or want to be women automatically. It was always annoying. Plus there was always one guy that became obsessed with the idea of me being a drag queen; so then he wanted to try it, and have me put him in drag. Not my cup of tea. What’s the biggest misconception about being a drag performer? As I said before with the dating thing basically. Also people seem to think drag is cheap … which … it’s not. At. All. So don’t treat us that way. How long does it take you to get dressed and get ready for a performance? Usually an hour and a half. If you had to pick one, what would be your all-time favorite song to perform? “That Laughing Track” by Crookers, hands down.
Do you remember the song you did at the first performance? So original, “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga.
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Jordan Michaels McCord
Jordan Michaels McCord hasn’t won Best Drag King at Georgia Voice’s Best of Atlanta awards for nothing. While this killer king (who is better known as Tiffany Phillips in the daylight hours) got a late start to the drag scene, he’s more than made up for it. Check out the Atlanta native at MSR and see what he has to say about the scene below. What’s your day job? I am an animal cruelty investigator for a metro police department. How old were you when you first dressed in drag? I’ve always been “tomboyish.” From grade school on I’ve been a blue jeans and baseball cap kinda girl. But officially dressing up like a guy with facial hair and binding my chest? 2007. Do you remember the song you did at the first performance? One of the first songs I did was The Charlie Daniels Band, “The Devil Went Down To Georgia.” It was at a country theme night competition at My Sister’s Room.
How old were you when you first performed publicly in drag? 18 [LAUGHS]. It was after Halloween and I realized, “Oh hey this is fun,” so I got myself together for my first performance at LeBuzz for a talent night they were doing.
What’s the hardest thing about being a
Rate Atlanta’s drag scene on a scale of 1 to 10. 7.5. It’s one of the drag capitals in this freaking country. I gave it a 7.5, because as good as it is here (no really Atlanta drag is amazing), there’s a lot of fine tuning that can be done behind the scenes. Just saying.
Jordan Michaels McCord (File photo)
What have you learned about yourself as a performer since then? I’ve learned what it takes to entertain a crowd, how important it is to know all of your words to the songs and that the more bling, the better the costume! CONTINUES ON PAGE 14 August 7, 2015 Drag 13
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 What’s your favorite thing about being a drag performer? I love when people come up to me after a show and tell me how much they enjoyed the performance. I also love all of the up-and-coming drag performers that tell me I have inspired them to work harder on their performances. Has your being a drag performer had a negative effect on your dating life? If so, how? Well actually, my last relationship did suffer a little because of it. I got in trouble for not spending enough time with her. My current partner luckily manages the restaurant at My Sister’s Room, so she is there a lot. It works out. What’s the biggest misconception about being a drag performer? That I dress like that all the time, or that I’m transitioning to be a guy. Some people think that it’s my full-time job. Have you ever been harassed or physically assaulted for being a drag performer? If so, what happened? The only thing I can think of is the time I performed “Bombs over Baghdad “ by Outkast and a patron in the crowd didn’t think my Arabic costume was funny. It was Halloween and I did have a fake bomb strapped to my chest. What’s the most you ever made in one night performing? In ones, probably like $150. Which I thought was great! And that didn’t include my booking pay. My son asked if I was a stripper when I was counting it the next day. How long does it take you to get dressed and get ready for a performance? Not super long, like a good 30
to 45 minutes. I wear makeup, but it doesn’t take as long as some of the queens I know. Binding my chest is usually done before I get there to save a little time. If you had to pick one, what would be your all-time favorite song to perform? Picking one is hard. Elton is the man, and Prince is such an entertainer! But right now, I’m loving some Ed Sheeran. His acoustic version of Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen” is awesome! Rate Atlanta’s drag scene on a scale of 1 to 10. I would definitely give Atlanta a 10! I think you can go all over Atlanta and enjoy a different variety of drag shows! Dinner, Sunday brunch, late night, campy drag, drag pageants, queens, kings, trans, femme, burlesque. If you’re looking for it, Atlanta has it. I just wish drag kings would get a little more recognition. We have some great kings in the ATL!
Shawnna Brooks
What’s your favorite thing about being a drag performer? Seeing someone who’s had a bad day and you see them smile, and they forget about all their problems and just have a good time. What’s the biggest misconception about being a drag performer? That we don’t have lives outside of the bar. A lot of people think that’s all we do is the bar. And we do have feelings.
If you’re making a Mount Rushmore of Atlanta drag queens, you better make room for Shawnna Brooks. And if you think Ms. Brooks has slowed down, think again. You can catch her at Burkhart’s on Saturdays and at Blake’s on the Park on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
What’s the most you ever made in one night performing? Last year somebody tipped a little over $800 for one number. That was one number. They just gave it to me in fifties when I was onstage.
Where were you born? On the planet Mars [LAUGHS]. No, Baltimore, Maryland.
How long does it take you to get dressed and get ready for a performance? 20 minutes. I’ve been doing it a long time honey, there’s no reason it should take you three hours if you’ve been doing it for 20 years. Sometimes 10 [minutes] if I’m in a rush. For some people it takes hours.
How old were you when you first dressed in drag? Five years old, on Halloween. I was Catwoman. How old were you when you first performed publicly in drag? I did a talent show in Fayetteville, North Carolina. And that’s how I got hooked on it. I was 18.
If you had to pick one, what would be your all-time favorite song to perform? I would have to say anything by Deborah Cox. I have so many sweetie, I have a medley of her stuff that I do that’s always a crowdpleaser, no matter what crowd. Rate Atlanta’s drag scene on a scale of 1 to 10. 6. And the reason why is because nowadays they’re letting anybody perform. You don’t have to have costumes, you don’t have to basically put anything into it. They’ll let anybody go onstage. How much longer do you want to be a drag performer? Until I lose the excitement of hearing my music and then walking out onstage. When you stop getting nervous, when you stop getting excited, that’s when it’s time to give it up.
Shawnna Brooks
(Photo via Facebook)
Do you remember the song you did at the first performance? I think it was “Eaten Alive” by Diana Ross. The applause, the crowd, the adrenaline of just being on stage was what I loved. What’s the hardest thing about being a drag performer? Losing dear friends over the years that you’ve known and worked with. I have so many, you don’t have enough time. I miss those kids a lot. 14 Drag August 7, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
DRAG IT OUT ALL WEEK Atlanta’s top shows featuring some of the city’s hottest drag queens and kings By DYANA BAGBY Atlanta’s drag scene was put on the map by the one and only RuPaul. The city continues to create and support up and coming queens—this year’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race” winner, Violet Chachki, hails from our fair city. Atlanta’s place in the national drag queen scene offers something for everyone: camp, glam, cutting edge and more. Weekly drag shows in Atlanta come in all shapes and sizes and offer chances to see the veteran queens (Charlie Brown, Bubba D. Licious), experimental, blossoming queens (Edie Cheezburger, Brigitte Bidet) and badass drag kings. Here is where to see the best drag in the city: MONDAY n The Stars of the Century have been putting on incredible shows for more than 15 years in Atlanta. 10:30 p.m., Jungle, jungleatl.com
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WEDNESDAY n Drag queens and drag kings just cutting their teeth battle it out for the title in Drag Wars, with a weekly cash prize of $250. Signups at 9 p.m., show starts at 10, Jungle, www.jungleatl.com
THURSDAY n Things get jumping at 11 p.m. at My Sister’s Room as Niko Giavanni hosts the weekly King of Thrones drag show, www.mysistersroom.com n “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum Phoenix hosts the Dancefloor Divas show, featuring such entertaining and noble queens as Evah Destruction, Trinity K. Bonet, Alissah Brooks and Destiny Brooks. 11:30 p.m., Burkhart’s, www.burkharts.com FRIDAY n Squeeze in tight for a the cozy Deadly Vixens drag show at Blake’s on the Park, 9 p.m., www.blakesontheparkatlanta.com n Founded in late 2012, the Other Show and its regular cast of queens, including Edie Cheezburger and Jaye Lish, offer a fresh take on drag, 9:30 p.m.,
Jungle, www.jungleatl.com n Femme Fatale kicks off the weekend with hosts Destiny Brooks and Shavonna B. Brooks, two of the matriarchs of the Atlanta scene. The show offers up several styles of drag. 11 p.m. Burkhart’s, www.burkharts.com n See drag kings, queens, femmes and burlesque as Chase Daniels and Jami ATL host Friday and Saturday night shows, 11:30 p.m., My Sister’s Room, www.mysistersroom.com
SATURDAY n Mr. Charlie Brown, aka the Bitch of the South, has been entertaining—and mocking—Atlanta audiences for decades. He now stars in the Glitz & Glam Dinner Theater show at Lips Atlanta at 6 and 9 p.m. and also a late-night show, the Taboo Show, at 11:30 p.m., www.lipsatl.com n Edie Cheezburger takes over the reins for the GlitterBomb show at 11 p.m. Blake’s on the Park, www.blakesontheparkatlanta.com n Synergy, hosted by Monica Van Pelt and Shawnna Brooks, 11 p.m., Burkhart’s, www.burkharts.com n See drag kings, queens, femmes and burlesque as Chase Daniels and Jami
ATL host Friday and Saturday night shows, 11:30 p.m., My Sister’s Room, www.mysistersroom.com SUNDAY n Bubba D. Licious and her Sisters of Sequin take you to church every Sunday with their Drag Gospel Brunch, 12:30 p.m., Lips Atlanta, www.lipsatl.com n Cell Block Sunday features classic queens including Lateasha Shuntel, Raquell Lord, and Nicole Paige Brooks. 8 p.m., Blake’s on the Park, www.blakesontheparkatlanta.com n Camp queens of the South, the Armorettes, whose tips go to the fight HIV/AIDS, perform every Sunday. 8 p.m., the Hideaway, atlantahideaway.com n Brigitte Bidet hosts Tossed Salad, a fresh mix of drag. 9 p.m., Burkhart’s, www.burkharts.com
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FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH n Gurlfrandz takes over Mary’s in East Atlanta with a special themed event each month, www.facebook.com/mary.heylady
August 7, 2015 Drag 15
voted best new restaurant! thanks to all of our georgia voice fans!
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soul our very own chef deborah is on nbc’s food fighters august 13th & 20th! join us EVERY THURSDAY FROM 8PM TO 9PM $5 DRINK SPECIALS AND COMPLIMENTARY HORS D’OEUVRES AT THE BAR! 314 east howard avenue decatur, ga 30030 /404 373 2725 / twistedsoulkitchenandbar.com 16 Ads August 7, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
CONVERSATIONS
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Band talks up Atlanta tour stop and meeting Caitlyn By SHANNON HAMES Back in the early 1980s, gender-bending Boy George and his band mates stormed the New Wave scene with some really big hits and some even bigger ideas about gender, sexuality and diversity. Now, 34 years later, the band is touring the United States (after a 15-year hiatus) during a time when our culture seems to have caught up with them. The Georgia Voice’s Shannon Hames caught up with Culture Club bassist Mikey Craig and drummer John Moss to speak with them about touring, the changes they’ve seen and their upcoming album, “Tribes.”
(Photo by Dean Stockings)
Georgia Voice: You guys haven’t toured in the States for 15 years now. Why did you decide to tour now? Craig: I spent some time working on my own record label, but then I started trying to get the band back together. I reached out to our old manager, Tony Gordon, who has now been “let go,” shall we say, by (Boy) George. But Tony helped to get us back together. The truth is, we had to wait until George was in the right frame of mind and in the right space within his own self before we could actually put the whole thing together. Of course, George will give you another version. But the truth is, we all really wanted to get back together. We knew there was a great unfinished story with Culture Club.
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When you first came out with “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” in 1982, I was 13 and very shocked to see not only a racially diverse band, CONTINUES ON PAGE 18 August 7, 2015 A&E 17
Signature Piece “In Flight”, by Cindy Walton
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 but one led by someone who was really androgynous. I remember for the first time in my life, I couldn’t tell if the person singing was a man or a woman. It was kind of exciting, but a bit unnerving. Now, it seems that my country has finally started to come into a time when we accept diversity and androgyny and homosexuality—things you guys were doing 33 years ago. How does it feel to finally see us catching up? Craig: I’ll let you know how George feels about it. He wishes that all of the sweeping changes that are going on right now had happened 33 years ago so that he could have benefited from living in a world with more liberties and more freedom—in a world where you’re not conscious of your sexuality or gender identity. But nothing ever happens before its time, as my dear old dad used to say. I’d like to think that Culture Club paved the way for the Caitlyn Jenners in this world. Caitlyn came to one of your shows recently, right? Craig: Yes, she came to our show at the Greek in Los Angeles. She introduced us and when she came out, the crowd just went nuts. They were surprised, but then they made the connection of the fact that Caitlyn was paying homage to us and thanking us for paving the way for her to go public about who she really is. From your last U.S. tour 15 years ago until now, have you seen changes in your audience? Craig: The audience hasn’t really changed at all except for the fact that we now have some younger generation who come out. They’re obviously curious to see what all of the fuss is about. The fans on this tour have been really pumped and enthusiastic. If they’re reading this, I want to thank them
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Culture Club Wednesday, August 12 at 8 p.m. The Fox Theatre www.ticketmaster.com for coming out and supporting us like that. It has been absolutely amazing; it really has, the way they’ve been screaming and carrying on like some type of teen mania. Your latest album, “Tribes,” is set for an early 2016 release. I heard the single, “More Than Silence” and was really surprised how much George’s voice has changed, yet still sounds so good. Tell me about the record. Craig: We recorded it in the Sierra Nevada mountains of Spain. It was a wonderful setting. We couldn’t help but make brilliant music. It united us as a band again. It allowed us to be who we are as a band. Sometimes, George tries to bring in other writers or we try new technology and we try this and that. But up in the mountains, our producer just stripped it all away and we got back to basics. It’s how it worked when we were kids and it really worked brilliantly for us on this record. Moss: Putting out a new album is really hard but we can’t keep mucking out “I’ll Tumble 4 Ya” in our 50s. The thing I like about the album is it’s quite fresh. It was recorded well. It was done the old fashioned way—just four guys in a room just bashing it out. Nowadays, you’ve got computers and stuff. This was all played live, no programming or anything. When I want to find out if something is good, I play it for my friends. I don’t tell them that it’s me. Do you know what I mean? I watch them. They tap their feet and sometimes they’ll say, “This is really great. Who is it?” Then, I know it’s okay. This is how I knew that this record would be brilliant. www.thegeorgiavoice.com
ACTING OUT
By JIM FARMER
Captain Hook and the scourge of slut-shaming It may be summertime, with some theaters dark and gearing up for their fall openers, but many are producing. This month, Atlanta Lyric Theatre opens “Peter Pan,” starring out actor Alan Kilpatrick as Captain Hook and co-starring out actor John Markowski. Weird Sisters Theatre Project is busy as well, opening its new “Hot Pink, or Ready to Blow,” written by out playwright Johnny Drago and directed by Veronika Duerr, with out playwright/actor Topher Payne in its ensemble. We caught up with Kilpatrick and Drago prior to their shows’ openings. Georgia Voice: Alan, how do you approach Hook? Kilpatrick: Although “Peter Pan” was not a favorite of mine as a boy, I do remember seeing it. (As an actor) you look with interest at the different variations and adaptations over the years, let your instincts guide you, free-fall into it and let go. I didn’t plan how to play him—it just comes out. What is your Hook like? I feel like I have been influenced by Tim Curry, Bette Davis and Jeremy Irons in “Reversal of Fortune.” What is the gay appeal of Captain Hook? Villains tend to be over-the-top. Hook is happy to be number one in the world, at the top of his game. These characters crave power, and people like that work the hardest at achieving that power. Hook, besides reveling in being a villain, there is some pathos there—a man struggling with his power. But playing villains is so much fun. Georgia Voice: Johnny, how did “Hot Pink” come up? Drago: I had been working out the idea about a play about virgin sacrifice to a volcano and what happens in a small town when everything goes haywire. I had some scenes and an outline and presented it to Weird Sisters. They liked it, so we started developing it together. The play follows three best friends, sewww.thegeorgiavoice.com
Out actor Alan Kilpatrick says he was influenced by Tim Curry and Bette Davis in his portrayal of Captain Hook. (Courtesy photo)
niors in high school, and deals with slutshaming and what it means to be a virgin. We did workshops with women, primarily talking about their experiences—what sexuality was to them as high schoolers, what people knew, what they wished they had known. Was there an inspiration for the play? It just came to me. There are all these horny high school movies, such as “Porky’s” and “Losin’ It,” and the interesting thing to me is that these are sex comedies about trying to get laid from a male perspective. I wanted to set up some circumstances in which we see female characters pursuing this.
Why do you think young men can get laid with no repercussions and women can’t? I am not quite sure why that is. That is one of the issues—guys can go out and get laid as much as they want and brag about it and there are no consequences but when a woman does she is labeled some kind of slut.
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Why is this a good fit for Weird Sisters? I knew I wanted to make this a strong feminist statement about not only owning your sexuality but women supporting women and nonjudgment among peers and friends. Weird Sisters is all about femaledriven projects.
‘Hot Pink, or Ready to Blow’ August 20–30 Weird Sisters Theatre Project Alliance Theatre’s 3rd Floor Black Box 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA www.brownpapertickets.com
‘Peter Pan’ August 14–30 Jennie T. Anderson Theatre of the Cobb Civic Center 548 S. Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA www.atlantalyrictheatre.com
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Living out and proud ‘After Woodstock’
REVIE W You can do it all. That’s what we’re told these days, from the time we’re able to understand language until the moment we run out of life. You can become whatever you want, they say, with a little luck and hard work - and so author Elliot Tiber did. In his memoir “After Woodstock,” he shares. Though their decision to purchase and operate a run-down motel in upstate New York was a disaster from the beginning, Elliot Tiber’s parents refused to give up the “shambles of a resort” they’d dreamed of owning. Tiber, a dutiful Jewish son, “had been sucked into this black hole” fourteen years earlier, and he was stuck. But in the summer of ’69, something “just short of a miracle” happened: Woodstock. For more than a week, the motel was full of guests (at $750 a night) and when it was over, the hippies were gone, and the mud was cleaned up, the family was flush with cash. Seizing opportunity, Tiber took his share and left “my largely miserable past behind.” He bought a new Cadillac and headed for Los Angeles, where two friends had invited him to live with them in exchange for decorating an old mansion they’d bought. Tiber was also excited to see the HOLLYWOOD sign: “the letters weren’t exactly straight; well, neither was I.” Months after arriving, though, it was apparent that California wasn’t the place he ought to be. Tiber’s father was dying, so Tiber returned to New York, mourned his father, fought with his mother, sold the motel for her, and fell in love with a Belgian student who had to return home after his studies were done. Months later, Tiber followed André to Europe, learned French, and started writing in earnest: TV skits, movie scripts, and memoirs. But true love never runs smoothly, of course, and though they enjoyed dancing at leather clubs together, André started going alone. Tiber never knew exactly what André was doing but he had his suspicions, and since a “gay disease” was rumored to be 20 A&E August 7, 2015
Details ‘After Woodstock’
By Elliot Tiber Square One Publishers, 2015 $24.95 462 pages circulating, Tiber was concerned… After reading “After Woodstock,” I think you’ll agree that author Elliot Tiber is the Forrest Gump of gay memoirs. Tiber has done it all: organized Woodstock, crossed the Mafia, hobnobbed with celebs, made movies, appeared on TV, the list goes on and on. It’s almost exhausting – maybe because this book could have easily been two books: Tiber packs a lot – an awful lot – into this memoir, which can be overwhelming. Yes, he’s got a wicked funny bone, and yes, this is an appealing look at gay life from the Stonewall years forward, but it can be too much. While I didn’t not like this book, there were times when I needed a break from that frenzy. I think stop-and-go readers will be able to get past the rompishness of this tale, and biography lovers will easily be able to ignore it. If, in fact, you like a little madness with your memoir, find “After Woodstock” and you’ll have it all. www.thegeorgiavoice.com
EATING MY WORDS By CLIFF BOSTOCK
Cheap is the new fine dining Wouldn’t it be nice if every good restaurant meal could be cheap? That’s not possible, of course. But believe me, excellent food is no longer the sole province of pricey restaurants. Casual places—even some we consider fast food joints—have become extremely inventive. There are several explanations for this. The Great Recession killed traditional fine dining in Atlanta. In fact, it stalled the entire dining scene. But something else important happened. Millennials came of age, and being quite multicultural, they have more adventurous palates than their parents. Alas, they also have less money. With the (moderate) economic recovery, we’re seeing a proliferation of new restaurants in town reflecting these changes. I’ve written about some here—the new Indianbased Masti in Toco Hills and the Taiwanesebased Ah-Ma’s in Midtown Promenade, for example. There’s Korean-Chinese at Makan in Decatur and Korean at Sobban on Clairmont. You find really good, kinky food even in food courts now, like the Middle Easternbased Yalla in the Krog Street Market. All of this food is authentic, but pays homage to its American context. During the last few years, I’ve personally been most excited by the millennials’ willingness to visit Buford Highway, where you can dine quite well for $10. I’ve been eating there for decades. Most people I’ve dragged with me are shocked that the restaurants there have greater complexity than can be found at Taco Bell. I admit there are a few perennial difficulties with eating on Buford. Language can be problematic, but many Asian spots have menus and walls plastered with often-notso-reliable pictures. And while I’m annoyed by people’s fear of spiciness, I still find offal daunting myself, although I did eat ox penis at Beijing Kabobs. I love tripe-filled menudo, a soup available weekends at various Mexican spots (along with the equally tasty offal-free pozole) like El Potro. The most recent place I’ve visited on Buford is the newish Vietnamese I Luv Pho (5145 Buford Hwy., 770-696-1662). Pho, a classic soup, has become wildly popular with Americans. What most distinguishes www.thegeorgiavoice.com
Makan’s Beef Cheong Fun, rice noodle rolls. (Photo via Facebook)
one restaurant’s pho from another is the intensity of the broth, which can be either beef or chicken. The best—and I Luv Pho is one of the best—have a mystifying depth of flavor. You choose the meats: everything from tendons to steak. Then you add bean sprouts, a squirt of lime, and herbs all piled on a plate in the middle of the table. Sriracha and hoisin are also on the table. Vietnamese is my favorite cuisine, so I decided to skip the pho, which all my friends ordered, and try a “burnt rice” dish. This dish is made with crunchy rice like you find at the bottom of a pot. You pick the toppings. It’s my favorite dish at Chateau de Saigon. I’m sorry to say that I Luv Pho’s version was hugely disappointing. Chicken and seafood—mainly inedible, over-cooked squid—were thickly sauced, which totally obliterated any crunch the rice had. Stick to the pho. There are many classics on Buford Highway worth trying. And by the way, if you want authentic Indian food, head out to Scott Boulevard and Lawrenceville Highway. I’ll cover those restaurants in a future column. (Cliff Bostock, PhD, is a longtime Atlanta restaurant critic and former psychotherapist now specializing in life coaching for creative types and those in so-called midlife crisis. www.cliffbostock.com.) August 7, 2015 Columnists 21
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Our Guide to the Best LGBT Events in Atlanta for Aug. 7-20
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SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
Ladylike is a photography group exhibit showcasing queer and feminist perspectives of “girlhood.” Women, trans-identified individuals, drag queens and others who relate to and express gender fluidity will be represented within the show, featuring works by Jon Dean (curator), Sunni Johnson (curator), Sara Keith, Austin Frantz and Blake England. 7 – 10 p.m., Eyedrum Art and Music Gallery, www.eyedrum.org (Photo by Jon Dean and Blake England)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7
Atlanta’s LGBT tennis league (ATTA) hosts a tennis social from 6 – 10 p.m. at the Athletic Club Northeast. Drills and coaching from 6 – 7 p.m. with Matthew Howell, with snacks and alcohol provided; $10 per person, www.atta.org
EVENT SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
Fiona Zedde (“Bliss”) is celebrating a decade of being a published author with cake, wine, special guest performances, and a surprise announcement. Come and bring your stories of bliss, share if you’ve read the novel and enjoyed it, or if you’ve never heard of it at all. All are welcome. 7:30 – 9 p.m., Charis Books, www.charisbooksandmore.com
22 Best Bets August 7, 2015
Out director Brian Clowdus’ summer musical “Evita” at Serenbe Playhouse runs through August 16 with an 8:30 p.m. curtain tonight, www.serenbeplayhouse.com Atlanta Eagle hosts Onyx Bar Night from 10 p.m. – 3 a.m. with DJ Ron Pullman, www.atlantaeagle.com Shavonna Brooks and Destiny Brooks emcee the riotous Femme Fatale show, 11 p.m., Burkhart’s, www.burkharts.com
SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
Atlanta’s Hotlanta Softball League
and the Heretic host the End of Season Party with DJ Robert Ansley, 3 – 7 p.m., www.hereticatlanta.com
SUNDAY, AUGUST 9
DJ Eric gets Xion Atlanta hopping, 3 a.m., www.xionatlanta.com The Atlanta Bucks host their 2014-2015 awards brunch, 12 p.m., Atlanta Publik Draft House, www.publikatl.com Wake up and make joyful noise with the Sisters of Sequin at Gospel Brunch with performers Bubba D. Licious and Justice Counce, 12:30 p.m. followed by a 1:30 p.m. show, Lips Atlanta, www.lipsatl.com They’re creepy and kooky – catch “The Addams Family Musical” at a matinee today, 3 p.m., running through August 16, Onstage Atlanta, www.onstageatlanta.com
Marina’s Comedy Cruise, starring Nashville’s Marina LaSarah Sanchez, comes to the Hangar tonight, with a $6 cover, 7pm., www.facebook.com/ events/127910900880048/
MONDAY, AUGUST 10
The new film “Boulevard” stars Robin Williams – in his last role – as a closeted gay man, various showtimes, Midtown Art Cinema, www.landmarktheatres.com Making Space Is a writing group for those who work, move or spend time serving others through human service and community professions, such as psychologists, educators and social workers. This is Charis Circle From Margin to Center Literary Program. The suggested donation is $10. Charis Books, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com
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TELL US ABOUT YOUR LGBT EVENT Submit your LGBT event for inclusion in our online and print calendars by emailing event info to editor@thegavoice.com Edie Cheezburger presents “The Other Show,” the most unique drag show in Atlanta. Admission is $5, Jungle, 10 p.m., www.jungleatl.com
SATURDAY, AUGUST 15
The members of the Gentlemen’s Foundation present a health and wellness fair, including HIV testing, at the Villages of the Carver Family YMCA, www.ymcaatlanta.org/vcy The Atlanta Rollergirls host a double feature bout at 5 p.m., with the Toxic Shocks vs. Apocalypstix and then at 7:30 p.m. with the Denim Demons taking on the Sake Tuyas, Yaarab Shrine Center, www.yaarabshrine.net
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13
Actor’s Express has opened the classic musical ‘Rent,’ with several queer characters, with Freddie Ashley directing, with a show tonight at 8 p.m., running through August 22, www.actorsexpress.com
TUESDAY, AUGUST 11
Atlanta Eagle hosts TMITuesdays, 7 p.m. – 2 a.m., www.atlantaeagle.com The all-new Latino Tuesday kicks off with DJ Karlito, Blake’s, www.blakesontheparkatlanta.com
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12
Hear “Karma Chameleon” and more as Boy George and Culture Club come to the Fox Theatre tonight at 8 p.m., Fox Theatre, www.foxtheatre.org
tion are welcome. This is a Charis Circle Founding the Future of Feminism event. The suggested donation is $5. 7:30 – 9 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com Come line dance at the Heretic tonight with free lessons beginning at 8 p.m. and then an open dance at 9 p.m., www.hereticatlanta.com The Hideaway hosts Ian Aber for Hot Mic comedy nights, 10 p.m., www.atlantahideaway.com
Ruby Redd’s Birdcage Bingo starts at 8:30 p.m., with $3 well drinks all night, then Tyler King hosts Beauty and the Beat karaoke at 11 p.m., The Hideaway, www.atlantahideaway.com
Faces Lounge in Marietta’s new All Star Cabaret is every Thursday at 10:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. with the likes of Heather Daniels and Coco Chanelle, 138 Powers Ferry Road, Marietta, GA 30060
It’s Amateur Night every Wednesday at 9 p.m. at BJ Roosters, www.bjroosters.com
Dancefloor Divas with Phoenix of Rupaul’s Drag Race is tonight at 11:30 p.m. at Burkhart’s, www.burkharts.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13
Charis Books launches The Personal is Still Political: Feminist Vent today. Each week Charis invites folks to come talk about issues in their personal lives or in society as a whole they are trying to process or deconstruct. Then they talk about how intersectional feminism can be a tool to help solve those issues. People of all genders, levels of political experience and educa-
www.thegeorgiavoice.com
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14
Looking to make the playoffs again this year, the Atlanta Dream take on the Minnesota Lynx tonight, 7:30 p.m., Philips Arena, www.philipsarena.com Celeste Holmes hosts Boys of BJ’s tonight at 9 p.m. at BJ Roosters, www.bjroosters.com
The Ho Sho Atlanta 3: Ménage á Tres drag show features some of the lousiest queens in Atlanta. Join Dixie Carterstead, Trudy Dolce, Ivanna Gender and more in a tragically trashy, risqué and (almost exclusively) live vocal show. All profits will be donated to the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus. 6:30 p.m., Jungle, www.jungleatl.com
MONDAY, AUGUST 17
Trans and Friends: a Project of the Feminist Outlawz is a youth-focused group for trans people, people questioning their own gender, and aspiring allies. They provide a facilitated space to discuss gender, relevant resources, and activism around social issues. This is a project of the Feminist Outlawz. 7 – 8:30 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com They’ve been doing it for 15 years and have never been better. The Stars of the Century hit the stage at Jungle Atlanta for an unforgettable show led by emcees Miss Sophia and Joe Jackson. Featuring performances by Necole Luv Dupree, Archie Bonet, Stasha Sanchez, Raquel Lord, Damoni Hall Dickerson, Trinity Bonet and more, 11 p.m., www.jungleatl.com
CONTINUES ON PAGE 24
It’s two parties in one. DJ Rob Reum spins inside while DJ Daryl Cox turns up the music outside at TEN Atlanta, www.tenatlanta.com DJ Super Blue, DJ Caprice and DJ Tron work the crowd at Bulldogs, 893 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30308, www.facebook.com/bulldogsbaratlanta.com Fort Troff presents Gear, with DJ Phil B, with a live bondage demo, Atlanta Heretic, www.hereticatlanta.com
SUNDAY, AUGUST 16
Natalia Naman’s gay-themed “The Old Ship of Zion” running through August 21, has a 2 p.m. matinee today, presented by Essential Theatre, www.essentialtheatre.com PFLAG hosts a support group for parents and families of LGBTQ individuals from 2:30 – 4 p.m. at the Spiritual Living Center of Atlanta, www.slc-atlanta.org Regina Simms emcees the New Faces event with singers, dancers, musicians, drag kings and queens and more, 9 p.m., Friends on Ponce, www.friendsonponce-atl.com
EVENT SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY, AUGUST 15
Our Hope Metropolitan Community Church’s “Sweet 16” Anniversary Celebration will feature gay Christian recording artist and entertainer Justin Ryan in concert. 6 – 8 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, www.uuca.org
August 7, 2015 Best Bets 23
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19 Enjoy games with hairy men at Woof’s Game Night, 8 p.m., www.woofsatlanta.com
Nicole Paige Brooks, Mychelle LaCroix DuPree and Mo’Dest Volgare host Wild Out Wednesdays at Felix’s, www.felixsatlanta.com
ber of Commerce present a Business Builder Luncheon – hosted by Dustin Drabot and Lissa Dulany – on the Third Thursday of each month at 11:45 a.m. $20 (cash only) preset menu; open floor seating limited to 14 respondents. Henry’s Midtown, www.henrysatl.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20
The Metro Atlanta Association of Professionals (MAAP) hosts an Unofficial End of Summer Networking Party, 6 – 8:30 p.m., TEN Atlanta, www.tenatlanta.com
The Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Cham-
Charis and Cliterati pair up to present an open mic and reading series on the third Thursday of every month. This month’s performer is storyteller and author Maryann Hopper, aka B. Leaf Crone-
SAGE Atlanta hosts a social hour and games at 10 a.m. and then a general meeting at 11 a.m., Phillip Rush Center Annex, www.rushcenteratl.com
write. This is a Charis Circle from Margin to Center Literary Event. The suggested donation is $5. 7:30 – 9 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com Come out to the lesbian-owned Twisted Soul for Food Fighters Thursday. Every Thursday enjoy $5 drink specials and complimentary hors d’oeuvres at the bar, www.twistedsoulkitchenandbar.com/
UPCOMING FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
Dance to your favorite old school dance tunes at the new My Sisters Room (MSR) location in Midtown at Disco Night with the Women’s Outdoor Network (WON Atlanta). 7 p.m.,
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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
The biggest event of its kind in the world, Atlanta Black Gay Pride revs up today for a week of events, www.inthelifeatlanta.com
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
The Decatur Book Festival kicks off today, with keynote speaker Erica Jong and authors all weekend, www.decaturbookfestival.com
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4-7
Dragon*Con is a giant popular-culture convention for science fiction, fantasy, gaming, art, comics, music, and film, with panels, contests, vendors, a banquet, and a parade down Peachtree Street. www.dragoncon.org
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OUTSIDE THE BOX
Love, hope, success, family, security.
By BILL KAELIN
The drag queen who changed my life Not too long ago, in a neighborhood that now seems far, far away, I met my first drag queen, and my life would never be the same. The year was 1996. I was shy, young, naive and new to the city. I didn’t really have any gay friends and was intimidated by the thought of going out by myself until I gathered some courage and went to a place called Club Kaya, a massive nightclub on Peachtree Street. Nervous, I entered, ordered a drink and found a dark corner where I could sit alone and take it all in. Within minutes a towering, quite scary-looking blond drag queen headed my way. Internally I was pleading, “Please don’t stop at my table ... please don’t stop at my table.” I hadn’t noticed that all the cocktail waitresses working there were drag queens. The one serving me would become one of my best friends. Tweeka Weed (the alter ego of the late John Barber) was aggressive, forward, foulmouthed and funny as hell from the get-go. When he plopped down on that couch to introduce himself to me I knew I was hanging with royalty. There must have been something about me that told him I needed a friend. Tweeka took me on an adventure that resembled scenes from the Martin Scorsese film, “Goodfellas.” He was a gangster. He was an MTV reality star who also had a degree in political science. He demanded respect and the seas parted for us when we went out. We were always on the guest list, we never waited in line, we always had free drinks, free drugs, access to the DJ booth and entry backstage where all the real magic happened. The first time I saw John transform into Tweeka, I realized I was experiencing something very special. It was like watching an artist paint a masterpiece on a blank canvas while lip syncing to Shirley Bassey’s “My Life.” The process inspired me so much that I ended up fighting for fair compensation for drag queens working in clubs, since all www.thegeorgiavoice.com
“Tweeka and his friends were streetsmart and coaxed me out of my own shell. If it weren’t for them, I would have never survived in the nightclub business. Those queens showed me how to stand up for myself, how to throw shade, how to always get my money and always get my way.” that creative nipping, tucking and painting deserved top dollar. Tweeka and his friends were streetsmart and coaxed me out of my own shell. If it weren’t for them, I would have never survived in the nightclub business. Those queens showed me how to stand up for myself, how to throw shade, how to always get my money and always get my way. Ironically, drag queens taught me how to grow some balls. My friendship with Tweeka allowed me the opportunity to work creatively with drag legends like Kevin Aviance, Joey Arias, EJ Aviance, Celeda, Lady Bunny, Nicole Paige Brooks and many others. These experiences not only make me proud, but have also given me countless hilarious stories to tell. I have long since left the nightclub world, but love seeing the new Legendary Children of Atlanta slaying the city with members Brigitte Rackliffe, Edie Cheezburger, Violet Chachki and others. They have picked up the torch and made it their own, and are offering us more than just pageant queens. Our community and the world need to know that these kids are true artists. They have something to say and are going to serve it to you whether you like it or not. It’s nice to sit back, relax and watch the seas part for them now, living their lives like gay gangsters and making Tweeka Weed smile down from Heaven, happy that the true art form of drag he helped create lives on today.
Cleo Meyer, Agent 1776 Peachtree St NE Atlanta, GA 30309 Bus: 404-817-0960 cleo@cleomeyer.com
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August 7, 2015 Columnists 25
THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID By MELISSA CARTER
Gender stereotypes in the Magic Kingdom When you think of Disney, what is the first thing that comes to mind? All the Olafs you have scattered around your living space, despite the fact we’re in summer? The private concerts of the top movie tunes you perform in your car? Or those priceless VHS tapes you grabbed from the “Disney vault” just in time, but no longer have anything to play them on? You probably don’t automatically think about discrimination, but one young man in New York did on his first trip to the parks a few months ago. The third grader named Dexter went to California’s Disneyland this spring with his family, and didn’t like what he saw when it came to race and gender. After returning home and talking to a classmate, he realized he wasn’t the only one who was angry about it. So the two decided to write this letter to the company: Dear Disney, Like most people we love your attractions, but we found some problems with some of them and those problems are stereotypes. Stereotypes are something that some people believe are true but sometimes may not be true. For example say somebody said “girls only like pink,” that’s a stereotype, some girls might like yellow and not pink. You can never really judge. We are third graders from New York City at The Cathedral School. We learn about stereotypes and the impact they have on people’s identities. For instance, in the jungle cruise, all the robotic people have dark skin and are throwing spears at you. We think this reinforces some negative associations, we think you should replace them with monkeys throwing rotten fruit. We noticed that on our trips to Disneyland and Disney World that all the cast members call people Prince, Princess, or Knight, judging by what the child “looks like” and assuming gender. We think some feelings could get hurt, say by accident you called someone a Prince who wasn’t a Prince or a Princess, or a Knight, or who was identifying differently than what they were called. We suggest you say “Hello, Your Royalty” instead.
“I wish I’d had this awareness when I first went to Walt Disney World back in 1977. All I knew was that I wanted the pirate costume over the princess gown, but didn’t yet understand why.” With the Princess Makeovers, we think you are excluding other people who might want a makeover to be something else, including boys and transgender people. When we went to the Princess Castle, the characters only greeted the people they thought were visiting girls, not the visiting boys and again said “Hi Princess.” We hope you know we had an awesome time at Disney and these are suggestions to make it more inclusive and magical for everyone. Please reply and let us know your thoughts. Sincerely, Sybilla and Dexter The Cathedral School I wish I’d had this awareness when I first went to Walt Disney World back in 1977. All I knew was that I wanted the pirate costume over the princess gown, but didn’t yet understand why. We are often frustrated and dismissive of young people, assuming they are too naive to understand how the world works. On the contrary, Dexter and Sybilla are great examples of how aware they really are. Now let’s see if us old folks, like Disney, can catch up. (source: www.brainpickings.com) Melissa Carter is one of the Morning Show hosts on B98.5. In addition, she is a writer for the Huffington Post. She is recognized as one of the first out radio personalities in Atlanta and one of the few in the country. Follow her on Twitter@MelissaCarter
26 Columnists August 7, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
SOMETIMES ‘Y’ By RYAN LEE
Pills & Priorities Marriage is usually followed by a honeymoon, and nothing defines honeymoons better than sex. With our movement in its post marriage-equality glow, now feels like an ideal time to talk about gay sex. It’s not something LGBT rights groups are interested in discussing, as they weigh whether employment discrimination, school bullying or defending against “religious freedom” legislation should succeed marriage as our top priority. In fairness, many LGBT individuals are also uncomfortable shifting our movement’s gaze from the altar to the bedroom. “I’m not sure sex without consequences should be the thing we’re fighting for,” one of my best friends said as we were discussing the merits of PrEP. “I see its benefits, but I struggle with accepting that our main argument should be that whores can now be bigger whores.” PrEP is the common name for an anti-HIV drug more formally known as Truvada, and its benefits are profound. Truvada has been shown to be more than 90 percent effective in protecting against the disease when taken daily by HIV-negative men. It is the most powerful weapon in HIV prevention since the condom, and it is tempting to consider it a magic bullet that will finally free gay men from the grip of Plague. When we were dying, gay men and lesbians made sure latex was distributed in bars, bookstores and community centers and at parades and porn shoots; now that we’re marrying, there’s no parallel commitment to make sure our population is armed with the most modern life-saving tool. It is time to revisit our old nemesis. It’s time for us once again to declare war on HIV/AIDS, using the savvy of the marriage equality era, the desperate passion of the 1980s and 1990s, and the unapologetic ethos of Stonewall and its aftermath. We should not discard the safer sex strategy that saved thousands of lives, but neither should we hesitate to pull new triggers because we are too embarrassed to admit that some gay men, like many people, enjoy sex without condoms. It’s a difficult discussion to initiate followwww.thegeorgiavoice.com
“We should not discard the safer sex strategy that saved thousands of lives, but neither should we hesitate to pull new triggers because we are too embarrassed to admit that some gay men, like many people, enjoy sex without condoms.” ing a marriage equality campaign vested in portraying how normal, boring and virtuous gay and lesbian relationships are. Love won, not gay barebacking. Our commitment to de-sexualizing our movement has hampered our progress, as even many people who support the theory of same-sex marriage and LGBT equality remain squeamish about most manifestations of maleon-male intimacy, from kissing to butt sex. The right to fuck was an immediate priority for the crusade birthed by the Stonewall Riots, befitting the broader sexual liberation attitudes of the 1970s. It’s tragic that our community’s sexual awakening coincided with the onset of AIDS, and that many of us have internalized our opponents’ misconception that there was a cause-and-effect dynamic between the two. The LGBT reaction to the AIDS epidemic was one of the most remarkable responses to crisis in human history, and laid the foundation for the social and political might that brought about Obergefell v. Hodges. We tamed HIV/AIDS, but did not slay it, and it is time to commit ourselves to finishing the job—with condoms, PrEP and a re-invigorated search for a cure. It’s intimidating to stare down HIV/AIDS once again, and disquieting to advocate on behalf of behavior that once killed us. But as we plot our next political battle, many gay men remain exposed to unnecessary risk, and our failure to prep them with all available protection is an abandonment of our legacy.
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