What is TRUVADA for PrEP?
Who should not take TRUVADA for PrEP?
TRUVADA for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a prescription medicine that is used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1. To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to prevent getting HIV. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.
Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP if you: ® Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status. If you are HIV-1 positive, you need to take other medicines with TRUVADA to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. ® Also take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about TRUVADA for PrEP? Before taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-negative. ® Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. If you have flu-like symptoms, you could have recently become infected with HIV-1. Tell your healthcare provider if you had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting or at any time while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin. While taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1. ® You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months. ® If you think you were exposed to HIV-1, tell your healthcare provider right away. ® To further help reduce your risk of getting HIV-1: ® Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners. ® Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you. ® Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners. ® Do not miss any doses of TRUVADA. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection. ® If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. TRUVADA can cause serious side effects: ® Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV and stop taking TRUVADA, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.
What are the other possible side effects of TRUVADA for PrEP? Serious side effects of TRUVADA may also include: ® Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with TRUVADA. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking TRUVADA. ® Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. ® Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. ® Bone problems, including bone pain, softening, or thinning, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones. Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP are stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking TRUVADA for PrEP? ® All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis. ® If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if TRUVADA can harm your unborn baby. If you become pregnant while taking TRUVADA for PrEP, talk to your healthcare provider to decide if you should keep taking TRUVADA. ® If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can be passed to the baby in breast milk. ® All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. TRUVADA may interact with other medicines. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. ® If you take certain other medicines with TRUVADA, your healthcare provider may need to check you more often or change your dose. These medicines include certain medicines to treat hepatitis C (HCV) infection. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Important Facts about TRUVADA for PrEP including important warnings on the following page.
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We're open, not unprepared. We know who we are. And we make choices that fit our lives. TRUVADA for PrEP™ is a once-daily prescription medicine that can help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 when taken every day and used together with safer sex practices. ® TRUVADA for PrEP is only for adults who are at high risk of getting HIV through sex. ® You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP.
Ask your doctor about your risk of getting HIV-1 infection and if TRUVADA for PrEP may be right for you. Learn more at truvada.com
8/7/17 3:20 PM
IMPORTANT FACTS
This is only a brief summary of important information about taking TRUVADA for PrEPTM (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 infection. This does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your medicine.
(tru-VAH-dah) MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP Before starting TRUVADA for PrEP: • You must be HIV-1 negative. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-1 negative. • Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include flu-like symptoms, tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin. Tell your healthcare provider if you have had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting TRUVADA for PrEP. While taking TRUVADA for PrEP: • You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1. • You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you think you were exposed to HIV-1 or have a flu-like illness while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. • If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. • See the “How To Further Reduce Your Risk” section for more information. TRUVADA may cause serious side effects, including: • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking TRUVADA. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.
ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP TRUVADA for PrEP is a prescription medicine used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1. • To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health. Do NOT take TRUVADA for PrEP if you: • Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status. • Take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.
HOW TO TAKE TRUVADA FOR PrEP • Take 1 tablet once a day, every day, not just when you think you have been exposed to HIV-1. • Do not miss any doses. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection. • Use TRUVADA for PrEP together with condoms and safer sex practices. • Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months. You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF TRUVADA FOR PrEP TRUVADA can cause serious side effects, including: • Those in the “Most Important Information About TRUVADA for PrEP” section. • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. • Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. • Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. • Bone problems. Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP include stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight. These are not all the possible side effects of TRUVADA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with TRUVADA for PrEP.
BEFORE TAKING TRUVADA FOR PrEP Tell your healthcare provider if you: • Have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis. • Have any other medical conditions. • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. • Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can pass to the baby in breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: • Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. • Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with TRUVADA for PrEP.
HOW TO FURTHER REDUCE YOUR RISK • Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners. • Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you. • Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners. • Do not share needles or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them.
GET MORE INFORMATION • This is only a brief summary of important information about TRUVADA for PrEP. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more, including how to prevent HIV infection. • Go to start.truvada.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 • If you need help paying for your medicine, visit start.truvada.com for program information.
TRUVADA FOR PREP, the TRUVADA FOR PREP Logo, the TRUVADA Blue Pill Design, TRUVADA, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. Version date: April 2017 © 2017 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. TVDC0153 07/17
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GEORGIA NEWS
Atlanta activists give inside tips on effective protesting Working with city and police, permitting, call to action and more By DALLAS ANNE DUNCAN dduncan@thegavoice.com Black Lives Matter, women’s rights, science, anti-fascism, anti-racism, anti-white supremacy, anti-Trump, pro-equality, proLGBT rights, pro-transgender troops — the list of concerns relevant to progressives grows daily. Some of these issues can be addressed in meeting rooms and conversations with elected officials. But some elicit such a powerful response from the public that they’re best addressed in the streets. When those times arise, there’s a desire to “do something,” but sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. Georgia Voice reached out to a number of Atlanta activists for advice on how to develop, execute and evaluate these movements.
Permitting requirements depend on the protest. For marches organized as an immediate response to an issue, such as the April march against Donald Trump and the National Rifle Association, pictured here, or the July Transgender Equality March, permits may not be needed, but respectful contact with city officials to ensure protesters’ safety is encouraged. (Photo by Dallas Anne Duncan)
Allies to the cause “If you know you’re going to go forward with a protest, and you know it’s going to be the most effective way to draw attention to the issue or put pressure on an individual or organization or create momentum around an issue … then a good next step is figuring out who are the stakeholders that need to be involved in that?” said Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality. James Brian Yancey, founder of mentor organization Rainbros., which helped organize the Transgender Equality March in July, said groups he’s involved with plan ahead on two fronts: first, for things that they anticipate may come to pass, he said there’s an effort to identify who is interested in being in charge of a response; and then for things that come out of nowhere — like the transgender military ban tweeted out by President Trump on July 26 — where a different reaction is required. “We usually try to break that down into, are we trying to gain awareness of an issue? Are we trying to get a specific storyline or message? Other times you really want there to be an angle; you want them to leave with a message or thought they didn’t think before,”
Yancey said. “The last thing, is there anything they should leave with a further action?” In the case of the Transgender Equality March, that further action was donating to a citywide fundraiser benefiting trans nonprofits. Protest location and response time will determine whether or not a permit is required. Graham said protests planned at the Gold Dome will require paperwork and occasional costs, and permitting may need to go through the Parks Department, the Police Department or the City of Atlanta, depending on who owns the property. Protests with more time to plan — and get permits — may also have requirements handed down from city officials. Lukis Newborn, political activist and director of Civic-Minded Citizens, said the March for Science had to have portable toilets and a march route provided to the city because of the crowds expected. “Sometimes it does take time to plan, but it’s an issue that is going to be on people’s minds for a while,” Graham said. “After Pulse, here in Atlanta, we chose to take a couple of days … When we actually got the community event together, I’m really glad we took the
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time to do that because it allowed us to have a really powerful, meaningful program that allowed us to hit a lot of themes that we might not have been able to hit if Georgia Equality had called people to the corner of 10th and Piedmont [immediately].” But in the case of an immediate response, there may not be time to go through the permitting process. “A lot of people don’t realize if you are exercising your First Amendment rights, the police are generally going to try and help you as long as you’re communicating with them,” Yancey said. “If it’s rapid response, generally the rules of thumb are have a planned route; if the police communicate with you, you talk to them, tell them what the plan is.” Ready, set, march There are multiple dimensions to tackle on the day of a protest. In addition to the core group of organizers, Graham recommends having a few key positions to keep the event moving and safe on the day-of: attorneys, security and an emcee to introduce any speakers. Ken Wainwright, LGBT ally and activist, also suggested having
someone in charge of first-aid stations and ensuring protesters have bottled water. “Have people at the front of the march know where the march is going,” Newborn said. “Have people that are very easily identifiable as volunteers.” Marches can also be prefaced with activities like sign-making, keynote speakers and group chants to “get fired up,” as Wainwright says. “It’s not about advocating disobedience, but it is advocating that as Americans, we have a right to protest,” he said. Social media is a powerful tool protesters can engage in during the march as well. “If I press a ‘live’ button, you have 125 people at a protest and they’re commanding attention that wasn’t there before I pressed that button,” Wainwright said. “People from other countries are realizing on camera the injustices that are happening in the LGBT community and the black community. Now they’re seeing it … it starts to cause for change to happen.” Evaluating effectiveness “Marching in itself and protesting in itself doesn’t do anything. But what you do after that march and the people you inspire in that process is what matters,” Newborn said. “Without 65,000 people marching in the streets of Atlanta at Women’s March, there wouldn’t be these thousands of people who came together to create nonprofits, to create this movement.” It’s from the protests and marches that more new activists emerge and political candidates file declarations of intent, he said. “It doesn’t stop at the steps of the Capitol where we stop marching. That march continues into direct dialogues with our senators,” Newborn said. “The other aspects of protests is they ask those tough questions.” Change won’t happen overnight, Wainwright said, but that doesn’t mean a protest isn’t effective. He believes what determines success happens later, when protesters have a ballot in front of them. “Continue to put logs in the fire because now, it’s not just about protesting. It’s about organizing,” Wainwright said. “It’s about voting. Don’t protest if you’re not going to vote. Don’t protest if you’re not going to get active in that way.” August 18, 2017 News 5
GEORGIA NEWS
Investigation continues into death of Atlanta transwoman Community, labor unions hold memorial services in woman’s honor
cording to its Facebook page. Nationally, UNITE HERE represents more than a quarter-million workers in the US and Canada.
By DALLAS ANNE DUNCAN dduncan@thegavoice.com College Park, Georgia, police continue to investigate the death of Tee Tee Dangerfield, 32, an Atlanta transgender woman murdered on July 31. On Aug. 14, police released surveillance videos showing Dangerfield entering the 50 Yard Line sports bar just after 1 a.m. on July 31, where she was meeting a friend for drinks. A second video shows her leaving alone just after 3 a.m. Just 90 minutes later, Dangerfield was found shot in her car, five miles away at the South Hampton Estates apartment complex. She had multiple gunshot wounds. Major Lance Patterson told Georgia Voice that College Park Fire Rescue took Dangerfield to Grady Memorial Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. Police continue to seek a motive in the murder and haven’t ruled out that it had to do with Dangerfield’s gender identity. There are no suspects at this time. “Detectives are out there right now following up on leads that have been coming in since then,” Patterson said. The incident occurred just two days after the Transgender Equality March in Midtown, which followed President Donald Trump’s July 26 tweets effectively barring trans service members from serving in the US military. Dangerfield reportedly participated in that march. Dangerfield was the 16th known transgender person killed so far in the US this year. The majority of these victims were women of color, as Dangerfield was. She was the second Georgia transwoman to be murdered in barely a month: 17-year-old Ava Le’Ray Barrin, also of Atlanta, was murdered in Athens during an argument with another transwoman, who has since been charged with the crime.
Tee Tee Dangerfield, 32, was murdered in College Park, Georgia, on July 31. Police have not ruled out that the crime may have to do with her gender, as Dangerfield was transgender. (Photo via Facebook)
“While we mourn a vibrant life taken much too soon, we are also angry. Angry that transphobia and hate continue to fester in the United States, where all individuals have the right to live as whomever they are.” —UNITE HERE Local 23 statement on the murder of union member Tee Tee Dangerfield Airport workers’ union hosted memorials UNITE HERE Local 23, the union Dangerfield was a member of, hosted a memorial at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Aug. 11. Dangerfield was a server at the airport. “We are horrified and saddened [at] the unconscionable killing of our sister Tee Tee. While we mourn a vibrant life taken much too soon, we are also angry. Angry that transphobia and hate continue to fester in the United States, where all individuals have the right to live as whomever they are,” the union’s event page reads. “We will honor Tee Tee’s memory by uplifting the voices of our
trans communities, fighting for basic liberties for our union members across the country and by standing shoulder-to-shoulder with those working to ensure that there will never be another senseless killing.” Local 23 was founded in 2009 and represents approximately 4,000 airport workers in 10 cities nationwide. Since then, the organization grew to nearly 16,000 members, including food service workers at universities and museums, airport concessions, hotel and parking attendants. The union is a branch of the national UNITE HERE, which started in 2004 as the union of workers in North America’s hotel gaming, restaurant, food service, laundry and textile industries, ac-
‘She was beloved in the Atlanta community’ A second memorial took place on Aug. 12, organized by Local 23, Solutions Not Punishment Coalition, Atlanta Jobs with Justice and Southerners On New Ground. “She was beloved in the Atlanta community, friend to many of our members and a beautiful person grounded in spirit and rooted in unapologetically living her truth, while loving those fiercely [living] theirs,” that event page read. Local 23 also issued a statement on its website regarding Dangerfield’s murder. “Tee Tee was not only a skilled server whose warm and friendly service led some passengers to seek her out specifically when they flew out of or through ATL — she was also a leader in her union, seeking to become ‘the best shop steward our union had ever seen,’” the statement says. “While we mourn the fact that her life was taken so soon and so violently, we are also angry. Angry that transphobia and hate continue to manifest in our communities, where all individuals have the right to live their lives as whomever they are.” The Dangerfield family launched a GoFundMe account to raise money for their loved one’s expenses and burial. “The Dangerfield family would like to thank everyone who has expressed their condolences — and blessed us with their prayers during this extremely difficult time. Our family never thought we would have to bury our loved one — unexpectedly,” the fundraising page reads. “We want you to know your love and support has meant everything to our family. We also want you to know that Tee Tee was a prideful transgendered woman and happily supported her community. … For all those who [are] a part of the LGBT community, in transition, scared of people’s perceptions, know that Tee Tee would say — ‘Be fabulous, honey!’” If you have any information about Dangerfield’s murder, police ask you to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477.
6 News August 18, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
ELECTION NEWS
Atlanta mayoral candidates tackle LGBT issues Rainbros. plans youth-centered forum to address homelessness, HIV epidemic By DALLAS ANNE DUNCAN dduncan@thegavoice.com There’s a crowded ticket coming to ballot boxes this November: in addition to city council and school board races, Atlanta will elect its new mayor. A handful of candidates are considered top contenders, and it is these that gay peer mentoring organization Rainbros. invited to its upcoming mayoral forum geared toward reaching the younger LGBT voting population. “[James Brian Yancey, founder of Rainbros.] thought it would be a great idea to get some of the younger voters out there to get out
and make a difference,” event organizer Charlie Paine said. “It’s a good way to get LGBTQIA youth involved in issues that matter to them.” This is the second LGBT-geared mayoral forum, following one held in late June through the Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Maria Saporta of SaportaReport moderated a discussion between eight candidates. That forum included questions for Atlanta’s business community, and also touched on how the candidates felt about keeping openly gay police Chief Erika Shields on staff if elected. Topics up for discussion at the Rainbros. event include Atlanta’s HIV epidemic, homeless youth and how the city is a “sanctuary city” in a way for LGBT youth in the Southeast. “I know [HIV] has been an issue that hasn’t been talked about by our current mayor much at all,” Paine said. “We’re talking about policing
Maria Saporta, far left, moderated the June 23 Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce mayoral forum, which included eight candidates. Pictured, from left, are Peter Aman, Keisha Lance Bottoms, John Eaves, Vincent Fort and Kwanza Hall. (Photo by Dallas Anne Duncan)
as well, understanding that police aren’t really trained in helping LGBTQIA youth and this is something we could possibly make better.” Paine said the younger voting crowd is a hard population to reach, and he hopes students at Atlanta’s colleges and universities come out in force to hear from their candidates. “Local politics makes way more of a difference than national. It’s overshadowed, but the deci-
sions that are made at the local level really changes the ideology of the population and can actually change national politics in the long run,” he said. In preparation for the forum, Georgia Voice posed a question to the candidates: In what specific ways do you plan to protect LGBT citizens in Atlanta from both discrimination and bodily harm? Their answers, limited to approximately 75 words, are on page 8.
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Even though we are in a relationship, it’s still important that we get tested. It’s about making HIV testing routine. If you are sexually active, you should be getting tested for HIV. — DaShawn and Courtney
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WE’RE
DOING IT Testing for HIV #DoingIt Testing is Fast, Free, and Confidential cdc.gov/DoingIt www.thegeorgiavoice.com
August 18, 2017 News 7
ELECTION NEWS
Atlanta mayoral candidates on LGBT issues
We ask, ‘In what specific ways do you plan to protect LGBT citizens from both discrimination and bodily harm?’ Peter Aman
Keisha Lance Bottoms
DEMOCRAT
“As mayor, I will offer [Atlanta Police Department] resources to our schools so that they can learn best practices in reducing bullying and suicide rates for LGBTQIA students. I will lobby City Council to mandate transgender workplace transition guidelines for city employees. We will update the city application for HIV/AIDS relief to remove gender binary, while expanding transgender interaction training policies for our police force. And, we will do more to combat LGBTQIA homelessness.”
Vincent Fort
DID NOT RESPOND AS OF PRESS TIME.
“I will appoint a LGBT advisory board that will have more than just a seat at the table. It will help develop policy ensuring that LGBT citizens are safe, secure and thriving. I have appointed LGBT citizens at all levels of Fulton County; I will do the same at City Hall so voices of equality are heard. I will ensure we have sensitivity training as we expand the number of police officers on the street.”
Laban King *
DEMOCRAT
“I will use my office to oppose any religious freedom act, RFRA-type legislation as I did while I served in the state Senate. As a senator in 2016, I made the motion in committee to slow down the RFRA bill … I authored the state’s first hate crimes law. With that in mind, I will make sure the Atlanta Police Department works to diligently prevent and investigate hate crimes directed at the LGBTQ community.”**
DEMOCRAT
“Found within the booklet ‘Born Free and Equal: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in International Human Rights Law,’ issued by the United Nations, are recommendations I will follow as mayor: ‘To protect people from homophobic and transphobic violence. Include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics in hate crime laws. Establish effective systems to record and report hate-motivated acts of violence. Ensure effective investigation and prosecution of perpetrators and redress for victims of such violence.”**
DEMOCRAT
Kwanza Hall
DEMOCRAT
Ceasar Mitchell
John Eaves
DEMOCRAT
“I believe in solutions, not punishment. Our police department’s sensitivity training, liaison appointments and Citizen Review Board will be enhanced. As mayor, I will expand our pre-arrest diversion program, created as a solution to prevent pushing transgender people into jail. I will partner with AGLCC to execute a business development program to expand consideration of LGBTQ entrepreneurs for all city contracts, especially at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Discrimination in any arena will not be tolerated.”**
DEMOCRAT
“My goal is to create a zone of safety [at Pride events] that will be designated [to] have police presence with visible and undercover officers, as well as first responders. I would … create safe meet-up areas for members of the community that would love to meet up with individuals they befriend via social/dating apps. … I will introduce a special LGBT task force within the police department that will specifically focus on needs of the community.”**
Mary Norwood
Cathy Woolard *
INDEPENDENT
“A Norwood administration would speak out forcefully against hate speech, hate crimes and discrimination; encourage the General Assembly not to pass discriminatory religious liberty laws; revamp Atlanta Police Department training on LGBT issues and encourage members of the LGBTQ community to apply for jobs; cooperate with Fulton County on HIV/AIDS education; adopt safe and bias-free educational policies for LGBT students; raise awareness that LGBTQ youth [are at high risk for suicide, homelessness and sex trafficking].”**
DEMOCRAT
“On City Council, I led passage of the only comprehensive civil rights bill in Georgia, sued our insurance commissioner for companies to provide domestic partnership benefits and added gender identity to our employee non-discrimination ordinance. As mayor, I will support statewide civil rights and hate crime bills, provide more housing for LGBT youth and persons with HIV, ensure appropriate training for [Atlanta Police Department] and other city employees and include LGBT-owned businesses in our minority contracting program.”
*denotes openly LGBT candidate ** comments edited to fit in space allotted
8 News August 18, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
NEWS BRIEFS GOP gubernatorial hopefuls support RFRA Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle signed a pledge to enact a “religious freedom” measure if elected, joining three of his rivals in the GOP primary race for Georgia governor who already signaled support for the pledge. That means if an anti-LGBT “religious freedom” bill hits their desk if elected governor, they promise to sign it. Cagle’s decision is a surprise given previous statements on the measure and the party’s attempt to give him political cover by adopting a resolution on Aug. 5 that “supported the controversial measure without including a pledge” for candidates to back it. But a few days later, a conservative group called the Georgia Republican Assembly upped the pressure on Cagle, saying the party’s move was “unacceptable both to Republican voters and to voters at large,” according to the AJC. With Secretary of State Brian Kemp and state Sens. Michael Williams and Hunter Hill already vowing to sign it, the lieutenant governor appeared boxed in on the contentious issue. But now he’s signed the pledge, tacking right. Democratic candidate Rep. Stacey Abrams responded to the announcement via Twitter, saying she is “deeply disappointed we continue to have state leaders push discrimination under the guise of religion” and pledging her support as a LGBT ally. Dunwoody resident — and previous presidential candidate — Marc Alan Urbach also entered the gubernatorial race for the GOP, but had not yet made it known whether he would sign such a pledge or not. Georgia congressman praises trans troop ban at town hall Georgia Congressman Buddy Carter showed his support for a ban on transgender troops in the US military during an Aug. 9 town hall meeting in Brunswick. The Washington Post’s Dave Wiegel reports that Carter, a Republican in his second term representing Georgia’s 1st Congressional District, talked over boos from the crowd as he told them, “I don’t want ‘em serving in the military. I’m sorry.” The comments came two days after the release of a Palm Center report showing that discharging transgender troops would cost the US nearly $1 billion, more than 100 times the cot of providing healthcare for www.thegeorgiavoice.com
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle is one of four Republican gubernatorial hopefuls who recently signed a pledge indicating they would pass a ‘religious freedom’ bill if one comes across their desk. (Photo via Facebook)
trans troops (estimated at $8.4 million). Colton Griffin, chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia’s LGBTQ Caucus, issued a statement in response to Carter’s comments. “Buddy Carter’s remarks are reprehensible,” he said. “Carter’s comments are particularly appalling as they come out of the mouth of someone who has never worn the uniform. If Buddy Carter and Donald Trump get their way, thousands of military personnel will be shoved back in the closet, placing our national security at risk. At this moment, these service members are deployed around the globe protecting Americans — including Buddy Carter. The DPG stands with those fighting for our right to live freely, and champion their right to serve freely.” Gay Atlanta School Board candidate switches races Atlanta School Board candidate Charlie Stadtlander, an openly gay former teacher, is changing races. Stadtlander told Georgia Voice on Aug. 11 that he has dropped out of the District 3 race to run for the At-Large Seat 8 position now held by Cynthia Briscoe Brown. Until that day, Brown ran unopposed. Stadtlander said the decision came after meeting with
stakeholders in Districts 3 and 4, which are represented on the board by this at-large position, which is elected city-wide. He said those he spoke with were not pleased with Brown’s performance. “You’re there to support the board members from Districts 3 and 4,” he said. “I don’t think that’s been happening with Cynthia Briscoe Brown. She’s been neglecting District 3, which is heavily LGBT, and has been paying some attention to District 4.” Brown said those comments concerned her. “This is a citywide position,” she told Georgia Voice. “While I am required to be physically resident in District 3 or 4 to run for this seat, I am a true citywide representative and I take that very seriously. I try to visit every school every single year. … I certainly don’t think I neglect the schools in District 3 or District 4.” Stadtlander said though the candidates who remain on the District 3 ballot support his main campaign points, he does not feel Brown does, which played into his decision to challenge her. Brown said she welcomes the opportunity to sit down with those who feel she hasn’t done what she set out to do when she was elected four years ago. The Atlanta Board of Education election will take place in November. August 18, 2017 News 9
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Lies, chaos and countering the hate BY PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com PO Box 77401 • Atlanta, GA 30357 P: 404-815-6941; F: 404-963-6365
EDITORIAL
Editor: Patrick Saunders psaunders@thegavoice.com Deputy Editor: Dallas Anne Duncan dduncan@thegavoice.com Editorial Contributors: Ashleigh Atwell, Cliff Bostock, Melissa Carter, Jim Farmer, Shannon Hames, Ryan Lee, Robbie Medwed, Matt Schafer, Dionne N. Walker, Simon Williamson
PRODUCTION
Art Director: Rob Boeger rboeger@thegavoice.com
BUSINESS
Managing Partner/Publisher: Tim Boyd tboyd@thegavoice.com
SALES
Sales Executive: Dixon Taylor dtaylor@thegavoice.com Business Advisor: Lynn Pasqualetti Financial Firm of Record: HLM Financial Group National Advertising: Rivendell Media, 908-232-2021 sales@rivendellmedia.com Publisher Emeritus: Chris Cash
FINE PRINT
All material in Georgia Voice is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of Georgia Voice. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons. We also do not accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Unsolicited editorial material is accepted by Georgia Voice, but we do not take responsibility for its return. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject or edit any submission. Guidelines for freelance contributors are available upon request. A single copy of Georgia Voice is available from authorized distribution points. Multiple copies are available from Georgia Voice office only. Call for rates. If you are unable to reach a convenient free distribution point, you may receive a 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 Georgia Voice, PO Box 77401, Atlanta, GA 30357. 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 Georgia Voice are expressed in editorials and in editor’s notes. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Georgia Voice and its staff. To submit a letter or commentary: Letters should be fewer than 400 words and commentary, for web or print, should be fewer than 750 words. Submissions may be edited for content and length, and must include a name, address and phone number for verification. Email submissions to editor@thegavoice.com or mail to the address above.
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10 Outspoken August 18, 2017
“So many outrageous actions by President Trump have inspired so many protests in reaction that we wanted to arm those who’ve yet to take the plunge into organizing such an event. Sadly, I fear the president will continue to give us reasons to take to the streets as long as he is in office.” When we as a staff meet to talk about what to cover in each issue, we’re looking to capture the mood of the moment, to document that two-week period of time and hopefully give you the tools you need to face the next two weeks and beyond. The Saturday before we went to press, we all were inundated with the images flashing across our various screens from Charlottesville. The white supremacist rally (that wasn’t) almost became surreal to take in. This wasn’t concealed hatred. These weren’t cowards hiding under white masks. This was a group of people coming out of the neo-Nazi closet, emboldened by the support and encouragement of the president. A protest against white supremacy and in support of murder victim Hannah Heyer took place the next day in Woodruff Park, with the crowd then streaming into the street and marching to Piedmont Park. You’ll notice our lead news story in this issue is about the ins and outs of protesting. We talked to others that have experience organizing protests and marches, some with decades under their belt, some whose inner activist has blossomed since last November’s election. It might appear like we did that story in response to the Charlottesville fiasco. Sadly, it was the previous Trump-inspired protest that got us thinking about doing this story – the local march that followed his tweets about banning transgender troops from the US military. So many outrageous actions by President Trump have inspired so many protests in reaction that we wanted to arm those who’ve yet to take the plunge into organizing such an event. Sadly, I fear the president will continue to give us reasons to take to the streets as long as he is in office.
You’ll also notice our cover ties into both the protest story and our main section for this issue, which is, well … you. Every year we turn over a few pages to readers to speak out on a topic by writing an editorial. This year, we’ve got writers covering elitism in the local LGBT rights movement, HIV/AIDS, reproductive justice and affordable housing for the trans community. While this is the one issue we devote a special section to on your editorials, be aware that we are always accepting editorials throughout the year on the topics that matter to you. Got something to say? Send it to me at editor@thegavoice.com. You’ll also see coverage of the Atlanta mayoral race in this issue. We give a preview of a LGBT youth forum coming up Aug. 29 and then we ask each of the nine major candidates one question about protecting Atlanta’s LGBT citizens. We’ll continue to ask more questions of them as November approaches, and prepare to see wall-to-wall coverage of that race plus the other municipal races on the ballot in the coming months. Atlanta has the largest Black Gay Pride celebration in the country, so we always devote a ton of coverage to it. This issue we include a minipreview of events lined up, but expect more extensive coverage in the Sept. 1 issue. Elsewhere in the issue, we catch you up on a fascinating local LGBT youth, give you the scoop on the popular Andro Fashion Show and deliver all your favorite columns and columnists as well. Liking everything you see? Are we missing out on covering anything either here in print or online? Let me know at editor@ thegavoice.com. This is our community, and this is your paper.
FEEDBACK Re: “Eating My Words: 25 years of dining with drag queens,” Aug. 4 “What a great memory! I knew all those names. We had so much fun back then!” -David Cauthen via Facebook Re: “‘I don’t want ‘em:’ Georgia congressman praises transgender troop ban at town hall,” Aug. 10 “That’s OK, congressman. I don’t care to do anything for your country either. It’s certainly not mine anymore.” -Angela Ina Marie via www.thegeorgiavoice.com “I really do not give a tinker’s damn whether Buddy Carter doesn’t want transgender people serving in the military. Every trans person serving is a citizen of the United States and entitled to all rights and privileges therein. Buddy Carter is probably one of those folks who wouldn’t want people of color serving either … he’s just more subtle with his racism than his homo/transphobia. Buddy, dude, you have actual business to take care of in the House of Representatives. Stop using every diversion you can to avoid the work you were elected to do.” -Bruce Garner via www.thegeorgiavoice.com Re: “Melissa Carter: No more whispers, son,” Aug. 14 “Beautifully written. I always loved hearing you in the morning. I moved away from Atlanta almost nine years ago, but I have kept up with you because you were a favorite. Good luck! Augusta would welcome you with open arms.” -Rebecca Pierce via www.thegeorgiavoice.com “You were and are part of what makes Atlanta great, Melissa. You made me more proud to be a transplanted Atlantan and you also made me more proud to be me. Your determination to be yourself and to be open about it inspired me to do the same. Thank you for that, for the thought-provoking programming and for the many laughs. I won’t forget you and the contribution you were and are.” -Jake Rothschild via www.thegeorgiavoice.com Want to be featured in Feedback? Leave a comment to a story via social media or on our website, or email editor@thegavoice.com with the subject line “Feedback.” www.thegeorgiavoice.com
IN THE MARGINS By Ashleigh Atwell
We need more than love Ashleigh Atwell is a queer lesbian writer and organizer born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. If you have been in any LGBTQ space in the past decade, you’ve probably heard some variation of “love is love.” Even before I came out, love as a unifier has been a pervasive theme. When same-sex marriage was illegal, it was a central theme. When the ban was overturned, activists declared that love won. When the Pulse shooting sent a ripple through our community, we were told that love, not hate, was the answer. Even outside of queer spaces, I hear this message. Whenever something inflammatory happens, the love brigade comes out. If something egregious happens, we’re told that if we love each other enough, we can get
through it. The latest example is the chaos erupting in Charlottesville. In the wake of blatant white supremacist terrorism, we are being told that we need to love them through it. Former President Barack Obama tweeted “People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love … No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion.” As I scroll through my Facebook and Twitter feeds, I see people parroting the same message. While all of this sounds great in theory, I can’t help but wonder if it is truly
“How far has trying to love our oppressors through our oppression gotten us? Would a hug or heart emoji have stopped Omar Mateen from storming Pulse?” genuine. How far has trying to love our oppressors through our oppression gotten us? Would a hug or heart emoji have stopped Omar Mateen from storming Pulse? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is often quoted when people invoke this trope. He is seen as the shining example of being peaceful and loving. Yet, that didn’t stop the bullet on that fateful day at the Lorraine Motel. It didn’t prevent Heather Heyer and several others from being mowed down by that car. The idea that love is love, from my observation, is typically invoked when the privileged, or complicit, don’t want the marginalized to complain too loudly. When the marginal-
ized get a little too loud, this superficial love is stuffed down their throats to pacify them. Those that resist this message are portrayed as too aggressive or hateful. It is a ploy to stop people from challenging the status quo. After all, no one wants to be the feminist, anti-racist or Tumblr liberal killjoy. They get drowned out and walked all over by the love squad. Business continues as usual and no real work is done. If you truly love someone, or people in general, you want to see them being their full selves. You want to see them free and liberated. Silencing someone with superficial positivity isn’t love.
BILL POWELL FOR COUNCILMAN DISTRICT 1 ✔ Support Atlanta’s
Sanctuary City efforts ✔ Greater HIV access to health resources ✔ Develop Grant Park electric shuttle service The City Council constantly ignores available federal funds for vital city services. I will seek every available federal dollar for crucial projects in Atlanta.
POWELLDISTRICT1.com 404-627-6685 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
August 18, 2017 Outspoken 11
CATCHING UP WITH …
Best of Atlanta winner Keith Xavier Harding 19-year-old holds master’s degree, working toward full counseling licensure By DALLAS ANNE DUNCAN At the ripe old age of 19, Keith Xavier Harding already holds a bachelor’s degree in music performance, a master’s in counseling and a certificate declaring him 2017’s top up-and-coming LGBT youth in the Georgia Voice Best of Atlanta awards. Though he’s only been an Atlantan for a year — Harding grew up with nine siblings in Montgomery, Alabama — he’s made strides and found his niche. He and his partner are about to celebrate their third anniversary, he’s an associate therapist at Thriving Heart working on his counseling license and he’s a proud member of OurSong chorus and ACFLY, the Atlanta Coalition for LGBTQ Youth. Georgia Voice recently caught up with Harding to learn more about his background, his future career plans and just how he got into Faulkner University at age 11. You were homeschooled year-round. Was that how you were able to go to college so young, literally because you finished everything at an earlier age? We’re not geniuses or anything exceptional as far as our abilities. My older siblings had all been through the same thing, so we kind of had our own little program designed around it. We focused on prepping on the entrance exams. In Alabama, we just did the ACT, which is what I took. We would kind of prep the basics of what you needed apart from our interests and what we wanted to major in. We focused on the core subjects and preparing for those, but it was a lot of self-led learning, as you can imagine. What drew you to become a music major? I was 9 years old and I started playing violin. My sister had a violin that I think my mother’s cousin gave to us, and it was just
“[In college] people were very protective. I think they saw a bit of themselves in me at first — that kid seems a little lost. There were a lot of mothers who came out of the woodworks to help care for me and make sure I knew where I was going.” —Keith Xavier Harding, Georgia Voice 2017 Best Up-and-Coming LGBT Youth winner
sitting in the closet. I found it one day and was really fascinated by it. I started asking my mom, “Can I start lessons?” My older sister had a friend from her college just down the street who was a music major … and I just started learning from that friend over time. I went into the program just being really excited to learn more about music, not having a lot of prior experience. I didn’t do band in school — I didn’t have school in the traditional sense — so I just had exposure to a little bit and was really interested. Violin was my focus as a music performance major, and then I did things like band and choir. I was a boys soprano the first semester, which was very exciting for the choir director because he’d never had that opportunity. How did you go from music to counseling for your graduate program? I was really drawn to counseling when I was 15, when I was graduating. I was taking an introduction to psychology class and was fascinated by personality theories and the workings of the inner mind. I was also really going through a lot with being young and really reconciling being gay and being in the South, and how to approach that.
Keith Xavier Harding, 19, is an associate counselor at Thriving Heart in Atlanta. He hopes to have his own practice within the next five years, working primarily with LGBT clients. (Photo by Dallas Anne Duncan)
To see that I wasn’t alone, that there were many other LGBT youth who were feeling the same, and I was watching “Glee” and I saw the guidance counselor in “Glee” and I was like, “Oh!” That really stayed with me. Do you ever think you missed out on that traditional college experience, having gone through it so young? That’s a question a lot of people ask. My answer always had been, “I feel like it was different, but I still had a great experience.” I still believe that. It’s a hard question, but I think that I don’t feel a sense of missing out, but more the thing I have to think about is the sense of being a little different, and how I can relate to people and find common experiences. [In college] people were very protective. I think they saw a bit of themselves in me at first — that kid seems a little lost. There were a lot of mothers who came out of the woodworks to help care for me and make sure I knew where I was going. How did you come to find Thriving Heart? I was really drawn to working with trans-
gender individuals because I did an internship in Montgomery and I worked with LGBT youth. I really liked the holistic focus at Thriving Heart and caring for the whole person, so those two things are really important to me. I felt like something was kind of drawing me here, so that was great, and since being here I’ve learned a lot and it’s been a great experience. Where do you see yourself in, say, five years? I’d like to have a very focused and established practice that allows me to really work with clients who maybe have complex issues, such as layers of things they’re working through — maybe trauma as well as identity concerns. I’ve been really interested in populations that have more accessibility concerns, like I’m learning American Sign Language and that’s of interest to me. I really like working with challenging concerns for clients and I want to become an expert. I don’t know if five years is enough to call yourself an expert, but it will be a good start in terms of working with LGBT youth.
12 Community August 18, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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YOUR VOICE, YOUR WORDS
When does sexual and reproductive justice matter? All the time. By DÁZON DIXON DIALLO Dázon Dixon Diallo is the founder and president of SisterLove, Inc. ???? Sexual and reproductive justice (SRJ) matters all the time for everybody. Originally created in 1994 by a small group of black women reproductive health and rights activists, reproductive justice (RJ) has become the guiding framework for social change and human rights activism across the US and around the world. Reproductive justice, at its most basic definition, was about clearly defining the rights, resources and agency of women to: have the children they want to have; not have the children they do not want to have; and to parent the children they choose to – with the equality, equity, protections and rights needed to pursue any of those choices. I added the sexual component to my own understanding of RJ because so much of the
“After graduating from college, I set my sights on Atlanta. I thought relocating my base could present a larger field of opportunities to make a difference, but I soon found myself navigating an exhausting social scene mired in superficiality and privilege.” Recently, I was able to be a part of a movement that resulted in an amendment to the Macon-Bibb Charter and Code of Ordinances that now prohibits discrimination in public employment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. We marched and rallied together in parks, crowded out the county commission chamber and worked with our local representatives to make a change. Although middle Georgia has a long road ahead in the fight for equality, the only prerequisite to our efforts was that we wanted change. It was a group effort, bound by love of each other. After graduating from college, I set my sights on Atlanta. I thought relocating my 14 Outspoken August 18, 2017
work I do with HIV and the social determinants that drive it connects me to people who may not have uteruses, who may not be conforming to gender “norms” or who may not fit inside the conventional reproductive rights construct, but want to have the freedom to love, have sex and have families on their own terms. SRJ matters all the time because intersectionality matters, all the time. When civil rights advocate Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw coined the term, intersectionality itself was narrower in its scope and definition than it has become through the development of intersecting movements. This is something that the far right has recognized and become even more fearful of. They can now see that
the LGBTQ+, women’s rights, anti-poverty, anti-violence, disability rights, housing and environmental activists and so many other movements are finding their way to solidarity with each other – we are becoming more intersectional in our movement building and in our fight – and we have a long way to go. But, when a white supremacist website can publicly defend the murder of Heather Heyer (#charlottesville) by calling her fat and childless – and then go on to rant about how her weight and her decision to not be a mother makes her a burdensome drain and pariah in “their country” – then we know they are afraid for the unification of our movements. They could easily have been denigrating a poor black woman, but this woman was
“Knowing how to navigate the intersections of personal, physical, social, political, economic, environmental, cultural and sexual realities for individuals and for groups is critical to affecting change, especially social change.” white (privileged)! I was surprised they didn’t presume anything about her sexuality! Intersectionality can be a winning strategy because dignity and quality of life are the essential goals. Power and agency are the essential tools. Knowing how to navigate the intersections of personal, physical, social, political, economic, environmental, cultural and sexual realities for individuals and for groups is critical to affecting change, especially social change. SRJ matters all the time because it takes into consideration the wholeness of one’s humanity. It helps us dismantle the notions of margins and mainstream. SRJ matters all the time because, by the gift of black women’s wisdom to define our own reality, it creates space for all people to do the same.
The other virus ravaging Atlanta’s queer community By A. BENTLEY HUDGINS A. Bentley Hudgins is a recent transplant to Atlanta from Macon, Georgia. He holds a degree in philosophy from Mercer University, with research in bioethics and policy. base could present a larger field of opportunities to make a difference, but I soon found myself navigating an exhausting social scene mired in superficiality and privilege. More and more, I ended up at events in the name of queer liberation that felt more like a poorly veiled excuse to network with pretty white masc gay men over cocktails. The only way to garner any attention was to talk about my education or past successes. Immediately, I began to miss the heart of the movement I felt in Macon where people recognized that lives are at stake; where significant progress was made and laws were changed. I didn’t have to stroke any egos, nor did I have to present myself in a suit.
Although Atlanta may be more progressive than its counterparts throughout the state, the queer community is still plagued with the same societal ills that we claim to fight. Why is it that our black and brown trans family members have historically been the leaders of queer liberation, but are still the last ones to receive any credit or opportunities? Why are those without the backing and support of significant financial assets barricaded from leadership in advocacy and political platforms? The integration of queer culture into our current political environment and market economy has resulted in our identities being exchanged for social mobility. Even more prevalent in larger cities, the homogenization
of queer culture is manifested in the promotion of the hypersexualized ideal gay male that looks no different than the heteronormative model. By recreating the same barriers that exist in society-at-large, the integrity in our movement has become questionable. Systemic oppression of insular minorities functions like a social virus. It weakens our communities by disabling and killing the people who have the largest stake in our fight for survival. It constantly mutates as it spreads from one to another, finding new ways to infect what could have thrived. In our fight for equality, we cannot let this continue. We have to speak truth into power. We have to constantly check our motives www.thegeorgiavoice.com
YOUR VOICE, YOUR WORDS
Affordable housing crisis hits trans community hard BY JAMIE ROBERTS Jamie Roberts is a volunteer with Trans Housing Atlanta Program, Inc. ???? There’s no denying that right now in Atlanta and the surrounding metro area, we’re experiencing a building boom in office space and housing that we haven’t seen since before the economic crisis of 2007-2008. Before we pop a bottle of Moet and celebrate our fabulousness, however, we should ask: who is this trend benefiting, and is there a downside to all of this? The unfortunate truth is that all this new prosperity is pushing property values to new heights, raising the rents for everyone and pushing out those who can’t keep up. What of all those big new apartment buildings with more than 50 units that are going up all over town? A review of data provided by RentCafe, a rental search company, found
“As we grapple with the impact of HIV on our communities, not unlike those before us, I hope to extract lessons and blueprints from our ancestors to clarify, order, and inspire our next steps.” I am a black gay man from the South. I grew up with a vague notion of what it meant to be gay, and none of what it meant to be both black and gay. Years later, this would become both the fuel and the fire for my writing and my activism, especially upon learning that so much of our movement history as black gay men had been erased or fragmented. Collective memory is not an exercise in nostalgia, but an exercise in healing. And in that spirit, I hope to channel the strength of the black gay men that came before me, knowing they were not silent, they were were not passive bystanders, and they demanded to be heard. Childhood was an endless winter, an www.thegeorgiavoice.com
that 96 percent of all of those apartment building are defined as “luxury” apartments – that is, targeted to those who could afford to buy, but choose to rent. The pain of gentrification and rising property values is spread broadly across the working class and low- and fixed-income population of metro Atlanta. For sexual, gender, racial and other minorities, the problem is more acute as we also have to deal with structural discrimination on top of the broader economic trends in housing. Recently, the Urban Institute conducted a study in similar cities of Dallas, Washington, DC, as well as Los Angeles and found that gay, lesbian and trans folks were treated unfairly compared to other individuals seek-
ing similar housing. Gay men in particular were charged more for their housing, and trans individuals were offered fewer units of housing generally, regardless of whether they disclosed their gender identity. Barriers to affordable housing in Georgia hit trans folks even harder. A recent nationwide study by the National Center for Transgender Equality of 614 trans Georgians found shocking levels of discrimination and homelessness: 27 percent of respondents experienced some form of housing discrimination in the past year, such as being evicted from their home or denied a home or apartment because of being transgender; 32 percent have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives; and 19 percent experienced homelessness in the
“If we want to make affordable housing a reality, it’s up to our community of common interests to create and support affordable housing options by pooling our resources and finding resources through philanthropy to support housing that is safe and accessible to the most vulnerable among us.” past year because of being transgender. I believe we can do better in Atlanta – the cradle of civil rights, the city too busy to hate – for our working class, for our gay and lesbian communities and for our trans and gender nonconforming people. The government has largely withdrawn from creating new affordable housing units. The developers in the private market are unwilling to build affordable units. Right now, if we want to make affordable housing a reality, it’s up to our community of common interests to create and support affordable housing options by pooling our resources and finding resources through philanthropy to support housing that is safe and accessible to the most vulnerable among us.
Collective memory is an act of resistance BY CHARLES STEPHENS Charles Stephens is the director of The Counter Narrative Project. emotional life frozen under the expectations of those around me to conform to appropriate black maleness. Then in my mid-teens, as my self-awareness around my sexuality evolved, and the feelings I was having became less whisper and more shout, the vast interior of my emotional life expanded. Through the works of James Baldwin, Essex Hemphill, Joseph Beam and Craig Harris, I found a blueprint to navigate the new terrain, and lacking a social safety net, I found a cultural one. I was able to align myself with a political and intellectual community that I mostly felt supported by. I became a sort of go-to on the panel circuit. And yet even in all of my activity and efforts, my almost compulsive pro-
ductivity, I felt like there was something missing. In grappling with this, the thing missing, I found myself dreaming about what would later become the Counter Narrative Project. As the HIV funding landscape shifted and community-building gave way to our current obsession with finding “high-risk negatives,” the network of workshops, programs and events that were so instrumental in the development of my political consciousness as a black gay man disappeared. Our community work started being starved and our efforts suffered. Neo-liberalism isn’t just about the conversion of citizens into consumers, but grassroots movements into sprawling bureaucracies. Neo-liberalism is also about forgetting. That’s why collective memory,
for so many of us, is an act of resistance. And any consideration of movement history, and collective memory as an act of resistance, conjurs up the force that was the writer and activist Craig G. Harris. His act of defiance, taking the stage of the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, grabbing the mic and proclaiming “I will be heard,” is the inspiration behind the “I Will Be Heard” day of action, and also in the DNA of all of our efforts as black gay men to respond to the impact of HIV on our lives and communities. We, at Counter Narrative Project, celebrate the courage and legacy of Craig G. Harris, and we also celebrate the generation of black gay men that built the ground we stand. August 18, 2017 Outspoken 15
BLACKGAYPRIDE PREVIEW GUIDE TO THE BEST BLACK GAY PRIDE EVENTS IN ATLANTA FOR AUG. 30 – SEPT. 5
It’s the largest Black Gay Pride in the country for several reasons, and one of them is definitely the parties! We’ll have our full Black Gay Pride preview in our Sept. 1 issue, but until then, here’s just a taste of what’s in store for you at this year’s event.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 30
Kia Comedy and Chase Daniels are your hosts for the Kickoff Karaoke and Beer Pong Tournament, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m., My Sister’s Room, 66 12th St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.mysistersroom.com Lace ‘em up! It’s the annual Pride Skate Party, location TBA, 9 p.m. – 2 a.m., www.atlantaprideweeekend.com
THURSDAY, AUG. 31
It’s back! Allure: The Andro Fashion Show features androgynous and masculine-identified lesbians and trans men at Tago International Center, 4 – 7 p.m., 1735 Defoor Place N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318, www.androfashionshow.com For more details, turn to page 25. Dress to the nines for the Black Gay Pride Official VIP Welcome Reception at Alibi Atlanta, 6 – 9 p.m., 956 Spring St., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.atlantaprideweekend.com The Andro Fashion Show After Party features hosts Kia Comedy and Prada 2Fly with beats by DJ Kenzie Q, 10 p.m. – 2 a.m., My Sister’s Room, 66 12th St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.mysistersroom.com The girls will be headed to the Annual STRIP HER event at Soul Bar at Pal’s Lounge, 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., 254 Auburn Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.atlantaprideweekend.com Those beats you hear in Midtown will be coming from the Bad & Boujee Annual Kickoff Party at Opium, 10 p.m. –
3 a.m., 960 Spring St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.atlantaprideweekend.com
FRIDAY, SEPT. 1
Kia Comedy (Courtesy photo)
See some skin at the Naked Hustle Day Party at Magic City, 3 – 8 p.m., 241 Forsyth St. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.atlantaprideweekend.com RockStars Production hosts a PreGame Cocktail Mixer to get the night started right, 5 – 9 p.m., location TBA, www.rockstarsproduction.com Get your laugh on at the Annual Comedy Show hosted by Queen Sheba at the Georgian Terrace Hotel, 7 – 10 p.m., 659 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30308, www.atlantaprideweekend.com Whitney Mixter from “The Real L Word” makes her first appearance of the weekend at the Beautiful Burlesque Show featuring a five-star stud tour, glam stations, go-go dancers and drag shows, 8 p.m. – 3 a.m., My Sister’s Room, 66 12th St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.mysistersroom.com Attention, girls! It’s the Annual Mega Friday Night Live Ladies Lounge Party at Museum Bar, 10 p.m. – 4 a.m., 181 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30312, www.atlantaprideweekend.com Mature woman who likes mature women? There’s the Grown Folks Takeover with NYC’s DJ Mary Mac, 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., location TBA, www.atlantaprideweekend.com Expect celebrity guests at the Annual Hotlanta Party at the Georgia Freight Depot, 11 p.m. – 5 a.m., 65 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.atlantaprideweekend.com
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16 Black Gay Pride Preview August 18, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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BLACKGAYPRIDE PREVIEW GUIDE TO THE BEST BLACK GAY PRIDE EVENTS IN ATLANTA FOR AUG. 30 – SEPT. 5
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SATURDAY, SEPT. 2
Start your night early with the Atlanta WETher Celebrity Block Party, 3 – 8:30 p.m., location TBA, www.atlantaprideweekend.com
Queen Sheba (Courtesy photo)
Rockstars Production throws the Ultimate Day Party, 5 – 9 p.m., location TBA, www.rockstarsproduction.com MSR hosts the Traffic Light Party featuring lesbian speed dating, a drag show, DJs, androgynous models and Whitney Mixter of “The Real L Word,” 8 p.m. – 3 a.m., 66 12th St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.mysistersroom.com It’s the one, the only, the biggest girl party in the country. It’s the Legendary Traxx Girls Big Bang Event at the Georgia Freight Depot, 10 p.m. – 5 a.m., 65 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.traxxgirls.com Rockstars Production presents the Annual Saturday Night Live Block Party at Museum Bar, 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., 181 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30312, www.rockstarsproduction.com
No better place to be than the Culture Club Day Party at Soul Bar at Pal’s Lounge, 5 p.m. - 12 a.m., 254 Auburn Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.atlantaprideweekend.com
SUNDAY, SEPT. 3
The boys will be out in force for the Legendary Main Event, 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., location TBA, www.rockstarsproduction.com
Soul icon Queen Sheba hosts the Soul Food Poetry Slam Jazz Brunch at the Georgian Terrace Hotel, 12 – 3 p.m., 659 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30308, www.atlantaprideweekend.com Rockstars Production hosts Men Who Brunch, 1 – 4 p.m., location TBA, www.rockstarsproduction.com It’s a Lesbian Labor Day Weekend Luau at MSR with DJ Kenzie Q, Kia Comedy and Andro Fashion Show models Ke Monet and Holliwood, 2 – 7 p.m., 66 12th St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.mysistersroom.com
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It’s Celebrity Showtime Sunday at Mansion Elan, 10 p.m. - 5 a.m., 3595 Clairmont Road, Atlanta, GA 30319, www.atlantaprideweekend.com
MONDAY, SEPT. 4
The Annual Cruise for a Cause departs the Georgian Terrace Hotel at 12 p.m., bound for Lake Lanier, 12 – 5 p.m., 659 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30308, www.atlantaprideweekend.com Ladies who love ladies will be at the Labor Day Block Party at MSR, 2
– 9 p.m., 66 12th St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.mysistersroom.com
DJ M (File photo)
Eat up! It’s the Annual Rooftop BBQ at Suite Lounge, 5 – 9 p.m., 375 Luckie St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30313, www.rockstarsproduction.com Don’s miss Traxx Girls owner DJ M’s Annual Birthday Bash, 10 p.m. - 12: 45 a.m., location TBA, www.traxxgirls.com Havana Club is the spot for the Annual White Party, 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., 3112 Piedmont Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30305, www.rockstarsproduction.com
TUESDAY, SEPT. 5
The ladies of Soul Bar at Pal’s Lounge aren’t done partying yet as they host the Pride Edition of Spotlite Karaoke, 8 p.m., 254 Auburn Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.soulbaratpals.com
August 18, 2017 Black Gay Pride Preview 19
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Slay the catwalk Andro Fashion Show returns to empower masculine-identified, androgynous lesbians, transgender men By SHANNON HAMES As Labor Day weekend approaches, local comedian, LGBT advocate and fashionista Kia Barnes shifts into hyperdrive as she prepares for her annual Andro Fashion Show. The show was born from a need of masculineidentified women to buy clothing that not only fit their fashion aesthetic, but also their female bodies. Barnes, a staple in the Atlanta lesbian community, discussed the designers, the event itself and the positive and lasting impact on the community. As a lesbian with masculine energy that doesn’t identify as butch or femme, I was extremely curious about your fashion show when I heard about it last year. I seem to face a common dilemma with others in my community: I want to wear masculine clothing, CONTINUES ON PAGE 26
www.thegeorgiavoice.com
August 18, 2017 A&E 25
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but the men’s departments don’t factor in my size DD breasts or hips that curved to make way for two children. The women’s departments don’t have much of a selection (if any) of masculine clothing. Is this why you started it to begin with? Yes. The Andro Fashion Show was born from the need to highlight fashion for masculine-identified and androgynous lesbians as well as transmen. I wanted to use my platform as a lesbian comedian to bring something different and more diverse to the LGBTQIA community. It has been a huge success! I went to the one you had in December and it was quite an event – a packed house and all of those beautiful ladies and handsome bois, the music … it was more than a show. It really was a very classy event. Atlanta loves the Andro Fashion Show! Our first show sold out at 180, so we doubled the size of our venue, and that one sold out too. How often do you have them? The Andro Fashion Show will always be a kickoff event for Labor Day Weekend [Black Gay] Pride, and we also do a December show to end the year. In addition, we had a smaller show called Androgyny Upcycled, which highlighted LGBTQ stylists instead of designers. Every piece had to come from a local thrift store, and we had an amazing turnout! Outside of Atlanta, the Andro Fashion Show has been a feature event at Prides in Miami and Washington, D.C. We also have plans to add more cities as our supporters reach out to us. It must be fun for you to collaborate with designers to get the clothes in front of their target market. Yes. For the first show, I researched some popular LGBTQ publications to find LGBTQ and allied designers to invite them to the show. By the second show, many more were knocking down our doors asking to be included. We have designers apply from all over the world, and we’ve featured many of their work, including David Tutera, Gender Free World from London, TomboyX from Seattle, Dapper Dames from San Diego, Toni Marlow from Canada, etc. Besides the obvious need for masculine-fitting clothing, why is there a need for particular events in the community? I firmly believe that Atlanta’s LGBTQ community needs more diversity, art and an actual sense of community. The Andro 26 A&E August 18, 2017
Andro Fashion Show organizer Kia Barnes said that last December’s show sold out quickly, so they doubled the venue size for this month’s show. (Photos by Kaitlyn Kolarik)
Fashion Show is so much more of a movement than a moment. We honor community heroines at every event, and the show also features several police officers, firefighters, teachers and many other LGBTQIA role models. It’s important to highlight our contributions to society and show a side of our community that’s often overlooked. Outside of the show, we also produce, support and participate in other outreach and charity events that work towards our community goals. We’ve done school supply drives, charity basketball tournaments, fed the homeless and we also collaborated with MSR [My Sister’s Room] to produce Atlanta’s Equality March.
I felt that “community” at the December show. What are some of the other positive outcomes of the show? The Andro Fashion Show has turned into a mentorship! We are like one big family, and I know the community is watching. We’ve grown so much together over the past year, and being able to live and lead as examples of peace and progress is powerful. We’ve had models go on to New York Fashion Week, and several have been chosen as spokesmodels for international brands. Also, the upcoming Andro Fashion Show features three transmen, and two of them are in the military. Much of the trans community has really united behind the Andro Fashion Show and our events, which
Details
Allure: The Andro Fashion Show Thursday, Aug. 31 from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Tago International Center 1735 Defoor Place N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318 General admission $30; VIP $40 www.AndroFashionShow.com has also helped break down barriers and dispel myths and misunderstandings about the transgender community. We exemplify the inclusion and diversity our community so badly needs, and we constantly work towards fostering the same within our own communities. www.thegeorgiavoice.com
ACTING OUT
By JIM FARMER
‘Penis Talk Show’ dropping trou at 7 Stages Over the last few decades, openly gay playwright, actor and director Ronnie Larsen has carved out a niche for himself with his gay-themed, often sexually frank shows. Just as his production of “Happy Endings” closes in the ATL, his new one “The Penis Talk Show” is about to open at 7 Stages. As you can imagine, it’s one to leave the kids at home for. Ironically, the show had its origins in a sex club in Van Nuys, California, where a woman wanted people to stare at her vagina. “We put her in a box and people started staring and asking her vagina questions,” Larsen recalled. Soon, he got the idea to do a “Vagina Talk Show” with women onstage naked (with their faces covered by a curtain) in L.A. and allowing audience members to query them and their bodies. With that a success, he turned to a male version and – hence – “The Penis Talk Show” was born. Although Larsen realizes it may sound gimmicky, he says it’s an interesting, educational evening, one that is different each show. He serves as the host, talks to three naked guys onstage briefly and then lets them answer questions from the audience. “The audience wants to talk and want to reveal parts of their own life,” he said. “You learn about the strangers onstage as well as the strangers in the audience and the people they came with. It becomes very revelatory. People talk and ask about anything and the guys feels very free to do the same. It’s very sexual.” His audience members, he said, are a mixture of both men and women and gay and straight crowds. The conversations lead down unpredictable paths. “One women asked a guy why there was no female version of a glory hole,” Larsen said. And then there was a time another patron mentioned that a certain male bodily fluid was good for her eyelashes – and wanted to know how to make said fluid thicker. Larsen’s other works include “Making Porn,” “10 Naked Men,” “Girl Meets Girl” and “My Boyfriend the Stripper,” all of
‘The Penis Talk Show’ creator Ronnie Larsen said the crowds at the show are a mix of men and women and gay and straight. (Courtesy photo)
which have been staged in Atlanta. He took a bit of a break for a few years though and it’s been a while since one of his shows was in town, much less one after the other. “A lot of changed here – I don’t recognize a lot of it,” Larsen said. He uses a combination of different guys for every show, but it can be hard to find talent every night. As of press time, Larsen
was still in the process of lining up actors for the Atlanta run. In the Fort Lauderdale gig, all the actors were gay, but Larsen likes to have a mixture of sexual orientations and races. Besides being willing to drop trou, his subjects need to have fun and go with the flow. “The show would not be great if the guys didn’t like talking and participating,” he
Details
“The Penis Talk Show” Aug. 19 – 27 7 Stages 1105 Euclid Ave. N.E. Atlanta, GA 30307 www.ronnielarsen.com
said. “It should not be rehearsed either. I don’t tell them what to say.”
28 A&E August 18, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
Kaki King
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Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company September 16, 2017
Miguel Zenón Quartet January 27, 2018
Spencer Ludwig
Nufonia Must Fall by Kid Koala
Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Rebirth Brass Band
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October 13, 2017
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RAIIN Dance Theater: in Human November 17, 2017
Moscow Ballet: Great Russian Nutcracker November 26, 2017
Kaki King: The Neck Is A Bridge To The Body March 10, 2018
Atlanta’s Dance Canvas: 10 Years of World Premieres March 23-24, 2018
An Evening of SEAD Artists April 21, 2018
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EATING MY WORDS By CLIFF BOSTOCK
Eating through the grief at Grant Central My last three weeks have totally sucked. First, a 120-year-old oak tree fell on the wraparound porch of the house where I’ve lived for over 20 years. The next day, my closest friend of 35 years, Bette Harrison, died. Grief, like stomach flu, becomes very slimming. Most people lose their appetite. That’s why friends and neighbors used to bring by pots of food to the family of the deceased. I remember as a very young kid going into the house of a friend and seeing his dead grandmother laid out on a ping pong table with a red velvet cake by her head, along with other dishes from head to toe. I couldn’t see doing that with Bette, who was a retired feature writer at the AJC, but I knew I had to eat. When I need dinner and comfort, I go to Grant Central Pizza and Pasta (451 Cherokee Ave., 404-523-8900, gcpatlanta.com). I’ve written about it before, but I’m not sure I’ve ever expressed my gratitude for its presence a few blocks from my home. What most people come to crave in dark times is simple nurturance – cooking that may be imperfect, but is soulful, that doesn’t cost a fortune, that isn’t aesthetically contrived, that grounds you and reminds you that you don’t have to do anything at the present moment except eat and breathe. Grant Central is a typical New York-style pizzeria. That means usually super-thick pies – not my favorite. But I do like their calzones. I never get anything but the plain cheese one with some marinara on the side. Whoever’s in the kitchen will prepare it differently. I like the bottom nearly charred with a top that’s glistening with swipes of olive oil. Bread, cheese and tomatoes are sacraments. My favorite dish by far here is still Wednesday’s special, chicken piccata. That’s two breast cutlets slightly caramelized and topped with a sauce of capers, lemon and butter. The chicken is flopped over a mountain of creamy mashed red potatoes next to a pile of broccoli, an omnipresent vegetable at the restaurant. Other daily specials include a 10,000-calorie chicken parmigiana, linguine with shrimp
One of the many build-your-own pasta dishes available at Grant Central Pizza and Pasta. (Photo by Cliff Bostock)
and chicken manicotti. A recurring summer side special is a watermelon salad, sweet with some pungent feta and tingly mint. You can, of course, build your own pizza or pasta dishes. My fave remains Ms. Jean’s Special – penne with creamy marinara, basil, Kalamata olives and Italian sausage. I also dig the linguine with meatballs. Desserts, from Southern Sweets, just don’t cut it. But the point I really wanted to cite here is the comfort provided by the front staff. Most nights, the person in charge behind the bar is the voluptuous Jessy, whose hair changes color as often as her neurotic preoccupations. She is hilarious and amazingly efficient. She can take a phone order, pour someone a beer and show you a cat video all at once. These days the only male server is Hieronymus. He’s lots of fun, because he’s easy to manipulate, despite the odd name. Everyone who works here is a good-hearted character. It is seriously a great comfort to me to have this refuge available. The day Bette died, this is the place I headed. I didn’t want to talk about it, but I knew I could give myself an hour’s relief from the searing grief with food that I enjoy and a staff whose heart is a great magnet in the neighborhood. If I had to put Bette on a ping pong table, it would be here. Cliff Bostock is a former psychotherapist now specializing in life coaching. Contact him at 404-518-4415 or cliffbostock@gmail.com.
30 Columnists August 18, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
Believe in the Believe in the the
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Our Guide to the Best LGBT Events in Atlanta for Aug. 18-31
BETS T ES
EVEN FRIDAY, AUG. 18 – SUNDAY, AUG. 20
The 2017 Atlanta Underground Film Festival boasts a schedule stacked with soon-to-be cult classics, including some LGBT titles. The 14th annual event runs today through Sunday at Synchronicity Theatre, 1545 Peachtree St. N.E., #102, Atlanta, GA 30309, www.auff.org/ schedule.html
FRIDAY, AUG. 18
Come revisist Frau Blucher, Inga, the Monster and more. Join Turner Classic Movies for an evening under the stars as Turner Classic Movies and Xfinity present the comedy classic “Young Frankenstein” in Piedmont Park. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the film begins at 8 p.m. Join a night of queer dance, pop and more at WonderRoot. Featured artists are Taylor Alxndr, Atlanta’s very own synth pop priestess; MonteQarlo, wandering mystic, artist, activist and provocateur; Haint, experimental noise pop bliss; Doglover; and Tann Jones, super-cool person and super duper cool music, 9 p.m., 982 Memorial Drive. S.E., Atlanta, GA 30316, www.facebook.com/ events/1992426094319915
SATURDAY, AUG. 19 – 20
Visitors to the Piedmont Park Arts Festival enjoy a wide variety of art and crafts from over 250 local and regional artisans and craftsman. In addition, the festival will include a children’s area, local food and beverage concessions including “gourmet” food trucks and live acoustic musical performances all weekend. 10 – 5 p.m. today and tomorrow, 1071 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.facebook.com/ events/146753682482143
32 Best Bets August 18, 2017
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 23
Australian singer-songwriter, musician and gay fave Betty Who hits Terminal West for what’s sure to be a pop and dance-filled night, 8 p.m., 887 West Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318, www.terminalwestatl.com/event/betty-who
SATURDAY, AUG. 19
Are you looking for a way to get more involved in the fight for LGBT equality, but aren’t sure how? You’re invited to join the HRC Atlanta Steering Committee today for the annual Leaders for Equality. The Leaders for Equality session will
begin with a discussion of HRC’s local, national and global work followed by updates on the current political climate as it relates to the LGBT community, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 17 Executive Park Drive, Suite 290, Atlanta, GA 30329, www.facebook.com/ events/762663987249492
Atlanta Pride, along with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta, sponsors the Know Your Rights Community Immigration Forum, 12 – 2:30 p.m., Hearts to Nourish Hope, Angkor Resource Center,
www.thegeorgiavoice.com
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 23
A rotating schedule of great local Atlanta bands will enliven your lunch in the park as part of Wednesdays in Woodruff. Grab a seat in the Reading Room to enjoy these free live performances that will take place 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Woodruff Park, 91 Peachtree St. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.facebook.com/events/136586023586089 (Courtesy photo) 640 GA 138, Riverdale, GA 302743908, www.arc707.org CHRIS Kid’s annual gala, The CHRIStal Ball, drives awareness about the importance of ensuring all youth are equipped with the skills needed to become contributing citizens, while raising vital funds to support programming dedicated to protecting children at home, school, in foster care and in the juvenile justice system. 6 – 10 p.m., The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, 3434 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30326, www.facebook.com/ events/1992094021024523 Taste of Life 2017 is a food and winetasting event to help house people living with HIV/AIDS. New infections of HIV are skyrocketing in Atlanta, and, without housing, staying healthy is impossible, especially for people living with HIV/ AIDS. Be part of the solution by ensuring that no person living with HIV/AIDS faces homelessness alone. At Atlanta’s sleek and modern Westside Cultural Arts Center this seventh annual soiree includes tastings of local craft beers, wines from around the world and bites from some of Atlanta’s most creative chefs and restauranteurs. 7 –
www.thegeorgiavoice.com
10 p.m., 760 10th St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318, www.eventbrite.com/e/taste-of-life2017-tickets-35332657931?aff=efbevent “Feed Me, Seymour!” Actor’s Express’ version of the classic musical “Little Shop of Horrors” has a performance tonight at 8 p.m., running through Aug. 20, 887 W. Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318, www.actorsexpress.com ICON, a celebration of Jennifer Lopez + Shakira, is a curated and produced immersive performance art experience, a night of music, video and performance art told through burlesque, drag, aerial, silks, trapeze, dance and more all in celebrating the fabulous J Lo and Shakira. Barry Brandon and Molly Rimswell host, with beats from Kenneth Figueroa, Jungle Atlanta, 10:30 p.m., 2115 Faulkner Road N.E, Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/events/1790746907903883
SUNDAY, AUG. 20
The PFLAG support group for parents and families of LGBT children meets tonight from 2:30 – 4 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, 1605 Interstate 85/ Frontage Road,
Atlanta, GA 30329, www.uuca.org
MONDAY, AUG. 21
Atlanta Botanical Garden members of all levels are invited to watch the solar eclipse at the Garden. Join as Garden staff count down to the first total solar eclipse since 1979. Bring a chair to relax on the Great Lawn and make a pinhole projector or sun print to mark the occasion. The first 200 members receive a free pair of solar eclipse viewing glasses to safely watch as the sun slips behind the moon at approximately 2:36 p.m. EST, 1345 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta, GA 30309, atlantabg.org Trans and Friends is a youth-focused group for trans people, people questioning their own gender and aspiring allies, providing a facilitated space to discuss gender, relevant resources and activism around social issues. 7 – 8:30 p.m., Charis Books and More, 1189 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.charisbooksandmore.com
TUESDAY, AUG. 22
AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run announced a good-natured, spirited competition between Midtown Atlanta bars and
restaurants to create the best “Pack the Park Punch.” Bar Wars will be hosted by Cowtippers Steaks and Spirits, and many area bars are competing, with funds going to the run. 1600 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, www.metrocafes.com
THURSDAY, AUG. 24
SAGE Atlanta’s bi-monthly meetings occur from 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of each month, Phillip Rush Center Annex, 1530 DeKalb Ave., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.rushcenteratl.org Come join a diverse group of people at the Rainbros Lunch Meetup to learn more about each other and see how we can help each other in life, 1 – 2 p.m., Roxx Tavern, 1824 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/ events/1512681285463546 Following up last year’s first discussion, Southern Fried Queer Pride presents Racism in the Queer Community, Part 2. This will be a sit-down commu-
CONTINUES ON PAGE 34 August 18, 2017 Best Bets 33
– 7:30 p.m., 840 Cherokee Ave. S.E., Atlanta, GA 30312, www.facebook.com/ events/1032680113505047
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 nity discussion prioritizing the voices of black folks and people of color in talks about race-based privilege, anti-blackness, representation and more. Mary Hooks of Southerners On New Ground moderates. 6 p.m. Murmur, 100 Broad St. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.facebook.com/ events/1276455312477974
SATURDAY, AUG. 26
Respect The Brunch is a monthly event that raises money for worthy LGBT-based nonprofits around Atlanta. Host Zocalo automatically donates 15 percent of all food and beverage sales to the cause. Money raised from a raffle during the event goes to charity as well. Corporate sponsor Salesforce then doubles those raffle proceeds in order to maximize the event’s impact. This month’s beneficiary nonprofit is Voices of Note with the Atlanta Gay Men’s and the Atlanta Women’s Chorus. 12 – 3 p.m., 187 10th St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.facebook.com/ events/251641781993311
Wussy Mag and For All Humans present Powder Room, a monthly femme cabaret featuring a variety of burlesque, drag, live music, dance and performance art, starring Miss Peppermint from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 9. Angelica D’Paige and Brigitte Bidet host, with performances by Bigtch Puddin’, Dolette Comm, JayBella Banks, Kyra Mora, LaRico, Melissa Cofffey, Molly Rimswell, Royal Tee, Qween Farrazz, Zaida J and more, Jungle Atlanta, 9 p.m., 2115 Faulker Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/ events/148796879014499
FRIDAY, AUG. 25
Serenbe Playhouse’s Brian Clowdus stars in the company’s new take of Kander and Ebb’s “Cabaret” as The Emcee, tonight at 8 p.m., running through Aug. 27, 9110 Selborne Lane, Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268, www.serenbeplayhouse.com For over a decade now – first in Paris, then Montreal and now in Berlin – DJ La Fraicheur has been brewing her own blend of deep house and techno beats sprinkled with tropical soulful bass and booty sounds when the mood strikes her.
FRIDAY, AUG.18
Dress up in your favorite Madonna shirts or rep your favorite Madge reincarnation – it’s Madonna-Rama time at Mary’s! Celebrate the birthday of the grand dame of pop music with an entire evening of her music, 9 p.m. – 3 a.m., 1287 Glenwood Ave. S.E., Ste. B, Atlanta, GA 30316, www.facebook.com/events/108437733183148 (Publicity photo) She joins Vicki Powell tonight at Deep South Atl, 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., www.facebook.com/events/580968732293060
SATURDAY, AUG. 26 – SUNDAY, AUG. 27
The Grant Park Summer Shade Festival will once again welcome music
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and art lovers to Atlanta’s oldest park for two days of nonstop fun. Produced by and benefiting the Grant Park Conservancy, the festival will feature an impressive lineup of live music throughout the weekend on two stages in addition to an expansive artist market, Kids Zone, 5K run and a dedicated VIP area. 10
It’s been 10 years since SPARK Reproductive Justice Now was founded and today the organization marks this momentous occasion with a Summer Day Party, 4 – 8 p.m., Mother Restaurant & Bar, 447 Edgewood Ave. S.E., Atlanta, GA 30312, www.facebook.com/ events/1244552742320182
SUNDAY, AUG.27
It’s closing night for Ronnie Larsen’s “The Penis Talk Show,” 5 p.m., 7 Stages, 1105 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.7stages.org
MONDAY, AUG. 28
DJ Bill Berdeaux spins at All Music Monday at Blake’s, 227 10th Street N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309,
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Atlanta’s LGBTQIA Youth Mayoral Forum. 6:30 – 8 p.m., Out Front Theatre Company, 999 Brady Ave. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318, www.facebook.com/ events/345989602487886
TELL US ABOUT YOUR LGBT EVENT
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 30
Join a community reception and dialogue about how Georgia’s HIV criminalization laws harm our ability to address our state’s HIV epidemic. The event will also honor artists living with HIV who submitted work for the HIV is Not a Crime Postcard Project. 6 – 9 p.m., Phillip Rush Center, 1530 DeKalb Ave., Atlanta, GA 30307, www. facebook.com/events/110462796285615
Submit your LGBT event for inclusion in our online and print calendars by emailing event info to editor@thegavoice.com
www.blakesontheparkatlanta.com
Atlanta Black Pride Weekend kicks off today with events throughout next week, atlantaprideweekend.com
TUESDAY, AUG. 29
Join the Atlanta Press Club to explore the aspects of Atlanta’s hidden art scene, including where funding comes from, how media can better cover arts and culture and the key players who help foster the city’s thriving underground art community. How does Atlanta’s support of the local arts compare to other metro areas? 6 – 8:30 p.m., Hodgepodge Coffeehouse, 720 Moreland Ave. S.E., Atlanta, GA 30316, www.facebook.com/ events/475803949441367
Featured performers: Amanda Michaels Trixie Van Lear Charlene Boufontaine Stella D'Oro Sue Nami Taylor Van Pelt Monica Van Pelt Gunza Blazin LaTonya O'Hara Calico Deville, Holly Walden Berlinda Wall Paige Turner Kymora Layou
THURSDAY, AUG. 31 SATURDAY, AUG. 26
It’s the second Drag Queen Storytime, and helping celebrate diversity at this kid-friendly event will be none other than special guest Brent Star reading from his favorite children’s books, 1 – 2 p.m., Posman Books Atlanta, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E., Ste. C197, Atlanta, GA 30308, www.facebook.com/events/657043237834307 (Courtesy photo) Interested in meeting Atlanta’s Mayoral Candidates and hearing their thoughts on issues affecting LGBTQIA youth in
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Atlanta’s Andro Fashion Show is back! Don’t miss the only fashion show to exclusively feature androgynous and masculine identified lesbians and transmen in the finest modern, retro and classic fashion. Visit androfashion-show.ticketleap.com/allure-flashsale/t/kemonet/ for your tickets, 4- 7 p.m., Tago International Center, 1735 Defoor Place N.W. Atlanta, GA 30318, www.facebook.com/events/1950971571804422
Saturday, August 26 Doors at 5 pm Show at 6 pm Tickets $8 in advance $10 at the door
Sponsored by Berlinda Wall’s The Crown Is Mine which is available on Amazon.com This is a fundraiser for Joining Hearts who raise money for grantees like Aid Atlanta, Jerusalem House and The Living Room.
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Tunes to get through big life changes My contract has officially come to an end with my previous radio station and I am now free to pursue other professional ventures. As exciting as that should be, I’m afraid I am a creature of habit and have to dig deep to find any hint of adventure in these new pursuits. But, just like getting through a workout that you dread yet know is good for you, I have found my motivation through music and want to share my playlist for anyone going through a big change in your life, regardless if it’s professional or personal. “Ship to Wreck” by Florence + The Machine – The first step in making change is accepting the fact that things actually need to change. And oftentimes that comes with a sense of disappointment or even failure. As Florence Welch belts out, “What was it that I did? Did I drink too much? Am I losing touch? Did I build this ship to wreck?” I struggled with why everything in my life (except Mr. Carter, of course) was failing. My son helped me breathe through it all and find the light that was available if I only took the time to see it. I realized that light pointed in a different direction than where I was going. “Watching the Wheels” by John Lennon – A psychic actually suggested I listen to this song again. Not that I’m comparing myself to an iconic music legend, but for anyone whose career requires great sacrifice on the part of the employee, such as mine, it indeed spoke to me. It symbolizes the moment you can step away from where you are and see it from a detached perspective. “Surely, you’re not happy now, you no longer play the game,” John relays others’ advice to him. It’s at this moment you realize you are happy without the anxiety and judgment of the past. “You Gotta Be” by Des’ree – Here’s a tune you have likely forgotten about, but one with lyrics that reintroduce you to the idea of believing in yourself. “You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, You gotta stay together,” Des’ree says, and when you’re on the precipice of fear of the unknown, it’s a nice breeze that
“Just like getting through a workout that you dread yet know is good for you, I have found my motivation through music and want to share my playlist for anyone going through a big change in your life, regardless if it’s professional or personal.” pushes you back to firmer ground. “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga – Known as an anthem for the LGBT community, it applies to anyone who feels out of place. Gaga says, “Don’t hide yourself in regret, just love yourself and you’re set.” At this point, you are beginning your sprint toward the new and rediscovering the parts of yourself that you have always liked and are finally giving attention to. “The Greatest” by Sia, featuring Kendrick Lamar – It’s now time to officially move on, and you have decided you will succeed. Sia says, “Running out of breath, but I got stamina, running now I close my eyes, well I got stamina, I see another mountain to climb, but I got stamina.” You have what it takes to continue to achieve in life, and despite being a little shaky, you are no longer questioning whether you have what it takes to advance down it with confidence. Now all you need to do is get those headphones on and just keep swimming. To read Melissa’s letter to her son in which she explains what she’s been up to since her unexpected final show on B98.5 and what she’s doing next, go to www.thegavoice.com. Melissa Carter is recognized as one of the first out radio personalities in Atlanta and has been heard over the years on B98.5 and Q100. In addition, she is a writer for the Huffington Post. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCarter.
36 Columnists August 18, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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“No fats, no fems” — one of the most tyrannical phrases in gay online dating — is now a motto for American Nazis. Except, a little bit of fem is OK for the white supremacists, specifically form-fitting jeans and T-shirts that create the optical illusion of one’s dick and arm muscles being larger than they are. “We have to be hip and we have to be sexy,” Andrew Anglin, editor of the racist website Daily Stormer, wrote before he and his henchmen infested Charlottesville, Virginia. “Continued obesity should not be tolerated.” After daydreaming about the ideal Aryan male body, Anglin’s “Queer Eye for the Racist Guy” offers fashion tips for fascists, imploring men to sport tighter clothing. You can practically feel Anglin’s eye-roll as he writes, “The worst look ever is a baggy T-shirt.” “Wear fitted T-shirts, where the sleeve goes to the middle of your bicep,” he continues. If there’s any doubt Anglin was thinking about Nazi penises while penning his fascinista manifesto, he concludes about T-shirts, “It should not hang lower than [the] base of your member.” If only Anglin could find an unmarried, woman-hating, childless, 30-somethingyear-old man such as himself to make sure his shirt-length-to-dick-base standards are adhered to. I’m not suggesting all Nazis are closet cases, or trying to use homosexuality to emaciate Anglin, but my gaydar detects the kind of pint-sized big man who would yield a tiki torch at a white pride bonfire while steadily checking his cell phone for responses to his Craigslist post seeking BBC. Anglin’s tips are intended as marketing, believing average Americans are willing to embrace a homegrown fascist who looks more like Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan in street clothes) than the bald, pasty outcast that usually comes to mind when we think of white supremacists. Still, his guidelines read like they were copy-and-pasted from the conflicted Grindr profile of someone looking for a masc/bttm who’s ready to take 2.5 inches of white power.
“I’m not suggesting all Nazis are closet cases, or trying to use homosexuality to emaciate [Daily Stormer Editor Andrew] Anglin, but my gaydar detects the kind of pint-sized big man who would yield a tiki torch at a white pride bonfire while steadily checking his cell phone for responses to his Craigslist post seeking BBC.” After dress rehearsals at Adolf Trump’s campaign rallies, American Nazis debuted their modernized hatred in Charlottesville, and based on the photos and videos from the weekend, few heeded Anglin’s call for fasci chic. Instead, many wore the khakis and white polo shirts favored by their continuously obese leader, and they brought the violence and thuggery we thought we defeated in World War II. It’s easy and obvious to blame Trump for how emboldened racists feel in this country. The patriots in Virginia felt so encouraged to own their bigotry that they treated Klan robes as too politically correct, and marched through town with their pasty, outcast faces uncovered and unbowed. But white supremacy is America’s herpes, and the Trumpism seen in Charlottesville was nothing but the most recent flare-up. While it’s sad to think this illness is incurable, it hurts even more to know this country has barely ever tried to treat it. In neither our landscape nor our culture are their tributes or atonements for slavery, the Trail of Tears, the internment of Japanese Americans or any of the countless evils perpetuated for the benefit of white America. Instead, we have statues and engraved mountains for the traitors and losers; we honor what they fought for, which is one of the reasons the United States is forever fighting itself. Ryan Lee is an Atlanta writer.
38 Columnists August 18, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
A T L A N T A
PRIDE Official Atlanta Pride Kickoff
10.13.2017
7:00pm - 11:30pm DJ EDIL HERNANDEZ (ORLANDO) & DJ JOEY ZEB (NYC)
$30 Advanced / $40 Door / $90 Lounge Portion of Proceeds Benefit Atlanta Pride
Plus Tax
Purchase Tickets Online At: www.georgiaaquarium.org/atlantapride This event will SELL OUT, Get your tickets TODAY!
Guess who's got an anniversary!
Help us celebrate our 24th year in Midtown at our Anniversary Party Saturday, August 26, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at our Amsterdam Walk store! Great food, refreshing drinks and door prizes* throughout the day, plus special Trunk Shows by Lika Behar and Alp Sagnak, including his TheWord: A Story by a Jeweler line of unique rings at 2p.m. Can't make it Saturday? Then join us in Decatur on Sunday the 27th from noon to 5:30p.m. for encore presentations of Lika's and Alp's creations. You won't want to miss this!
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