09/15/17, Vol. 8 Issue 15 by Georgia Voice

YOU MATTER AND SO DOES YOUR HEALTH

That’s why starting and staying on HIV-1 treatment is so important.

WHAT IS DESCOVY®? DESCOVY is a prescription medicine that is used together with other HIV-1 medicines to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years and older. DESCOVY is not for use to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 infection. DESCOVY combines 2 medicines into 1 pill taken once a day. Because DESCOVY by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1, it must be used together with other HIV-1 medicines.

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, such as bone pain, softening, or thinning, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones.

DESCOVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. To control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses, you must keep taking DESCOVY. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. 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.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I should know about DESCOVY? DESCOVY may cause serious side effects: •

Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. DESCOVY is not approved to treat HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV and stop taking DESCOVY, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking DESCOVY without ﬁrst talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.

The most common side effect of DESCOVY is nausea. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or don’t go away. What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking DESCOVY? •

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 virus infection.

•

All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Other medicines may affect how DESCOVY works. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Ask your healthcare provider if it is safe to take DESCOVY with all of your other medicines.

•

If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if DESCOVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking DESCOVY.

•

If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

What are the other possible side effects of DESCOVY? Serious side effects of DESCOVY may also include: •

•

Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to ﬁght infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking DESCOVY. Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking DESCOVY if you develop new or worse kidney problems. 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,

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 DESCOVY, including important warnings, on the following page.

Ask your healthcare provider if an HIV-1 treatment that contains DESCOVY® is right for you.

DVYC0056_B_10x10-5_GeorgiaVoice_Arion_r1v1jl.indd 2-3

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IMPORTANT FACTS

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

(des-KOH-vee) MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT DESCOVY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF DESCOVY

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

DESCOVY can cause serious side effects, including: • Those in the “Most Important Information About DESCOVY” section. • Changes in your immune system. • 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. The most common side effect of DESCOVY is nausea. These are not all the possible side effects of DESCOVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking DESCOVY. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with DESCOVY.

ABOUT DESCOVY • DESCOVY is a prescription medicine that is used together with other HIV-1 medicines to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years of age and older. DESCOVY is not for use to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 infection. • DESCOVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others.

BEFORE TAKING DESCOVY Tell your healthcare provider if you: • Have or had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis infection. • Have any other medical condition. • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. • Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. 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 DESCOVY.

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

HOW TO TAKE DESCOVY • DESCOVY is a one pill, once a day HIV-1 medicine that is taken with other HIV-1 medicines.

• Take DESCOVY with or without food.

DESCOVY, the DESCOVY Logo, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, 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. DVYC0056 07/17

GEORGIA NEWS

Lawsuits, staff changes shake up Atlanta’s LGBT media outlets Peach ATL leaders out six weeks after debut issue, familiar face returns to scene By DALLAS ANNE DUNCAN dduncan@thegavoice.com On July 12, a fresh glossy hit Atlanta newsstands: Peach ATL, the city’s newest nightlife and gay lifestyle magazine. Inside the cover, some familiar names graced the pages. Mike Fleming, co-owner of Project Q, editorial director of David Atlanta and Goliath is named editorial director. William Duffee-Braun, co-founder of Fenuxe, sales and development director for David and publisher for Goliath, is the publisher and registered agent for Peach ATL Media, LLC. Or, well, they were. Barely a month after the first issue — a complete rebrand of the now-defunct David Atlanta, Peach ATL is under new ownership. So is Goliath Media LLC. And the name of the new registered agent for both may sound familiar to the Atlanta LGBT community: Brian Sawyer. The newest ownership “Peach will taste familiar and all good. Atlanta will not skip a beat on its weekly guide to gay culture, clubs and cocktails, boys and beers, DJs and drag,” Fleming promised in the debut issue. “[Duffee-Braun] and I are confident that our mix of skills and experience is the right one to keep the good traditions alive while forging new ones — not only in the weekly print publication, daily website and social media presence, but in our personal commitment to the community, its organizers and its events.” That confidence, however, lasted barely six weeks. Duffee-Braun announced on Facebook that he’s leaving gay media, and around that time, new documentation was filed with the Secretary of State that showed him resigning as registered agent for Peach ATL Media. By Aug. 30, both Duffee-Braun and his partner, art director Tanner Gill, who also worked for David Atlanta and Goliath, were off the masthead. Fleming followed soon after. His last day www.thegeorgiavoice.com

A number of personnel changes plagued the newly launched Peach ATL magazine, a rebrand of the former David Atlanta publication. (Photo by Dallas Anne Duncan)

“Peach will taste familiar and all good. Atlanta will not skip a beat on its weekly guide to gay culture, clubs and cocktails, boys and beers, DJs and drag.” —From former Peach ATL Editorial Director Mike Fleming’s first column in the magazine

with Peach ATL and Goliath was Sept. 8, though he remains a co-founder of Project Q Atlanta. According to the Secretary of State’s office, Sawyer’s role as registered agent is the “mailbox” for Peach ATL and Goliath, meaning he is the person to receive “any service of process, documents or other official communication” on behalf of the business. Neither of the companies has officers — chief executive officer, treasurer and secretary — listed on as part of their business registrations, only the registered agent. Neither Duffee-Braun nor Fleming would speak to Georgia Voice about the business shakeup, nor their decisions to leave Peach ATL and Goliath. Attempts to reach Sawyer and his attorney, Todd Poole, were unsuccessful as of press time, so it is unclear the exact events that led to the change in leadership. An illness and a lawsuit When Peach ATL launched, notably ab-

sent from the masthead was the name David Thompson. Thompson, who also did not return calls as of press time, is the CEO, chief financial officer and secretary of DRT Media Group, Inc., the company that published David Atlanta prior to its being rebranded as Peach ATL. DRT Media Group also published Goliath. In his first Peach ATL letter, Fleming said Thompson is the only person of the former David staff to not be at Peach. “It was his decision to move on from the publication that prompted [Duffee-Braun] and I to start the new company,” Fleming wrote. “Ultimately, illness influenced his decision to shut down operations and takes him away from his daily duties. … [Thompson] remains in Atlanta as a business consultant while he takes care of himself as much as he has of others. The transition provides him more time to fight some of the burdens that contributed to his illness.” It is likely that one of those burdens is a

lawsuit filed against Thompson, DRT Media Group, David Atlanta and the former SOVO, Inc. A plaintiff in that lawsuit? Sawyer — the very same individual who is now in charge of Peach ATL and Goliath. In May 2014, Sawyer, along with Charles “Chip” O’Kelley, Martin Marshall (the legal name of Matt Neumann) and ASHC, LLC, filed a verified complaint in DeKalb County. According to the complaint, Thompson seized the assets of David Magazine, “a company in which he relinquished his minority ownership” and transferred those assets to DRT Media, of which he is the sole owner. “Along the way, Thompson and DRT Media, individually and through their exercise of control of the other defendants, breached several agreements and transferred assets to avoid obligations and fiduciary duties to Plaintiffs,” the complaint reads. The lawsuit, which is still an open case, involves a lot of back-and-forth between Thompson and the plaintiffs, all of which Thompson claimed in a 2015 deposition “has an effect” on the high blood pressure plaguing him for the last three years. “It creates stress, which creates high blood pressure,” he told attorneys, according to court documents. A whole lot of history Thompson isn’t the only one who may have high blood pressure from working with the plaintiffs in his lawsuit. Sawyer and Marshall, at least, have had their hands in a number of Atlanta’s LGBT publications — Sawyer is also the organizer of BMSmedia, LLC, which designs Fenuxe Magazine. Marshall, under his pseudonym Matt Neumann, ran the former Gaydar Magazine and Atlanta Free Press, and for a short period of time, the second iteration of Southern Voice after it was purchased following bankruptcy of its parent company. Sawyer and O’Kelley were also owners of Atlanta Pearl Day Committee, which hosted a nonprofit benefit at Six Flags Over Georgia, but allegedly never handed over the donations. Pearl Day was created in 2007 and administratively resolved in 2011. It is unclear at this point how much the lawsuit against Peach ATL’s predecessor had to do with the plaintiff in that case taking over the publication and its brother magazine. September 15, 2017 News 5

GEORGIA NEWS

Georgia LGBT Dreamer reacts to Trump’s DACA decision Obama-era program granted work permits, protection form deportation to undocumented youth, young adults By DALLAS ANNE DUNCAN dduncan@thegavoice.com First it was the Affordable Care Act. Next, “bathroom bills.” Then a ban on transgender service members. Now, President Donald Trump told Congress it has six months to act on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival, an Obama-era program that grants temporary work permits and protection from deportation to nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants who came to America as children — an estimated 75,000 of whom identify as LGBT, according to The Williams Institute. One of those is Atlanta-area resident Mileidi, who asked to be identified only by her first name. “I was surviving before DACA, but I didn’t really feel like I really existed until after. I don’t think you can explain that. You really do become kind of more of a person and it sucks that someone can take your humanity by taking your documentation status,” she told Georgia Voice. LGBT advocacy groups at the state and national levels spoke out against the removal of DACA, including the National LGBTQ Task Force, National Center for Transgender Equality, GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, American Civil Liberties Union, National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Victory Institute, Georgia Equality and Southerners On New Ground. Mayor Kasim Reed also called Trump’s choice “a shameful abdication of moral leadership,” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In early September, the Atlanta City Council passed a resolution that says city police should not arrest or detain anyone based on certain requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which are routinely issued for jails to hold people an additional two days so they can be picked up and deported. The council also voted in favor of a second resolution that urges the president

Atlanta-area resident Mileidi is one of 75,000 LGBT Dreamers who benefit from the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program that the Trump administration plans to end this year. (Courtesy photo)

“I was surviving before DACA, but I didn’t really feel like I really existed until after. I don’t think you can explain that. You really do become kind of more of a person and it sucks that someone can take your humanity by taking your documentation status.” —Mileidi, an Atlanta-area LGBT DACA recipient to reverse his decision on DACA. Accruing ‘illegal presence’ Between the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and the creation of DACA, it was difficult for undocumented young adults to seek citizenship, Mileidi said.

“If you get married before the age of 18, to a United States citizen, the process goes by fairly quickly as you have not attained any ‘illegal presence,’” she said. “Of course, I wasn’t gonna get married before the age of 18 years old. It wasn’t gonna happen.” It especially wasn’t going to happen be-

cause when Mileidi turned 18, she had a girlfriend, but marriage equality wasn’t the law of the land yet. Even after it was, though, there was still bad news. “I could get married to my girlfriend, but I would have to go back to Mexico with a time penalty for a period of anywhere between weeks to 13 years. There’s no in-between. They just hit you with a random number,” she said. “That was something I wasn’t willing to risk. I didn’t want to be gone for 13 years because, honestly, at that point I might as well just stay in Mexico. I think that’s the point.” Under DACA, there is a way for recipients to leave the country for an approved purpose and return legally, which makes the path to residency and citizenship easier. At first, Mileidi chose not to pursue this, but things changed in November 2016. “When I found out that Trump had won, I freaked out. He promised to end DACA right when he got into office,” she said. She immediately filed for DACA renewal and the advanced parole program, and found out she was accepted into the program in April. “I told myself I was going to as quickly as possible travel because everything is so uncertain when you’re under this presidency,” Mileidi said. “I bought my ticket to Mexico April 25, on my 25th birthday. I think I was in Mexico May 30, came back on June 6.” It was then, seven years after they began dating, that Mileidi and her girlfriend were finally able to tie the knot. A detour on the citizenship path Now that she’s married to a US citizen, Mileidi should be able to pursue citizenship, but being LGBT adds another layer of complication. “[My wife] didn’t come out to her parents until really like two years ago. She really struggled a lot with her identity and how her parents would react,” Mileidi said. “For five years of our relationship, her parents had no idea we were together. … For me, that means difficult immigration processing.” Other couples have family vouch for them, wedding pictures, proof that they share a residence, even being on each othCONTINUES ON PAGE 7

6 News September 15, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

GEORGIA NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 er’s insurance — but when one spouse is not out, some of that proof can be hard to come by to present to immigration authorities. “I’m really scared, actually,” Mileidi said. “We don’t know if this is going to be different because we’re gay.” Mileidi first came to the US from Mexico at age 3 with her mother and older sister. Her father, brother and eldest sister were already here. At age 7, she returned to Mexico to help care for her grandmother, and within the year, her mother passed away. Her father decided to take her back to the US. That border crossing she remembers — walking in the cold desert nights; sometimes traveling by car, hunched on the floorboard until her legs fell asleep; hiding out in Underground Railroad-style stops for immigrants. At 13, her eldest sister and her husband, citizens by this time, became Mileidi’s legal guardians, requiring her to move from her largely undocumented community off Buford Highway to the “not necessarily undocumented-friendly” Gwinnett County. “I remember filling out tests, like those standardized tests where they ask for your social security number and just feeling horrified and wondering if anybody could see that I wasn’t filling it in. I felt very judged,” she said. “Any time anybody asked a question about a social security number I could just feel myself just like, getting red and wanting to disappear.” The politics of Dreaming Carrie Johnson, justice correspondent for NPR, reported that as of Sept. 6, the Department of Homeland Security was not accepting new applications. In Congress, the DREAM Act — House Resolution 3440 and Senate Bill 1615 — was introduced in July to authorize the government to stop deporting Dreamers, according to HRC. As of press time, the DREAM Act, sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) remained in the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. The act seeks to “authorize the cancellation of removal and adjustment of status of certain individuals who are long-term United States residents and who entered the United States as children.” Mileidi said Congress will pass the bill because it’s in their best interest. “You have to be some kind of hateful www.thegeorgiavoice.com

human being to see the amount of money that, just for the DACA recipients — I think the figure is $460 billion — that gets put into the US economy,” she said. “You have to be fooling yourself and everybody else if you continue to say that we’re not contributing to the economy, and they know that they’re lying.”

She said even the president acknowledged that DACA recipients pay taxes and pay into social security, helping bump up the program even though they will likely never see a penny of it. “We’re not gonna stop fighting until we get the basic human rights that we deserve. You can pass it now and make this easiT:7.458”

er on yourself and everybody else around you, or you really are going to get the fight of your life,” Mileidi said. “Once you get even a little taste of what it’s like to be a human being, you’re not getting pushed back. I’m sorry, but I’m not going to go back to just surviving. I’m going to exist. It’s my right to.”

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September 15, 2017 News 7

NEWS BRIEFS Alleged ‘miscommunication’ led to early closure of LGBT bars An Atlanta Police Department spokesman claims a “miscommunication” between city officials and APD led to the closure of several Midtown LGBT-owned bars in the early hours of Sept. 4, but one bar owner isn’t buying it. Ten, Blake’s on the Park, 10th and Piedmont and G’s Midtown were forced to end events, despite having permits that allowed them to operate past normal closing hours. At least one event was hosted as part of Black Gay Pride. “The bars came to the attention of the morning watch commander — an openly gay male — because crowds in the area were spilling out onto the streets, causing potential public safety hazards,” Carlos Campos, spokesperson for APD, said in a statement. “The morning watch supervisors should have been aware of the City Council’s extension of bar hours for the Labor Day weekend, but they were not.” That morning watch commander has since been reassigned. Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields, who is a lesbian, stopped short of calling the actions discriminatory. “While I do not believe the commander purposely set out to act in a discriminatory manner, his actions certainly gave that perception to bar owners, managers and patrons. Our commanders and officers simply must show more sensitivity to the concerns of our diverse communities,” Shields said in a statement. TEN owner James Nelson reportedly showed his ordinance to officers on the scene, and later told Project Q Atlanta, “I’ve been in business far too long and I know what happened on Sunday night.” A torrent of criticism from the LGBT community followed the department’s actions. Out Atlanta mayoral candidate Cathy Woolard said it was “difficult not to interpret the action as discriminatory” and fellow candidate Mary Norwood said though she accepted Shields’ explanation, she was “quite dismayed” by the incident. Georgia lesbian petitions High Court to review her case Lambda Legal asked the US Supreme Court on Sept. 7 to review the case of Jameka Evans, a Savannah security guard who was reportedly physically assaulted, harassed, denied equal pay and forced to leave

TEN, Blake’s on the Park, 10th and Piedmont and G’s Midtown were forced to end events in the early hours of Labor Day after police arrived on premise, despite having permits to remain open after normal hours. (File photo)

her job because she is a lesbian. The goal of the petition is a nationwide ruling that sexual orientation discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In April 2015, Evans filed suit against her former employer, Georgia Regional Hospital, claiming it violated Title VII via gender-based discrimination. “My supervisor … did not like that I was a lesbian who didn’t fit his stereotype of how a woman should look,” Evans said in a prior statement. “It Jameka Evans is heartbreaking to know that no matter how good I was at my job, being a lesbian with a short haircut meant I would never be good enough.” The US District Court in Georgia dismissed her complaint, saying Title VII does not offer gender-based protections. In January 2016, Lambda Legal filed an appeal on Evans’ behalf, and in March 2017, a three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit denied the claim again. Lambda Legal then asked the whole Eleventh Circuit court to rehear the case, but that request was declined.

LGBT group launches fundraiser for nonprofits, art project Atlanta peer mentoring group Rainbros launched a fundraiser this month for a new art installation at the intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue that could, if enough money is raised, lead to the city’s first transitional housing dedicated to the transgender community. The building wrap on the wall in between G’s Midtown and 10th and Piedmont restaurants would read “Still Too Busy To Hate,” with the letters spelling “hate” filled with messages of love from the fundraiser’s donors.” The total cost of the project, minus services and supplies donated by gay-owned Atlanta businesses KEYLAY Design and Prima Printing, would be $7,800, according to Rainbros. All additional funds raised beyond that, and a PayPal processing fee, will go to five social justice organizations: Trans Housing Atlanta Program, Lost-n-Found Youth, Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights, The Link counseling Center and The Atlanta Women’s Foundation. Rainbros set an overall fundraising goal of $25,000 by Sept. 26. There are four levels of giving, starting at $100 for a personalized heart on the building wrap. For $250, donors can choose the location of their heart. At the $500 level, donors’ names will be included on all promotional material, and those who give $1,000 will receive a public thank-you at the unveiling on Oct. 7.

8 News September 15, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

In adults with HIV on ART who have diarrhea not caused by an infection IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION This is only a summary. See complete Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com or by calling 1-844-722-8256. This does not take the place of talking with your doctor about your medical condition or treatment.

What Is Mytesi? Mytesi is a prescription medicine used to improve symptoms of noninfectious diarrhea (diarrhea not caused by a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on ART. Do Not Take Mytesi if you have diarrhea caused by an infection. Before you start Mytesi, your doctor and you should make sure your diarrhea is not caused by an infection (such as bacteria, virus, or parasite).

Possible Side Effects of Mytesi Include:

Tired of planning your life around diarrhea?

Enough is Enough Get relief. Pure and simple. Ask your doctor about Mytesi.

Mytesi (crofelemer): • Is the only medicine FDA-approved to relieve diarrhea in people with HIV • Treats diarrhea differently by normalizing the flow of water in the GI tract • Has the same or fewer side effects as placebo in clinical studies • Comes from a tree sustainably harvested in the Amazon Rainforest What is Mytesi? Mytesi is a prescription medicine that helps relieve symptoms of diarrhea not caused by an infection (noninfectious) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Important Safety Information Mytesi is not approved to treat infectious diarrhea (diarrhea caused by bacteria, a virus, or a parasite). Before starting you on Mytesi, your healthcare provider will first be sure that you do not have infectious diarrhea. Otherwise, there is a risk you would not receive the right medicine and your infection could get worse. In clinical studies, the most common side effects that occurred more often than with placebo were upper respiratory tract (sinus, nose, and throat) infection (5.7%), bronchitis (3.9%), cough (3.5%), flatulence (3.1%), and increased bilirubin (3.1%).

Should I Take Mytesi If I Am: Pregnant or Planning to Become Pregnant? • Studies in animals show that Mytesi could harm an unborn baby or affect the ability to become pregnant • There are no studies in pregnant women taking Mytesi • This drug should only be used during pregnancy if clearly needed A Nursing Mother? • It is not known whether Mytesi is passed through human breast milk • If you are nursing, you should tell your doctor before starting Mytesi • Your doctor will help you to decide whether to stop nursing or to stop taking Mytesi Under 18 or Over 65 Years of Age? • Mytesi has not been studied in children under 18 years of age • Mytesi studies did not include many people over the age of 65. So it is not clear if this age group will respond differently. Talk to your doctor to find out if Mytesi is right for you

What Should I Know About Taking Mytesi With Other Medicines? If you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicine, herbal supplements, or vitamins, tell your doctor before starting Mytesi.

What If I Have More Questions About Mytesi? For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com or speak to your doctor or pharmacist. To report side effects or make a product complaint or for additional information, call 1-844-722-8256.

For Copay Savings Card and Patient Assistance, see Mytesi.com

Mytesi comes from the Croton lechleri tree harvested in South America.

Please see complete Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com. NP-390-14

• Upper respiratory tract infection (sinus, nose, and throat infection) • Bronchitis (swelling in the tubes that carry air to and from your lungs) • Cough • Flatulence (gas) • Increased bilirubin (a waste product when red blood cells break down) For a full list of side effects, please talk to your doctor. Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. 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.

RELIEF, PURE AND SIMPLE

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Add another incident to the list BY PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com

“It would be one thing if that were the only troubling incident to occur between APD and the LGBT community since the notorious, unconstitutional raid on the Atlanta Eagle in November 2009, which later led to the city settling with the bar’s patrons for $1 million. But it’s not.”

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

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The Atlanta Police Department has a tough job to do. That needs to be said first and foremost. And it’s an encouraging sign for the LGBT community when a lesbian is appointed to the department’s highest post, as happened with Chief Erika Shields last December. It’s also encouraging when LGBT folks fill other high-ranking positions on the force, as Major Darin Schierbaum does, or when Mayor Kasim Reed appoints a transgender woman to the Atlanta Citizen Review Board, as happened for Tracee McDaniel last August. That’s why it’s so frustrating to hear of yet another incident involving the Atlanta police that negatively impacted the LGBT community, and especially for that incident to happen during Black Gay Pride. To recap, Atlanta police shut down Blake’s on the Park, G’s Midtown, 10th & Piedmont and TEN Atlanta two hours before closing time in the early morning hours of Sept. 4, despite one bar owner reportedly showing the morning watch commander on the scene a copy of the ordinance allowing them to stay open till 2:30 a.m. due to it being Labor Day weekend. The department claimed it was a miscommunication, apologized and Chief Shields reassigned that watch commander (who is also gay) to another zone. It would be one thing if that were the only troubling incident to occur between APD and the LGBT community since the notorious, unconstitutional raid on the Atlanta Eagle in November 2009, which later led to the city settling with the bar’s patrons for $1 million. But it’s not. In May 2015, a federal judge found the city in contempt of court and imposed numerous sanctions for the city’s failure to properly train police officers as mandated in that settlement. And those infractions wouldn’t have come to

10 Outspoken September 15, 2017

light if it weren’t for attorneys for the Eagle bringing it to the court’s attention. Then, just three months later, it was revealed that Atlanta police training materials contained anti-LGBT lessons, including teaching recruits that consensual sodomy is “unnatural,” illegal and comparable to bestiality; chicken hawks are pedophiles and including outdated terms for transgender people. The department removed the offensive materials and apologized. And now we have the early bar closures, during the second biggest weekend for the city’s LGBT community, and during the largest Black Gay Pride celebration in the country – which means that scene was likely the final impression that LGBT visitors to the city got before they traveled home later that Monday. I won’t claim to have the answers to this issue, as there is enough going on right now against LGBT folks and other marginalized groups in this country without having to worry about the intentions of our local police force. But after listening to the community’s reaction to yet another incident that required an apology, I just know it has to stop. Confidence in our various institutions is perilously low right now, and the last thing we need is something else to happen to add another institution to that list, or chip away even further at it.

FEEDBACK Re: “Atlanta police claim ‘miscommunication’ led to early closures of LGBT bars during Black Gay Pride,” Sept. 5 “They always have an excuse, don’t they? I call bullshit.” -Shannon Jackson via Facebook “The APD knows damn well about holiday extended hours. I smell a case of Standing While Black. And if they indeed rolled up with paddy wagons, how shameful and embarrassing that must have been for everyone concerned. The Eagle raid and ensuing lawsuits are still very fresh in this town and the city must have a short memory.” -Sean Rindge via Facebook Re: “Ponce City Market, retail construction hitting Ponce gay bars hard,” Sept. 5 “I would very much not like to see Model T close, but I’ve seen this movie before, and it does not end well. Backstreet, 2004. The Armory, 2005. The Phoenix on Ponce. Hoedown’s on Monroe. Others. Historical importance and legacy furnishings alone will not save Model T. If there is a chance the bar can survive once the new development next door is built and access to the BeltLine is restored, I would suggest that the owners make an appeal to the community to support them above and beyond the norm until then. I would hate to drive by the site in five years and lament Model T’s absence from the site because it couldn’t hang on for those two tough years while construction was going on.” -Eric L. Watts via Facebook “The gentrification of our beautiful city continues.” -Voise Davis via Facebook Re: “Spelman College to admit transgender female students beginning fall 2018,” Sept. 6 “This is what progress looks like in the black LGBTQ community!” -State Rep. Park Cannon (D-Atlanta) via Facebook 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

Atlanta’s LGBTQ culture full of uniqueness Ashleigh Atwell is a queer lesbian writer and organizer born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. The day before Irma hit, I sat in yet another planning meeting. It was just myself and five other people, but the discussion was lively. As we talked about the mundane details of the event, one person remarked that Atlanta doesn’t have a culture like other LGBTQ hubs such as New York or San Francisco. I was offended. I’m offended every time someone makes that statement. As a native, this city has changed before my eyes. The metro Atlanta I grew up in doesn’t exist anymore thanks to gentrification and population growth. People look at me in awe when I tell them I was born here. I often struggle with how quickly Atlanta

is changing and have told many that this city is losing its soul. I constantly think about relocating. Nonetheless, talking about Atlanta is like talking about a member of my family. I can talk shit about my family members and how much they get on my damn nerves. An outsider might get punched in the face if they attempt to do the same. I can complain about how cliquey LGBTQ can be and how Midtown only caters to certain demographics. I’ve earned my right to complain about the culture. But, when an out-of-towner does it, especially a fresh one, it stings. It stings even more when they are egregiously misinformed. Atlanta does a lot of things wrong, but

“Atlanta’s LGBTQ culture cannot and should not be relegated to one section of the city. As I told the person at the meeting, Atlanta isn’t just one culture. It’s a collection of many. That is something that should be celebrated.” our LGBTQ culture is unique. LGBTQ Atlanta doesn’t stop at Midtown. You can find LGBTQ culture in the bars of East Atlanta with the quirky Village Queens. The culture is in the close-knit black lesbian community in south Dekalb that came together in the wake of Lucy McCurty’s death in 2015. It’s in the artsy crowd you’d find at a Southern Fried Queer Pride event. Atlanta Pride is arguably our most mainstream event and there’s even diversity in who walks our parades. Last year, we had a variety of participants including Brazilian carnival dancers, activists, furries and high school students. Over Labor Day weekend, Atlanta Black

Pride Weekend and Dragon Con, along with various sporting events, made the city even more interesting. My straight middle-aged white coworker shared a story of how she was randomly invited out to a bar by ABPW attendees because they liked her cosplay. That type of exchange illustrates how special Atlanta can be. Atlanta’s LGBTQ culture cannot and should not be relegated to one section of the city. As I told the person at the meeting, Atlanta isn’t just one culture. It’s a collection of many. That is something that should be celebrated. Atlanta isn’t San Francisco or New York and thank Beyoncé it isn’t.

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

September 15, 2017 Outspoken 11

COMMUNITY: PHOTO GALLERY

Athens PRIDE Street Festival Athens PRIDE has come a long way since its first inception, a potluck picnic hosted in 1998. This year’s festivities included Rainbow Flow Yoga at M3Yoga, a happy hour at Sister Louisa’s Church bar, an evening of PRIDE Dragaoke hosted by The Pub at Gameday, a social for LGBT youth at Rook and Pawn, the ever-popular Red HOTTTT Dance Party at Little King’s Shuffle Club, the Sunday street festival and “Divas Under the Lights,” the culminating show downtown that featured drag kings and queens and out musicians, including our Best of Atlanta 2017 winners Evah Destruction and J. Tyler. Despite the cloudy weather and growing winds provided by Hurricane Irma, a number of vendors and advocacy organizations

lined Washington Street for the family-friendly festival on Sunday that drew dozens of families, University of Georgia students and faculty, Athens residents and more. In addition to a photo booth, henna art and face painting, LGBT folks and allies heard from vendors including Human Rights Campaign, Athens for Everyone, the Democratic Party of Georgia LGBT Caucus, the Feminist Women’s Health Center and The Health Initiative. Mike Chadwick, the “official” mascot for Athens PRIDE, was on hand as well, his glitter-festooned beard and peacock feather-topped hat drawing just as many requests for selfies as the Athens Humane Society pups. (Photos by Dallas Anne Duncan. To view the full gallery, go to www.thegeorgiavoice.com)

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12 Community September 15, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

ARTS LL A

A T N LA T A T LGB P R E VIE W

Back To Back

Comediennes, wives Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher on Atlanta tour stop, empowering LGBT voices By SHANNON HAMES

Soon after Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher met and began dating in 2012 in Chicago, they decided to follow their show business dreams and headed to Los Angeles, where they quickly found work doing exactly what they’re good at: being funny. Married since 2015, the pair are hitting the road on a bus to co-headline a national comedy tour that will bring them to the Variety Playhouse on Oct. 3. 14 A&E September 15, 2017

“The awesome thing about taking a bus tour is that you can drive at night so the travel is built into your sleep schedule,” Esposito told Georgia Voice. “We can get so many more shows in by taking a bus. If we had to fly, it would take us much longer. Plus, who doesn’t want to live like a rock star? Am I right?” Driving might be more efficient, but what about living in cramped quarters with your spouse for almost a month? “We’ll have to see how it goes,” Butcher said. “We might have to hitch a car to the back of the bus and one of us rides in that.” Giving LGBT, female voices a platform Both women have launched successful independent careers as well as teamed up

for projects (the “Back To Back” tour being one of them). Another such project is a television show called “Take My Wife.” It aired on Seeso, a now-defunct comedy subscription channel. The first season received critical acclaim, the second season is complete and they’re now shopping for a new channel at which to call the show home. One of the things that the duo decided to do was, according to Esposito, “claim our space and then make room for others.” They very purposefully hired all women writers, and nearly half of them were people of color. In season 2, almost half of the roles were played by LGBT actors, eight songs were licensed by eight different queer musicians, wardrobe was done by queer-friendly clothing companies and the set was dressed with

art from queer artists. In fact, Esposito and Butcher were so set on being mindful about who they used, they actively sought out experienced writers and actors who needed credits to enter their respective guilds, most of whom were queer or racial minorities. “For the last couple of years, people have been asking how to change the demographics of people who make shows or who are on shows,” Esposito said. “Rhea and I moved here not really expecting to get the opportunities that we’ve gotten but really ready to work our asses off. We see people like us all over the city who want those jobs. Hollywood is saying ‘Where are the under-represented voices?’ and the underCONTINUES ON PAGE 15

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Cameron Esposito & Rhea Butcher: Back To Back Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. Variety Playhouse 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E. Atlanta, GA 30307 www.ticketfly.com/purchase/ event/1508083

represented voices are saying ‘Where are the jobs?’ and they’re just not connecting. Once we got the opportunity on ‘Take My Wife,’ we just wanted to take that initiative.” So do they hope that the people who were sought out and hired this way will continue to pay it forward in their own careers by doing the same as they achieve a certain level of success? “I am struck by the way that you’re structuring this question because that’s exactly our hope,” Esposito said. “Those are our family values.” “So often,” she continued, “being gay – our personhood, is argued to be against family values. I was raised in an Italian family where family is everything and you don’t leave people behind. My queer community and marginalized people are my family members. On our best days, we have the ability to empathize in such a way that our family unit is extended beyond our nuclear family. We take care of each other and that makes me so proud to be a part of this community.” ‘Queery’ podcast changes the conversation Another way that Esposito and Butcher commingle their queerness with community is through Esposito’s hour-long podcast, “Queery.” The show is formatted where she has discussions with other LGBT people, including Butcher, in the first episode. “Our fans, the ones who watch our television show and come to see our stand-up, they are from all backgrounds,” Esposito

Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher’s 21-city ‘Back To Back’ tour hits Atlanta’s Variety Playhouse on Oct. 3. (Photos by Robyn Van Swank)

said. “One thing that I have the ability to do is talk to them in a way that is in-group conversation. So often, when I’m interviewed, it’s by a straight person. The questions about my queerness are the same questions – like asking about my coming out story. But when

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

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queer people talk to each other, we ask questions like ‘How is your family?’ or ‘What’s going on with your job?’” Butcher said the podcast feels like a companion to their TV show, and added, “She’s trying to go the step beyond the coming

out story. We both value those stories and it helps kids that are trying to come out. But we also want to tell the stories about what it’s like to be a working person and in a relationship and taking risks and how does your being queer affect all of that? Those are valuable conversations to have.” So what was it like for Butcher to be interviewed by her wife? “Someone once asked George Harrison what it was like to be in The Beatles,” she replied. “He said, ‘I don’t know. What is it like to not be in The Beatles?’ I guess what I’m saying is we can best be described as ‘The Beatles.’” The ladies have fond memories of Atlanta, including the time Butcher came to visit Esposito when she was filming “Mother’s Day” with the legendary director Garry Marshall. They booked a local venue and did their standup for Marshall, the film crew and the public. Marshall passed away a short time later. “One thing that makes Atlanta a great place to spend time in is the great local culture all around you,” Esposito said. “And the memories that we have there make us excited to come back!”

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September 15, 2017 A&E 15

FALL ARTS PREVIEW

Music, art, comedy, ballet fill fall arts schedule Gaga, John Waters, MOCA GA and SCAD FASH openings and more By JIM FARMER Anyone in the ATL who complains that there’s nothing to do in the city this season needs to seriously take a look around. From visual art openings to ballets to John Waters talking about photos to Lady Gaga herself, it’s a banner end of the year for goings-on. Every LGBT person in a 200-mile radius is apt to be at Lady Gaga’s Atlanta gig in November. The artist’s “Joanne World Tour” will include songs from her current album as well as some of her signature hits, such as “Born This Way” and “Poker Face.” As talented as she is LGBT-friendly, this is the music concert of the fall season. Miss it and your gay card will melt. In the same LGBT-friendly pop vein, check out Kesha at the Coca-Cola Roxy later this month. As popular with the younger generation as well as those who were around in his filmmaking heyday, John Waters is always a draw. Atlanta Celebrates Photography brings the maestro to town in October for its “Low Definition” event to discuss his visual artist work, picture-taking and how he utilizes photography as a writing tool to create film.

Comediennes and real-life lesbian married couple Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher perform an all-ages show in October at Variety Playhouse as part of their multi-city “Back To Back” stand-up tour. The women are known from their acclaimed TV comedy series “Take My Wife.” Turn to page 14 for our interview with the two. Sure to please design and fashion fans, SCAD FASH just opened the first solo museum exhibition in the country of Beijing designer Guo Pei. The exhibit will highlight 30 gowns Pei has designed, including the infamous yellow cape donned by singer Rihanna at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala in 2015, which is credited for introducing Pei’s work to American audiences. Many former company members of the Atlanta Ballet are now part of their own troupe, Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre, making its debut in October. The first show is “Exstasis,” a modern ballet inspired by the search for ecstatic moments. Dance fans should also gobble up the world premiere of “Beauty and the Beast,” a one-hour family ballet staged by Atlanta Ballet 2 later this month.

Rihanna’s infamous yellow dress from the 2015 Met Gala is included in designer Guo Pei’s exhibition open now through next March at SCAD FASH. (Photo via Instagram)

On a smaller scale, but bound to be fun, local talents Judy Grahn and Franklin Abbott will join forces to perform poetry and music at First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta. Grahn is a celebrated poet, as is Abbott, also a musician who will perform songs from his new CD “Don’t Go Back To Sleep.” He will perform with sarod player Souryadeep Bhattacharyya and tabla player Rohit Bhat. Visual arts fans should make a mental note of Sept. 22, as the Museum of Contem-

porary Arts of Georgia unveils an exhibit by Paul Stephen Benjamin and an exhibit titled “One Glass Eye” by veteran Chip Simone, proficient in his field since the ‘60s. 20 years after they began recording together, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers have not slowed down. The Indigo Girls join the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra later this month. Music fans should also be delighted that the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin, brings her inimitable act to the Fox Theatre in October.

Details “Guo Pei: Couture Beyond” exhibition Through March 4, 2018 SCAD FASH 1600 Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30309 www.scadfash.org Paul Stephen Benjamin and Chip Simone exhibition openings Sept. 22, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. MOCA GA 75 Bennett St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30309 www.mocaga.org Judy Grahn and Franklin Abbott Sept. 24 at 3 p.m. First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta,

470 Candler Park Drive, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30307 www.firstexistentialist.org Indigo Girls with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. Atlanta Symphony Hall 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30309 www.aso.org Kesha’s Rainbow Tour 2017 Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. Coca-Cola Roxy 800 Battery Ave. S.E., Atlanta, GA 30339

www.livenation.com/events/697765-sep29-2017-kesha-rainbow-tour-2017 Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher: Back To Back Stand-Up Tour Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. Variety Playhouse 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30307 www.variety-playhouse.com Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre Oct 12 – 15 at 8 p.m. Westside Cultural Arts Center 760 10th St., Atlanta, GA 30318 www.terminus-serenbe.com

Aretha Franklin Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. Fox Theatre 660 Peachtree St.,, Atlanta, GA 30308 www.foxtheatre.org John Waters as part of “Low Definition” Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. Woodruff Art Center’s Rich Theatre 1280 Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30309 www.ACPinfo.org/tickets Lady Gaga Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m. Philips Arena 1 Philips Drive, Atlanta, GA 30303 www.ticketmaster.com

16 Fall Arts Preview September 15, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

FALL ARTS PREVIEW

LGBT themes, actors, more on Atlanta stages this season By JIM FARMER Fall is here – already! – and with it comes a new crop of theatrical offerings, much of it with a LGBT theme or angle. Some are premieres and others are popular staples. Here are some of the prime offerings. Out Front Theatre Company, off of a successful first season as Atlanta’s LGBT theater, has a production of the beloved cult musical “The Rocky Horror Show.” Artistic director Paul Conroy promises fun and audience participation. Out Front is also collaborating with ART Station on the one-man show “Buyer & Cellar” this weekend. Theatrical Outfit has two shows with LGBT themes in its 2017-2018 season. This fall, “Boy” debuts. Based on a true story that was covered by the BBC as well as Oprah Winfrey, it’s about a set of parents who are convinced by a doctor to raise their male son as a female. It’s directed by the openly gay Melissa Foulger and stars out actor Clifton Guterman. Atlanta audiences will get two chances to see work by gay playwright Topher Payne. His “Perfect Arrangement” will get a Theatrical Outfit staging in 2018, but first up is his world premiere “Morningside” at Georgia Ensemble Theatre. It’s set – appropriately – in the Morningside section of Atlanta and features a “baby shower, nine women with secrets and a case of champagne.” Expect laughs and finely-drawn characters. While not necessarily gay-themed, “The Christians” at Actor’s Express looks promising, following a pastor at a megachurch who shares a new belief with his followers and shakes everything up considerably. It’s directed by Freddie Ashley and features a live choir. Not gay-themed either, but with a gay playwright behind it – Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa – Aurora Theatre’s “Abigail/1702” is a sequel to the classic “The Crucible,” taking place a decade after the Salem witch trials. With a terrific cast, it’s one of the most anticipated productions of the fall. Finally, the lauded musical “The Color Purple” – which debuted at the Alliance Theatre – is back courtesy of Broadway Across America, following a Tony Award-winning revival. Its story and score will resonate. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Clifton Guterman stars in ‘Boy,’ opening Sept. 28 at Theatrical Outfit. (Photo by Stacey Bode Photography)

Details

“The Christians” Sept. 16 – Oct. 15 Actor’s Express 887 West Marietta St. N.W. Atlanta, GA 30318 www.actorsexspress.com “Abigail/1702” Sept. 21 – Oct. 15 Aurora Theatre 128 East Pike St. Lawrenceville, GA, 30046 www.auroratheatre.com “Boy” Sept. 28 – Oct. 15 Theatrical Outfit The Balzer Theatre at Herren’s 84 Luckie St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303 www.theatricaloutfit.org “The Rocky Horror Show” Oct. 19 – Nov. 5 Out Front Theatre Company 999 Brady Ave., Atlanta GA 30318 www.outfronttheatre.com “The Color Purple” Oct. 24 – 29 Fox Theatre 660 Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30308 www.broadwayacrossamerica.com “Morningside” Oct. 26 – Nov. 12 Georgia Ensemble Theatre Roswell Cultural Arts Center 950 Forrest St. Roswell, GA 30075 www.get.org

September 15, 2017 Fall Arts Preview 17

FALL ARTS PREVIEW

City Winery welcomes Isaac Mizrahi’s cabaret Fashion designer wants to know, ‘Does This Song Make Me Look Fat?’ By DALLAS ANNE DUNCAN dduncan@thegavoice.com Isaac Mizrahi is already a household name in the fashion industry, but now, he’s looking to make a name for himself on the stage. His alt.cabaret — a subgenre of unrestrained cabaret with more of a message — show, “Does This Song Make Me Look Fat?,” comes to City Winery at Ponce City Market later this month. “The traditional cabaret … is like a musical performance with a bit of patter. This show is exactly that, except it’s not a bit of patter. It’s a lot of patter,” Mizrahi told Georgia Voice. “It’s kind of like acknowledgment of what’s going on in the room. I really do like to respond to what I’m feeling in a crowd as opposed to just setting up stuff to say. I’m prepared and I have material that needs to happen, but I also like to respond to the place I am.” His cabaret is “three or four times more fun” because there’s also alcohol involved. Mizrahi first flirted with the cabaret stage in the late 1990s, when he performed in several New York venues and did a one-man off-Broadway show. Those received rave reviews, and a couple of years ago, he was approached to go on the road. “Each song has a whole different character every time we do it, because it’s live,” Mizrahi said. “It’s an adult content show. There’s no nudity; more profanity than you can imagine, and its subject matter — we talk about prescription drugs and genitals and things.” The designer says he’s been complimented on his singing chops, but advises he’s no Ariana Grande. He also wouldn’t reveal too much about the numbers, though — “You’ll have to come see it,” Mizrahi said. Singing the praises Mizrahi wanted to bring the show to City Winery because he feels Atlanta will be receptive to the show. “Not every city has a room that is condu-

Details

Isaac Mizrahi: Does This Song Make Me Look Fat? Thursday, Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. City Winery Atlanta 650 North Ave., NW, Suite 201 Atlanta, GA 30354 Doors open at 6, tickets start at $35 www.citywinery.com/atlanta/ isaac-mizrahi-does-this-song-makeme-look-fat-9-28.html cive to this kind of thing. It’s kind of a classy place I would love to appear,” he said. “Does This Song Make Me Look Fat?” started its alt.cabaret tour at the Café Carlyle in New York earlier this year. That version of the show was well-received by Vogue, which reviewed it in the middle of New York Fashion Week. “He was jazzed to be there, his voice was solid and it seemed as if he’d really been practicing. The last note hit, and the crowd applauded loudly while he took a seat to pontificate on the various modes of fat shaming,” Vogue’s Brooke Bobb wrote of one of the songs. “The anecdotes from his colorful past were by far the highlights of the show, so much so that one was left wanting more gossip from him. Perhaps his next one-man gig should revolve solely around shit-talking.” Meant for the stage “Way before I started making clothes, I was this kind of actor-slash-entertainer as a tiny kid. I used to do these female impersonations, which didn’t go over so well with my family, but it’s what I did. I did Judy Garland and Barbara Streisand at 10 years old,” Mizrahi said. “It was a big mainstay of my life.” In fact, it was this amateur theater that got Mizrahi involved in fashion to begin with. He started making puppets, so he started sewing. “There were these elaborate shows I

Isaac Mizrahi is known more for his eye for fashion than his singing voice, but that’s not stopping him from taking the stage in his latest project, a cabaret performance coming to City Winery later this month. (Publicity photo)

“The traditional cabaret … is like a musical performance with a bit of patter. This show is exactly that, except it’s not a bit of patter. It’s a lot of patter.” —Isaac Mizrahi wrote. It’s really show business that brought me to clothing,” he said. When it comes to fashion for the cabaret show, he did reveal that a tuxedo, of all things, is a main character.

“A big part of this show is the tuxedo I wear that I actually fit into. … I don’t want to talk about it too much, because it’s part of the story of the show, like how long ago I got it,” he said. “It’s beautiful.”

18 Fall Arts Preview September 15, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

FALL ARTS PREVIEW

Festival favorites fill up fall LGBT film slate ‘Call Me By Your Name,’ ‘Battle of the Sexes’ among highlights By JIM FARMER When it comes to LGBT fare at the movies, it can often be hit or miss. The spring, for instance, had scant representation, but the fall season – when everyone puts on their Oscar-sniffing hats – has some major motion pictures, all looking for awards and box office glory, like 2016’s”Moonlight” did. The biggie this season is “Call Me By Your Name.” Based on the beloved novel and set in Italy in the summer of 1983, it follows the relationship of an American-Italian (Timothée Chalamet) and the American student (Armie Hammer) staying with his family. The two share a romantic summer together. It has a gay director in Luca Guadagnino, a gay screenwriter in the legendary James Ivory and several gay producers. By all reports, it’s a fine film, but what remains to be seen is how well it’s received commercially. Its distributor has shunned all US LGBT film festivals and hasn’t been subtle about promoting the film more as “universal” than gay. It will be interesting, too, to see how the infamous peach scene is handled. Another film seeking Oscar attention is “Battle of the Sexes,” starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell. It’s the story of tennis great Billie Jean King and her 1973 nationally televised match with sexist Bobby Riggs. The film also features Alan Cumming as Ted Tinling and Andrea Riseborough as Marilyn Barnett, who has an affair with King (and later sues and outs her). The filmmakers made “Little Miss Sunshine” – also with Carell – and are clearly comfortable with LGBT material, so the outlook appears promising. With “Wonder Woman” a smash this summer, the timing is perfect for the new “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.” Directed by lesbian Angela Robinson, the film tells the story of how the comic book character arose from the complicated relationship of William Moulton Marston, his wife (Rebecca Hall) and his mistress (Bella Heathcote) — who are also sexually

Details

Out On Film Sept. 28 – Oct. 8 “Battle of the Sexes” Sept. 29 “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” Oct. 24 “God’s Own Country” Oct. 27 “My Friend Dahmer” Nov. 3 “Mudbound” Nov. 17 “Call Me By Your Name” Nov. 24 involved with each other. Early reports suggest that it’s both enjoyable and bold – and doesn’t skimp on the kink. Marston is played by out actor Luke Evans, seen earlier this year in “Beauty and the Beast.” A few years back, out director Dee Rees had a critical smash with “Pariah.” Now she is back with “Mudbound,” which made a splash at Sundance, centering around two men who come home to Mississippi after fighting in World War II and have to deal with the aftermath, as well as the area’s racism. Garrett Hedlund and and Carey Mulligan headline the ensemble. In what’s been called a happier “Brokeback Mountain,” Francis Lee’s “God’s Own Country” stars Josh O’Connor as a young farmer in Yorkshire, not yet above heavy drinking and casual sex, whose life changes when a sexy migrant worker from Romania (Alec Secareanu) arrives to help on the farm. Not high on the gay content, but creepy as hell, “My Friend Dahmer” stars Ross

Clockwise from top: Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer’s characters (squatting, left to right) share a romantic Italian summer together in ‘Call Me By Your Name,’ opening Nov. 24. Rebecca Hall and Luke Evans star in ‘Professor Marston and the Wonder Women,’ opening Oct. 24. Ross Lynch as Jeffrey Dahmer in ‘My Friend Dahmer,’ opening Nov. 3. Garrett Hedlund and Jason Mitchell star in ‘Mudbound,’ opening Nov. 17 (Publicity photos)

Lynch as the high school version of the infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, dealing with his attraction to men and his own introverted personality. Anne Heche and Dallas Roberts co-star as his parents, too preoccupied with their dissolving marriage to realize what is going on with their son.

Finally, Out On Film bows its 30th anniversary year on Sept. 28 with more than 120 films, opening with “Happy: A Small Film with a Big Smile,” about how former Atlantan – and visual artist – Leonard Zimmerman used his art as a coping method when his partner unexpectedly passed away.

20 Fall Arts Preview September 15, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

the rocky horror show

Oct 19 - Nov 5

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FALL ARTS PREVIEW

20 fall TV shows with LGBT tie-ins The characters, actors and creators keeping the small screen queer this season By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com It might not be getting better for us in the real world, but it’s getting better in TV world if you go by the number of new and returning shows with a LGBT bent. Check out a whopping 20 choices to get your queer fix this season.

“Star”

(Premieres Sept. 27 on FOX)

Transgender actress (and Atlanta resident) Amiyah Scott returns as Carlotta’s trans daughter Cotton, who reportedly gets caught up in a love triangle this season. “Modern Family”

(Premieres Sept. 27 on ABC)

(Premieres Sept. 21 on FOX)

It’s season 9 for the Dunphy-Pritchett clan, and that includes gay couple Cam and Mitch and their hilarious daughter Lilly.

Queer characters Tabatha and Barbara return for season 4, as does out actor Robin Lord Taylor who plays show favorite The Penguin.

(Premieres Sept. 28 on ABC)

“Gotham”

“Grey’s Anatomy”

“Transparent”

The medical drama is still kicking after 14 years, and so is lesbian character Arizona Robbins, who is newly single.

Clockwise from top: Gay actor Anthony Rapp (far right) stars in CBS’ “Star Trek: Discovery.” “Dynasty” premieres in October on the CW. Transgender actress Amiyah Scott (center) returns in “Star” on Fox.

Bisexual actress Alia Shawkat (“Search Party”) guest stars and, of course, Jeffrey Tambor returns as the transgender matriarch of the Pfefferman clan.

“How To Get Away With Murder”

president, and don’t forget Huck, played by out actor Guillermo Diaz.

Two things to keep an eye out for: Connor and Oliver are reportedly getting married and we might see the return of Annalise’s former lover, Eve (Famke Janssen).

“DC’s Legends of Tomorrow”

(Premieres Sept. 22 on Amazon)

“Star Trek: Discovery” (Premieres Sept. 25 on CBS)

Out actor Anthony Rapp (of “Rent” fame) plays a gay scientist in this latest “Star Trek” iteration and his love interest is played by none other than Wilson Cruz (“My SoCalled Life”). “Young Sheldon”

(Premieres Sept. 25 on CBS)

The series follows 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper as he attends high school in southeast Texas, and Jim Parsons, the openly gay actor who originated the role on “The Big Bang Theory,” is on board as narrator and executive producer. “Empire”

(Premieres Sept. 27 on FOX)

Out actor Jussie Smollett returns as the similarly out Jamal in season 4 of the primetime soap, so expect more smooth singing from the heartthrob.

(Premieres Sept. 28 on ABC)

“Will & Grace”

(Premieres Sept. 28 on NBC)

(Premieres Oct. 10 on The CW)

Bisexual character White Canary returns for season 3 and this time, she’s got a new love interest named Lindsay Carlisle. “Dynasty”

Here’s the biggie! We got a brief reunion of Will, Grace, Jack and Karen last fall with a 10-minute YouTube video, and the reaction was so overwhelmingly positive that they signed on for a 16-episode season.

(Premieres Oct. 11 on The CW)

“The Exorcist”

“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”

The character of Steven Carrington is still gay in this reboot of the ’80s prime-time soap, but gold-digging woman Sammy Jo is now a gay man.

(Premieres Sept. 29 on FOX)

(Premieres Oct. 13 on The CW)

Season 2 of the show based on the 1970s horror classic will reportedly include a major character turning out to be bisexual.

Out actor Vincent Rodriguez returns to the musical comedy, as do the characters (and couple) Darryl and White Josh.

“Scandal”

“Jane the Virgin”

(Premieres Oct. 5 on ABC)

(Premieres Oct. 13 on The CW)

Stock up on the red wine because it’s the final season of “Scandal.” Cyrus Beene will reportedly become America’s first gay vice

The CW doesn’t skimp on LGBT characters, and that includes this show as bisexual Rose and her girlfriend Luisa return.

“Mindhunter”

(Premieres Oct. 13 on Netflix)

Out actor Jonathan Groff (“Looking,” “Glee”) stars in this fact-based crime drama set in 1979 about FBI agents interviewing imprisoned serial killers in order to catch the ones still loose. “The Walking Dead”

(Premieres Oct. 22 on AMC)

LGBT characters Aaron and Tara are still alive and kicking in season 8 of the AMC drama, but no one is ever truly safe in “Walking Dead” world. “Search Party”

(Premieres Nov. 19 on TBS)

LGBT actors Alia Shawkat and John Early are back for season 2, which dispenses two episodes a week this time around. “Marvel’s Runaways” (Premieres Nov. 21 on Hulu)

This new series is about six teenagers – including lesbian Karolina Dean (played by Virginia Gardner) – from different backgrounds who unite against their evil parents.

22 Fall Arts Preview September 15, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

W E ’ R E FA M I LY Y ’A L L

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September 15, 2017 Ads 23

EATING MY WORDS By CLIFF BOSTOCK

Bro-ing down at B’s Cracklin’ Barbecue As you know, gay men are obsessed with being “masc.” To earn the distinction requires, according to social media sites, that you enjoy college football, outdoor activities (like pool parties?) and, weirdly, grilling. Yep, the girly men can bake cornbread, but only a man’s man can barbecue a pig butt. Probably the most manly barbecue these days is to be found at B’s Cracklin’ Barbecue in the Riverside neighborhood in west Atlanta (2061 Main St., 678-949-9912, bscracklinbbq.com). The owner-pitmaster is Bryan Furman, who opened a restaurant of the same name in Savannah in 2014. It was an instant hit, earning mentions on “best of ” lists at the national level. Unfortunately, that restaurant burned down in 2015, but quickly reopened in another Savannah location. Last year, Furman and his wife Nikki added the Atlanta venue. The restaurant – or “joint,” if you prefer – is no-frills and has two dining areas. The sunlit room up front includes only community tables. The larger, darker main dining room is more diverse and also includes a full bar. The space is large, so I doubt there’s ever much of a wait. What makes the barbecue so unusually good? Furman had a stroke of genius when he was planning his first restaurant: He only smokes local heritage hogs. If you’re a BBQ freak, you’ll recognize the difference in taste right away. The flavor of the pork and ribs is so, um, meaty that I found myself not even going for the sauces. The rib meat is firm, not falling apart, which for some reason is preferred by many people. The brisket is astounding. The fat slices of meat are surrounded by a layer of slightly charred fat. The chicken was the most burnished of the meats I sampled. It, like everything else, was juicy. Too many restaurants smoke their meats to the point of desiccation. Then you have to pump so much sauce on your plate that you lose the flavor of the meat itself. What first compelled me to visit B’s was learning that Furman grew up in South Car-

The ribs and brisket combo plate is a favorite at B’s Cracklin’ Barbecue in west Atlanta. (Photo by Cliff Bostock)

olina, where mustard-based sauces are most popular. His is phenomenal. It’s infused with peaches, the sweetness of which collides with the strong mustard. It should be available at better grocery stores that have a crack aisle. He also makes the sauce I grew up eating – North Carolina’s vinegar-based concoction. I found it to be especially good squirted on the brisket. There’s a third ketchupy Georgiastyle sauce. No thanks. Any veggie sides are locally sourced. The collards, however, were so complicated, all I could taste was a mishmash of flavors. I think I even detected cumin. The mac ‘n’ cheese was as rich as it gets. Banana pudding was as sweet as it gets. Complaints? Only one. When I ordered my meal, I asked for cracklin’ cornbread. The server told me it came with all plates. What I received, though, was a sweet hoecake. It was delicious, but I wanted those little chunks of pork skin that my mother put in her sugarfree cornbread. Oh. One more complaint. The portions are abnormally gigantic. But, hey, what could be more masc than brandishing half a chicken in one hand and a rack of ribs in the other? Let’s eat this thing, bro. Cliff Bostock is a former psychotherapist now specializing in life coaching. Contact him at 404-518-4415 or cliffbostock@gmail.com.

24 Columnists September 15, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT theaglcc.org

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September 15, 2017 Ads 25

T A T GB

A T N LA T

Our Guide to the Best LGBT Events in Atlanta for Sept. 15-28

BETS T ES

EVEN FRIDAY, SEPT. 15

Discover “LUZIA,” where a waking dream transports you to an imaginary Mexico. Experience a wondrous world that inspires you to explore your senses, enveloped in light and nurtured by rain. “LUZIA” is the newest Cirque du Soleil experience to come to Atlantic Station. Shows run through Nov. 19, 8 p.m., 1380 Atlantic Drive N.W., Atlanta, GA 30363, www.facebook.com/ events/285797858498680

SATURDAY, SEPT. 16 – SUNDAY, SEPT. 17

Music Midtown returns to Piedmont Park this weekend with a great line-up, including Bruno Mars and Mumford and Sons, 12 – 11 p.m., www.musicmidtown.com

SATURDAY, SEPT. 16

The glamorous Edie Cheezburger reads to children at Drag Queen Storytime. It’s an afternoon of humor, diversity and high fashion. 3 – 4 p.m., Posman Books Atlanta, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E. #C197, Atlanta, GA 30308, www.facebook.com/events/485249018519015 ICON is a curated and produced immersive performance art experience. Join in for a night of music, video and performance art told through burlesque, drag, aerial, silks, trapeze, dance and more all in celebrating the fabulous Kylie Minogue and Robyn. 10:30 p.m. – 3 a.m., Jungle Atlanta, 2115 Faulkner Road N.E. Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/ events/1519387071458617

SUNDAY, SEPT. 17

The PFLAG support group for parents and families of LGBT children meets today from 2:30 – 4 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, 1605 Interstate 85/ Frontage Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, www.uuca.org

26 Best Bets September 15, 2017

SATURDAY, SEPT. 16 – SUNDAY, SEPT. 17

Gays for Plays plans a night at the Theatrical Outfit-Aurora Theatre staging of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” at 7:30 p.m., with a discounted ticket offer of $20, Rialto Center for the Arts, 80 Forsyth St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.facebook.com/ events/1479552208760017 (Publicity photo)

MONDAY, SEPT. 18

Rainbros coaches Warren Gump and John Hopkins provide an overview of various financial products to help you make more informed decisions, save money and reduce financial stress at Personal Finance – Retirement and Financial Products 101, 7 – 8:30 p.m. Creative Approach Atlanta, 1080 W. Peachtree St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.facebook.com/events/472919429726726

TUESDAY, SEPT. 19

With so many candidates for mayor, it’s hard to know where they all stand on transportation issues you care about. That’s why a group of transportation advocates is hosting Atlanta on the Move: Candidates for Mayor on Transportation. What would candidates do to make streets safe for people walking, biking and waiting for the bus? What transportation-related ideas do they have to keep Atlanta affordable? What investments are most pressing to realizing Atlanta’s potential for active transportation modes? Get answers to these and more questions (including some submitted by audience members), 6- 9 p.m., Loudermilk Conference Center, 40 Courtland St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.facebook. com/events/115349932436096/

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 20

Angelica and Malibu host The AM

Show competition, 10:30 p.m., Burkhart’s, 1492 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.burkharts.com

THURSDAY, SEPT. 21

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 Metro Atlanta Association of Professionals (MAAP) presents its My Point event tonight celebrating the 30th anniversary of Out On Film, with giveaways, nibbles and a cash bar, as well as an introduction to new MAAP member Out Front Theatre Company, 6 – 8 p.m. at Out Front Theatre Company, 999 Brady Ave. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318, www.facebook.com/ events/117272642267512

FRIDAY, SEPT. 22

“Let’s Talk About” is an ongoing series of community discussions aimed at honoring and embracing the voices of marginalized groups in the Atlanta LGBT community. Join the Atlanta Pride Committee for a fishbowl discussion. “Let’s Talk About: Accessibility” is intended to center the voices, experiences, needs and concerns of LGBT people with disabilities, families and elders. All are encouraged to attend. 6 – 9 p.m., Phillip Rush Center, 1530 DeKalb Ave.,

Atlanta, GA 30307, www.facebook.com/ events/2064092947151525 The Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce hosts its annual (blacktie optional) Community Awards Dinner with a 6:30 p.m. reception and the awards at 7:30 p.m., followed by an after-party. Winners will be announced in a number of categories, including Businessman and Businesswoman of the Year and Small Business of the Year, Westin Atlanta Buckhead, 3391 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30326, www.atlantagaychamber.org Grab your most fabulous outfit and get ready for a kiki. OutlantaCon, the Southeast’s longest running LGBT convention, pairs up with allies at Markster Con to bring you all the colors of the rainbow in one 21+ amazing event. The confirmed pubs are host Diesel Filling Station, Limerick Junction, Dark Horse Tavern, Hand In Hand Pub and Neighbor’s Pub. General admission includes five drink tickets (one per participating pub), photo opps, commemorative pin, drink specials and more, 7 – 11 p.m., 870 N. Highland Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30306, www.facebook. com/events/1997715427130417

SATURDAY, SEPT. 23

The East Atlanta STRUT kicks off with a fun-filled day at 10 a.m. with

CONTINUES ON PAGE 28 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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t season a 8 1 / 7 1 0 2 d. e The Alliance will perform all the productions of th novate e r y l e t e l is comp different venues around Atlanta while our theater

OCT 7 – NOV 25 at MARCUS JCC OF ATLANTA A romantic comedy about love, family... and pickles.

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DEC 8 – 24 at COBB ENERGY CENTRE One of Atlanta’s most treasured holiday traditions.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26 great music, food, drinks, an artists’ market, a kid’s pavilion and a 2 p.m. parade to follow, with the fun lasting until 9 p.m., Glenwood and Flat Shoals, Atlanta, GA 30316, www.facebook.com/ events/467723980231237 The first annual Rainbow Ball is Out Front Theatre Company’s signature fundraising event. This year will be featuring The Time Warp cabaret in preparation for “The Rocky Horror Show” opening just a few weeks later on Out Front’s stage. All tickets include complimentary bar and a tasty Transylvanian buffet from Bridge Catering, 7 p.m., 999 Brady Ave. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318, www.facebook.com/ events/1850138988634472 Party With Impact is an annual fundraising event for Positive Impact Health Centers. This year’s event will be at the Millennium Gate Museum near Atlantic Station and will feature an open bar and food provided by Proof of the Pudding including a Street Taco Bar, a Dixie Slider Bar and more. The first floor of the museum will be open with exhibits on Georgia’s history and families. 7:30 – 9:30 p.m., 395 17th St. N.W.,

28 Best Bets September 15, 2017

Atlanta, GA 30363, www.facebook.com/ events/806108106233435 Tonight is the Ready 4 Hope RED Party, in association with SCRUFF. Get your red attire on and get ready to party with a purpose with the high energy beats of DJ Blacklow from Los Angeles. There will also be a special performance by Phoenix, 11 p.m. – 3 a.m., Jungle Atlanta, 2115 Faulkner Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/ events/1710731665898205

SUNDAY, SEPT. 24

The streets of Atlanta will spring to life today for Atlanta Streets Alive, as a 3.1-mile stretch of street from Downtown to Midtown is opened to people on foot and bikes and closed to motorized traffic (except for intersections where cars will be free to cross.) Organized by the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, this is the last Atlanta Streets Alive of the year. 2 – 6 p.m., www.facebook.com/ events/272460866510080

MONDAY, SEPT. 25

Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and ChooseATL are hosting a Mayoral Forum on the Arts today in the Rich Theatre at Woodruff Arts Center. Come hear the candidates

discuss how they will leverage the Office of Cultural Affairs to support the continued growth and vitality of our arts and culture community and address quality of life issues. Candidates scheduled to appear are Peter Aman, John Eaves, Vincent Fort, Kwanza Hall, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Caesar Mitchell, Mary Norwood, Michael Sterling and Cathy Woolard. RSVP here: www.eventbrite.com/e/mayoralforum-on-the-arts-tickets-37096164627#, 5:30 p.m., 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.facebook.com/ events/1244393685689681

TUESDAY, SEPT. 26

Catch Broadway in America’s national tour of “The King and I” at the Fox Theatre tonight, running through Oct. 1, 7:30 p.m., 660 Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30308, www.foxtheatre.org

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 27

The Indigo Girls jam with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra tonight at 7:30 p.m., Woodruff Arts Center Atlanta Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E, Atlanta, GA 30309, www.facebook.com/events/1289652877816816

THURSDAY, SEPT. 28

Out On Film kicks off its 30th anniversary

LGBT film festival tonight with “Happy: A Small Film With a Big Smile,” about how former Atlantan Leonard Zimmerman – a visual artist – used his art as therapy after the death of his partner and launched a global campaign, with Zimmerman and director Michael Patrick McKinley present and a reception to follow, 7 p.m., Midtown Art Cinema, 931 Monroe Drive, Atlanta, GA 30308, www.outonfilm.org Join NBC, the Human Rights Campaign and Creative Approach Atlanta for a viewing party for the historic revival of “Will & Grace.” The suggested donation is $10. At 8 p.m. is the finale episode and at 9 p.m. is the premiere, 1080 Peachtree St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.facebook.com/ events/214028345786354 Theatrical Outfit opens the new LGBT drama “Boy,” running through Oct. 15, tonight at 8 p.m., The Balzer Theatre at Herren’s, Atlanta, GA 30303, www.theatricaloutfit.org TEN Atlanta is hosting a “Will and Grace” viewing party, this one free of charge, 8:30 p.m., 990 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.facebook. com/events/308363472906167

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Jerusalem House presents

Atlanta’s most triumphant

OPEN BAR

Halloween Party Totally radical costume contest with bodacious prizes!

SATURDAY OCTOBER 21, 2017 7:00–11:00 p.m.

Gnarly new venue!

Gallery 874 874 Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard NW Atlanta, GA 30318

Tito’s Handmade Vodka!

Slammin’ complimentary cocktails!

Totally primo food! Fresh beats by DJ Kimber!

Grab your fab friends, score an outrageous costume, and buy your tickets for a righteous

good time!

Spencer Ludwig with special guest

Chelsea Shag Friday, September 29 8 p.m.

arts@tech

2017-2018 season professional artists series

The 26th season brings you great performances in music, dance and theater that cross genres and exemplify the innovative and inspiring work at the intersection of art, science, and technology.

Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company September 16, 2017

www.jerusalemhouse.org/halloween

21 and up, ID required

Miguel Zenón Quartet January 27, 2018

Nufonia Must Fall by Kid Koala

Spencer Ludwig Shag

with Chelsea

February 12-13, 2018

September 29, 2017

Spanish Harlem Orchestra October 13, 2017

SIRO-A

October 27, 2017

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy November 4, 2017

Rebirth Brass Band February 24, 2018

Thaddeus Phillips and Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental: 17 Border Crossings March 3, 2018

Kaki King: The Neck Is A Bridge To The Body

Adam Ben Ezra

November 16, 2017

RAIIN Dance Theater: in Human November 17, 2017

Moscow Ballet: Great Russian Nutcracker November 26, 2017

March 10, 2018

Atlanta’s Dance Canvas: 10 Years of World Premieres March 23-24, 2018

An Evening of SEAD Artists April 21, 2018

subscribe and save 15%!

Choose any four or more shows and save 15%! Subscribers get priority seating and ticket exchange privileges, and more. Tickets to all shows now on sale!

to subscribe or for tickets, call

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details and more events at

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September 15, 2017 Ads 29

THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID By MELISSA CARTER

Sticker shock and healthcare woes We all have suffered through quite a few years of both successful and unsuccessful healthcare reform debate, but have you ever been without insurance and felt the real effects? I didn’t until a recent sales slip at my pharmacy sent me into quite a shock. I received a kidney transplant in the fall of 2002. At the time, I was on The Bert Show and was fortunate enough to have good insurance that was slated to cover my surgery. But, a few weeks before surgery, Piedmont Hospital and my insurance company announced they were cutting ties with one another, and the date their current agreement would end landed on the day before my surgery. The news was devastating. It was like a happy ending had been ripped from me after spending years in many doctors’ offices and undergoing testing, diagnosis and a year of dialysis. I voiced my frustration through tears on the air only to be contacted at home later that evening by an executive with the insurance company. She reassured me that previously scheduled procedures, like my transplant, would now be covered. The anxiety of the whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth with insurance companies, but I was grateful the conflict ended in my favor. Dealing with medical costs doesn’t end with the surgery. After a transplant, recipients must take several medications every day in order to keep the transplanted organ from being rejected by the body. Without them, we could very easily and quickly lose our lives. I knew those medications could be expensive, but didn’t realize the exact amount until the other day at the pharmacy. After leaving Cox Media Group, I signed up for COBRA insurance to cover my healthcare until I get another full-time position. For some reason, however, there has been a stall in communication between Cox and my insurance provider to extend coverage, and my insurance card was deactivated. Having run out of medications, I was forced

“It’s as if everyone involved, from insurance companies to hospitals to supply manufacturers, knows we patients are dependent on their services and thus can be easily taken advantage of. Somehow the term ‘care’ doesn’t seem to fit in healthcare anymore.” to purchase my pills out of pocket to the tune of over $2,000. And this is for only one month’s supply. As I sit here filing my claim to get that expense reimbursed, I can’t help but wish those making decisions about how we secure Americans’ health went through similar experiences first. My story is mild compared to scores of people who have lost their jobs, credit, relationships and self-esteem from either recovery time or financial stress, or both. Anxiety does nothing to keep the body healthy, and should never be part of the process of healthcare. But it’s as if everyone involved, from insurance companies to hospitals to supply manufacturers, knows we patients are dependent on their services and thus can be easily taken advantage of. Somehow the term “care” doesn’t seem to fit in healthcare anymore. Maybe we should deactivate lawmakers’ insurance cards unexpectedly to get the point across, since the healthcare debate is not one for the healthy alone. 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.

30 Columnists September 15, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

A MODICUM OF DECORUM By SHANNON HAMES

The million-dollar question “Aunt Mama, are you happy?” Those were the words coming from the mouth of my then 2-year-old niece, Mackenzie. I remember it well because we were driving nine hours to visit a family member and Mackenzie talked every single minute of those nine hours. I have no idea what else she said that day over 14 years ago because that question was the most profound thing anyone has ever asked me and it was all I could think about. I was married to a good man. I was a stayat-home homeschool mom to two of the most amazing children. I lived on the beach. I had a boat. Dolphins played in the water off my back deck. I traveled. I had friends. I was a foster mom and a hospice volunteer. I had the gratitude and respect of my community. I felt content most of the time, sad some of the time and lonely all of the time. But, no matter how I tried to argue the case for my happiness in my mind, I just couldn’t categorize myself as “happy.” That question forced me to examine my life. I looked at what I was trading my real happiness for: the feeling of safety and security, avoiding the discomfort of a divorce, a move, lack of financial resources, the reaction of friends and the “embarrassment” of knowing that all of the people who knew me would now know that I was a lesbian – just some of the many reasons that I gave myself to keep me anchored to that life of mediocre satisfaction. I went for almost four more years before I gathered the resolve to follow my heart into the unknown world outside of my closet. One of the most interesting things for me is to see that, whether queer or not, many people do this trading of happiness for safety, security and comfort. We don’t want the temporary discomfort that comes with change, so we sit in our contentedness and placate ourselves with daydreams about the life we don’t have the courage to actually live. This isn’t a story about following my bliss and how my life went from drab to fab. In fact, my life is pretty similar now to how it www.thegeorgiavoice.com

“Whether queer or not, many people do this trading of happiness for safety, security and comfort. We don’t want the temporary discomfort that comes with change, so we sit in our contentedness and placate ourselves with daydreams about the life we don’t have the courage to actually live.”

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was back when I wasn’t happy. The difference has really only been about recognizing that I wasn’t happy and summoning the courage to walk away from security without knowing what, if anything, would replace it. Have you been there? Are you there now? Because what if, after that bit of discomfort, your life became amazing? What if you bit the bullet and went through the financial hit and the drama of getting out of that bad relationship and then met the most incredible person who thinks that you are the most incredible person? What if you left that job that sucks your soul and gave up that security so that you could chase your passion and you ended up wildly successful? What if you spoke your truth to the people that you love and it brought you closer together? What if you made a decision right now to examine your life and ask yourself the very simple question of a 2-year-old: “Are you happy?” Shannon Hames is a mom, writer, realtor, volunteer, rocker chick, world traveler and ’80s hair band aficionado. She loves babies, observing people, reading great books and taking hot baths. She has been writing for Georgia Voice since 2010. September 15, 2017 Columnists 31

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