10/30/15, Vol. 6 Issue 17

Comedienne chats about raising toddlers who talk back, helping LGBT youth Wanda Sykes often wonders how in the hell she got here. From humble beginnings in Portsmouth, Virginia, to the glare of Hollywood to her most important job as a wife of seven years and mother of twin sixyear-olds, the hilarious comedienne is in overdrive. Sykes will add Atlanta audiences to her itinerary when her “Wanda Sykes� stand-up tour rolls into Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on Nov 6.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 18

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GEORGIANEWS

National Trans Health Symposium looks to seize the moment HIV rates, insurance coverage, substance abuse among topics to be addressed

Details

2015 National Trans Health Symposium Opening Reception: Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 at 6 p.m. at Jungle Atlanta Symposium: Friday, Nov. 13, 2015 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Loudermilk Conference Center Early Bird Special: $150 Regular Registration: $200 Group Rate of Five: $600 www.someonecaresatl.org

By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com The transgender community is definitely having a moment, with Laverne Cox, Caitlyn Jenner and other high profile transgender individuals stepping into the spotlight and starting conversations over the past year or so. But outside of that spotlight, there remain a number of troubling issues affecting the community, from the rash of murders of transgender women, high HIV rates in transgender women, lack of employment opportunities in the transgender community overall, and so on.

HIV/AIDS and overall health service organization Someone Cares Inc. of Atlanta aim to address some of those issues at their third annual National Trans Health Symposium on Nov. 12–13 at the Loudermilk Conference Center.

Someone Cares is looking for physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, frontline clinical staff, social workers, case managers, mental health/substance abuse counselors, people from the transgender community, and others to take part in the event, the theme of which is “Opening the Doors of Opportunity—the Transgender Perspective.”

Domestic violence, substance abuse sessions on schedule An opening night reception at Jungle Atlanta on Thursday, Nov. 12 will lead into a packed day at the National Trans Health Symposium on Friday.

“The roundtable discussions will cover everything from domestic violence to personal safety, hormone replacement therapy, employment barriers, just the different issues that people deal with,” says Ronnie Bass, founder and CEO of Someone Cares. “We’re talking about community-based resources, and that can include anything from mental health to medical care as well as just ongoing support.”

Additional subjects on the schedule for the roundtable discussions include the Trans Lives Matter movement, human sex trafficking,

of Health and Wellness, Janssen Pharmaceutical Company and Emory Hope Clinic.

Someone Cares Inc. of Atlanta CEO and founder Ronnie Bass will give a wrap-up speech to the crowd in attendance at the National Trans Health Symposium on Nov. 12–13.

(Courtesy photo)

“It’s for them to talk amongst themselves in a positive way and just giving them the knowledge and information and even the consumer skills to go out and make good choices, whether it’s about a physician, whether it’s about medication, their safety, about relationships, all of those things.”

—Ronnie Bass, CEO and founder of Someone Cares Inc. of Atlanta substance abuse in the transgender community, transgender legal issues and more. Speakers include Olga Lugo-Torres from Gilead Sciences, Ses Soltani from AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Holiday Simmons from Lambda Legal, numerous physicians and other medical professionals, and a symposium wrap-up

by Bass on Saturday afternoon.

Getting transgender individuals proper insurance coverage will be another major focus of the symposium, with Bass saying that insurance carriers don’t recognize transgender people as a population and that gender markers need to be made available in order to help correct that.

“The transgender population at this conference has an opportunity to get empowered because we are engaging our clients in an uplifting, empowering way and building community and village,” Bass says.

“It’s for them to talk amongst themselves in a positive way and just giving them the knowledge and information and even the consumer skills to go out and make good choices whether it’s about a physician, whether it’s about medication, their safety, about relationships, all of those things.”

Sponsors of the event include AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Fulton County Department

Keynote speaker to talk about self-empowerment The recent ascendance of the transgender community in the national conversation over civil rights hasn’t gone unnoticed by Kylar W. Broadus, a transgender man and the keynote speaker for this year’s symposium.

He just hopes the community can coalesce in order to take advantage of it.

“We should all come together to build a powerful trans movement, setting aside any differences because trans people are capable of leading our own movement,” he tells Georgia Voice. “Black people lead the civil rights movement and women lead the women’s movement, it makes sense that trans people lead the trans movement. We must realize that we are powerful as individuals and together.”

Broadus, a professor, attorney and longtime activist from Missouri who founded the Trans People of Color Coalition, is taking part in the symposium because he feels it’s important for transgender people and other marginalized populations to take control of their own health issues.

“I will be talking about self-empowerment,” he says of his keynote speech. “I think it’s important for trans people to realize that we as individuals are unique and special. We were born this way and are beautiful as we are.

We are powerful people in our own right. We should love ourselves as we are and then others will love us. One way we can love ourselves is by taking care of our physical and mental health but also we can build wealth as well.”

4 News October 30, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

GEORGIANEWS

Atlanta Hawks form diversity and inclusion council First such council in NBA as LGBT outreach expands

THE ATLANTA HAWKS DIVERSITY & INCLUSION COUNCIL

By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com Last year, the Atlanta Hawks found themselves in the middle of a public relations nightmare after back-to-back instances of alleged racism within their ownership group and front office.

First off were comments made by general manager Danny Ferry during a conference call with team officials in which he quoted racist observations about an NBA player from a scouting report not authored by him.

The incident led to an internal investigation that later turned up an August 2012 email written by then-majority owner Bruce Levenson to Ferry and two co-owners in which he suggested that white fans were afraid of black fans, low merchandise sales could be attributed to a lack of disposable income among black fans, and that changes needed to be made to arena entertainment to cater more to white season-ticket holders.

Ferry took a leave of absence, and despite being cleared after the investigation was concluded, he later left the team, while Levenson announced his plans to sell his stake in the team.

The incidents led the Hawks to hire Nzinga Shaw, a senior vice president at Edelman, as the NBA’s first “chief diversity and inclusion officer.” One of Shaw’s first orders of business was to form the Hawks Diversity & Inclusion Council, whose work is beginning to be recognized by Atlanta’s LGBT community.

Openly gay man among members of council When Shaw began forming the council, she knew she didn’t want it to consist only of employees of the organization, which is typical of similar groups in the business world.

“I’ve really tried to think about all of the demographics that happen to show up in the Atlanta community and the best ways to serve them is by having representation on this council from all of those subsections,” she says. “This helps us think about ways to serve the underserved communities when

Harry The Hawk, Hawks cheerleaders and several members of the Hawks’ Diversity & Inclusion Committee marched in this year’s Atlanta Pride parade. (Courtesy photo)

thinking about events and how we can integrate multiple communities.”

So the full council includes 10 employees of the Hawks and Philips Arena and 10 others from a variety of backgrounds—a former NFL player, a season ticket holder, a small business owner, someone from a lower socioeconomic background, and even an actress and philanthropist in Keshia Knight Pulliam (better known as Rudy from “The Cosby Show”).

Having the LGBT community represented on the council was important to Shaw, who recognized the growing population and prominence of the community in Atlanta.

But there were other reasons.

“Historically that has been an underserved community by the Atlanta Hawks.

I don’t know if it’s been for any particular reason but unfortunately it has been underserved,” she says.

Keith Wente, senior director at Philips Arena, was eager to join the council.

“With being an openly gay man in an area of sports and entertainment which is not typically embracing of my being gay, there have been hurdles, there have been challeng-

es about not being able to be who I am and bring my full capacity to the table,” he says.

“The ability to make a change within this organization is hugely personal to me.”

But what of critics who might say the team created the council only to drum up ticket sales?

“It’s important that it’s not done from an organizational position of promotion,” Wente says. “That has nothing to do with why we are doing what we’re doing with this council.”

Heavy presence at Pride parade “It’s really about inclusion,” Shaw says.

“It’s not about pointing out who’s different or slapping a rainbow on a T-shirt and saying, ‘Okay we rainbow-washed it so now we’re all inclusive.’ No, it’s really about our actions.”

The first action was having a heavy presence in this year’s Atlanta Pride parade, so mascot Harry The Hawk, the Hawks cheerleaders and several members of the council took part, handing out 500 special edition Pride T-shirts in the process. Recent visitors to the intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue might have noticed an Atlanta

Katie Shuford— Account Executive, Edelman Brittany Symons—HR Manager, Hawks Erin Blecha—Director of Fan Experience, Hawks Ben Brown—Inside Sales, Hawks Trey Feazell—Executive Vice President/ General Manager, Philips Arena Robert Rodriguez—Sales, Hawks Joanne Hayes—CEO/Publisher, Simply Buckhead Mohamed Balla—CFO, Dept of Watershed, City of Atlanta Marissa Ahrens—Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator, Hawks Takeo Spikes—NFL Veteran/ NBC Sports Analyst Vin Tangpricha—Professor of Medicine, Emory University Rohit Malhotra—Executive Director, Center for Civic Innovation Erika Shaw—Suite Sales, Hawks Beverly Guy-Sheftall—Professor of Women’s Studies, Spelman College Keith Wente—Senior Director, Philips Arena Cynthia Neal Spence—Executive Director, UNCF/Mellon Programs Yvonne Yancy—Commissioner of Human Resources, City of Atlanta Sampson Yimer—Senior Manager, Business Development, Hawks and Professor at Georgia State University Eric Platte—Director of Ticket Sales, Hawks Margo Kline—Senior Coordinator of Corporate Social Responsibility, Hawks Keshia Knight Pulliam—Actress and Philanthropist

Hawks billboard adorned in rainbow colors for Pride as well.

Shaw says the council, which meets quarterly as a full council while the internal employees on the council meet monthly, is looking at other LGBT initiatives to enact throughout the season, which tipped off on Oct. 27.

6 News October 30, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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GEORGIANEWS

Atlanta’s LGBT Institute lines up fall events Details

LGBT rights panel, education summit on the calendar

The Global-Local Connection For LGBT Rights Monday, Nov. 2, 2015 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

National Center for Civil and Human Rights Tickets: $10 www.lgbtinstitute.org

By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com Now that The LGBT Institute at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights has opened and debuted an Atlanta LGBT history exhibit, it has lined up programming for the fall that will explore the organization’s core areas of emphasis: education and employment, public health and wellness and criminal justice and safety.

First up is The Global-Local Connection For LGBT Rights, a panel discussion and community conversation on LGBT rights in the South and around the world taking place on November 2 at the Center. The event is the result of a partnership between The LGBT Institute and American Jewish World Service, the fourth-largest U.S.-based funder of international LGBT work.

The panel will include Mandy Carter, co-founder of Southerners On New Ground (SONG) and the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), and Ruth Messinger, president and CEO of American Jewish World Service. Carter will provide a regional and national perspective while Messinger will provide a global perspective. As for the local perspective, organizers are calling on community members to provide that by taking an active part of the discussion.

“This is our first introduction of the three areas that the LGBT Institute wants to focus on in the coming years, and it’s the first time that the public has the opportunity to join one of the stakeholder groups that focus on those three areas,” says Ryan Roemerman, interim executive director of The LGBT Institute.

It will be Carter’s first visit to the Center, and she plans to address one issue in particular: passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. “To me in terms of our LGBT movement, there’s more on our agenda than getting married. Now we can have that conversation in a fuller kind of way,” she says.

“Now that we can legally get married, it goes like this. Married on a Sunday, lose my job

Mandy Carter, co-founder of Southerners On New Ground and the National Black Justice Coalition, will take part in a panel discussion at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights on Nov. 2. (Courtesy photo)

“This is our first introduction of the three areas that the LGBT Institute wants to focus on in the coming years, and it’s the first time that the public has the opportunity to join one of the stakeholder groups that focus on those three areas.”

—Ryan Roemerman, interim executive director of The LGBT Institute on a Monday. That’s critical.”

Carter cites women’s health issues as another issue of importance, as well as intersectionality.

“What I find interesting as someone who’s a woman, someone who is African-American, and someone who is a lesbian is how many of us wake up every day in those intersections,” she says. “So when you think about education, jobs, health, especially criminal and societal justice, each part of me relates to that in one way or another.”

‘No promo homo’ laws among topics at LGBT education summit The majority of Teach For America’s [TFA] upcoming Deep South LGBTQ Education Summit will occur at Georgia State University, with workshops, panel discussions, a job

fair and more taking place there the evening of Nov. 21 and all day Nov. 22.

But first up, the LGBT Institute is partnering with Teach For America’s LGBTQ Community Initiative to host the event’s registration at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. The day will also include a panel discussion moderated by Christian Zsilavetz from Pride School Atlanta, as well as tours of the Center. “[TFA] really wanted to ground their work in the civil rights movement and that’s what’s happened, so it’s a great way to spur discussion,” Roemerman says.

The summit is one of four regional education summits across the country, and the largest of any of them, according to Tim’m West, senior managing director of TFA’s LGBTQ

Teach For America’s Deep South LGBTQ Education Summit Saturday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015 Registration and Unity Experience at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights on Saturday morning and afternoon Remainder of summit at Georgia State University on Saturday evening and all day Sunday Registration Deadline: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 www.lgbtinstitute.org Community Initiative and a member of the LGBT Institute’s programming board.

“A lot of the social justice activism that’s happening around LGBT communities is happening in the South because I think the laws are a lot more oppressive,” West says.

“People are more energized and mobilized to do things [in the South] than people in the Northeast and on the West Coast.”

There are a number of topics that will be covered at the summit, including “no promo homo” laws, or laws that forbid teachers to discuss LGBT issues in a positive way (or at all) in the classroom.

“There are historical figures, there are various conversations that LGBTQ people made, and if I can’t say that Bayard Rustin was a gay man that led the [1963 March On Washington] when I’m talking about civil rights, then I’m not giving my students a proper education, and I’m certainly not in a position to affirm those students who themselves identify as gay,” West says.

The summit will also address the high truancy and dropout rates of LGBT students and in particular LGBT students of color.

8 News October 30, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

NEWSBRIEFS Georgia teen Mars Hallman’s star-studded night at GLSEN Awards Nashville, Georgia teenager Mars Hallman just had the weekend of a lifetime in Beverly Hills as they were honored by GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) as Student Advocate of the Year at the group’s 2015 Respect Awards.

The 16-year-old had their first plane flight, got a standing ovation after their acceptance speech and hung out with stars like Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel, Julia Roberts and openly gay “The Big Bang Theory” star Jim Parsons at the Oct. 23 event. Timberlake even name-checked Hallman twice during his speech accepting the organization’s Inspiration Award with wife Biel.

You first read about Hallman’s fight to get a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) at their high school in Georgia Voice. Hallman, who recently came out as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, eventually succeeded despite opposition from some school administrators and local faith leaders, and as president of Berrien High School’s GSA is working on adding gender expression to the school’s bullying policy and adding a gender neutral restroom. GLSEN took notice of Hallman’s efforts and announced the honor earlier this month.

Transgender East Cobb teen re-elected to homecoming court When Eris Lovell was elected by her peers to Walton High School’s homecoming court last year, it made headlines seeing as she appeared to be the first transgender person in Georgia to do so. This year, she proved it wasn’t a fluke, as her fellow seniors have elected her for a second time.

Lovell, who last year went by Sage before legally changing her name to Eris Amber Sage Lovell, tells Georgia Voice that it wasn’t a total surprise because the same people typically get elected to homecoming court year-to-year.

As for student and community reaction to Lovell’s re-election, it’s been positive.

Lovell was one of five senior girls on the homecoming court, and therefore eligible to be elected as homecoming queen. And while she didn’t take home the honor at halftime during the Oct. 20 homecoming game versus Woodstock, she doesn’t mind that her friend Carly White won.

“I’m super happy for her because she deserves everything,” she says. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Nashville, Georgia teen Mars Hallman (l) was honored at GLSEN’s 2015 Respect Awards.

Hallman is pictured with their mother, Beth Hallman. (Photo via Twitter)

Lovell will graduate from Walton next spring and is undecided on which college she’ll attend, but plans on going into interior design and continuing with transgender activism.

Atlanta AIDS Walk and 5K Run marches on for 25th year The 25th Annual AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run took over Piedmont Park and the streets of Midtown Atlanta on Oct.18. The event, produced by AID Atlanta, is the largest HIV/AIDS-related fundraising event in the Southeast.

Speakers included WSB-TV’s Jovita Moore, openly gay city council member Alex Wan and actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, who fired up the crowd with a spine-tingling spoken word performance.

Organizers set out to surpass the $950,000 in funds raised last year and are accepting donations through Nov. 30 to reach this year’s goal of $1.25 million.

A photo gallery and videos from the big day is available at thegeorgiavoice.com.

Atlanta rapper Young Thug shrugs off gay rumors If you don’t know who Young Thug is, you should acquaint yourself. The Atlanta trap rapper burst onto the scene last year, guesting on hit singles from T.I., Tyga and Rich Gang before scoring with his commercial debut single “Stoner,” which hit number 16 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

The Guardian called him “hip-hop’s next titan” in a profile from earlier this month.

It’s in that Guardian profile that Young Thug is asked about ongoing rumors that he is gay. Posting a photo of him and another man to his nearly 2 million followers on Instagram a couple weeks ago with the caption “My bay!” surely hasn’t quieted the speculation.

“I like everything that people say. No matter what they say,” says Young Thug.

“You gay, you a punk. You got a nice girlfriend, you’re ugly, you can’t rap, you’re the hardest.”

It’s perhaps a sign of the times, or just a sign of how little he gives a damn.

October 30, 2015 News 9

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10 Outspoken October 30, 2015

because we still permit discrimination in employment and debate, it’s along the path to true equality, and you will be able to count on me to fight for you.”

—Hillary Clinton on the importance of passing the Equality Act during a town hall meeting in New Hampshire (CSPAN, Oct. 16); (Screencap image)

“Homosexuals don’t just want to be left alone, now they want to come out and stick it to the Christians. They have made it clear and it’s an organized thrust throughout this nation to force conformity … These people say, ‘Not only do we want to practice our sinful ways like Sodom and Gomorrah, we’re going to make you like it and we’re going to make you participate whether you like it or not.”

—Televangelist Pat Robertson (During a recent episode of 700 Club); (Screencap image)

“If we could stand up and be pioneers … to just live in our truth and accept ourselves and love ourselves as hard as it is. All the tweets, all the emails, all the DMs I get thanking me, I know that I’m helping somebody else.”

—‘Love & Hip Hop Hollywood’ star Miles Brock on coming out with boyfriend Milan Christopher.

(The Wendy Williams Show, Oct. 19); (Screencap image) www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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OUT IN THE WILD

By Simon Williamson

Our own family values Simon Williamson lives with his husband in heteronormatively-assimilative fashion in Athens, after a year of surviving rural Georgia.

The polite manners of the South, including the social taboo against speaking about religion and politics, are dashed in some arenas, one of which is in actual politics. I am doing my master’s in political science at the moment, which is nice training in both the science of politics and in learning to live on fickle money, both of which will be mighty useful in my chosen field.

Political science folks tend to have their own opinions on politics and also happen to be predisposed to sharing them. This set includes the all too common aggrieved white man, whose opinions, as you will know, dominate every aspect of society, more common than nitrogen and more noxious than fart. Having grown up a white man during the years that apartheid fell in South Africa, I have been a purveyor of such whiny bullshit, but more contemporarily, an enemy of it.

“I know that black gay men in 2015 are still dying. Deaths that absolutely suggest a level of systematic negligence and failure of the health care system and evidence of government bodies that create and defend policies that harm us.”

Over the past week I’ve been furiously emailing every public health official I can think of, every agency, every friend connected to the world of research, concerning mortality data for black gay men who have been diagnosed with HIV. This has been in part due to my desire to see how the data, specifically in the last decade—the “Aughts,” if you will, match my own experience, as someone who can’t seem to tell a story from my earlier activist years without ending it with, “but he passed away.”

The other piece is that though there has been serious discussion around the rates of black gay men getting tested for HIV, being diagnosed with HIV, getting linked to care, getting into treatment, and becoming virally suppressed; there has not been as much elevated discussion around our deaths. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

A classmate not too long ago decided to assault my ears with his whole aggrieved white man opinion, adding that he was glad to be living in the “family values South,” which made me retch into my mouth faster than Seahawks fans stop caring about football.

Of all the insults thrown our way, the “family values” one grates my tits worse than Facebook during election season. It manages to delegitimize the full span of relationships we have without at all looking at them even the least bit critically. With one swing it dismisses the potential of the sexual revolution, on the basis that it exists outside the confines of the increasingly illegitimate gender binary. It axiomatically disenfranchises the parenting of lesbian and gay couples (along with single parents), the marriages and relationships that are

not sanctioned by modern-day interpretations of holey (sorry I meant holy) texts, and rejects any sort of idea that transgender individuals may know a lot more about themselves than complete strangers, who outside not liking something, have absolutely no dog in the fight.

If we are going to be faced with this godawful term all the time, perhaps it is time we appropriate it. Perhaps it is time we make clear that in same-sex relationships there isn’t someone playing a man and someone playing a woman, because our families can exist outside one singular principle. Sometimes our family values involve relationships with more than two people. And sometimes the relationships with two people involve sex outside the traditional confines (of only each other). Sometimes our sexual history before shacking up with one

“Of all the insults thrown our way, the ‘family values’ one grates my tits worse than Facebook during election season. It manages to delegitimize the full span of relationships we have without at all looking at them even the least bit critically.” person was key in our readiness to settle down.

Experiences dictate maturity, after all.

“Family values,” itself, is a ridiculous term. But the way WE consider family values is practical: we define them for ourselves because we know ourselves, and our implicit resistance to templates means we think about them for ourselves. What we do not do is try to squash our relationships into glass slippers left behind, that don’t fit.

It is time we proffer our own version of family values: where your beliefs are sacrosanct, and yours to hold, even if most strangers don’t back them up. The most common deities may not sanction our family values, but they are real, and they are considered, and they work for us. And most importantly, maybe we are better judges of our own lives than morals prescribed by a presumed majority of an arbitrary electorate.

THE ICONOCLAST

By Charles Stephens

The language of trauma is silence: Part 1 Charles Stephens is the Director of Counter Narrative and co-editor of ‘Black Gay Genius: Answering Joseph Beam’s Call.’

I know that black gay men in 2015 are still dying. Deaths that absolutely suggest a level of systematic negligence and failure of the health care system and evidence of government bodies that create and defend policies that harm us.

I think about my own circle of friends, of black gay artists and activists in Atlanta, and even along the East Coast, through the 2000s. Our small network that has been devastated by the deaths of our brothers. It’s a conversation we have among ourselves.

But back to the mortality data. I’ve been searching for numbers, mortality data for black gay men diagnosed with HIV, not so much to learn something I don’t know but to confirm what I do. I think about three friends in particular whose lives impact my own.

Keiron was my first close friend to die and

my first friend to die before turning 30. My last memory of him was at Black Pride 2002.

This was such a consequential weekend, but of course it didn’t seem that way at the time, except when you look back; you can see the order of events that casts an eerie vibe. And after seeing Keiron, hanging out with him, breaking bread with him, laughing with him, spending time with him, for him to die just shy of what would have been his 28th birthday shook us all.

There was also Lawrence, whom we called “L,” who died in 2007. When he died, activist Monte Evans said of him, “good, bad, or indifferent, he was our brother.” And if you knew L, you would know that was the perfect thing to say about him and his life.

When Charles died back in 2011 I was not speaking to him. He had decided a few

years earlier that he no longer wanted to be gay, announced it on the listserv that I managed, and angrily expressed that black gay men had failed him. His words cut me deeply. Not even a year passed before he shifted his feelings on his sexual identity, and though he was never fully “out,” I suppose, he continued to date other men and engage the community. I still refused to speak to him. He died before we made up. I still remember his sister telling me over the phone that Charles was in the hospital for a “rare blood condition.”

Through the Aughts and even this decade there have been many deaths in my circle. I was often the one to announce their deaths; to gather people together or not; to hold the memories and hold the space. And it’s in this space that I became politicized.

October 30, 2015 Outspoken 11

THANK YOU!

ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE AT ATLANTA PRIDE, WE’D LIKE TO EXPRESS HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO OUR MARKET VENDORS, PARADE ENTRIES, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, VOLUNTEERS, AND EVERYONE WHO CAME TO OUR EVENTS FOR MAKING THE FESTIVAL SUCH A SUCCESSFUL AND FUN WEEKEND!

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www.thegeorgiavoice.com

WORK Jeff Graham is having a very good month It’s a good month to be Jeff Graham.

The Georgia Equality executive director has landed on Atlanta Magazine’s list of the 55 most powerful people in the city. The Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity (SOJOURN) also announced that Graham would be presented with the Michael Jay Kinsler Rainmaker Award at the group’s 10th annual Purim Off Ponce fundraiser next March.

“These awards are actually about recognizing more than my contributions, but recognizing the teams of people I’ve worked with over the years,” says Graham. “Change has been slower and harder than I could have ever imagined when I started doing this work 30-some years ago, but there is no denying that change has happened.” Graham says he “hopes to leverage this recognition into greater successes for our community in the years to come.”

Small minority-owned business makes great strides Visionary Services, Inc. has been able to make great strides in a short amount of time. Visionary was awarded a $3.1 million contract in June 2015 with the United States Coast Guard in Miami, Fl. Certified in the 8(a) program that provides small businesses access to acquire set aside contracts from the government, executive assistant Natasha Ford says “this is just the beginning for Visionary Services.”

Ford represented “Visionary” as an invited guest during The White House LGBT Pride Reception in June and received an AGLCC nomination for Small Business of The Year.

William Duffee-Braun & David Thompson launch ‘Goliath Atlanta’ Local gay publishers William Duffee-Braun and David Thompson have launched Atlanta’s newest gay publication. The premiere issue of “Goliath Atlanta” is currently on newsstands.

Duffee-Braun and Thompson describe the lifestyle magazine as “the ultimate creative cultural guide for the discerning gay man.”

“I sat down with him (David) not too long ago, asked him to let me follow my passions by creating a new magazine and to go along with me. He didn’t even hesitate and here we are,” says Duffee-Braun in a statement. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

IT! Sq/Ft

Shopping on E. Ponce de Leon Ave.

Jeff Graham (File photo)

Makan

“Goliath Atlanta” will be published monthly and is available in print and online at www. goliathatlanta.com.

Stewart, Persily appointed to GLAAD national board Local business leaders Pamela Stewart and Seth Persily have both been appointed to the national board of GLAAD. Stewart, a 15-year- veteran with Coca-Cola currently leads the Publix national grocery chain ($30B revenue retailer) in the National Retail Sales organization of the Coca-Cola North America Group. In addition to sitting on the national board of GLAAD, Stewart also serves on the boards of Camp Twin Lakes, Junior Achievement of Georgia and AGLCC. “I have been on a life-long journey to create moments of inspiration for others to live their truth, to be comfortable in their own skin and to stretch beyond their own potential,” says Stewart. “My GLAAD work further advances this personal mission in an even deeper way as we continue to accelerate acceptance domestically and globally. It is a privilege to be a part of that undertaking.”

Persily agrees. He tells Georgia Voice that he “couldn’t be more thrilled to have been appointed to GLAAD’s national board.”

“In this role, I will work tirelessly to accelerate LGBT acceptance in the South and across the globe through GLAAD’s programmatic work.”

Persily, a Harvard Law School graduate has served on the board of directors for Youth Pride and Georgia Equality. He is currently employed by Penn Multimedia.

Related: Georgia Voice sales executive Anne Clarke has also been appointed as the new 2016 GLAAD Atlanta co-chair.

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Mark your calendar for terrific thursdays – holiday happenings Decatur in November and December.

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IT!

Are you a Georgia business owner or run an LGBT-friendly business? Were you recently promoted or made a big career change? We’d like to brag about you in our new business section Work It! Send all tips to editor@thegavoice.com

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HOT RODS

CRUISING INTO 2016 AT A STICKER PRICE YOU’LL LOVE ‘Affordable’ is a relative term for the Ford Shelby GT350, but good luck finding more for less. (Photo courtesy of Ford)

One of these affordable automobile treats could be yours

By CASEY WILLIAMS

It’s that time of the year when sweet little treats come in affordable little packages. No, not candy, but the latest affordable cars for the new season. From sexy compact to muscular pony, these wheels are more affordable than you imagine: www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Honda Civic This one’s all about the slick new wrapper that flashes LED headlamps and has an athletic stance, sculpted hood, racy fastback roofline, and C-shaped LED taillamps. Roomier interiors impress with a soft-touch instrument panel, premium seat fabrics and piano finish in a midsized passenger space. Heated front and rear seats are standard menu—as is safety equipment like Collision Mitigation Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, and Road Departure Mitigation.

It also has Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto to connect to smartphones. Choose CONTINUES ON PAGE 16

The Kia Optima symbolizes precision style at bargain prices. (Photo courtesy of Kia)

October 30, 2015 Hot Rods 15

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 between a 158 horsepower 2.0-liter fourcylinder engine and 174 horsepower 1.5-liter delivering up to 31/42 mpg city/ highway. Get it as a sedan, coupe, 5-door hatchback, or sporty Type R. Base price: $18,640 Hyundai Tucson Hyundai bills the Tucson as the perfect crossover for young singles and empty nesters, but it’s also a stylish choice for debonair gay couples and families of all varieties. A bold grille, LED running lamps, and BMWinspired body sculpting lend it an upscale look. Base models sport lots of hard plastic inside, but premium trims come with heated/ventilated leather seats, a proximityprompted rear hatch, an app for Android watches, and crash avoidance tech. Forget the base engine and choose the available1.6liter turbo-four that serves 175 horsepower and 26/33 mpg—enough to stomp through mountains or onto freeways. It’s a tony, tomb-quiet refuge from city life—and a pretty handsome one at that.

Base price: $22,700.

Mazda CX-3 Imagine a Miata expanded to compact crossover proportions, sporting Mazda’s flowing KODO design cues. That’s the CX3. Driver-friendly interiors can be equipped with navigation, Bluetooth audio/calling, internet radio apps, and heated seats. Safety is enhanced with a heads-up display and all the latest crash avoidance warning systems. One look and you’ll want to throttle the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 146 horsepower and an economical 29/35 mpg city/highway. All-wheel drive is optional.

The CX-3 delights with sexy style, driving dynamics, and an affordable window sticker.

Go drive one!

Base price: $19,960 Ford Shelby GT350 You can buy a hot rod Mustang that drives like an Audi for just $23,895, and you’d love it, but that’s not the sexy temptress in the blue oval brothel. Ford is re-introducing the Shelby GT350 that debuted in 1965, but its 526 horsepower 5.2-liter V8 makes the old one seem quaint, while an adjustable MagneRide suspension, 5 driving modes, and aerodynamically active hood heat extractor would boggle 1960s minds. If you really want a fly ride, check the GT350R that’s stripped and ripped with a minimal interior and carbon fiber wheels. If that doesn’t

Clockwise from above: Hyundai bills the Tucson as the perfect crossover for young singles and empty nesters, but it’s also a stylish choice for debonair gay couples and families of all varieties. The Honda Civic is all about the slick new wrapper that flashes LED headlamps and has an athletic stance, sculpted hood, racy fastback roofline, and C-shaped LED taillamps. Imagine a Miata expanded to compact crossover proportions, sporting Mazda’s flowing KODO design cues. That’s the CX-3. (Photos courtesy of auto dealers)

get your motor racing, you’re probably dead.

“Affordable” is relative, but good luck finding more for less.

Base price: $47,795.

Kia Optima Like the Target of sedans, Optima symbolizes precision style at bargain prices. Peter Schreyer’s flowing body with hunkered

shoulders looks strong and elegant. Interiors convey luxury through available Nappa leather, soft-touch materials, and rich colors. Turn up Harman/Kardon audio to rock out—or employ the standard rearview camera and tech like adaptive cruise, front collision warning, lane departure warning, and autonomous emergency braking systems to enhance safety. Engines include a

185 horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder, 245 horsepower 2.0-liter turbo-four, or the new 178 horsepower 1.6-liter turbo-four connected to a seven-speed automatic transmission. Expect to see over 35 mpg highway. You won’t have to drive far to see an Optima get built, as it’s assembled in West Point, Georgia.

Base price: $21,840

16 Hot Rods October 30, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

ECO CARS TO MAKE YOU SWOON Turn heads on the road in your price range Right: Just when the world is getting used to Tesla’s all-electric cruise missile, the Model S, here comes a bigger rocket—a proper three-row crossover with falcon wing doors, seating for seven, and 250 miles of all-electric range.

Below: The Panamera E-Hybrid (Photos courtesy of auto dealers)

By CASEY WILLIAMS

Buying an economical car once meant you were poor, nerdy, or both. When models like Prius, Tesla and Volt started invading upscale trendy parking lots, that all changed. You and your friends will swoon when you're behind the wheel of one of these.

Toyota Prius Comedy Central's "South Park" once dedicated an entire episode to mocking apocalyptic "smug clouds" created by Prius people. Well, those people will have more fuel for their smugness with the all-new model that boasts 51/48 mpg city/highway—enabled by a tiny four-cylinder engine, batteries, and active aerodynamics. Reflecting Prius' iconic high-hatch shape, styling is more aggressive, with LEDs up front and lit batwings at the back. A simplified interior adds a new color heads-up display, passenger-recognizing A/C that automatically adjusts airflow, dynamic cruise control, and all the latest collision avoidance systems. It may make Prius people even smugger.

Base price: $24,200

.comwww.thegeorgiavoice.com

Chevrolet Volt Volt is to range-extended electric cars what Prius is to hybrids: The gold standard.

Re-styled inside and out, Volt looks the part of a next-decade trendsetter. The powertrain was re-engineered with upgraded batteries and motors that extend fossil-less driving from 38 miles to 53 miles, after which the gas engine fires up to keep the vehicle going (for a total of 420 miles). Recharge in 4.5 hours. Interiors are more logically rendered and feature 4G Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay, and standard rear-vision camera. Available Lane Keep Assist, Side Blind Zone Alert, Forward Collision Alert, and front automatic braking options help avoid accidents. It's a high-tech electric car when you want it and a long-distance gas-sipper when you need it.

Base price: $33,120 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid Imagine a mega-fast four-seat luxury se-

dan that conjures 416 horsepower to reach 167 mph. You could imagine that with a Porsche emblem, right? What if that same sedan also achieves 50 mpg and can go 15 miles on just electricity after 2.5 hours of charging? That's the Panamera E-Hybrid.

That magic comes from a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine and lithium-ion batteries. Beyond that electronic wizardry, the car is loaded with an adaptive air suspension and cabin swathed with leather, divine audio, and crash avoidance tech. Monitor charging via a smartphone app.

Base price: $96,100 Mercedes C350 Plug-In Hybrid Take a class-leading compact luxury sedan, outfit it with a standard air suspension, and install a plug. Meet the C350 Plug-In Hybrid that can go 20 miles in all-electric mode. A 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, lithium-ion batter-

ies, and 7-speed automatic transmission deliver a combined 275 horsepower and 443 foot-pounds of torque for Autobahnstomping performance. Driver selectable driving modes configure the powertrain, chassis, steering, and climate control for Individual, Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Sport+; each is more aggressive than the last. Press eSave to save your batteries' charge for later. Except for that fender plug, only drivers will know how special this car really is. Sales begin this fall.

Base price (est.): $45,000 Tesla Model X Just when the world is getting used to Tesla's all-electric cruise missile, the Model S, here comes a bigger rocket—a proper three-row crossover with falcon wing doors, seating for seven, and 250 miles of all-electric range. It can even pull a 5,000-lb. trailer—enough for a boat or parade float. A futuristic tablet-centric dashboard, sweet leather, and tomb quiet driving echo the Model S. It even has a medical grade HEPA air filter to remove pollution from the cabin and create positive pressure in case of a bio-attack or the apocalypse. You'll have to wait until next year to plug into the Model X, but all indications are it will be worth the wait.

Base price: $75,000 October 30, 2015 Hot Rods 17

It’s been a five-year process of writing and performing new material to help Sykes decide what audiences would hear on her latest tour and what would end up on the cutting-room floor. The consummate storyteller, Sykes tells Georgia Voice that her process is always evolving.

“I can get up and do jokes but they kinda stand alone,” says Sykes. “It’s a very long process for me to get to where I feel I have a solid show. But when I finally feel like I have a through line, like, ‘this is a story,’ it feels like there’s a beginning, middle, and end.”

This is when the magic happens, and Sykes is able to connect with audiences with just a microphone and with life experiences that are both relatable and unfamiliar. She is, after all, a black mother of two white children with blonde hair and blue eyes who is on a short list of openly gay entertainers of color in Hollywood. Her life is ground zero for great material and Sykes doesn’t shy away from it. She describes her new show as “a snapshot of what’s going on in the world and in my life.”

“The kids are now six, so they’re talking and saying all kinds of crazy stuff to hurt my feelings (laughing),” says Sykes. “Kids are just brutally honest. It’s a lot of the family stuff. And of course it’s an election year so I share my thoughts on that, but a lot of it is about the family, that’s what takes up most of my time.”

Activism in the arts A tireless advocate for marriage equality and LGBT youth, Sykes’ work for legal recognition and protection of her marriage and family with wife Alex can be traced back publicly to the pivotal moment in 2008 when she came out during the “Stand Out For Equality Rally” in Las Vegas on the heels of the passage of Proposition 8, the discriminatory amendment that revoked the right to marry for gay and lesbian couples in California that same year. Fast-forward to 2015 and a Supreme Court ruling granting equal marriage rights to all; Sykes says, “It’s nice to have a marriage that is recognized in all 50 states.”

“You really felt it before. Am I married in this state or not? Is this my wife now or not? Before you could be in Texas and you could be like ‘technically I’m not married here (laughing), actually I’m single here in Texas.’ So it’s nice to be married legally everywhere,” says Sykes.

18 A&E October 30, 2015

Details

PHOTO BY ROGER ERICKSON

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Wanda Sykes Nov. 6, 2015 8 p.m.

Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Tickets: $36.50–$62.00 www.ticketmaster.com A recipient of the Activism in the Arts Award during the Triumph Awards ceremony in Atlanta this month, Sykes acknowledges her coming out and the emotional fallout involving her parents was the catalyst that led her to devote both her time and financial resources to runaway and homeless LGBT youth at Detroit’s Ruth Ellis Center.

“That work is extremely important to me,” says Sykes. “When I had problems with my family it was all emotional, there was no financial burden on me. When the people who are supposed to love you unconditionally reject you and say horrible things, I know how I felt, so I can only imagine being a kid and going through that.”

Sykes now says her relationship with her parents is “great and as it should be.”

“They got approached by a lot of people and strangers who said they were proud of me and how my coming out helped their kids,” says Sykes.

“I think they got so much positive feedback that it helped them move forward.”

Soul food and the road The Cobb Energy stage isn’t the only thing Sykes is looking forward to when she touches down in Atlanta. In addition to stealing a few hours of sleep, she says eating soul food is a must.

“I get to town and I try to get a little food and relax a little bit before the show,” says Sykes. “After the show we usually go some place for a nice dinner. It’s all about eating really on the road (laughing). The last time I was in Atlanta I had lunch at Gus’s Fried Chicken, so I’m looking forward to having some more chicken when I get there.” www.thegeorgiavoice.com

ACTING OUT

By JIM FARMER

Offstage friendship produces onstage magic Melissa Foulger and Steve Yockey never realized they would be collaborating a decade later after working on “Iphigenia,” their first project together at 7 Stages in 2004. The close friends, both of whom are out, have formed a strong professional bond. Yockey’s thriller, “The Thrush & the Woodpecker,” opens this weekend at Actor’s Express (in repertory with his drama “Blackberry Winter”) with Foulger—who has directed more than 30 shows locally—at the helm. Georgia Voice caught up with Foulger in advance of the show’s opening this weekend.

Georgia Voice: Tell us about the show.

Foulger: There are three characters. Brenda (Stacey Melich) is the mother to Noah (Matthew Busch). He has been kicked out of school, and they are dealing with that. A woman (Kathleen Wattis Kettrey) re-appears in their life—a mystery to Noah—and causes a lot of trouble in typical Steve Yockey fashion.

When did you first read the script and how has it changed since then?

I got it about a year ago when I was approached to work on it. Steve did a development process at the Express a few years ago.

The theatricality he is famous for is much more clear and concise and the relationships have evolved and are much cleaner. Those are the biggest things I’ve noticed.

When did you two meet?

It started when I was working at 7 Stages. He approached me about being the dramaturg on “Iphigenia.” We had a great working relationship.

From there he and I began working on the intern showcases at Actor’s Express. He would write and I would direct. As he continued to work and I became an associate artist at Express, he asked that I work on his work. The rest is history.

How many shows have you two done together?

We did five as part of the intern program and then there was “Large Animal Games,” “Wolves,” “Pluto” and now “Thrush.” So nine.

Why do you work so well together?

We have similar ideas about what theater www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Gay director Steve Yockey thrills audiences with latest production, ‘The Thrush & the Woodpecker.’

Details

‘The Thrush & the Woodpecker’ Actor’s Express 887 West Marietta Street, Atlanta, GA 30318 Oct. 31–Nov. 15, in rep with ‘Blackberry Winter’ www.actorsexpress.com and the experience should be. It should move people in a variety of ways. We get each other. We have a shorthand; we speak the same language, have the same aesthetic and a mutual respect. We want work that makes people question the world they are living in.

What can LGBT audiences get from this?

I think that there are messages about family and identity, questioning how you live your life. I think those themes can translate well. There are also moments in the show, including a fight, that I call the “Dynasty”/ Krystle Carrington kind of moments. Those are not campy; they harken back to the idea of taking things to another level. It’s horrifying yet fun to watch.

sung by Matthew Worth photo by Kristin Hoebermann

SOLDIER SONGS DAVID T. LITTLE NOVEMBER 11, 12, 14, 15 RIALTO CENTER FOR THE ARTS

rialto.gsu.edu | 404-413-9849 October 30, 2015 Columnists 19

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By Jen Colletta

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Longtime gay activist publishes his first memoir

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“What I like best about Pine Street Market are the fresh sausages they make - whether it’s bratwurst or a classic American hotdog.

They are made with hogs grown and processed here in Georgia.

Rusty and his crew are proud of what they do and stand behind their products. They are just happy to do what they do and I appreciate that. It comes through in the end product.”

– Kevin Gillespie

404.296.9672 4A PINE STREET AVONDALE ESTATES, GA 30002

20 A&E October 30, 2015

“I’m standing across the street from Stonewall in Sheridan Square. Here I was, an 18-year-old kid living at the YMCA in a six-dollar-a-night room with no job, no prospects for the future, no real place to live and no money in my pocket. I’m thinking, What am I going to do? And it came to me: This is exactly what I want to do. I’m going to be a gay activist.”

More than 45 years after that fateful night outside the Stonewall Inn, Mark Segal still considers himself, first and foremost, an activist.

“That’s what’s inside me and what always will be,” he says. “Everything else is secondary.”

Adding to his list of “secondary” titles is a new one: author. Segal, the founder and publisher of Philadelphia Gay News, has just released his memoir, “And Then I Danced.”

The 320-page book takes readers from Segal’s meager beginnings in a Philadelphia housing project to his pinnacle of dancing with his husband in the White House.

But as the significance of his decades of activism began to manifest itself to him, Segal started seriously considering recounting that work in book form—especially at the prompting of his now-husband, Jason Villemez.

Segal had been amassing vignettes of his recollections, which he thought could serve as the memoir’s foundation. He set to work creating an outline of his life, checking dates and facts and researching his own storied history.

Exploring the struggles of his childhood in the first chapter was among the most challenging aspects of writing “And Then I Danced”—as the self-doubt Segal experienced in his youth resurfaced.

Working with editor Michael Dennehy, Segal crafted and recrafted 15 chapters for a final product that takes readers through the LGBT community’s evolution, seen alongside Segal’s own development. From his burgeoning coming out—beginning with a childhood pull to the Sears, Roebuck catalog’s male models—Segal’s story is as much a commentary on the times as it is on his own experiences.

“I wanted to show young gay people how our community got the rights that we

Details ‘And Then I Danced: Traveling The Road To LGBT Equality’

By Mark Segal Open Lens, 2015 $16.95 320 pages

have today. It wasn’t writing letters or visiting Congress people,” he recalls. “Many of us got arrested, received death threats, were targets of physical violence. It was a rough ride getting to where we are today. It wasn’t, ‘One, two three. We’re there.’ Any socialjustice movement takes a lot of work and a lot of time.”

For Segal, much of that work in the past four decades was focused on getting Philadelphia Gay News off the ground. “And Then I Danced” traces the history of the publication, which celebrates its 40th anniversary next year.

Editor’s Note: After less than a month, “And Then I Danced” is in its second printing.

This article has been edited for republishing with permission by Mark Segal. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

EATING MY WORDS

By CLIFF BOSTOCK

Ponce City Market: Chomping at the bit This Halloween, stow the candy corn and miniature Kit Kats. Treat yourself instead to a good meal at one of Atlanta’s newer and cheaper eateries at Ponce City Market’s Central Food Hall (675 Ponce de Leon Ave.). You’ll likely not find a trick in the cavernous space, but you already know you’ll be trolling Grindr after you win the Eagle costume contest for dressing like Caitlyn Jenner dragging Violet Chachki around on a leash.

Not everything is open yet, but progress is brisk. Please understand that this is not your typical food court. Like the Krog Street Market, PCM’s food stalls feature quick cuisine of first-rate chefs. You really need that in a development that rents apartments starting at $1,500 for a studio.

The opening stalls that are gaining the most attention now are H&F Burger and Hop’s Chicken. These are the work of Linton Hopkins, who is chef/owner of the acclaimed Restaurant Eugene and Holeman and Finch Public House.

Hop’s is my favorite of the two. It’s nothing but perfectly fried chicken and some pretty classic, but comparatively disappointing sides like mac and cheese, biscuits, and a weird cold saladlike version of succotash. But, oh, the chicken.

The buttermilk-marinated meat retains full moisture, bursting with flavor under a crunchy coating that includes a dash of cayenne, whose heat builds slowly in your mouth. And the prices are dirt cheap. You can, for example, get a breast for $4 and half a chicken for $9. Get at least one of the several sauces available. The frim-fram is basically a remoulade. Black-pepper gravy is my second choice—if it’s hot.

There is no dining room at Hop’s. You must take your feast to a table in the hall. On the other hand, H&F Burger includes fairly roomy bar seating. This stall mainly vends the double-cheeseburger for which Holeman & Finch became famous a few years ago.

The burger is indeed delicious, and do get the double, instead of the single-patty version. It’s pure meaty pleasure unfettered by excessive toppings. Granted, I don’t think www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Hop’s Chicken (Photo courtesy of restaurant)

it’s the best burger I’ve ever tasted, as many do. But we all know, burgers are iconic in America and people literally bond around their favorite. This is the foodie burger.

Also now open at PCM is Farm to Ladle, which should help keep the upstairs residents from becoming obese. I’ve only visited once, a few days before this writing. You can order salads, sandwiches, and soups here. Sounds Panera-esque, huh? It’s about 10 times tastier. Picture a salad made of sweet potatoes, pumpkin, arugula, and pecans with a balsamic-sriracha dressing. Try a sandwich of shaved chicken layered with sriracha mayo on a parmesan bun. Add a root-vegetable soup. To get a good sampling of the menu, order a $12.99 “trio special” in one of four different combos.

A warning. There’s a metered fee for parking in the lot and garage. The garage in particular is so huge that finding my car to leave was difficult. A friend had to enlist the help of one of the golf-cart-riding attendants to find his. You probably don’t want to be calling for help in full leather or a black slip as I did two years in a row long ago.

Cliff Bostock, PhD, is a longtime Atlanta food critic and former psychotherapist who now specializes in collaborative life coaching (404-518-4415), www.cliffbostock.com.

October 30, 2015 Columnists 21

Our Guide to the Best LGBT Events in Atlanta for Oct. 30-Nov. 12

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SATURDAY OCT. 31

Jungle Atlanta’s Halloween event is ‘Under the Big Top: Freaks and Oddities,’ with DJ Alex Acosta, with a costume contest and $1,000 in prizes, www.jungleatl.com (File photo)

HALLOWEEN

PARTIES AND EVENTS FRIDAY, OCT. 30

EVENT SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY OCT. 31

At Legendary Children’s Shalloween, Katya Zamolodchikova will be on hand to ring in All Shallow’s Eve with hostess and East Atlanta’s resident witch bitch, Lavonia Elberton. Besides a drag show, there will be a costume contest, a dance party, a photo booth, performances by Brigitte Bidet, Cayenne Rouge, Kryean Kally, Ellisorous Rex, and Mo’Dest Volgare, with DJ Male and King Atlas spinning, 10 p.m.—3 a.m., the Heretic, www.hereticatlanta.com (Photo via Facebook)

22 Best Bets October 30, 2015

Felix’s hosts a costume party tonight (as well as on Halloween night) with $300 in cash prizes, www.felixsatlanta.com Two nights of Halloween merriment can be found at the Heretic. On Friday, the bar presents a Halloween Masquerade/ Costume Contest hosted by the infamous Bubba Dee, with $1,500 in prizes. The fun begins at 1:30 a.m., www.hereticatlanta.com

FRIDAY, OCT. 30 SATURDAY, NOV. 7

Netherworld Haunted House features two new haunts: The Rotting, filled with nightmarish ghosts and undead horrors, and Vault 13: Unearthed, a secret underground base swarming with science fiction madness. Consistently voted among the top 13 haunted houses in America, Nether-

world has raised the bar once again with new special effects, over-the-top sets, and terrifying actors. Through Nov. 7, Georgia Antique & Design Center.

6624 Dawson Blvd., Norcross, Ga., www.fearworld.com

for winners, www.friendsonponce-atl.com

SATURDAY OCT. 31

Blake’s on the Park hosts a rowdy Halloween party with a costume contest, celebrity judges and cash prizes for first through fourth place winners, www.blakesontheparkatlanta.com

The Gentlemen’s Foundation presents the 4th annual Gentlemen’s Ball, “Beyond the Masks,” honoring, among others, Congressman John Lewis and director Patrik-Ian Polk, 6 p.m., Atlanta Marriott Marquis, www.thegentlemensfoundation.org Nightmare on Ponce 3 is highlighted by DJ Eric (who will be spinning and showing videos) and sponsored by the crew of Panther L/L and Southeast Black and Blue, 10 p.m., Atlanta Eagle, www.atlantaeagle.com Dress as your favorite superhero or superheroine at the Friends on Ponce party and costume contest, with cash prizes

Join Burkhart’s for the Burning Down the House contest and party, with cash and prizes beginning at midnight, www.burkharts.com

Amsterdam Atlanta’s Halloween offerings include a costume contest, music videos and cash prizes, www.amsterdamatlanta.com The Model T hosts a costume party with three different categories—best overall costume, best drag and best couple, www.modeltatlanta.com Ten Atlanta presents the Halloween-themed “Maison de la Demence,” as well as its annual costume contest and DJs Rob Reum and Daryl Cox, tenatlanta.com

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TELL US ABOUT YOUR LGBT EVENT Submit your LGBT event for inclusion in our online and print calendars by emailing event info to editor@thegavoice.com As part of Halloween, Lips Atlanta hosts a costume contest, a “Horror Hotel” dinner and show, and a masquerade/carnival themed party, www.lipsatl.com BJ Roosters hosts the Night of the Zombies Party with the Zomboys, DJ Tommy and Celeste Holmes, 2043 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta, Ga. 30324

NON-HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS FRIDAY, OCT. 30

PALS Atlanta presents its all-day Pet Cotillion. If you would like for your pet to compete for the prestigious title of PALS Spokespet, visit www.firstgiving. com/88474/pals-pet-cotillion-2015 More than 30 artists from around the United States and abroad have created works of art in clay for the exhibit titled “Taboo: Sexuality and Identity in Ceramics,” the purpose of which is to provoke thought and stimulate conversation while demonstrating the ability of ceramic art to have a relevant voice in the social and political discussions of our time. Running now through Oct. 31, Signature Gallery, www.thesignatureshop.com

SATURDAY, OCT. 31

This Halloween, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has something for everyone on the spookiest Saturday of the year, including the first Family Concert of the 2015-16 season, Halloween Hijinks, at 2 p.m. in Atlanta Symphony Hall. Tonight, the Orchestra will perform Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton, at 8 p.m. in Atlanta Symphony Hall, www.atlantasymphony.com Actor’s Express opens Steve Yockey’s new play “The Thrush & the Woodpecker,” a suspense thriller offering mystery, power and theatricality. The world premiere will be directed by Melissa Foulger. The show runs in rotating repertory with Yockey’s play “Blackberry Winter,”

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

FRIDAY, OCT. 30

After two sold-out seasons, Serenbe Playhouse is proud to revive ‘The Sleepy Hollow Experience’ in new thrilling (and bonechilling) ways, directed by openly gay artistic director Brian Clowdus. For its third season, the show will be more barbaric than ever, taking the tale of Ichabod, Katrina, and Brom Bones to new heights. Through Nov. 8 with an 8 p.m. show tonight, www.serenbeplayhouse.com (Publicity photo) opening next week. Through Nov. 15.

8 p.m. tonight, www.actors-express.com

SUNDAY, NOV. 1

Deanne spins and keeps the dance crowd happy, 3 a.m., Xion Atlanta, www.facebook.com/Xion-162659260451683 Newnan Theatre Company’s version of “Dracula” closes tonight, 7 p.m., www.newmantheatre.org

MONDAY, NOV. 2

Join Ruth Messinger of American Jewish World Service, civil rights leader Mandy Carter and community members for a dialogue on LGBT rights around the South and around the world, sponsored by the LGBT Institute, Center for Civil and Human Rights, 6:30–9 p.m., www.civilandhumanrights.org Monday night is the Pride kickball after night event at Blake’s at 7:30 p.m., followed by trivia at 10 with weekly guest hosts, www.blakesontheparkatlanta.com Trans and Friends is a youth-focused group for trans people, people questioning their own gender, and aspiring allies.

Charis provides a facilitated space to discuss gender, relevant resources and activism around social issues.

This is a project of the Feminist Outlawz and is co-sponsored by Charis Circle’s Strong Families, Whole Children.

Donations are accepted. 7–8:30 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com

TUESDAY, NOV. 3

Broadway Across America brings the Tony-winning “Cinderella” to the Fox Theatre, 7:30 p.m., through Nov. 8, www.foxtheatre.org

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4

It’s Amateur Night every Wednesday at 9 p.m. at BJ Roosters, 2043 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta, Ga. 30324

THURSDAY, NOV. 5

SAGE Atlanta hosts its weekly social hour and potluck, 10 a.m., Phillip Rush Center, www.rushcenteratl.org Faces Lounge in Marietta’s new All Star Cabaret is every Thursday at 10:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. with the likes of Heather Daniels and Coco Chanelle, 138 Powers Ferry Road, Marietta, Ga. 30060

EVENT SPOTLIGHT FRIDAY, OCT. 30

B-Afraid, B-Very Afraid! Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider Cindy Wilson and Keith Strickland, The B-52s, perform a rowdy set at the Fox Theatre tonight, 8 p.m., www.foxtheatre.org (Photo via Facebook)

October 30, 2015 Best Bets 23

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 Charis sponsors The Personal is Still Political: Feminist Vent tonight. Building on the activist tradition of consciousnessraising groups, each week Charis Books invites folks to come talk about issues in their personal lives or in society as a whole that they are trying to process or deconstruct.

Then they talk about how intersectional feminism can be a tool to help solve those issues. People of all genders, levels of political experience, and education are welcome. 7:30–9 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com

FRIDAY, NOV. 6

Romeo Lee and Jordan Michael McCord host the eighth season of Raw Talent at My Sister’s Room beginning tonight. Come and vote for your favorites! www.mysistersroom.com

gettable show led by emcees Miss Sophia and Joe Jackson. Featuring performances by Necole Luv Dupree, Archie Bonet, Stasha Sanchez, Raquel Lord, Damoni Hall Dickerson, Trinity Bonet and more, 11 p.m., www.jungleatl.com

SATURDAY, NOV. 7

TUESDAY, NOV. 10

“Sordid Lives” writer Del Shores returns to the ATL for his new “SINgularly Sordid,” a fundraiser for Joining Hearts, with a VIP brunch available at noon at Henry’s Midtown. Tickets are $30, $50 VIP and $90 for the brunch, Plaza Theatre, www.plazaatlanta.com

SUNDAY, NOV. 8

Loca Luna hosts The Gay Networking Party sponsored by Latino Fire, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., www.loca-luna.com

Enjoy Sunday Funday Brunch with $3 mimosas and $5 Bloody Marys, noon to 4 p.m., My Sister’s Room, www.mysistersroom.com

She’s funny and she’s out! Comedian Wanda Sykes does her stand-up at the Cobb Energy Centre, 8 p.m., www.cobbenergycentre.com

The queer-inclusive Atlanta Bar Church meets tonight for Beer and Hymns at Smith’s Olde Bar, 7 p.m., www.atlantabeerandhymns.com

DJ Kaye and DJ Tron alternate spinning at Bulldogs, 893 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Ga., 30308, www.facebook.com/ bulldogsbaratlanta

MONDAY, NOV. 9

They’ve been doing it for 15 years and have never been better. The Stars of the Century hit the stage at Jungle Atlanta for an unfor-

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

24 Best Bets October 30, 2015

Tuesdays are Latin Industry Nights as well as Papi’s Tuesdays with $2 tacos and $3 tequila shots at Las Margaritas, lasmargaritasmidtown.com

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11

It’s Piano Night as well as Happy Hour evening from 4–9 p.m. at Mixx Atlanta, www.mixxatlanta.com

THURSDAY, NOV.12

Enjoy Country Night at Woofs tonight, 7 p.m., www.woofsatlanta.com Charis is thrilled to welcome Alexis DeVeaux to read from her 2015 Lambda Literary Best Lesbian Fiction Award winning novel, “Yabo.” Alexis De Veaux’s work is defined by two critical concerns: making the racial and sexual experiences of black female characters central, and disrupting boundaries between forms. 7:30–9 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com

UPCOMING EVENT SATURDAY, NOV.14– SUNDAY, NOV. 15

If you need some post-Halloween gore in your life, check out the Buried Alive Film Festival featuring a slate of independent horror films, Synchronicity Theatre, www.buriedalivefilmfest.com (Publicity photo)

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THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID

By MELISSA CARTER

My own worst nightmare It’s that time of year when you pay more attention to things that go bump in the night. But I don’t need ghosts in my house to know living alone has become quite scary.

I shared with you that Katie Jo and I ended our relationship earlier this year, which meant I began living alone again for the first time in almost a decade. It also meant my living room became quite bare with the removal of her furniture, and my discarded pieces that had been left in the garage suddenly became important again. In particular, there was a leather lounger I decided to move back into place in front of the television. It’s just a chair, I thought, so I don’t need any help with this. The door to the kitchen from the garage includes two steps, and as I tried to guide the surprisingly uncooperative piece of furniture toward the threshold, one of its legs slipped off a step and slammed the full weight of the chair onto my leg.

When you bump your toe on a table or hit your head on a cabinet door, you immediately get mad. But when you really hurt yourself, you cry, and that’s exactly what I did. I squatted and sobbed for a full two minutes before I took a look at the damage. The swelling began immediately, and the impact point was already an ugly bruise. The good news came when I could put weight on that leg and walk without any difficulty. But the nausea that followed let me know I had really hurt myself, and I eventually asked someone else to finish the inadequate job I started.

I went to Piedmont Hospital in the following days to make sure there was no break or fracture, and am pleased to report the injury was superficial, both to my leg and my ego.

So that night I decided to take it easy, I threw some frozen turkey on the stove and started a movie. Knowing it would take a while for the meat to cook, I didn’t check on it very often.

In fact, I forgot it was there. When I got up to get something else I realized my error and found my dinner charred and smoky. I opened a window to clear the haze just about the time my hallway smoke alarm rang. I quickly turned

“When you bump your toe on a table or hit your head on a cabinet door, you immediately get mad.

But when you really hurt yourself, you cry, and that’s exactly what I did. I squatted and sobbed for a full two minutes before I took a look at the damage.” it off, finished cleaning the cookware and returned to the end of my movie.

Soon I heard voices and assumed it was just my neighbors, until I saw a face and hands pressed against my front door. I also saw the red lights flashing behind them, and felt the warmth of embarrassment. The alarm had triggered a call to my local fire department.

“I burned the turkey,” I said as I greeted the three men in uniform.

“We can tell,” said the eldest of the three, smiling.

After they made sure everything was ok, I apologized and offered them dinner, but explained it would have to be take-out. They laughed as they made their way back down my driveway to their massive red truck, lights flashing in all directions.

This Halloween I’m not afraid of witches and ghouls; at the moment I seem to be my own worst nightmare.

Melissa Carter is one of the Morning Show hosts on B98.5. In addition, she is a writer for the Huffington Post. She is recognized as one of the first out radio personalities in Atlanta and one ofthe few in the country. Follow her on Twitter@MelissaCarter

26 Columnists October 30, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

SOMETIMES ‘Y’

By RYAN LEE

Hillary Clinton to rivals: ‘Bye, Felicia?’

If John F. Kennedy was the first president elected by television, Hillary Clinton might become the first elected by meme. The “Texts from Hillary” trend a few years ago loaded Clinton with gigabytes of viral cred, and she capitalized on the recent congressional hearing on Benghazi by flashing her most shareable facial expressions.

Clinton’s ascension to the Oval Office, if she wins, will not be solely because millions of people chuckled at captions put with photos of her epic eye-rolling, as she is a more qualified candidate than JFK was, and anyone else who has since become president. The Benghazi hearing revealed nothing but what we already knew: that Hillary Clinton is exceptionally intelligent, self-possessed and patriotic—and many Republicans despise her.

Yet, the little that was learned from the hearing is symbolic of how little I know about what type of president Hillary Clinton would be. It’s stunning that someone could be a national political figure for more than two decades, and impart no certainty about how she would vote or lead on any issue.

The only thing I know for sure is that I would never be shocked by Clinton supporting policy that is shockingly antagonistic toward the values she professes while campaigning. Of course, all politicians are calculating and conniving, and Clinton is a rarefied politician and double-crosser.

Hillary die-hards insist she is immune from accountability for her husband’s presidency, and pretend she has sufficiently atoned for the triangulating betrayals of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the Defense of Marriage Act, welfare reform and expansion of our nation’s prison industrial complex. Just last week, Clinton continued to peddle the insulting suggestion that DOMA was a masterful strategy to protect LGBT relationships from discrimination, and we were just too dumb to realize it (if anyone accepts this rationalization, they are indeed as stupid as Clinton hopes we are).

She was hardly a liberal exemplar during her eight years as a U.S. senator, most of which she spent trying to cultivate a centrist www.thegeorgiavoice.com

“No matter how sincerely Hillary Clinton may personally support the LGBT movement, it’s foolish to expect her to be as committed to our cause as she is to her poll numbers.” (even hawkish) reputation to improve her presidential prospects. Clinton’s actions as Secretary of State were admirable, including being a force for LGBT rights, but recently exposed e-mails again display her reflexive willingness to forsake the dignity of samesex spouses in order to avoid “a huge Foxgenerated media storm.”

No matter how sincerely Hillary Clinton may personally support the LGBT movement, it’s foolish to expect her to be as committed to our cause as she is to her poll numbers. I have no expectation that Bernie Sanders will provide stellar leadership on LGBT rights, and his obsession with class sometimes whitewashes how labor, capital and economic fairness are influenced by factors such as skin color, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Claims that Sanders could not win a general election are discredited echoes of what Hillary supporters said about her chief opponent during the 2008 primary. But our president today is Barack Hussein Obama ... and he is black ... and same-sex marriage is now part of America ... and legalized recreational weed is dawning, even in our nation’s capital … and Black Lives Matter … and a socialist could be president.

Many are celebrating the Benghazi hearing as Clinton’s “Bye, Felicia” moment to her competitors, but I remain unconvinced that she can lead a challenge to the status quo she helped create.

Ryan Lee is an Atlanta writer.

October 30, 2015 Columnists 27

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