11/23/18, Vol. 9 Issue 20 by Georgia Voice

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

PO Box 77401 • Atlanta, GA 30357 P: 404-815-6941; F: 404-963-6365

EDITORIAL

Editor: Berlin Sylvestre bsylvestre@thegavoice.com Editorial Contributors: Cliff Bostock, Melissa Carter, Joshua Davidson, Aidan Ivory Edwards, Jim Farmer, Morgan Nicole Fletcher, Cemberli Grant, Elizabeth Hazzard, Ryan Lee, Emerald Lingerfelt, Patrick Colson-Price, Jamie Roberts, Catharine Romero, Dionne Walker

PRODUCTION

Art Director: Rob Boeger rboeger@thegavoice.com

ONLINE

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BUSINESS

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SALES

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FINE PRINT

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It’s All Just Chemicals and Shapes, Y’all Berlin Sylvestre It’s without fail. Every time something breaks while I’m out with friends, they turn to me and ask if I brought my tool belt. (Lol.) I take it in stride, though. I mean, should I get mad? That’s not my style, even though that’s a “joke” I’d find for a more butch/masc type whereas I’m the archetypal Chapstick lesbian who cries at Pixar movies and babytalks my wife into getting me soup and water when I feel sick. (Gross, right? Sorry.) What’s funny, though, is that I generally keep quiet about my natural ability to “get” the mechanics of most things that move. I once observed to a confused dude-bro of mine that the motorcycle carburetor I was replacing an

O-ring on (his bike, btw) was just “chemical reactions inside of neat shapes.” I told him, though, that you have to keep the shapes nice and sealed, most the time. If you think about it, that’s all cars and bikes and the likes are — a neat shape, like a piston perhaps, with the addition of the way the chemicals react once you spark them up inside said shapes. Bam! Movement! Brilliant. So when I saw the next issue revolved around (among other things) hot rods, I went, “Ohhhh no. I’m not sure if our community is really the ‘hot rod’ type.” That was dumb of me. Not only do I know a gay dude who’s obsessive about American muscle, I was missing a bigger picture: We ALL deal with cars, for the most part. Whether it’s

concerning great ways to spend time in your car in a traffic jam to things you should always have in your car, there’s plenty to talk about when it comes to rolling wheels. With that, I hope we’ve done a good job keeping your interest. I promise I won’t bore you with the “chemicals and shapes” business of it all, but I will say: Once you learn how to change your own oil, brake pads, air filter, fuel pump, while rotating your tires once in a while and knowing whether you need a new battery or a new alternator, you’ll save yourself jillions and jillions of dollars. Just sayin’. And no — you can’t borrow my toolbelt. Happy reading, folks. November 23, 2018 Editorial 3

NEWS

Are bNAbs More Helpful for HIV Prevention? ATLANTA IS ONE OF 50 CITIES CONDUCTING A TEST STUDY TO FIND OUT THAT VERY THING. Melanie Thompson Who doesn’t hate taking pills? Some of us can’t swallow them, others avoid them because they symbolize “illness” or because of disclosure risk, and taking them consistently — even just one pill once a day — can be a pain. Yet people living with HIV know that their daily antiHIV regimen keeps them alive and healthy, and prevents them from passing HIV to others. However, it takes high adherence to keep the virus undetectable. Most recently, buzz has grown about bNAbs — broadly neutralizing antibodies — to prevent or treat HIV. So what exactly is a bNAb? Antibodies are proteins made by our immune system (B-cells, to be specific) to fight off invaders, including infections. A broadly neutralizing HIV antibody attacks many HIV strains with different genetic signatures. Scientists first identified bNAbs in the blood of people living with HIV in the 1990s. These antibodies stopped HIV in the lab, but unfortunately bNAbs developed too slowly in the body to prevent infection after exposure or control the virus after infection. But what if we could dump lots of bNAbs into the body at one time? Could they then successfully attack HIV? Prevention and treatment studies are underway, after it was revealed that we can mass-produce bNAbs in the laboratory to answer these questions. Two small studies recently showed tantalizing results when two bNAbs were given together for treatment. Nine people with undetectable HIV received three doses of the bNAbs 3BNC117 and 101074, then stopped their oral HIV meds. The combination kept HIV suppressed for at least 15 weeks in all participants, some for more than 30 weeks. Another study in 4 News November 23, 2018

In just 30 years, “HIV infection has become a manageable condition with daily medications and people now can live with HIV for a near-normal lifespan. No one should progress to AIDS, much less die of it, in 2018.

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persons with detectable viral loads showed that the same antibodies could suppress the virus to undetectable levels for over three months in four of seven participants. These are early “proof of concept” studies. A new treatment study is now beginning in Atlanta using a bNAb (3BNC117) and an investigational fusion inhibitor (albuvirtide) to see if the combination can keep the virus undetectable without pills. Albuvirtide is approved in China as a once-weekly injection in combination with other HIV drugs, but it has never before been studied in the US. In this study, which opens at the AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta (ARCA) this week, individuals with an undetectable viral load will either stay on their current therapy or take 3BNC117 and albuvirtide by vein (IV) every two or four weeks. The three-part study will last 16 weeks for Parts 1 and 2, and 28 weeks for Part 3. ARCA is one of only eight sites in the country

to conduct this new study, and the only site in Georgia. Compensation is provided ($50 for non-infusion visits, $150 for infusion visits, $200 for each for two long days to check drug levels). To learn more, contact ARCA at 404876-2317 x 0 or ARCA@arcatlanta.org. In just 30 years, HIV infection has become a manageable condition with daily medications and people can now live with HIV for a near-normal lifespan. No one should progress to AIDS, much less die of it, in 2018. We cannot talk about success without saying that we are far from ending the HIV epidemic, especially in Atlanta. We have a long way to go to ensure that every single person living with HIV gets diagnosed early and offered continuous treatment. And although we know how to

prevent HIV, people who need access to PrEP and syringe services the most are the least likely to get them. Health and social inequalities, stigma, and discrimination keep the epidemic fueled. Yet, at the same time, research into new approaches may result in options that provide new paradigms for treatment. Long-acting treatments like bNAbs may very well be part of that picture. Melanie Thompson, MD is Principal Investigator of the AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta, Immediate Past Chair of the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA), a member of the DHHS Antiretroviral Guidelines Panel, and the IAS-USA Antiretroviral Guidelines Panel, and Interim Chair of the Fulton County HIV/AIDS Advisory Committee. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

DEAR HIV, ’ WE DIDN T GIVE UP. XOXO, SCIENCE There is no cure, but science is still in the battle against HIV. Today’s HIV treatments may help you get to undetectable. That means the amount of virus is so low it can’t be measured in lab tests. Ask your healthcare provider about HIV and treatment options.

Learn about an HIV-1 treatment option at

XOXOSCIENCE.COM

NEWS

For Billy, Six Years Gone Berlin Sylvestre “His legs turned black and he died.” That’s what Billy’s sister told me in the middle of the night, after she called me to let me know my buddy had passed. She was so cold about it, saying it as though she were telling me the mail was running late. “He had AIDS, so …” Wait. Billy had AIDS? No one even knew he was positive, as far as I knew/know. It was a punch to the gut. But let me back up a bit.

He was a brother to me, perhaps more. I can vividly conjure what it felt to punch his lean arm lovingly on the couch after a drunken joke of his. I remember what it felt to cast a faux-angry face directly into his brown eyes, pretending to be upset by his trolling banter. His laughter is locked so deeply in me, like a childhood song. Billy was smarter than me, wittier by longcries, and more rakishly, charmingly irreverent than any soul I’ve ever know. Though I’ve met many people since his passing, he still holds these titles. But his legs turned black and he died.

He’d always scraped by tooth and nail, my buddy Billy. He was wiley, adventurous, child-like, and impish with his cocked eyebrow and devilish sense of humor. It made for a great many stories and travels, but also for a high-risk lifestyle that eventually consumed him. That was his way, though. We’d become fast friends at a party, then lived together a number of years, staying up many nights writing jingles for ridiculous items that need never exist. We’d smoke a bowl and create lists of the world’s worst cars and the people who were most likely to drive them. We’d race our bikes along the dead, industrial parts of Macon and throw rocks at abandoned silos, listening to the particular clang that rusted tin and emptychamber acoustics would sound as song. God help me, but I can’t erase his laugh, his voice, the shape of his teeth, his bed-head, his unabashed and admittedly goofy dance moves, or any part of him from my heart, my head, or my soul. It plagues me so deeply that I talk to him frequently when I’m driving to this very day — six years later and bereft of the only person on this earth who saw things with the same eyes that I still do … with that “everything is magic” wonder. But his legs turned black and he died. 6 News November 23, 2018

I was furious for months that his sister put this image in my mind. I’m still angry that she told me she and their mother browbeat him with scripture until they were sure he was no longer “an atheist and would have a chance at heaven.” They meant well, I’m sure, but I know deep down he would’ve hated that. I’ve gotten over that rage, but another rage stood in its place: Billy never told me he was sick. There were no signs of malady, no orange pill bottles, no weakness, no doc visits, no intentions of changing a damn thing that I could see. A perceived omission of truth (something that betrayed his normal candor) contributed to a sense of what I see now as entitlement on my behalf. After all, was it my place to know? A child of the ’80s, I honestly believe he thought it a death sentence, so it pains me to think of him being so secretive, yet so bravely convivial in the decade (2002 to 2012) we knew one another. Perhaps he didn’t want me to suffer alongside him. I suppose that was his decision, as riled as I still get over this.

southern Georgians, respectively, who’d moved to Atlanta to see if had what it took to hold our own. Both of us went to school, worked low-paying jobs, and relished the value of late-night laughter in the face of hardship. A great misfortune, it turned out to be too much for him, and whelm overtook my best friend after a good many years of struggle. He imploded, giving way to hard drugs and a new boyfriend I quietly didn’t approve of. (This disapproval was something of which I came to blame myself, as is natural since we all search for a way we could’ve altered the outcome of things.) But the boyfriend provided Billy with something that I, nor any of his ilk, could provide. Soon after, his weight plummeted. He became gaunt and withdrawn, sickly and unable to pay his bills. He left our abode of his own accord and stopped taking my calls. That was the final year he let me know him.

Billy and I lived together in two cheap but tasteful rentals once we decided to leave our small towns. He and I were middle and

This was before his legs turned black and he died. In a small bed. In his mother’s basement. Letting his phone ring as I called.

Leaving me. And him. Alone. My Billy. I hate HIV. I hate AIDS. I hate that anyone has to suffer the terror, and I especially hate knowing he could still be here, having asked for proper care. Often, I hate myself for not shaking him and telling him that I can tell something is wrong, that he’s too skinny and I miss him, that I need to know what’s wrong … that this is not a death sentence and I will help him — that we can go through this together. In the afterlife, of which I deeply believe, simply seeing him will dissolve all my selfdoubts and misdirected rage. Until then, I will continue to bow to the brave souls who rage against the dying of the light and fight back. Thank you so much for still being here, for you are the ones who instill hope in those with the same diagnosis. You deserve every accolade and I turn to your stories when I think of him, bittersweet though it may be. You are someone else’s “Billy” and God bless you for it. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

JUNE 2019 NYCPRIDE.ORG/2019 PRODUCED BY

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VOICES

“Wanna Hear God Say” Craig Washington By the time I got tested for HIV, I had no question about the results. It had been six years since that Memorial Day morning when I woke up with walnut-sized lumps under my chin. I was 25 years old. Cloudy white patches coated my tongue by Pride weekend. By the time I got tested for HIV I was 32. I had fallen in love with a man who would confide years later that he committed to staying with me until I died. He persuaded me to take the test anyway even though we expected only one outcome. Most of the details have withered. I do remember coming back for my results and having the tester open the lobby door, point her finger, and blurt out, “You the one who’s positive, right?” I was not prepared to feel much since I already knew. As much as her words, it was her gesture that flattened my lungs. Like when my parents called Uncle Alfred perverted and at 11, I knew I shared his position. Like when my neighborhood doctor asked me if I were “homosexual or normal.” I 8 Voices November 23, 2018

said nothing. But I knew better. And I needed to make it better for me and my kind. In the quarter-century that unfolded, I invested my life in black, queer liberation as an end rather than a means to stop AIDS. There were angels who left rainbow signs for me to decipher. Within weeks of my hire at AID Atlanta, Dazon Dixon Diallo clarified, “I’m not helping you because I like you. This job is important and you cannot fail.” AfricanAmerican Outreach committee member James Dewberry stopped me in a hallway to impart, “God laid it on my heart on tonight to tell you that you are gonna do great things on behalf of our people.” I fancied myself as answering the calling laid before me. But there were other motives embedded beneath that calling which I did not want to own — these motives were not selfless … they were not “pure.” I was no more devoted to saving my community than I was to rescuing Craig from the closets that

enfolded him at 15 and at 25 years of age. In the wake of all who were much braver, I needed to prove myself worthy of surviving them. And while I could not admit it to myself, I was yearning to “hear God say, well done my child.”* In order to make room for today, I struggle to release regrets and lay down resentments. I tell myself that there is freedom in the forgiving. So I will start with myself and let my best be good enough for me if for no one else. Last month, three men in their 50s, 30s, and 20s each claimed me as a mentor. What does that say about the life I have lived? I have received several community awards over the years. I have to remind myself that each one was deserved. I cannot believe that unless I let go of all I tell myself I should have done but did not do. Recent turnings in my personal and professional paths mark a third chapter. Last year, I left AID Atlanta and will never work

for another AIDS service organization again. I have lost faith in the model which has largely failed black, queer men particularly in the South. I am still working to reconcile my long-term association with the field. I ask myself if I paid too much for all I was given. I now have a partner who cautions me not to undersell my time. He believes that I should work less and rest more at this stage. I understand but I will not fully acquiesce. I must ask myself not only how do I contribute; now I ask, “How do I feed my belly and my soul?” What will be my measure for success? When I am interviewing a narrator about their club experience and they present quotes that raise goosebumps, I know that work is purposeful. When I encounter a random barista who tells me they look forward to the Rustin Lorde Breakfast every year, I receive the rainbow sign. I come to terms with who I am and the work that I’ve done. I choose to believe the good in it all. *From “I’m Looking to Jesus” by Marion Williams www.thegeorgiavoice.com

VOICES

Once, We Were Heroes Mark S. King

My brother Richard smiles a lot. He has an easy laugh. But there was a time, years ago, when he held a poisonous drink in his hands and begged his dying lover not to swallow it. A time when Richard held the concoction they had prepared together and wept. Emil couldn’t wait. He took the drink from Richard quickly, because the release it offered was something more rapturous than the appeals of his lover of 13 years. It was Emil’s wish to die on his own terms if living became unbearable, a promise made one to the other. When that time arrived, however, Richard wanted another moment, just a little more time to say, “I love you, Emil,” over and over again, before the drink would close Emil’s eyes and quietly kill him. Richard has a charming store in my hometown today, where he sells collectibles and does theater in his free time. The drink was consumed over 20 years ago. There were people who displayed remarkable courage then. People who lived and died by their promises and shared the intimacy of death, and then the world moved forward and grief subsided and lives moved on. But make no mistake, there are heroes among us right now. There is a shy, friendly man at my gym. There was a time when his sick roommate deliberately overdosed after his father told him that people with unspeakable diseases will suffer in hell. My gym friend performed CPR for an hour before help arrived, but the body never heard a loving word again. There is courage among us, astonishing courage, and we summoned it and survived. And then years passed. We got new jobs and changed gyms. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

There was a time when old friends called to say goodbye, and by “goodbye” they meant forever. When all of us had a file folder marked “Memorial” that outlined how we wanted our service to be conducted. When people shot themselves and jumped off bridges after getting their test results. There is profound, shocking sadness here, right here among us, but years went by and medicine got better and we found other lives to lead. Our sadness is a distant, dark dream. My best friend Stephen just bought a new condo. He’s having a ball picking out furniture. But there was a time when he knew all the intensive care nurses by name. When a phone call late at night always meant someone had died. And just who, exactly, was anyone’s guess. Stephen tested positive in the 1980s, shortly after I did. A few months after the devastating news, he agreed to facilitate a support group with me. We regularly saw men join the group, get sick, and die, often within weeks. Watching them disintegrate felt like a preview of coming attractions. But Stephen was remarkable, a reassuring presence to everyone, and worked with the group for more than a year despite the emotional toll and the high body count. There is bravery here, still, living all around us. But the bravest time was many years ago, and times change and the yard needs landscaping and there’s a brunch tomorrow. There was a time when I sat beside friends in their very last minutes of life, and I helped them relax, perhaps surrender, and told them comforting stories. And lied to them. Jeremy lost his mind weeks before he died. Sometimes he had moments of sanity, when we could have a coherent conversation before his dementia engulfed him again. It was a time when you were given masks and gloves to visit friends in the hospital.

He was agitated with the business of dying, and told me he couldn’t bear to miss what might happen after he’d gone. I had an idea. “I tell you what,” I offered, “I’m from the future, and I can tell you anything you would like to know.” “OK then, what happens to my parents?” he asked. I thought it might be a distracting game, but Jeremy’s confused mind took it very seriously. “They went to Hollywood and won big on a game show, so they never did need your support in their old age,” I answered. He barely took the time to enjoy this thought before his hand grabbed my wrist, tightly, almost frantically. He pulled me closer. “When…” he began, and a mournful sob swelled inside him in an instant, his eyes begging for relief. “When does this end?” There was an awful, helpless silence. His eyes beckoned for a truth he could die believing. “It does end,” I finally managed, although nothing suggested it would. “It ends, Jeremy, but not for a really long time.” He digested each word like a revelation, and slowly relaxed into sleep. There is compassion here, enough for all the world’s deities and saints acting in concert. Infinite compassion for men who lived in fear and checked every spot when they showered

for Kaposi sarcoma, and for disowned sons wasting away in the guest room of whoever had the space. But we get older, and friends don’t ask us to hold their hand when they stop breathing, and the fear fades and I bought new leather loafers and the White Party is coming. The truth is simply this, and no one will convince me otherwise: My most courageous self, the best man that I’ll ever be, lived more than two decades ago during the first years of a horrific plague. He worked relentlessly alongside a million others who had no choice but to act. He secretly prayed to survive, even above the lives of others, and his horrible prayer was answered with the death of nearly everyone close to him. To say I miss that brutal decade would only be partially true. I miss the man I was forced to become, when an entire community abandoned tea dances for town hall meetings, when I learned to offer help to those facing what terrified me most. Today, the lives of those of us who witnessed the horror have become relatively normal again, perhaps mundane. We prefer it. We have new lives in a world that isn’t choking on disease. But once, there was a time when we were heroes. [This award-winning piece originally appeared in a 2007 issue of Southern Voice. Mark is still much an active writer and activist, and you can find his work at MarkSKing.com.] November 23, 2018 Voices 9

AUTO

Sexy & Fuel Efficient: The New Honda Insight Casey Williams Back for a third generation and nerd-sexier than ever is the completely made-over 2019 Honda Insight. The 2000 Honda Insight, festooned with rear fender spats and digital instruments, was the original car that introduced Americans to the efficient coolness of hybrids. It was a vision of the future that’s finally arrived. Smash a Civic into an Accord and you’ll end up with the Insight’s new attire. The front is dominated by Honda’s trademark chrome prow accented by strings of LED headlamps while sculpted fenders underline a semifastback roofline that flows into a tall rear deck. Chrome trim around the windows adds class. The entire car portrays the upscale technology leader and fuel-miser it is. 10 Auto November 23, 2018

Insight’s split personality continues inside where old-world craftsmanship meets an array of electronics. Cribbed from the Accord, the dash is dominated by sweeping stitched panels, flatscreen instruments, and a touchscreen between. Heated front seats, sunroof, 10-speaker audio, dual-zone automatic climate control, and rain-sensing wipers add comfort while Bluetooth, 4G Wi-Fi, and USB ports connect iThings. I wish the touchscreen had a proper tuning knob, but it is easier to use with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Navigation gets you there. All of the safety tech clearly puts the Insight at the threshold of this century’s third decade. Adaptive cruise, collision-mitigation autobraking, forward-collision alert, lanekeep assist, and rear cross-traffic alert keep

paint on fenders. The car can even center itself in its lane and has Honda’s LaneWatch camera to show what’s beside it when the right turn signal is clicked. The Insight’s powertrain is a 1.5-liter fourcylinder engine, and continuously variable transmission, but its alternative side comes from Lithium-Ion batteries and regenerative brakes that conjure a system total 151 horsepower and fuel-economy ratings of 51/45-MPG city/highway. Drivers can adjust the throttle with Eco and Sport modes, and slip into a pure electric “EV” mode for short distances. Step hard at say, 80 mph, and there’s plenty of noise without much acceleration. Pressing the Sport button even adds faux engine noises, but no more power and it simply

amplifies the angry blender sound caused by the continuously variable transmission. While the Insight gets phenomenal fuel economy in town, a completely petrolfueled Volkswagen Jetta gets better realworld mileage on the highway (and with considerably more gusto, too). The Insight is still a car of the future. During a four-hour interstate drive, I set the adaptive cruise, engaged the lane centering system, kept a hand lightly on the wheel, and let the car mostly drive itself. To get that level of sophistication in a glorified Honda Civic proves how far we’ve come. A base price of $22,830, or $28,090 as tested in Touring trim, makes Insight competitive with the Toyota Prius, Kia Niro, Hyundai Ioniq, and Chevy Malibu Hybrid. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

AUTO

The New Mustang: Classic American Muscle Casey Williams Take a look at that body. Its long hood, sexy haunches, and wide rump are hot AF, causing motors to rev, but this fly ride is also quite smart beneath the skin. Its flaunts a tech-laden cabin and undercarriage that always rises to the occasion — whether flogging two-lane backroads, commuting to work, or slaying left lanes. This generation Mustang wears the sexiest sheetmetal of any generation, perfectly balancing classic design cues with modern elements. Viewed in rearview mirrors, it looks ready to devour you. Check the two-tiered lower splitter and “snake teeth” jawlines that run from below the bumper, through the grille, and into the hood. Edgy gray ground effects, side sculpting, dark 19” alloys, and sloping rear www.thegeorgiavoice.com

roofline pay homage to the past, present, and future. Its sexiest view may be the wide rump that’s equal parts Porsche and classic ‘Stang. Echoing exteriors, interiors reference the past without living in it. The twin-cowl dash design and large analog gauges carry through, but are accented by faux machineturned aluminum between. The console is dominated by a large touchscreen with intuitive icons for audio, climate, and navigation. There are also proper volume and tuning knobs plus redundant buttons for the dual-zone automatic climate control to keep it simple. Toggles adjust the steering feel (Normal, Sport, Comfort) and driving modes (Normal, Sport, Track, Dragstrip, Snow). It’s quite flexible. Strap into the Recaro sport seats and drive

it like the headboard is bolted to the wall. “5.0” badges on the fenders and a quick blip of the throttle tell you this stud is ready for action. Our GT gallops forth with a 5.0-liter V8 bellowing out 460 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque through a six-speed manual transmission. Every day will be leg day with the stiff clutch, but the shifter feels precisely mechanical. Fuel economy of 15/25-MPG city/highway seems frugal for a fully stoked pony car. Mustangs have always had powerful V8 engines, but the chassis could barely channel all of the muscle to pavement without untoward drama. Ford made excuses for years about why it couldn’t trash the solid rear axle and install a modern independent suspension. Now, it seems the engineers are saying, “You want a refined ride? Fine, take this.”

This generation’s independent suspension already challenged Audi for refinement, but adding MagneRide Damping that adjusts firmness electronically and continuously creates a near-magical experience. Fly over rough pavement without concern. Add in the drive and steering modes, and you have a car that can change character with the flip of switches. For Mustang aficionados, it’s revolution. Designers and engineers delivered an expected virtuoso performances, but this is finally a car that makes no apologies when it gets busy. Crack the sinister exhaust and your brain will levitate. You can buy a base Mustang for $26,120, and you’d enjoy the date, but go ahead and spend $45,885 to get the brilliant 5.0 GT. Competitors include the Chevy Camaro SS, Dodge Challenger SRT, and Audi S5. November 23, 2018 Auto 11

AUTO

The New Mercedes: A Luxury, Left-Lane Floater Casey Williams

taillights that twinkle off when parking.

One of the most coveted Mercedes of the past half-century is the 1969 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet with its baroque chrome grille, folding roof, and slab sides. Steering is imprecise enough that drivers more encouraged it in the right direction than steer, but there’s nothing like feeling it float down the road with the top down. Wealthy sun-seekers waited over four decades for another large Mercedes Cabrio to come out, but the S560 Cabriolet — a luxury float for the left lane — was worth it.

The light beige and brown interior will get dirty, but it’s soothing, as are the heated/ cooled front seats, heated armrests, and heated neck scarf that kills the chill on clear fall days. Black Piano Lacquer wood sweeps from the dashboard into the doors while soft ambient lighting add allure. The Burmester 3D audio system sets your home system on the curb. Travel light because rear seat and luggage space are limited.

It’s an exquisitely beautiful car, faced by Mercedes’ sport grille with large star hung on a single lamella. The hood wears twin bulges from the classic 300SL Gullwing. Look close and you’ll notice 19” AMG wheels, real Swarovski crystal headlamp accents, and LED 12 Auto November 23, 2018

Front occupants are greeted with twin flatscreens in the dash — one each for gauges and infotainment. Use the knurled aluminum joywheel to select functions. Connect smart phones via Bluetooth and tap into 4G WiFi to conjure the cloud Apple CarPlay and Android Auto make summoning devices easy.

Historically, an “S560” would imply a 5.6-liter V8 under-hood, but boot-lid digits are more about inspiration than accuracy as the car employs a 463-horsepower 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, connected to a nine-speed transmission. Stomp down and it sounds positively boisterous through the cotton roof as the turbos deliver massive torque and shove the big car forward at an ever-increasing rate. Fuel economy rates 17/26-MPG city/highway. Keeping this luxury float on the street is a suite of safety technology that’s second to none. Blind-spot warning, lane-keep assist, forward-collision mitigation, and rear crosspath detection systems are expected. Going further is a lane-centering system that steers around curves. Should the car detect you’re changing lanes quickly, it over-boosts the steering for crisper response. Like magic.

Balancing performance and luxury, the AIRMATIC suspension can be tuned for wafting old-world Comfort, fuel-optimized Eco, or corner-carving Sport. Still, there’s something about the relaxed demeanor of the Cabrio that encourages you to leave it in Comfort mode where it can waft down city boulevards or miles of interstate. Even at speed, the interior suffers virtually no wind noise and is quiet enough to hear every note from the audio system. If you’re seduced by the S560 Cabriolet, be prepared to write a heavy check of at least $133,300, rising to $154,595 as optioned — a relative deal considering pristine 280SE 3.5s can command over a quarter-million dollars. Competitors include the Bentley Continental GT, Rolls-Royce Dawn, and BMW 8-Series. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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November 23, 2018 Ads 13

AUTO

Apps to Ease the Commute Patrick Price From music to health and fitness, app developers are eager to create a new way of simplifying your life. Right now, there are close to 2.1 million apps in the Apple App Store, less than last year’s 2.2 million recorded. Of those, thousands are dedicated to making driving commutes easier and safer. It started with printed paper directions and evolved into specific gadgets to navigate your drive. “Back in the old days, people were using GPS software like TomTom and Garmin in their cars to get navigation,” said Atlanta resident and CEO of WebExperts.com, Elliott Augustine. “App developers saw they could eliminate the extra device in your car.” In 2016, Atlantans spent 71 hours per person driving on congested roadways during peak travel times, according to transportation analytics firm INRIX. It cost drivers, on average, $1,861 in direct and indirect costs like burned gasoline. Statistics show Atlanta’s nightmarish traffic ranked fourth in the nation and ninth in the world. It’s the perfect city for apps like Waze, and drivers from Duluth to College Park are utilizing its potential. Atlanta driver Michael Parks commutes about 20 minutes to work from his house in Southwest Atlanta. He takes I-75 North from Langford Parkway and knows his time window for leaving his home is narrow. “If I don’t leave the house by at least 6:15am, traffic coming from the south gets much heavier,” explained Parks. “If I see the interstate is backed up, I have a back way to go to work.” Waze alerts drivers to that congestion and gives them another option around

the Atlanta metro. It’s a must-have app for Augustine, who says this innovative technology has evolved tremendously since the Waze app launched in 2011. “It’s now looking at traffic or patterns that people drive in the morning. Now it’s more of a crowdsourcing type thing,” Augustine said. “If people are caught in traffic, they can report and it gets sent out to everybody and everybody’s route gets rerouted.” Drivers can report police traps, hazards in the roadway, crashes, road closures, and traffic cameras. The app even allows you to call for roadside assistance, make an emergency call, or call other Waze users for help if you run out of gas. Finding a gas station is easier than in the past. You don’t have to wait for exit signs that list how far you have to go to fill up. Just download the GasBuddy app and find out where the cheapest and more expensive gas is, and how far away that gas station is. “GasBuddy was ahead of the game,” said Augustine. “People need gas. This is where it’s going to be the cheapest and it’s here within your route.”

Finding a parking spot is never convenient, especially in downtown Atlanta. Downloading the Park Mobile app allows you to pay for onstreet and off-street parking right from your phone. At the end of the night, the Find My Parked Car app will make tracking down your car less of a hassle. It allows you to save your exact location and view it at a later time when needed, giving you turn-by-turn walking navigation to help find your car. “It’s a competitive industry. The more you can put into the app, the better. Many of these apps now have voice integration and

you don’t have to touch the phone at all,” Augustine said. “It’s super convenient.” Speaking your commands keeps your focus on driving and off navigating an app on your phone. The key when creating an app, says Augustine, is to increase productivity all while reducing risks when drivers get behind the wheel. The growth and competition among app developers is why Augustine is in the business, and because Atlanta traffic has no sign of slowing down, expect new apps to emerge to help make your life on the roadway a little smoother.

14 Auto November 23, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

The Carlos Family in Honor of Thalia N. Carlos Presents

Join us for a brand-new, breakthrough production of The Nutcracker Choreographed by Yuri Possokhov with the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra performing Tchaikovskyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beloved score.

December 8th -24th at the Fox Theatre Visit atlantaballet.com/nutcracker or call 1.855.285.8499 Groups of 10+, email groupsales@atlantaballet.com or call 404.873.5811 x1207.

SPONSORS

Tickets: PositiveImpactHealthCenters.org

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November 23, 2018 Ads 21

A&E

The Atlanta Ballet Presents

“The Nutcracker” at Fox Theatre O’Brian Gunn When you hear mention of “The Nutcracker,” your mind may instantly conjure up the new “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” movie. Rather than take a risk on what’s (so far) shaping up to be a rather lackluster movie, treat yourself and your family to a new, transcendent onstage performance of the classic production from the talented Atlanta Ballet at the historic Fox Theatre this December. THE ORIGINAL HISTORY OF THE NUTCRACKER You’ve undoubtedly heard “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from “The Nutcracker Suite,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve seen it performed live on stage, or that you know the full story behind The Nutcracker. The Atlanta Ballet draws inspiration from the original source material from E.T.A. Hoffman’s “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” from 1816. Darker than the fantasy fare presented by Alexandre Dumas, Hoffman’s version tells the story of Maria and the nutcracker given to her by her grandfather. When the gift breaks, 22 A&E November 23, 2018

Maria slips out of bed in the middle of the night to find Nutcracker has taken on a life of his own and acts as the commander of a legion of toy soldiers in a battle against the Mouse King. While Maria and the Nutcracker manage to defeat the rodent antagonist, it’s only the beginning of their adventures. A PREMIERE SHOW PRESENTED BY A PREMIER DANCE COMPANY Our state has the distinct privilege and pleasure of being the home of one of the US’s premier dance companies, the Atlanta Ballet. The history of the dance company stretches back to its original founding in 1929. Since then, the Atlanta Ballet has been recognized for its commitment to delighting and educating audiences about the expression and joy of dance. Besides well-known classics, the dance company is regarded for its original performances. Blending a bit of the old with the new, the Atlanta Ballet will present a never-before-seen production of “The Nutcracker” at the Fox Theatre. AN ELEVATION CELEBRATION FOR THE OPENING NIGHT GALA While you’ll have plenty of opportunities

to experience the Atlanta Ballet perform the classic during December, you’ll only have one chance to attend the opening night gala on December 8th. Don your sharpest attire and start what’s bound to be an unforgettable evening at a cocktail reception in the Grand Salon followed by dinner prepared by Affairs to Remember in the Egyptian Ballroom, all highlighted by European decor arranged by Tony Brewer & Co. Keep the night going after the performance at the afterparty, The Nutcracker Act II. There, you’ll be treated to an open bar, small dishes, and more dances from the Atlanta Ballet. THE OFFSTAGE DRAMATIS PERSONAE With all the excitement taking place on the stage, the two years’ worth of hard work and dedication poured in behind the scenes cannot be overlooked. Audiences can thank Atlanta Ballet artistic director Gennadi Nedvigin for assembling a talented team of professionals to create an artistic milestone. Yuri Possokhov serves as the company’s world-class choreographer, and Tony-Award-winner Tom Pye acts as the

production’s set designer. Video projection design is helmed by another Tony Award winner, Finn Ross, while Sandra Woodall is the woman responsible for the brand-new costume designs. The performers and stage are expertly lit by lighting designer David Finn. THE FOX THEATRE You should also know the history housed in the Fox Theatre, which has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. The theater originally opened its doors in 1929 on Christmas Day as one of the biggest movie theaters ever constructed. Currently, it remains as one of the country’s most ornate theaters, and one of the busiest of its kind. After you’ve caught your breath from “The Nutcracker,” know that you’ll have more than 150 other performances to experience throughout the new year. You can catch “The Nutcracker” performed by the Atlanta Ballet from the opening gala on December 8th to its final show on December 24th. Head over to AtlantaBallet.com/ Nutcracker for tickets. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

2019 Editorial Calendar Georgia Voice offers discounts to advertisers who appear in multiple issues, but who are we to decide the best dates for your business? Check out our list of street dates and special issues so you can decide when to deliver your message to our readers. * Dates may be subject to change. Certain special issues may require early deadlines. Ask your advertising representative for more details.

MAY

SEPTEMBER

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 77401 Atlanta, GA 30357

Deadline: 05/03/19 Publish: 05/10/19

Deadline: 09/06/19 Publish: 09/13/19

DIY: “Do It Your Damn Self!”

Sports: Out of the Park // The Story Behind Atlanta Street Names

Out On Film // ATL Film Industry

CONTACT: P: 404-815-6941 F: 404-963-6365 sales@thegavoice.com

FEBRUARY

JUNE

OCTOBER

JANUARY

LGBTQ 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Our Alphabet Deadline: 12/28/18 Publish: 01/04/19

Deadline: 01/11/19 Publish: 01/18/19

Rekindling The Flame // The Science of Heartbreak Deadline: 01/25/19 Publish: 02/01/19

Social Media & the Brain

Deadline: 02/08/19 Publish: 02/15/19

MARCH

Meet The Neighbors! Deadline: 02/25/19 Publish: 03/01/19

Georgia Voice Turns 10!!! // The Happiness Issue Deadline: 03/08/19 Publish: 03/15/19

Wedding Issue

Deadline: 03/22/19 Publish: 03/29/19

APRIL

Spring Into Arts // Fashion Deadline: 04/05/19 Publish: 04/12/19

HIV in the ATL

Deadline: 04/19/19 Publish: 04/26/19

Addiction: A Sobering Look at Sex, Drugs, & Us

Deadline: 05/17/19 Publish: 05/24/19

Summer Travel // Stonewall Deadline: 05/31/19 Publish: 06/07/19

TABOO: A Peek into the Forbidden Deadline: 06/14/19 Publish: 06/21/19

JULY

The Work Issue

Deadline: 06/28/19 Publish: 07/05/19

Best of Atlanta

Deadline: 07/12/19 Publish: 07/19/19

AUGUST

Pets: Creature Features

Deadline: 07/26/19 Publish: 08/02/19

The Science Behind Attraction Deadline: 08/09/19 Publish: 08/16/19

Geeks & Nerds // Black Gay Pride Deadline: 08/23/19 Publish: 08/30/19

Fall Arts Preview

Deadline: 09/20/19 Publish: 09/27/19

Atlanta Pride

ONLINE: TheGeorgiaVoice.com

SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS

Deadline: 10/04/19 Publish: 10/11/19

Death & Dying // Spirituality Deadline: 10/18/19 Publish: 10/25/19

NOVEMBER

Holiday Gift Guide // Trans Visibility Deadline: 11/01/19 Publish: 11/08/19

The Women’s Issue // World AIDS Day

DESTINATION GAY ATLANTA TRAVEL GUIDE Deadline: 04/30/19 Publish: June 2019

Deadline: 11/15/19 Publish: 11/22/19

DECEMBER

Food Issue “Dig In!” Deadline: 11/29/19 Publish: 12/06/19

Yearbook 2019 // Best of GA Voice “Givin’ You The Best That We Got” Deadline: 12/13/19 Publish: 12/20/19

OUT ON FILM FESTIVAL GUIDE Deadline: 08/1/19 Publish: September 2019

A&E

Yayoi Kusama

Photos courtesy of the High Museum

Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors YAYOI KUSAMA: INFINITY MIRRORS HIGH MUSEUM OF ART NOVEMBER 18, 2018–FEBRUARY 17, 2019 The High is showing a comprehensive exhibition by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, one of the twentieth century’s most influential artists to tour North America in over 20 years.

The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away

The Obliteration Room: 2002 to Present

Organized by the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, this exhibit spans across six decades of Kusama’s creative output and will explore the development of the artist’s Infinity Mirror Rooms, her iconic, kaleidoscopic environments. The exhibition will present six of these rooms as well as sculptures, paintings, works on paper, film excerpts, archival ephemera, and additional large-scale installations that span from the early 1950s to the present day. Also on view will be various new works from her Tokyo studio. Advance tickets for Infinity Mirrors have sold out, but there is still an opportunity to see this exhibition. From November 18 through February 17, there will be approximately 100 tickets available onsite each day beginning one hour before the museum opens. Maximum two tickets per person.

Kusama Installation: Life Repetitive Vision

Kusama Infinity Mirrored Room: All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins Installation

24 A&E November 23, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Starring: Jeff LeCraw, Joy Walters, and Ben Thorpe, with musical direction by Patrick Hutchison. Directed by David Thomas and choreographed by Karen Beyer

December 6 - 21, 2018

Purchase your tickets online or call our box office! 770 469 1105 www.artstation.org www.thegeorgiavoice.com

November 23, 2018 Ads 25

VOICES OF NOTE PRESENTS

ACTING OUT

HOLLY,

JOLLY and

“BOY ERASED” PUBLICITY PHOTO

Rainbows on the Silver Screen Jim Farmer Two new movies that were both filmed in Atlanta — one gay themed and the other featuring a famous out comic/actress — are in theaters now.

DECEMBER 7&8 FRI

8 pm

SAT

1 pm

SAT

6 pm

TICKETS AND MORE AT:

AGMCHORUS.ORG 26 Columnists November 23, 2018

Based on the acclaimed memoir by Garrard Conley, “Boy Erased’ tells the story of a Baptist preacher’s son who is struggling with the realization that he is gay. Jared Eamons (played by Lucas Hedges) is outed to his parents Marshall (Russell Crowe) and Nancy (Nicole Kidman) and his father sends him to a gay conversion therapy camp to “fix” him. During the stay, Jared questions why he is there. What “Boy Erased” misses is a real emotional connection. Joel Edgerton (who stars in the film as a conversion camp leader) has adapted the script and also directs the movie. His direction is not altogether successful. The characters remain at arm’s length. Nonetheless, “Boy Erased’ is an important, well-made film. It’s saved by excellent performances from top to bottom, especially from Kidman as a mother whose love for her

DETAILS

“Boy Erased” UA Tara Various showtimes “An Instant Family” Metro area theater Various showtimes

son supersedes anything else. The subject matter alone makes it well worth seeing. A tag at the end provides statistics about the prevalence of such conversion camps. Tig Notaro is one of the cast members of the new comedy “Instant Family,” directed by Sean Anders. In it, Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne star as a couple who don’t want children until they decide to give foster parenting a try. What they don’t realize is that the teenage girl they are interested in comes with two siblings. Notaro and Octavia Spencer are the leaders of the foster support group, which also includes a gay couple. “We had same-sex couples in our support group and a lot of people came in for different reasons,” says Anders. “We wanted to represent those people around us.”

The best element of the film is the chemistry between Notaro and Spencer. “Octavia was a huge get for us,” says Anders. “She read it and loved it. I was on a cloud and we were talking about who to partner her with. When I was in Atlanta, Tig popped into my head and it seemed like the best idea. Within a few days she was down here. They are so good together.” Notaro concurs. “My agent called and said I was being offered this role opposite Octavia and I just thought, ‘I can’t turn that down.’ Also, they sent the script which I thought was well done and I had my own interest in adoption and had some close friends who went through the system in .LA. and it spoke to me. When I met Octavia we had a connection and could play off each other.” The comic and actress could relate to the material. “When I was single, I had gone to adoption agencies looking into that possibility but I had some health issues at the time,” she says. “I wasn’t the best candidate. I am married now and have two young boys and adoption siblings always interested me. My wife has not seen the movie yet but I have this fantasy that she sees it at the premiere and says, ‘Let’s go kids.’” www.thegeorgiavoice.com

EATING MY WORDS

Brazil on the Beltline: Buteco Cliff Bostock

You remember 1965, right? You couldn’t possibly be gay, you would later think, because you totally hated Barbra Streisand, who won a Grammy for the song “People” that year. I mean you were a bullied kid and, unlike Babs, you did not think people who need people were very lucky. On the other hand you were excited when “Getz/Gilberto” won album of the year, mainly for the bossa nova hit, “The Girl from Ipanema,” a lament about being invisible to someone you have a crush on. It kind of made loneliness weirdly beautiful. Then the song became a cliché. Oh well.

DETAILS

Buteco 1039 Grant St. SE, Suite C-10 404-963-2929 ButecoAtlanta.com

Georgia State’s music program. He has been performing professionally as a percussionist here and around the world for 10-plus years. In 2015, he started his own label, Tribo Records, to produce contemporary music that draws on a variety of Latin American musical forms besides Brazilian. The café hosts live music many nights and plays host to the local music industry on Mondays. Check the website for details.

The memory of that year came back to me as soon as I stepped through the door of Buteco, a new Brazilian coffeehouse-bar in the Beacon Atlanta, a Beltline-hugging development in Grant Park. A black-andwhite video of the original “Ipanema” performers was silently projected on a wall while the voice of Nina Simone emanated from a turntable. Such visual and auditory imagery fills the café, from its maple bar and weathered-wood walls to its blasts of colorful tile on the patio to its plates of shapely street food and super-smooth coffee drinks.

Now, about the food. The kitchen here is kind of a shocker. It’s actually a food truck permanently parked a few feet from the building. It prepares about a dozen street food “bites” daily. I’m going to be honest. During my first visit, I was disappointed. Except for caldinho de feijão, a very tasty black bean puree with crunchy bacon and tiny croutons, most of the food was no hotter than tepid. Since most of our choices were deep-fried croquettes, the interior ingredients were all congealed texture and little taste.

The café’s owner, Rafael Pereira, grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, but graduated from

That changed altogether when I returned. I told Pereira about my earlier meal (and why

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

I was there). He was not altogether surprised, explaining that the kitchen was having difficulty keeping the plates warm in the food truck, thus probably causing the congealed interiors. Perhaps, but in any case, I ordered two plates of croquettes and they were about 100 percent better. Everyone’s favorite, according to a bartender, is the coxhina, made with pulled chicken and mozzarella fried in a fairly thick dough. Five of them, shaped like little pears, are served on puddles of a mildly spicy habanero aioli. My favorite, though, was the quibe, which is actually a Lebanese croquette (kibbeh) popular in Brazil. It’s made with distinctively flavorful bulgur wheat and beef, served with lime slices, which provide a nice contrast to a faintly minty taste. Other dishes include odd crispy, cheesy

cubes called “tapioca tots” and yucca croquettes stuffed with shredded beef, served with sriracha. There are waffles topped in five different ways, such as pesto, mozzarella, tomato, and basil. You can swill coffee, starting at 7 or 8am most days and throw back beer, wine, or cocktails made with cachaça until 11pm or midnight. Food is served 9:30am–10pm daily. The place is a gem. It’s the anti-cliché that the girl from Ipanema desperately needs. (To read about Tribo and hear some of its artists, go to TriboRecords.com.) Cliff Bostock is a former psychotherapist now specializing in life coaching. Contact him at 404-518-4415 or CliffBostock@gmail.com.

November 23, 2018 Columnists 27

BEST BETS Our Guide to the Best LGBTQ Events in Atlanta for November 23-December 6 FRIDAY, NOV. 23

9:30am–5pm 508 Flat Shoals Avenue, 30316

Every Friday night at Mary’s Atlanta, come enjoy Queer Bait, featuring videos with DJ Headmaster.

Bring the whole family for Zoo Atlanta’s second-annual holiday tree lighting. Zhu Zhu the giant panda mascot flips the switch at 4:30pm on the Grand Patio. The event includes free crafts for children, photo-ops in front of a 20-foot holiday tree, holiday gift shopping at Zoo Atlanta Trading Company and Pandamonium, holiday snacks, and warm spiced cider.

SATURDAY, NOV. 24

Do you remember the old variety shows like “The Carol Burnett Show,” “The Muppet Show,” or “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour?” Did you/do you always dream of being in the audience and being a part of the show? Atlanta’s all LGBTQIA+identifying comedy group, Queeriety, has just the show for you. Come see The Queeriety Variety Show on the last Saturday of every month. Each show will be jam-packed with improvisation, live sketch comedy, stand-up comedy, puppetry, and drag performances. 11pm The Village Theater

SUNDAY, NOV. 25

FRIDAY, NOV. 30

Join Atlanta OutWorlders for Movie Night. The event is free to attend, but it’s for adults only and BYOB. This month has two movies: “The Dark Crystal” and “Pan’s Labyrinth.” 7pm Atlanta Fulton Public Library System

The made-in-Atlanta gay film “Boy Erased” with Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, and Russell Crowe has expanded to more theaters in the Atlanta area with various showtimes.

It’s Boys Night with DJ Stan Jackson at the Heretic Atlanta from 10pm to 3am.

MONDAY, NOV. 26

THURSDAY, NOV. 29

T-Time Atlanta Trans Youth holds their weekly meeting tonight. 7pm St. Anne’s Episcopal Church

TUESDAY, NOV. 27

Join Charis in welcoming Charlene A. Carruthers for an intimate invitation into black, queer, feminist movement building for this moment and for what comes next. The bookstore will be celebrating Carruther’s “Unapologetic: A Black, Queer and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements.” Drawing on black intellectual and grassroots organizing traditions, including the Haitian revolution, the US civil rights movement, and LGBTQ rights and feminist movements, “Unapologetic” challenges all of us engaged in the social justice struggle to make the movement for Black liberation more radical, more queer, and … more radical. The book provides a vision for how social-justice movement can become sharper and more effective through principled struggle, healing justice, and leadership development. 7pm

28 Best Bets November 23, 2018

Charis Books and More

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 28

Do you want to read books by amazing black women writers? Do you want to discuss works from a Black feminist perspective in a feminist bookstore? Then the Black Feminist Book Club is for you. This fall the group is reading black feminist classics. 7–9pm Charis Books and More

FRIDAY, NOV. 30

The Fulton County Board of Health’s Sexual Health Promotion unit will mark World AIDS Day with its inaugural #StopHIVATL World AIDS Day Breakfast Media Event today. The theme is “An HIV Free Generation is a Human Right.” This event will serve to highlight efforts toward stopping the spread of HIV in Fulton County and the wider Atlanta metropolitan area. Organizers will also be recognizing persons from throughout the community who have contributed notably to stopping the HIV epidemic. The keynote speaker will be pioneering HIV researcher and treatment advocate Dr. James Curran, who is currently the Dean of the Rollins

School of Public Health at Emory University. This is a free event, but you must get a ticket. You are limited to one ticket per person. For further information, contact Yvette Jackson at Yvette.Jackson@fultoncountyga.gov or at 404-613-1421. 9–11am The Carter Center Join Atlanta OutWorlders for Movie Night. The event is free to attend, but it’s for adults only and BYOB. This month has two movies: “The Dark Crystal” and “Pan’s Labyrinth.” 7pm Atlanta Fulton Public Library System

Immersion, a World AIDS Day 2018 Gala, will be held today. Poignant messages of hope, remembrance, and resilience will be shared by special guests and community champions. An evening soiree in the palatial Ocean Ballroom of the Georgia Aquarium will commence, immersing individuals in an elevated atmosphere accompanied with an open bar, engagement activities, and celebration moments. Immersion will also serve as the culminating showcase for “Momentum,” a visual arts showcase. Dress Code is “Be You in All Black,” whether it be casually chic, elevated, or artistic. 8pm–Midnight Georgia Aquarium

SUNDAY, DEC.2

Every Friday at midnight, it’s time to slip on those fishnets and makeup for the greatest live troupe in the city. Lips Down on Dixie, Inc., is throwing a righteous party in front of the big screen for “The Rocky Horror Show” at the Plaza Theatre.

The Throne Room is an experience cultivated by Creative Loafing’s Best Burlesque 2018, Royal Tee. This show exists as an outlet for everyone involved to be able to express a piece of their story in a safe space of exploration, without judgment, ostracism, ridicule, or complaint. Join us in an evening of “finding your royalty’” and be inspired to seek out your story and your rightful spot on the Royal Throne. This is also a 30th birthday celebration of Royal Tee. 8pm Red Light Cafe

SATURDAY, DEC. 1

MONDAY, DEC. 3

Santa and his elves are returning to East Atlanta for their 12th annual visit with all the nice and the naughty residents. Photos are $20 per session and are delivered via souvenir thumb drive. All proceeds go directly to Neighbor In Need East Atlanta and East Atlanta Kids Club. Contact eavsanta@gmail. com to reserve an appointment for a visit and photos with Santa.

The PFLAG support group for parents and families of LGBTQ children meets today at the Atlanta International School. 7:30–9pm Trans and Friends is a youth-focused group for trans people, people questioning

CONTINUES ON PAGE 29 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

BEST BETS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28 their own gender, and aspiring allies. It provides a facilitated space to discuss gender, relevant resources, and activism around social issues. 7–8:30pm Charis Books and More

TUESDAY, DEC. 4

Ken hosts Let’s Make a Deal tonight. The event is at 6pm down at Friends Neighborhood Bar.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 5

Thad Stevens hosts Liquid Courage Karaoke with all sorts of food and drink specials. 9pm My Sister’s Room

THURSDAY, DEC. 6

The seventh annual Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (AGLCC) Out In The Kitchen is a culinary-focused holiday event that features Atlanta’s premier LGBTQ/Ally chefs and their culinary inspirations. 6–8pm W Atlanta Midtown Building on the activist tradition of consciousness raising groups, each month Charis invites community members to join The Personal is Political: Feminist Vent, to talk about personal issues or societal issues they are trying to deconstruct. The group will use intersectional feminist strategies as tools to talk through these issues. 7:30–9pm Charis Books and More Out Front Theatre Company is ringing in the season with its first-ever holiday production, the world premiere of “The Ethel Merman Disco Christmas Spectacular.” Decking the halls with holiday tunes, the production imagines what the legendary Ethel Merman’s 1979 disco Christmas television special might have been. The year is 1979 and the undisputed “Biggest Voice on Broadway” has released her now infamous disco album. A cavalcade of celebrities who make Studio 54 their second home have been recruited to help bring a disco beat to the holiday season, and leading the charge is none other than Ethel Merman

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 12

Seattle sisters BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon are join forces to bring you a spankin’ new, two-queen holiday extravaganza. 8pm Center Stage herself. Things avalanche into chaos, but “The Merm” can’t be deterred in her quest to hustle around the Christmas tree and into every living room in America. Combine a harried stage manager gripping onto his first big assignment, a love affair that would melt Jack Frost’s heart and a miserly producer who doesn’t seem pleased with anything that is unfolding, and the outcome is a night of entertainment that is exactly what everyone has on their wish list. 8pm Out Front Theatre

UPCOMING FRIDAY, DEC. 7

The lesbian-themed “The Favourite,” an Oscar contender with Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz, opens today in metro theatres with various showtimes. It’s a holiday tradition. The Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus presents Holly, Jolly & Gay!: The 38th Annual Holiday Concert, tonight at 8pm and Saturday, Dec. 8 at 1 and 6pm. The Cathedral of St. Philip The first annual Dream Benefit Gala will raise money for homeless LGBT youth affected by HIV/STDs, poverty, and abuse. The event will feature a red carpet, music, food, and live entertainment. 7:30–11:30pm The Randey Daniels Foundation

SATURDAY, DEC. 8

The 10th Annual Atlanta Santa

Speedo Run is a 1-mile, noncompetitive dash through the streets of Atlanta alongside hundreds of Speedo-clad men and women. Noon–2pm Hudson Grille Midtown It’s the most wonderful time of the year … storytime! Join Miss Terra Cotta Sugarbaker for a holiday themed edition of Drag Queen Storytime. Whether it’s Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, or Festivus, the event will help you celebrate the season with a book reading, some crafts, and maybe a few songs. 3–4pm Ponce de Leon Branch Library Atlanta Ballet’s first new “The Nutcracker” in 20 years marks a milestone in dance history. Tonight is opening night and the performance runs through December 24. 7:30pm Fox Theatre

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 12

At long last, Seattle sisters BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon are joining forces to bring you a spankin’ new, two-queen holiday extravaganza. DeLa is all sugar and Jinkx is all spice — but how do these two very different gals deal with the stress of the holidays? A little song, a lot of eggnog, and theaters full of people looking at them. VIP tickets include early entry and post-show meet & greet with BenDeLaCreme & Jinkx Monsoon. This is an all ages event, with VIP event at 6:30pm and the show at 8pm. Center Stage

November 23, 2018 Best Bets 29

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Remember When We Didn’t Hate One Another? Melissa Carter When I was young, I remember my mother’s criticism of violence on television. It was less about my tender mind watching such action and more about her fear that someone else would copycat what was being broadcast. I used to think she was wrong and underestimating the average viewer, but now I’m not so sure. White supremacists and other members of far-right movements were responsible for 71% of extremist-related deaths in the U.S. over the past 10 years. Islamic extremists were responsible for 26%. Let’s let that sink in. This statistic is from “The Week,” which goes on to say that the number of terrorist incidents in our country has tripled since 2013, with most of them being driven by anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic, antigovernment, or racist ideologies. The FBI reports hate crimes rose 17% last year, which is the third annual increase in a row. So what’s happening? I’m certainly not trying to equate television violence with the rise in hate crimes, but I do think my mother was on to something. Sure, people who feel disenfranchised will gravitate toward an extreme cause that they feel represents them. However, I do believe we must go further than that and realize the average person can also be affected by their negative environment, even when they don’t realize they are being hateful themselves. Right now everyone thinks they are in the right, and to hell with what other people think. This defiant stance on both sides has only created further divides from our common ground, as if we have no interest in common ground anymore. The entire world

30 Columnists November 23, 2018

has turned into a sporting event — either my team wins now or I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure your team eventually loses. In the beginning of this tense climate I did believe the extreme far right was perpetuating that behavior, but then I saw what my friends were doing on Facebook these past few years. I’m concerned by the hate speech members of the LGBTQ community are conveying, some comments dangerously close to “those who are different are evil” that has been pitched against us for so long. My question is: “Who will be the brave, bigger person to finally declare the middle ground as sacred ground?” To my mother’s point, I do believe that a contributing factor will be when “news” organizations begin to report on constructive events going on in our society and not just the wretched. When criminals’ faces are not for display anymore, and victims’ lives are celebrated for more than their tragic end. Take into account that when my mother was critical of what she saw it was during a time that news was only reported in the mornings and evenings. There was no 24hour news cycle we are now accustomed to, with many channels using shock and fear as a way to keep people tuned in all day. It’s one thing to use anger to fuel a cause, but it seems we are now angry all the time and our causes never have a finish line, or at least a goal that is satisfied. And I think the worst thing we can do is become anti-something, since that would make us no better than those we have suffered under. One of the first out radio personalities in Atlanta, Melissa’s worked for B98.5 and Q100. Catch her daily on theProgressive Voices podcast “She Persisted.” Tweet her! @MelissaCarter www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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Sabbatical from Sex Addiction Ryan Lee If the Georgia secretary of state’s office kept a registry of practicing homosexuals — and applied the same “use-it-or-lose-it” standard it cited to deactivate tens of thousands of voters — I may have been purged from the rainbow rolls in 2018. “You’ve only had sex four times this year?” my friend breathlessly asked over the telephone the other night. “Well, about 10 times with maybe four people,” I clarified. “When you didn’t answer my call earlier, I just assumed you were having sex and would get back to me afterward,” he said. “I might’ve been, any other year; but 2018’s been different,” I said. “The other day I was thinking if I stopped having sex entirely, would I still be considered gay?” My prior experiences with celibacy occurred within long-term relationships, and I can’t remember being as single and sexless as I’ve been in 2018. Without making any formal resolutions, I uninstalled my hook-up apps and figured I would entertain any sexual possibilities that arose, while not actively pursuing them. It’s been remarkably easy to step outside a promiscuous daily routine, and that lack of difficulty has in turn felt reassuring, humbling, and precarious. I self-diagnosed as a sex addict during college and self-fulfilled that destiny during my ’20s and ’30s, and now feel comfortable evaluating all of those years as healthy and vibrant, even if a bit gratuitous and cum-pulsive. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

While I’m relieved to take a break from slutdom without needing an in-patient program or chemical inhibitor, I’m a bit disappointed by the lack of temptation I’ve been subjected to from my former “fellow addicts.” I’ve turned away a handful of guys who contacted me over the past 11 months, but not nearly in proportion to the number of entrants in my sexual rolodex. I never paid attention to how much effort it took to have a sex life that was breezy and abundant, and without that devoted strategy and planning, the breeze ain’t blowing my way. I’ve proceeded through this sexual hiatus believing it is voluntary and temporary, but with my abstinence going largely unchallenged I’ve started to question my will to return to peak fucking status. Some of this might be age-related, although I haven’t Googled to confirm whether men experience a libido drop in their late ’30s. Growing older has definitely introduced anxiety about the length of self-imposed celibacy and waiting too long to re-enter an ecosystem that updates itself with the frequency of my cell phone’s operating system.

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I’ve gone through 2018 feeling like a dutiful squirrel, with enough nuts (or maybe acorns) stowed away to keep me from feeling frustrated or frantic during colder months. But there are only so many sexual springs that come around, and so perhaps this is a preview of the dog days of my sexual extravagance. Either way, even if I happen to never give another blowjob in my life, my voice and so many other parts of me will always be gay — at least in the homosexual use of that term. November 23, 2018 Columnists 31