Cynthia Salinas-Cappellano, Melissa Carter, María Helena Dolan, Jim Farmer, Adalei Stevens
Production
Art Director: Rob Boeger
rboeger@thegavoice.com
Sales
Sales Executive: Dixon Taylor dtaylor@thegavoice.com
Sales Executive: Jim Brams jbrams@thegavoice.com
Sales Executive & Photographer: Russell Bowen-Youngblood russ@alphabetsoupmarketing.com
Business Advisor: Lynn Pasqualetti Financial Firm of Record: HLM Financial Group
National Advertising: Rivendell Media • 908-232-2021 sales@rivendellmedia.com
Publisher Emeritus: Chris Cash
Fine Print
representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons. We also do not accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers.
Unsolicited editorial material is accepted by Georgia Voice, but we do not take responsibility for its return. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject, or edit any submission. Guidelines for freelance contributors are available upon request.
A single copy of Georgia Voice is available from authorized distribution points. Multiple copies are available from Georgia Voice office only. Call for rates. If you are unable to reach a convenient free distribution point, you may receive a 24-issue mailed subscription for $149 per year. Checks or credit card orders can be sent to Tim Boyd, tboyd@thegavoice.com Postmaster: Send address changes to Georgia Voice, PO Box 77401, Atlanta, GA 30357. Georgia Voice is published twice a month by Georgia Voice, LLC. Individual subscriptions are $149 per year for 24 issues. Postage paid at Atlanta, GA, and additional mailing offices.
The editorial positions of Georgia Voice are expressed in editorials and in editor’s notes. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Georgia Voice and its staff.
To submit a letter or commentary: Letters should be fewer than 400 words and commentary, for web or print, should be fewer than 750 words. Submissions may be edited for content and length, and must include a name, address, and phone number for verification. Email submissions to editor@thegavoice.com or mail to the address above.
BY
Reflecting on Six Years
Burkholder
I still remember the day I was hired at Georgia Voice. I was at a hibachi dinner with my partner at the time and received a text from Berlin, the editor at the time I was interning, asking if I’d be interested in a part-time position managing the website. As a college sophomore who was already anxious about being employed by the time I graduated, I was overjoyed. I had no idea how wonderful a gift I was being given.
At my first editorial meeting, I was in awe of how knowledgeable the staff were about the community. They mentioned businesses, people, clubs, bars, and organizations I had never heard of, having only lived in Atlanta for a little over a year. I felt like I was in over my head: how could I possibly work in LGBTQ media if
I knew nothing about LGBTQ Atlanta?
The greatest gift this job has given me is the knowledge that felt so inaccessible to me as a 20-year-old. I have learned so much about Atlanta and its vibrant and diverse pockets of community. I have met so many people I would’ve never interacted with in my established social circles. I have become wellversed in the issues that impact a community which has always meant so much to me. I have grown as both a writer and a person, and I am incredibly thankful.
Whenever people ask me how I got this job, I always say the same thing: I got lucky. Not because I want to diminish my skill or hard work, both of which I ardently believe in, but because I know there was something special about this work and this publication. Being editor of Georgia Voice has been so much more to me than a job. It has been a learning opportunity, an exercise
in community connection, a challenge that has pushed me far beyond what I thought myself capable of. More than a paycheck and a line on my resume, this job has given me higher self-esteem, a greater knowledge of myself and my identity, and a deeper love for Atlanta. It has been a divine stroke of luck that I have been able to experience it.
I am saddened that I will not continue as editor of Georgia Voice in 2025, but I’m happy to be passing the torch to Collin Kelley, who I know will be bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge to make Georgia Voice better than ever. As I enter my new chapter, I will continue contributing to this paper which has been so important to me for the past six years.
To the Georgia Voice community, thank you for embracing me with open arms and making a home for me these last six years. It has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life.
PHOTO
ROB BOEGER
Katie
Staff reports
Read these stories and more online at thegavoice.com
Trans Rights Supporters, Opponents Rally Outside Supreme Court as Justices Consider Tenn. Law
At least 1,000 people rallied outside the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices considered whether a Tennessee law banning genderaffirming medical care for transgender youth is unconstitutional.
Dueling rallies began early in the morning, with protesters supporting trans rights and protesters supporting Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care each stationed with podiums on opposite sides.
Trans rights protesters, who significantly outnumbered the other group, held signs reading “Keep hate out of healthcare,” and “Respect family medical decisions.” On the other side, protesters carried signs with messages like “Sex change is fantasy,” and “Stop transing gay kids.”
The Tennessee law that is being challenged in U.S. v Skrmetti took effect in 2023 and bans medical providers from prescribing medical treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapies to trans youth.
A number of Democratic lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), co-chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, and U.S. Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) addressed the crowd in support of trans rights.
In his speech, Merkley said Americans deserved freedom in accessing gender affirming care and criticized the law as political intervention in private medical decisions.
“Americans should have the freedom to make medical decisions in the privacy of their doctor’s office without politicians trying to dictate to them,” he said.
Chase Strangio, an ACLU attorney representing the families, became the first openly trans lawyer to argue before the Supreme Court. He addressed the trans
gender identity and sexual orientation.
“Whatever happens, we are the defiance,” Strangio said. “We are collectively a refutation of everything they say about us. And our fight for justice did not begin today, it will not end in June — whatever the court decides.”
LGBTQ Asylum Seekers, Migrants Brace for Second Trump Administration
Advocacy groups in the wake of Presidentelect Donald Trump’s election fear his administration’s proposed immigration policies will place LGBTQ migrants and asylum seekers at increased risk.
“What we are expecting again is that the new administration will continue weaponizing the immigration system to keep igniting resentment,” Abdiel Echevarría-Cabán, an immigration lawyer who is based in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley, told the Washington Blade
Trump during the campaign pledged a “mass deportation” of undocumented immigrants.
The president-elect in 2019 implemented the Migrant Protection Protocols program — known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy — that forced asylum seekers to pursue their cases in Mexico.
Advocates sharply criticized MPP, in part, because it made LGBTQ asylum seekers who were forced to live in Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez, Matamoros, and other Mexican border cities even more vulnerable to violence and persecution based on their
The Biden-Harris administration ended MPP in 2021.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in March 2020 implemented Title 42, which closed the Southern border to most asylum seekers and migrants because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy ended in May 2023.
Robert Contreras, president of Bienestar Human Services, a Los Angeles-based organization that works with Latino and LGBTQ communities, in a statement to the Blade noted Project 2025, which “outlines the incoming administration’s agenda, proposes extensive rollbacks of rights and protections for LGBTQ individuals.”
“This includes dismantling anti-discrimination protections, restricting access to genderaffirming healthcare, and increasing immigration enforcement,” said Contreras.
Jennicet Gutiérrez, co-executive director of Familia: TQLM, an organization that advocates on behalf of transgender and gender non-conforming immigrants, noted to the Blade a trans woman who has asked for asylum in the U.S. “has been patiently waiting in Tijuana” for more than six months “for her CBP One application response.”
“Now she feels uncertain if she will ever get the chance to cross to the United States,” said Gutiérrez.
She added Trump’s election “is going to be devastating for LGBTQ asylum seekers.”
rights protesters after the hearing.
Protestors rallied outside the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices considered whether a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth is unconstitutional.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
Mike Fleming Dies After Cancer Battle
Katie Burkholder
Local LGBTQ journalist Mike Fleming has passed away after his battle with cancer at the age of 59.
Fleming was a writer, editor, and publisher for 27 years, splitting his time up among iconic LGBTQ publications like Southern Voice, David Atlanta, and Project Q. He was copublisher at Project Q during his battle with cancer, before announcing that the publication would be on hiatus in May 2022 after 14 years.
“I met Mike when he moved here over 20 years ago and worked with him at Southern Voice, Project Q, and David,” Jim Farmer, the festival director of Out On Film and longtime LGBTQ journalist, told Georgia Voice. “He was an excellent journalist and editor, a great advocate for Atlanta and its LGBTQIA+ community, and — most importantly — a good friend that we will all miss tremendously.”
Fleming spent 11 years at Window Media, from 1998 to 2009, starting as the publisher of the Houston Voice before moving to be editor at the New Orleans office of Southern Voice in 2001. He began in the Atlanta office of Southern Voice as Arts Editor in 2002 and simultaneously served as editor of David Magazine in 2005 for almost four years. He then became Equity Partner at Project Q Atlanta in 2009.
Along with an inspiring career, Fleming leaves behind a legacy of generosity. Fleming often fundraised for Pets Are Loving Support, an organization giving ongoing care and support to the pets of Atlantans living with disabilities, illnesses like HIV/AIDS, and people 65 and older by covering expenses relating to pet food, basic care, and vaccinations.
“Mike will be missed by so many who may never have met him,” Russ Bowen-
Youngblood told Georgia Voice. “His voice and reporting about our community stretch back decades. I will miss his edgy EAV vibe and love for the fringe members of our community. I know his fur babies will miss him. I will miss discussing the latest best shows on TV. He was in so much pain these last few years and he can rest now.”
In a memorial post on Farmer’s Facebook, members of the community remembered Fleming as a hero, a kind soul, a complete champion of queer arts, a lovely man, and a fantastic journalist. Farmer recalled his friendship with Fleming, saying they liked to “talk about pop culture” and “Atlanta gay matters/gossip,” and he could always make Farmer laugh.
Information regarding Fleming’s memorial service is yet to be announced.
Mike Fleming PHOTO BY RUSSELL BOWEN-YOUNGBLOOD
Turning the Page on 15 Years: Georgia Voice Opens a New Chapter
Katie Burkholder
The Atlanta Eagle raid and lawsuit. The closure of Outwrite bookstore. The legalization of marriage equality. A Trump presidency and subsequent re-election. Over hundreds of issues and thousands of pages, Georgia Voice has been there for it all. Now, after 15 years of diligently serving Atlanta’s LGBTQ community, Georgia Voice is entering a new and exciting chapter.
On December 3, the Atlanta JournalConstitution announced the acquisition of Georgia Voice by Rough Draft Atlanta, helmed by owner and publisher Keith Pepper. Beginning in January, Georgia Voice will publish on Rough Draft’s website, launch a weekly newsletter edited by former Georgia Voice editor Dyana Bagby, and shift to a monthly print edition edited by longtime Atlanta Intown editor Collin Kelley.
“It’s critical that the Voice continues for the LGBTQ community,” Pepper told the AJC “Having an outlet that is edited and curated by folks in the community gives space for [different] voices, especially in the wake of the last presidential campaign and results of the election.
“Georgia Voice will offer news, opinion, and features for and about the LGBTQ+ community in the state,” Kelley wrote about the future of Georgia Voice. “We’re not going to shy away from the politics and decisions being made at both a state and national level that will affect the readers who depend on us. We will welcome letters and editorials to express a wide range of opinions and views in the Voice’s pages.”
In the midst of this transition into a new era of local LGBTQ journalism, we’re celebrating the last 15 years of stories, writers, columns, and people who have made this publication possible.
The Southern Voice
It’s impossible to embark on the history of Georgia Voice without discussing its predecessor, Southern Voice, a weekly 16-page newspaper founded by Chris Cash in 1988.
“Chris Cash taught me and others the importance of bringing our authentic selves into our reporting and the inherent value of queer people covering our own communities,” LGBTQ journalist Rich Eldredge wrote in a love letter to Georgia Voice for Atlanta Magazine. “In addition to the essential LGBTQ+ coverage it’s provided now for 35 years, that’s the Voice’s true legacy.”
In 2022, Cash was inducted into the LGBTQ Journalists Hall of Fame for her work with Southern Voice. Cash owned the publication until selling to Window Media
in 1997. Twelve years later, Window Media declared bankruptcy — and from the ashes of SoVo rose Georgia Voice
Georgia Voice was founded by Cash, Laura Douglas-Brown — the editor of SoVo at the time of its dissolution — and Tim Boyd. Boyd was in sales at SoVo during the ’90s and grew to become Georgia Voice’s publisher and managing partner, eventually orchestrating the sale to Rough Draft. Since its foundation, Georgia Voice has been home to seven different editors, 13 regular columnists, and over 200 writers and contributors.
Editors of Georgia Voice
Laura Douglas-Brown
As the editor of Southern Voice from 2006 to 2009 and a co-founder of Georgia Voice, Douglas-Brown was the editor behind
Georgia Voice’s debut issue, included in which were stories covering the federal lawsuit over the Atlanta Eagle raid in 2009; the election of the second openly gay person to the Georgia General Assembly, Simone Bell; and the statewide tour of the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus.
Today, Douglas-Brown is the Assistant Vice President for Content and Brand Story at Emory University.
Dyana Bagby Bagby took over for Douglas-Brown in 2013 and stayed on as editor until 2015. Some major stories covered during her tenure included the historic same-sex marriage cases heard by the Supreme Court and the subsequent fall of Georgia’s same-sex marriage ban.
Georgia Voice’s first staff at Atlanta Pride STAFF PHOTO
FROM PAGE
“The Georgia Voice ensures LGBTQ stories are shared that challenge discrimination and advance acceptance of marginalized people,” Bagby told Georgia Voice. “It’s like a town hall where we can come together and see each other as we are. We deal with heartbreak sometimes, but we also celebrate each other and our victories. To me, the Georgia Voice is a history book, a love letter, a place to go to know we are not alone. It’s where we can go to find others to protest attacks on our communities and to dance with in a safe space with the best DJs, to support queer businesses, and to read about people and organizations that uplift us.”
Today, Bagby is a staff writer at Rough Draft Atlanta and will be the editor of the Georgia Voice newsletter.
Darian Aaron
Aaron had a brief but impactful stint as editor from 2015 to 2016, leading Georgia Voice with stories like former Governor Nathan Deal’s veto of an anti-LGBTQ “religious freedom” bill and South Georgia teen Mars Hallman leading the charge for creating a Gay-Straight Alliance at their high school.
Today, Aaron is the Director of Local News: U.S. South at GLAAD.
Patrick Saunders
After two years as deputy editor, Saunders led Georgia Voice from 2016 to 2018 — something he remembers as “an honor.”
“Being a part of Georgia Voice was inspiring because we got to be embedded in Atlanta’s LGBTQ community, and to report on everything about it — even when that reporting made some people angry,” Saunders told Georgia Voice. “We loved the community enough to tell all of its stories. It’s so important for Georgia Voice to continue on, especially as LGBTQ media outlets continue to fade away and attacks on us and our community’s rights escalate. Tim deserves a ton of credit for the sacrifices he’s made to keep things on track and thriving these last 15 years. I’m so happy he’s getting a chance to hand the reins over, and to do it to a team like Rough Draft, who I’m confident will carry things
on with the same passion and boldness for the next 15 and beyond.”
After his time with Georgia Voice, Saunders spent time as the editor of the local LGBTQ publication Project Q before its hiatus in 2022. Today, Saunders is the supervising Digital News Editor at WABE.
Berlin Sylvestre
Sylvestre took over as editor from 2018 to 2019. During her time at Georgia Voice, she won the NLGJA Association of LGBTQ Journalists award for Excellence in Feature Writing, Non-Daily for her article exploring the realities of Alzheimer’s caretaking, entitled “The Thief of Self.”
Today, Sylvestre is working as a media and intelligence analyst for Bulletin Intelligence and Cision.
Patrick Colson-Price
Colson-Price led the Georgia Voice editorial team until the COVID-19 pandemic. He interviewed former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Stacey Abrams, Billy Porter, Adam Rippon, Kim Petras, and Anjelica Ross.
Today, Colson-Price is a video producer at Gannett.
Katie Burkholder
I have been honored to have been a part of the Georgia Voice team since 2018, serving
as editor from 2020 to 2024. Over the last six years, I have written over 1,500 stories, some of my most memorable honoring the lives of Cliff Bostock, Sheila Merritt, Mr. Charlie Brown (who I also got the honor of interviewing before his death) as well as interviewing incredible people like Melissa Etheridge, Alyssa Edwards, Jon Ossoff, and Chris Cash.
I am honored to continue contributing to Georgia Voice as Collin Kelley takes the reins as editor in the new year.
Longtime Staff and Contributors
Georgia Voice has been lucky enough to retain several contributors and staff since its early days. Dixon Taylor, Sales Executive, has worked with both Southern Voice and Georgia Voice since 1991, and has continued to keep the paper afloat and thriving with her community connections and inimitable ability to charm any client into an ad.
“I’ve had the great pleasure of working with both Southern Voice and then Georgia Voice since 1991,” Taylor told Georgia Voice. “During that time, I’ve seen the greater Atlanta community and the LGBTQIA community grow closer as we both learned how to live together. I believe these two newspapers were able to help facilitate that growth with
Georgia Voice staff at the 2014 Georgia Aquarium party. STAFF PHOTO
Georgia Voice’s staff in 2016 setting up the paper’s Atlanta Pride booth. STAFF PHOTO
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
great articles, interviews, photos, and an enviable list of advertisers who understood the importance of reaching us plus a commitment to support our newspapers. What a gift to be part of all this!”
Jim Farmer, the Festival Director of Atlanta’s LGBTQ film festival Out On Film and our resident film and theater columnist, has worked with both Southern Voice and Georgia Voice since the ’90s.
“I started writing for Southern Voice in the mid-1990s and began a weekly arts column in 1997,” he said. “Southern Voice eventually became Georgia Voice and I have gone through more than a dozen editors during that time. But one thing has stayed the same: the joy in getting to share stories about LGBTQIA+ artists. I look forward to this next chapter and Georgia Voice’s expansion.”
Melissa Carter, who broke ground as the first out lesbian radio personality at a major Atlanta station, has continued her column, That’s What She Said, covering topics of feminism, motherhood, and more, since 2011; but she was also a journalist with Southern Voice.
“My initial media aspiration was to serve as a journalist, and the first assignment I received was in 1994 thanks to Southern Voice. I remember running from my car up my girlfriend’s sidewalk to share my first time in print.”
Art Director Rob Boeger has been with the publication since 2014, bringing with him decades of experience in LGBTQ publications like Southern Voice and Washington Blade, a fresh new design for the paper, and an unwavering commitment to LGBTQ activism.
Other long-time editorial contributors include the late Cliff Bostock, Vandy Beth Glenn, Bill Kaelin, Ryan Lee, Charles Stephens, and Steve Warren.
The current Georgia Voice staff also includes Russ Bowen-Youngblood in sales and photography, Jim Brams in sales, and Rory Evans in distribution. Without their work and commitment, Georgia Voice would not be
able to perform our mission of representing and serving LGBTQ Atlantans.
A Look at Columns Past and Present
Along with Carter and Farmer, Ryan Lee also wrote a regular column called Sometimes Y, where he would share sharp political critiques, stories of sexual exploits, and other acerbic observations, from 2013 to 2023. Cliff Bostock, who died earlier this year, wrote a restaurant review column, Eating My Words, from 2014 to 2020 before transitioning his writing into Old Gay Man, a column in which he would reflect on aging and eventually share his reflections on his cancer diagnosis.
Other columns that have been featured over the last 15 years include:
Domestically Disturbed, by Topher Payne (2010–2014)
Outside the Box, by Bill Kaelin (2014–2016)
The Iconoclast, by Charles Stephens (2015)
In the Middle, by Kim Riggins (2015–2016)
In the Margins, by Ashleigh Atwell (2015–2018)
The French Connection, by Buck Jones (2020–2021)
The Gayly Dose, by The Gayly Dose cast (2021–2023)
Reeling in the Years, by Maria Helena Dolan (2020–Present)
Thank You
Georgia Voice would like to extend a thank you to every business and organization that has supported us over the last 15 years. A huge thank you to HLM, Paws Whiskers and Wags, Randy Fry Law Firm, and Parker’s on Ponce for advertising since the beginning days of the paper, as well as major supporters AARP, Southern Nights, The Atlanta Braves, Electrobike Georgia, Atlanta Opera, Atlanta Ballet, and Voices of Note.
I would personally like to extend a thank you to Tim for believing in me and my work for the last six years, as well as to Rob for being such a phenomenal colleague to work alongside. I’m so proud of the work we have done together. Thank you to every freelance contributor I have had the pleasure of working with, especially Sukainah AbidKons, Hunter Buchheit, Luke Gardner, Vandy Beth Glenn, Rose Pelham, Cynthia Salinas-Cappellano, and Adalei Stevens.
Thank you to photographer Jean Bartlett for volunteering with Georgia Voice for 15 years.
Finally, thank YOU for following along and supporting Georgia Voice, whether you’ve been reading for a year or 15. Without you, none of this is possible. To follow us into this new chapter, keep an eye on roughdraftatlanta.com in January for the transferal of the Georgia Voice archive.
Georgia Voice’s staff at the 2019 Best of Atlanta party. STAFF PHOTO
Georgia Voice staff attends Out On Film party with Jim Farmer and Craig Hardesty STAFF PHOTO
Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen and Bar
Serves Up Culture and Soul to Black Queer Community and Beyond
Cynthia Salinas-Cappellano
As winter winds sweep through Atlanta, the comforting allure of a hot plate of soul food is hard to resist. Gee and Juan Smalls, a married couple and proud co-owners of Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen & Bar, are serving up that warmth and flavor. Together for 16 years, the couple opened their first location in College Park in 2019, bringing a taste of Gullah-inspired soul food to the community.
The queer-owned establishment started as a way for Black queer men to have another safe space in Atlanta’s community. The pair originally got their start in hospitality through event production and promotion in 2010. After realizing no spaces were owned by and for Black queer men, they decided to open one themselves.
“One thing we noticed after a few years is that there were no bars or lounges or spaces that were owned by us, Gee told Georgia Voice. “While we would go into some of these spaces and some of them would accept us, and some of them would tolerate us. Never really loved and affirmed — they couldn’t see us. Especially in Black gay Atlanta, why is there not a Black gay-owned spot here?”
They wanted their restaurant to feel like home for their Black queer patrons.
“One thing we noticed after a few years is that there were no bars or lounges or spaces that were owned by us. While we would go into some of these spaces and some of them would accept us, and some of them would tolerate us. Never really loved and affirmed — they couldn’t see us. Especially in Black gay Atlanta, why is there not a Black gay-owned spot here?”
—Gee Smalls
form of Creole vernacular combining Southern English and West African root words. Although this influence was not always recognized by linguists, today Gullah is seen by scholars as a complete language with its own grammatical structure.
Many of the dishes characteristic of Gullah Geechee culture reflect the preservation of West African culture during enslavement in remote coastal islands in the South.
Diners can enjoy a plate of Gullah Geecheestyle Shrimp & Grits — unique due to its gravy base — to the sounds of 1990s and early 2000s R&B classics. For the winter season, I can personally recommend the okra gumbo served with white rice, Rogerwood sausage, shrimp and crab.
The Smalls ultimately decided to turn toward Gee’s roots and bring awareness to Gullah Geechee culture.
“So, we decided let’s serve what I like to cook — and then it turned into Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen & Bar,” Gee said.
The Gullah Geechee culture can be found in many parts of the coastal United States, including the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Known officially as the Gullah Geechee Corridor, it was declared a National Heritage Area in 2006 by Congress.
Notable for its dialect, “Gullah” is another
Once they found a building in College Park, they set to work on their menu. Quickly realizing they would need to serve more than just drinks to College Park patrons, they realized they “didn’t know what we were gonna serve. We went from burgers to wings to tacos to pizza, bar food, whatever. I’m from Charleston, South Carolina — which is Gullah Geechee culture — I’ve cooked all my life.”
“We have something called red rice,” Gee said. “We eat a lot of rice in our culture because our ancestors were brought over to the Americas to grow rice in Charleston. You see a lot of dishes like crab rice, and red rice is a tomato-based rice with pork in it.... At the base of Gullah Geechee food is soul food. Being the oldest Black culture, of course that’s where soul food came from. A typical plate is collard greens, mac and cheese, and fried chicken, which we call our ‘Afta Church Plate’.”
In another homage to Gee’s heritage, the restaurant is named after his late father, Virgil.
Previously featured on Good Morning America in 2021, Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen and Bar now boasts three locations in College Park, West Midtown and now Conyers. The restaurant continues to provide an upscale experience of Gullah Geechee cuisine.
While the venture originally started as a way to build space for Black queer men, patrons now represent all of Atlanta. The restaurant still pays homage to its roots by hosting Friends Friday, dedicated to Black queer men, as well as period drag shows. The restaurant also continues to support the queer community by supporting organizations like Viiv, the leading health care company in HIV/AIDS research, awareness, and treatment. The restaurant continues to give back to the Gullah Geechee community in Charleston by sponsoring a youth summer camp dedicated to education and preserving Gullah Geechee culture.
As they look toward the future, the couple remains committed to their mission to bring a plate of home to the community that gave them their start.
“We just want everybody to know that this is a home for our community,” Gee said.
Learn more about Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen and Bar at virgilsgullahkitchen.com.
Gee and Juan Smalls, co-owners of Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen & Bar COURTESY PHOTO
The Beloved Colonnade Welcomes New Faces
stomach when they leave.
Sawmill gravy, fried green tomatoes, and liver and onions are some of the especially Southern items on The Colonnade’s beloved menu — rarely changed in its 98-year history. Opening its doors for the first time in 1927, The Colonnade quickly became a staple in Atlanta’s dining scene.
Colonnade enthusiasts seek comfort in the quintessentially smothered and covered selection of dishes that conjures memories of a loving matriarch preparing a home-cooked meal. As Atlanta’s second-oldest restaurant, some of its oldest and most loyal patrons may remember when ingredients were rationed during World War II. As classic as it gets, The Colonnade’s retro decor can be spotted in movies like the 2013 comedy “Identity Thief,” starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy.
Never needing publicity or computers, The Colonnade’s Southern hospitality speaks for itself. Patrons can expect a friendly face when they enter and a full heart and
The Colonnade is steadfast in the fight against gentrification in Atlanta and a symbol of perseverance following the two fires that shut down Cheshire Bridge Road in 2021 and 2023.
Jodi Stallings’ father purchased The Colonnade in 1979 after it had moved from its flagship location at Piedmont Road and Lindbergh Drive in 1962. Stallings was ready to pass the torch to some familiar faces after running the family business for 45 years.
Former interior designer Paul Donahue and retired food service CPA Lewis Jefferies opened Lingering Shade, a cocktail bar and social club, in 2018 before purchasing The Colonnade earlier this year. They are only the third owners in the restaurant’s nearly 100 years.
“We fell into the bar business and [are] actually closer to retirement age than starting-the-business age,” Donahue said in an interview with Georgia Voice.
The duo were longtime regulars when the diner’s previous owners approached them about selling. Jeffries started dining at The Colonnade as a child over sixty years ago and Donahue’s patronage extends nearly three decades.
For its first 87 years, The Colonnade was a cash- and check-only establishment, but it is “now accepting plastic” as just one effort to appeal to the next generation of patrons. Under their ownership, Donahue and Jeffries hope to bring The Colonnade’s traditional Southern cooking to a younger crowd.
“[The Colonnade] is known for being ‘gay and gray,’” Jeffries said. “I think it’s gotten a little bit gayer since we bought it, and we want to bring in some younger customers to enjoy the place too.”
Ever the designer, Donahue hopes some minor revitalizing and a brighter color palette will complement the restaurant's midcentury architecture and inviting atmosphere, which is made by possible by its tenured staff — many of whom have
worked at the diner since Stallings’ father bought The Colonnade.
“It’s not fine dining, white tablecloth,” Donahue said. “It’s not the latest, greatest fusion of whatever is going on in the restaurant world. It’s always been classic, good Southern food served by friendly people.”
Newcomers can expect truly Southern plates, ranging from chicken-fried steak to turkey and dressing, all served daily. Longtime fans of The Colonnade can expect highly requested items like fried oysters, nightly prime rib, and spinach salad to make reappearances on the menu.
Saturday lunches have also reappeared in the change, which has been welcomed by many. Donahue and Jeffries say they hope to be open every day in the near future.
Located at 1879 Cheshire Bridge Rd. NE, The Colonnade welcomes walk-ins from Wednesday to Sunday. Stay up to date with renovations and menu additions on Facebook and Instagram.
The Colonnade COURTESY PHOTO
Adalei Stevens
A Different Kind of Thanksgiving
Life is different without your parents.
I lost my father back in 2001, while Millie Pete left us in 2020. As I slowly get used to being an orphan, I realize I took for granted how much my parents kept our family — both immediate and extended — together. As a kid, you just assume life will always remain the same, but once you begin to lose family members, you see how quickly things change — especially around the holidays.
Katie Jo and I flip-flop the holiday season where Mr. Carter is concerned. One has him Thanksgiving Day while the other takes him Christmas Day, and we switch the following year. Last month he was with her on Thanksgiving, leaving me with no plans for Turkey Day.
In the years my mother was alive and I didn’t have my son on Thanksgiving, we’d still go visit her later that weekend to give Mr. Carter the chance to celebrate several feasts
with his entire family during the holiday. But once she was gone and the pandemic subsided, my siblings and I found it easier to just concentrate on gathering for Christmas, leaving Thanksgiving empty for me when my son is away.
I had no desire to spend this Thanksgiving alone, so I reached out to a friend who would also be alone for the holiday. She had lost both her parents and lived away from her siblings like me. She had long been used to not doing anything on Thanksgiving, but I insisted we should try to make a day out of it. We knew a party of two people was too small for a big turkey dinner, and we weren’t interested in fighting crowds at restaurants serving a traditional meal.
Earlier in the week I had passed a billboard near my house advertising that a local Japanese restaurant would be open on Thanksgiving day, so we chose to grab food from there to go — with zero wait, I might add — and went home to watch football all day. It was relaxing and required minimal effort, but I couldn’t help but feel a little sad at the change.
I remember when the holiday was a stressful one, full of anxiety at having to be with family (or more specifically, certain members of the family). But I now realize the reason for the seemingly annoying insistence by parents and grandparents for relatives to show up was because they have lived long enough to know that, if not for them, the family wouldn’t see each other very often.
I am a little different when it comes to family. I teach Mr. Carter that family means not only blood relatives, but also friends. I tell him that family is who he loves and who loves him back and to look forward to hosting Thanksgiving gatherings in the future for his circle. It’s the years I am without him that I need to find my own way of celebrating the holiday, creating a new tradition for myself that is just as meaningful.
Melissa Carter
PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS
Aida Rentas, Nuestra Señora de Colores, b. 1938
María Helena Dolan
“I always had the attitude that if I want to do something, you are not going to stop me.”
—Aida Rentas
Chris and I postponed our nuptial celebrations from February until May of 2024 so my good friend Aida Rentas could make it from her home in Puerto Rico. Brent Duncan filmed her at my house speaking on her life as part of his Queer Stories series with me and the Georgia LGBTQ History Project.
If you don’t know Aida’s name, then you were not plugged into ATL life in the 1980s, the aughts, and beyond. Aida was here.
Our Boricua fireball did virtually everything: ensured Latino representation on boards; organized the queer response to the Olympics, National Black Arts Festival, Latin Jazz Festival, the Quilt, etc.; established Latinos en Acción, an organization centered around socializing as well as politics; opened a down-home queer store in Avondale Estates; created Grass Roots Institute, pairing kids with chaperones to visit Puerto Rico.
Her papers from 1950s — 2010 are collected at the Auburn Avenue Research Library.
So, how was it that a little beige-colored baby born in San Juan made it to the States and began to turn things upside down?
“My dad is white, got red hair. My mom
looks like me. Back in 1938, in Puerto Rico, they could not marry,” Aida said in the Queer Stories interview. “She was pregnant … she was the maid [at] some rich house and he was the gardener. So, they had to get the hell out of Puerto Rico.”
Her father came to New York and later sent for four-year-old Aida, her mother, and her little brother.
She had to learn English and how to navigate among the three different gang presences (Black, Latino, Italian) between their 102nd Street tenement and her primary school.
School became important. Later, Aida would go to night school to become an accountant, which provided a steady income. A good work ethic and a distaste for drugs and booze allowed clear-eyed, but “crazy,” Aida to purchase a car at age 21.
“Fuck you, I'll buy a car, and then I'll learn how to drive,” she said. “A friend of mine got beaten up in the train by some drunk and I was like, I'm not taking the train with a woman in the middle of the night going to the Village ... you needed [a car] if you were gay and dressing in drag ... I didn't do drag that much. I had the drag at night when I was going to the clubs, but my job, I needed to look like a girl.
“People thought I was exotic, I had long hair, big tits and that attitude, good hair,” she said. “I danced and I wanted to be on the dance floor all the time and I was loud. I have bad feet because I put on these spikes. And I’ll be out there … And people wanted
to learn how to Latin. And I was … the dance teacher.”
After Stonewall, LGBTQ organizers were trying to form a gay community center; Aida helped look for a location and found a firehouse that would become the home of the Gay Activist Alliance. But it was pretty white.
“So we started this group called Salsa Soul Sisters because it was all Black women,” she said. “And I was like, ‘Fuck, what about the salsa?’ So, they came south and we were really integrating the Village and the community. They were famous.”
During her Greenwich Village days, Aida provided jobs in her penis-and-vagina sexy jewelry-making business for women freed from the Detention Center on 14th Street, not far from the Stonewall Inn. The freed women gratefully did not need to disguise their pasts or their sexualities and were hard workers.
But New York became so difficult when “everyone started dying,” and Atlanta beckoned. Aida wasted little time, plugging into small cultural and political groups and then quickly expanding into things such as being the volunteer coordinator for the National Black Arts Festival from 1998–2003. Aida recruited, trained, and scheduled volunteers for all the venues and provided support for performers with wildly differing needs.
Recognizing talent, talking to anyone and everyone, and getting people to work together have always served her and others well.
Never far from controversy, in 1994 Aida opened “Obvious Choices,” an eclectic store at a conspicuous corner of Avondale Estates, where people browsed, lazed, listened to writers, and built community. But the city did the death by a thousand cuts until she had to close in 1997.
But Aida = community, with attitude. Nothing stops her.
Aida Rentas COURTESY PHOTO
Festive Fare for Foodies
A. Mushroom Salt and Pepper Shakers
Bring some cottage-core cuteness into your kitchen with these adorable salt and pepper shakers. $14, Sugarboo & Co. at Ponce City Market; 675 Ponce De Leon Ave.; sugarbooandco.com
B. Unicorn Creamer Pitcher
Spice up your morning coffee routine with this magical unicorn pitcher. $12.95, Richards Variety Store; 1544 Piedmont Ave. NE; richardsvarietystore.com
C. Williams-Sonoma Classic Mini Hand Pie Molds
This three-pack of hand pie molds is the perfect gift for the home baker in your life who’s looking to expand their baking repertoire. These molds make it easy to cut and seal dough into lattice-topped mini pies. $22.95, Williams-Sonoma at Ponce City Market; 675 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE; williams-sonoma.com
D. Velvet Bow Napkin Rings
These adorable napkin rings make a festive addition to any holiday dinner. They make the perfect gift for the hostess with the mostest in your life. $29.95 for a set of four, Williams-Sonoma at Ponce City Market
E. Margarita Mocktail Gift Set
This gift set has everything your newly sober friend needs to make a hangover-free margarita: the Cut Above Spirits Agave Blanco non-alcoholic tequila, Hella classic margarita mix, zesty cocktail salt, mini Tajin, and California Crisps dehydrated lime wheels. $49.99, Dry Goods Beverage Company; drygoodsdrinks.com
F. Feast of Seven (Tinned) Fishes Gift Box
Looking for the perfect gift for the adventurous foodie in your life? Look no further than this tinned fish collection includes gently fried anchovies with garlic and cayenne pepper, gourmet sardines with lemon and olive oil, spice calamari with ragout sauce, chargrilled albacore tuna pate, smoked freshwater trout with juniper and lemon thyme, mussels in a pickled sauce, and mackerel in aglio e olio sauce – plus a bottle of Espinaler sauce and EVOO chips. $109.99, Caputo’s; caputos.com
G. The Cook’s Warehouse Cooking Class
Give a man a meal, he eats for a day. Teach a man to cook, he eats for life. Give the gift of learning how to cook with one of Cook’s Warehouse’s cooking classes – you can learn how to make anything from sourdough or chicken pot pie to sushi or Indian cuisine. $99-$109, The Cook’s Warehouse; 1544 Piedmont Rd. NE; cookswarehouse.com
Katie Burkholder
Luca Guadagnino and Daniel Craig Bring Novella ‘Queer’ to the Big Screen
When director Luca Guadagnino first read the 1985 novella, “Queer” by William S. Burroughs, he was 17 — and it stuck with him. Many decades later, it’s the source of a new film starring Daniel Craig.
Taking place in 1950 in Mexico City, “Queer” is about William Lee (Craig), an American expat — leading a solitary life — who becomes enamored with younger man Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey) and realizes intimacy indeed might be a possibility. The period piece also stars Jason Schwartzman, Lesley Manville, and Omar Apollo.
Craig has been mentioned as a potential Best Actor Oscar nominee for his work here. He and Guadagnino spoke recently at a virtual Zoom press conference.
“Queer” and its themes have always been close to the director’s heart — and he’s been stubborn about wanting to bring it to the screen.
“When I first read the book it was my first reading of any kind of Burroughs' books,” he told Georgia Voice. “Afterwards, I read everything and put it in comparison with his other work. And yet there was something about this book — this opera, this romanticism that he brings on the pages — and this idea of this kind of search for contact that never changes and increases. I learned throughout my life, throughout my work, throughout my movies and the people I met, this quest for contact is a beautiful idea to explore and bring to life.”
Written in the ’50s and printed in the ’80s, Guadagnino feels Burroughs’ work is nonetheless just as potent today.
“The magical fascination of Burroughs is something that will last forever, so you are not bound to anything of the moment,” he said. “He has been a model for many, many generations.”
For Craig, working with Luca Guadagnino was, first and foremost, the attraction, but he also loved the complexity of William Lee.
“To be offered a character that is properly complicated — this really embodied somebody who I thought was many things, all of which were fascinating to me, all of which I thought I could key into,” Craig said. “It’s rare to get to do a character as layered as this. It was too tempting, a wonderful opportunity.”
The character of Lee has his own distinct way of speaking and the actor worked to develop that.
“I had to make a leap of faith,” Craig said. “The voice came from a few directions. One, where he is from; the other, which I felt was to do with the very public voice of William Burroughs;
and the third, what he was really like in private at this time of his life. That I would credit a lot to Luca; we discovered that together on set, how he is. Not so much his accent, but his gestures, his demeanor, and that continued to be discovered throughout the film.”
Craig and his acting coach would frequently discuss the character and come up with alternative ideas to scenarios. That pre-work helped shape the character, but once filming started, it all took shape.
The chemistry between Craig and his various co-stars, such as Starkey, has been noted.
“You prepare and prepare and then come to the set and hopefully the groundwork is going to inform,” he said. “But added to that there are all these incredible performers who come in front of you and give you something. There is another level that opens you; you are in response to them. I think it’s an important part of my job to stay open and receptive, because I’ll miss something and that would be sad.”
While Guadagnino likens the work of the actors and their teams to a violinist and a violin, Craig states that if that’s the case, then Guadagnino is the undisputed conductor.
Earlier this year, Guadagnino’s “Challengers” was released; it featured a homoerotic nature and invited speculation about its central male characters. Guadagnino has often dealt with themes of identity and queerness, such as in his acclaimed 2017 Oscar winning film, “Call Me By Your Name.”
“I don’t know if I thematically choose to explore themes of identity and queer identity in my work; I can only speak for what I am attracted to and what I want to tell the story of,” Guadagnino said. “I love these characters and this world and those are specific people and places I want to see on screen, and I am lucky enough to partner with Daniel and have the support of financiers and producers to make the movie we wanted to make.”
“Queer” is now in area theaters.
Jim Farmer
“Queer” PUBLICITY PHOTO
Katie Burkholder
Christmas
Holiday Wreath-Making Workshop
DECEMBER 14, 11:30 AM
THE VERANDA AT BUCKHEAD VILLAGE DISTRICT
Everyone’s beloved floral designer, Canaan Marshall, is returning to Buckhead Village to host a hands-on wreath-making class. As seen on HBO Max's Full Bloom, Canaan is the nextdoor floral designer of your dreams and will guide you in designing a breathtaking holiday wreath with beautiful greenery and florals to complement. Tickets via Eventbrite.
Gag the Grinch
DECEMBER 14, 8:30PM
ATLANTA EAGLE
Enjoy a Grinch-themed cabaret drag show, some reindeer games, a Grinch-mas Market, and festive tunes with DJ Kyle House – all to benefit For the Kid in All of Us. $10 cover.
Spread Eagle Comedy
DECEMBER 16, 8PM
ATLANTA EAGLE
Ring in the holiday season with this hilarious holigay variety show. $15 cover.
Holiday Ball
DECEMBER 19, 8PM
DISTRICT ATLANTA
Celebrate Atlanta’s local industry businesses, entrepreneurs, DJs, and the music and hospitality community at this heartfelt and festive evening, all benefitting the Babey Drew Foundation. Tickets via Eventbrite.
Dancing Elves Silent Disco
DECEMBER 21, 9PM
LIVE! AT THE BATTERY
Dance the night away under the twinkling lights! Get lost in the music and find your groove at the Silent Disco Holiday Wonderland at Tinsel Tavern, a fun and festive holiday pop-up bar at the Battery. Tickets at liveatthebatteryatlanta. com/events/20241221-silent-saturday.
King Me!
The Christmas Show
DECEMBER 21, 9:30PM
MY SISTER’S ROOM
Kings rule at this all-drag king show featuring Hannibal Montannibal, Aries ALXNDR, Mr. Elle Aye, and special guest Damien Grey! Tickets at mysistersroom.com.
Ho Hoe Heaux
DECEMBER 21, 11:30PM
MY SISTER’S ROOM
Celebrate XXXmas with this naughty queer pop-up show featuring Canzara SZN, Molly ALXNDR, Tuna Fiasco, Avana ALXNDR, Tucker Aye ALXNDR, and host Taylor ALXNDR. $15 cover.
Muppets Christmas Drag Brunch
DECEMBER 22, 12:30PM CITY WINERY
‘Tis the season to celebrate the wonderful world of Jim Henson with fabulous drag versions of Kermit, Miss Piggy, and more! Performances by: Brigitte Bidet, Guyza Manelli, Mitzi Pennington, Mr. Elle Aye, Orchid, and Taylor ALXNDR. Tickets at citywinery.com/atlanta/events/ muppets-christmas-drag-brunch-wy8ts4.
Chanukah
Inclusion and Belonging Chanukah Party
DECEMBER 22, 2PM
AHAVATH ACHIM SYNAGOGUE
Get ready for an unforgettable Chanukah celebration hosted by AA's Inclusion and Belonging Initiative and Friendship Circle of Atlanta! Enjoy delicious food, exciting games, great company, and much more as you come together to celebrate the Festival of Lights.
Virginia-Highland
Menorah Lighting
DECEMBER 25, 4:30PM
NORTH HIGHLAND PARK
Enjoy music, live entertainment, pre-packaged Chanukah treats, dreidels, music and more with the wider VaHi community at Chabad Intown’s annual Virginia Highlands Menorah Lighting! RSVP at chabadintown.org/events/vahi.
Chanukah Chinese Dinner
DECEMBER 25, 6:30PM
JEFF’S PLACE AT CHABAD INTOWN
Enjoy the Jewish tradition of Chinese on Christmas – which, this year, also marks the first night of Chanukah. Everyone deserves a delicious and festive dinner, so there will be a sliding scale price offered. RSVP at chabadintown.org/events/ chanukah-chinese-dinner.
Decatur Menorah Lighting
DECEMBER 29, 4:30PM
DECATUR SQUARE
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
Gag the Grinch
DECEMBER 14, 8:30PM
ATLANTA EAGLE
Enjoy a Grinch-themed cabaret drag show, some reindeer games, a Grinch-mas Market, and festive tunes with DJ Kyle House (pictured) – all to benefit For the Kid in All of Us. $10 cover. Photo via Instagram
Join Chabad in Celebrating Chanukah at our annual Menorah Lighting in Decatur Square!
Enjoy music, entertainment, Dreidels, doughnuts, hot latkes, crafts for the kids and more!
Grand Menorah Lighting
DECEMBER 30, 6PM
ATLANTIC STATION
Celebrate Chanukah at Atlantic Station with treats, activities, and a special grand Menorah lighting with the Atlanta Jewish community. RSVP at chabadintown.org/events/atlanticstation.
New Year’s Eve
A Surreal New Year’s Eve: Masquerade Ball
DECEMBER 31, 8PM
THE SUPERMARKET
The Supermarket and Phantasmagoria Art Collective join forces for this glamorous NYE ball. Tickets at thesupermarketatl.com/event/ new-years-masquerade-ball.
New Year’s Eve with Coyote Queer
DECEMBER 31, 8PM
MY SISTER’S ROOM
Cheers to the new year with Jasmine, Buffy,
Peaches, Lucky, Carman, and DJs Michael Wulf and Face – plus a complimentary champagne toaste and breakfast buffet at midnight! Tickets at mysistersroom.com.
New Year’s Eve White Party
DECEMBER 31, 9PM HERETIC
With DJ Isis Muretech and host Angelica D’Paige. Tickets at hereticatlanta.com/tickets.
New Year, Who Dis?
A Queer NYE Party
DECEMBER 31, 9:30PM BEST END BREWING
Celebrate the new year with Southern Fried Queer Pride and a knockout lineup of queer and trans DJs and performers, including Drew Friday, EllaSaurus Rex, JayBella Bankz, Obsidian Heart, Yutoya Avaze Leon, Taylor ALXNDR, and DJs Jsport, Zaida Zane, and Jaguar. Tickets at sfqp. infp/nywd24.
Hugel NYE
DECEMBER 31, 10PM DISTRICT ATLANTA Tickets at collectivpresents.com.
Jim Farmer
Business Ideas
DECEMBER 13, 7:30PM, THROUGH DECEMBER 15
ALLIANCE THEATRE
Winner of the 21st annual Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, “Business Ideas” is a comedy about getting rich. In a too-cute café, a desperate mother and daughter brainstorm get-rich-quick schemes to pay for college (or maybe to make ends meet?), while their hapless server tries to network with a revolving cast of customers. Inspired by playwright Milo Cramer’s own experiences with his enterprising mom, the play is an awardwinning comedy about getting rich (or not?), and whether money really buys happiness – one cup of coffee at a time.
Leslie Odom Jr.
DECEMBER 13, 8PM
ATLANTA SYMPHONY HALL
Leslie Odom, Jr. visits the Atlanta Symphony tonight for his Christmas tour. Odom, Jr. is a multifaceted Tony and Grammy Award-winning, three-time Emmy and two-time Academy Award-nominated vocalist, songwriter, actor, and New York Times bestselling author. With a career that spans all performance genres, Odom has received recognition for his excellence and achievements in Broadway, television, film, and music.
Charis Holiday Party
DECEMBER 14, 10AM TO 7PM
CHARIS BOOKS AND MORE
Join Charis for an all-day party to help you get in the spirit and get your holiday shopping done. A free gift-wrapping station will be set up for self-wrapping. Holiday music, cookies, and hot drinks will be set up outside. At 3:30pm, cookbook author Virginia Willis will read from and sign “Bon Appétit, Y'All: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking,” featuring new recipes and photographs. This revised and updated edition of Virginia Willis's best-selling culinary classic also features new variations and commentary on the original recipes plus options using healthier ingredients.
Murder on the Polar Express
DECEMBER 14, 8PM, THROUGH DECEMBER 22
OUT FRONT THEATRE COMPANY
In “Murder on the Polar Express,” the world’s foremost drag detective Shirley Holmes boards the world’s most elegant train with her sidekick Dr. Jody Watley and 10 other unsavory
characters, all en route to the North Pole for a much-needed Christmas vacation. But not so fast: there’s a psycho killer onboard! Holiday mystery ensues on an excursion filled with greed, deception, eggnog, and festive bloodshed.
A Gay in a Manger
DECEMBER 14, 8PM
ACTOR’S EXPRESS
Olive & Agatha’s “A Gay in a Manger” is not your Sunday school nativity play. Can you imagine two drag queens spending the night in a manger? Where would the wigs sleep? This evening of campy fun includes an irreverent retelling of the Nativity, brilliant improvisation, rousing musical numbers, and an audience game to find out who’s been “Naughty” and who’s been “Nice.”
PFLAG Support Group
DECEMBER 15, 2:30PM
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION OF ATLANTA
The PFLAG support group for parents and families of LGBTQIA+ children meet in person today.
She Loves Me
DECEMBER 15, 8PM, THROUGH DECEMBER 22
ONSTAGE ATLANTA
Cathe Hall Payne directs “She Loves Me.”
Trans and Friends
DECEMBER 16, 7PM FOR YOUTH, 8PM FOR ADULTS
CHARIS BOOKS AND MORE
Trans and Friends is a youth-focused group for trans people, people questioning their own gender and aspiring allies, providing a facilitated space to discuss gender, relevant resources and activism around social issues.
OUT Georgia Business Alliance 2024 Community Honors
DECEMBER 18, 6PM
OUT FRONT THEATRE COMPANY
Celebrate LGBTQ excellence at the OUT Georgia Business Alliance 2024 Community Honors. Find out who is named the winners in a number of categories.
Queer Film Alliance and Writer’s Group
DECEMBER 19, 7PM
LOCATION TBD
Out On Film’s last Queer Film Alliance & Writer's Group meeting of the year is tonight. It’s a potluck-style gathering, so please bring a dish/ snack you'd like to share (if able).
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
CeCe Peniston Live
DECEMBER 20 AND 21, 8PM
CITY WINERY ATLANTA
City Winery Atlanta and KISS 104.1 presents CeCe Peniston live. CeCe Peniston is an American singer and former beauty queen. Her signature song “Finally” reached the number 5 spot on the Hot 100 and number 2 in the UK Top 75. Publicity photo
CeCe Peniston Live
DECEMBER 20 AND 21, 8PM
CITY WINERY ATLANTA
City Winery Atlanta and KISS 104.1 presents CeCe Peniston live. CeCe Peniston is an American singer and former beauty queen. In the early 1990s, she scored five number one hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/ Club Play. Her signature song “Finally” reached the number 5 spot on the Hot 100 and number 2 in the UK Top 75.
Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus Holiday Concert
DECEMBER 20, 8PM, DECEMBER 21, 2PM THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. PHILIP
The Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus is back with its 44th annual holiday concert. This holiday show at the Cathedral of St. Philip is an Atlanta tradition that is not to be missed. This year’s show will be joined by a jazz combo to bring you holiday favorites and the combination of beauty, camp, power, and joy that only the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus can.
To Kids from One to 92
DECEMBER 21, 7PM
CHURCH AT PONCE AND HIGHLAND
Atlanta Freedom Bands celebrates the holidays with a joyous concert, “To Kids from One to 92”, marking the 20th anniversary of AFB’s Concert Band. The program evokes happy holiday memories of our youth, recalling the fun,
joy, and wonder that accompanies this special time of year. Atlanta’s favorite comedy drag duo will join the 75-member Concert Band for the evening. Olive d’ Nightlife and Agatha Boogie are returning to host the show, guaranteeing high spirits throughout. They will also host a special story time for kids of all ages in the audience.
King Time
DECEMBER 21, 9:30PM
MY SISTER’S ROOM
King Time is an all-drag king show, hosted by Mr. Elle Aye with special guests Damien Grey, Hannibal Montannibal, and Aries ALXNDR.
& Juliet
JANUARY 7, 7:30PM, THROUGH JANUARY 12 FOX THEATRE
Created by the Emmy®-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” the hilarious new musical “& Juliet” flips the script on the greatest love story ever told. “& Juliet” asks: what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as she ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love—her way. Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, including “Since U Been Gone‚” “Roar,” “Baby One More Time,” “Larger Than Life‚” “That’s The Way It Is,“ and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”, opening tonight.
LGBTQ NIGHTLIFE FORECAST AUGUST DECEMBER9-2313-JANUARY
Katie Burkholder
For holiday and New Year’s events, turn to page 19 or visit our website at thegavoice.com.
Drake’s 40th Birthday Celebration
DECEMBER 13, 5PM
WOOFS
Stop by Woofs to wish bartender Drake a happy birthday!
Myah Ross Monroe’s House of Love
DECEMBER 13, 9PM
ATLANTA EAGLE
$5 cover.
Freaky Friday
DECEMBER 13, 10PM
STAR BAR
Join Southern Fried Queer Pride for this fundraising queer dance party, featuring DJ sets by Abby Dear, Ectopus, and TAYLOR ALXNDR. Tickets at sfqp.info/ff1213.
San Pacho
DECEMBER 13, 10PM
DISTRICT ATLANTA
Tickets at bit.ly/SANATL2024.
XION Friday
DECEMBER 14, 3AM FUTURE ATLANTA
Featuring Tracey Levine (HouseCat). Tickets at future-atlanta.com.
Atlanta Eagle Cabaret
DECEMBER 14, 9PM
ATLANTA EAGLE
Starring Lena Lust, Shawnna Brooks, Misti Shores, Elea Atlanta, and Niesha Dupree. $5 cover.
Candela Six-Year Anniversary
DECEMBER 14, 10PM
DISTRICT ATLANTA
Atlanta’s hottest monthly Latin fusion party celebrates six years with music by DJs EU and Eduardo Franco. Tickets via Eventbrite.
Late Nite Latin Tuesdays
DECEMBER 18, 3AM
FUTURE ATLANTA
With DJ Karlitos. $5 cover.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
Freaky
Friday
DECEMBER 13, 10PM STAR BAR
Join Southern Fried Queer Pride for this fundraising queer dance party, featuring DJ sets by Abby Dear, Ectopus, and TAYLOR ALXNDR (pictured). Tickets at sfqp.info/ff1213. Photo via Facebook
Ruby Redd’s BirdCage Bingo
DECEMBER 18, 8:30PM
ATLANTA EAGLE No cover!
Rock Haus Karaoke
DECEMBER 19, 9PM
ATLANTA EAGLE
Hosted by Raqi.
Myah Ross Monroe’s House of Love
DECEMBER 20, 9PM
ATLANTA EAGLE
$5 cover.
XION Friday
DECEMBER 21, 3AM
FUTURE ATLANTA
Featuring DJ Karlitos. Tickets at futureatlanta.com.
Atlanta Eagle Cabaret
DECEMBER 21, 9PM
ATLANTA EAGLE
Starring Lena Lust, Shawnna Brooks, Misti Shores, Elea Atlanta, and Niesha Dupree. $5 cover.
Shameless Sundays
DECEMBER 22, 11:55PM
FUTURE ATLANTA
Hosted by Kyra Mora and Tristan Panucci, with music by DJ Justin Facee. Tickets at future-atlanta.com.
Country Night
DECEMBER 24, 8PM
ATLANTA EAGLE
Show up for the dance lesson at 8pm before line dancing the night away with DJ Dice at 9pm!
Ruby Redd’s BirdCage Bingo
DECEMBER 25, 8:30PM
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
Atlanta Eagle Cabaret
DECEMBER 28, 9PM
ATLANTA EAGLE
Starring Lena Lust, Shawnna Brooks (pictured), Misti Shores, Elea Atlanta, and Niesha Dupree. $5 cover. Photo via Facebook
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22
ATLANTA EAGLE No cover!
Rock Haus Karaoke
DECEMBER 26, 9PM
ATLANTA EAGLE
Hosted by Raqi.
Myah Ross Monroe’s House of Love
DECEMBER 27, 9PM
ATLANTA EAGLE $5 cover.
XION Friday
DECEMBER 28, 3AM
FUTURE ATLANTA
With DJ Karlitos. Tickets at future-atlanta.com.
Atlanta Eagle Cabaret
DECEMBER 28, 9PM
ATLANTA EAGLE
Starring Lena Lust, Shawnna Brooks, Misti Shores, Elea Atlanta, and Niesha Dupree. $5 cover.
Disco Lines NYE Weekend
DECEMBER 28, 10PM
DISTRICT ATLANTA
Tickets at collectivpresents.com.
Shameless Sundays
DECEMBER 29, 11:55PM
FUTURE ATLANTA
Hosted by Kyra Mora and Tristan Panucci, with music by DJ Justin Facee. Tickets at future-atlanta.com.
