FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
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EDITORIAL
Editor: Patrick Colson-Price pcolson-price@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, Jamie Roberts, Catharine Romero, Berlin Sylvestre, Dionne Walker
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Mama Gotta Go Berlin Sylvestre I closed the laptop quietly and made my way to my room. The bed was neatly made, the floor was freshly mopped, and a somethingspice candle had the dimly lit abode about as calm as it could get. Still, I fell onto the queen-sized hug of a mattress and let it all out. I made an ugly-cry face into the comforter and soaked the spot where my snotty nose and leaky eyes refused to ease up. “Screw it,” my body told me. “Just cry. You need it.” Perhaps 30 minutes earlier, I let my absolutely brilliant team of interns and freelancers know that I was leaving. I did it with shaking hands, knowing that this moment had been in store for months; I just wasn’t able to muster the courage to tell them. I adored them (still do) and I just didn’t want to say goodbye. Not until I had to, which was that afternoon … an arbitrary date I made because I felt I had to make one and stick with it. And the messages that came back … I swear, I’ll never release those from my embrace. They’re young, these interns — to me, anyway. As I’m 38, I see those 19–25 as wee lads and lasses. Smart, growing, brainy, hardworking folks who are (alas) still wee ones. But in them, I see the young me … the girl who tried so hard to break into this industry with sample writing and courteous emails/letters only to have haughty editors shut me down with a “thank u, next” if they even responded at all. As I said in my first editorial, I vowed to climb the ranks one day and be everything these people weren’t. To me, that started with showing someone with a passion for reporting the respect they deserve, and
giving them the chance to tell stories the community deserves. That young one in my inbox could be a future Pulitzer winner and who would I be to discourage him or her with a “move along” response? I’d be the “no one” that those haughty editors didn’t have the humility to realize they actually were. We are all just dorks out here, so it’d behoove us to dork up together and make some solid reporting and entertainment for those who appreciate that kinda thing.
trying. Next, it’s time to make room for new blood. I’ve been at the helm of magazines and newspapers for a good while now and this “throne” feels more like the electric chair sometimes. I’m also changing industries. I’ve got a short film that was made, a feature that a production company wants to make, and a mini-series that has funding that I need to go ahead and start. (PRESSURE, omg. But I’ve gotta try. Even if it kills me, I gotta try.) In the meantime, this is goodbye.
So there I was, crying my ass off at their responses. All the gratitude they had for me giving them a chance! For letting them see and hold their work in print! For understanding them when they were a little late because they’re taking classes that got a little rough all the sudden! My sweet ones, I know what that’s like, and that’s why Mama Bee never ever “punished” you for that. (Mostly because I made your deadlines way early in case you ended up on that wellknown creek without an implement for propulsion, if you catch my drift.) (Okay, I’m talking about Shit Creek. Up shit creek without a paddle.) Anyway! In came the messages, nestling somewhere in a heart that was broken at what I had to do — leave you. Why’d I leave? For many reasons, but first and foremost: I got a dire prognosis from a doctor and was put on some medication that I have ZERO intentions of staying on. Stress, dear hearts. Stress was the number one factor in me going. Secondly, I need more time to do the things I’m being called to do before I go. I may not make it to the places and the milestones I aim for, but I’m not going to die without
To all who have embraced the changes brought to Georgia Voice, thank you. Credit those interns and freelancers. Credit Tim Boyd (the owner of Georgia Voice) with giving me the go-ahead to make those changes. Credit Robert Boeger (the director of art) for getting hyped about a new look. Credit Dixon Taylor and Jim Brams for keeping the paper on stands with their ability to sell ice to an eskimo. Credit every single one of you for reading and following us on social media. Sincerely: Thank you. Well, then. I dried my eyes with my hoodie sleeve and washed my face. In the mirror, I took the time to give myself, with my broken heart, a little credit, too. I still haven’t convinced myself that I’ve done the right thing — not just yet. But I’ll tell you one thing: If I’ve done right by these “kiddos,” then I’ve done right by the world. I love every last one of you, okay? Always remember that. - eva berlin sylvestre December 21, 2018 Editorial 3
BIO
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JANE LYNCH’S “A SWINGIN’ LITTLE CHRISTMAS”
12.22 TWO SHOWS
Meet the New Editor For nearly a decade, Patrick Colson-Price has chased after breaking news stories, reported on severe weather across the country, and worked diligently to make an impact in the community with stories that affected everyday citizens.
Get tickets at CityWinery.com/Atlanta or Call 404-WINERY1 4 Bio December 21, 2018
“My goal with every story I do is to impact at least one person’s life,” said Colson-Price. “Whether that be justice for a loved one, a neighborhood problem, or highlighting a good deed in the community.”
He’ll continue on that path as he joins Georgia Voice as the newspaper’s new editor. His reporting, editing, and writing skills will still come in handy as he brings his knowledge and skills of news reporting to the team.
While reporting at WLEX News in Lexington, KY, Patrick won an Associated Press award for excellence in storytelling. Less than a year later, he journeyed to California to report at KMIR News in Palm Springs. That’s where his work with the LGBTQ community began.
“It’s an adrenaline rush when you’re expected to come up with your own stories, shoot your own video, write your own scripts, and edit your own stories all under a tight deadline,” said Colson-Price. “The feeling you get when you produce a story from raw materials that people can relate to — it’s priceless.”
“I was an openly gay reporter, telling stories that impacted the gay community, the community I lived in,” said Colson-Price. “I knew my voice and my storytelling could really make a difference.”
Born and raised in South Carolina, Patrick knew he wanted to be the voice people trusted. He majored in journalism at the University of South Carolina in Columbia where he interned with several news stations across the Palmetto State. Less than a month after graduating, he got a call. Augusta, GA would become his new home as he joined WRDW News as a multimedia journalist. He now was the voice for so many whose stories needed to be told.
He’s covered many stories including the continuing ‘blood ban’ for gay men and several violent attacks on men in the Palm Springs community. He also attended fundraising events to support many non-profit organizations in the Coachella Valley. Patrick hopes to dig deeper into the issues that matter most in Atlanta’s LGBTQ community while shining a spotlight on the stories that make the community stronger. www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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VOICES
Stop Bludgeoning Young Gay Men with our
AIDS Tragedy Mark S. King
Lesley was my closest friend to become sick in the 1980s, and he fought bravely until his death from AIDS. Today, there are little rituals I have to honor his memory, and I often write about him, the first of many friends lost to the epidemic. But there’s something I will not do. I will not dig up Lesley’s body and beat young gay men with his corpse. Lesley didn’t perish so I could use him as a scare tactic. He wasn’t a cautionary tale. He wasn’t a martyr. He was a man with the same passions and faults as anyone else, and I won’t use his death as a blunt instrument. Plenty of us are more than happy to rob graves, however, in an attempt to frighten gay men into acceptable behaviors. This kind of horror-by-proxy happens all the time. Concerned but misguided gay men of a certain age hear whatever the latest HIV infection rates are, and they pull the AIDS Crisis Card. “If their friends all died like mine did, maybe they would think twice before having sex without a condom,” goes a typical remark, drenched in self-pity and tenuous logic. This statement misrepresents our lost friends and oversimplifies the state of HIV today. It projects our grief in the direction of those who bear no responsibility or resemblance to what we experienced. It subtly blames our departed friends for their mistakes and then tries to equate them with a new generation of gay men who are much too smart to buy into it. So frozen in time is our victimhood, it hardly allows for the facts of the here and now. Young gay men are more aware of HIV than 6 Voices December 21, 2018
To view these “young men and say,
in effect, “if only you saw all the death that I saw…” is a wishful fantasy that disturbs me on all sorts of levels, and it says far more about us than it does about them.
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my generation ever was. They simply relate to it differently, having come of age since the advent of successful treatments. Asking them to fear something they have literally grown to accept is as realistic as asking them to perform “duck and cover” drills in case Russia drops the bomb. To view these young men and say, in effect, “if only you saw all the death that I saw…” is a wishful fantasy that disturbs me on all sorts of levels, and it says far more about us than it does about them. I understand these attitudes come from a place of complicated emotions, ranging from grief, primarily, to our own shame or guilt over dodging a bullet — and it may come from a sincere need to share our experience with others. The punishing tone that often accompanies it, though, isn’t going to win the respect or investment of younger men. It makes us as relevant as old men on the front lawn waving a rake at youngsters.
I take our community history very seriously. I’ve written a book about the dawn of AIDS in Hollywood, have read And the Band Played On more than once, cheered on the activists in the documentary How to Survive a Plague, and inhaled Sean Strub’s historical AIDS memoir, Body Counts. There is enormous value in preserving our history — and in recognizing that many of us still carry trauma born of that time. Community advocates have stepped up work to help us process what we went through a generation ago. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a genuine phenomenon for longtime survivors, and excellent community forums have been mounted to explore these areas by The Reunion Project begun in Chicago and the “Let’s Kick (ASS) AIDS Survivor Syndrome” project founded in San Francisco. Hopefully, other cities and LGBTQ organizations will follow suit. That important work is entirely different, however, from allowing our past to blind us to the present. When we raise our finger and say in a voice filled with foreboding, “people think you only have to take a few pills, and that’s it,” we are denying the actual experience of a lot of people with HIV. For
many like me, taking a few pills a day is, in fact, the only impact HIV has on my life. Research suggests I will live a normal lifespan and am more likely to die from cigarettes than HIV. And I’m not going to deny all that to advance a fright-show storyline that isn’t my experience. Perhaps, in the end, we are merely victims of our own success as advocates. We successfully entrenched the immediate, mortal danger of HIV, the shameless inaction of our government, and the profit-driven, opportunistic role of the pharmaceutical industry. Anything that veers from that narrative, especially for those of us who lived it, feels like a betrayal. Yet here we sit, in an age that confounds so much of what we once knew to be true. The 1980s are history. They are not a prevention strategy. The war as we once knew it to be, the one Lesley and so many others fought so valiantly, is over. May they rest in peace. Mark S. King MyFabulousDisease.com Twitter: @MyFabDisease Facebook: Facebook.com/MyFabulousDisease/ www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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H O S T PA R T N E R
YEAR IN REVIEW
Top Stories of the Year Staff Reports Take a trip down memory lane as we review this year’s most-read stories and biggest news. Go to www.thegavoice.com to finish reading. JANUARY 18, 2018 I AM MIDTOWN MOVEMENT MEMBERS ALLEGE HARASSMENT Atlanta’s skyline is changing. Along with the iconic high-rises, cranes building new condos find themselves in the silhouette. And with new condos come new people, which brings new concerns for the preservation of history in LGBTQ Atlanta. “Throughout the years, there have been instances of bullying, meaning that the residents and visitors in Midtown, they disagree with what the fabric of Midtown is, so they try to change it,” said resident Jason Dabbs. “They want their neighborhood to be exactly like they want it to be. They don’t want the gay bar. They don’t want the bar that has the dance music on Sunday afternoon, because they are seeing that the price of the property would probably increase if they eliminated anything that was not bright and shiny.” Following repeated alleged harassment of lesbian bar My Sister’s Room and the cluster of LGBTQ bars around the rainbow crosswalks of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue, Dabbs was inspired to create the I Am Midtown movement: an empowerment movement aimed to end bullying against these and other businesses. JANUARY 20, 2018 BURKHART’S GM RESPONDS AFTER OWNER’S RACIST FACEBOOK POST The owner of popular LGBTQ Atlanta bar 8 Year in Review December 21, 2018
Burkhart’s is facing a torrent of criticism over Facebook posts from his account referring to former President Barack Obama by a racial slur among other controversial statements. The bar’s general manager has now come forward to respond, and a public meeting has been organized to address the incident. Screenshots of the posts from the account of Burkhart’s owner Palmer Marsh have been circulating on social media since Friday afternoon, one of them undated and the other from 2015 and still live on Marsh’s feed. Marsh has not responded to requests for comment on the issue, but Burkhart’s General Manager Don Hunnewell issued a statement exclusively to Georgia Voice in which he sticks up for the bar’s employees, talks about his intentions to leave his position and offers to pass along any offers to purchase the bar. Meanwhile, LGBTQ activist group ATL Activate is hosting a public meeting about the issue on Jan. 27 at Old Fourth Ward event space Illuminarium. The group was formed in the wake of President Donald Trump’s election. FEBRUARY 23, 2018 GEORGIA SENATE PASSES ANTI-LGBTQ ADOPTION BILL The Georgia Senate on Friday morning passed a bill that would allow adoption agencies to refuse to place children with same-sex couples based on their religious beliefs. The bill would also prohibit the Georgia Department of Human Services from taking “adverse action” against such agencies. The bill passed along party lines
35-19 and will now head to the House for consideration. Senate Bill 375, called the “Keep Faith in Adoption and Foster Care Act,” was introduced earlier this month by state Sen. William Ligon (R-Brunswick), who added similar language to an adoption overhaul at the end of last year’s legislative session, causing the bill to stall. A Senate Judiciary subcommittee met on Feb. 8 to take up the bill, moving to send it on to the full committee, which passed the bill on Feb. 20. APRIL 11, 2018 MATT TERRELL: SAVE OUR GLORY HOLES Tokyo Valentino is not a historic cultural site for the gay community. It’s a place where sleazy men bang, who otherwise don’t have a place to bust a queer nut. Look, I’m a liberal, sex-loving gay man, but I can tell you without trepidation: I don’t need a dark room with raggedy video booths to affirm my identity. The gay community doesn’t need Tokyo Valentino. We are more than glory holes and hustlers swirling on GHB. So don’t send me a petition to “Save Our Gay Landmarks” if that gay landmark is Tokyo Valentino. This type of conversation waters down the true meaning of historic
gay businesses and threatens to inextricably tie the gay community with unsavoriness not reflective of who we are. MAY 4, 2018 MAYOR BOTTOMS NEW LGBTQ ADVISORY BOARD ANNOUNCED How serious about LGBTQ issues is newly minted Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms? Serious enough to have her office give us a call on a Friday afternoon to let us know that she’s about to introduce her incredibly diverse LGBTQ Advisory Board. According to the mayor, these are the folks who “will help shape the city’s policies and engagements with Atlanta’s LGBTQ communities, and serve as a bridge between City Hall and LGBTQ residents.” In an exclusive with Georgia Voice, Mayor Bottoms’ team expressed that these are people she’s known personally and professionally over the years. Additionally, a good portion of the LGBTQ Board came in the form of recommendations from senior staffers like Robin Shahar, who’s been a mayoral LGBTQ advisor since 2013, having worked under former Mayor Kasim Reed; Rashad CONTINUES ON PAGE 9 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
YEAR IN REVIEW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 Taylor, a current political consultant and former member of the Georgia House of Representatives; Malik Brown, whose brilliant and exhaustive list of accomplishments the mayor’s letter will expound upon Monday; and Reese McCranie, a former advisor on LGBTQ issues under former Mayor Kasim Reed. MAY 24, 2018 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LOST-N-FOUND YOUTH RESIGNS Rick Westbrook, co-founder of Lost-nFound Youth (LnF), has stepped down from his current position as executive director. Robert Ross, chair of the organization’s board of directors, spoke to Georgia Voice concerning Mr. Westbrook’s resignation. “Over the last year and a half, the organization has grown so much, expanded so rapidly that some stressors occurred, stressors that may have been liveable prior, but don’t become workable as an agency gets bigger.” Ross contends that prior shakeups and ensuing controversy surrounding the organization has nothing to do with Westbrook’s resignation. “It’s just a natural outcome of [Lost-nFound’s growth] and nobody here has any animosity. It’s a clean break, which is best. That doesn’t mean we won’t welcome him back in the future, but for right now, separation is necessary.” JUNE 7, 2018 THE THIEF OF SELF Granny Pearl shuffled into the living room with unfocused eyes and mouth agape, startling me. I was a teenager visiting a friend’s house for the first time, and I had no idea we weren’t alone. The wiry-haired woman, naked from the waist down, carried an old, red purse and turned to me. “Where’s my Mama?” she asked, her voice a quiver of panic. Given her state of undress and the fact that she seemed much too old to have a living mother, I knew something was terribly wrong. She didn’t even seem to acknowledge that I was a stranger in her house. She turned away from me and continued to shuffle in a tight circle. I was completely unable to speak, hoping my friend would return from the kitchen and www.thegeorgiavoice.com
MAYOR’S LGBTQ ADVISORY BOARD MAYOR KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS 60th Mayor of Atlanta
CO-CHAIR KIRK RICH Principal Advisor, Avison Young
CO-CHAIR PAM STEWART Board of Directors Chair, GLAAD
BOARD MEMBER BISHOP OLIVER CLYDE ALLEN Founder, Vision Church Atlanta
BOARD MEMBER KIA BARNES Community Organizer
BOARD MEMBER STATE REP. PARK CANNON Georgia House District 58
BOARD MEMBER RICHARD CHERSKOV Owner of Midtown Tavern
BOARD MEMBER GABRIELLE CLAIBORNE Co-Founder, Transformation Journeys Worldwide
BOARD MEMBER PAUL CONROY Founder, Out Front Theatre
BOARD MEMBER TORI COOPER Prevention Specialist, Positive Impact Health Centers
BOARD MEMBER LISA CUNNINGHAM CEO, Atlanta Film Partners
BOARD MEMBER JAMIE FERGERSON Executive Director, Atlanta Pride
BOARD MEMBER JEFF GRAHAM Executive Director, Georgia Equality
BOARD MEMBER COLTON GRIFFIN LGBT Caucus Chair, Democratic Party of Georgia
BOARD MEMBER EMILY HALDEN BROWN Atlanta Coalition for LGBTQ Youth (ACFLY)
BOARD MEMBER ROSHELLE DARLENE HUDSON MSW, Co-Founder, Annual Rustin/Lorde Breakfast
BOARD MEMBER MISS LAWRENCE Actor, Star (FOX)
BOARD MEMBER RABBI JOSHUA LESSER Founder, Southern Jewish Resource Network (SOJOURN)
BOARD MEMBER IVETTE LOPEZ Board of Directors, Latino LinQ
BOARD MEMBER TRACEE McDANIEL Executive Director, Juxtaposed Center for Transformation
BOARD MEMBER JOSH McNAIR Community Activist
BOARD MEMBER DANIEL NEWMAN Actor, The Walking Dead
BOARD MEMBER REV. DR. JOSHUA M. NOBLITT Saint Mark United Methodist Church
BOARD MEMBER MATT PARKEY Board Chairman, AID Atlanta
BOARD MEMBER PHILIP RAFSHOON Former Owner, OutWrite Book Store & Coffeehouse
BOARD MEMBER RYAN ROEMERMAN Founding Executive Director, LGBT Institute
BOARD MEMBER JONATHAN RUSSELL Senior Director of Development, Woodruff Health Sciences Center
BOARD MEMBER BRIGID SCARBROUGH National Board of Governors, Human Rights Campaign
BOARD MEMBER MELISSA SCOTT Owner, Soul Bar At Pals Lounge
BOARD MEMBER FRED SMITH Law Professor, Emory University
BOARD MEMBER RICKI SMITH President, In the Life Atlanta
BOARD MEMBER FEROZA SYED Transgender Activist
BOARD MEMBER ALEX WAN Former Atlanta City Council Member, District 6
BOARD MEMBER CRAIG WASHINGTON Prevention Programs Manager, AID Atlanta
BOARD MEMBER KELLY WENTWORTH Atlanta President, Muslims for Progressive Values
alleviate the old woman’s anxiety. He came back in short order and his normally friendly visage changed to one of anger once he saw his great-grandmother out of her room. Just a teen himself, he screamed, “Granny Pearl, your mother’s dead! How many times do I have to tell you that?” He then grabbed her arm and lead her away, far too roughly for her brittle frame. She tried to make out words as she was pulled back into her room, but they came out a garbled mess. I wanted to cry. She was frightened, and so was I — not at her, of course, but at my friend’s cruel reaction to what was clearly a very sick, elderly woman. SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 FLYING BISCUIT’S CHACON SAYS NO FUTURE RESTAURANT REVENUE WILL GO TO KEMP The Flying Biscuit franchise, a favorite Atlanta
eatery, is facing a social media backlash after apparently endorsing anti-LGBTQ politician Brian Kemp. But the general manager of Flying Biscuit Midtown, Wladimir Chacon, says it’s not necessarily so. The Voice interviewed Chacon at the Midtown location of the Flying Biscuit. The Midtown branch, which opened in 2000, is located at Piedmont Avenue and Tenth Street, at the intersection of Atlanta’s rainbow crosswalks.
OCTOBER 22, 2018 NEW OWNERS OF LGBTQ MAGAZINES DONATED TO ANTI-LGBTQ POLITICIANS New owners of Out magazine and the Advocate found to have donated to antiLGBTQ politicians, reported WWD.
Sitting at the bar, Chacon explained that the Biscuit was a franchise operation.
Founders and operators of Oreva Capital, step brothers Adam Levin and Maxx Abramowitz, acquired the two LGBTQ publications under the umbrella of PRIDE media last September.
Speaking with obvious passion, Chacon commented on the role the Flying Biscuit played in his life, and the life of its workers. The general manager, who immigrated from Venezuela two decades ago, said he was part of the community – he was gay. “I am, the servers
are, many of the people who work here are.”
WWD found that Levin has donated to a numerous Republicans who have taken antiLGBTQ stances, like supporting religiousbased discrimination. These Republicans include Devin Nunes, Dean Heller, and Josh Mandel. December 21, 2018 Year in Review 9
NEWS
Cowtippers No More
RESTAURANT PLANS FINAL CLOSURE BEFORE NEW YEAR Patrick Colson-Price Another top story of 2018 has written its final chapter. The Georgia Voice reported back in January the possible closure of Cowtippers, but Tori Allen with Metrotainment Cafes says next week will officially be their last hurrah. December 27 has been set for the last official day for the restaurant and its staff, according to Allen. As 2018 came to a close, talks of closure resurfaced for the iconic Atlanta restaurant located near Piedmont Road and Monroe Drive. “The Cowtippers property has been for sale. However, at this time, we have not received any updates about its sale or closure,” Tori Allen, spokesperson for Metrotainment Cafes told Georgia Voice back in November. According to documents obtained by Georgia Voice, a company representing Chase Bank met with the Beltline Design Review Committee in early November to present plans for the construction of a bank where Cowtippers is currently located. “The existing building, parking, sidewalks, and driveways will be demolished to accommodate a proposed Chase Bank Facility. Chase plans to construct a 3,470 square foot building with an associated 28-space parking area,” as stated in the project summary submitted to the committee. The steakhouse opened its doors in 1993 but earlier this year, after 25 years of business, Metrotainment Cafes announced the restaurant’s closure due to a possible sale 10 News December 21, 2018
I will be sad to see “Cowtippers close if that decision is made. As crazy as it sounds, I think I will miss the sign out front the most. It was a constant reminder in day-today traffic, there was always a place for us.
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of the property, citing “changing climate of the city” as a reason for shutting their doors. They also emphasized devoting their attention to other successful concepts in their restaurant family including Hudson Grille, Einstein’s, and Joe’s on Juniper. While the restaurant planned for closure at the end of January, a sale was never finalized and a new closing date was set. But a month later, after what they called an “outpouring of support” by restaurant patrons, the company decided to stay open ”for the foreseeable future.” “It’s always been one of those faithful places that you can go to for food, fun, drinks and a supportive environment,” says Michael Murphy, who moved to Atlanta back in 1997. “I initially went with some friends, and I remember all of the sudden feeling like I was among my people.”
That summer, Murphy came out of the closet. More than 20 years later, he’s convinced Cowtippers helped him to feel more welcomed in the Atlanta LGBTQ community. He, along with other residents like Kevin Holcomb, grew to appreciate the cheerful, invigorating atmosphere at Cowtippers, inside and out. “In the spring, summer, and fall, the patio was constantly full and there was always a long wait to be seated,” said Holcomb. “The clientele was 99 percent gay, so you could flirt with the guy that was smiling at you from a table across the restaurant.” The social interaction they both experienced has now dissipated into a whirlwind of gay apps and social-media platforms. Murphy blames technology on the disappearance of gay establishments like Jungle Nightclub and Outwrite Bookstore, both catering to the Atlanta LGBTQ community for decades. In 2017, Jungle owners announced they were closing, stating a new apartment development nearby was to blame. And, after 18 years in business, Outwrite Bookstore announced their shutdown in 2011 due to “changes in the book industry and the
downturn in the economy.” Has the LGBTQ community come face to face with their own social demise? “People see no value in going out as a social activity anymore,” says Murphy. “You’re able to hookup from your phone, and you can now make friends through Facebook and Instagram.” While he says not all hope is lost in the city, Murphy emphasizes the need for the community to put down their phones before more establishments disappear. “I will be sad to see Cowtippers close,” says Murphy. As crazy as it sounds, I think I will miss the sign out front the most. It was a constant reminder in day-to-day traffic, there was always a place for us.” Metro Cafes is expected to release more details on the closure, including if they plan to relocate and reopen Cowtippers. Until then, a beloved staple of the LGBTQ community shares several last meals with its dedicated patrons before cashing out the final check. www.thegeorgiavoice.com
PERSON OF THE YEAR
Q&A with
Stacey Abrams Patrick Colson-Price If you’ve ever wondered what a political warrior in 2018 looks like, this is your woman. Stacey Abrams fought throughout her long campaign, despite the looming negativity from people saying she just wasn’t what Georgia needed. She energized voters on both sides with her progressive stances on healthcare, education, voter reform, and equal rights for fellow Georgians. But she came up short though, losing to her competitor by just over 54,000 votes. Abrams says this isn’t the end of the road and that she’ll undoubtedly run again, but when? She’s eager for 2020 or maybe even another run for governor in 2022. It’s yet be decided, but for now, she’s championing against voter suppression. Abrams has vowed to help reshape the outcomes for future elections, working for election reform through the organization she chairs, Fair Fight Action. It’s because of her persistence in making sure others can exercise their rights, that the issue won’t be suppressed any longer. She embodies the ideals that many politicians have failed to live up to and for that, the Georgia Voice names her ‘Person of the Year’. We caught up with the Yale grad and former House minority leader on what she’s been up to since election day. Where are you right now and what are you doing? How are you feeling these days? (And feel free to be as brutally honest as you can be. So many of us out here are grinding our teeth when the election results come up in conversation.) I am heartbroken for those Georgians who were unable to have their vote counted. I have been sharing the story of our election and am now taking some time to relax and reflect on my next steps. I know we will have some tough fights ahead of us, and I intend to be energized and ready to stand with Georgians when the moments arise.
What would you say to people out there who are afraid of the outcome? Is there a good reason to be scared, or is this something we can get through with relative ease? (Who should be MOST afraid, if it’s cool to ask … and as a followup, what should they/we do?) Georgians must prepare to fight for their rights. We know we will need to organize in order to end voter suppression, expand Medicaid, and keep discriminatory “religious freedom” legislation from becoming law. But if we remain energized, our collective power will be unstoppable. What are the top issues that you hope Brian Kemp and his team will try and be bipartisan and open-hearted/minded about? I hope he continues Governor Deal’s legacy on criminal justice reform. And Medicaid expansion is a matter of life and death. Rural Georgians, women, LGBTQ Georgians, and people of color are dying because our rural hospitals are closing. Our HIV rates are rising, and our maternal mortality rates are skyrocketing. Our state cannot afford to abdicate its responsibility to our most vulnerable communities any longer. I hope he realizes this and covers the almost 500,000 Georgians who would benefit from the expansion. He’s said he opposes expansion, so while it is my greatest hope that he changes his mind, I believe it will take the power of the grassroots to convince him. We’d like to see the Stacey Abrams we wouldn’t normally see on the campaign trail. At which restaurant might we find Ms. Abrams on a rainy Tuesday night? (Or any night, really. Just a place you get a craving for and can’t turn down.) I enjoy visiting the restaurants in my former district – small businesses like Le Petit Marche. But on a rainy Tuesday, you would likely find me in my home either with my family or watching a show. Currently, I enjoy Supernatural and The Good Place. What’s something about your relationship
12 Person of the Year December 21, 2018
with Brian Kemp that might surprise our readers? Our disagreements over election administration and voting rights are nothing new. They have been outlined and publicized in the press. But nearly every time my organizations and their allies have gone to court over voter suppression, we’ve won. Do you recall a specific time in your life when you saw something on TV/radio/ internet and thought, “Okay, yeah. I’d be good for Georgia as a representative”? I outline my thought process a little in writing my book, Minority Leader, but my ultimate goal has always been to eradicate poverty. For some time, I aimed to be mayor of Atlanta. But at one point, I realized that poverty eradication needed the power of the state behind it, and decided to one day run for Governor.
Lastly, let’s end with Fair Fight Action: I have (through LOTS of regular denizens’ word of mouth) people that if they could just go back and “pull the lever for Abrams,” they’d feel so much better about the future of Georgia. How can this new endeavor help that remorse? What is it that you need those folks to do going forward? I hope Fair Fight Action serves as a beacon of hope for Georgians. We will not back down from the tough fights Georgians will soon face. When the legislature or Brian Kemp try to discriminate against LGBTQ* Georgians or our immigrant communities, when they refuse to expand access to critical health care, or when they threaten our education system, we will be there. And we will leverage the grassroots power of Georgians from around the state to create extraordinary results and hold the powerful accountable. www.thegeorgiavoice.com
YEAR IN REVIEW
In Memoriam:
BERL BOYKIN COURTESY PHOTO
Everyday People, Everyday Heroes Aidan Ivory Edwards Every year, the Atlanta LGBTQ community loses prized members that made a difference. This year has been no different. Each life played an essential role in making the community more irrepressible than it already is. These folks were your company behind the bar, your entertainment during an evening out on the town, your activists marching to the capital or your photographer capturing you in an intimate moment behind the lens. Georgia has become a part of the increasing violence against the transgender community with the murder of 36-year-old Nino Fortson. She died at Grady hospital after being shot several times during an argument with a suspect on May 13, 2018. Fortson was the 10th known transgender person to be murdered in the US, and the first transmasculine person to be killed in 2018. The Human Rights Campaign reported loved ones, and Fortson’s social media suggest that she may have identified with both he/him and she/her pronouns. She was a prominent performer in the ballroom scene here in Atlanta and was a member of the House of Blahnik, a national organization serving LGBTQ performers of color. Fortson performed in the “Butch Realness” category, going by the names Nino Starr, and Nino Blahnik. She was known for being forward with how she felt and correcting any outlets that were deadnaming her. “I loved her smile,” says Sonteria Williams, Nino’s Girlfriend. Lewis Covington, 66, passed from cardiac complications on September 6, 2018. Covington was a daytime manager at the highly revered bar, Friends on Ponce. He had a keen eye for the arts and entertainment, writing for Etcetera magazine before their
NINO FORTSON COURTESY PHOTO
closing. Covington eventually became the general manager at Metro all while handling advertisement designations. He was known for his vast knowledge and his superb sense of humor according to his friends. “He was beloved,” says a fellow manager at Friends on Ponce, Ken Williams. LEWIS COVINGTON
Berl Boykin, 74, died from unknown causes on October 6, 2018. Boykin was one of the head-strong pioneer activists for the LGBTQ community of Atlanta. He was a well-versed poet, journalist, actor, and director. In 1963, Boykin was expelled from Emory University for having a romantic evening with a man in his dorm. Following his expulsion, he became a prominent, distinguished figure in the fight for LGBTQ rights. Boykin was one the helping hands in putting together the first Atlanta pride march in 1971. He was believed to be the last person alive in Atlanta, involved with that parade. “Struggle on until you get more freedom in each aspect,” Boykin said in an interview with AIB in 2015.
16 Year in Review December 21, 2018
COURTESY PHOTO
MAX WESTLAKE COURTESY PHOTO
TIM WILKERSON COURTESY PHOTO
Max Westlake, 66, died from unknown causes on September 1, 2018. Westlake’s bartending career spanned more than 25 years at various bars throughout the gay community. He served beverages at Blakes, 10th & Piedmont, Armory, and Burkhart’s. He was known for his gravelly voice, hilarity, and in-depth knowledge of gay history according to his friends. His creativity was consistently at work as he gave out drag names. Westlake’s love for classic films was a focal point in his friendship with Wendy Wagner. They’d meet weekly to dive deep into classic Hollywood masterpieces.
Tim Wilkerson, 61, died because of complications from diabetes on July 26, 2018. Tim was known as being one of the pioneer photographers within the gay community of Atlanta. He loved his profession dearly, capturing photos wherever and whenever he could. He was a perfectionist according to his friends. They spoke of his admirable positivity, selfless-charity, and his tireless work ethic. He had a way of making people feel comfortable in their skin, shooting nude photos for many in the LGBTQ community. While he was bashful in front of the camera, friends say enjoyed being behind the lens.
“Max was a crown jewel amongst diamonds,” says his friend, Mark Henry.
“Everybody loved Tim,” says his friend, Rick Alexander. www.thegeorgiavoice.com
YEAR IN REVIEW
LUCY McBATH COURTESY PHOTOS
The Popular Vote in Diversity Elizabeth Hazzard The 2018 midterm elections yielded several diverse candidate selections that will most certainly put LGBTQ rights at the forefront in politics across the nation. The “blue wave” pummeled states across the South and Midwest where openly gay and lesbian politicians took home victories. This year’s election has transformed Washington, D.C. into a medley of varying ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations. It’s quite the different outcome from the 2016 election, and now it’s a chance to seize an opportunity for change. Over 40 million Americans cast their votes, a stunning 32 percent increase from those who hit the polls in the 2014 midterm elections, according to Michael McDonald, Director of the University of Florida Elections Project. Among those, youth voter turnout in 12 states including Georgia doubled from the previous midterm election, giving Democrats the final edge. The House of Representatives turned blue with many incumbents holding their seats, but new members are changing the conversation, giving their constituents hope that a bipartisan effort will result in legislation to serve citizens from all backgrounds. Here are some of the trailblazers taking politics by storm: LUCY McBATH
Georgia US House Member-elect, District 6
“We’ve sent a strong message to the entire country,” McBath tweeted Thursday after Rep. Karen Handel conceded. “Absolutely nothing — no politician & no special interest — is more powerful than a mother on a mission.” Lucy McBath defeated Republican incumbent Karen Handel in the 2018 elections by just under 4,000 votes. She’s Georgia’s very own activist for social justice, focusing on safety reforms that will benefit every American. She is the mother of Jordan www.thegeorgiavoice.com
Davis, a teen who was shot to death at a Jacksonville, FL gas station by a man who was opposed to him and his friends playing of loud music. The shooter used the Florida stand-your-ground law as a defense and wasn’t convicted of murder until his retrial. McBath has dedicated her life to community activism, emphasizing the importance of political engagement. She hopes to prevent the senseless killings of young black men with increased gun-control policies. JARED POLIS
Governor-elect of Colorado
“It fills me again with hope when I remember that we are only the first in what will be a long line of openly LGBTQ legislators, people who come to serve our country rightfully and with the respect they deserve,” said Jared Polis on CNN. “Each time we encounter injustice is an opportunity to be uncompromising, to prove a point, to not back down, but to pave the way.” An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Polis is the first openly gay man ever to be elected as Governor of a U.S. state. He’s a Colorado native and has served as the U.S. Representative for Colorado’s 2nd congressional district since 2009 and as a former member of the Colorado State Board of Education. Polis supports legislation that would ban conversion therapy for youth in Colorado and ease the process by which transgender individuals can change their gender marker on their birth certificates. Polis and his partner, Marlon Reis, have been together for six years, and have a son and daughter together. SHARICE DAVIDS
Kansas US House Member-elect, District 3
“I am honored to be a part of this time in history when so many new voices are being included in our national discussion,” said Sharice Davids in a Facebook post after being elected. She’s one of the first Native American women
JARED POLIS
SHARICE DAVIDS
elected to Congress, and ready to make her mark in the House. Davids is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, a Native American tribe in Wisconsin, and is openly lesbian. She is also the first openly gay person to represent the state of Kansas in Congress. Davids campaigned for affordable healthcare and quality public education while calling out gun violence and tax credits. She’s voiced her support for abortion rights and expansion of Medicare. Educated at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Cornell Law School, she previously served as an attorney. Outside of politics, she is also a former professional mixed martial artist, beginning in 2006 and going professional in 2013. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ
New York US House Member-elect, District 14
“Accept that you will be criticized no matter what – that is the price of fighting for change and innovation,” said Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on her Instagram page. “I
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ
consider constructive criticism a blueprint for improvement and a medicine for ego.” At 29, she is the youngest woman elected to Congress. A Bronx native of Puerto Rican descent, she previously served as an educator for the nonprofit National Hispanic Institute which works to develop and implement Latino leadership within communities. As a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, her agenda involves progressive policies such as Medicare for all, tuition-free public college, ending privatization of prisons and gun-control policies. She is an avid supporter of the LGBTQ community, advocating for legislation such as the Equality Act which would make discrimination by sexual orientation or gender identity illegal. She also says more must be done to provide affordable healthcare coverage LGBTQ patients.
December 21, 2018 Year in Review 17
CULTURE
A Religious Holiday Buffet Patrick Colson-Price
Atlanta is a melting pot of religions and ethnicities, all with a unique understanding of faith in a higher being. For Christians around the world, Christmas marks the birth of Jesus Christ. For other religions, it’s just another day in December. Religious holidays vary depending on spiritual calendars and even the distance between the sun and earth. It’s quite difficult to say one religious holiday is more important than others, which is why many use the phrase ‘happy holidays’ as opposed to ‘Merry Christmas.’ No, there isn’t a war on Christmas, despite what some media outlets or members of the Christian faith may say. In many religions, there’s a better understanding of inclusivity when it comes to accepting different holidays of a different faith, as one collective goal – to believe in something greater than what our minds can comprehend. Over the years, Atlanta has become more religiously diverse. There is a considerable number of ethnic Christian congregations, including Korean and Indian churches. There are also large non-Christian faiths like Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism. Across all religions, there are more than 1,000 places of worship in Atlanta. Explore what lies within your own neighborhood and in Atlanta. Every religion coexists as one community. That harmony is beautiful, and it’s full of curiosity as well. This holiday season, be curious and compassionate to those who share different views. We’ve got more in common than you might think. HANUKKAH The city of Atlanta has a relatively decentsized Jewish community, ranking ninth largest in the country with 119,000 Jewish members. Every year, families of the Jewish faith across 18 Culture December 21, 2018
the world and in Atlanta celebrate Chanukah or Hanukkah which lasts for eight days. It began this year on December 2, ending on December 10. The Jewish holiday celebrated the victory of Judah the Maccabee over the Syrian tyrant Antiochus 2100 years ago. Each night of the festival, families gather around the menorah, a special candelabrum that holds eight candles. On the first night, the head of the family uses a helper candle – called a shamos – to light one candle. On the second night, two candles are lit, and so on, until all eight candles are lit on the eighth night. Each night, gifts are given. There are more than 30 Jewish synagogues in the Atlanta metro. You might be wondering, do I have to be Jewish to visit a synagogue? The answer is no, but it’s best to contact your nearest synagogue to get details on attending before you go. YULE Wiccan followers most associate Yule with the Christmas holiday. It also aligns with the Winter Solstice, defined as the shortest day and longest night of the year. Though the Wiccan holiday is celebrated on December 21, the Solstice does vary year to year. In most traditions, Yule is the sabbat (a midnight meeting of witches) that begins the Wiccan year. During this fire festival, followers celebrate the return of light. From that point forward, days will gradually become longer until Summer Solstice. According to Wiccan’s, God is reborn at Yule, having died at the previous Sabbat at the end of October. The lack of light at Yule symbolizes God in his infancy, just born and needing sustenance before he can come back into his full power. This celebration is considered a renewal of life, where followers gather inside to be merry and give thanks. Yule rituals include many Wiccans decorating their altars with
evergreen branches, holly and pine cones. There are several temples in the Atlanta metro that celebrate the Yule holiday. KWANZAA The week-long celebration from December 26 to January 1 is a holiday tradition that is based on the “first harvest” celebrations in Africa. Created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, a professor of African studies, the holiday allows African-Americans to pay tribute to their roots. The main tradition of Kwanzaa is the lighting of a symbolic candelabra called the kinara that holds three red candles, three green candles, and one black candle. Each represents an essential value from African culture, including Umoja (value of unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work), Ujamaa (helping others), Nia (living with a purpose), Kuumba (beautifying the world), and Imani (maintaining faith). Families put together creative displays that include flags and artwork to represent their African roots. Each night of Kwanzaa is usually marked with a special meal, and throughout the community, members gather for African dance productions and poetry readings to celebrate the holiday. DIWALI Referred to as the Hindu festival of lights, which is celebrated every fall. This year, the
holiday fell on November 7. It’s a time when Hindu followers come together to celebrate good conquering evil, and light conquering dark. It coincides with the Hindu New Year and the start of a new business year. Followers pray to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and Ganesh, the god of wisdom and luck, in hopes of having a successful year. Diwali is marked by four days of celebration, which illuminates the country of India and other parts of the world. Homes are filled with lights, decorations, and extravagant colors to show respect to the gods and goddesses of wealth, knowledge, peace, and prosperity. LAS POSADAS The Mexican Christmas tradition, Las Posadas translates in English as “the inns.” The holiday symbolizes the biblical journey of Mary and Joseph as they searched for shelter in Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus. It’s a nine-day celebration lasting from December 16 to Christmas Eve (Noche Buena or “Holy Night”). Communities across Latin America put on lively and colorful pageants with kids portraying biblical characters. People in the community travel from house to house until they’ve arrived at a designated home where Las Posadas will be celebrated. On arrival, the hosts or “innkeepers,” began the celebration with an exchange of lyrics from the traditional Pidiendo Posada song. www.thegeorgiavoice.com
CULTURE
Celebrating the New Year in the ATL Patrick Colson-Price Decisions, decisions! Staying home to watch Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve or binge-watching your favorite show with a dozen hot n’ ready Krispy Kreme doughnuts, in a unicorn onesie with glittered up 2019 glasses. Sounds like a perfect way to end 2018, right? But you’re not basic. You’re a gogetter, and you go after what you want, like entering the new year surrounded by those you love. So grab your posse, get glammed up like it’s 2019 and hit the town for some unforgettable fun. We’ve got the hottest spots to celebrate the start of a new year! HERETIC ATLANTA There’s something magical about being surrounded by hundreds of shirtless, sweaty men dancing to the beats of amazing DJ’s, and singing along to some of the most iconic remixes hitting the circuit music world! It’ll be the scene for the ultimate New Year’s Eve 2019 party at the Heretic on Cheshire Bridge Road. “This year, we were lucky enough to get DJ Kidd Madonny again. This will be the fourth time he’s headlined our Genesis NYE Event, but he doesn’t stop there,” says Alan Collins, owner of Heretic Atlanta. “He brings inflatable décor, lasers, and C02 to keep you visually stimulated too. He delivers the total experience.” The venue is known for its rough-edged leather atmosphere full of dark corners and 20 Culture December 21, 2018
dimly light bathrooms but comes New Year’s Eve, expect the unexpected. The owners have made the Genesis White Party an iconic New Year’s Eve tradition with their bar and dance floor draped in all white. It’s hard to believe Heretic has been serving up beats to the gay community for almost 27 years, but every year the club continues to surpass expectations. The start of 2019 will be no different. DJ Mike Pope kicks off the NYE celebration starting at 9pm followed by Madonny until 3am. The final countdown of 2018 will be hosted by the one and only Angelica D’Paige. Don’t forget to get your tickets online at www.hereticatlanta.com, and don’t forget to keep the party going afterward at Xion. XION Xion is the ultimate after-hours experience just steps from the doors of the Heretic Atlanta. Get ready for some of the best lighting, sound, and music the Southeast has to offer. DJ Deanne will take you higher starting at 3am until sunrise, then it’s Alex Cohen sending you into the final stretch until 11am! Yes, 11am! MIDTOWN MOON Drag yourself and friends into 2019 with performances all night long at Midtown Moon. The festivities will be hosted by Niesha Dupree with several other performers throughout the evening. It all leads up to a complimentary champagne toast as the clock
strikes midnight. The party starts at 4pm. ATLANTA EAGLE Grab your harness, chaps, and leather boots for the Atlanta Eagle’s NYE celebration. All the way from Argentina, DJ Fernando will work you up with beats all night long. Come midnight, grab a glass of complimentary champagne and toast to 2019 with your Atlanta leather community. The party starts at 10pm with no cover all night long. LOCA LUNA If you’re in need of some Latin flair to ring in the new year, Loca Luna has got you covered with their annual NYE party. Live music with Orquestra Macuba from 8-11pm followed by DJ Blast until 2:30am. Grab your complimentary champagne and party favors, and don’t miss Loca Luna’s cash balloon drop to start 2019 out right. A full menu will be available along with tasty specials from executive chef Julio Castillo. MJQ (THE DRUNKEN UNICORN) Spend your NYE at Atlanta’s only subterranean discotheque, featuring DJ Majestik (Fantastic Fridays), PRESTO (#poncelife), and Taradactyl (heartbeeps). The night kicks off at 10pm. $10 before midnight, 21 and older. EINSTEIN’S ATLANTA Get ready to mingle with the hottest LGBTQ young professionals in Atlanta at the “HEIR: A New Year’s Eve Affair” presented by LovHer. Cocktail Attire Required. Experience a live
band, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and a midnight breakfast after you ring in 2019 in the heart of Midtown Atlanta. Tickets start at $50 for event only and $60 for full access. Doors open at 8pm. Visit the LovHer Facebook page for ticket info. BJ ROOSTERS Ready to ring in 2019 with some of the hottest men around Atlanta? The Enchantment Party will be the place to be, with a toast at midnight while the Men of BJs serve up moves to make you hot and sweaty! Doors open at 9pm. MY SISTERS ROOM Join the ladies of Atlanta as they celebrate the start of 2019 at the 22nd Annual NYE bash hosted by My Sisters Room. Beats by DJ Wulf and DJ Romo plus a complimentary champagne toast at midnight! $25 tickets include an open bar from 8-10pm, access to both levels, champagne toast, ball drop with cash and prizes, go-go dancers, two special shows hosted by Chase Daniels and Jami Atl, and more! Tickets on sale now at mysistersroom.com. BULLDOGS Party into 2019 at Bulldogs annual NYE celebration with DJ Kaye G spinning the beats all night long! As the clock strikes midnight, toast to a new year with complimentary champagne provided by bartenders and staff. The party starts at 9pm. $5 cover at the door. www.thegeorgiavoice.com
ACTING OUT
The Year of LGBTQ Films Jim Farmer
2017 was such an exceptional year for LGBTQ film – with the likes of the Oscarwinning “Call Me By Your Name,” the stirring “God’s Own Country,” the AIDSthemed “Beats Per Minute,” “Battle of the Sexes” and many more – that many wondered if the following season could compete. To many people’s surprise, it did. 2018 has been a solid year for LGBTQ offerings, with one colossal box-office hit – “Bohemian Rhapsody,” about Freddie Mercury and Queen. The film was no stranger to controversy. Its director, Bryan Singer, has had multiple allegations against him, and last year he was “fired’ from the film and replaced by Dexter Fletcher. It also faced charges that it whitewashed the gay element. Nonetheless, audiences responded – and everyone agreed that Rami Malek was a standout as Mercury and could be a Best Actor Oscar nominee. Another hit was the irresistible “Love, Simon,” shot in Atlanta and directed by Greg Berlanti. It follows a high schooler who is afraid to come out. It was big-hearted and sweet – and the kind of romantic comedy many wish had been made 20 years ago. Critics swooned for Yorgos Lanthimos’ lesbian-themed “The Favourite,” starring Olivia Colman as Queen Anne and Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz as two women vying for her affections. Visually arresting and full of quotable dialogue, it’s one of the year’s best films. Weisz also played a lesbian in the spring’s “Disobedience.” Another well-received offering was Marielle Heller’s “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”. It stars Melissa McCarthy as Lee Israel, who made a name for herself profiling celebrities such as Tallulah Bankhead and Katharine Hepburn. When she isn’t able to get her agent to give her the go on a new book, she begins forging letters by famous people. She is aided by Jack Hock, a terrific Richard E. Grant, and the bond between the lesbian and gay man form is unforgettable. McCarthy and Grant are safe bets for Oscar bids as well. 22 Columnists December 21, 2018
“BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY” PUBLICITY PHOTOS
“LOVE, SIMON”
Another studio film – “Boy Erased” – wasn’t as lucky. Filmed in Atlanta, it follows the story of the son of a Baptist preacher (Lucas Hedges) who is made to enter a gay conversion therapy after his parents (Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman) find out he is gay. It was politely received by critics for its trio of strong performances but knocked for his emotionless-less direction by Joel Edgerton. It underwhelmed at the box office and sadly wasn’t even the year’s best conversion therapy movie. That honor goes to “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” starring Atlanta’s Chloe Grace Moretz, who plays a teenage girl sent to conversion therapy. It was directed by bisexual Desiree Akhavan and having a queer voice behind the camera paid off – the film felt alive with detail and vivid supporting characters. Directed by Wash Westmoreland and a pet project of his late husband Richard Glatzer, “Colette” was also mostly admired. It stars
“CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?”
a frisky Keira Knightley, who was born for these kinds of roles. She played SidonieGabrielle Colette, who after marrying begins to ghostwrite for her husband and later begins affairs with women. A lot of the year’s best LGBTQ films, as always, were independent. Few films had the emotional charge of Yen Tan’s masterful “1985,” in which a young man (Corey Michael Smith) comes home for the holidays during the beginning of the AIDS crisis. Rupert Everett got some of the best reviews of his career for his “The Happy Prince,” his directorial debut in which he starred as Oscar Wilde. Damon Cardasis’ “Saturday Church” was a vivid drama/musical about a young black man who falls in with a group of trans women at a local shelter. Other films of note include “Hearts Beat Loud,” “The Cakemaker,” “We, the Animals,” and Jenna Laurenzo’s “Lez Bomb.” www.thegeorgiavoice.com
EATING MY WORDS
A Very Merry Ramen Holiday Cliff Bostock Cold weather has arrived, and that means you’ll be slurping a lot of ramen, the Japanese noodle soup that is absolutely everywhere these days. I dined last week at one of the newest venues in Grant Park called Ramen Station. It is located in the Larkin development on Memorial Drive, and like every other tenant there, features a minimalist design whose décor is secondary to overall architectural features. Can you say “postmodern feng shui”? There are so many ramen restaurants in town now that choosing the best is virtually impossible, but I’m betting Ramen Station will rank high on many diners’ lists. The owners are Michael Lo and George Yu, and if you’ve ever doubted if their food is worthy of your time, their resume in cooking authentic Japanese cuisine will give you the reassurance you need. They’re the talented team behind Suzy Siu’s Baos in the Krog Street Market, Noona Steakhouse
www.thegeorgiavoice.com
in Duluth, and Son of a Bear in Decatur. Their original restaurant is Taiyo Ramen and Izakaya, formerly named Makan, in Decatur.
loved it. Me, not so much. I usually like eel, but this tasted gooey and sweet. Adding a bit of hot sauce helped. Next time, I’ll try the salmon.
Ramen Stations’ Chef Kevin Yin makes seven varieties of ramen, as well as four rice bowls and nine starters. Since the owners have perfected buns (baos) at Suzy Siu’s, you need to try the pork belly one here. It’s roasted and lightly glazed with brown sugar that frots pickled onions. Meanwhile, the steamed bun itself has the texture of a starkly white, fluffy cloud. You can also get one stuffed with soy-marinated bulgogi (beef) or tofu. There’s also musubi – a block of rice layered with Spam, a favorite of Hawaiians, bless their hearts. Easily shareable appetizers include the ever popular fried Brussels sprouts, potato croquettes, fried chicken, and edamame.
As for ramen, I picked the classic tonkotsu. Its broth is made from eternally boiled pork bones, served afloat with tasty, meaty slices of pork belly, a (cage-free) soft-boiled egg, scallions, bamboo shoots, and black garlic-sesame oil. It was creamy and glistening with steep flavor. I did make a choice I kind of regret. I ordered the spicy version which includes a spoonful of a paste that Chef Yin makes by roasting habanero chilies and other piquant ingredients. It’s not super-hot, but it did eclipse many of the bowl’s flavors. Ask for it on the side.
You might want to consider, as I did, ordering a rice bowl to share as a starter too. We picked the one topped with seaweed salad, enoki mushrooms, and unagi (eel). My companion
We also ordered the other pork-based ramen, pork shoyu, that tasted more complex. The pork broth in the shoyu is combined with a subtle kelp broth. The “shoyu” refers to the soy sauce that the bowl includes. I’m not crazy about the straight-up soy sauce everyone
dumps on every lump of Asian cuisine, so I was happy that its chef-managed inclusion in this bowl was actually complementary. Finally, I should note the noodles themselves were juicy and skinny – like a twink. They are shipped fresh worldwide from Sun Noodles in Hawaii. Two final points. Vietnamese pho is also wildly popular these days and is often compared to ramen. Sorry, but pho is typically less complicated than ramen, even with that bowl of herbs on the side. As evidence of complexity, Ramen Station is serving locally uncommon lamb ramen. Its broth is highly condensed, so it’s actually served on the side. You dip the noodles and braised lamb in it, rather than floating everything in the broth. However, I do give the Vietnamese props for not eating Spam.
December 21, 2018 Columnists 23
BEST BETS Our Guide to the Best LGBTQ Events in Atlanta for December 21-January 3 FRIDAY, DEC. 21
Atlanta Ballet’s first new “The Nutcracker” in 20 years marks a milestone in dance history. Tonight at 7:30pm through Dec. 24 Fox Theatre
SATURDAY, DEC. 22
Jane Lynch brings her comedic and performing chops to the Metro for two shows. Tonight, 7pm and 10pm City Winery Atlanta
The legendary Libby Whittemore returns for her 10th season of Libby’s at the Express with her annual holiday show “Ho, Ho, Home for the Holidays and A Connie Sue Day Christmas.” She is joined by the hilarious Connie Sue Day, the 31st lady of country music, for one of Atlanta’s favorite holiday traditions. Tickets are $40. 7:30pm through Dec. 23 Actor’s Express Every Friday night at Mary’s Atlanta, come enjoy Queer Bait, featuring videos with DJ Headmaster. RITUAL returns for the holidays! Jingle Hell Rock gets your Christmas a little darker with infernal themed costumes. DJ Eschar accompanies DJ Lechter to bring you the best industrial dance tracks around. 21 to enter with $10 cover. 10pm – 3am Heretic Atlanta
SATURDAY, DEC. 22
Jane Lynch brings her comedic and performing chops to the Metro for two shows. Tonight, 7pm and 10pm City Winery Atlanta 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 herself. Things avalanche into chaos, but “The Merm” can’t be deterred in her quest
24 Best Bets December 21, 2018
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 what everyone has on their wish list. 8pm, closing tonight DJ Eric spins tonight for the Bigger Longer Uncut Size Does Matter event. 10pm – 3am Atlanta Eagle Jingle Ball 2018: The Naughty or Nice Christmas Party with beats by DJ Eric James. 10pm – 3am Heretic Atlanta Come celebrate that time of year where all you want to do is roast your chestnuts and sacrifice virgins over an open fire. Wussy Magazine hosts Unholy Night: Drag Me to Hell with Lavonia Elberton.
Other guests include Kryean Kally, Brigitte Bidet, JayBella Banks, Paege Turner, Miss He & Iv Fischer, with music by Silk Wolf. A costume contest with a $300 cash prize is also on tap. 10pm – 3am The Star Community Bar
SUNDAY, DEC. 23
Dress in your finest PJs and enjoy a wonderful brunch buffet with all the fixins’ and day drink to your heart’s content on bottomless mimosas at the Pajama Brunch Buffet. 10am – 4pm The Shed at Glenwood Enjoy Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and others as The Alliance Theatre’s beloved, annual “A Christmas Carol.” Tonight at 7:30pm, runs through Dec. 24 The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre End your weekend with the ‘best old school house music’ in the city for ATL Sundays. Food, drinks, and dancing.
8pm MIXX Atlanta
MONDAY, DEC. 24
On the night before Christmas, enjoy free pool and beats by DJ Kaye G. 4pm – 3am Bulldogs
TUESDAY, DEC. 25
Barry Jenkins, who won an Oscar for “Moonlight,” adapts an adaptation of James Baldwin’s, “If Beale Street Could Talk,” in metro theaters today, starring an exquisite ensemble including Regina King, Colman Domingo, Kiki Layne, and Stephan James.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 26
It’s Hump Night with host Regina. 8pm Friends Neighborhood Bar
THURSDAY, DEC. 27
My Sister’s Room presents Trans
CONTINUES ON PAGE 25 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
BEST BETS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 Cabaret hosted by Arica Love Royal. 11:15pm and 12:15am
THURSDAY, JAN. 3
The musical “Rock of Ages,” celebrating its 10th anniversary, follows a small town girl who comes to Hollywood with stars in her eyes, complete with a lot of famous musicians on the soundtrack. 8pm, tonight and tomorrow Fox Theatre
FRIDAY, DEC. 28
Comic Colin Mochrie will be joining Dad’s Garage to be part of the cast of “Improvised Hallmark Christmas Movies,” directed by local playwright/ Hallmark Channel writer Topher Payne. It stars Amber Nash and Dan Triandiflou, who will fall in love and kiss under the snowy hellscape (or whatever the cast comes up with). 10:30am Grab your boots for Country Dancing night and prepare to work up a sweat. PASCAL offers free two-step lessons then an open dance starts with DJ Ben with line dances, waltzes, and two steps. 8pm – 3am Heretic Atlanta Fasten your seat belts for a groovy ride on the dance floor as DJ Mister Richard presents Cruise Control. Enjoy the latest hits and remixes along with some big room banger classics from the past. 10pm – 3am Atlanta Eagle Every Friday at midnight, it’s time to slip on those fishnets and make-up for the most celebrated live troupe in the city, Lips Down on Dixie, Inc., for a righteous party in front of the big screen for “The Rocky Horror Show.” Midnight Plaza Theatre
SATURDAY, DEC.29
Join the regal duo of Shavonna Brooks and Raquel Lord at Divas of the Midnight Cabaret. Tonight at 11pm Midtown Moon Do you remember old variety shows like “The Carol Burnett Show,” “The Muppet Show” or “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour?” Ever 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
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month. Each show will be jam-packed with improvisation, live sketch comedy, stand-up comedy, puppetry, and drag performances. 11pm The Village Theatre Get ready for New Year’s Eve with this pre2019 dance party featuring DJ Mike Pope. 10pm – 3am Heretic Atlanta
SUNDAY, DEC. 30
See a movie today to celebrate the close of the year. The wickedly funny, lesbianthemed “The Favourite,” an Oscar contender with Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz, is now playing in metro theatres, various showtimes
MONDAY, DEC. 31
See ‘Celebrating the New Year in the ATL’ on Page 20. T-Time Atlanta Trans Youth holds their weekly meeting tonight. 7pm St. Annes Episcopal Church Out Atlanta rocker Michelle Malone winds down 2018 at a New Year’s Eve bash featuring music from her new album “Slings and Arrows,” as well as audience favorites. 7:30pm Eddie’s Attic Trans and Friends is a youth-focused group for trans people, people questioning
their own gender, and aspiring allies, providing a facilitated space to discuss gender, relevant resources and activism around social issues. 7– 8:30 pm Charis Books and More
Eyedrum Art & Music Gallery hosts an opening night reception for Mark Addison Smith’s new book “You Look Like the Right Type,” followed by an author signing. 7 – 10pm The Bakery Atlanta
TUESDAY, JAN. 1
The musical “Rock of Ages,” celebrating its 10th anniversary, follows a small town girl who comes to Hollywood with stars in her eyes, complete with a lot of famous musicians on the soundtrack. 8pm, tonight and tomorrow Fox Theatre
Queen Butch is back New Year’s Day with DJ William Francis and DJ Cuntrera. This NYC duo will be spinning disco and house music back to back at the only under the sea New Year’s Day party in Atlanta. Hosts include Orion Crook, Kyle Floyd, Miss He, MK, Kyra Mora, Blake Morgan, Brian Pollard, and Chad Wick, with special guests Ej Aviance and Paege Turner. 11am – 6pm Midtown Tavern
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 2
Ndstry Wednesday features music and videos with DJ Sean Michael. 3pm – 3am Blake’s on the Park
THURSDAY, JAN. 3
The Business Builder Lunch, sponsored by the Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, is hosted by Luis Ruiz and Bruce Logue on the first Thursday of each month at the Westin Atlanta Perimeter North. $25 ticket Includes an appetizer, entree, beverage, dessert tax and tip. RSVP to Luis Ruiz via email: luisarielruiz@ earthlink.net to attend the event. 11:45am Westin Atlanta Perimeter North
UPCOMING FRIDAY, JAN. 4
Experience the mystery and fun of the beloved movie that captivated audiences around the world at “E.T. The ExtraTerrestrial in Concert,” complete with John Williams’ Academy Award®-winning score performed live. 8pm, tonight and tomorrow Atlanta Symphony
SATURDAY, JAN. 5
Atlanta Prime Timers meets today 3pm Phillip Rush Center Annex Rock in 2019 with Exquisite Gender and special guest Cathleen Thomas. 8pm Smith’s Olde Bar
December 21, 2018 Best Bets 25
THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID
The Ultimate Amazon Oops Melissa Carter
Happy Holidays!
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We’re living in what some future historian may deem as ‘the Age of Amazon.’ That’s because the online retailer has made it incredibly easy for all of us to be impulsive. I am now able to directly buy something as I think of it with the click of a button or a command to a device. Many times that click happens in between meetings, during a phone call or any other time I feel like killing two birds with one stone. But two mothers found out the hard way, that lack of focus or research on a product can result in international embarrassment. Megan Neitzel lives in Texas and owns an Amazon Echo Dot. Her 6-year-old was having a discussion with the new device when the little girl mentioned cookies and a dollhouse. Megan wasn’t aware this conversation took place and told GeekWire she was quite surprised when a notice for a big delivery reached her – seven pounds of cookies and a $170 dollhouse. The dollhouse was donated to a local charity. She admitted to keeping the cookies. After the incident, Megan activated a parental control feature for more protection before making a purchase. To make matters worse, when a California television station reported on Megan’s story, it spawned more orders. According to Quartz, during the segment, an anchor said, “I love the little girl saying, “Alexa ordered me a dollhouse.” Amazon Echoes in viewers’ homes mistook the remark as a command and likewise tried to place orders for dollhouses. Helen Cox wasn’t so lucky and unable to blame her child for her faux pas. The Scottish mom
26 Columnists December 21, 2018
was perusing Amazon, preparing for her son’s Nativity play at school. Young Alfie planned to be a shepherd, so Helen found an inflatable sheep online that labeled itself as “Labreeze kids boys brown shepherd costume inflatable sheep nativity fancy dress outfit.” Seemingly perfect for the outfit, Helen clicked her purchase and sent her son and said sheep to school. But Helen was quickly confused when alerted that Alfie was being sent home all because of his new toy. Helen didn’t think twice about the paintedon lipstick and eyelashes displayed on the inflatable, or the fact it had a big hole in its backside. She soon learned Alfie had been sent home because of the sex toy he’d brought to school that day. Oh, Holy Night! “I just can’t believe it. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry! How am I going to explain this to his teachers?” she told the Independent. To make matters worse, Alfie is now attached to his new friend, and despite her best efforts, Helen couldn’t talk him into letting it go. “He’s probably in his room right now stuffing Legos in the hole,” she said. Oh dear. Well, at least Helen says she plans to take the sex doll from him soon and tell him it was their version of Elf on a Shelf. And Alfie won’t be able to replace it himself since Amazon announced they would no longer sell the wooly flexy lexy. 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
SOMETIMES ‘Y’
Trading a Closet For a Bubble? Ryan Lee In 2018, I received an apology I wasn’t expecting, as well as a kiss I can’t remember. Both instances were reminders of what happens when you come out to a large group of people, whether it’s family, co-workers, a church or sports club: most of the discussions about who you are and what you do take place outside of your presence. Coming out often results in a fascinating redistribution of authenticity. Just as the LGBTQ individual is revealing hidden aspects of his or her personality, the recipients of the news start to guard their emotions and words, presenting only the most tolerant version of themselves. It’s almost like you exit a closet and step into an anteroom, with folks visiting and checking on you before returning to a separate chamber. There, the primary analysis of your character and how it fits into the larger group takes place by committee. I received nothing but support from my fraternity brothers when I came out to them, but those closest to me provided regular updates about conversations some brothers were having among themselves. As hurtful as those reports could be, it felt helpful for my fraternity brothers to have a space where they – together – could honestly process my revelation and how it altered their understanding of the world. Earlier this year I got a voicemail from the guy who recruited me into the fraternity and groomed me to succeed him as chapter president, apologizing for the things he said and did in response to me coming out 16 years ago. At our fraternity reunion in June, I assured him I had no memory of him mistreating me or of his reaction being unordinary. “Well then why didn’t you return my call?” he asked. “You obviously felt there was something to atone for, so maybe you know more than I do,” I said. “I knew I would see you here, and so I thought I would let you have a couple more months of repentance.” For most of my adulthood, I’ve run in www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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social circles where coming out would be as ridiculously unnecessary as announcing that I am bi-pedaler or have made the lifestyle choice to breathe oxygen. The bicycling groups I discovered this year reintroduced me to the concept of being semi-closeted, only because there were few opportunities to talk about sexual orientation aside from potential jokes when discussing lubes and chain lengths. I’d had “the talk” with a few riders, but it was several months into our bonding before the opportune time to tell the entire group I was gay. As usual, the reaction I’ve received was ideal, but as usual, I know only half the story. When having dinner with a cycling friend the other day, he talked about how he learned I was gay from hearing about how I kissed a man.
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“I haven’t kissed a man in all of 2018,” I said, truly baffled. “Yeah, I heard that you kissed a dude, and so then folks got together and were like, ‘This is what the deal is, and it’s cool, so just watch what you say around Ryan,’” my friend said. As comical as the misinformation is, it’s unsettling that for me to be myself, some of those closest to me feel like they have to censor themselves. I don’t want to trade a closet for a bubble where off-color humor or challenging thoughts are unwelcome, because when folks have to watch what they say in my presence, their most honest sentiments remain unseen. December 21, 2018 Columnists 27