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GEORGIA NEWS

Legislators, activists share priorities for 2018 legislative session Adoption, comprehensive civil rights bills anticipated to be lead topics

By DALLAS ANNE DUNCAN Passing a modernized adoption bill is a top priority for the General Assembly and statewide LGBT advocacy group Georgia Equality in 2018, but a continued discussion looms over potentially discriminatory language added at the tail end of the 2017 session.

“I suspect that there will still be a lot of discussion around that provision,” state Sen. Josh McKoon (R-Columbus) told Georgia Voice.

“The bill that modernizes Georgia’s adoption code would be a bill that people would be pretty anxious to get through the process.”

The provision in question, added by Sen. William Ligon (R-Brunswick), would allow adoption agencies to refuse potential parents based on the agency’s mission. Reaction to the proposed amendment was swift, with activists calling it a “license to discriminate.”

“We are very concerned about the adoption bill that was introduced last year and it’s actually a good bill that needs to pass, but there was language added in an amendment that would create a license to discriminate,” said Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality. “There’s 13,000 kids in the foster care system in Georgia who need the legislation that oversees foster and adoptive services to be updated.”

McKoon said the criticism regarding Ligon’s amendment was not warranted, and that coverage of the situation blew it out of proportion. He believes the Senate needed more time to examine the bill, saying the House had been working on the adoption code overhaul for years.

“I do think there’s a discussion that needs to be had about whether or not we think faith-based adoption agencies should be allowed to operate in our state and whether or not the law is going to recognize that a variety of private adoption agencies have missions that may run contrary to somebody’s preference,” McKoon said. “I can’t speak for anybody else, but I believe the public policy www.thegeorgiavoice.com

A shortened legislative session is gearing up for 2018. Though each legislator has their own priorities, ‘big ticket’ items like the overhauled adoption bill are expected to be a major focus, state Sen. Josh McKoon (R-Columbus) told Georgia Voice. (Photo via Facebook) Rep. Renitta Shannon (D-Decatur)

“There are children sitting in foster care and under protective services and they need to be adopted and go into great homes.

For someone to hijack that bill with anti-gay legislation … is just a waste of time and bad for the state.”

—Bisexual state Rep. Renitta Shannon (D-Decatur) on an anti-LGBT provision tacked on to an adoption bill at the tail end of the 2017 legislative session.

of Georgia ought to maximize the number of providers. So, I am a little befuddled as to why we would not want our law to be written in such a way to maximize the number of agencies out there. No one in this debate … is suggesting that a fit parent should not be allowed to adopt a child.”

He believes what was missed in coverage of Ligon’s amendment was its intent: to make room for more agencies, which means more children are placed.

“Leadership on both sides of that would like and support a clean bill, so I could definitely see the adoption bill moving next year,” said openly gay state Rep. Sam Park (D-Lawrenceville).

State Rep. Renitta Shannon (D-Decatur), who came out as bisexual in October, said it was “heartbreaking” because some of those children could have been adopted in 2017 had the bill passed, but were now forced to wait “an entire year more.”

Kaleb McMichen, spokesperson for House Speaker David Ralston, told Georgia Voice that they remain hopeful the Senate will “act in the best interests of children awaiting adoption, and approve that bill early.”

“There was bipartisan disappointment on Sine Die last year … It was the first time I saw the Speaker get visibly upset,” Shannon said. “There are children sitting in fos-

ter care and under protective services and they need to be adopted and go into great homes. For someone to hijack that bill with anti-gay legislation … is just a waste of time and bad for the state.”

A continued fight for religious freedom?

“Waste of time” or not, the push for a religious exemptions bill is likely to continue once the session begins on Jan. 8 — especially now that many Republican gubernatorial candidates indicated their support.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 4 December 22, 2017 News 3

? News January 5, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

GEORGIA NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 “There is already a RFRA [Religious Freedom Restoration Act] bill that was introduced in 2017 in the Senate, and all of that legislation remains live and active. We may see something that is reintroduced, we may see movement on the current RFRA bill,” Graham said. “Certainly the fact that the Speaker has indicated in his public comments that he feels there is no need to address that issue in 2018 gives us some comfort there.”

Georgia’s conservative leadership, led in part by McKoon, has been pushing for a religious exemptions bill for years, most notably when House Bill 757 made it to Gov. Nathan Deal’s desk. The governor vetoed the bill, and in 2017 neither chamber made religious exemptions a priority. Despite that, Sen. Marty Harbin (R-Tyrone) introduced Senate Bill 233, which intends to incorporate federal religious exemptions language into state law by reference.

“He offered a clean, state version of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act. I have certainly continued to advocate for the passage of that bill,” McKoon said.

A prime discussion point surrounding religious exemptions legislation is how it would affect Georgia’s chances of attracting the new Amazon headquarters should such a law hit the books in the Peach State.

“I do believe that for a majority of conservatives, they understand that there is so much on the line and it would result in huge economic losses,” Shannon said.

Fight continues for comprehensive non-discrimination bill One of the greatest criticisms of religious exemptions legislation is that at the federal level, there are civil rights protections — but not at the state level in Georgia. Two bills were introduced this year, one each in the House and Senate, to address this issue. It’s unclear how successful those bills may be in 2018, given the combination of a shortened election-year session and a majority Republican General Assembly.

“Because Democrats do not have a majority, it’s unlikely the comprehensive civil rights legislation will move forward, but it’s important to continue to introduce it and talk about it. Passing a law takes time. Oftentimes it takes years,” Park said. “To be persistent and fight to advance legislative proposals like comprehensive civil rights is extremely important.”

4 News December 22, 2017

2018 would make the fifth straight year in the Georgia Legislature that religious exemptions bills have been under consideration. The proposed bills have been met with a series of protests at the state Capitol over the years. (File photo) Georgia Equality Executive Director Jeff Graham

“We have found from our colleagues at the Anti-Defamation League that there is Republican interest in a hate crimes bill. Hate crimes bills have been introduced every year since the state Supreme Court declared the earlier version unconstitutional, but there’s not been enough interest from a Republican in either chamber to advance a bill forward. 2018 may be a little different for that.”

—Georgia Equality Executive Director Jeff Graham on hate crimes legislation.

Graham said he’s hopeful there will be a “good hearing” on the Senate side, and openly queer Rep. Park Cannon (D-Atlanta) said she’s thankful for “trusted leadership” in the House that will work on this front.

Not everyone is as optimistic, however.

“I’m concerned about unintended consequences of well-intended legislation,” Graham said. “I think that before we start moving down that road, we need to have a clearly vetted piece of legislation that isn’t going to make the environment even worse on some of these First Amendment issues.”

McKoon said when he spoke with Sen. Lester Jackson (D-Savannah), who introduced the Senate bill, he raised questions he felt were not able to be answered by those who backed the bill, particularly in regard to religious-based private schools.

High-time for a hate crimes bill “We have found from our colleagues at

the Anti-Defamation League that there is Republican interest in a hate crimes bill,” Graham said. “Hate crimes bills have been introduced every year since the state Supreme Court declared the earlier version unconstitutional, but there’s not been enough interest from a Republican in either chamber to advance a bill forward. 2018 may be a little different for that.”

Georgia is one of only five states without a hate crimes law on the books. Graham said that creates problems for individuals who feel they have been victims of bias-motivated crimes and seek to have those crimes investigated and prosecuted.

“One of the additional reasons we would love to see this, frankly, is to make sure there is uniform understanding across the state police departments on what bias-motivated crime looks like,” Graham said. “We only have a handful of police departments that are

doing any reporting on hate crime statistics.

We know that those statistics then actually fall short of what the real problem is. At the very least, we need to have some strong statistics on how to address violence against our communities.”

Shannon and Park both indicated their support of the bill, should it get introduced, but McKoon had some concerns with it.

“When you criminalize this offender more because of the motivation, I’m just not sure what kind of message that really sends,” he said. “If the problem Mr. Graham has identified is there are prosecutors who are not being sufficiently aggressive when someone is harassed, injured, killed … and it’s because of some sort of anti-gay motivation, then I think what we need to do is we need to have a pretty robust conversation about prosecuting attorneys around the state about ‘why are y’all treating these cases differently?’” www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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GEORGIA NEWS

Cathy Woolard on what’s next, healing division Former Atlanta mayoral candidate reflects on third place finish and has advice for LGBT candidates

You know, I have totally stopped having expectations. I really have. I’ve just stopped trying to predict what’s going on because I’ve realized that I exist in my own bubble and it’s not a very accurate read of what’s really happening in this country or even in this state or in this city. So I’m not going to make any assumptions anymore.

By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com When we reached Cathy Woolard the other day for an interview, we just barely reached her. Woolard has spent the last twoand-a-half years in the public eye campaigning for Atlanta mayor — a race she came in a close third in, later putting her considerable weight behind Mary Norwood in the runoff — and now that the race is over, she wants a recharge (and maybe a long break from reporters like us). But the former Atlanta City Council president agreed to a chat.

We covered everything from her thoughts on the large number of out LGBT candidates that ran for office this year, what seats the community should focus on next, why she’s learned to stop having expectations about elections and what’s next for her.

There were 16 out LGBT candidates that ran statewide this year, but only three won. You’re a political veteran — you’ve won campaigns, lost campaigns. What advice do you have for those who didn’t make the cut this time?

For the 13 of us, good for you for running.

You can’t win if you don’t run. People have to try and gain the experience of running to be able to be successful, and also to build a bench of people who actually know how to work on campaigns. That’s a real challenge here in Georgia is to find people who have any campaign experience. That’s not just gay people or gay candidates; that’s everywhere.

Did the number of out LGBT candidates surprise you?

I thought it was pretty great. I think the fact that we continue to see people offering themselves for office — especially people who maybe haven’t been as connected in to the organized political gay community — is pretty exciting.

Cathy Woolard plans on stepping out of the spotlight — for now — after two-and-a-half years campaigning for Atlanta mayor. (File photo)

“The election is over. I think people should rally around Keisha and do everything possible to make her successful.”

We seem to have a lot more success in electing people in smaller jurisdictions than we do in some of the more high profile races [two of this year’s wins were in Doraville and the other was in Hiawassee]. That’s something we ought to really look at. We’ve seen it when Keisha Waites got elected in Clayton County. We’ve seen a bunch of elected officials in Pine Lake over the years. We’ve seen gay elected officials in Decatur.

In communities that are smaller where people have more civic visibility in a concentrated way, there’s a lot of opportunity for people to get a step in. It doesn’t mean the race is any easier — the sum total of votes is smaller, the budget is a little more attainable and people’s civic engagement tends to be a little more prominent in those races because if you work on one committee, you’ve probably touched a good portion of the city that influences people.

Any areas you’ve heard about to keep an eye on?

Right now I don’t know. I think the community ought to have a pretty strong conversation that we don’t have someone gay on the Atlanta City Council for the first time in 20 years. I think that’s going to be something that needs to be addressed in a strategic way.

I think we have opportunities in this upcoming election to elect people to the General Assembly. Everything will be up next time around and we ought to be looking at those opportunities.

We’re speaking two days after the election in Alabama [Democrat Doug Jones beat anti-LGBT Republican former judge Roy Moore for a U.S. Senate seat]. I’m curious, what did you expect going in and what was your reaction to the results?

So you’re recharging. You’ve been in the spotlight for a good while on the campaign. What’s next?

Right now I’m just trying to figure out what I’m going to do for work. I kind of put my business to bed, at least temporarily, so I could put all my attention into the election. Now I’ve got to get back to work and contribute to [Woolard’s wife] Karen [Geney] and I’s household in a little bit better way. She’s pretty much been carrying every aspect of it. That’s really what I’m focused on right now is to try and put my life back in order. I’m excited about having a fresh start and looking at things again, so that’s really what I’m putting my time into.

People are talking a lot about division in the wake of the mayoral runoff results.

You had a lot of people — particularly in the LGBT community — that lined up behind Mary Norwood, especially after you and Georgia Equality endorsed her.

What thoughts do you have on what the LGBT community and the city can do, considering a number of people feel a little burnt that their candidate didn’t win.

The election is over. I think people should rally around Keisha and do everything possible to make her successful. She still needs to have help in formulating her vision on how she can play a role advancing equality for the LGBT community, and I think she’s willing to learn. It’s not a place where she’s had a tremendous amount of experience. I think she’s completely open to gaining an understanding and taking suggestions on how she can be helpful. She’s a really nice person. I like her a lot. Again, it’s now time for us to all figure out how we can help her be the best mayor she can be.

That’s what I intend to do.

6 News December 22, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

NEWS BRIEFS High Court won’t hear lesbian’s employment discrimination case The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Dec. 11 it will not review the case of Jameka Evans, a Georgia woman who claims she was harassed in the workplace and fired from her security officer position at Georgia Regional Hospital in Savannah because she is a lesbian and wears her hair in an androgynous style.

“This was not a ‘no,’ but a ‘not yet,’ and rest assured that Lambda Legal will continue the fight, circuit by circuit as necessary, to establish that the Civil Rights Act prohibits sexual orientation discrimination,” Greg Nevins, employment fairness project director for the organization, said in a news release. “The vast majority of Americans believe that LGBT people should be treated equally in the workplace. The public is on the right side of history; it’s unfortunate that the Supreme Court has refused to join us today, but we will continue to invite them to do the right thing and end this hurtful balkanization of the right of LGBT people to be out at work.”

Nevins challenged Congress to pass a federal law banning workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Lambda Legal sought a nationwide ruling affirming that sexual orientation discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Evans originally filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District Court of Georgia in April 2015.

Her complaint was dismissed. Lambda Legal then filed an appeal, citing rulings by federal district courts and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that show sexual orientation discrimination is a form of sex discrimination and is thus “a prohibited employment practice.” In March 2017, a threejudge panel of the Eleventh Circuit denied the claim, and later, a request for the full circuit court to hear the case was also denied.

Lambda Legal took the case to the Supreme Court in September 2017.

CDC director disputes banned words reports Reports surfaced in late December that showed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were given a list of forbidden words prohibited from being used in preparing budget documents for 2018.

On that list were such words as “sciwww.thegeorgiavoice.com

Left to right: Jameka Evans and Lambda Legal’s Greg Nevins

ence-based,” “evidence-based,” “fetus” and “transgender.”

But CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald tweeted that “there are no banned words at CDC. We will continue to talk about all our important public health programs,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

According to the AJC, the Department of Health and Human Services released a statement indicating nothing changed.

“The assertion that HHS has ‘banned words’ is a complete mischaracterization of discussions regarding the budget formulation process,” the statement reads. “HHS will continue to use the best scientific evidence available to improve the health of all Americans. HHS also strongly encourages the use of outcome and evidence data in program evaluations and budget decisions.”

HIV/AIDS expert Dr. Wendy Armstrong told the AJC that “the use of words like ‘science-based,’ ‘evidence-based,’ and words to describe subsets of individuals that have unique health experiences, like ‘transgender,’ ‘fetus,’ ‘vulnerable,’ etc., are necessary.”

Election officials confirm Bottoms as Atlanta’s next mayor The votes are in, and so is the recount:

Atlanta City Councilwoman Keisha Lance Bottoms will take the helm of “the city too busy to hate” in 2018. Election officials announced the results on Dec. 18.

Bottoms garnered 46,661 votes — 50.44 percent — and Norwood 45,840, or 49.56 percent, the Associated Press reported. Norwood requested a recount after the Dec. 5 runoff after Bottoms won by a margin of less than 1 percent.

Dubose Porter, chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, congratulated Bottoms, saying she “championed our Democratic values and never backed down.” “[Bottoms] unabashedly spoke out against bigotry, sexism and discrimination,” Porter said. “She stood tall and never flinched under fire. [Bottoms] fought for her city and all of its people with love, determination, a spirit of equity and an offer of justice. This is the kind of leadership Democrats believe in.”

Both candidates courted Atlanta’s LGBT community throughout the race. Norwood was endorsed by Georgia Log Cabin Republicans in the original race, and by both Georgia Equality and lesbian former mayoral candidate Cathy Woolard in the runoff.

Bottoms got the nod from Georgia Stonewall Democrats.

December 22, 2017 News 7

YEAR IN REVIEW

Top local LGBT news stories of 2017 The news came fast and furious throughout the year, but mostly just left people furious

By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com Take a step back to look at the local LGBT news landscape in Georgia in 2017 and you might wince. An anti-LGBT candidate wins a Georgia Congressional race, multiple deaths in the transgender community, an early bar closure during Black Gay Pride, a lawmaker suggesting an HIV quarantine, the disappearance of Atlanta LGBT nightlife and a ton of losses on Election Day in November. But hey, a trans woman made history in Doraville, and there’s always crosswalks.

Anti-LGBT Karen Handel beats Jon Ossoff in 6th District race Former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel pulled out a win in June against Democratic upstart Jon Ossoff in the most expensive House race in U.S. history. Handel appeared to double down on her stance against gay adoption, telling the mother of a LGBT daughter and a Reporter Newspapers writer just days before the election that her “faith calls me to a very different place on this issue.” She also came out against gay marriage and civil unions in her 2010 race for Georgia governor. The 6th Congressional District seat is up again in November 2018, and Ossoff has yet to say if he’s running again.

Five deaths in transgender community Georgia’s LGBT community was rocked this year by a number of deaths of transgender individuals in a variety of ways. Rowan Feldhaus, 25, died from complications from gender affirmation surgery in May; Ava Le’Ray Barrin, 17, was murdered in Athens by another transwoman in June; Tee Tee Dangerfield, 32, was murdered in College Park in July; Georgia Tech Pride Alliance President Scout Schultz, 21, was shot by campus police in September; and Macon

Anti-LGBT candidate Karen Handel beat Jon Ossoff in the 6th Congressional District race in June, permanent rainbow crosswalks were installed in July and Jungle closed and its disco ball was donated to the Atlanta History Center in November. (File photos)

resident Candace Towns, 30, was found shot to death on Halloween.

Georgia Voice honored these five as the 2017 People of the Year. See story on page 11.

Rainbow crosswalks installed at 10th and Piedmont The City of Atlanta installed permanent rainbow crosswalks at the intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue on July 1, marking the unofficial LGBT ground zero of the city. The move followed a groundswell to make the crosswalks permanent after temporary ones were put in briefly during Atlanta Pride in 2015. A Georgia Voice Facebook Live video of the installation went viral after anti-LGBT trolls nationwide descended on the page, leading many local LGBT community members to weigh in in response. The mayor’s office told Georgia Voice that the publicly funded project cost $196,000 and the life expectancy is 10 years.

Atlanta police close bars early during Black Gay Pride Georgia Voice readers weren’t buying it when an Atlanta Police Department spokesman claimed a “miscommunication” between city police and APD led to the closure of several Midtown LGBT-owned bars during Black Gay Pride. TEN, Blake’s on the Park, 10th and Piedmont and G’s Midtown were forced to end events, despite having permits that allowed them to operate past normal closing hours. TEN owner

James Nelson posted on Facebook about the incident, saying it was discriminatory and an “unlawful closure.” Police Chief Erika Shields — who quietly came out in an Atlanta Magazine profile in June — reassigned the watch commander on duty at the time.

Democratic state Senate candidate’s Facebook posts revealed Georgia Voice readers were in an uproar in October after we broke the story uncovering anti-LGBT and misogynistic Facebook posts by a Democratic candidate for state Senate District 6, which covers parts of Northwest Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Marietta, Smyrna and Vinings. Dentist Jaha Howard apologized for the comments later that day, but appeared to double down on them in subsequent statements. Howard later made it to a runoff against attorney Jen Jordan, but lost by nearly 30 points.

Republican lawmaker suggests HIV quarantine Georgia state Rep. Betty Price (R-Roswell) caused a national uproar after suggesting during a House study committee meeting in October that HIV-positive people should be quarantined. She issued a statement the following weekend saying that her comments were taken out of context, that they were “rhetorical” and that she was just being “provocative.” Price is the wife of former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.

Jungle closes, community fears culture being erased A staple of gay Atlanta nightlife had its last dance in November as dance club Jungle closed. Owner Richard Cherskov said new development is to blame — news that heightened anxiety among Atlanta’s LGBT community about parts of the culture being wiped out. Georgia Voice ran a series on nightlife throughout the year, and some bar and club owners expressed concerns about rising rent and new development threatening to push them out as well. The disco ball from Jungle (which used to hang at Backstreet) was later donated to the Atlanta History Center.

16 out candidates, three wins Sixteen LGBT candidates ran for office in Georgia this year, with three pulling out a win.

Lesbian Liz Ordiales was elected mayor of Hiawassee, a small town of less than a thousand in North Georgia, and the Doraville City Council welcomed openly gay civic activist Joseph Geierman and transgender woman Stephe Koontz to its ranks. Koontz becomes the first openly transgender elected official in Georgia. Meanwhile, Cathy Woolard — Georgia’s first openly LGBT elected official in history — finished a close third in the Atlanta mayoral race, ultimately endorsing Mary Norwood, who lost to Keisha Lance Bottoms by less than a thousand votes in the runoff. Of note: with Alex Wan’s loss in the Atlanta City Council president race, that leaves the Council without an out LGBT member for the first time in over 20 years.

8 Year in Review December 22, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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YEAR IN REVIEW

Top 10 national news stories of 2017 From Trump’s attacks to sexual misconduct scandals, a look back

By CHRIS JOHNSON, WASHINGTON BLADE courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association

As many predicted, 2017 brought an end to the progressive Obama era and the beginning of an assault on LGBT rights from the new Trump administration. Below is a ranking of the 10 biggest LGBT stories of the year.

10. The push for religious exemptions bills Although anti-LGBT forces sought to pass an anti-trans bathroom bill in Texas, the measure was defeated in the state Legislature following outcry from the business community and LGBT advocates.

But the Legislature passed and Abbott signed into law an anti-LGBT religious exemption measure allowing taxpayer-funded adoption agencies in Texas to refuse placements to LGBT homes. South Dakota and Alabama enacted similar laws this year.

9. Sexual misconduct scandals ensnare Spacey, Takei “Star Trek” actor Anthony Rapp accused Kevin Spacey of sexually assaulting him in 1986, when Rapp was 14. The “House of Cards” star issued a statement saying he didn’t recall the incident and was coming out as gay.

That didn’t stop outcry against him and 15 more accusers from coming forward, which essentially ended Spacey’s career.

Also accused of sexual misconduct was George Takei. A former model said the “Star Trek” actor groped him in 1981. Takei denied the allegation and was able to weather it after no subsequent allegations emerged.

8. Edith Windsor dies Four years after her historic victory at the U.S. Supreme Court against the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act, Edith Windsor died this year at age 88. The decision in Windsor’s case was a precursor to the 2015 Supreme Court ruling guaranteeing mar-

Left to right: A sexual misconduct scandal ended Kevin Spacey’s career, Danica Roem will become the first openly transgender person seated in any state Legislature when she’s sworn in next month in Virginia and the anti-LGBT Roy Moore lost in his bid for the U.S. Senate in Alabama. (Courtesy photos)

riage equality nationwide.

7. Hurricane Maria devastates Puerto Rico Much of Puerto Rico this year was devastated in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, including its LGBT residents and an HIV/ AIDS organization.

An estimated 70 percent of the island was without power six weeks after the storm, which claimed the lives of nearly 500 people there. More than 50,000 Puerto Rico residents were displaced from their homes, many of whom resorted to consuming water from a contaminated site.

Also without power was the San Juanbased organization Bill’s Kitchen, which delivers meals to people with HIV/AIDS. 6. Roy Moore loses Senate bid Democrat Doug Jones defeated notorious homophobe Roy Moore this year in a special election for a U.S. Senate seat.

Moore was defeated after nine women accused him sexual misconduct. Six said he inappropriately dated them decades ago when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s.

Three others accused him of sexual assault.

Jones was endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign and supports LGBT rights.

5. Vegas replaces Orlando as deadliest shooting A deadly attack at a country music show

in Las Vegas this year surpassed the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, as the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The shooter, Stephen Paddock, killed 59 people by converting an assault rifle into an automatic weapon and firing upon concert-goers from a room in Mandalay Bay hotel. An additional 546 individuals were wounded.

Among the victims was a Utah gay couple: Cameron Robinson and Robert Eardley.

4. National Equality March draws thousands Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets this year for the National Equality March on Washington, including many demonstrators who waved Pride flags and carried signs in opposition to President Trump. An estimated 50,000-80,000 people demonstrated in the streets of D.C. and marched in front of the White House before emptying onto the National Mall.

3. Supreme Court hears Masterpiece Cakeshop case In its first major consideration of a gay rights case since the ruling for marriage equality, the U.S. Supreme Court this year heard arguments on whether the First Amendment allows a Colorado baker to deny making wedding cakes to same-sex couples despite a state non-discrimination law. Oral arguments yielded no clear indication of how the court will rule.

2. Trans candidates score historic wins Transgender candidates won a slew of historic victories in local races this year on Election Day. The most prominent win belonged to Danica Roem, a transgender journalist in Virginia who unseated notoriously anti-LGBT Del. Bob Marshall. Other transgender candidates — Andrew Jenkins and Phillipe Cunningham — claimed notable victories in the election for the Minneapolis City Council.

Meanwhile, Tyler Titus won election to the Erie School Board in Pennsylvania, Lisa Middleton won election to the Palm Springs City Council and Stephe Koontz won a spot on the Doraville City Council in Georgia.

1. Trump takes office, breaks promise to support LGBT Americans Although President Trump campaigned in 2016 on being a friend to LGBT people, his first year in office was marked by an erosion of LGBT rights after significant gains in recent years.

A ban on transgender people in the military, withdrawal of Title IX guidance assuring transgender students access to the bathroom consistent with their gender identity, arguments in litigation LGBT people aren’t protected under existing civil rights law and intervention on behalf of an anti-gay baker before the U.S. Supreme Court are a few high-profile ways the administration undermined LGBT rights in Trump’s first year at the White House.

10 Year in Review December 22, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

YEAR IN REVIEW

2017 People of the Year Honoring Georgia’s lost transgender, nonbinary voices

By DALLAS ANNE DUNCAN 2017 was not easy for LGBT Americans.

It was especially difficult for transgender and nonbinary Americans, whose struggles took center stage.

As North Carolina legislated what bathroom a person could use; as the president attempted to pull servicemen and women out of the military; the lives of more than 20 known transgender and nonbinary individuals were taken from this Earth. Many were black, Latinx, Native American. Many were murdered.

And, thanks to family, friends and fellow LGBT citizens and allies, none of them will be silenced.

It is for those reasons that the Georgia Voice staff chose not one, but a group, as 2017’s People of the Year. In this issue, we honor those transgender individuals whose lives were cut short at the hands of violence, and who died living their truths.

‘Our hearts are heavy’ Augusta transman Rowan Feldhaus, 25, suffered complications after one of his gender affirmation surgeries in May, going into septic shock after a hysterectomy and losing oxygen to his brain. Feldhaus had only recently won a court case granting him the legal right to use the name of his choosing, and was on the board of directors for Georgia Equality. “[Feldhaus] knew the risks going into all of this and he was willing to accept the risks to do what he knew he wanted to do,” Austin Atkins told Augusta’s WRDW news station. “Rowan will always be a personal hero of mine.”

Lambda Legal, which represented Feldhaus in his case, said because Feldhaus stood up for his rights, Georgia judges are now required to allow name changes without bias.

“Our hearts are heavy at the tragic loss of a courageous young man who fought for the right to determine his own name and destiny,” the organization said in a statement.

“We will honor [Feldhaus’] life by continuing to fight discrimination in all its forms www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Clockwise from above: Tee Tee Dangerfield, Candace Towns, Rowan Feldhaus, Ava Le’Ray Barrin and Scout Schultz. (File photos)

against transgender people.”

‘Unapologetically real’ Ava Le’Ray Barrin, 17, was murdered in Athens in June by a fellow transwoman. In an online obituary, she was called “unapologetically real.”

“She was an amazing girl who didn’t deserve to die, especially not the way she did.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Ava was that she’d befriend just about anyone — as long as you were nice to her in return,” the obituary stated.

According to a story in Mic, Barrin planned to go to college and then Los Angeles to model. Barrin’s sister created a GoFundMe site to fundraise memorial costs, which was contributed to by actress and singer Solange Knowles.

Jalen Breon Brown, who allegedly shot Barrin following a dispute between their two groups of friends, was arrested and released on a $100,000 bond. While free on bond, Brown is under house arrest and must wear an ankle bracelet. Brown was granted a motion in early December to visit a relative’s home for the Christmas weekend.

‘Beloved in the Atlanta community’ Just over a month after Barrin’s death, Atlanta was rocked by the murder of Tee Tee Dangerfield, 32, who was found with multiple gunshot wounds in College Park.

“She was beloved in the Atlanta community, friend to many of our members and a beautiful person grounded in spirit and rooted in unapologetically living her truth, while loving those fiercely [living] theirs,” the event page for her memorial service read.

Twenty six-year-old Tyrone Anthony Kemp was arrested in late August for Dangerfield’s murder. College Park Police Maj. Lance Patterson told Georgia Voice that Kemp remains in jail with an arraignment date in court on Jan. 5.

“The case is still open. My detectives are still fine-tuning everything,” he said. “We’re continuing to investigate and shore up our case as well as we can.”

‘A bright light’ Georgia Tech Pride Alliance President Scout Schultz, who identified as bisexual, gender nonbinary and intersex, was shot by campus police in September following reports of a gunman on campus. Schultz was later found to have made the report on themselves, and was not carrying a gun. They were approached by police, asked to put down their weapon and were shot when they did not comply.

Schultz’s death brought mental health issues of the LGBT community into the spotlight, and Pride Alliance leaders demanded Georgia Tech officials take a stronger look both at what resources are provided to students and what training is provided to officers to prevent inci-

dents like this from occurring again.

“If Georgia Tech equipped their cops with tasers and gave them proper crisis training, Scout Schultz would still be alive,” Cholu Bondurant told Georgia Voice.

Jessy Briton Hamilton told Georgia Voice that Schultz’s activism would never be forgotten. “[Schultz] was a bright light in this community, who never gave in on matters of social justice,” Hamilton said.

‘She would give me the clothes off her back’ Georgia also lost Macon resident Candace Towns, 30, at the hands of violence. Towns was found on Halloween, two days after she was reported missing. She had been shot.

“If I needed anything, she would give it to me. She would give me the clothes off her back,” Towns’ friend Malaysa Monroe told The Telegraph. “I just don’t know who would want to do something like this to a good friend of mine, but I hope whoever did this, I hope God don’t have mercy on your soul, baby.”

Prior to her death, surveillance footage shows Towns getting inside a tan or gold sedan with a black man behind the wheel. He is considered a person of interest in her murder. So far, there is no evidence her gender was a motive, the Bibb County sheriff told The Telegraph.

Calls to the Bibb County Sheriff ’s Office for an update on this case were not immediately returned as of press time.

December 22, 2017 Year in Review 11

YEAR IN REVIEW

Counting down the anti-LGBT villains of the year Karen Handel, Betty Price make the list, but no one can top Trump

but I guess I just said it,” said Price during the October hearing.

“Is there an ability, since I would guess that public dollars are expended heavily in prophylaxis and State Rep. Betty Price treatment of this condition? It seems to me it’s almost frightening, the number of people who are living that are potentially carriers. Well, they are carriers, with the potential to spread, whereas in the past they died more readily and then at that point they are not posing a risk.”

By ELIZABETH FRIEDLY It’s no surprise that Trump’s America has its fair share of villains. The LGBT community in Georgia has had to face their own set of political opponents in 2017. Some individuals attempt to mask their discriminatory beliefs behind faith, while others have no qualms about their disdain. Find our rankings of the biggest threats to Georgia’s LGBT community in 2017 below.

6. State Senate District 6 candidate Jaha Howard Georgia Voice broke the story in October of Jaha Howard’s anti-LGBT, misogynistic stances via posts on the candidate’s Facebook page. Said Jaha Howard posts and links advertised Howard’s hardline biblical belief that women should only teach other women. He also shared a post about the homosexual “agenda” in education. His campaign manager resigned after the news went public.

Howard apologized, but then proceeded to reaffirm the same controversial beliefs in the ensuing comment thread — that being gay is a sin, it may be a choice and women do not belong on the pulpit.

He lost in the Dec. 5 runoff against attorney (and fellow Democrat) Jen Jordan in state Senate District 6, which covers parts of Northwest Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Marietta, Smyrna and Vinings.

5. State Sen. William Ligon (R-Brunswick) State Sen. William Ligon (R-Brunswick) prevented an update of Georgia’s adoption laws

President Donald Trump

in order to make an anti-LGBT, faux-religious political statement.

Mere days before the session ended in March, Sen. Ligon abruptly added his amendment to House Bill 159, taking on a condition that would allow private agencies that receive state funding to refuse LGBT families. This ruined all momentum the bill had. Even Gov. Nathan Deal and House Speaker David Ralston’s disagreement fell on deaf ears.

Legislators had too little time left Sen. William Ligon in the 2017 session to save it. Thanks to Sen. Ligon, the bill won’t see the light of day until the 2018 session starts back in January.

4. State Rep. Betty Price (R-Roswell) Georgia state Rep. Betty Price (R-Roswell) — wife of former secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services — made national headlines for talking quarantines while in a hearing on HIV prevention.

“I don’t want to say the ‘quarantine’ word,

3. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Pooler) During a town hall meeting in August, Congressman Buddy Carter stated that he not only agreed with Trump’s transgender military ban but added, “I don’t want ‘em serving in the military. I’m sorry.”

Carter has a history of discrimination. He strongly supported the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) in 2015, which was introduced in anticipation of U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter the U.S. Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage. The rest of Georgia’s Republican congressmen sponsored it too, including Reps. Rick Allen, Doug Collins, Tom Graves, Jody Hice, Barry Loudermilk, Tom Price, Austin Scott, Lynn Westmoreland and Rob Woodall.

2. U.S. Rep. Karen Handel (R-Roswell) In 2010, Rep. Handel gave an infamous interview with WXIA-TV in which she came out against marriage equality and adoption.

She said that marriage is “between a man and a woman,” said she’d support a ban on LGBT adoption — calling it “not in the best interest” of the children — and bragged about

voting in the past to deny domestic partner benefits.

During this year’s 6th Congressional District race against Jon Ossoff, a constituent recorded a vidU.S. Rep. Karen Handel eo of herself asking Handel about LGBT adoption. The constituent, describing herself as a mother of a lesbian daughter, expressed concern that the Trump-Pence administration would find a way to deny her daughter a family. The video showed Handel replying, “My faith calls me to a different place on the issue.”

Handel also walked away from queer state Rep. Park Cannon (D-Atlanta) while Cannon was attempting to speak with Handel about LGBT issues after a debate.

1. President Donald Trump President Trump has proved to be a detrimental force for LGBT people nationwide, including Georgia. On his first day in office, all LGBT content disappeared from the White House website.

In March of 2017, Trump’s Department of Commerce erased sexual orientation and gender identity from the upcoming 2020 U.S. Census.

The census is used to allocate funding and gauge policy effectiveness, and Georgians could have benefited greatly from said data but were once again ignored by Trump. Following the outcry, the U.S. Census Bureau said it would include a question about sexual orientation in at least one of its more than 130 surveys.

Transgender students in Georgia had to endure Trump withdrawing the Obama administration’s guidance that said students should be allowed access to the bathroom matching their gender. He then offered a message of ambivalence in the face of their struggles.

Trump went on to attack trans men and women in the military — jeopardizing countless futures here in Georgia — by tweeting that the U.S. government would not accept or allow trans individuals to serve in any capacity. Although the ban is currently blocked by a federal judge, it has yet to be struck down.

12 Year in Review December 22, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

YEAR IN REVIEW

2017: In Memoriam Georgia’s LGBT community lost activists, artists, political leaders and valued everyday citizens this year

By RYAN LEE There has been an overwhelming frequency of homicides against transgender Americans in 2017, with an average of more than two murders per month nationally.

Unfortunately, Georgia was at the forefront of this alarming epidemic, both in terms of numbers and the diversity of threats, with four transgender residents killed by strangers, intimate partners and law enforcement.

The year also saw the passing of groundbreaking local LGBT politicians and artists, gracious philanthropists and longtime nemeses.

Here are a few of the notable deaths of 2017: Bishop Eddie Long Bishop Eddie Long, who led 25,000 followers through Atlanta in a march against same-sex marriage in 2004, and a few years later settled lawsuits from several young men who accused him of romantically grooming them as minors, died Jan. 15 after a sudden battle against what New Birth Missionary Baptist Church officials described as “an aggressive form of cancer.”

Long had largely receded from public life after the sex scandal until he appeared in an online video, looking gaunt and frail, a few months before his death.

Joan Garner Joan Garner deployed the same grit and optimism that resulted in her being the first openly LGBT politician elected to the Fulton County Commission in 2010 in her battle against breast cancer, which she succumbed to April 18. A longtime activist for LGBT equality, Garner was also a powerhouse for progressive causes, and her death was mourned by many Democratic politicians.

Garner is survived by her wife, Fulton County State Court Judge Jane Morrison.

Rowan Feldhaus Augusta resident Rowan Feldhaus sought www.thegeorgiavoice.com

to change his legal name via a routine court process in 2016, but was denied the name change by a transphobic judge. Along with the help of Lambda Legal, Feldhaus appealed the judge’s denial, and in January the Georgia Court of Appeals unanimously reversed the lower court’s order.

On May 16, Feldhaus underwent surgery related to his transition, and died after going into shock and losing oxygen to his brain.

Earl English Earl English had a larger-than-life charisma, which made it all the harder for his friends, family and co-workers to understand why his life would end as brutally as it did May 16. DeKalb County police found the 28-year-old gay man inside his home with a plastic bag over his head and gunshot wound in his arm. Police ruled English’s death a homicide, but as of October had made no progress in identifying any suspects.

“He was the type of person if you knew him you loved him,” English’s friend, Tubyous Hawes told the AJC. Ava Le’Ray Barrin Athens resident Ava Le’Ray Barrin was shot to death on June 25 when an argument between two groups of transgender friends escalated into gunfire.

“I remember a girl who loved to make people laugh,” one of Barrin’s friends wrote in an online obituary. “A girl who gave me the strength and the courage to find myself … and will remain my beautiful angel.”

Tee Tee Dangerfield Transgender East Point resident Tee Tee Dangerfield, 32, was shot and killed in her car July 31, and police have arrested a suspect they say was captured on surveillance cameras with Dangerfield just before her murder.

Dangerfield was remembered as a skilled server and union shop steward, whose airport co-workers organized one of two local memorial services.

Rebecca Ranson In 1984, the groundbreaking Atlanta lesbian playwright Rebecca Ranson wrote “Warren,” one of the first plays to deal with the

Clockwise from top left: Fulton County Commissioner Joan Garner was a powerhouse for progressive causes, Pamm Burdett helped fund the early days of Georgia Voice and was instrumental in the creation of The Phillip Rush Center and Antron-Reshaud Olukayode was a poet, painter and selfdescribed “artivist.” (Courtesy and file photos)

then-nascent AIDS crisis, with a portion of the proceeds supporting urgently needed research.

“Her writing always included this honest effort to fight for people and their humanity and voices, not just the LGBT community,” 7 Stages’ artistic director Heidi Howard told artsatl.com after Ranson died from Alzheimer’s disease Sept. 4.

Scout Schultz On Sept. 16, Georgia Tech police received calls of a person on campus with a weapon, and soon four officers were surrounding senior Scout Schultz, ordering them to put down a multipurpose tool that included a small knife. Schultz, who identified as bisexual and nonbinary and served as president of the university’s Pride Alliance organization, reportedly refused to drop the tool, while telling the officers, “Shoot me.”

Video footage from that night shows Schultz, who had previously attempted suicide, slowly advancing in the direction of one of the officers before being shot and killed by police. Schultz’s family and peers have described their death as “suicide-by-cop,” and an illustration of the need for more mental health resources for Tech students.

Candace Towns Candace Towns’s plans to meet her friend Malaysa Monroe fell through on Oct. 28, and three days later Bibb County police found Towns’s body, the transgender Macon resident having been shot and killed.

“If I needed anything she would give it to me,” Monroe told the Macon Telegraph.

“She would give me the clothes off her back.”

Antron-Reshaud Olukayode “I just want to be able to fight in a very creative way, that I can leave my mark on here,” Atlanta resident Antron-Reshaud Olukayode told TheBody.com about living with HIV. “When I do leave — and say that I fought the good fight, and I left some color for the world.”

The poet, painter and self-described “artivist” departed this world Nov. 12, having decorated it with his bright aura.

Pamm Burdett Pamm Burdett did her best to keep good deeds under the radar, but those familiar with her work on behalf of the Lloyd E. Russell Foundation knew Burdett’s generosity and commitment to LGBT Atlanta were boundless.

She helped fund the early days of Georgia Voice, was instrumental in the creation of The Phillip Rush Center and aided countless causes and individuals throughout LGBT Atlanta. Burdett died Nov. 17 after an extended illness.

December 22, 2017 Year in Review 13

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

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Editor: Patrick Saunders psaunders@thegavoice.com Editorial Contributors: Ashleigh Atwell, Cliff Bostock, Dyana Bagby, Melissa Carter, Dallas A. Duncan, Jim Farmer, Elizabeth Friedly, Shannon Hames, Just Toby, Bill Kaelin, Ryan Lee, Robbie Medwed, Ronni Radner, Matt Schafer, Dionne N. Walker, Simon Williamson

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14 Outspoken December 22, 2017

The Atlanta mayoral results, race and the Atlanta way

BY PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com

“Telling you to take comfort in the fact that we’ve always been divided like this is a depressing ask, yes. But know that this division isn’t something Atlanta came to in the wake of a crazy year or two in America.

We know division. We also know how to work through it. And that’s what we need to do now, as a community and as a city.”

So the Atlanta mayoral election is over and about half of you are pissed off. At least that’s what it seems like from the conversations we’ve had with you and with the dialogue on our and others’ social media channels.

What’s interesting is how upset some people are considering that — up until about a week before the election — there didn’t seem to be a consensus (or even much enthusiasm overall) about either Keisha Lance Bottoms or Mary Norwood becoming the next mayor of Atlanta.

As far as the LGBT community was concerned, the tide appeared to shift after Cathy Woolard and then Georgia Equality threw their support behind Norwood. This was with one week left in the race, giving the impression that Woolard and the LGBT rights group were as torn on this pick as much as anyone else was. But the endorsements were made, and then a new crop of supporters bullish on Norwood emerged, and when Bottoms eked out a win, they let their frustration out.

It was interesting to observe this happening, and I couldn’t help wonder how much this reaction had to do with race.

I had conversations with friends about this notion that some people have that if they’re LGBT, they’re automatically progressive and open-minded. They’ll keep reminding you that they are too, even after they’re openly calling for more gentrification in Atlanta in the wake of a black woman winning the mayor’s race. That’s something I saw happen multiple times in the days following the results. Some were able to think a little more about their comments and what exactly gentrification means on a number of levels

— others weren’t and kept up the bluster.

It was an embarrassing look for our community, and we can do better — I hope.

Another common topic after the election was the map showing how all the city precincts voted in the election, with a clear line of demarcation right along I-20 showing every precinct south going for Bottoms and every precinct north going for Norwood.

I don’t blame people for getting all doomand-gloom after seeing that map, especially considering how divided this country is right now. Who needed another reminder of that division, right? Especially here in our hometown.

But this isn’t new.

Pull up the map from the 2009 runoff between Kasim Reed and Mary Norwood.

If you do, you’ll see the exact same line at basically the exact same spot (maybe it was a little further north along North Avenue instead of I-20, but you get the gist).

Telling you to take comfort in the fact that we’ve always been divided like this is a depressing ask, yes. But know that this division isn’t something Atlanta came to in the wake of a crazy year or two in America. We know division. We also know how to work through it. And that’s what we need to do now, as a community and as a city.

Don’t know much about Keisha Lance Bottoms? You say she didn’t show up to anything LGBT-related until she ran for mayor (a fair point by the way)? Get to know her.

She knows she needs the support of the city’s LGBT community to help make Atlanta thrive. I hope she makes the effort to get to know us better, and I hope we as a community are receptive to that effort.

FEEDBACK Re: “Eating My Words: Cliff’s picks for best eats by Atlanta neighborhood,” Dec. 8 “Dear Cliff, there used to be a couple of houses-cum-restaurants serving good soul food, one not far from Creative Loafing.

Also, where was that diner that served the enormous hamburgers but the cook took his G.D. time?! I’ve been away for eight years or could tell you. Keep up the good writing of good eatin’ and don’t forget the simvastatin!

Operating the old White Dot on Ponce at Penn of course made me a fan of Mary Mac’s and those mayonnaisey Majestic deluxe burgers! Not to forget Eats’ pastas and chicken!”

-Steven Glenn Samuels via www.thegeorgiavoice.com Re: “Jen Jordan beats anti-LGBT Facebook poster Jaha Howard in state Senate race,” Dec. 5 “Congratulations!”

-Heather Pruitt via Facebook “Fantastic!”

-Gina Gee via Facebook “So glad you guys were on that story.”

-Simon Williamson via Facebook “Awesome.”

-Erik Moore via Facebook “Bottoms declares victory as Norwood asks for recount in Atlanta mayoral race,” Dec. 5 “Did not vote for Mary, but she absolutely deserves a recount.”

-Michael Furl via Facebook “With the vote count that close, Bottoms would be asking for one as well.”

-Joann Schwartz via Facebook “Leave it to Atlanta to have bottoms in the mayor’s office.”

-Andrew Martz via Facebook “0 for 3: Trio of LGBT candidates lose in metro Atlanta runoffs,” Dec. 5 “Wan did himself in. Horrible decisions and poor leadership.”

-Erik Moore via Facebook Want to be featured in Feedback? Leave a comment to a story via social media or on our website, or email editor@thegavoice.com with the subject line “Feedback.” www.thegeorgiavoice.com

OUT IN THE WILD

By Simon Williamson

A teacher and a trail of victims Simon Williamson lives with his husband in heteronormatively-assimilative fashion in Athens, after a year of surviving rural Georgia.

My husband’s hometown, a small city in western Pennsylvania, is currently undergoing its own Harvey Weinstein moment, as decades of sexual abuse by a teacher has finally been let out into the open. Every year, the teacher would select his “favorite” student and prep them for college. That preparation involved sexual abuse. This man, using his position of power, compelled students into his range of molestation with manipulation. That manipulation was so effective it took decades for this teacher’s misdeeds to come out, to the point that he was even elected to the school board.

It is quite obvious who his victims were, but I didn’t realize there was another set of victims to add. On top of the trauma faced by these kids who were teenagers being exploited

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

by a devious man was a litany of people who were somehow embroiled in it but also not.

My husband was one of those students who the teacher selected, but because my spouse was openly gay at school and proudly wears some feminine mannerisms (and clothes, to be quite honest), the teacher absolutely ran from him when he figured out there was no putting the jack back in the box. The teacher was terrified of having the gay label attached to him, and so overnight he rejected my husband and began to bully him in front of his classmates, directly yet subtly pointing to his homosexuality, using it as a weapon to show his distaste. Not only did he abandon my husband and try to tank his entry into college, he sunk his claws into another child that

“Those who use their power to abuse others into sexual victimhood have multiple categories of victims. They have trashed the lives of people directly and indirectly. They have robbed people of dignity, their self-worth and in many cases their livelihoods and their jobs.” year, who is still so fucked up he has chosen to live a celibate life in a country very far away.

My husband wasn’t alone. Turns out there were multiple children rejected by the teacher, and they knew what he was all about. And here, 20 years later, sit all of these people who were unable to prove what he was trying to do to them, and who shed tears because they blame themselves for what happened to others, because they chose not to speak up.

Anyone who has seen what happens when sexual harassment, assault and trauma victims come forward cannot surely blame children for not doing the same. This teacher was an institution in my husband’s hometown. To accuse him of molesting children with no proof wasn’t even an option.

And yet here these adults sit wracked with guilt from their childhoods for something that was no fault of their own. They are excess victims in the slew of sexual assault that beleaguers this nation.

Those who use their power to abuse others into sexual victimhood have multiple categories of victims. They have trashed the lives of people directly and indirectly. They have robbed people of dignity, their self-worth and in many cases their livelihoods and their jobs.

It finally took a Facebook post by a family man during #MeToo, which ended with the name of the teacher and “you will steal from me no more.” What these types of men did was theft. And their hordes of victims can never be compensated.

December 22, 2017 Outspoken 15

CATCHING UP WITH …

Jimmie Scott Robinson Former unofficial ‘Mayor of East Atlanta,’ Georgia Equality board member disappeared from the scene in 2005

By DIONNE WALKER Newly arrived in Atlanta in 1996, Jimmie Scott Robinson had a simple goal: He wanted to date openly, party thoroughly and basically have the type of carefree, rollicking life a man could only find in the LGBT mecca of the South.

Little did he know he would do that and then some, earning the title of LGBT activist, community leader and even unofficial “Mayor of East Atlanta” before unceremoniously passing the torch and disappearing from the scene in 2005.

Over a decade later, his life looks very different. For one, he lives back in his hometown of Detroit and rarely gets back to his old Georgia stomping grounds. The activist life is largely in his rearview mirror, traded in for simple joys like a gospel radio program, his gradually improving physical and mental health and his loving wife.

Years later, Robinson’s name still sparks recognition in the city. And despite lots of curveballs in the intervening years, Robinson, who is bisexual, said he wouldn’t change a thing.

“I’m grateful for the lessons I learned,” he recently told Georgia Voice.

Robinson was no activist when he came to Atlanta.

Indeed, the 28-year-old former Marine just wanted a place where he could be himself.

The city was everything he had hoped for. Then, after a chance encounter at a press conference, he found himself being invited to work with some of the city’s top names in LGBT activism.

He would soon lead the East Atlanta Community Association, growing participation and smoothing neighborhood tensions.

He sat on the board of Georgia Equality and was pivotal in establishing the Black Gay Pride march, a precursor to today’s expansive black Pride celebrations.

When he wasn’t on the frontlines, Robinson was busy honing his TV production

skills on a series of local shows.

Yet in 2005, at the top of his game, the outspoken advocate packed up and left for his hometown of Detroit.

We caught up with Robinson recently to get the backstory and learn what keeps him busy these days.

How did you end up on the frontlines of LGBT happenings in Atlanta?

My lover and I had bought a house over in East Atlanta. The neighborhood nearby had a conflict with a minister, who planned a press conference to stop the so-called white gay and lesbian takeover. I went and for some reason, something just came out of the inside of me — I shouted out and I called him a hypocrite. I said, “That’s not right, God’s love is unconditional.” Before I knew it, cameras were in my face. I was tall and sexy then! People started calling me up and asking me to help them. It caught me completely off guard.

For years you were everywhere in Atlanta — then you weren’t. What happened?

In 2003, I started focusing on TV production. I worked on the Taylor Lifestyle Report, On the Road To Success and Black Pride TV. Then I was diagnosed with HIV. I went through a lot of depression at that time.

I kept working but my energy dropped. By late 2004, God told me it was time to come on home.

So what have you been doing in the Motor City?

When I got here I planned to live with my family, but that didn’t work out. I found myself in a veteran’s homeless shelter, which was a very humbling experience. Eventually, I got into a position with Goodwill Industries. They promoted me several times and I went on to a few positions working with kids, training them and getting them ready for the workplace. I also liaised with the business community. That went on for a

Jimmie Scott Robinson said an impromptu conflict with an anti-gay minister in the late 1990s led to him becoming an activist. (Photo courtesy Jimmie Scott Robinson)

while — and that’s where I met my wife. She was a subcontractor.

As former de facto “Mayor of East Atlanta,” what do you think of the swirl surrounding a new mayor for Atlanta?

When I saw that Shirley Franklin endorsed Mary Norwood, I didn’t know what was going on! Atlanta always has a black mayor. But I do think voters have to choose the best person for the job. Voters just need to follow their heart.

You were involved in so many different things here in Atlanta — what are some of your proudest moments?

On the civic side, it was moving the East Atlanta Community Association meetings to a local senior citizens high rise. That really brought the community together. I’m also proud of my work on the Georgia Equality board. We really got more gay people politically involved and did a lot of outreach to people of color.

What are you passionate about now?

I’m working on relearning how to walk properly! In 2012, HIV started attacking my nerves and I was also diagnosed with lymphoma, so I went through cancer and chemotherapy. This past year I had two hip surgeries. I’ve gone through a cane, a walker, a scooter. But God has gotten me through. A few years back, I went back to school and took some broadcast classes, and eventually started producing a gospel radio show. I had to take a break, but I produced a few years of solid radio throughout all of this.

You’ve been through a lot of ups and downs. Is there anything you would have done differently?

I’d like it just the way it was. There’s no way I could have predicted having a civic career. But I ended up in the room with so many powerful people, at a time when black people weren’t really present. So I wouldn’t change anything — I had fun!

16 Community December 22, 2017 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

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Martha Stewart:

Still your other mother Lifestyle icon talks inclusivity on her VH1 show with Snoop Dogg, how gays ‘up their game’ in her midst and same-sex weddings

By CHRIS AZZOPARDI You don’t have to tell Martha Stewart that gay men love her like their own mother.

The influential entrepreneur and do18 A&E December 22, 2017

mestic diva’s deep-rooted connection to the LGBT community goes beyond special appearances on “Ugly Betty” and “Ellen,” where she appeared as herself in a 1995 episode of the groundbreaking sitcom. Stewart, throughout her half-century-long career, has long embodied a quality near and dear to the queer community: perfection. After all, before “live your best life” was a meme, it was Stewart’s honed methodology.

Could that affinity for precision and

flawlessness — for the perfect Christmas ham, the perfect vegetable garden, the perfect dating persona — be why Stewart is very clued into the fact that many gay men perceive her as a mother figure?

It’s a relationship worth exploring, and during our tight 15 minutes with Stewart, 76, she was reflective and laid-back as she served up a savory platter of gay talk.

VH1’s “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party,” with guests ranging from LGBTQ icons like Patti LaBelle and Kathy Griffin to gay TV personality Ross Mathews and also Laverne Cox. How aware are you of being LGBTQ-inclusive when it comes to this show and also your career as a whole?

Oh, thank you. Well, we’re kind of in the showbiz world and being inclusive, that just

I’ve really appreciated the inclusivity on

CONTINUES ON PAGE 19

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

so fun, and that was also featured in the magazine. And I’ve been to several female weddings.

You know, every wedding is special to me.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

sort of goes with the terrain. I don’t care who the person is; I care about what the person does, and how they do it.

Martha Stewart Weddings magazine famously introduced same-sex couples into its pages in 2009, with Jeremy Hooper and Andrew Shulman sharing their vows with family and friends in Litchfield, Connecticut. Why was it important to be at the forefront of marriage equality in that way, and what did that moment mean to you?

I believe in “all men are created equal.”

I think I go back to the 1860s, and before!

[Laughs] And I don’t think any compromise is necessary. I think it’s absolutely a fact that all men are created equal, and so I just treated people like equals my entire life. Equals in every single way, no matter what their proclivity is or what their sexuality is, or their color or their race. It doesn’t matter to me.

Is it intimidating for people to host Martha Stewart at their wedding?

I don’t know if it’s intimidating, but I think it ups their game a little bit! [Laughs]

Martha Stewart Weddings magazine in 2009 became one of the first mainstream wedding magazines to feature a same-sex couple. (Photos by Fadil Berisha)

I know! And that was my nephew. That was Christopher Herbert marrying a Native American man [Timothy Long].

Was that the best same-sex wedding you’ve been to?

I’d say it’s one of them — I’ve been to a That wedding issue was a big deal as it was one of the first mainstream wed- lot! I mean, I have a lot of gay editors, both ding magazines to have featured a gay male and female. One of our style directors at couple’s wedding, and then there was Weddings got married and he had a fantastic wedding at a nightclub in Brooklyn. another in 2011.

AF_ATL_Ad_GeorgiaVoice_HalfPageHor_10x5_Female_FINALOUTLINES_Print.pdf 2 9/26/2017 5:36:57 PM That was

Growing up in New Jersey in the ’40s and ’50s, what was your introduction to the LGBTQ community?

In my class, I knew that several of the boys were gay. It wasn’t talked about, and nobody made fun of them. Nutley High School was a pretty liberal but also quiet school, so there were some gay boys that we knew, and I think one or two girls. But they hadn’t come out, and the boys really were not out, if you want to use that word. But they were definitely gay.

And then in our own family, I had one cousin who was gay who lives in Buffalo and then my nephew is gay, and I think even though he didn’t come out until college, we all sort of knew he was gay. My daughter who has radar like crazy, Alexis, who I’m sure you know, she knows. And my mother didn’t have a clue. It wasn’t part of her lifestyle. She just didn’t have those friends.

Looking back, have any gay people influenced your fondness for decadence or even your path to becoming a lifestyle icon?

No, not really. Although when I was catering [Stewart launched a catering business in the ’70s], many of the young men who were my waiters were gay, and they still are.

The gay community works a lot in the catering business in New York; they are either actors or artists and they need to make money, so they make money in catering. But they were all chosen on skill and aptitude for the kind of job they were doing, and they were all great. But my daughter and I both have lots of gay friends. My closest friend is Kevin Sharkey and he’s also like the surrogate uncle to Alexis [and her family] and he lives in their same building, and he’s Tio Kevin to them. I even introduce him playfully to friends as my gay son.

I want to be Martha Stewart’s gay son.

Lots of his friends would like to be Martha’s gay son!

How does one achieve Martha Stewart “gay son” status?

He’s worked for [me for] 18 years, that’s how! He worked his way up!

CONTINUES ON PAGE 31

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ACTING OUT

By JIM FARMER

Beautifully made ‘Call Me By Your Name’ waters down sexuality Ever since its debut at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival back in January, “Call Me By Your Name” has been near the top of the must-see list for LGBT audiences.

Now getting a wide release and a likely Oscar contender, it’s a strong film, moving and beautiful in many ways, but it’s also one that feels curiously restrained and safe, especially considering its subject matter.

Based on André Aciman’s 2007 book and set in an undefined part of Northern Italy, it follows the sexual awakening of 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet)), who is spending the summer in the Italian countryside with his parents (Michael Stuhlbarg and Amira Casar.) It’s 1983 and Elio’s father has invited 24-year-old American grad student Oliver (Armie Hammer) to assist him with research.

Over the summer, Elio begins seeing a young woman, Marzia (Esther Garrel), but finds himself drawn to Oliver. Soon the two start a discreet relationship — including three days on their own — before Oliver has to go away.

Made by a gay director (Luca Guadagnino) and a gay writer (the legendary James Ivory), both of whom have created films that dealt with love and sexuality, “Call Me By Your Name” is a beautifully made movie.

The locations give the film a wonderful sense of time and place. It’s a slow burn romance; the relationship takes a while to build and it’s not until the second hour before the two connect and navigate what is between them.

No one can argue with the casting. Chalamet — also seen in “Lady Bird” and the upcoming “Hostiles” — is terrific as Elio. He’s goofy, confused, horny, happy, sad and sexually prepared for the relationship but maybe not emotionally ready for the consequences.

His last scene is heart-wrenching and will likely earn him an Oscar nomination. In his best work since “The Social Network,” Hammer is just right as Oliver. The actor is in his early 30s but smoothly fits the character. And near the end of the film, Stuhlbarg’s perceptive father has a terrific speech that is unequivocally the highlight of the movie.

“Call Me By Your Name” is a film that is intellectually stimulating, yet not emotionally engaging until the end. It’s never really erotic,

‘Call Me By Your Name’ is being talked about for several Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

(Photo courtesy Sony Classics)

Details

“Call Me By Your Name” Opens Dec. 22 Midtown Art Cinema 931 Monroe Drive, Atlanta, GA 30308 www.landmarktheatres.com AMC Phipps Plaza 14 3500 Peachtree Road N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30326 www.amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/ atlanta/amc-phipps-plaza-14

either. The actors had strict nudity clauses in their contracts and Guadagnino (deviating sharply from the script Ivory originally wrote) has refrained from showing much sex. For a film about sexual awakening, this feels tepid.

Even the much-discussed (and racy) peach scene feels watered down.

In its Oscar pursuit, its producers have downplayed the gay angle a bit, calling this a universal love story instead of a gay one. Some of its ads in the U.K. have even straight-washed the film, promoting the relationship between Elio and Marzia instead.

“Call Me By Your Name” is memorable and worth seeing and discussing after. Yet in a year that has seen such bold and unapologetically queer films as “BPM,” “God’s Own Country,” “Battle of the Sexes” and “”Professor Marston and the Wonder Women,” it’s a shame that the highest-profile LGBT film of the year is so unwilling to embrace its own gay sensibility. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

EATING MY WORDS

By CLIFF BOSTOCK

Falling in love with a new Mexican spot in Old Fourth Ward I think I may be in love with the new Taco Cantina in the Old Fourth Ward (480 John Wesley Dobbs Ave., facing Boulevard; 404-963-2146; mytacocantina.com).

Before I go loco with love, let me give you a rundown of the history and current status of Mexican food in Atlanta.

During the ’80s, I left Atlanta for a few years in Houston. Until then, I despised Mexican food. That’s because I grew up in Sandy Springs and my first taste wasn’t really Mexican. It was a hideous version of TexMex, Americanized Mexican, at Taco Bell on Roswell Road. I gagged (and worse) on a few bites of the congealed mashed beans and the hamburger dumped in a crispy shell. I never touched anything called Mexican for more than 10 years afterward.

Then I moved to Houston, where I discovered the uncorrupted real deal on which I feasted several times a week. When I returned to Atlanta, I was overjoyed to watch Buford Highway turn into a boulevard of “authentic” taquerias. One lonely restaurant, Zocalo, dared to serve such food in Midtown.

Meanwhile, something interesting happened in town. I gorged on an eclectic hybrid of Southwestern-Mexican food at Taqueria del Sol and California-Mexican burritos at Tortillas (long-gone but resurrected at Bell Street Burritos and Tomatillos). Tex-Mex (or so-called “border cuisine”) morphed into something I loved at Nuevo Laredo. It’s gotten better and better at Bone Garden, and now, in the opinion of many, has reached its apogee at Superica.

Taco Cantina represents the most interesting development in town. It’s the sister of a restaurant of the same name in Smyrna, operated by chef-owner Adolfo Gonzalez (I reviewed it last December). What’s unique about him is his background. He grew up in a small town in Mexico, but ended up at age 18 working for the Atlanta Fish Market, followed by Nava, the Buckhead Diner, the renowned Coast Bar & Grill in Charleston and more. In other words, he’s a classically trained chef operating taquerias. This is also www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Cliff Bostock says Taco Cantina does classic taqueria cuisine prepared with razor-sharp finesse and a playful hand with flavors and ingredients. (Photo by Ryan Jung)

the case with Adrian Villarreal’s Rreal Taco in Midtown. Really, too, this was always true of Lucero Martinez-Obregon of Zocalo.

The result is mainly classic taqueria cuisine prepared with razor-sharp finesse and a playful hand with flavors and ingredients. You won’t find a special like steamed mussels with chipotle or a vegan taco wrapping a portabellacauliflower confit on Buford Highway. And you also won’t find traditional tacos filled with uniquely marinated meats or seafood prepared with such finesse. Many of these ingredients — carne asada, roasted pork, grilled fish, shrimp — can also be piled on tostadas and layered in tortas (sandwiches). Do not miss the charro beans — the best I’ve ever had.

I only have one complaint. The al pastor — pork flavored with ancho and pineapple — is delicious, but not as good as when it’s cooked on a revolving spit (as it is at Rreal Taco). I asked Gonzalez about that and he explained the phenomenal costs of required ventilation. That explains why so many on Buford Highway likewise prepare theirs in an oven!

Cliff Bostock is a former psychotherapist now specializing in life coaching. Contact him at 404-518-4415 or cliffbostock@gmail.com.

December 22, 2017 Columnists 21

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Our Guide to the Best LGBT Events in Atlanta for Dec. 22-Jan. 4

T A T GB

TUESDAY, DEC. 26

Topher Payne has taken over the role of gay Macy’s Christmas elf Crumpet in Horizon Theatre’s annual “The Santaland Diaries,” based on David Sedaris’ “Holidays on Ice,” running through Dec. 31, 8 p.m., 1083 Austin Ave., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.horizontheatre.com (Publicity photo)

A T N LA T

S

L

BETS T ES

EVEN FRIDAY, DEC.22

Finally! The acclaimed gay film “Call Me

By Your Name” with Armie Hammer and Timothée Chamelet — adapted from the beloved book — opens at the Midtown Art Cinema and AMC Phipps Plaza today, various showtimes, www.landmarktheatres.com, www.amctheatres.com/movietheatres/atlanta/amc-phipps-plaza-14 Atlanta’s favorite underground queer dance party — Morph ATL — returns this month for the final time this year with another solid lineup of talented residents and locals. The evening’s DJs are Leonce, Helix, Ash Lauryn and Florista, with a special live performance by Kiya Lacey, 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., Wildpitch Underground, 255 Trinity Ave., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.facebook.com/ events/1489617067820504/

SATURDAY, DEC. 23

Mahony & Bützer present an all-ages, family friendly performance of the music from “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Children seven and under are free with an adult. Special guests Chad Shivers and the Silent Knights will perform the Ventures Christmas album. Classic holiday cartoons are included as well. 7 p.m. tonight through 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec.24, Kavarna, 707 East Lake Drive #B, Decatur, GA 30030, www.facebook.com/ events/198754377359785 DEEP SOUTH welcomes back Christy Love and W. Jeremy (Get Up Recordings) from NYC for a show at the Heretic. The warm-up will be done by Vicki Powell and the event is hosted by Robert Ansley, Ash Lauryn, Brian Rojas, Kyle

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Floyd, Faielle Stocco, Alli Royce Soble, Brian Pollard, Bryan Lee, Cody Patterson, Paege Turner and Phoenix Ashe, 10 p.m.

– 3 a.m., 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/events/178433299409293

SUNDAY, DEC. 24

The award-winning “Tom of Finland,” about the legendary gay pop culture icon, concludes its run at the Midtown Art Cinema today, various showtimes, 931 Monroe Drive, Atlanta, GA 30308, www.landmarktheatres.com

TUESDAY, DEC. 26

Come check out the hottest new drag show in the ATL. Martha Caldwell presents On Wednesday We Drag, hosted by Evah Destruction, featuring Brigitte Bidet, Mark Roman, Black Qween, Farrazz Reginald, Perry Reginald, Perry Dynisty St. James, Shavonna Brooks and Mona Lott, 8:30 p.m., the Heretic, 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, facebook.com/ events/1618525564871998/

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 27

Add some sparkle and a little dash of magic to your holiday season with an

incredible adventure into a glittering world of wondrous delights. Perfect for young audiences and the young at heart, the Atlanta Ballet’s “Nutcracker” is a must-see. This is the last year to experience this version before the Atlanta Ballet unveils a brand new production in 2018, 2 p.m., Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. N.E, Atlanta, GA 30308 www.foxtheatre.org

THURSDAY, DEC. 28

SAGE Atlanta’s bi-monthly meetings occur from 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of each month, Phillip Rush Center Annex, 1530 DeKalb Ave., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.rushcenteratl.org Come join a diverse group of people in Rainbros to learn more about each other and see how people can help others in life. 12 – 1 p.m., Roxx Tavern, 1824 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/ events/1960894567459802

FRIDAY, DEC. 29

Joe Whitaker & The DILF Party Present the DILF Atlanta/Jingle

CONTINUES ON PAGE 23

EVENT SPOTLIGHT MONDAY, DEC. 25

Out comedienne and actress Judy Gold brings her stand-up chops to City Winery tonight, 8 p.m., 650 North Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30308, www.citywinery.com/atlanta (Publicity photo)

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

TELL US ABOUT YOUR LGBT EVENT Submit your LGBT event for inclusion in our online and print calendars by emailing event info to editor@thegavoice.com

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 My Balls Daddy jock/underwear party featuring DJ Tommy K of Seattle, 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., Heretic Atlanta, 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/ events/338692186599891

SATURDAY, DEC. 30

For one night only, Julie Goldman — the out comic star of “The Big Gay Sketch Show,” “The People’s Couch” and “Vanderpump Rules After Show” — will bring her stand-up to Out Front Theatre Company, 8 p.m., 999 Brady Ave., Atlanta, GA 30318, www.outfronttheatre.com/event/ a2a56197f5724c37cc9094cce64a4f08

SUNDAY, DEC. 31

The Atlanta Falcons take on the Carolina Panthers in a crucial NFC South match-up at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, 1 p.m., 1 AMB Drive, Atlanta, GA 30313, www.atlantafalcons.com *See page 24 for your New Year’s Eve party lineup!

MONDAY, JAN. 1

The Georgia Bulldogs play the Oklahoma Sooners in the Rose Bowl at 5 p.m., with the winner competing for a national championship a week later in Atlanta. Enjoy fun and football at Woofs Atlanta. The menu includes baked ham, black-eyed peas and collard greens, with the Rose Bowl on at 5 p.m. and the Sugar Bowl (Clemson vs. Alabama) on at 8:45 p.m., 2425 Piedmont Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, 1 – 11 p.m., www.woofsatlanta.com The PFLAG support group for parents and families of LGBTQ children meets tonight from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, 1605 Interstate 85/Frontage Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, www.uuca.org

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

FRIDAY, JAN. 5

OnStage Atlanta presents the regional premiere of “Silence! The Musical,” a parody of the book and film “The Silence of the Lambs.” This one’s for adults only! 8 p.m., running through Jan. 19, 2969 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. # A, Decatur, GA 30030, www.facebook.com/events/111814696122996 (Publicity photo)

TUESDAY, JAN. 2

Dancing With the Stars: Live! – Light Up The Night features competitors and celebrities from the popular television series, 7:30 p.m., Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30308, www.foxtheatre.org

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 3

Angelica and Malibu host the AM Show Competition, 10:30 p.m. at Burkhart’s. 1492 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.burkharts.com

THURSDAY, JAN. 4

Building on the activist tradition of consciousness-raising groups, each month Charis Books and More invites community members to join The Personal is Political: Feminist Vent to talk about personal issues or societal issues they are trying to deconstruct. The group will use intersectional feminist strategies as tools to talk through these issues. 7:30 – 9 p.m., 1189 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA

30307, www.charisbooksandmore.com

UPCOMING FRIDAY, JAN. 5

After a sold out premiere in June, Queer Drunk History returns for more. WUSSY MAG and Queeriety bring you a night of queer comedy featuring some of the best queer improvisers, stand-up comedians and sketch writers. The evening will feature two sets by Atlanta’s finest group of queer comedians, including an improvised version of Queer Drunk History with some of the ATL’s finest drag queens drunkenly regaling you with tales of queer pioneers throughout history. Special guests include Brigitte Bidet, Dax Exclamation Point, Ian Aber, Jay Norris, Jaye Lish, Julie Osborne, Molly Rimswell, Peaches (Travis Denison), Princess Charles, Stevie King and the cast of Queeriety, 9:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m., 7 Stages Theatre, 1105 Euclid Ave. N.E. Atlanta, GA 30307, www.facebook.com/ events/127476167947150

SATURDAY, JAN. 6

Love to sing? Come audition for the 2018 Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus spring and summer concerts: “Midnight Train: The Georgia and Alabama Tour” and “Broadway Now!” 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., St. Mark United Methodist Church, 781 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30308, www.facebook.com/ events/2013221068892652

THURSDAY, JAN.11

Atlanta Contemporary hosts opening night of six new exhibitions — Kamrooz Aram, Joe Minter, Sable Elyse Smith, Alex C. Kerr, Tau Lewis and Pasaquan. The night will also feature a rendition of Pasaquan’s first opera, exploring the self-taught artist’s journey from his upbringing as a sharecropper’s son to his life in New York to his return to Georgia.

6 – 9 p.m., 535 Means St. N. W., Atlanta, GA 30318, www.atlantacontemporary.org

CONTINUES ON PAGE 24 December 22, 2017 Best Bets 23

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY LINEUP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 The Michelle Malone Band rings in 2018 by performing Malone’s new record “Stronger Than You Think” and more at dual gigs tonight at Eddie’s Attic, 7:30 and 10 p.m., 515-B North McDonough St., Decatur, GA 30030, www.eddiesattic.com My Sister’s Room hosts a special edition of its Winter Wonderland New Year’s Bash, complete with a snow machine outside the bar. Drag shows will be performed by Jordan Michaels McCord and friends, with extra performances by Kia Comedy, DJ Liz Owen, DJ Wolf and go-go dancers. Everyone receives a complimentary champagne toast at a midnight and a breakfast buffet with paid cover, 8 p.m. – 3 a.m., 66 12th St., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.facebook. com/events/471980933196164 Ring in 2018 at Livingston Restau-

rant + Bar with a three-course prix fixe dinner prepared by Executive Chef Mark Breault as well as a night of delicious drinks and dancing. DJ Yvonne Monet provides the beats and there’s a balloon drop and complimentary champagne toast at midnight. 9 p.m. – midnight, 659 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30308, www.livingstonatlanta.com

The Genesis White Party is one of the Heretic’s most anticipated events of the year.

White attire is requested. A limited number of advance VIP tickets are on sale now, and general admission tickets will be available at the door on a first come, first served basis.

9 p.m. – 3 a.m., the Heretic, 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, www. facebook.com/events/666431826883931

La Choloteca: Ley deLatinx and WUSSY MAG are joining forces for a special NYE Perreo Changa. Some favorite local DJs will be on tap: Esme (La Choloteca), La Superior (La Choloteca), Brian Rojas (Deep South) and AASHA (ATL/Baltimore). The event will feature a champagne toast; food vendors; a photo booth; performances by LaRico and Phaemonae; and eats by Buena Gente Cuban Bakery, Chicomeco ATL and Patrick Joseph Boston. 9 p.m. – 3 a.m., Sun In My Belly, 2161 College Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30317, www.facebook.com/ events/316832665469817

Ring in the new year with Southern Fried Queer Pride at Gurl Bye, a Southern Fried Queer Pride New Year’s Party. Come dance your way into 2018 to the sounds of JSPORT (MORPH), Divoli S’vere (Qween Beat) and LA DJ Cochino, with a special midnight performance

by Jamee Cornelia plus performances by JayBella Banks, Molly Rimswell, Paege Turner and Taylor Alxndr. A New Year’s Eve photo booth is also available courtesy of Jesse Pratt López Photography, and an upstairs lounge with board games is also on tap. 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., location TBD, www.facebook.com/ events/1171458519652612

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Come to the “Dark Side” with Neon the Glowgobear to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Enjoy a free champagne toast at midnight and some sexy vocal beats to start your year off with a bang or two. This event has no cover. 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., Atlanta Eagle, 306 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30308, www.facebook. com/events/182184212365158 (Publicity photo)

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So what is there to do in Atlanta to celebrate New Year’s Eve? Maybe you will find me taking photos along with my family at the Heretic for their annual Genesis White Party with opening DJ Mike Pope, headlined by DJ Alexander and hosted by the fabulous Angelica D’Paige. If that doesn’t interest you, almost every bar in Atlanta will have something for your liking. What I love about Atlanta is that you might not know what to do, but there is a plethora of events that one can do. You can go downtown and see the Peach Drop at the new location in Woodruff Park or head down to The Battery Atlanta for their huge live NYE party that includes live music and food.

Honestly, I think that this year for me I will try to enjoy the evening with family and maybe rest up a little because, to be honest, the party really is on New Year’s Day. I am more of a soccer fan but bitch when I tell you Jan. 1 is the day to party and enjoy with friends, it is! I can think of at least five football games happening that day, from the Rose Bowl to the Peach Bowl! I have been invited to more tailgating parties around these games than to celebrate New Year’s, which is just crazy!

One thing I am totes looking forward to doing on New Year’s Day is to make a list like many of you do about what goals I want to achieve in 2018 and where do I want to take my brand Just Toby — all while watching the infamous Rose Parade in Pasadena California.

It’s a tradition of mine and many across the country to watch it; its almost like seeing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The whole parade brings a lot of joy and inspiration because it takes so many people to create such amazing floats and it really makes me think of things I could potentially do during the year.

Oh wait, there is another thing I really want to share with you all, and that is a project I am collaborating on called On Wednesday We Drag. This is a new ongoing weekly show at the Heretic created by

“What I love about Atlanta is that you might not know what to do, but there is a plethora of events that one can do.”

Drag Mom Productions. The person behind this is Martha Caldwell, the mother of Bob the Drag Queen, winner of Season 8 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

The amazing part of this project is that it’s an early show were many can attend without staying out too late during the week.

Bob the Drag Queen will be performing at the Jan. 3 show — I have worked with him a few times and he is such a talented queen.

I remember being a fan of his way before he got into “Drag Race” and I am still a fan because the bitch makes me laugh and forget about everything else going on.

Oh and should I mention that there is one show that has the same effect and that is The Other Show created by Edie Cheezburger. It was at the Jungle on Friday nights before the club closed last month. I can’t tell you much about the future plans, but you better know that this show will pop up again in 2018 and it’s going to be amazing; just make sure to either follow them on Facebook or get any updates on my Facebook page.

For now, I’m going to leave you all with best wishes and deepest gratitude for all your support, and I hope 2018 starts off with a bang!

Just Toby is an award-winning Atlantabased photographer, promoter and social media manager who indulges in drag queens, food, local establishments and shiny things. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

SOMETIMES ‘Y’

By RYAN LEE

Scanning the different sounds of silence I once was driving through rural Kentucky, pressed the scan button on the car radio and for the first time felt the totality of nothingness. The few seconds of dead air as the digital numbers cycled the dial without locating a radio station created a vortex of silence, distinct and quieter than the overall absence of noise on a country road.

I’ve made several weekend road trips this fall, and while I recognize FM radio as the most arduous way to entertain oneself across long distances, I enjoy sampling an area’s unique-ish ingredients for an essentially universal recipe.

The radio stations that pop up along rural stretches broadcast a soundbite of modern American tensions, and make my ears yearn for the emptiness of western Kentucky.

The radio scan bounces from one ominous scripture to another, usually delivered with spectacular rage. The other most reliable frequencies are NPR and one or two Spanishlanguage stations, and it’s hard to guess which of these sound more foreign to many lifetime residents of rural Georgia or Alabama.

The presence of the latter stations — more precisely, the audience they serve — stokes much of the angry paranoia on the Christian stations and right-wing talk shows, as folks wonder whether Carnesville will stay Carnesville, and America will remain the country it was during their childhood. But their America is nothing more than that: theirs, as separate from my America as the different types of silence.

Folks often feel a tinge of enthusiasm when meeting a stranger from their hometown, but I’ve learned to resist any excitement when someone tells me they’re from Chicago, knowing that one follow-up question — “What part?” — reveals that 90 percent of them are not. Even the few from the city proper are usually north siders, meaning we are from unrecognizable worlds despite calling the same place home, a phenomenon also illustrated in this month’s Atlanta mayoral runoff election results. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

“I’ve made several weekend road trips this fall, and while I recognize FM radio as the most arduous way to entertain oneself across long distances, I enjoy sampling an area’s unique-ish ingredients for an essentially universal recipe.”

This weekend I was driving through either North or South Carolina (do we still need two, honestly?) when I heard a radio commercial directing folks to a business “right off I-85 and Butler.” It was startling to remember the I-85 paired in my consciousness with Druid Hills or Turner Field is also a daily point of reference, a physical and cultural presence, for so many others, in so many contexts.

It feels a bit hopeless for streets, cities and a nation to mean all of these things, and that all of the meanings are as true as they are incomplete, because it is never enough for one to be right unless all others are wrong. My road trip listening habits leave me more confused about how our country resolves its multiple personality disorder, but there’s another part of the drive that keeps me from surrendering to the inevitably of a second civil war.

Some trips I’ll encounter a stranger who becomes a traveling companion, without any conversation or consideration of politics, in the tradition of American exploration. Like the earliest pioneers, we are good-intentioned folks who occasionally are on the wrong side of the law: patriots who drive 10-15 miles over the speed limit, but can be baited into going 100 mph by successive “Minimum Speed” and “Slower Traffic Keep Right” signs.

It’s a bummer when either driver exits for gas or the next leg of the trip, but moving in sync for hundreds of miles with someone I’ve never met reminds me of how essentially similar our journeys are, and the pleasure of sharing the road.

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Ryan Lee is an Atlanta writer.

December 22, 2017 Columnists 27

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