O&AN | April 2019

LGBT Representation in Metro Government A Conversation With Mayor David Briley

JOHN RAY CLEMMONS JOINS RACE FOR MAYOR + GLSEN YOUTH OPPOSE ‘SLATE OF HATE’ 3 APRIL 2019 / VOLUME 19 / ISSUE 04 FIRST ISSUE FREE - ADD’L COPIES 50¢ EACH

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CONTENTS

CONTRIBUTORS Writers: Emily Benedict, Julie Chase, James Grady,

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Delia McDevitt, Chloe Miller, Josh Robbins, Jason Shawhan, Cody Tracey

OPPOSE ‘RECKLESS, IRRESPONSIBLE, AND CRUEL’ LAWS

Photographers: Michael W. Bunch, James Grady, Cody Stallings

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Cover: Mayor David Briley with Joseph Woodson,

by Michael W. Bunch/Metro Photographer

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LGBT REPRESENTATION IN METRO GOVERNMENT

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CAMPAIGNING FOR A MORE PROGRESSIVE NASHVILLE

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WEED IN TENNESSEE?

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

OPPOSE ‘RECKLESS, IRRESPONSIBLE, AND CRUEL’ LAWS DELIA MCDEVITT AND CHLOE MILLER

As an ally growing up in rural Henry County and a lesbian living in Williamson County, we witness blatant discrimination against transgender students far too often in our schools and communities. Our transgender friends and peers face daily bullying, mis-gendering, and other acts that further dehumanize them in a world where their existence is already questioned and debated through public discourse.

House Bill 1274, and its companion Senate Bill 1149, reflects one such tactic, aiming to encourage and protect school districts that adopt policies that bar transgender students from using restrooms, locker rooms, and other public facilities that align with their gender identity.

Before writing this, we were angry.

Angry that we, like many trans and queer young folks, feel hopeless. Angry that elected “leaders” in our state—a state that holds both of our hearts so dearly—don’t hold the people closest to us in equal regard. And angry that, instead of upholding their sworn duty to do what is best for ALL Tennesseans by expanding and enhancing protections for everyone—especially those who already have the fewest resources, rights and protects amongst us—lawmakers are choosing to side against those who need help, support, and love the most.

As we tried to put ourselves in the shoes of others, we realized the best op-

tion and most productive resource we have is education. We chose to believe that our legislators are open to learning, but only if they have a teacher. So, let us be your teachers.

Here are the facts: If written into Tennessee law, House Bill 1274 and Senate Bill 1149 would use taxpayer dollars to endorse and defend discrimination that is wounding to the community and wasteful for the state. Discriminatory bills such as these, as well as the district level policies it would defend, are routinely overturned through the judicial system. This bill would spend valuable resources litigating both this law and district policies in court. It seems to us that Tennessee’s “ALL means ALL” focus on education is a conflicting priority with some legislators’ obsession with marginalizing children.

Moreover, this bill puts an even larger target on the backs of young people, who already jump through endless loops and endure daily torment in their schools.

Instead of supporting trans students—who are already at substantially higher risk of dropping out, mental and physical health issues, rejection and homelessness, etc.— this bill instead creates a safety net for the powerful institutions that are choosing to further endanger these already vulnerable young people.

Transgender and gender nonconforming students are experiencing extremely hostile and unsupportive environments in

Tennessee schools. According to GLSEN’s 2017 National School Climate Survey Tennessee state-level data, 71% of LGBTQ students in Tennessee experienced verbal harassment at school based on gender expression, and 35% experienced physical harassment based on gender expression.

Moreover, nearly 3 in 4 transgender students in Tennessee were unable to use the school restroom aligned with their gender.

The bottom line is this: transgender people are no less valid than their cisgender peers. They are no less deserving of safety or privacy or liberty. To pass any measure which would threaten any of these is reckless, irresponsible, and cruel.

For this reason, we implore our state lawmakers to stop House Bill 1274 and Senate Bill 1149 from moving forward. We implore them to uphold the core American values of diversity, equality, and standing up for the underdog. And finally, we implore the voters to hold our lawmakers accountable at the voting booth if they choose hate first.

Delia McDevitt is a senior at Henry County High School and Chloe Miller is a junior at Independence High School.

Both students are members of GLSEN Tennessee SHINE Team – a student action and advocacy team committed to making schools safer and more inclusive for all students regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

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DEVIL’S PATH JASON SHAWHAN

There will come a time when The Special Shelf is devoted to something fun and frothy and sweet. But this is not that time.

This month, we’re taking a tense and destabilizing mosey down Devil’s Path, a new film from Matthew Montgomery that is not afraid to get really weird with it.

Noah (cowriter Stephen Twokardus) seems out of his depth at the cruising park.

There’s not a sign that says “cruising park” or anything. But there are no women or children to be found, and the park ranger feels like he could be the porn ‘park ranger,’ with just a bit of notice. The vibe is very severe, with hookups and power-hikers in abundance and not much appreciation of the ravishing scenery (and intimidating trails).

So our Noah is jittery and not at his most charming when he accidentally meets with Patrick (JD Scalzo). Patrick is very desire-focused, and his interactions with Noah move through several phases of modern gay modes of conversation before coalescing into‘gotta go sorry bye’ disengagement.

But then Noah is attacked and injured. And then two intimidating men in grey are in pursuit, forcing our two main subjects into flight. For them the layout of the terrain is intricate and difficult. Against them are Noah’s wounds from the attack and Patrick’s asthma. And those two men in grey are always nearby, part of a relentless sound mix that, along with Ceiri Torjussen’s effective score, ramps up the tension.

Much of the film feels like heightened takes on the various stages of negotiating a

relationship: blending personalities, establishing boundaries, deciding what traits and characteristics you can or can’t deal with.

There’s a very perceptive guide to the hard work of building emotional bonds lurking just beneath the running and bonding and yelling bullet points of the chase narrative.

But there are also some moments that threaten to sink the whole effort entirely—one a moment of unexpected violence that serves no purpose other than to make the viewer irrationally angry, the other an act of physical sabotage that makes no sense and serves as the only badly-written sequence in the film.

Before the film is over, we go through a lot of twists and turns, both literally and figuratively. And honestly, they don’t all work. There are interesting points made about metabolizing trauma, the horror of self-loathing and how it can bring down even the strongest personal foundations, and how awful gay men can be to one another when desire becomes a factor.

SHELF

Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Brandon Teeftaller, APN

Montgomery deserves a lot of respect for finding ways to address all this in a wellpaced suspense thriller. But there’s a lot to unpack about queer shame and how it’s used within the mystery framework, and a lot of people could end up being pissed off by some of Devil’s Path’s choices. Some of its psychological notes feel reductive, and some of its perceptive-but-exaggerated criticisms of gay interaction could trip up the“what will the heterosexuals think of this conversation” iteration of queer respectabilitypolitics.

The highest compliment that I can pay Devil’s Path is that it commits fully to its narrative, veering from sexy primal scenario to kinetic chase thriller to V.C. Andrews virtual sleazefest to deeply tragic portrait of the fallout that lots of suspense and horror films never even think to explore. It’s a messy film, but one that sticks in the back of the brain and lingers there.

Devil’s Path is available for rental or purchase on Amazon Prime.

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PHOTO CREDIT: MICHAEL W. BUNCH/METRO PHOTOGRAPHER

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LGBT REPRESENTATION IN METRO GOVERNMENT A Conversation with Mayor David Briley James Grady On February 11, 2019, Mayor David Briley signed an historic executive order that initiated the process of collecting data to support adding LGBT-owned businesses to Metro’s diversity procurement program. In the long term, that policy may change the way that LGBT-owned enterprises will do business with Metro government. But, in the short term, it signaled this administration’s commitment to revising its procurement processes to create a fairer environment and to continuing efforts to make Nashville an open and welcoming city for LGBT citizens.

Indeed, since taking office in the aftermath of Mayor Megan Barry’s resignation and since being elected in his own right shortly thereafter, Mayor Briley has consistently made LGBT issues a matter of concern for his administration. This is reflected not only at the policy level, but also in the personnel choices he has made.

Joseph Woodson and Patrick Hamilton, well-known members of the Nashville LGBT community, were both carryovers from the Barry administration.

Under Briley, however, both have seen

their roles expanded. Hamilton, who was Barry’s scheduling secretary, is Briley’s deputy chief of staff. Woodson is now Briley’s senior legislative advisor; more recently Woodson has also adopted the role of the mayor’s official LGBT community liaison.

Thus, the LGBT community has unprecedented representation at the highest levels of this administration. Briley credits these representatives with keeping LGBT issues front and center for his administration.

“I’m probably not supposed to do this,” Briley joked, “and give credit to somebody else. But Megan [Barry] had been working on LGBT issues like the ones we have focused on a long time. I think it just took somebody to come in, and just give it that one extra little push ... and elevating Joseph and Patrick and putting them in positions where they’re both part of the senior team here.”

There was never a question that LGBT people would be represented in his administration. He said that he wanted his meeting rooms to “the kind of rooms I have lived in for the last 35 years, you know. And so whether it was the time

I lived in San Francisco, or for eight years, going to law school and such, or if it was my wife’s friends, or my time on the Nashville CARES Board, or the folks my mom has hung out with for all that time, it’s just a natural thing for me to do, to want to make it seem like the way I had grown up and the way I seen the city grow.”

“The other part of it is much more intentional,” he added. “We try to make sure that any group that’s underrepresented in town is represented here when decisions are made...This is one place where we ought to make sure that there’s a good cross-section of people making decisions.

I’ve been in plenty of rooms where it was all one group, but when different perspectives are represented, it’s just a much more productive way to live, I think.”

“The senior team sits around this table of 10 chairs,” Briley continued. “Every Monday morning, we sit down and make decisions about what the priorities are for the coming week. And every time we do it, 20% of the folks sitting around the table have direct experience and perspective on the on LGBTQ issues. So it’s always something that we’re thinking about, it’s always something we keep pushing forward on, whether it’s the money for the Chamber or making sure that the police department has got an officer who is focused on these issues on a daily basis…”

The institution of an LGBT liaison in the police department was one of the first efforts Woodson helped coordinate in his own role as liaison. “That issue came really on the forefront pretty quickly,” Woodson explained about the publicizing of local police and firefighters’ social media mocking of a trans person.

“It had been out there in social media for a year, but of course, we didn’t know that. And then when it came out, I mean, immediately, I heard from HRC… Really quickly, MNPD, the fire department, and everyone were around that table. We’re talking about the senior leadership in

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each of those departments, representatives from training, from ethical conduct, etc. And we were there to solve a problem.”

Briley has focused on major issues that impact the LGBT community, from bullying to HIV policy. “I’ll tell you, one of the best meetings I’ve had here was with two high school students who came to talk about the ‘No Name-Calling Week’ who came with two Vandy grad students who were helping them work through that project with GLSEN. Just to see them able to make a difference and to have access to the mayor’s office. I think, frankly, that probably wouldn’t have happened without Joseph and Patrick here.”

Woodson confirmed this, in fact. “Actually, the students and the folks from GLSEN that were with them found me through just looking on the internet for how to access the Mayor’s Office and reached out to me… Three or four weeks later, we had the meeting and proceeded. I also coordinated them with Nancy [vanReece] and Brett [Withers] and then they recognized them at a Council meeting…”

Ending the HIV epidemic has long been important to Briley, who served on the board of Nashville CARES. “We’re now to the point where, through PEP and PREP and better education, we can end the epidemic in our lifetimes,” Briley said. “I don’t think a lot of people ever saw that as an opportunity. And so it’s another one of those things that takes persistence… There’s no reason for us not to set that as the goal in our city, which is the healthcare capital of the world and where we have the capacity to do it.”

When asked to further reflect on specific moments under his administration that directly relate to the local LGBT community, Briley said, “I can’t stop without reminding everybody of The Jungle historical marker over on my on Commerce Street... You know, in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and even ‘90s, Nashville wasn’t anywhere close to the friendly place it is right now. So just to hang with some people who have seen rougher moments, and to recognize that history, in a better environment is a pretty cool thing.”

Moving forward, Briley recognizes that there is still much to do.

“I think the thing that is probably most important to me is issues affecting our young people. So when GLSEN came, we talked to them about what they’re doing in schools. I’ve met with Pam Sheffer from Oasis... I think there is lots of room for us to make progress there. When you look at the percentage of homeless youth that are LGBT, it’s really high, and there is an important role for us to play in pushing out better information, better support for young people.”

“So, if I had to pick one thing that we were going to focus on for the next four years that we could play a bigger role in,”

Briley explained, “that would be it. Kids should feel supported and valid. It’s hard enough being a kid on its own; so much, much harder under circumstances like this.”

“Then there’s always the bathroom stuff that legislature wants to participate in every year,” he added. “We’ll have to work on that. And we’ve started looking at our benefits for Metro employees, to make sure that LGBT healthcare concerns are being met.”

Moving forward, then, there is every reason to expect that Briley will continue to pay close attention to LGBT issues, with leaders like Hamilton and Woodson supporting him. “I have a limited amount of time every day,” he said. “And we have limited capacities.”

“It’s really about persistence and making sure that we’ve got folks in positions of authority that don’t live in a bubble,” Briley concluded. “Things can fall down the line unless the people here are focused. But I have advisors here pushing me every day to make these kinds of decisions.” Not that he seems to mind one bit.

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CAMPAIGNING for a More Progressive Nashville John Ray Clemmons Makes Mayoral Challenge JAMES GRADY

The 2019 race to decide who will be Nashville’s next mayor is well under way, with elections already right around the corner.

Well, not exactly, but August 1 will be here before you know it.

State Representative John Ray Clemmons was the first candidate to challenge incumbent David Briley.

Both men are long-time and dependable allies to the LGBT community, and each is passionate about helping Nashville become the most welcoming city it can be. With two strong allies running, how do we choose for whom we will vote?

I sat down with John Ray Clemmons a week after meeting Mayor Briley, and chatted with him about his record, and his vision for the city. Perhaps this will help.

GRADY: What do you consider some of your biggest legislative accomplishments as a member of the State House?

CLEMMONS: Well, as a state legislator, I serve in a pretty difficult environment for a progressive like myself, who really believes in our core values of equity, opportunity and justice. I’ve gained a bit of a reputation out there as a fighter, but I strongly believe that our values are worth fighting for. And a lot of discriminatory legislation that has come through the legislature was worth fighting against.

We have won some, we’ve lost some, and I still lose a lot of sleep over some of those we’ve lost, to be honest with you. First and foremost, the counseling bill. I felt that bill from the first day it was in sub-committee all the way to the House floor. And that’s one of those that I still lose sleep over and I still hold it against Governor Haslam that he signed that bill.

As far as accomplishments, I’ve passed two affordable housing bills, I passed an education bill, I really played a key role in passing the Improve Act to increase generation of revenue for transportation infrastructure projects across the state... 440 wouldn’t be getting redone right now, if it hadn’t been for me and several others working across the aisle with Governor Haslam to push that through the legislature.

And I think it’s fair to say that there’s a lot of legislation I passed up there that the other side doesn’t know was my legislation... They like to kill my bills for sport sometimes. So, you know, I have to use my wits and outwit them sometimes…

GRADY: What led you to consider running for mayor?

CLEMMONS: Well, I’m really passionate about the issues facing our city. And, most of all, I’m passionate about the people in Nashville. You know, we like to think of ourselves as this progressive city,

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you know, this blue beacon on a hill in a sea of red. But we really need to step back and evaluate if we’re really, truly a progressive city.

I mean, you know, on the Municipal Equality Index HRC puts out, we only scored 63. That’s unacceptable. You know, we can’t compare ourselves to other cities in Tennessee: we need to be a national leader when it comes to progress.

I just feel really passionate about the issues facing not only the LGBTQ community, but everyone a whole. I mean, the issues are the same across the board, in most cases ... so affordable housing, transportation, education, public safety, those types of things. The homelessness issue is a serious problem in the city. And I think the number of homeless in this in this city is underestimated.

Those are just issues about which I feel very passionately: I’ve had success in the toughest environments of the state legislature working on those issues. And I want to bring my leadership ability to the Mayor’s Office to have a more direct impact and provide some real leadership on those issues.

GRADY: What are you hearing are the important issues from your LGBTQ supporters?

CLEMMONS: The issues that are the same to all Nashvillians. And then there’s several others that we need to do, to be better authentic allies of the community here in Nashville … but there’re specific issues...

We have a real problem with children being displaced, unfortunately... It’s something I’ve worked on in the legislature... And the counseling bill was a perfect example. Children who either come out to their parents or have trouble self-identifying even, they go to someone for help: if it’s a counselor, now we’ve created an environment where counselors can turn them away.

Unfortunately, parents also turn their own children away. And we have a huge homeless population of children in this city. We have a huge population in this city of people needing help and assistance, whether it’s through general hospital or whether it’s housing, and so we have to do a better job of addressing all those issues.

GRADY: Mayor Briley’s a lot that has had a positive impact for the LGBT community... Where would you go beyond that?

CLEMMONS: There are two areas of particular passion for me, just from personal experience: our city can do a lot more to support the LGBTQ senior community, and we can do a lot more to help those suffering from HIV and AIDS. Nashville CARES does great things. But we as a city need to address this issue. And, again, I speak from personal experience on that, with a loved one. But those are two areas that I would really like to see us make headway.

I think there’s a role for every level of government to play in this. And I think it’s an opportunity for Metro government to be a leader, to put it on the radar for the state to really talk about this as an issue that we have to address, because it’s not going away… What we need is for an entire municipality to raise awareness of an issue that’s affecting to large of a population, not just in our city, but the entire state, to really put it front and center.

We have that opportunity.

What we need is action. What we need is leadership to set that in motion. That is what I will bring to the Mayor’s Office...

GRADY: What would you say in closing to our readers?

CLEMMONS: We should not be legislating out of fear in Metro. We have to do what we think is best and right, in the best interest of Nashvillians, all Nashvillians. If the state wants to step up and do something, then we’ll take them on and we’ll deal with it. If we have the lead from Metro, then let’s lead from Metro, and I think that leadership is missing.

Equity, opportunity, and justice. If we operate from those core values, and build policies around those core values, our city will be on the path to being a truly progressive city. I would rather Nashville lead the nation in these areas, than just try to survive being a blue dot in the state of Tennessee.

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Carol Swain, infamous ultra-right-wing former Vanderbilt professor, has also announced her candidacy for Nashville’s next mayor, joining Briley, Clemmons, and perhaps others in seeking the position.

Swain announced during a faculty breakfast club event hosted at Tennessee State University.

Swain will likely be one of the few arch-conservatives, if not the only one, in the August 1 election. Last May, Swain finished an extremely distant second to Briley in a special election. With over a dozen candidates running, Briley managed to avoid a runoff by getting over 54% of the vote in the first round, while Swain pulled a relatively abysmal 22.9%.

“The city of Nashville deserves a mayor that is committed to making commonsense improvements that will enrich our community,” Swain said, proceeding to vaguely attack the mayor. “It is a disgrace that under the leadership of our current mayor, Nashville has the highest debt per citizen of any city in the nation, teachers remain under paid, we lack affordable housing, all while traffic and infrastructure problems clog our streets.”

Swain has pledged to work closely with the police, firefighters, first responders and emergency personnel to address ongoing concerns regarding funding, working conditions and competitive pay, without making any concrete suggestions about how these promises will be funded.

In a press release, her campaign insisted “that Nashville can be a model for what can be done with sensible, community based leadership instead of false promises and self-serving dealings.”

“What I can promise you are transparency and an achievable plan for protecting the character and culture of Nashville while bringing prosperity to our city,” Swain said. “I am asking our community to stand and Be the People for Nashville. To stand up against a failed mayor and make the right choice for our city.”

We need not guess what Swain thinks the people want, and what character she wishes to protect in Nashville. Swain is perhaps best known for her attacks against the LGBT community and the Islamic community, not only generally but at a very personal level.

Swain reportedly outed a gay student at Vanderbilt. And, when students questioned her bias against Islam, she characterized the criticism as harassment and demanded protection. Snowflake indeed…

Swain really is a nightmare candidate for many in Nashville’s community, and while she doesn’t have … a snowflake’s chance, she shouldn’t be underestimated. Before the race is over, she will likely have sown enough discord and could have fomented enough hatred to make Nashville a worse place just by having run.

LET’S GET OUT & ABOUT,

NASHVILLE! EMILY BENEDICT

It’s no wonder so many people are attracted to Nashville. We are fortunate to have something for everyone, so, whether you like indoor or outdoor activities, we have you covered. I thought it would be fun to

share some of the big attractions in and around the city and the region that I like to introduce people to. I have left many off of this list and would love to hear from you about your favorites too.

Looking at area museums, I like to start with the Parthenon. Built in 1897 for the state’s 100-year statehood anniversary, it is a precise replica of the Greek Parthenon. This magnificent building houses a full-scale, gold-plated statue of Athena.

The Parthenon’s museum houses permanent and traveling exhibits, as well.

If you haven’t yet, I’d recommend spending a few hours in the downtown Nashville Public Library. Not only is it full of reading material, you also can explore Nashville’s history, in particular in the Civil Rights Room, which documents the Civil Rights Movement in the city.

The Country Music Hall of Fame has rotating installations throughout the year.

Although I didn’t pick up an affinity for country music until later in life, I have always enjoyed stories about our celebrities. Some of the firecracker stories I’ve now heard, as the result of tidbits I picked up in this museum, will have me grinning for a long time.

Since we are known as the Music City, my two favorite venues that are attractions in their own right are the Ryman Auditorium and The Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Take a tour, or just buy tickets to the next show. They’ll give you goosebumps.

Other spots to see on a rainy day include the Adventure Science Center, the Frist Art Museum, the new Tennessee State Museum (don’t miss this one), The Hermitage, Cheekwood, Belle Meade Plantation, and Lane Motor Museum.

Moving outdoors, Nashville offers more than 190 miles of trails, of which 80 miles are specifically off-street, multi-use greenways. Nashville Parks & Recreation’s goal is to have a greenway trailhead within two miles of every community.

Beyond the city, the 444-mile-long Natchez Trace Parkway, which starts in Mississippi and traverses Alabama, terminates just south of Nashville. When we travel “The Trace”, we start near the

Loveless Cafe, drive for a bit, pull off at one of the many stops, hike a little, and then drive some more until we find another scenic spot to get out again. We usually go for less than 90 miles before heading back to Nashville, although I would like to make the whole trip someday. It’s also popular with cyclists.

Middle Tennessee is also home to innumerable Civil War sites. Of all the states, Tennessee had the second most battles during the war, which provides history buffs with ample opportunities to explore this era of our country’s history.

If you like to get out on the water, we have lots of kayaking in the region.

Nearest the city, the Harpeth and Duck Rivers provide relatively easy rides most of the season, excepting times of heavy rainfall. If you prefer a greater challenge, head east, well outside of Nashville, to the Hiwassee River, or take a guided ride down the Ocoee, which has up to Class IV rapids.

Myriad state parks provide opportunities for camping, hiking, and even golf (at Montgomery Bell State Park). Some of my favorites are Fall Creek Falls, Cedars of Lebanon, Long Hunter, and Burgess Falls.

There are many more I haven’t seen yet!

Speaking of golf… We have courses (over 40 in the region) for all skill levels. I’ve played many of these, each time getting my money’s worth, usually scoring at least 25 strokes more than I should! Seriously, Nashville has some very good golf. Hermitage Golf Course is a favorite of mine, as is the municipal course, Two Rivers.

As you might expect, seeing the many historic homes and buildings in the area is one of my favorite activities.

Oak Hill, Belle Meade, Old Hickory Village, Edgefield, Lockeland Springs, Inglewood, Vanderbilt and the Vanderbilt Peabody Campus, Germantown, and Fisk University all offer proud examples of historic architecture in the styles of Victorian, Neo-classical, Tudor, and Mid-century modern. I love finding new gems throughout the city and sharing them with my clients.

The many attractions in our great city can keep you out & about all year long, as you discover the places that continue to attract travelers and transplants. As you find your favorites, tell me about them @bslnashville on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

Emily Benedict is a Realtor working with buyers, sellers, investors, and developers throughout Middle Tennessee.

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HEALTH

ARTS

Dental Services East Side Smiles 7 North 10th Street Nashville, TN 37206 615-227-2400 Eastsidesmile.net

Performing Arts Nashville Symphony Schermerhorn Symphony Center One Symphony Place Nashville, TN 37201 615-687-6400 Nashvillesymphony.org

Healthcare Providers Cool Springs Internal Medicine & Pediatrics Bradley Bullock, MD 1607 Westgate Circle, Ste 200 Brentwood, TN 37027 615-376-8195 Coolspringsinternalmedicine.com

Visual Arts John Cannon Studios 1108-C Woodland Street Nashville, TN 37206 615-496-1259 Johncannonart.com LEGAL SERVICES

Pharmacy Nashville Pharmacy Services 100 Oaks Plaza, Skyline Medical 615-371-1210 / 615-724-0066 Npspharmcay.com

Lawyer Bart Durham Injury Law Office 404 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37219 615-338-6177 Bartdurham.com

Optometry Look East 1011 Gallatin Avenue Nashville, TN 37206 615-928-2281 Lookeastnashville.com COUNSELING & PSYCHIATRIC HEALTH Individual & Couples Therapy Barbara Sanders, LCSW/John Waide, PhD, LCSW 2016- 21St Ave South/2323- 21st Ave South, Ste.401 Nashville, TN 37212 615-414-2553 / 615-400-5911 Dignitytherapynashville.com

Bonding Bail U Out Bonding 404 James Robertson Pkwy Nashville, TN 37219 615-254-9555 bailuoutbonding.net SPIRITUALITY Holy Trinity Community Church 6727 Charlotte Pike Nashville, TN 37209 615-352-3838 www.htccnashville.com

REAL ESTATE Sheila Barnard, Realtor, The Realty Association 1305 Murfressboro Road Nashville, TN 37217 615-385-9010 cell 615-424-6924 Sheilabarnard.realtyassociation.com Emily Benedict, Realtor, Village Real Estate 2206 21st Ave South, Ste. 200 Nashville, TN 37212 615-585-1258 BSLNashville.com Kate Nelson, Realtor, Village Real Estate 2206 21st Ave South, Ste. 200 Nashville, TN 37212 615-383-6964 Realestatewithkate.com BARS & NIGHTCLUBS PLAY Dance Bar 1519 Church Street Nashville, TN 37203 615-322-9627 Playdancebar.com Tribe 1517 Church Street Nashville, TN 37203 615-329-2912 Tribenashville.com ORGANIZATIONS Nashville Humane Association 213 Oceola Avenue Nashville, TN 37209 615-352-1010 Nashvillehumane.org Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 330971 Nashville, TN 37203 615-507-5185 Nashvillelgbtchamber.org

Please Join Holy Trinity Community Church for a Month long Celebration!

Palm Sunday Concert with Nashville in Harmony’s Major Minors, April 14th, 7PM at HTCC followed by a reception Maundy Thursday Service, April 18th, 7PM at HTCC - Seder Meal Good Friday, April 19th 6:30PM at Howard UCC Sunrise Easter Service April 21, 6AM at Brookmeade Easter Worship Service, April 21st 10AM at HTCC followed by brunch Holy Trinity Community Church

6727 Charolette Pike, Nashville TN

(615) 352-3838

www.htccnashville.com

@OUTANDABOUTNASH

1 5 Y E A R S O F LG B T N E W S

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WEED IN TENNESSEE? ,

It s Already Here JOSH ROBBINS

Several years back in West Tennessee, during a holiday break, I was all over my small hometown’s backroads, driving around in my new all-blacked-out sports car, desperately trying to score at least a dime bag of weed and a shiny new glass pipe. It was almost impossible to find anything during Christmas.

Sure, it was illegal. Sure, it is probably terrible sounding that I had to get a fix while home for the holidays. But it wasn’t for me—honestly.

One of my family members is living with Multiple Sclerosis and they wanted to try marijuana to help them manage their pain during their flare ups. They were in pain and miserable, and doing an old-school, back-alley drug deal was the only way that I knew how to help. I got lucky. I didn’t get caught. And the stuff wasn’t that bad.

After arriving back home, I spent the next 45 minutes huddled in the bathroom trying to train my family member on exactly the right mixture of flame, inhaling, and not letting the flame from the lighter burn the fingers grasping the glass pipe.

After taking 5 to 6 example hits—trying to demonstrate proper technique for my family member—I accidentally got high as ever.

Since that night, I think I’ve had a hit of weed, probably only once. I don’t really like the feeling I get from the experience. I’m not judging, weed just isn’t for me.

The science is still spotty and lacking on the actual benefits of marijuana medically.

But advocates point to weed being the lesser of two risks when compared to the usage of opioids for pain reduction.

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But, it did seem to help, even temporarily (praise due), my family member’s chronic illness. And that helped shape my understanding of the benefits of medicinal marijuana.

Tennessee remains one of the 14 states in the U.S. where marijuana is not only illegal, it’s still criminalized. And although there are a couple marijuana laws making their rounds through the state legislature, Governor Bill Lee adamantly opposes its legalization and decriminalization.

The science is still spotty and lacking on the actual benefits of marijuana medically. But advocates point to weed being the lesser of two risks when compared to the usage of opioids for pain reduction. (The CDC reported in fall 2018 that 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain.)

I’m a big believer in always talking to those individuals that the laws will affect most and listening to their concerns. Since I am not a recreational user, nor do I use it medically, I have to be aware of the cases being made by those that use it.

And one of those people is the family member whom I taught to smoke marijuana two years ago. They said it helped them relax and rest, reduced anxiety, and lessened pain. They understood the required responsibility of using it, and their responsible usage contributed to better management of their condition.

Marijuana can be a polarizing subject. But if it has the chance to potentially help people manage pain or anxiety, shouldn’t we be at least open to research and test pilots? CBD, a compound found in the hemp plant, is already legal in Tennessee for medical purposes. What about THC—the compound associated with “getting high”? Will THC products ever be legal?

For those of us who are progressive and support of at least some marijuana legalization—what will be next?

Josh Robbins is an award winning sexual health advocate, author of the site imstilljosh.com and spokesperson for DatingPositives.com. He was nominated for a GLAAD media award in 2017 and recently won the National Lesbian and Gay Journalist Association’s Excellence Award in the blogging category.

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