O&AN | April 2017

How Our Greenways Enhance Life in Nashville Grizzlies to Celebrate 11 Years at Model Auction

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Through May 29 DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE 919 BROADWAY NASHVILLE, TN 37203 FRISTCENTER.ORG #IRVINGPENNFCVA Irving Penn: Beyond Beauty is organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum with generous support from ART MENTOR FOUNDATION LUCERNE, Sakurako and William Fisher, The William R. Kenan Jr. Endowment Fund, The Lauder Foundation—Leonard and Judy Lauder Fund, Edward Lenkin and Roselin Atzwanger, The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, Margery and Edgar Masinter, The Margery and Edgar Masinter Exhibitions Fund, the James F. Petersen Charitable Fund in honor of Tania and Tom Evans, The Bernie Stadiem Endowment Fund, and the Trellis Fund. The C. F. Foundation in Atlanta supports the museum’s traveling exhibition program, Treasures to Go.

Irving Penn. Truman Capote, New York, 1979, printed 1983. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Irving Penn Foundation. © The Irving Penn Foundation O U T A N D A B O U T N A S H V I L L E .CO M APRIL 2017

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18 04.17

CONTENTS 12

NASHVILLE CARES SUPPORTS DINING OUT FOR LIFE

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NASHVILLE RANKED IN TOP PLACES TO LIVE + GREENWAYS

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H8’S A DRAG INTRODUCES SHERRY VINE

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THE GRIZZLIES CELEBRATE 11 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

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MARDI GRAS & ST. PATTY’S DAY FUN ON CHURCH STREET

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COCKTAILS & CONVERSATION REMOVING OBSTACLES TO INCLUSION BEA PERDUE

on research, learning, and thought on issues of diversity and inclusion in the academy, the workplace, and the “worldplace.” The slate of high-profile speakers includes: Retired Atlanta U.S. Immigration Attorney Terry Bird; Nashville Black Pride Founder Dwayne Jenkins; Cigna Senior Medical Executive Dr. Renee McLaughlin; University of Alabama Head of Sports Management and U.S. AntiDoping Agency Board Member, Dr. Ken Wright; First Tennessee Vice President of Credit Risk John Rainwater. The Conference Awards Dinner Keynote Speaker is highly respected diversity & inclusion practitioner,

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MYL PAC

How do we remove obstacles to inclusion?

We begin with open and honest dialogue that acknowledges the potential danger to our enterprises and people if we employ policies and engage in practices that facilitate or support the exclusion of any of our citizens from meaningful participation in economic, social, political and cultural life. A group of committed citizens joined in a facilitated discussion on inclusion at the second annual Cocktails & Conversation event at Waller hosted by the LGBT+ College Conference Advisory Board. The event served to kick-off the upcoming LGBT+ College Conference at Middle Tennessee State University, April 6-8, 2017.

Dr. Patrick McCarthy, Industrial Organizational Psychology Professor at MTSU, moderated the discussion with the following panelists: Lisa Howe, Nashville LGBT Chamber CEO; Aron Karabel, a partner at Waller who focuses on labor and employment law; Dr. Marisa Richmond, MTSU history professor and Metro Human Relations Commission member; and Lynne

Walker, First Tennessee Bank’s Executive Vice President for affinity banking. In the same vein as the conference, audience members were not only given opportunities to ask questions, but to also share their expertise and experience on the intersection of gender expression and identity with race, religion, economics, industry, the legal system, civic engagement and other areas that impact our region. The audience comprised a cross-section of community members from industry, government, and the non-profit sector, including representatives from Change Healthcare, Department of Children Services, Dollar General, Fifth Third Bank, KPMG, Ministry of Equality Tennessee, Nashville CARES, Street Works, Tennessee Human Rights Commission, WellCare Health Plans, and others.

Conversation will continue at the 2017 LGBT+ College Conference, now in its fourth year. The conference provides an opportunity for students, faculty, administrators, practitioners, professionals, and leaders to focus

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Eric Watson, president and CEO of the Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council. Community members are invited to nominate individuals and organizations that have advanced efforts of support and inclusion in the LGBT+ community.

Registration is complimentary to both students and community members. A complete agenda can be viewed at www.mtsu.edu/ mtlambda/LGBTplusCC.php. For additional information about the conference, please contact Dr. Will Langston, MTSU Psychology Professor and MT Lambda Faculty Advisor, at William.Langston@ mtsu.edu.

Bea Perdue is the development director for the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences at Middle Tennessee State University.

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OUR CALL TO BATTLE

RECENT REVERSALS IN PERSPECTIVE JUSTIN SWEATMAN-WEAVER

“I don’t know why I feel bad when I have to use the teacher’s bathroom.”

Scrawled in pencil on a piece of plain white copy paper in the handwriting of a young child still learning the complexities of print and punctuation, this simple sentence made my heart sink deep in my chest. I knew her story, I knew her family’s challenges, but now, for the first time, I felt like I truly knew her.

Six-year old Jessie [a pseudonym] is a little girl, just like any other, living in Knoxville and beginning her journey through her early elementary school years. But, unlike most, Jessie is faced with the dilemma of being barred from the student bathrooms in her school because she is transgender, a decision that her family has been fighting tooth-and-nail for far too long.

The letter, addressed to the Court, had been entrusted to me just days before the US Department of Justice and the Department of Education rescinded the Title IX transgender student support guidance that the Obama Administration had put in place. It ended: “Please tell my school to let me use the girl’s bathroom. Thank you. Love, Jessie.”

Our landscape has changed quite a bit since the first time I read the letter.

In response to the Executive Branch’s actions on Title IX, communities across the country rallied to send a resounding message that our support of transgender students would be louder, clearer, and more unwavering than ever; that the DOJ and DOE would be held accountable; and that justice would in time prevail as the Supreme Court of the United States would soon deliberate on Gavin Grimm vs Gloucester County School Board, a historic case that would hopefully affirm once and for all the protection of gender identity and expression under Title IX. Plot twist II: Because the rescinded guidance nullified a portion of the case, the Supreme Court decided to send the GG vs Gloucester back to the lower court. And just like that, the light of hope at the end of the tunnel crept further away.

We find ourselves now in a time of confusion, fear, and anger. Our map to victory has been flipped like a monopoly board at the hands of a sore loser. But after we lick our wounds and clear our heads, we understand that these are the times when we are truly called to do the work we were charged with when we started this journey. It’s not our defeat; it’s our call to battle.

With or without Title IX guidance or a Supreme Court ruling, queer and transgender students still have rights. And every person now has the opportunity to be someone’s guardian, cheerleader, or champion. We have not only the chance, but even the awesome responsibility, to be there for young people like Jessie and to live out the promise that our community will not rest until all people are afforded the same respect, safety, and dignity.

Our community was here long before this Administration and will be here long after. We can continue to provide safety and support. We can continue to show up and fight for young people at Congress, at the Department of Education, at the State Capitol, and at local school boards. We can continue to uplift and amplify the voices of trans and queer students. And, most importantly for me, we can fight for a world where Jessie and other young people brave enough to live their authentic lives won’t have to feel bad anymore.

Justin Sweatman-Weaver is the Board Chair of GLSEN Tennessee, a volunteerled organization working to create safe and inclusive K-12 learning environments for LGBT students in Tennessee.

It’s important to remember that no rights have been eliminated and that case law still stands on the side of inclusion and equality. You can help a young person who has been victimized or discriminated against claim their rights at school by filing an online complaint with the Office of Civil Rights by visiting www.ed.gov/about/offices/ list/ocr/complaintintro.html. GLSEN Tennessee is always prepared to help with claims, if needed: simply email us at Tennessee@ chapters.glsen.org.

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CARES’ DINING OUT FOR LIFE CONTINUES TO EXPAND MORE HOSTS THAN EVER NEEDED TO WELCOME, EDUCATE

MICHAEL CANTRELL

“Role models are important,” said Ron Snitker, a two-year returning restaurant host for Nashville’s Dining Out for Life, an annual fundraiser for local HIV advocacy organization, Nashville CARES. Snitker, a local member of the Nashville community— whose background is in financial services, marketing and sales, and who holds a degree in music performance and business from the University of Iowa—says participating in this event is all about helping the community and creating awareness.

Snitker is an active philanthropist and volunteer in the Nashville community. In addition to his support for Nashville CARES, he has volunteered for organizations such as the Nashville Symphony, Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, the Middle Tennessee State University Lambda organization, and currently serves as Vice President of the local Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Chamber of Commerce.

Although all of his volunteer experiences are equally important to him, Snitker said volunteering for Nashville CARES has been O U T A N D A B O U T N A S H V I L L E .CO M

one of the most enjoyable experiences of his life. Nashville CARES was founded in 1985 with hopes of helping residents of Middle Tennessee better understand how to prevent this disease that takes the lives of many of our loved ones every year. According to the organization’s mission statement, Nashville CARES offers services annually to 55,000 men, women, and children in the middle Tennessee area affected by HIV/AIDS. Some of the services included case management and education.

Snitker grew up in a small town in Iowa with a population of only 9,000 people in an area where there weren’t many out LGBT people and in an era where the HIV/AIDS epidemic was known as the gay cancer and the stigma surrounding it was immense.

As Ron said, “This is the most significant disease in modern lives,” and that’s why he always wants to be involved.

According to the Nashville CARES, Dining Out for Life has grown rapidly over time. On April 18, 2017, an estimated 20,000 people will dine at over 80 restaurants to raise over $160,000 for Nashville Cares.

APRIL 2017

Before moving to Nashville and transferring his job, Snitker hosted Dining Out for Life in restaurants in San Francisco. Between him and his husband, they have hosted for a total of 15 years, four of which (two each) have been in the Nashville area. In addition to Dining Out for Life, Ron has volunteered for The Nashville Aids Walk and Avant Garde, both annual fundraisers for Nashville CARES. For the past two years, Snitker has been the host at Lockeland Table in East Nashville.

Lockeland Table is a local restaurant that serves new American cuisine and grows and cans its own herbs. Two years ago, a few people asked Ron to help them host this restaurant because of the high demand of time for a host to commit on the day of the event.

Due to Snitker’s philanthropic nature, he did not hesitate to volunteer. When asked what his inspiration was for volunteering for this event, Ron simply stated that Nashville CARES’ mission to educate and help the community fight against HIV/AIDS was enough of an inspiration for him.

“Being a host for Dining out for Life is one of the most simple ways to become involved,” said Snitker.

He added that a hosts’ job is simple; “Promote the restaurant on social media and help drive business to the event, and when the guests arrive educate them on the mission of Nashville CARES, serve as an ambassador, and thank diners for supporting the organization.”

To become a host for Dining out for Life on Tuesday April 18, 2017, you may contact Vince Walzberg at vwalzberg@nashvillecares.org.

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OUTANDABOUTNASHVILLE.COM

BY GAVIN ROSS

The Music City Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, along with Play Dance Bar, are presenting the 6th annual H8’s A Drag on April 23, 2017. This year Sherry Vine will be performing her full-length show alongside Miss Gay USofA Aurora Sexton, the Ebony Goddess Chyna, and a stellar local line up.

H8’s A Drag will inaugurate another season of anti-bullying support, awareness, and education for at-risk LGBTQI Youth and the community, to coincide with the annual GLSEN Day of Silence. This year’s theme—H8’s a Drag: LOVE is not SILENT—places focus on silence and indifference, as bullying and hatred go on around us, causing irreparable harm and death.

Headliner Sherry Vine sat down with us to introduce herself to Nashville audiences, in advance of her first visit to Nashville!

wanted to do this drag queen, and I real connected to that and was like, “This is fun!”

I just started to explore doing things in drag. I would come to class and do monologues from For Colored Girls … and okay there’s a guy doing a black woman’s monologue. But it was just kind of to experiment, and I really connected with that. When I would read a Streetcar Called Desire, I would want to play Blanche—that’s the good part.

I started performing around Los Angeles, where I was going to school, for fun, but without the intention of it being a career. And then I kind of woke up one day and was like, “Oh s**t, I think I’m a professional drag queen now…” And once I embraced that, it was really fun. At first I was kind of fighting against it, because I wanted to be a movie star, not a drag queen.

If you were to describe Sherry Vine, what type of entertainer would you say she was?

Well definitely it’s heavy on the pop parodies. I have been called everything from hooker Barbie, to describe the look, to the weird Al Yankovic of drag. It’s always in good humor, a naughty kind of fun. I don’t think it’s offending anyone, it’s just mostly silly poop/bathroom humor, and I really kind of just make fun of myself mostly. In one sentence Sherry Vine is the Weird Al Yankovic of drag, singing naughty parodies of your favorite pop song.

Who were some of your influences, or did you have any? Were there any people doing what you wanted to do?

I eventually discovered people doing what I wanted to do, but when I first started I was in graduate school, in California, getting a Master’s degree in Theatre. No one certainly was doing drag, and they kind of thought I was crazy. And the only drag I had seen going to the bars in West Hollywood was, you know, what I would call old school drag. It’s not a read, it was just not what I wanted to do. I loved watching queens in a gown lip syncing to Whitney Houston, but I knew it’s not what I wanted to do.

So, when I first created the character Sherry Vine, the first thing I did was total broken down ex-Las Vegas showgirl singing this torch song version of Black Coffee—live not lip syncing—and certainly in West Hollywood people were like, “What’s going on?” I felt like I was interested in being more theatrical and dramatic and coming from a place that I had not seen anyone do this.

What got you started wanting to do drag?

I just kind of was dressing up and going out for fun when I was younger in college. I went to college to study theatre, and we kind of had to do these monologues based on real people. I tried to make them diverse: I would do like a business man and this real nerdy tech guy. Then I said I

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Once I came to New York, I was like, “Oh, I certainly didn’t invent this!” And there was a whole world of drag queens doing different things. One of the first queens I saw was Vaginal Cream Davis ... and she was singing punk songs and about shrimping people’s toes, and I loved it. And that was kind of the inspiration.

What has been the evolution you have seen in drag?

This year is my 25-year anniversary of drag, and I can’t believe it. I have been around long enough that I have seen quite a few what I call renaissances of drag, where it will be like five or six years where it’s like, “God, where are the new drag queens?” Then it’s like there are twenty new drag queens. I have seen it happen numerous times, like when RuPaul’s Drag Race started, and it was a hit. Now there are lots and lots of new drag queens, and I love it. And I just love seeing the talent—there are so many talented people. There are queens that can sing, queens that can dance, queens that are funny, and queens that give you crazy looks.

What got you interested in helping a cause like the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence?

Well, I have a long history of doing different things with Sisters in other cities. I have worked with some in San Francisco. I lived in Berlin for three years from 2001 to 2004, and there is a very active strong Sister community there, and I would do benefits and work with them... I just love supporting: I am always up for a benefit and for an AIDS charity, and if I am free and I can get there, I will be there. I would say probably in Berlin I was a bit more active because they go out to the bars, they bar hop, they hand out condoms, and they go out to the shows, and want to know the queens, so I was a bit more involved in Berlin.

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Is there something that you want Nashville to know before you come?

I am really excited! In 25 years, I have been everywhere, but I haven’t been to Nashville. Why have I not been to Nashville? So, when this came up, I was so excited, and I can’t wait to get down there and to see the city and perform!

And I think people are kind of surprised by my show. They may know me from YouTube and think, “Oh, she’s that queen that sings about poop,” but there is more to it than that.

I am going to mix it up. I have some Broadway stuff, I do a lot of shtick comedy, some stand-up-type stuff, interaction with the audience, and it’s all in good fun. I’m not reading anyone but myself. I think people will come and be like, “Oh, okay, there are a bunch of drag queens that have not been on Drag Race that can do a show.” I hope that they will come and have fun!

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BY JAMES GRADY

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Brandon is still in his honeymoon phase with the city: “Nashville has endless things to do, from just enjoying live music to finding one of the many hidden cafes or restaurants. It’s everything I wanted it to be and more.”

Brandon also believes that the culture of Nashville is conducive to his longer-term goals. “I’ve been drawing and painting since I was a kid.

That being a part of who I am I’m soaking up the culture and art of the city as much as I can,” he said. “I feel like there are endless opportunities for an artist in this city. I think I have a opportunity to become an openly gay tattoo artist here more than any other city I could have moved to.”

This doesn’t mean he’s in love with everything. Like many long-time residents, he points to traffic as one of his major cons. “It’s something I’m still getting used to,” he said. “Back in Kansas I could get anywhere in 10 mins or less. Here it is drastically different. Plus, finding my way around has been an interesting challenge. Thank God for GPS.” Jeff Tordiff moved to Nashville from Oxford, Mississippi (where he had moved from Little Rock, Arkansas). “I was taking a break from working to try and find a job that I was truly passionate about,” he explained of his time in Oxford.

It was Nashville’s fruitful job market that brought him here. “I ended up moving to Nashville,” he explained, “because I was offered an opportunity to work in a field I was passionate about, and didn’t want to pass up the opportunity.”

Jeff was very familiar with Nashville before moving here though.

“I absolutely would have considered Nashville a desirable city to live in before I moved here. I had been here several times in college for Pride,” he said, “and I loved the diversity the city provided.” Living here has only enhanced that opinion. “Nashville is growing every day, and all kinds of new things are happening here. I truly think that Nashville could be the new it-place to live.”

After living here for over a year, Jeff still appreciates that Nashville has the charm of a smaller Southern city but the amenities of a large city.

“My favorite thing to do in Nashville is to catch the shows that come through: there is always something happening here.” But like Brandon, he pointed to traffic, and the lack of a real public transportation system, as the city’s major drawback.

Quinton Walker lived in Atlanta, Georgia, where he served as a school administrator for two different institutions, for almost twelve years before moving to Nashville. While still living in Atlanta, Quinton began his doctoral work at Vanderbilt, and when he finished his program

PHOTOS: CODY STALLINGS & GETTY IMAGES

Back in February, U.S. News & World Report released its annual “Best Places to Live” list, which ranks the United States’ 100 most populous cities based on metrics like “affordability, job prospects and quality of life.”

Nashville scored the number 13 spot, a meteoric rise over its 22nd place in 2016 that confirmed the city’s star is still on the rise. Nashville’s profile on U.S. News describes Nashville as “home to a community fiercely driven by a desire to create,” and provides a more in-depth look at how the city was ranked.

Any such ranking is, of course, subject to dispute, but overall Nashville fares well when compared to peer cities, beating out Charlotte, North Carolina, and Dallas, Texas. Still Nashville has its downsides from certain perspectives. Despite its increasing cultural relevance and powerhouse tech and healthcare industries, as well as its firmly Democratic leanings, Nashville is a blue hub in a sea of red, and each year Tennessee’s supermajority Republican legislators seem intent on competing for “Most anti-LGBT.” Here at O&AN, this made us wonder how Nashville’s “livability” rating translates for its LGBT citizens, in particular the thousands who move to the city each year because of its ever-increasing reputation and job prospects.

When LGBT transplants arrive, expecting to find a bustling, growing metropolis, how do they find the city, which not too long ago was barely more than a large town? What drew them here, and did they find Nashville to be a cool oasis of promise, a disappointing mirage, or just an enigma? I asked a few recent transplants to provide some feedback about their experiences of our emerging “it city.”.

Cover model Brandon Ybarra is the most recent transplant we spoke with, having just moved to Nashville in the last month. He came here from Wichita, Kansas, where he was a manager for Target, and was definitely drawn by Nashville’s reputation as a hip, up-and-coming city.

“Long story short,” Brandon said, “I moved because Kansas just didn’t have what I needed. It had no culture, not much of an art scene, and a lot of closed minds.”

So far, he has found what he’s looking for in his new city. “Nashville is everything I’ve been looking for, a melting pot of everything I love: music, art, people, and night life,” he said. When asked about his favorite places in Nashville, though, he was hard pressed to answer, explaining, “Yes, I am overwhelmed by Nashville after being here for only a few weeks.”

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and began looking at job opportunities, it was Nashville that held the best offer.

“Ultimately, I began looking for a job and Nashville chose me,” Quinton said, “as I was invited to become the Head of the High School at University School of Nashville. It’s a fantastic community and I couldn’t say no.”

Unlike Jeff and Brandon, however, Quinton, was not entirely sure Nashville was a good fit. “I was a bit hesitant about making the move here,” he added, “given the size of the city and my preconceptions around Nashville being a southern city.”

There is much Quinton appreciates about Nashville though. “I love the distinctive neighborhoods that Nashville has to offer.

Each one has its own vibe and feel—exploring those places has been nice. I enjoy that the city’s food and drink scene is bustling,” he said. “Given my work, I don’t have a great deal of time to really get out and explore too much...

When I do get the time, I love exploring the food and music scene, and trying to become a 22

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‘regular’ at any of the places in Germantown.

It’s a work in progress.”

But perspective is everything. For Quinton, traffic was one of Nashville’s positive attributes. Coming from traffic-snarled Atlanta, he has found Nashville traffic to be a relief! “I’m loving the relative lack of traffic and ease of moving around the city.”

So while Quinton can see the immediate appeal that Nashville would hold for others, he could not echo Jeff and Brandon’s unequivocal affirmation of the city’s appeal. “The size of the city felt small and the lack of diversity in the city seemed to be a concern, as did the lack of a robust gay community like the one I had come to know and appreciate in Atlanta.”

Again, perspective: Quinton’s Atlanta has one of the country’s most robust LGBT communities. For Brandon, who was from a much more repressed Wichita, Nashville seemed like an LGBT oasis.

“Being LGBT in Kansas was something I felt I had to hide,” Brandon said. “Even being 100% out of the closet, I still didn’t feel comfortable enough in my own skin. And I didn’t feel like I really had a place I could go to be around more LGBT people. Nashville makes me feel like I can truly be myself. I feel like I could walk down the street holding my boyfriend’s hand and not have to worry so much.”

Jeff also said that one of the pros of living in Nashville was “that there is such a large community here, and the city is truly embracing of the LGBT community. We have protections and security here to rival many other large cities.”

Brandon admitted, he’s still exploring the gay community in Nashville but so far he likes what he’s found. “I’ve been to Church Street and experienced Tribe and Play and couldn’t be happier with my time there. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly. Southern hospitality really is a thing, and it’s something I hope to spread.”

“I have yet to face many challenges being gay in Nashville,” Brandon added. “Like I said, coming from Kansas I don’t see it being a problem here. But I’m still single, so maybe when I start dating more and I am in public more with my partner, I will see how the city responds.”

Jeff sees community cohesiveness as a big challenge facing the LGBT community in Nashville. “Even though there is such a large community and a wide variety of bars and groups, there isn’t a lot of coordination

APRIL 2017

between them,” he said, and that can make it hard to connect with groups as a newcomer and encourages in-group behavior.

Quinton’s experience is very different from Brandon’s and reflects Jeff’s observation.

After “several months, many things that I thought about Nashville have proven to be true,” Quinton said. “Though I know that the city is growing, it has its challenges. It’s been tough to break into the gay community, beyond the social scene along Church Street. Being in my mid-30s, I looked forward to having other opportunities to plug into Nashville and have yet to really find them.”

Racial issues in Nashville also impact Quinton’s experience of both the city and it’s LGBT scene. “I think race has been a significant factor in my difficulties with adjusting to LGBT Nashville. I’m not sure how much of that can be attributed to the South versus Nashville proper, but it’s been a noticeable thing for me.”

“Thus far, [Nashville’s LGBT community] feels pretty segregated, at least in the social spaces anyway. And that segregation is along racial and generational lines. Perhaps as an LGBT person of color, I’m more use to it, or at least looking for it, but, it’s been interesting not seeing or finding a vibrant queer community of color.”

“I’m finding that guys in Nashville are reluctant to reach out and make connections with new people,” he added. “I’ve also been asked on numerous occasions why I’d leave Atlanta as if it seems to the mecca of gay life in the South.

As Nashville’s star continues to rise, it will increasingly attract newcomers, including or maybe even especially LGBT newcomers.

For some, especially those from other parts of the Bible belt, it may prove to be a welcoming, affirming place conducive to their LGBT identities, and thus warrant the status of one of the best places “for us” to live.

But for those of us who find Nashville, and its LGBT community, unconditionally welcoming, the challenge is in recognizing when, where and how it isn’t welcoming to others, and to open our arms, doors, and communities to those who don’t feel like they have a place here. Otherwise we’re just a Biblebelt town, draped for show with a rainbow flag, holding out a promise we can’t deliver.

Do you believe in Nashville? Have you been let down by Nashville? Do you have a newcomer’s tale to tell? Reach out to editor@ outandaboutnashville.com to share it!

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Greenways Contribute to Nashville’s Livability

BY JAMES GRADY

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here is no question that Nashville is booming: its skyline is as defined by its countless cranes as it is by its iconic buildings. With nearly a hundred people a day moving to the Nashville metropolitan area, the face of the city, literally and figuratively, is changing.

As neighborhoods undergo continuous development, Nashville has struggled to maintain its charm and hold onto exactly what has made it such a livable city to begin with. Part of that identity is as a city with significant natural resources at our doorstep.

Protecting and preserving those resources, as well as ensuring access to them by citizens, has proven essential to maintaining Nashville’s status and quality of life. Nashville’s greenways initiative has increasingly been a part of that mission.

According to Greenways for Nashville’s website, in 1991, thenMayor Phil Bredeson and the Metro Council “created the Greenways Commission as a division of Metro Parks to plan and develop a greenway system of trails and open spaces throughout Davidson County. Members of the Commission and Nashville citizens established Greenways for Nashville (GfN) in 1994 to give the general public a way to support development of the greenways system.”

Mark Deutschmann, who is on the Greenways Commission and is also president of the Board of Directors of GfN, said, “The Greenways Commission is appointed by the Mayor’s Office, and looks to make

coming to their neighborhood, they will gain value.”

More and more, that means every neighborhood in Nashville will see gains.

“We’ve now got somewhere in the range of 85 miles of paved greenways and 212 miles of paved, primitive and park trails,” Deutschmann said, “so we are increasing the number of accessible miles in the greenways system.”

“Over the next few years, the big plan is to create a full loop around the city—a twentyfive-mile loop that will create an amazing bike ride but also access neighborhoods that don’t have any access to date,” Deutschmann explained. “One of the most visible recent successes is the creation of a section that connects from Charlotte Pike all the way over PHOTOS: CODY STALLINGS & GETTY IMAGES

recommendations to the Mayor’s Office and the Metro Council about which greenways should be prioritized, how much money is needed in the budget, which land needs to be protected, so we’re always looking at strategic acquisitions and where we should be laying down the next miles given budget constraints.”

According to Deutschmann, “GfN takes that information after the city starts making its choices, and we get out and promote that to the community.” GfN supports the Greenways Commission by assisting in securing funding for and encouraging community interaction with the development of the greenways. Their mission also includes a significant outreach component, educating citizens about the greenways system and offering ways for everyone to get involved.

“We’ve had a goal for the last twenty years, since greenways were started, of getting greenways as close to every neighborhood in Nashville as possible,” Deutschmann said.

Originally the goal was to put greenways within two miles of every neighborhood in Nashville.

Gradually, though, the goals have become more ambitious.

Deutschmann added, “the current goal, particularly in the urban areas, is for every neighborhood to be within half a mile of a trailhead. We are really increasing penetration as the greenways build out, adding more miles to the system and looking to access neighborhoods.”

Greenways have played a significant role in Nashville’s rise. “I have to believe that the greenways, and the emerging system, has really impacted Nashville’s reputation as an ‘it city’—it really helps make us an attractive city.”

Deutschmann, who is also founder of Village Real Estate, observes that greenways also serve to make neighborhoods more desirable. “We find that people are looking for walkability, so being close to either a greenway or a walkable neighborhood commercial district adds value, because people would rather be close to something that’s theirs, so that they can say, ‘This is my greenway, this is my coffee shop, this is my joint that I like to go hang out at.’ If people discover that a greenway is

to Franklin Road. The first section has been staked out and is ready for a ribbon cutting. We also got funding in last year’s metro budget for a section that will take you from 12 South over to Franklin Road.”

Greenways depend not only on the support of the government however—the success of Nashville’s greenways also depends on community support. “GfN is a member-driven organization.

Individuals can lend their support and we also have corporate memberships available. We’re doing some major fundraising for the I-440 greenway. We’re currently raising a million dollars and are talking to major corporations to fill the gaps.”

But there are also other ways to support a greener Nashville. “We do things like weed wrangles and creek cleanups to, so that’s another way people can get involved,” Deutschmann added.

For more information on Nashville’s greenways, visit GfN’s site at greenwaysfornashville.org and Metro government’s site at @OUTANDABOUTNASH 1 5 www.nashville.gov.

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NASHVILLE’S GRIZZLIES

CELEBRATE 11 YEARS AT BACHELOR AUCTION MIKE KIGGINS

On a chilly Saturday almost eleven years ago, seven guys booted up* and began the practice of a fledgling gay rugby team—they included Ben Marks, Adam Ross, Doug Sladen, Chris Sanders, Daryl Woods, Richard Benoit, and Stan Schklar (who at 55 is still playing despite various broken bones, among other injuries). At Tribe after that first practice, they chose the team’s name based on where they’d initially found their shared interest in rugby (Bear411)—the lack of grizzly bears in Tennessee be damned.

Flash-forward to 2006’s Pride festival, which is when I first spoke to John Purdom, who would become another long-time player and long-time assistant coach. After that, I decided to attend the next Tuesday night practice. From the little I knew about rugby’s specifics, it seemed liked it might be both a nice hobby and a nice workout.

I Awas and someone OUT N D Aright, BOUTN A S Has VIL L E .CO M who APRILgrew 2017 up playing soccer 26

and wrestling from middle school through high school, it felt great tackling a much bigger guy everyone else probably thought I never could. And as much as it pushed me, I know it pushed the rest of this nascent group of ruggers. What we had in enthusiasm, though, we lacked in practical knowledge.

A month later, three players from the Atlanta Bucks drove up and conducted a boot camp. However, it was our first full-time coach, Shannon Bustillos, who would begin to whip the team into shape. “Warrior Princess,” as she was called, agreed to coach the team when, after one practice, all present knelt and asked if she’d be our full-time coach. She agreed. With thirteen years of playing experience and six years of coaching experience at the time, she brought a wealth of knowledge, drive, and encouragement to our rag-tag group, some of whom had never before played a contact sport. Bustillos stayed with us through the spring 2007 season,

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when she was offered a job at Marquette University that she couldn’t pass up.

Following the vacuum Bustillos left, several players— including myself, Purdom, David Glasgow, Doug Sladen, and Mike Wright—decided we could coach ourselves. Three of us even traveled to a weekend coaching clinic in Memphis. However, to quote Purdom, “This was a disaster.” As the cliché goes: there were too many cooks in the kitchen.

Salvaging us from that melee, David Glasgow became our dedicated coach for the first time in 2008. That summer, a contingent of Grizzlies flew to Dublin, Ireland, to participate in the fourth Bingham Cup. Since we were unable to bring a full team of fifteen players, we were merged with the World Barbarians, coached by Gustavo Ventura, and ended up winning the Plate division.

In spring 2009, Toby Florek, who’d played for a local club formerly known as the Nashville Outlaws, took over coaching duties. He stayed on until September 2009, when Glasgow resumed duties as head coach. Glasgow would remain with us through many high and low points until January 2014, when Jimmy Arredondo, after serving as assistant coach for a couple seasons, took over the whistle and clipboard. Arredondo would lead the Grizzlies to their first winning season in fall 2016, and he has been pivotal in making the team more competitive and consistent.

Since our showing in Dublin, the Grizzlies have represented Nashville in the biennial Bingham Cup in Minneapolis, Manchester (England), and Sydney (Australia), as well as here at home. In addition to this major international tournament, the team has frequented the Dallas Diablos’ Hell Fest, Muddy York’s Beaver Bowl, Seattle Quake’s final running of Magnitude, the Queen City Crown, our own Music City Cup, and the occasional Jugg Fest in Pigeon Forge with our sister team, the Charlotte Royals.

Over the years, with the indispensable assistance of Richard Kennedy, the team attained its 501(c)(3) status, and players and supporters have participated in charitable work with Habitat for Humanity and Nashville CARES, among many others. Last, this year we started volunteering at Launchpad, a resource for homeless LGBTQ youth, with Nashville CARES. We also brought the Red Dress Run (which is now more of a stroll) to town. It is our biggest fundraising event of the year.

The dresses at the Pub-Run-Crawl range from the unnecessarily sequined number Joe Clark has worn (at least twice—tsk, tsk), to matronly numbers for the shy, g-strings and angel wings for the shameless with phenomenal “attributes,” to more basic off-therack numbers from Target or Ross. The first couple of years this event took place in Hillsboro Village and 12 South, benefitting The Belcourt Theatre. Since then, it has moved over to the East Side and has benefitted the Friends of Shelby Park and Nashville CARES.

PHOTOS: CODY STALLINGS & GETTY IMAGES

*In rugby, cleats are called “boots.”

If you’re ever at a Third Half— the post-game party where both teams drink and sing songs— and someone has to “shoot the boot” for messing up a song, try not to gag as that unlucky soul has to chug a boot filled with the back-wash beer from other players’ cups.

I wound up playing on the team from June 2006 through May 2013, and I came out of my hobbling “retirement” to play in the 2016 Bingham Cup hosted by the Grizzlies here in Nashville, which marked the first time the tournament had happened in the American Southeast. Because both the Grizzlies and rugby inspire a special brand of loyalty, I’m not the only person who laced my boots back up.

Through this team I’ve made friends whom I can sincerely call “brothers,” and I’ve met people from all over this country and the world. Not surprisingly, our team’s motto is Tecum Fratre, which is Latin for “With You, Brother,” and “With you” is what Mark Bingham would always say to let his teammates know he was there to accept a pass once they got into trouble. Better still, I can say with absolute confidence that I know what I’ve experienced is the rule, not the exception.

To sum up this rather brief history of the Nashville Grizzlies, rugby can bring out the best in everyone, allowing space on the pitch (i.e., the field) for people of all genders, all orientations, all body types, and all skill levels. This might be one of the reasons why rugby is the fastest growing sport in the nation. And while I’ve seen people severely injured and carted off in ambulances, and while this sport can be brutal, bloody, and bruising, I’m sure those who have played and those who still play for the Nashville Grizzlies wouldn’t exchange the occasionally flared tempers, the long-lasting friendships, and the easy camaraderie for the world.

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• Music provided by HeyDay Revival. @OUTANDABOUTNASH

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the RAINBOW X

JULIE CHASE

I just can’t do it anymore. Not after that inauguration speech. Not after that reaction by the so-called Republican moderates. Not after that first month. I have bailed. I put in my application to do volunteer work for the other side soon after and was not struck by lightning as a result. My conscience is now clear and my pants are not on fire.

I no longer call myself a Republican: Rockefeller, Fiscally Conservative, or otherwise.

I grew up with Rockefeller Republicans.

My grandfather ran Richard Nixon’s 1972 reelection effort in Western Pennsylvania. The Rockefeller Republicans were “progressive” Republicans; today’s fiscal conservatives are a descendant of that brand. It was more of an identity than a real political movement.

Frankly, we were very “liberal” conservatives who wanted social progress without shaking things up too fast. That caused the Civil War, according to lore, requiring many of our kind to head south and attempt reconstruction. It worked about as well as it did in Iraq.

In all honesty, I knew that going back into LGBTQI world might result in this action.

The tea-bagger types in the party are quite nuts and wish to return this country to 1950.

I had always thought that if the guano hit the fan for real, at least Soulmate and I would be on the right side this time, instead of hiding in the suburban closet. I really didn’t expect all this though. Hillary was supposed to win... and my (our) transition was supposed to be relatively stress-free. Out and changed just got a wee bit scary...ok, really scary. Now we understand the fear that comes with openly aligning with The Tribe.

Those of us “lib-cons” who hail from White Anglo-Saxon Protestant backgrounds are not the only ones who think our culture and politics to be superior to everyone else’s—we’re just the most open and friendly about it. We will do anything, and I do mean anything, to fight oppression and bigotry even at the cost of our own lives. It’s a challenge, 30

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I

T

the right thing to do, crushes a stereotype, and makes us feel good all at the same time. We love surprising the bad guys and good guys both, for a culture steeped in knighthood and conquest does have its good side on occasion.

That’s how we roll.

Just don’t tell us we actually have to identify with other groups. That concept freezes most of us in our tracks, and good social-climbing waspy types just don’t do that.

It’s unseemly and smacks being considered minority-ish. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, mind you! We just, ummmmm...

But I am no longer that. I have not identified in such manner for nearly thirty years now. And even back in the day, I primarily did so to please my family. I admit that the process of identifying as reasonably Jewish and coming out (again) has made its mark. I can no longer identify with the political culture of my childhood, just as I can no longer identify with my prior church denomination, my alma mater, and heterosexual America. I have successfully left all that and no longer feel longing or shame over it.

Our community’s shared blessing and fight for freedom over the prior three decades has changed me. I am now forced to look into the mirror each morning and see these breasts I have grown and contemplate the woman I am becoming.

I have not openly identified as any sort of female until very recently...and only because I have been made to understand that I need to own it, setting an example for my teenage daughter, who will grow up in the Trump era with all its potential for bigotry and misogyny. I cannot truthfully say that my fiscal conservatism will ever change though. It most likely won’t, but no one may rightly assume that I was ever a shill for the conservative right anymore. I never was, and never could be.

I now take a real stand, the one Soulmate and many others took long before I got here.

The opposition may soon identify me as one of those liberal-progressive lesbian types.

Slightly inaccurate, but I really won’t mind

APRIL 2017

ILLUSTRATION: MELISSA GAY

OVER

that...I mostly resemble that remark. I have always liked the so-called liberal progressives.

I got married to one. Her character and passion for social justice has never failed to influence mine, no matter how hard I tried to run from it.

The Fiscal Conservatives still believe in the necessity of trying to counter the right-wing from within their own political movement. My life experiences have made it easy for me to take my exit, but this approach will not be as logical for other tortured political souls. Just as our own community attempts to welcome all family and allies, the progressives should be welcoming of those who just cannot identify with “that party” anymore, taking them in as-is and hoping for the best.

The rebirth of openly public bigotry and misogyny will make more than a few conservatives of all stripes think hard about where they stand. Some may gain the courage to leave as a result. I feel so much better for having done so.

Julie Chase is the pen name for a local 40-something trans woman. A graduate of The University of the South at Sewanee, she loves butterflies, strong women and the Austrian School of Economics.

2015

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Be mellow. Be responsible.

So I know you judge pageants because you have judge me numerous times. How many do you think you have judged?

Oh, wow, over 50 for sure.

What do you think about the new generation of queens?

They do not respect the art form. They don’t!

They have no idea of the history of drag.

A KIKI WITH PAIGE TURNER | @PaigeTurner01

Holy Untucked! Brace yourselves folks, because we have a legend in the house. This month we got to kiki with none other than Trinity Monroe. She has been a huge staple in the drag community for a decade. She’s a very talented comedy queen but don’t think that it limits her. She can dance the house down! If you don’t know this lady, then shame on you! Sit back and enjoy as we get all the “t” on this Nashville legend.

When did you start doing drag?

I started doing drag on May 23, 1993. It all started because I was at a show and not very impressed. I opened my big mouth and said, “I can do better!” Well they held me to that and invited me back the following week as a spotlight performer. I got there, and they sat me down and painted me. I literally had to go straight to the stage because it had taken so long.

Do you have a drag mother?

Yes, I do, her name is Lexi Versace Sinclair.

We became great friends, and she would loan me costumes and such in the beginning of my career.

Do you make your own costumes?

Yes, I do. A friend of mine back in the day named Scott did drag as well, and he made all his outfits, and he taught me to make mine.

When did you come to Nashville?

I came to Nashville in 2001. I was terrified the first time I went to perform here. I did a talent night at The Chute. Like I said, I was very scared and did not know what to expect.

The girls were so loving and welcoming. They helped me and offered advice. You could tell there was real love and a sisterhood.

What’s your biggest accomplishment in your drag career?

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My biggest accomplishment is being my own persona. I try to be nothing else but me.

How many pageants have you won?

I have won 3. Pageants aren’t really my thing though. I would rather prepare and dress a contestant. I get more out of that.

What title would you love to win?

I would love to win Miss Gay America. It is the true female impersonator pageant.

So if you’re competing in a pageant and another competitor tried to throw you off, what do you do?

I really don’t pay attention to the other girls to be honest. I am there to compete and I have a team there to support me and keep me focused.

What is the shadiest thing you’ve seen another queen do?

Oh, in the pageant world I have seen a lot of shady things! I have seen girls pat another queen on the back and wish them luck as they are wiping glue down the back of their gown.

I have even seen people crush light bulbs or glass in someone’s powder. In pageants, it was war, very dog eat dog.

Do you have any haters?

Oh, of course, who doesn’t? If you don’t like me, leave! I’m getting paid to be here. We already got your money. I’m just like f**k ‘em.

APRIL 2017

What is the best advice you could give a new queen?

Learn to use your ears and not your mouth.

What is one thing about drag today the really differs from when you started?

Girl we could never paint at home. Times were very different. We had to walk down a dark alley to the entrance. We always had to leave in pairs, because back then people weren’t as accepting as they are now. You really had to worry about your safety.

What would you say is different about drag today compared to the years before?

There is no comradery, it used to be a sisterhood but that is not there anymore. They form cliques not a sisterhood.

What is your biggest pet peeve with other queens?

Not knowing the words to your song.

Who would you say is Nashville’s best drag performer?

Brooklyn Hytes. Her stage persona is what it needs to be. She is an entertainer and is always doing something different.

If you were trapped on an island and had to be stuck with one queen, dead or alive, who would you choose?

That’s easy! I would want Bianca Paige, because no matter what the situation I would be guaranteed a good time.

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y g ! o t l I o d l k o r H a o Sn ou’re Gonna Have T Y

DISCLAIMER: Amy Sulam is a comic, and not everyone thinks she’s as funny as she does. We condone nothing she says, particularly not if you decide to take the following seriously. It should not be taken as such.

AMY SULAM | @Amysulam

Did I miss something? Are we caught in Groundhog Day? Why are we having discussions from years ago again?

I honestly find this comical ... and frightening. We are back to the bathroom bills.

Did Trump literally set us back 50 years? Look I don’t know about you but I’ve had it. If where transgender people pee is really gonna be an issue again, I’m gonna start pissing in the streets.

There’s so much wrong in so many directions.

Why are straight people so worried about trans people going to the bathroom? I’ll tell you.

Because they can’t ban gays and lesbians from public bathrooms, but this small tweak allows them to be bigots. Believe me, if they could ban all of us from public toilets they would. I’ve never seen a transgender woman in the ladies’ room and felt fearful.

Do sexual predators hide in bathrooms and wait for victims, sure. It happens. They’re usually straight though. Like the sex offender who hid in a park bathroom and attempted to assault a runner on March 12th in Washington state. She kicked his butt. I digress.

If you’ve never advocated for victims’ rights or showed up to support rape victims or petitioned lawmakers for stricter sentencing for sexually based offenses, please stop pretending you all of a sudden give a shit. I don’t see a ton of straight women freaking out in support of the bathroom bill. I see straight men doing it.

You know the same demographic that gives us the majority of sex offenders and hate crime perpetrators?

Transgender women are more likely to be assaulted or even killed than other LGBT community members. And now people want to accuse them of being predators and threaten to harm them because of where they pee?! Really?

I think I’ll just start peeing on bigots. Hey! At least they’d have proof I’m a girl: problem solved.

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Here’s the other thing, I’ve seen stories where butch looking women have been thrown out of public bathrooms for “looking like a guy.” I swear straight people just don’t want us peeing in public bathrooms. It’s like they can’t make up their minds. If you look like a guy and have a vagina but try to go to the ladies’ room, security could detain you. If you gender identify as female, some feeble-minded ass hat could accost you leaving the bathroom. This is legislating bigotry.

In a delicious twist of fate, the legislator who wanted to pass the “don’t say gay” bill was caught having an affair with his cousin. So, cousin-f***ing in Tennessee is a okay as long

They aren’t the bullies, they’re the bullied.

My ex-girlfriend is a transgender woman.

We are still friends, and there is no ill will between us. I trust her implicitly with my kids, and we aren’t even together anymore. She’s a much more adultier adult than I am.

If I’m in the ladies’ room and see a transgender man who is forced to pee in there by law, I’m not gonna be happy because the law is BS. I’ve never clutched my pearls in fear when seeing transgender people so I don’t really understand this hysteria. Then again I’m not a no-count, Bible-thumping, cousin f***er.

Gays and lesbians have been going to gender assigned bathrooms with people who are in their f***able demographic since forever. If the conservatives’ fears were founded, we’d have been banging straight people in public bathrooms forever.

The idea that someone is a sexual predator because they’re transgender is just stupid. But, if you’re banging your cousin, I’m guessing you’re not a genius. If you’re backing a cousin-banger, again I’m assuming you’re why

Did Trump literally set us back 50 years? they are cis and the relationship is heterosexual?

And we’re the sexual deviants? Mmmmmkay.

I kind of want to just start walking into men’s rooms, piss in the stalls, and then walk out pointing at penises and laughing on my way.

That wouldn’t help our cause, but I’d enjoy it.

I honestly get pissed with these bathroom bills because they are based on the unfounded idea that, because a person is transgender, they are a predator. I have the pleasure of knowing many transgender people. They have been on the receiving end of bigotry since they came out.

APRIL 2017

coffee cups are labeled hot.

When did we let the idiocracy take over?

At this point if Trump tells foreign leaders, “Go away, I’m baiting,” I’ll register no shock. We can’t let the knuckle draggers win. We need to vote them out of office, or tell them they can have cousin wives if we can bathroom equality.

Life is all about compromise, right?

We live in a time of alternative facts and neo-Nazis. We have to be smart and not sink to their level, but I seriously want to R. Kelly them sometimes.

@OUTANDABOUTNASH

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APRIL 2017

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