OUTANDABOUT NASHVILLE.COM
MARCH 2015
VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 03
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03.15
LETTERS
to the
EDITOR
In February, O&AN made the decision not to prosecute the man who was found to have been stealing our papers from Vanderbilt Hospital distribution locations. Numerous comments online put a negative slant on our decision, and suggested we were sending the wrong message. But sometimes the cost of sending a message is just too high, and in this case the wrong person would have had to pay most of all. Everyone who took the time to reach out directly, however, sent supportive letters, including the following:
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STAFF
Publisher : Jerry Jones jjones@outandaboutnashville.com
Managing Print Editor : James Grady jgrady@outandaboutnashville.com
Managing Digital Editor: Joseph Brant
Mr. Grady: Just saw on FB about Out and About N issues being pulled from the racks at Vanderbilt Hospital. I just thought what you did was so gracious and loving. Knowing there was an individual who was trying to pretend your paper didn’t exist, and yet pulling back from exercising your well-deserved right to prosecute him, was the height of compassion and forgiveness. Today at Bible study we talked about how hard it is to truly do what Jesus said: to truly love our neighbor as ourselves, even if our neighbor is a jerk. Phew, that’s hard sometimes. But you did it. And we are all the better for it. So thank you. Anna G.
jbrant@outandaboutnashville.com
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What an honorable thing you did in refusing to press charges. I doubt I could have been so forgiving, especially given the historical context… But anyway - after reading about it I searched your publication and it had a great deal of interesting articles. Good publication, and I will be checking it regularly. Eric T.
James, I just read the news story about the man at Vanderbilt Hospital stealing copies of your paper. It saddened me to hear that...but it immediately turned around when I read that you guys had decided to not press charges due to his situation with a loved one in the hospital. I must confess, I do not see eye to eye with the gay community on several things, but I also have had many friends over the years that are gay and our differences have never come between us. I applaud Out & About for being the “bigger person” with this situation. Just wanted you all to know that not everyone who may not see things the way you doesn’t hate you! Yours truly, Mike W.
mmoore@outandaboutnashville.com
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CONTRIBUTORS
Writers: Jane DuPree, James Grady, River Johnson, Amy Sulam, Brian Sullivan, Paige Turner, Bobbi Williams Photographers: James Grady, Julius Greene, Keith Hinkle, Joey Leslie, Joan Marcus, Jennifer Ramos, Terry Shapiro Cover/Feature Photographer: Julius Greene National Advertising Representative: Rivendell Media 1248 Route 22 West Mountainside, NJ 07092 212-242-6863
A BRIEF NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:
OPPORTUNITIES
You’ll also read more about Glenn Stewart’s latest collaboration with Joslyn Fox, Jaidynn, and four other contestants from Drag Race—a music video for a country cover of a RuPaul song featuring RuPaul’s girls! Who’d have ever guessed it would come to this? @jamesallengrady
LEGAL
This month marks the premiere of Season Seven of RuPaul’s Drag Race. In honor of Nashville’s growing connection with America’s Drag Momma, our cover features the magnificent Jaidynn Dior Fierce, whom we are sure will become America’s next drag superstar, no matter how her season turns out! For those of you who have only seen Jaidynn on stage, or perhaps don’t know her that well (or at all), this is your chance to get up to speed as the season gets underway.
Dear Out and About Nashville readers, we would love to receive photos and announcements for other Middle Tennessee LGBTQ weddings or engagements. While we cannot guarantee print placement for every submission, we look forward to sharing your joy with our readers.
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MARCH 2015
Out & About Nashville welcomes volunteer writers, photographers and videographers throughout the year. If you’re interested in contributing to our publication, send an email to editor@outandaboutnashville.com with a resume, contact information and samples of your work if available. Our volunteer staff is unpaid, but contributors do receive credit for their work in our print publication and online. Those seeking an internship in journalism or mass communications are strongly encouraged to apply.
Out & About Nashville strives to be a credible community news organization by engaging and educating our readers. All content of Out & About Nashville is copyrighted 2014 by Out & About Nashville, Inc. and is protected by federal copyright law and shall not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. All photography is licensed stock imagery or has been supplied unless otherwise credited to a photographer and may not be reproduced without permission. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representations does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of the person or persons. Out & About Nashville accepts unsolicited material but cannot take responsibility for its return. The editor reserves the right to accept, reject or edit submissions. All rights revert to authors upon publication. The editorial positions of Out & About Nashville are expressed in editorials and in the editor’s notes as determined by the editor. Other opinions are those of writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Out & About Nashville or its staff. Letters to the editor are encouraged but may be edited for clarity and length. There is no guarantee that letters will be published. Out & About Nashville only accepts adult advertising within set guidelines and on a case-by-case basis.
Music City’s
d n a B t s e Bigg
Your Nashville Symphony | Live at the schermerhorn
RICHARD DANIELPOUR
WORLD PREMIERE
DAVE KOZ March 6
BEETHOVEN & THOMAS HAMPSON with the Nashville Symphony
VIENNA BOYS CHOIR March 15
March 12 to 14
A ST. PATRICK’S POPS WITH NATALIE MACMASTER with the Nashville Symphony
March 17 This dynamic saxophonist plays everything from classic pop and jazz tunes to his own original compositions.
The world’s greatest baritone premieres new music by Richard Danielpour, plus Beethoven’s Eighth Symphony.
These world-famous singers perform everything from Austrian waltzes to classical masterpieces to modern pop hits.
Celebrate St. Paddy’s Day with a night of toe-tapping jigs, reels and songs celebrating family, home and tradition.
FREE PRE-CONCERT ACTIVITIES
BOYZ II MEN
with the Nashville Symphony
March 19 to 21
THE ADVENTURES OF YOUNG AMADEUS with the Nashville Symphony
March 21 at 11 am Hits including “End of the Road,” “I’ll Make Love to You” and “On Bended Knee,” along with classic Motown soul.
Street Theatre Company brings young Mozart’s adventures to life in this concert for listeners of all ages.
Plays Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 14 with the Nashville Symphony
A TRIBUTE TO BILLIE HOLIDAY WITH CASSANDRA WILSON
Amazing pianist Ax performs a Mozart masterpiece and Strauss’ stunning Burleske. Plus works by Haydn and Debussy.
Timeless Billie Holiday classics including “All of Me,” “The Way You Look Tonight,” “Strange Fruit” and more.
EMANUEL AX April 3 & 4
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THE MR. FRIENDLY STIGMA FORUM COMES TO NASHVILLE! NATIONAL FOUNDER DAVID WATT TO LEAD TRAINING SESSION JAMES GRADY | @jamesallengrady
explains Bloodworth, “and letting people know that it doesn’t matter whether you’re positive or negative, you can still fight stigma. That’s what our logo stands for!” Banishing stigma is of central importance to the fight against HIV, many activists believe, because the stigma around HIV makes disclosure more uncomfortable, and it leads many people to avoid getting tested. “Fighting stigma,” Bloodworth said, “is one key way of getting people tested. And of course that’s another mission of ours, to directly encourage testing. But it’s all in how you do it. Shame and guilt are terrible ways of motivating people, and when someone tests positive, that shame and guilt is hard to get rid of. With the support of Mr. Friendly team members both positive and negative, we hope we can make people comfortable enough that they want to get tested.” To that end, Watt will be coming to Nashville for a special event, The Mr. Friendly Stigma Forum, on March 27, 2015, at the Vibe Entertainment Complex from 7pm—9pm. Bloodworth explained that “the training is on how Mr. Friendly works, the correct way to start a conversation with someone about HIV, the words to use and the words not to use. We want our team members and the wider community to understand that some of the language we use, like ‘clean’ and ‘DDF,’ create fear and shame, and discourage testing.” Watt will also be bringing additional Mr. Friendly apparel to help participants start their own conversations. There are even t-shirts with Mr. Friendly bears and Mr.
Friendly pigs! “There’s a misconception that wearing a Mr. Friendly symbol means you’re positive,” Bloodworth said, “but that is absolutely false, and a result of stigma. And wearing our merchandise means you are committed to ending that very stigma.” After the workshop, Mr. Friendly will be conducting a bar crawl, where trainees can implement what they learned from Watt in a real life situation. Bloodworth encourages all who are interested, either in becoming a team member or in learning how to have different kinds of conversation about HIV, to attend the event.
NE R
“F AV O
RI TE
RE A
LT O
R”
Chances are you’ve seen the buttons around Nashville: those funny smiley faces with a + for a nose? If you haven’t, you will, if Stephen Bloodworth—the Nashville-based organizer of the Mr. Friendly campaign in Tennessee—has anything to say about it! Bloodworth brought Mr. Friendly to Tennessee back in September 2013, and what began as a team of two has grown to include twelve team members. How does Team Friendly fight stigma? Through one-on-one conversations in the places LGBT people unwind: bars, clubs, festivals, and Pride. The Mr. Friendly program—its symbol and its method—is the creation of David Watt, and got its start at a leather competition. In 2008, Watt competed for the Mr. Michigan Leather title, and HIV stigma was the social issue he chose to address in his speech. He used the image of Mr. Friendly there for the first time in public as well. That image on the buttons and t-shirts you are starting to see on people are the key to his program. It’s one thing to say you want to have a safe and nonthreatening conversation about HIV in a bar or at a festival, but it’s quite another thing to actually successfully initiate and navigate such a conversation! The Mr. Friendly logo, however, serves as the perfect conversation starter: people ask about the buttons, or a team member asks if you are familiar with them. If you aren’t, the symbolism of the button serves as a centerpiece for a conversation about HIV stigma. “It’s about having those friendly conversations in a nonjudgmental way,”
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THEY DELIVERED THE PAPERS, UNTIL THEY MADE THE HEADLINES...
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ADVANCING EQUALITY IN TENNESSEE IS AN UPHILL BATTLE LGBT ACTIVISTS TO CONVERGE ON STATE CAPITOL ON MARCH 10TH
COUNSELING DISCRIMINATION BILL
The group of activists will be lobbying in opposition to SB397 by Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald). This bill would allow students in the counseling, psychology and social work programs at Tennessee state colleges and universities to opt out of serving certain clients on the basis of sincerely held religious beliefs. This bill could potentially affect not only the LGBTQ community, but also atheist clients and members of other religions, as well members of other groups the student finds objectionable.
by Senator Sarah Kyle (D-Shelby County) and sponsored by Representative Sherry Jones (D-Nashville), this bill adds sexual orientation and gender identity or expression to the list of characteristics protected from discrimination or harassment in employment, public accommodations, housing, financing, insurance, education, in places where alcoholic beverages are consumed, real estate, public utilities, tax exemptions, the profession of healing arts, health facilities and welfare in the state.
ANTI-BULLYING BILL
Introduced by Senator Bill Ketron (R-Rutherford County) and sponsored by Representative Bob Ramsey (R-Maryville), this bill requires school districts to develop policies against harassment, intimidation, bullying or cyber-bullying after consultation with parents, guardians, employees, volunteers, students, administrators and community representatives. Advocates are working with legislative leadership to fill in the details to make it a more specific bill. Sanders said that, though the previous version of the anti-bullying bill was a great piece of legislation, it just wasn’t working on the hill. The version introduced by Republican lawmakers needs work, though. “We think it’s possible,” Sanders said, “that we can come up with a final bill
that may get the support of the majority party and help make students safer in schools.” “This is a year of building relationships and understanding that we believe can result in some positive advances for student safety,” says Sanders. The TEP has been recruiting district captains who are setting up appointments for the day. They will gather with other advocates to meet for about 15 minutes with their legislators to talk about bills. Sanders says a tour of the Capitol building will also be scheduled, as well as a meeting to update participants on where things stand with marriage in Tennessee. After their meetings, groups will report what happened and everyone will adjust their strategies on the bills they are tracking. “Legislators value hearing directly from constituents,” says Sanders. “The other side is making its voice heard, so if we hope to have a chance of beating bad bills and moving good ones, we have to be a part of the conversation.” The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition is hosting a pre-party at Canvas to kick the event off and to welcome outof-towners on March 9. After the event on March 10, participants are invited to join Veronika Electronika for Drag Bingo at MadDonna’s.
Photo: Joey Lesley
BRIAN SULLIVAN | @NashvilleScoop
With a decision on same sex marriage from the Supreme Court of the United States looming and advances in equality all around (LGBT nuptials have even reached our southern border with the Alabama decision), the Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) isn’t taking a break. And TEP hopes that you won’t slow your activism either! On March 10, 2015, TEP will host its eleventh annual Advancing Equality Day on the Hill. As in years past, hundreds of LGBT rights advocates from all over the nation will descend on 600 Charlotte Avenue to urge Tennessee lawmakers to vote on the right side of history. “We will express our opposition to discriminatory legislation and help advance positive legislation by speaking directly with our state senators and representatives,” said Chris Sanders, Executive Director of the Tennessee Equality Project. The prime focus of this year’s event is a set of three bills.
At the time of this article’s writing, about 75 people have already RSVP’d to attend Advancing Equality Day on the Hill. To RSVP for Advancing Equality Day on the Hill, visit ow.ly/ JeoXe. RSVP for pre-party at Canvas at ow.ly/Jep6A, and the after party at MadDonnas at ow.ly/JepeT.
TENNESSEE HUMAN RIGHTS BILL
Advocates will be supporting SB0371/HB0296 alongside the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition. Introduced @O U T A N D A B O U T N A S H
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THE NEW BLACK
VANDERBILT FILM SERIES LINKS LGBT, AFRICAN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS BRIAN SULLIVAN | @NashvilleScoop
Photo: Luke Rattray
The Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center (BCC) and Vanderbilt’s Office of LGBTQI Life have collaborated on numerous events in the past two years, but they’ve recently found new educational tools that draw parallels between the struggles for equality centered on racial identities and those of the LGBTQI community. In January the two groups co-hosted a free showing of the documentary, Deepsouth, which follows three activists whose work in the states of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana seeks to penetrate “layers of history, poverty and now soaring HIV infections,” in order to “redefine traditional Southern values to create their own solutions to survive.” “We wanted to host a film that sort of tells both stories, and we found that this was a film that does that,” says LGBTQI Life Director Chris Purcell. The stirring documentary explores the structural issues of conquering HIV in the south, focusing on Mississippi. One person in particular, a black gay man living with HIV, shows us what resilience means in the face of government structures and policies that make it difficult to educate the public. Ironically Mississippi, which has one of the highest rates for teenage pregnancy and STD’s, is only allowed to teach abstinence in the classroom, posing quite a difficulty for teachers in the state. “Stigma is an issue everywhere, but in the South there aren’t enough awareness campaigns or funding to support people living with HIV in rural areas,” says Purcell. “Highest rates of poverty, highest rates of STD’s, lack of funding from the government, religious groups—there are a number of sources that
contribute to the stigma someone living in the south with HIV faces.” Years and years of campaigns in raising awareness about gay rights issues show that public opinion about the gay lifestyle has dramatically shifted, whereas many ungrounded beliefs held about people living with HIV/AIDS still exist. “Deepsouth is a film that people can’t afford NOT to see,” says Dr. Frank Dobson, Director of the BCC. “So many people, when they think of the disease, think of a gay white male. No. This film shows that there are so many different types of people living with this disease, black, straight, that are rendered invisible by our society.” Dr. Dobson says poverty is a large contributor to the spread of the disease in the south, and the way to combat it is by expanding our communities to more than just one group of people. “We need more people who say ‘this is my family, this is my community.’ We need to challenge our institutions,” says Dr. Dobson. “We have to have a redefinition of what family and community is and welcome everyone to the table.” Both Purcell and Dr. Dobson agree: Education is needed to bring the groups even closer together. That is why they combined resources to promote films, part of Vanderbilt’s International Lens Film, that focus on the intersection of African American and LGBTQI life. The next film the two centers co-sponsored, The New Black, is a documentary on activists, families and clergy on both sides of the marriage equality debate. The film is a critical examination of homophobia in the black church, and the Christian right’s utilization of this phenomenon to forward its anti-gay agenda.
Yoruba-Richen
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OUTANDABOUTNASHVILLE.COM
While the showing of The New Black was canceled due to the February ice storm in Nashville, this second installment was a courageous choice for the two groups, as it brings them face-to-face with a phenomenon which has often put the LGBTQI and African American communities at odds with one another. This demonstrates the commitment the two organizations have in building bridges through the hard work of actual dialogue, and speaks to a bright future of engagement between them. Vanderbilt’s Office of LGBTQI Life and the BCC plan to continue to work together, expanding the opportunities for their respective communities to come together. For more information and a list of upcoming free events, visit www. vanderbilt.edu/lgbtqi/ calendar and www. vanderbilt.edu/bcc/ calendar-2.
Chris Purcell
MARCH 2015
Dr. Frank Dobson
THE
#RURALPRIDE
CAMPAIGN
USDA’S LGBT RURAL SUMMIT SERIES COMES TO NASHVILLE JAMES GRADY | @jamesallengrady
There is a misconception about the LGBT community, one which has been perpetuated for a long time. We’ve all heard it: LGBT people are generally more affluent, more educated, and more cultured than the general population, and disproportionately they live in urban environments. A great deal of myth grows up around this misconception to justify it. But the facts are quite different. Over the last few years, organizations like the Williams Institute have done extensive work to correct our understanding of the economic state of the LGBT community. Reports like Paying an Unfair Price, from the Center for American Progress and the Movement Advancement Project,
document increasingly alarming facts about poverty in our communities. And if LGBT communities are concentrated on urban centers, the reason is obvious: the LGBT people in rural communities face even greater challenges, and have often sought refuge in cities. In “New Patterns of Poverty in the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Community” (Williams Institute, June 2013), researchers explained that, “Lesbian couples who live in rural areas are much more likely to be poor (14.1%), compared to 4.5% of coupled lesbians in large cities. 10.2% of men in same-sex couples, who live in small metropolitan areas, are poor, compared with only 3.3% of coupled gay men in large metropolitan areas.” The social and economic forces arrayed against the LGBT community are even more powerful in rural communities, and the effects are clear.
And yet, 10% of same sex couples live in rural areas, and those couples are disproportionately people of color raising families. These families face staggering obstacles. Enter the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. In collaboration with the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and The True Colors Fund, the USDA has launched its LGBT Rural Summit Series, and Nashville is the series’ sixth stop. According to USDA Assistant Secretary of Civil Rights Dr. Joe Leonard, “the Rural Pride campaign will allow us to focus on the particular needs of the LGBT people who make their homes and their lives in the communities
that USDA is proud to serve. We could not be more proud to partner with The Oasis Center, the NCLR and the True Colors Fund on this campaign. It is an opportunity to showcase the diversity of rural America and highlight one of USDA’s fundamental values: We represent and are here to serve all people.” This touring summit offers the USDA and other federal agencies the opportunity to share information relating to policies, programs, and services that exist to protect, promote and strengthen LGBT rural communities. Issues ranging from rural housing loans, community facility grants and bullying will be discussed. Each series will also include a strong presence from local nonprofit organizations, sharing USDA’s dedication to serving LGBT rural America. The ultimate goal? #RuralPride!
Cyndi Lauper, whose True Colors Fund co-sponsors the program, said, “We applaud the USDA for celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people living in rural communities… LGBT youth comprise up to 40 percent of our nation’s homeless youth population. Those in rural communities face incredibly unique challenges and are such an important and often overlooked part of this conversation. The True Colors Fund is proud to partner with the USDA and NCLR to highlight their stories as a part of the many experiences that LGBT people face in rural America.” The Director of the National LGBT Rural Summit Series, Ashlee Davis, is particularly excited about bringing USDA’s program to Middle Tennessee. “Our team could not be more excited to engage with the LGBT community of Middle Tennessee and surrounding areas. From housing, health and food disparities, bullying and more, we will come together to identify solutions for the issues important to our community. As a native of Nashville [and a] member of the LGBT community, the Nashville Summit is an exciting opportunity.” Members of the community are invited to attend this free event, but registration is required. For more information or to sign up, visit http:// bit.ly/1w2ALAH. USDA also invites you to share your stories. #RuralPride is all about increasing visibility of rural LGBT people and families across the country. To potentially be featured in future blogs and materials on the #RuralPride campaign, email LGBTRuralSummit@ascr.usda.gov and tell them about your #RuralPride!
According to
“New Patterns of Poverty”:
7.6 %
OF LESBIAN COUPLES, COMPARED TO 5.7% OF MARRIED DIFFERENT-SEX COUPLES, ARE IN POVERTY
AFRICAN AMERICAN SAME-SEX COUPLES HAVE POVERTY RATES
MORE THAN TWICE
THE RATE OF DIFFERENT-SEX MARRIED AFRICAN AMERICANS
1/3 20.1 %
OF LESBIAN COUPLES AND OF GAY MALE COUPLES WITHOUT A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA ARE IN POVERTY, COMPARED TO 18.8% OF DIFFERENT-SEX MARRIED COUPLES
ACCORDING TO PAYING AN UNFAIR PRICE (2014):
15 %
OF TRANSGENDER PEOPLE LIVE ON LESS THAN $10K, COMPARED TO 4% OF THE GENERAL POPULATION
@O U T A N D A B O U T N A S H
11
AVANT GARDE 2015
THE MAD HATTERS BALL
Nashville CARES held its fourth annual Avant Garde event, the Mad Hatters Ball, on Saturday, February 21, at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. Presenting sponsor NPS Pharmacy and Event Chairs Wes Davis, Connie Ford, Bradley Pinson and Abby White hosted an evening of curious and magical entertainment. While full costumes were optional, hats were required! “Last year was Masquerade, and it was all about the mask,” Pinson, who is also a CARES board member, said. “When we were brainstorming for this year, we had the idea of hats. The Mad Hatter definitely fits this series, which began with Avant Garde, then proceeded to Under the Big Top and Masquerade. We have a very creative team behind these events.” “Avant Garde is one of the best parties in Nashville, and this year it is going to be bigger and better than ever,” promised Ford leading up the event, and as you can see it lived up to the hype! “Mad Hatters Ball is a fun way to raise the much needed funds to fight HIV/AIDS in Middle Tennessee.” The Avant Garde series has engaged LGBTQ and ally party-goers alike. “That’s been the idea all along,” said Pinson. “We want to engage all of Nashville: HIV isn’t just a ‘gay disease,’ it touches everyone and this party is a great opportunity for people to come out and start to learn about CARES, but in a feel good, dress up, and network sort of environment.” This year’s event featured impressive visuals, from Wonderland-themed, body painted characters to special guest Mad Hatter, Dee Ranged, and a wandering magician. Music was provided by DJ Ron, along with live performances by country artist and Broadway performer Rachel Potter and British musician Katy Tiz, perhaps best known for her song, “The Bing Bang.” The evening was emceed by Amanda Valentine, who competed on the eleventh season of Lifetime’s hit series Project Runway. She is also the founder of VALENTINE VALENTINE, a Nashville-based clothing and accessory collection, and a celebrity stylist. “I’ve wanted to find a way to work more with the LGBT community in Nashville,” Valentine said, “and I have a relative living with HIV, so when I was asked to participate it was a no-brainer. It’s nice to be able to use what little bit of notoriety I have to help shine a light on this issue and this organization.” CARES Chief Development Officer Patrick Hamilton reports that last year’s event raised over $70,000, though he did not have exact figures on Masquerade on hand at the Mad Hatter’s Ball.
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OUTANDABOUTNASHVILLE.COM
MARCH 2015
Photos: James Grady
@O U T A N D A B O U T N A S H
13
TO SHOW ITS
WITH COMMEMORATIVE MAGAZINE STAFF
It’s what you’ve been waiting over twelve years to see: a full-glossy O&AN Pride Issue magazine to commemorate a banner year in the life of the LGBT community in Tennessee. The expanded print run will make this magazine available to 35,000 readers in print, and over 20,000 more online. “We are excited to be able to produce our first ever glossy magazine to celebrate pride season,” stated Jerry Jones, the paper’s publisher. “The pride season is one of the most important times of the year in our community. Our issue will highlight that importance as a salute to all things Nashville Pride.” “We wanted to create something memorable for our audience, something our readers will want to hold on to, with a creative designed cover. We want to publish something for Pride that people would be proud to place on their coffee table for a while,” wrote Scott Bryant, O&AN’s director of sales, marketing and events. “Also we want to provide the maximum exposure for
our advertisers, who will want to take this special opportunity to market their business and show their support for our community.” The 2015 June Pride Issue, available the first week of June, will be a full color 8.5” x 11” magazine. In addition to an expanded print run, the issue will be distributed more widely, since Nashville’s Pride attracts visitors for so many surrounding areas and because of the magazines coverage of other festivals in Tennessee. This year’s Pride Issue will include information about Pride events across the state, in addition to Nashville’s. “Last year, O&AN’s former sales director, Steven Altum, attended Knoxville Pride,” said Managing Print Editor James Grady, “and I went to Chattanooga. There are great events all over Tennessee. There’s something great about seeing small festivals cropping up in places like the Tri-Cities area in East Tennessee, and seeing growing size and attendance at Tennessee Valley Pride. We want to not only offer full coverage of Nashville Pride but give these festivals some exposure too.”
SAVE THE DATE
4.21.15
Eat well for a good cause. Join the fight against HIV/AIDS by Dining Out For Life on Tuesday, April 21. Participating restaurants will donate a generous portion of your bill to Nashville CARES.
TO VIEW PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS VISIT:
WWW.DININGOUTFORLIFE.COM/NASHVILLE Presented By
If your business is interested in advertising in the official 2015 Pride Issue, contact Scott Bryant at 615-596-6210 or by email at sbryant@outandaboutnewspaper. com.
Nashville Pride is June 26-27, 2015 at Public Square Park!
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EXISTENTIAL ANGST MEETS ACROBATIC MUSICAL COMEDY HIT BROADWAY REVIVAL, PIPPIN, COMING TO TPAC JAMES GRADY | @jamesallengrady
Now on tour, with a large portion of its cast retained, the 2013 revival of Pippin is making its way to Nashville as part of the 2014-15 HCA/TriStar Health Broadway at TPAC Season. Nashville, it seems, is in for a treat, as NY1 described this production as “an eye-popping, jaw-dropping, VISUALLY STUNNING extravaganza. THE THRILL OF THE SEASON!” In 1972, Pippin, a musical with lyrics and music by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger Hirson, premiered on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre. Pippin follows the story of Prince Pippin, son of Charlemagne, as he struggles to find his way in life and to see what purpose his existence holds. The 1972 production, directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, closed after an impressive run of nearly five years. After years being produced in smaller theatres worldwide, Pippin returned to Broadway. Not every show that leaves Broadway can—or even
it’s time
ought to—be revived. Some shows lose their relevance, others lose the buzz required to justify mounting increasingly expensive productions, and others just plain aren’t worthy of being brought back. But Pippin beat the odds, and won Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical, Best Direction of a Musical (Diane Paulus), Best Actress in a Musical (Patina Miller), and Best Featured Actress in Sabrina Harper as Fastrada in the National Touring Production a Musical of PIPPIN. Photo: Terry Shapiro (Andrea Martin). There is no way around it: Pippin is
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MARCH 2015
Lucie Arnaz as Berthe in the National Touring Production of PIPPIN. Photo: Terry Shapiro
a strange show. Billed as a musical comedy, the show tackles some serious themes, albeit with humor, though it can also be read as dark. The show is framed by a traveling troupe of actors, under the direction of the mysterious Leading Player, who guides the show from within. Sasha Allen, who stars as the Leading Player, described the role curiously. It “is a part that controls the destiny of the show,” she said, and it’s hard for that not to sound a little sinister, however funny the role can be! Pippin is “being played” by an inexperienced actor, the Leading Player tells the audience as he sets the show up for them. Pippin, the young prince, is seeking to find meaning in his life, and the Leading Player extends him numerous points of guidance,
which can be seen as a very visible “invisible hand” attempting to shape Pippin’s destiny. Will Pippin’s sometimes death-defying, sometimes hedonistic journey lead him to a meaningful existence? Will he choose glory or fame, as the Leading Player seems to push, or will he break free from his role? These are the questions that only Pippin can answer! “There are powerful voices throughout the cast,” said Kathleen O’Brien, TPAC president and chief
intended) in Pippin has deep personal significance. “My mother was a big fan of Ben Vereen [the original Leading Player], and she was also a dancer, so it is a great pleasure to play this role.” Then there is a major theme of the play, which also strikes a personal chord with the reality show star. “We all have choices and this show really challenges the audience to think about how much pleasure and glory are really worth.” The show features choreography by Tony nominee Chet Walker and
Sasha Allen as Leading Player and the cast of the National Tour of PIPPIN. Photo: Joan Marcus
Kyle Dean Massey as Pippin in the National Touring Production of PIPPIN. Photo: Joan Marcus
executive officer, “and one that is particularly exciting is the voice of Sasha Allen, who plays the Leading Player. Folks may remember her as one of the top finalists on the fourth season on NBC’s ‘The Voice,’ and we are thrilled to have her perform here in Nashville.” For Allen, taking a leading role (pun
agility,” said TPAC’s O’Brien. But the mainstay of the show, of course, is its music, which has been covered by artists like The Supremes and Michael Jackson! In short, Pippin is a spectacle, a delight for the senses. As Allen said, “Stephen Schwartz is a musical genius and Diane Paulus [who directs the revival] beautifully finds the truth in everything she does. This revamped telling of the story is so spectacular that we love doing it every night.” Clearly it is a show not to be missed. The Cast of the National Touring Production of PIPPIN. Photo: Joan Marcus
breathtaking acrobatics by Gypsy Snider of Montreal-based circus company Les 7 Doigts de la Main. “This production features a beautiful acrobatic element, which adds a stunning and creative twist from the original. While vibrantly costumed, the cast performs unbelievable feats of flexibility, balance, grace, and
Pippin will be performed at TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall from March 10–15, 2015. For tickets or more information visit TPAC.org, or call the box office at (615) 782-4040. For more information on the tour, visit www. PippinTheMusical.com, and follow it on Twitter @PippinMusical.
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JAMES GRADY | @jamesallengrady
Each year, the premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race seems to generate greater and greater buzz, as the show spreads appreciation for the fine art of female impersonation to wider audiences and new generations. This year, with the delay of the seventh season premiere because of Drag Race judge Michelle Visage’s taping of Celebrity Big Brother, anticipation is as high as ever. But in Nashville, the excitement has been boiling since the announcement, late last year, that hometown queen Jaidynn Diore Fierce had been cast! Play Dance Bar in Nashville already has one former Drag Race notable, The Princess, on cast, but Jaidynn is different. Jaidynn is a Nashville gurl: she grew up here, she went to school here, and she got her start in drag here. The arrival of a homegrown queen on the national stage is a sign that Nashville drag has arrived! As most everyone familiar with Drag Race knows, RuPaul keeps a tight lid on the secrets of her upcoming seasons, and so Jaidynn couldn’t talk with us about her time on the show, but she was able to give us some insight into her life leading up to Drag Race. You might have supported her just because she’s from Nashville, but once you get to know her, you’ll support her because you love her. Jaidynn’s path to drag, much Drag Race, has been anything but easy. “Growing up in Middle Tennessee as a gay male was probably just as hard
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as most other places, I would assume,” Jaidynn said. “I was called probably every derogatory term known to man, and it was hard dealing with it mentally and physically.” Religious concerns and family issues compounded these social rejections. Despite being a locally, and soon-to-be internationally famous drag queen, Jaidynn is still very guarded about her sexual identity with family. “My family is everything to me,” Jaidynn said, “and though I am 26, I still have not come out to my family because of the fear of not getting accepted, and acceptance is what I’ve wanted my entire life…. Coming from a Christian based family, I was always told that being gay is a sin, and for most of my life I always felt like there was something wrong with me.” For Jaidynn, coming to terms with religion and family, on the one hand, and identity, on the other, was not quick or painless, despite the advances society has made in recent decades. “My whole life I’ve always felt different,” Jaidynn explained, “and I always knew what I was really attracted to, but because of my religious background I always felt like I was living the wrong ‘lifestyle.’ Though I dated girls, and had heterosexual relationships, it never worked out for me. I always felt as if I was faking it and trying to force myself to live a so-called ‘normal lifestyle.’” Ultimately, young Jaidynn’s goal was to “pass” for straight. “My mentality was to eventually get married to a
paying attention to the drag shows. “The more I watched,” she explained, “[the more] I began to understand the art-form.” With her performance background, Jaidynn grew intrigued. “I decided to audition for the amateur cast on Sunday nights and I made it! Shortly after, I became the karaoke host every Sunday night. Then I entered my first pageant, Miss Genesis, and won! It was one of the most amazing nights of my life and I will never forget it.” The more success Jaidynn enjoyed, the more seriously she took the art. “Soon this hobby of mine became more of a passion,” Jaidynn said. “I began working really hard on hair, makeup, and my overall look. I bought my first sewing machine and started learning how to make my own costumes. I would stay up in the middle of the night practicing my makeup, and sewing and hair styling.” Where did Jaidynn learn to craft her unique and refined look? “I was able to get some tips and tricks from some of the local entertainers,” Jaidynn said, “but my
woman, and have children and a family, just so I could finally feel normal,” Jaidynn said. “But as I got older I realized that in the end I would be not only wasting my time, but someone else’s as well. Someday, I do plan to have a family, and I am still planning on having children, but hopefully I will find someone that’s built just for me to spend my life with.” In the end, Jaidynn has also come to terms with her religious roots. “I will always be a Christian, and I know that love is not a sin.” But even while struggling with sexual identity, Jaidynn was already engaging in the activities which would help her develop as a performer and, eventually, a drag star. “I’ve always been into theater, stage, and dance, even as a kid,” Jaidynn said. “I participated in stage plays, musicals, show choir, marching band, and even behind-thescenes work, such as stage lighting and design. As long as I can remember, if there was a stage, I was determined to be on it!”
main source was YouTube. Still to this day, I watch tutorials for hair, makeup, and sewing. Though I have a long way to go with my overall look, I am proud of how far I’ve come in a pretty short amount of time.” As her career progressed, pageant win followed pageant win. “The next pageant was Miss TN USofA, and I won that, and the most recent one was Miss Nashville Gay Pride. Every win for me was a humbling experience that I will never forget.” All that recognition and all Jaidynn’s hard work eventually won her a full-time job as a cast member at Play Nashville. “I was ecstatic! But,” she admits, “my ultimate dream was to be America’s Next Drag Superstar!” In all, Jaidynn auditioned three times for RuPaul’s Drag Race. “The first time was two years ago,” she said, “season five! I spent a lot of time with my audition video and editing, and I was really sad that I didn’t make it.” But Jaidynn, who is persistent and well known for being a hard worker, was not
In 2007, on the night of her high school graduation, Jaidynn found the stage that would lead to national fame, even though she did not appreciate that at the time. “I saw my first drag show at… Play Dance Bar in Nashville, Tennessee. I was much more conservative at that time, and as I watched the show, I was confused, and I did not understand the art or creativity of drag at all. I felt like it was some type of clown showcase at first sight,” Jaidynn admitted honestly. After that first encounter, Jaidynn kept coming to Play, but it wasn’t for the drag. “I just came to dance on the dance floor with my friends,” Jaidynn said. “I began getting into a style of dance called j-setting. My friends and I would have dance battles with other squads on the dance floor, and all was well until we were taking up most of the dance floor and we were told ‘No more group dancing.’” That policy shift would have lifealtering consequences for Jaidynn. It was at that point that Jaidynn actually began @O U T A N D A B O U T N A S H
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Contractually, Jaidynn is not allowed to talk with the press about what happened on the show, so you’ll have to catch all the RuPaul’s Drag Race action on LOGO on Mondays at 8 p.m. Central Time.
deterred. “The second time I auditioned, I put even more time and effort into my video and I still did not make it.” Ironically, the third audition was the one with which Jaidynn was least pleased. “This time,” she said, “I wasn’t able to put in as much effort, due to working so many hours and I wasn’t as happy with my video this year, but I made it! When I finally found out that I [had been chosen], it was the happiest day of my life! I went straight to my sewing machine and began to work on creations for the show, and I’m so excited to get the opportunity to show the world who I am!” One of the hardest parts of being on RuPaul’s Drag Race for any queen is the secrecy involved: the shooting season for the show is well known, and friends and fellow queens alike are
visiting family in Texas.” Jaidynn even had someone on social media keeping her cover tight. But in the end it all almost fell apart. “I thought it was ruined,” Jaidynn said, laughing, “when one well known Nashville drag queen happened to catch the same flight coming from L.A. to Nashville. I was questioned to the full extent!” Once she was back in Nashville, the questions persisted, but
always looking for clues. “Oh my GOSH,” Jaidynn exclaimed, “trying to hide everything was a challenge!” How did she do it? “I had multiple lies! One was I had a hurt knee, which is partially true: I have had knee injuries in the past. The other one was that I was
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for Jaidynn. “I went back to my day job and then continued my
Pho
tos
journey! I’ve never really been able to travel in my life very much. I’m excited to get to see places and sights and sounds that I’ve never seen or heard before. It’s a dream come true! I plan on meeting lots of people and experiencing different cultures and countries as well!”
life basically went back to its normal routine MARCH 2015
: Ju
lius
Gre
night job at Play,” she said. By the time the announcement was made, everyone in town with ties to the drag community was speculating that Jaidynn had made the show, but for her part Jaidynn was always firm in her denials. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, though, Jaidynn’s star is already on the rise. “I have bookings coming up,” she said, “and I’m so excited about this ene
And Nashville will be well represented everywhere Jaidynn goes. Play co-owner Joey Brown can’t speak highly enough of Jaidynn, and he feels that the Drag Race phenomenon will take her far. Some of the girls quickly burn through their fame, but Brown said, “Jaidynn, just being who she is, she’ll stay in high demand. She’s a hard worker, and a genuinely nice person. Fans love her… everyone who meets her does.” Jaidynn has many goals for her post-Drag Race career. Beyond all the traveling and continuing to hone her craft and learn new skills, she said, “I would eventually like to do a single and a music video, and show the world that plus size girls are IN! We are just as fierce, fun, and beautiful as everyone else!” And for all those doing—or thinking
about doing—drag, Jaidynn has a message: “Never give up on your dreams and goals! I was very close to not auditioning and I became very discouraged. If you want it, work hard. Dedication is key to fulfilling your dreams and goals in life!” Even Jaidynn doesn’t think of herself as having arrived. “I still have a long way to go as far as working on my drag,” she admitted, “and I will never stop working and improving my skills in this art-form. It is very important to always be willing to listen, and continuously improve yourself, and you will succeed!” Nashville looks forward to cheering for its hometown queen as RuPaul’s Drag Race gets back underway! You can follow Jaidynn on Instagram and Twitter at @jaidynnfierce, and of course keep track of season seven at www. logotv.com. @O U T A N D A B O U T N A S H
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2/19/15 11:09 AM
TABLE CAPTAIN KICKOFF PARTY
2015 HRC NASHVILLE EQUALITY DINNER On March 26, 2015, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) will host its annual 2015 HRC Nashville Equality Dinner fundraiser at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel. But preparations for this event began months ago. On Wednesday, February 8, 2015, longtime HRC supporter Megan Barry, acting as a private citizen, opened her home to the dinner’s kickoff event. One way that the HRC makes the dinner a success is by recruiting table captains who will fill the seats, and the event at Barry’s home was meant to generate interest amongst potential captains and sell tickets. 2015 Dinner Co-Chair Linzie Treadway reported that attendance was strong, with 50–75 local supporters, HRC Federal Club members, and guests of current table captains.
Photos: Keith Hinkle
Tickets to the dinner may be purchased at https://www.boxofficetickets.com.
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IT’S RUPAUL COUNTRY, Y’ALL!
A DOWN-HOME, DRAGGED UP MUSIC VIDEO SHOOT JAMES GRADY | @jamesallengrady
A couple of months ago, O&AN featured Nashville transplant Glenn Stewart, an independent LGBT musician from Massachusetts who blends country and classic rock styles to create some rather unique music. Unique may sound like a strong word, but think again! On his newest album, Breaking Boundaries, there is perhaps no other song that defies more categories than “Around Again.” If you saw Stewart on the street, chances are you’d mistake him for a country boy, with his jeans and t-shirt style and rugged beard. But that country boy would be bearing a ‘terrible’ secret: he is absolutely obsessed with RuPaul’s Drag Race. When we first met, one of the first things Stewart told me is that he loves the show and watches it religiously! This in part explains how “Around Again” came to be. “Before I moved to Nashville—which is two years ago in April,” Stewart explained, “I was just messing around in iTunes and came across RuPaul, and I stumbled on her song ‘Here It Comes Around Again,’ and I thought it was pretty cool.” Ultimately, this would lead Stewart to write his own country cover of a RuPaul song. Stewart immediately bought and downloaded the song. “I wrote down the lyrics and chord structures. I transposed it into different keys, played around with it, and wrote out the acoustic lines. But as my vision of a country-rock cover took shape, the lyrics didn’t fit this vision, so I added a little to it and changed some lyrics and rewrote it, giving it more of a story line,” Stewart explained, channeling some of the enthusiasm that fueled his rapid reworking of the song. “I recorded it in acoustic in my basement,” he added with a laugh, “and it got the parts sent out to the musicians who would play the parts. When the song was
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all charted out and we sat down together, we played the song and I tweaked it a little. In like three takes, it molded into the final cut that was on the album. It was really amazing.” And how did the musicians Stewart assembled in Nashville’s traditionally more conservative music scene feel about helping make this song a reality? “When we were done, I thought to myself, ‘I just totally redid a RuPaul song, and no one
Shortly after Stewart went back to the studio to record the vocals, he and his partner Brad sat down to watch the interview challenge on the sixth season, when RuPaul used “Here It Comes Around Again.” At that point, Stewart’s manager Becky Szymcik, who was watching in Massachusetts started texting him with questions about “Around Again.” “It was only at that point,” Stewart said, “that I came out to everyone that
even realized what they were working on. No one recognized the song! It’s so straight-laced and conservative here, compared to other music scenes. I really couldn’t help but laugh that these guys had no clue but had just recorded a RuPaul song!” To be fair, though, the style and feel of the song is so different, not even his manager and partner realized the “Around Again” was actually a RuPaul cover, despite being fans themselves.
it was a cover. In the interim I’d already gotten licensing for the song, so don’t worry, Ru is getting her cut. A month or two later Joslyn Fox pulled me up on stage at a show for an impromptu performance, with music played live … from my cell phone! Afterward she was gushing and said she wanted to do the video.” The two had already collaborated on a music video for Stewart’s “Little Miss John Wayne,” so the deal was practically sealed.
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On October 15, 2014, RuPaul tweeted a link to Stewart’s song with the following message: “My song “(Here It Comes) Around Again” beautifully covered by @teamglennkicks.” At that point Joslyn Fox said to Stewart, “You know we’re going to have to do a video around this song.” Stewart and Fox both started to reach out to RuPaul girls, and eventually they recruited six who would participate in the video shoot: Joslyn, of course, Jaidynn Diore Fierce, Jujubee, Kelly Mantle, Jade Jolie, Jade Sotomayor, and Monica Beverly Hillz. Eventually the video shoot took shape as a weekend-long drag-stravaganza centered on Play Louisville, from February 6–8, 2015. Stewart secured Play Louisville for the shoot by networking through friends who knew some of the local owners and opened the dialogue. “We explained our vision and worked out details. They allowed us to go in, gave us the club for Saturday shooting all day, and it worked out great. It was an amazing venue, the girls love playing there.” On Friday, Stewart’s crew practiced setting up and taking down their set-up for playing the song live on stage. At the first drag show, the RuPaul girls (except Joslyn who would arrive the following morning) performed for an extraordinarily packed crowd. Then between the first and second shows, Stewart performed live, while camera crews shot footage of the performance and the crowd. The next morning, the girls all returned to Play, but as boys for the part of a shoot illustrating the story Stewart’s song tries to evoke. “It was Joslyn’s idea to get them dressed as boys during the morning shoot,” Stewart explained. “It’s cool to see them in the video in both roles, and it doubled our cast!” After lunch served by Play—with Joey Brown acting as bartender for the day—members of the
What do you think of Glenn Stewart’s version of the song?
both shows at Play that night!” Because shooting the first night had been so successful, “We ended up not performing our song live Saturday night. Chris Gibbs felt he got the video he needed to get, so we decided to hang out and support Jaidynn and Josyln. Then on Sunday
in, then back in because of the delay with this season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. But everyone pitched in. Jujube helped pull in Jade Sotomayor. Honestly the greatest part of the weekend was getting to know the queens on a personal level. Monica Beverly Hills, for instance, was not what I expected from watching the show: in reality she’s so much bigger than life, such a big personality! But the bonding we had was awesome.”
all about the activism and saw this as a great opportunity to expose a new community to what queens do.” With RuPaul supporting his cover and the new season just beginning, the time is prime for Stewart to release his video. “I would love to have the video out within four to six weeks,” Stewart said
Monica Beverly Hillz: I like it.... I actually think I like it better than RuPaul’s, no shade.... The style, the flavor it has, I like it! I think this video is going to be great, but I think some people are going to have their issues, thinking the two [country and drag] shouldn’t mix.... But times are changing! Kelly Mantle: I wasn’t exposed to drag growing up, and I love Drag Race for that reason, it gives young people all over access to this.... I remember when Ru came along ... and just seeing RuPaul in the mainstream was a huge influence on me. So to hear Glenn’s version ‘countrify’ a RuPaul song and bring it to a new audience, it just got my juices flowing! high. I had a crew of sixteen between band, road crew, and techs, and eight queens and their entourages! A couple of dozen people showed up for open casting, and our Friday night shoot will have captured hundreds of audience faces!” So what was it like to work with, and more importantly coordinate with, so many prominent queens? “It was kind of hectic, with Jaidynn being in, then not
Stewart keeps breaking boundaries, keeps trying to bring worlds together. “These projects are all about bridging this country rock scene with the drag community and the LGBT community. The two don’t have to be so far apart: no matter what walk of life you come from you can dig the music. If you can bridge this gap, you can break through on so many levels. Jujube, for instance, is
in February. “But a lot depends of Chris Gibbs, the videographer. I completely trust him because he’s just fantastic at what he does. I know it’s going to come out freaking fantastic, but you can’t rush it.” Having been there for the shoot, I venture to say the result is going to be amazing.
Photos: James Grady
public showed up for the open casting call so scenes featuring Stewart on stage with the various queens, now in face, playing to “an audience” could be shot. “Jaidynn Diore and Joslyn were real troopers,” Stewart said. “They shot in the morning as boys, then got in full drag for the afternoon. And then both performed
we shot a few more scenes at the Frankfurt Avenue Beer Depot, a hole in the wall BBQ joint and bar full of awesome character.” Joey Brown’s visit to Louisville was a surprise for Stewart, but a pleasant one. “I don’t know but I think he and the other owners were surprised by the scope of our production and the amount of vested collateral, with the girls, the filming, etc. The level of professionalism was really
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’ Shes Hot
Featuring Erin McCargar, Nashville Rollergirl JANE DUPREE | @janedupree
Hey Nashville! Thank you for the warm and positive feedback. I am happy you have enjoyed “She’s Hot.” If you would like to nominate any outstanding women in the Middle Tennessee area for future coverage, feel free to drop me a line. This month we take a look at one of Nashville’s Rollergirls, Erin McCargar a.k.a. Tear Obite. Roller Derby season begins March 28, and I just can’t wait! The Nashville Rollergirls are a skaterowned and operated, all-women roller derby league created in 2006 and a member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). The Nashville Rollergirls are also Nashville’s only professional WFTDA group. The NRG comprises several teams, including the Music City Allstars and the Music City Brawlstars.
To become a member of the top teams, a skater must battle it out and make the roster. The Music City All Stars are the top tiered team in the Nashville Rollergirls league. They compete against other roller derby teams across the country and end their season at the regional playoffs. Erin McCargar is one of the elite few to have been honored with the title of Music City All Stars CoCaptain. She was born in Riverside, California, but has called Nashville home for 22 years. She has one sister, a loving wife, and a happy Airedale terrier. Erin joined the Nashville Rollergirls after the WFTDA changed its gender guidelines to allow transgendered women to compete. She put on a pair of skates before seeing an actual game. She jumped in head first and has not looked back.
Erin McCargar Dupree: How would you describe yourself? McCargar: I am a co-captain of the Nashville Rollergirls All Stars, a web developer, science fiction geek, and a 33-year-old trans woman. I’ve been with my wife for 15 years, married for 10. Dupree: Did you play any sports in school? McCargar: I ran a bit of cross country in high school, wrestled just a little. More than that though, I studied Tae Kwon Do for nine years, earning a third degree black belt. I actually use a good bit of the body knowledge from that training in my derby play. Dupree: When did you join NRG? McCargar: My first 101 session was in May 2011, and I passed the minimum skills test in August. From that point I practiced with the league until my first public game in early
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2012 with the Brawl Stars. I made the All Stars, our national travel team, in 2013 and again last year. This year they gave me the honor of choosing me to co-captain alongside Big Banger. Dupree: What is your favorite thing about NRG? McCargar: It is hard for me to pick out one thing I love the most about NRG. I spend my nights surrounded by women who are dedicated, hardworking, and completely unwilling to accept anything less than your best. We push each other, support each other, and have become a second family, with all the good and bad that entails. Dupree: What is your favorite thing about Nashville? McCargar: Nashville is a great city. Since I’ve started skating, I’ve been able to visit more places than I had ever before, and almost every time I’m glad to come back home. I think that Nashville’s ever-changing nature is the best thing... the familiar right alongside of the fresh and innovative.
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Dupree: Do you promote any social causes? McCargar: I believe very strongly that we have to work at learning to love and appreciate all the differences that exist within our culture. I personally approach this from an intersectional social justice perspective, trying to challenge racism and transphobia both inside and outside the LGBT community.
213 Oceola Avenue
Dupree: What do you do for fun? McCargar: To be honest, I don’t have a whole bunch of time for [other] fun activities. I usually skate four days a week, and lift at least one more. When you add in league responsibilities and my actual paying job, down time is scarce. That said, I love to curl up with a hot cup of tea and a book, or get some good old binge [TV] watching done. I’m a sucker for political or science fiction TV series.
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For more information about the Nashville Rollergirls, or to buy tickets and team merchandise, visit nashvillerollergirls.com. @O U T A N D A B O U T N A S H
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OUTANDABOUTNASHVILLE.COM
MARCH 2015
SNARKOLOGY:
YOU WOULDN’T SAY IT ABOUT THEM 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 isn’t. She has taken the anti-LGBT “script” and dropped in other labels to illustrate her point. Note—Amy’s father is African American, part Native American, and she identifies as a lesbian.
AMY SULAM | @Amysulam
Ugh. Black people, am I right? I mean, I don’t want to be black but, if that’s what they want to do, I guess it’s okay with me, just as long as they aren’t overtly black. Why do they have to rub it in our faces, though? And as a business owner, if I don’t want them in my business, I should be able to turn them away! The Bible says very clearly God wants segregation. If black people have kids, do they have to go to the same private schools as my kids?! Can’t they just make their own schools? I just don’t want my kids growing up thinking it’s normal or okay to be black. Obviously, in the above paragraph, if you exchange black for gay, it’s the same stuff we’ve heard forever, but now it’s so obviously insane! Anytime you are mistreated because of something you have no control over, it can be infuriating. We’ve shared the crap end of it forever in the South. WHICH is why it sets off napalm in my brain when I see us fighting amongst ourselves. Oh! You don’t like lesbians? Soooooo, are you sexist or just a selfhating idiot? It’s one of the two or both. But it seems it’s easier to illustrate my point with race and religion, so for you members of the LGBT community who still think it’s a good idea to stick with only your own consonant, to the detriment of all others, this is me pointing out that you’re a self-righteous moron. Enjoy. Also, if you’re one of those who does nothing to help out in our community, I’m going in on you, too. All tea, all shade. OMG, you guys! There’s like this massive flood coming, and we’re all totes gonna drown if we don’t build a GIANT boat! I definitely don’t want to drown, and I’m gonna help with boat building as soon as I’m done talking to this guy I met on the BibleR app. When, I say help build the boat, I mean I’ll be open about how much I enjoy carpentry and that I’ve known my whole life I was a carpenter. Most of the work is nearly done, anyway, so it’s just a matter of time ‘til we’re all chillin’ on the boat. I really hope they
don’t put me next to ugly people on the cruise, though. I know we’re all on the same boat, but I’m young and pretty. I don’t wanna sit with them. OMG, you guys! Someone totes came and drilled holes in our boat (sad emoji)! People need to know what an outrage this is! I’m gonna tell social media how upsetting this whole thing is for me. I’m not gonna bother to call or write my local representative, go to the state capital, or even vote, but I WILL post pictures and memes on social media that show my outrage. Besides, the StoneWall Shipwright’s have it covered, right? Maybe I could join a fun club that’s just for people who erect masts! When people think boat building, they think of erect masts! So, my group’s done more for boat building visibility. I don’t feel like hanging out with people who make hulls or rearrange the rigging, ‘cause we don’t have much in common. See, don’t you want to just throw that guy overboard? Look, it’s great that we have allies, but within our own community we should support each other. If someone has to explain that to you, you might be too stupid to function. When it comes to LGBT, especially in the south and specifically here in Nashville, we have to adjust our thinking and see each other as family, not distant strangers. Gay issues are your issues, whether or not you’re a gay man or not, and the same goes for bisexuals, lesbians and transgender people. There aren’t enough of us that we can we just retreat into our own group. Yes, when the worst stuff happens, we can band together, but it shouldn’t take that. We are the freaks, geeks, weirdoes, and outcasts. And honey, together we’ve made being losers look fabulous! In short, just because it isn’t your specific freak flag that’s being flown, that doesn’t mean you should be indifferent about it running up a pole. In this month’s column, I’m one genital innuendo away from a free lesbian. Now where did I put that punch card?
Psychotherapy Individuals & Couples
John Waide, PhD, LCSW 615/400.5911 waide@psychotherapy-and-psychoanalysis.com Barbara Sanders, LCSW 615/414.2553 BarbaraSandersLCSW@gmail.com Music Row / Vanderbilt Area
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Kate NelsoN, RealtoR® DIRECT 615 / 268-0319 OffICE 615 / 383-6964 KATE@VILLAGEREALESTATE.COM
realestatewithkate.com @O U T A N D A B O U T N A S H
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FIFTY SHADES
OF GAY
EXPLORING BDSM IN THE LGBT COMMUNITY RIVER JOHNSON | @justriver15
The first time I ever walked into a bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism and masochism (BDSM) dungeon was the fall of 2011. At that point in my life I was extraordinarily “vanilla” (a term used to describe people who live without any elements of BDSM).I didn’t realize at the time that my life would never be the same. I fell in love with every aspect of BDSM. I became plugged into our local BDSM community center in Nashville. It quickly integrated into every aspect of my life: goals, sex, romantic relationships, and who I spend time with. I began throwing myself into every educational resource, event, book, and media outlet I could find. I had found a group of people who understood my desires, personality, and sexuality, a core part of myself that I had been ashamed of for so long. I have found that I’m not alone in experiencing stigma in the LGBT community in regards to BDSM. There are many myths about BDSM, in part because of the popularization of BDSM by the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon. The Fifty Shades novels aid in enlightening the general public about our community and mainstreaming the BDSM community, as it has helped many realize how common kink predilections are. However the novels themselves portray an abusive, sexist relationship that doesn’t reflect the consent-based culture I’ve come to know and love. The gay community, however, will likely never forget Cruising, with Al Pacino. At a deeper level, I think since LGBT individuals have had to hide who they are for so long, any activities that would make us seem more “deviant” is one more thing we’d rather keep in the closet. And what lurk in that closet? I can only invite you to look into mine. I can describe the delightful agony of someone running their hands roughly over your flesh, smacking,
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punching, slapping, grabbing, and twisting, the feeling of a flogger licking your back for the first time as blood rushes to the surface of your skin and the endorphins make your head swim. I can describe being pushed when you’re sobbing, and your Daddy or Sir tells you that you can take more. I can tell you about the first time I got aroused when I licked a boot, was spat on, and more. I can even tell you about the feeling of accomplishment from preparing a formal meal for a party of 16 successfully while being in service. Then there’s that surreal and beautiful moment when your dominant tells you that they’re proud of you and that you’re a good boy. I can talk about the powerful headspace of topping someone for the first time and having the responsibility of feeling someone writhing under your boot as you grin knowing the release they’re feeling. I could expound on the sadistic delight when you lick their tears off of their face. All the descriptions in the world, however, wouldn’t mean anything unless we’re willing to leave our comfort zones and accept whatever
OUTANDABOUTNASHVILLE.COM
MARCH 2015
Have you ever wanted to be blind folded and fed strawberries? What about being tickled with a feather? Have you ever wanted to explore playing with ice or candle wax? Then you’re kinky too! We need to stop assuming that everything in the BDSM community is geared towards pain, sex, or control. It absolutely can be oriented toward those things, but it is also an outlet for self-expression, a community, a form of spiritualism, a hobby, and enables a variety of relationships. People have many misconceptions about BDSM that cut them off from part of themselves. Watching a bondage video (while fun) can’t compare to your experience, which, when it is real, can transform your life in ways you can’t imagine. BDSM allows us access and explore hidden parts of ourselves otherwise inaccessible. BDSM can help us de-stigmatize our bodies and our sexualities. BDSM can allow you revel in pleasure and let go of the shame that might hold you back from truly experiencing joy in all its different forms. BDSM shows us that everyone’s fetishes, body types, and sexualities differ, and that that is okay. In this way, BDSM also enhances empowerment and communication and emphasizes consent culture and decision making skills that will help you explore your whole self safely, sanely, and consensually. River Johnson is a gay man from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He’s formerly SouthEast LeatherFest Boy 2013. He’s currently working on his Master’s in Psychology. He has taught dozens of classes across fifteen states related to BDSM, mental health, sexuality, and gender. He is an active member of Team Friendly Tennessee, the Conductor’s Leather/Levi Club, and the Music City Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
needs lurk within ourselves. BDSM is not all about pain. It’s not all about sex. It can be, but for me, it is something more. An array of activities, some of which have absolutely nothing to do with pain, exist within the BDSM subculture.
Expect something
totally dierent in June.
@O U T A N D A B O U T N A S H
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A KIKI WITH PAIGE TURNER | @PaigeTurner01
We all know that doing drag takes a lot of work, but what we don’t always hear about are drag husbands and all the work they do behind the scenes. Just like supportive partners in any relationship, they stand beside and support their queens by helping pack bags, make costumes, and many other things that make their queens’ work easier. Giselle Nicole is one of Nashville’s best up-and-coming performers. She was featured in the feature film, Boulevard, starring Robin Williams, which will be widely released this spring, and she performs on the Play rising stars cast and is a Tribe Warrior in Nicole Ellington Dupree’s Monday night cabaret show. She is also a performer lucky enough to have a strong relationship with her husband, Bradford. With her drag husband’s constant support, Giselle continues to break boundaries not only in Nashville but all across Tennessee. This very versatile queen does it all, from acting to singing, and with an upcoming video release she is sure to take the world by storm. Find out all about Giselle and what it takes to “stand by your queen” in this latest edition of Nashville Untucked.
What would you say is your biggest accomplishment in drag? My biggest accomplishment, I think, has been just doing drag! It helped me gain my confidence back in all areas of my life. It gave me to the courage and strength to do some things that I thought that I had to let go of. [My drag persona] inspired me creatively, giving me another view, a different perspective, which has allowed me to grow artistically and individually.
to win all three crowns that I have, and to me that is so special. I truly believe it’s something significant in my life. Bradford is really supportive. When did you meet, and what are the benefits of having a “drag husband”? I met Brad three years ago, and we have been together ever since. The biggest benefit [of having someone supportive] is that they are usually your number one fan, and they get to see your dreams
Does he make it to all of your shows? No, Bradford doesn’t make all my shows, but I am fine with it! I know he’s with me in my heart, the times that he is absent. Do you and Bradford plan to legally marry? When the time comes we will cross that bridge. Do we talk about it? Yes, we talk having kids too. Right now, I am so focused on my singing and drag career
Who inspires you most in your Drag persona? Who inspires me the most? I will say me, first, ‘cause it takes my dedication and drive to create her, but I take from the women in my family, especially my mother, my grandmother, my sisters, and aunts… Everything I know about being a great woman I learned from them.
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How many pageant titles have you held? Is there one you are most proud of? I have 3 titles, and, truthfully, all of my crowns are near and dear to me heart. Plus I am still the current reigning Knoxville Newcomer, Ms. Valentine, and Middle Tennessee America. I never gave up my titles, because I was the last
OUTANDABOUTNASHVILLE.COM
MARCH 2015
and goals unfold with you. Where Bradford helps me the most is he never lets me second guess whether I am as great as I see and think that I am. He pushes me to be the best, whether that’s drag, my music career, or acting. He vindicates, he confirms, and he supports me.
Photos Courtesy of Facebook
When did you start doing Drag? I actually started doing drag in high school: we had a Ms. West High pageant and I entered and won. My name was Diamond, then, though!
that we just take everything one day at a time. Has another queen ever tried to come between you and your Bradford? Ummm, describe queen, ‘cause you know that don’t just mean drag [giggles]! Have they tried? Let’s just say, I see them trying to give him googley eyes, smile at him, and strike up conversations with him in hopes that they can somehow magically or seductively “take him.” I laugh ‘cause I am secure enough with myself and my relationship to not even sweat it. That’s all a part of the business. Now if our foundation wasn’t built on something
real and solid then this would be a whole different kind of spill. But to answer, the thirst is real, yessss! Not being originally from Music City, how would you describe its drag community? The drag scene here is challenging yet rewarding. When I first moved here, I had no clue about expectations and barely knew how to paint. Where I came from, I was the “dancing girl,” and I never understood professionally what it took to be a true success. I came here and the drag system here challenged me to be better, do better and to stretch my limits as an entertainer!
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March 6 – 7 Who’s Your Daddy!!! Weekend A tribute to all those sexy men of a certain age and their admirers. The Tavern will be in full force Saturday night with an After-Hours Black Out Party in the Backroom! The Tavern will be open on Saturday 12pm-5pm for pool, beer, snacks, and movies. 50% DISCOUNT OFF ROOMS!
March 20 – 21 Pajama Party Weekend Back by popular demand… what do you wear to bed?? Then wear the same thing to The Tavern Saturday night! The Tavern will be open on Saturday 12pm-5pm for pool, beer, snacks, and movies. 50% DISCOUNT OFF ROOMS!
April 3 – 4 7th Annual Spring Clean Up See our website for details. WINTER ROOM RATE SPECIALS “Butts in Beds Weekends” January 3 – March 28, 2015 50% discount on weekend room rates.
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Photos Julius Greene
TRANSROOTS: To Be Young, Gifted, and Transgender BOBBI WILLIAMS
When I was 14 years old, I surreptitiously made my way through the stacks in the local library until I came to the Psychology section. One after one, I took down the books whose titles I thought would provide an answer, went to the table of contents and, if there were any, I flipped to the pictures. Eventually, I landed on one with a word I had never seen or heard: Transvestite. And on the next page there was a black and white photo of a man wearing a dress, looking like he had just crawled out from under a rock. I can still see the expression of guilt on his face. Not long after that, the newspapers and TV broke the story of Christine Jorgensen, a former member of the U.S. Army who had gone to Denmark to have Sexual Reassignment Surgery (SRS). Of course, the majority of the reports were always accompanied by some sort of joke, such as “Christine Jorgensen went abroad and came back a broad!” But those two events rescued me. I learned that I was not the only person in the world with this “affliction,” this sense that something wasn’t right. And I got a word I could apply to it and maybe even hope for a cure. But it was too early. I knew that to say out loud, even maybe, that I should have been born a girl, would mean being ostracized, becoming part of the joke, so I
chose the path followed by most transgender people of my generation. I put all of my energy into making sure that no one knew. And that wasn’t easy. For no matter what I did, I couldn’t match the image of the all-American boy, so I became the class clown. If I wasn’t the John Wayne male, at least I could be Lenny Bruce. It was my way of deflecting the mismatch, and, to some extent, it worked. Others like me took varying escape routes, becoming athletes, businessmen, or whatever role they could slip into and hide behind. Most married, had kids, and did whatever was necessary to survive, with varying results, but never with happy endings. Segue to the present. The scenario I described above is, to a great extent, still being played out, but now there are exceptions. Transgender kids today can find some consolation on the Internet. They can learn early on that they aren’t “afflicted.” They can make contact with others like themselves. And they can read about transgender people who are proud of themselves and what they have accomplished as well as hearing about transgender children whose parents accept them and allow them to be who they are. But the information highway is not all smooth driving. And naïve youth can get lost on detours and take wrong turns, winding up as prey to the trolls, predators, and religious zealots—as well as various other kinds of bullies—who inhabit the virtual world. So is it any better today for our transgender youth? Most still have parents who reject them and peers who bully them.
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Nearly half of transgender teens have seriously thought about taking their lives, and one quarter report having attempted suicide [1] compared to a rate of 1.6 percent for the general population. It’s far from a perfect world. But I believe it is definitely better than the one I grew up in, because it’s a world where the President of the United States has condemned “the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender”; it’s a world where the parents of transgender children have publicly supported their sons or daughters and stood up to schools that would try to discriminate against them; it’s a world where the medical and psychiatric professions have come to recognize that being transgender isn’t a disease. All these things were inconceivable possibilities on the day I sneaked into the library. When I was a teenager, Nina Simone had a hit record titled “Young, Gifted, and Black” that has since been covered by artists as diverse as Elton John, Rah Digga, and Faith Evans. A portion of the lyrics say, “We must begin to tell our young / There’s a world waiting for you / This is a quest that’s
just begun.” That same message applies today. To be transgender is not a curse; it’s a gift. As Derrick Moeller, a graduate student in Education at Iowa State University and a transman explains, “Having to contemplate what your gender identity and gender expression looks like is a privilege that most folks don’t have to go through” [2]. Rather than being rejected they will know that they
To be transgender is not a CURSE; it’s a GIFT. have been blessed, so that their plea “Why was I made like this?” will be replaced by a prayer of gratitude: “Thank you for making me like this.” Dr. Bobbi Williams is an author, teacher, lecturer, and consultant. Comments may be sent to her at bobbi@bobbiw.net. [1] Grossman, A.H. & D’Augelli, A.R. (2007). Transgender Youth and Life-Threatening Behaviors. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behaviors 37 (5), 527-37. [2] Tiffany Herring, January 28 2015 Iowa State Daily [goo.gl/YSL3SC].
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