O&AN | May 2017

MAY 2017 / VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 05 FIRST ISSUE FREE - ADD’L COPIES 50¢ EACH

+ Herndon to Host 2nd CONCERT FOR LOVE & EQUALITY + A Look at Nashvil e CARES’ PREP Navigation Services

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CONTENTS 10

NASHVILLE CARES EXPANDING ACCESS TO PREP

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NASHVILLE FASHION SHOW ROCKS THE SCHERMERHORN

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TY HERNDON’S CONCERT FOR LOVE & ACCEPTANCE

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TAKING UP ARMS: A NEW LGBT CULTURE?

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GRIZZLIES AUCTION DRAWS IMPRESSIVE BIDS

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TENNESSEANS TO PARTICIPATE IN D.C. NATIONAL EQUALITY MARCH

NASHVILLE PLANS PARALLEL RALLY ON JUNE 11 JERRY JONES

LGBT people from all over the United States will converge in Washington D.C. on the weekend of June 10 and 11, 2017, for two major national events.

The Equality March for Unity and Pride will be held Sunday, June 11—the same weekend as D.C. Pride (June 8 to 11)—though the events are being planned by two separate groups.

Details for the event are still being pinned down, as the march appears to still be in the planning stages. The website, equalitymarch2017.com, has been reserved, but as of late April the domain was still directing to godaddy.com. A Facebook page has been established as the main means of communicating information about the march.

Organizers are hoping to capture the same “momentum” as the Women’s March.

The first such demonstration, the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, took place in 1979, drawing around 125,000. The largest LGBT march on D.C. was held in 1993 and drew close to one million people. This year’s event will be the first largescale LGBT march on Washington since 2009.

Several Tennesseans are attending the National Equality March for Unity and Pride, including Ernie Hoskins, from Knoxville, Tennessee. Hoskins said the election of Donald Trump and the actions of his administration have motivated him to make the trip to the nation’s capital.

“I think it’s more important now than ever to stand up for who we are. We have a president who does not respect anyone, including the LGBT community, so we need to stand together and resist.” Hoskins said. “I know that the trip will give me a real sense of community. I hope that the march shows everyone that we’ve fought too hard to go back and that we will not be silenced.”

But the action won’t just be taking place in D.C. Organizers of the Equality March for Unity and Pride are encouraging pride organizations across the country to hold simultaneous rallies and marches—much like 8

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the recent women’s march did.

Nashville will join many other cities, including Chattanooga (Tennessee), Austin (Texas), Portland (Maine), Indianapolis (Indiana), Seattle (Washington), and Sydney (Australia), which have announced solidarity marches. You can view a google map that shows all of the cities with marches and rallies at goo.gl/RrB1ya.

Phil Cobucci, president of Nashville Pride, said Nashville Pride has worked with their partners at The National March for Equality and Pride, as well as Interpride, the organization of Pride planners, to host an event that works in line with our local Pride calendar.

“We have decided to host a rally with our sister organizations in the LGBT and Ally community in solidarity with the march that will be taking place on Washington on June 11,” he said. “The plans are still coming together for the event and we will be announcing more details soon on our website and social media pages. If community members are interested in participating in the program, they should reach out to Nashville Pride via email or social media.”

Cobucci said that Nashville Pride would also hold its annual Equality Walk as part of the Nashville Pride Festival on June 24 at 10

a.m. To volunteer or help in the planning of either event, visit nashvillepride.org/volunteer to get routed to the appropriate working group and board member.

Out & About Nashville (O&AN) will be sending a team to D.C. to report on the event. Watch our social media accounts for live reports throughout the weekend.

congratulates the 2017 Nominees Excellence in Business Awards

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Maria M Salas Entrepreneur of the Year John Dyke, Founder, Owner, The Turnip Truck Jenny Ford, Principal, JF Government Strategies Elliott Noble-Holt, Owner, CEO, MediCopy

Samuel L Felker Business Leader of the Year Dwayne Jenkins, Director, Gay Men’s Health & Wellness Center (MY HOUSE), Nashville CARES Pam Sheffer, Director of LGBTQI Programming, Oasis Center Paul Vasterling, Artistic Director & CEO, Nashville Ballet

Mayor Megan Barry Ally Award Melody Fowler-Green, Executive Director, Metro Human Relations Commission Sean Henry, CEO & President, Nashville Predators Hedy Weinberg, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee

Mark Lee Taylor Community Service Award Amos Gott, President and Chief Event Architect, AmosEvents Nashville Launch Pad Ron Sanford, Wedding & Event Designer, Ron Sanford Productions

Leadership in the Arts Award Belcourt Theatre OZ Arts Nashville Hon. Nancy VanReece, VP of Business Development, Batch Nashville and Metro Nashville Councilmember, District 8

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NASHVILLE CARES WORKING TO EXPAND ACCESS TO PREP ‘NAVIGATORS’ ASSIST CLIENTS SEEKING HIV PREVENTION TOOLS JAMES GRADY

Over the past few years, a long-used HIV treatment, Truvada, has found new life as a tool for HIV prevention. Studies show that taking the oncea-day pill on a regular basis significantly reduces the risk of contracting HIV—to the point that there are only a couple of known cases where the drug, when taken properly, has failed. Since this revolutionary discovery, the drug has been widely-discussed, and some cities’ health services have even made the drug free for all citizens.

In Nashville, however, there was a long period when it was nearly impossible to find a provider willing to prescribe PREP. That has begun to change in the last year thanks to the work of Nashville CARES in providing PREP navigation services—guiding clients through the sometimesconfusing process.

“Originally, we received a grant through Gilead for PREP navigation services and it started about March or April of 2016,” explained Jeff Tordiff, one of CARES’ PREP navigators. “Starting in January we received an additional grant through the Tennessee Department of Health to increase our navigation services...”

Currently, CARES’ five PREP navigators are Tordiff, as well as Zachary Papillion, Ronellis Tunstill, Sherman Megibben, and Jamie Regan. They are working to demystify the process and make sure that all interested parties have access to the information and, whenever possible, the medication they need.

PREP’s success has made programs like these across the country a priority, but PREP has limits. “When we talk to individuals about PREP, we talk about it as part of their tool belt for prevention: for most people PREP along with a condom is going to be your best barrier… If a condom breaks, you have PREP as the backup.” In addition to the rare failure of the drug, Truvada alone doesn’t prevent STIs like gonorrhea, chlamydia, or syphilis, nor does it prevent pregnancy for female clients.

While PREP is currently recommended for individuals who are having sex with multiple partners, who don’t consistently use condoms, intravenous drug users, or people with a positive partner, Tordiff said, “our approach is that if you think PREP is right for you, we are going to walk you through the process. We’re going to help you meet with a healthcare provider to decide for yourself—we aren’t going to make the decision whether we think they’re a good candidate for PREP or not.”

“Once we have an interested party,” Tordiff said, explaining the process, “we’re going to meet with them one-on-one so we can discuss more in-depth not only what the PREP process looks like but also about the medication and the importance of taking the pills at the same time every day... We will also discuss their insurance information and figure out— whether or not they have insurance—what they need to do from there.”

Many resources are available, even for those without health insurance.

“We have a good working connection with the Cayce Clinic as part of Neighborhood Health, where we have a nurse practitioner Kim Rivers who is really familiar with PREP,” Tordiff explained, “so we can serve a lot of our people without insurance through her, because the visits are going to be 10

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on a sliding fee scale, we know the cost of the labs are going to be $25 and that will be billed later, so we can have them prepared for that.”

“For individuals with insurance it takes a little longer,” he added, “because we have to work with the specifics of their plan: what part, if any, of the medication does their insurance cover, and how can we get them in contact with a provider willing to provide the prescription who is also going to be a good fit. Then we have to work out what we need to do on the back end to make sure they can afford the medication.”

Once the process is in motion, things move quickly: if a client goes through the Cayce Clinic, they can generally have their prescription within a week or so of visiting Rivers. For those who qualify financially, PREP navigators will also assist with applying to the Gilead Advancing Access program for copay assistance once the prescription is written.

Not everyone will be able to take the drug. Health barriers, such as impaired kidney function or having hepatitis, can mean Truvada is not a good fit. And financially, there are gaps in assistance, as when someone has insurance with a deductible or out-of-pocket that’s too high, even after the copay assistance, or when someone makes too much to qualify for Advancing Access.

Nevertheless, CARES will utilize all available resources to help clients get access to healthcare, and their services are still expanding. “As part of the grant the CDC gave Nashville CARES, Street Works, and Neighborhood Health, we are creating My House,” Tordiff explained, “which is a gay and bisexual men’s health clinic and wellness center.”

In addition to HIV and full panel testing, Rivers will be in residence a few days a week to offer PREP services, as well as basic health services, including treatment for common ailments.

For more information about PREP navigation, contact jtordiff@ nashvillecares.org or visit the organizations website at nashvillecares. org.

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NASHVILLE SYMPHONY’S ANNUAL FASHION SHOW FEATURES ZAC POSEN DESIGNS & MUSIC BY KELSEA BALLERINI MICHAEL CANTRELL

It is an annual, star-studded night filling an auditorium with friends, family, and supporters of the Nashville Symphony. The Nashville Symphony’s annual fashion show is a fundraising event that goes directly to support the mission of the Nashville Symphony: to inspire, entertain and educate through excellence in musical performance.

Each year the Nashville Symphony provides outreach to over 80,000 people, with 20 free or low cost programs including special events for the community and young people.

This year, the 2017 Symphony Fashion Show presented by Gus Mayer took place at this center, widely considered one of the world’s finest acoustical venues and certainly one of the most beautiful venues I have ever been in. The acoustics were amazing and the décor was fabulous.

The featured designer of the evening was Project Runway’s very own Zac Posen. This young, well-established fashion designer creates incredible works of art made specifically for its canvas, the body. The models were amazingly beautiful and talented and worked the runway flawlessly.

The evening was hosted by the beautiful and talented Allison Demarcus. She is a former competitor in the Miss America competition and wife to drummer Jay Demarcus from the country music superstar group Rascal Flatts.

The night started off with an hour of fine cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the main lobby leading to the concert hall. The show began at exquisite designs begin their parade down the O U7:30 T A N DPM, A B O as UTN ASHVILLE .CO M MAY 2017

runway. After the fashion show, all the models made their way back to the stage for one final look, followed by Posen in suit and tie.

Demarcus took the stage in a beautiful mermaid bottom gown and looked very stunning. She began to introduce the sponsors and gave special thanks for everything the sponsors did to support the event.

She also took time to recognize local celebrities in the audience such as Savannah Chrisley from Chrisley Knows Best, who was wearing an original Zac Posen design, country music superstar Thomas Rhett, and the featured entertainer for the evening, Kelsea Ballerini.

Ballerni is a country music sensation who, in a few short months, has taken the scene by. She sang three songs in front of her thousands of fans and Symphony supporters. One song, “Peter Pan” was accompanied by members of the symphony. Once Ballerni finished her performances—while wearing a gown she joked would cost more than her car— Demarcus thanked everyone for attending and for their support of the Nashville Symphony. According to Demarcus, event chairpersons Shaun Inman and Sheila Shields raised more corporate support for the 2017 fashion show than any of the fashion shows in previous years.

Gus Mayer, the presenter of the fashion show displayed and sold some of Posen’s fashion and agreed to donate 50 percent of the proceeds from his sale to the Nashville Symphony so that they may continue their mission of providing free music education and performances for the many they provide outreach to each year. You too can support the Nashville Symphony and its mission: visit their website at nashvillesymphony.org for more information.

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Ty Herndon Reprises His Concert for Love and Acceptance BIGGER VENUE, SLATE OF BIG NAMES INCREASE EVENT’S PROFILE

JAMES GRADY

Ty Herndon’s 2015 Concert for Love & Acceptance became one of the most talked about events of CMA week, and this year the event is back and bigger than ever. The first Concert for Love & Acceptance received national attention from Boston Globe, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Tonight, People Magazine and more.

A grammy-nominated and Dove Award winning artist, Herndon created and co-hosted the first Concert for Love & Acceptance alongside GLAAD in 2015, when his 20th anniversary fan club party turned into a coalition of artists gathering in support of Nashville’s at-risk youth. The driving force behind the benefit is Herndon’s desire to foster positive cultural change and encourage Nashville’s youth to live to their fullest potential.

“When I came out as a gay man in country music in 2014, I wanted to get my footing. For me it was the first time I walked

out on stage in Nashville as an openly gay man, and to see my family and so many faces that had been supportive of me over the years standing up and clapping, it kind of broke me down a little bit,” Herndon said. “The whole next year people were asking for the show to be done again, but the second year we just did the fan club event, but everyone thought of it as a second year of ‘Love and Acceptance,’ so I guess this is really our third year event though it’s only the second event.”

“I’m into my third year as an out country artist, and I’ve really broadened my career horizons in the last three years. I wanted to do something here in Nashville as a brand that made funds available for our LGBT youth.

Here in town there are a few organizations that are doing great things,” Herndon said, explaining his motivation. “I am from the South, and I know that the suicide rate has been really horrible over the years. We are seeing it get better but I could really see Nashville as a place that could be a hub for getting kids off

the streets and have housing and a place to go, and we are just getting started with that.”

“My idea was to bring a bunch of loving hearts that care about our community that are in country music together, and we have some surprise guests that are coming that aren’t in country music… It’s gonna be incredible.

We also have an amazing comedian Dana Goldberg coming to be a part of the show too.

It’s grown, it’s gotten bigger and bigger,” he said. “It’s so excited to see that happen for not only the music community here but also for these kids to see they can come to town and be loved. Seeing hearts and minds opening in the country music industry has been amazing too.”

Ultimately, Herndon wants to expand that vision further. “We are hoping to brand ‘Love and Acceptance’ as a concert around the country,” he explained, “and work with different organizations all over that reach out and really make life better for kids, work to stop suicide, and provide housing and food.”

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INVITE YOU TO ATTEND

THE 2017

CONCERT FOR

LOVE ACCEPTANCE

This year’s event has CMT joining as a media partner, and the station’s newly out Cody Alan will host. While more names will soon be added, this year’s talent lineup, which will ultimately include fifteen amazing artist, already includes Billy Gilman, Kree Harrison, Ryan Kinder, Runaway June, Lorrie Morgan, Michael Ray, Street Corner Symphony, and Thompson Square, in addition to Herndon. Moving to the Wildhorse Saloon means many more seats will be available this year—an increase from 600 seats to 3,000—but you’ll want to get your tickets soon as they’re sure to go fast.

“It’s gonna be a house full of love, my friend,” Herndon said. “We are having a little problem this year—we’re having a lot of people calling wanting to be a part of it but we only have 15 spots! We actually moved the red carpet from outside to in front of the stage so that as many artists as want to come can be a part of the red carpet before heading to other events!

Nashville has a big heart. Creating opportunities for people to show their heart, we do that well here. We have to all live together and support each other. In this environment today, it’s important to pull people together under the umbrella—or rainbow—of love!”

The event will be held on Thursday, June 8, 2017, starting at 7 p.m. at Wildhorse Saloon.

This year’s Concert for Love & Acceptance partners include media partner CMT and nonprofit partner GLAAD, as well as local sponsors Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Wade Weissmann Architecture, and Retief Skin Center.

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HEALTH

PERFORMING ARTS

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High Gravity Photography Mt. Juliet, TN 615-347-4515 | highgravityphotography.com John Cannon Studios 1108-C Woodland Street Nashville, TN 37206 615-496-1259 | johncannonart.com Papa & Roberts, PLLC, Attorney and Consultants Benjamin Papa/ Attorney & Mediator 1612 Westgate Circle. Ste 220 Brentwood, TN 37027 615-767-5900 | PapaRoberts.com SPIRITUALITY Covenant of the Cross 752 Madison Square Madison, TN 37115 615-612-5040 | covenantofthecross.com

PLAY Dance Bar 1519 Church Street Nashville, TN 37203 615-322-9627 | playdancebar.com Tribe 1517 Church Street Nashville, TN 37203 615-329-2912 | tribenashville.com ORGANIZATIONS Nashville Humane Association 213 Oceola Avenue Nashville, TN 37209 615-352-1010 | nashvillehumane.org Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 330971 Nashville, TN 37203 615-507-5185 | nashvillelgbtchamber.org

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BY JAMES GRADY

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SECOND AMENDMENT, CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

ew aspects of United States law have drawn more interest from, or inspired more debate amongst, the American public than the Bill of Rights. Over time and through shifting interpretations by the Courts, the meanings of the rights granted to citizens have shifted, and, in many cases, their scopes have been

vastly expanded.

Interpretation of these rights has a direct, and deep, impact on how we live our lives together as citizens: what do we have the right to say, and when and how may we express it, how can we gather to voice our concerns about the government, how free are we to worship, and how can we protect our own interests? These issues are provocative not just because they immediately impact our personal lives but also because their implications are sometimes deadly serious.

And because they are also questions of great philosophical importance, debates about constitutional rights, and in particular about First and Second Amendment rights, are at the center of our modern culture wars. Conventional wisdom divides opinions about gun ownership between those held by conservatives and those held by liberals, with conservatives favoring less gun regulation and finding security in an armed citizenry and with liberals promoting greater gun control and putting the role of community protection more in the hands of the state.

Since LGBT people—because of their oppression at the hands of conservative ideologies and their reliance on the mechanisms of government to secure their own civil rights—overwhelmingly identify as liberal or progressive, the community’s views on guns and gun control have often fallen along traditional liberal lines.

Even many native Southern LGBT, many of whom were exposed to guns as early as they were to bicycles, have a long ambivalent

relationship to gun ownership. John Lee, who plays with the Nashville Grizzlies and is an outspoken liberal, writes in his own piece (page XXX) on this topic, about his discomfort with guns. But he also writes about how his views have begun to involve, and he is not alone.

Increasingly, liberals of all stripes and members of the LGBT community are embracing their Second Amendment rights in the name of self-empowerment and self-defense.

The movement isn’t new—for instance the national LGBT gun advocacy group, the Pink Pistols has been around for nearly twenty years.

But membership is growing, as is interest in groups like the Liberal Gun Club.

What’s happened to fuel this movement? A lot of things, but an increasingly openly hostile environment that has sprung up in the wake of LGBT gains has left many scrambling to find ways to protect themselves and their loved ones. Two high-profile events in the last year were named by Lee and others as motivating factors: the Pulse Night Club shooting and the anti-LGBT rhetoric and violence surrounding Trump’s rise to power. These events have shaken the community, leaving many feeling like they are in the enemy’s sights.

In March of 2000, Jonathan Rauch wrote in Salon Magazine, “Thirty-one states allow all qualified citizens to carry concealed weapons.

In those states, homosexuals should embark on organized efforts to become comfortable with guns, learn to use them safely and carry them.

They should set up Pink Pistols task forces, sponsor shooting courses and help homosexuals get licensed to carry. And they should do it in a way that gets as much publicity as possible.”

This is a philosophy that many are newly adopting in the age of Pulse and Trump, a way of self-empowerment in an age of anti-LGBT terror. According to their website, the Pink Pistols “advocate the use of lawfully-owned, lawfully-concealed firearms for the self-defense of the sexual minority community… We teach queers to shoot. Then we teach others that we have done so.”

The last part is key to the Pink Pistols’

social and political goals, which rest on an aggressive and perhaps questionable assertion: “Armed queers don’t get bashed. We change the public perception of the sexual minorities, such that those who have in the past perceived them as safe targets for violence and hateful acts … will realize that that now, a segment of the sexual minority population is now armed and effective with those arms. Those arms are also concealed, so they do not know which ones are safe to attack, and which are not…which they can harm as they have in the past, and which may draw a weapon and fight back.”

Much about this argument raises difficulty for those with qualms about the effectiveness of a heavily armed populace at reducing violence, but it represents a growing sentiment that the only true defense for sexual minorities is selfdefense. It is not surprising that the Pink Pistols have openly worked with other aggressive gun rights advocacy organizations, like the NRA. Nearly twenty years after the group’s founding, there are around fifty chapters of the Pink Pistols nationwide, including a new organization in Middle Tennessee and a newly revived Memphis chapter.

Other groups, like the Liberal Gun Club, are more politically inclined to, well, liberalism.

The Liberal Gun Club was founded in 2008 by a group of people who were “tired of feeling like a traitor for wanting to vote for President Obama.” This group recognizes that sensible gun regulation and sensible gun ownership are not mutually exclusive, and draw attention to the fact that gun ownership isn’t the sole province of the extreme right, or the fear-driven.

Thus their mission: “to provide a voice for gunowning liberals and moderates in the national conversation on gun rights, gun legislation, firearms safety, and shooting sports.”

In addition to Lee’s article which follows this one, we spoke with local Brandon Edwards about his history with guns, and how he, as an LGBT person, feels about gun ownership, and why.

Like Lee, Edwards grew up around guns.

“I have had guns since I was 10,” he said. “My

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skills.”

After Pulse, the Nashville Armory sparked a controversy by offering a free concealed carry course to members of the LGBT community sponsored by an anonymous donor. Back then I spoke with Ryan Edwards and Jason Steen, who signed up for that course. Both of them professed that, like Edwards’ friends, they had long considered taking such a course but that the shooting was a catalyst.

“I dislike the fact that I now feel the ‘need’ to have to carry,” Steen said back then. “I’ve always felt comfortable out and being social, but now there’s this weird feeling that I have to be extra vigilant, to be prepared.”

He added, “the violence rate for LGBT in general has seemingly skyrocketed, especially for trans [people], in the past few years. This is just the factor that made me act. I’m the last holdout in my family, everyone else, including my mom and sister, have their carry permit.” Since Orlando, tensions around the election and beyond have simply reinforced a new wave of fear, and a sense of defenselessness, and have further emphasized the importance of relying on one’s on resources for empowerment.

For many, increasingly, that means joining the ranks of a pink pistol toting citizen “militia.” So don’t be surprised, in the coming months and years, even some of your most liberal LGBT brothers and sisters start talking more than hypothetically about packing heat.

PHOTOS: CODY STALLINGS

first one was a 22 gauge shotgun I got for Christmas. I had gotten my first BB gun at 8 years old.” Unlike Lee, Edwards never developed an intense dislike for guns that he would have to shake.

“I have been in the military for over 9 years now, and my family has always had guns,” Edwards explained. “I was taught about gun safety at a young age and have always understood the importance of self-protection.

Even as a child I knew that guns were not toys and it was a serious responsibility to own a firearm. I learned even more about gun safety and situational awareness from the military.”

While many liberals may believe it’s too easy to get a gun, Edwards points out that, “Gun ownership is something that is not easy to acquire legally, especially in the state of Tennessee, where you are required to do a background check before the legal purchase. If you pass the background check and are found to have no connections to any terrorist organizations and are found with no criminal record, you still have to register the weapon with the state.” Edwards isn’t arguing that it’s too hard, or that it isn’t too easy still—just that it’s not as easy as people imagine to get any weapon you want.

Echoing the Pink Pistols philosophy, Edwards added, “Now, as I have said to many people throughout the years, it is not the people who carry their weapon on their hip that you have to worry about. It is the people that hide their weapons on their bodies. If you own a weapon that is legally registered you’re more likely to carry it proudly, not just for protection in the moment, but as a deterrent for anyone thing that you are an easy target.

So, in my opinion, as long as you legally acquire your weapon, pass a background check, obtain a carry permit, and train on your weapon often, sure, you should carry.”

In fact he goes a step further. “I think that if you can legally obtain a weapon you have an obligation to,” he added. “Those who can be protectors of their community, should. Those who illegally buy and carry weapons often commit crimes with those firearms before the police are able to arrive. I feel it is my job to protect myself and my family and my community.”

As a well-trained military professional, that may seem easy for him to say. But he recognizes it isn’t for everyone. But he cautioned, “Before you make your decision about guns, take the course, try a few practice rounds at the shooting range, and really evaluate your level of risk. If you still feel that it isn’t right for you then that is fine. It’s about personal safety, so it should make you feel safer... After you have had the training on a particular firearm, if you still have reservations about it, that that’s just fine.

The beauty of this country is that you have the right to bear arms, if you choose to.”

Edwards hasn’t come around recently, like Lee has, but a good number of people in his circle of acquaintances have. “I have two friends that have recently obtained a carry permit, one gay and the other one bisexual,” he said. “They both went to the proper training course to learn proper gun safety and training. They waited till the New Year because the lifetime carry permit cost dropped drastically. I know that both of them went to the training after the Pulse incident.”

Edwards definitely believes that the shooting motivated his friends because, “They were all talk about getting their carry permits until everything happened with Pulse,” he explained. “Then they really got serious about finding a good class and shooting range to keep up those

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JOHN LEE My name is John. I’m a Democrat. I’m pretty much a liberal. And as of last November, I am a full exerciser of my Second Amendment rights.

It wasn’t always that way. Even into last summer, I was ambivalent-to-hostile on most gun issues. I was okay with someone owning a handgun, rifle, shotgun, or something along those lines for personal safety or for hunting purposes. But it wasn’t for me. My dad taught my sister and me how to shoot when we were in middle school, and Kentucky conservation officers taught us a lot about gun safety in school when they talked about hunting. But that’s where it stopped with me. I never even considered the idea of getting a gun for myself.

So what changed that? Donald Trump. I watched last year’s election with horror and disgust that only seemed to grow with each day. People were assaulted physically and verbally at his rallies, and it just seemed like his campaign was giving people permission to indulge their worst impulses. Words that previously would have been left unsaid were now being hurled from people’s mouths at the highest volume possible.

It seemed like every week brought a new story of someone being accosted on the street somewhere in America by someone who was “making America great again.” Before, it seemed like our leaders were trying to calm citizens and keep them from scapegoating others based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or other factors; now all of that was being cast aside in the name of “fighting political correctness.” Now it was the “in thing” to unleash the id.

It was one thing to read stories. But then I started to see it creeping into my social media feeds. People I actually knew were starting to experience this. Someone saw a friend’s Hillary bumper sticker and decided to wait for them to come outside to get in my friend’s face about it—a total stranger. Another friend left a gay bar—heretofore a safe space—and some people followed him down the street, yelling about how people like him wouldn’t be welcome in Trump’s America. In the weeks leading up to the election, it seemed like the stories wouldn’t stop. Each day brought a new anecdote, another friend sharing how

he or she had been harassed.

The night of the election brought it home. I remember typing this sentence on Facebook about midnight when it became obvious to me that Trump would win: “How do you make a liberal support the Second Amendment? Elect Donald Trump president.” By the next day, that simple post had over twenty replies, from other liberal friends who admitted they were feeling the same way to friends who knew a lot about guns, giving me their opinions on what kind of gun they thought would be good for a novice like me.

I remember walking into the store the following Sunday. My hands shook and my throat was dry. I couldn’t believe I was actually going to do it. I told the guy behind the counter—a really friendly guy named Charlie—that I was pretty much a total novice with handguns and was looking for something for personal protection. He asked me two questions: revolver or semi-automatic, and what was my price range. Charlie walked me through the rest of the process.

I was worried that I’d feel totally conspicuous in the store, like all the rest of the people milling around would smell the “liberal stench” oozing out of my pores and they’d all turn on me. To my surprise, that never happened at all. Charlie was knowledgeable about his product, enthusiastic, and had a lot of great tips about things that never would have occurred to me. For instance, before I went to purchase, I’d assumed that a small gun that was easily concealed would be best. Not at all: I’m 6’5” and weigh 265, and I needed a gun with some size and weight in order to have the best control in my hand. The anxiety never really left me the whole time I was there, though.

When I signed the slip on the receipt when I purchased my gun, my hand was still shaking.

I kept it unloaded and in my closet for weeks, just getting used to the idea that I was a gun owner. But I figured, in for a penny, in for a pound. The place that sold me the gun also offered many classes, and I took one called “Handgun 101.” We learned the basics: what the individual parts of the gun were, how to properly load guns, stance, grip, the whole bit. The class ended with us test firing on the range. To my surprise, I was actually pretty good with it! Who’d have thought that someone who hadn’t touched

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a gun in decades and who had pretty much been personally anti-gun his whole life would actually be a good shot?

And it didn’t stop there for me. I made it a point to visit the range at least once every few weeks to keep my skills up. I practiced my upkeep on my pistol. I would sit at my desk with the gun unloaded and dry fire at objects or pictures. I talked about my experiences openly on Facebook and traded stories with friends. I even joined the Facebook group of the Liberal Gun Club. It’s quite a feeling of empowerment when you realize that there are other people out there who want universal health care, support equal pay for women, full LGBT equality, and are crack shots on the firing range. Guns didn’t have to be tools for crackpots or the domain of the extreme right wing at all.

It was funny how many had come to the same realization as me, and at about the same time: we as Americans have a right to gun ownership for personal protection. If there was ever a time to bring that point home, this was it. At the same time, I worried about what this meant about me. Was I giving into fear? Would I start carrying my gun with me everywhere I went as I worried about Trump’s brownshirts coming after me? I didn’t like that idea at all.

But I kept going to the range. I kept chatting with acquaintances. And I learned something: there were a lot of people out there who were watching what I was doing.

Listening to my observations. Many of them sent me private messages telling me that they were considering doing the same thing, taking a handgun class and possibly buying one for their protection. My new education and experiences were coming in handy. I figured if I could keep even one person from having the same anxiety in the gun store as I did, then I was doing something good.

So where does that fit in with my beliefs?

I’m a lot less certain about gun control than I was before, mainly because of the time I’ve spent educating myself on guns. I think education on proper use and handling of any firearm is extremely important, and I am strongly against attempts to water down requirements for people to carry handguns.

If someone is going to be allowed to carry, either concealed or openly, then they must prove that they are knowledgeable about safety and responsibility. I certainly have done 26

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a total 180 on personal ownership, especially of handguns. But I throw in education and training every time I give any encouragement for someone to think about getting a gun.

Gun ownership, to me, carries grave responsibility. The ultimate purpose of any gun, to quote one of my instructors, is “to put holes in something.” If you handle a loaded gun, then you are taking responsibility for what happens with it. Terrible, sometimes irrevocable, damage can be done with a handgun. If you are going to keep a gun in your home, your vehicle, your workplace, then you must take responsibility for learning how to properly use it. Take training courses. Go

to the range and practice your shooting. Learn the rules of gun safety. Above all else, if you don’t feel that you are up to the responsibility that comes with gun ownership, then don’t get one. Just because people can do something, it does not automatically follow that they must.

I guess my liberal bona fides are still there: safety, education, training, regulation.

To me, they’re just common sense. We don’t allow unlicensed drivers to get behind the wheel of a car, right? They can do a whole heck of a lot more damage than a single handgun could. I know, the comparisons don’t totally jibe. But it does give you something to think about.

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ALL IDENTITIES: REMOVING OBSTACLES TO INCLUSION MT LAMBDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE INSPIRES, EDUCATES

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students, practitioners, and leaders spoke to guests in attendance on how access and opportunity intersect with someone’s identity and our interactions with the community and one another, as well as how to remove those obstacles that keep us from being included.

The conference’s presenting sponsor was Nissan. Nissan is an avid supporter of LGBT rights. The conference consisted of three days of keynote speakers such as Tara Prairie, Michael McDaniel, David Jay and Eric Watson. These speakers are experts in

the fight for minority rights. The conference also included a mini film festival on Thursday night, an open mic night on Friday night, and an awards dinner wrapping up the weekend on Saturday night.

Professor William Langston is the advisor for the MT Lambda organization and the organizer for the annual event. According to Langston, his hope is that the conference will help create environments conducive to a welcoming experience and that aren’t hostile, wherever students go.

PHOTOS: MYL PAC

MICHAEL CANTRELL

On Thursday, April 6, 2017, approximately 300 people, most from student organizations across the state, arrived at Middle Tennessee State University to attend MT Lambda’s fourth annual conference. The primary goal of the conference is to bring people together for a three-day educational event so that people all across Middle Tennessee and other areas can learn how to create an educational and corporate environment where all people are accepted regardless of their sexual orientation.

The MT Lambda organization was founded in 1988 by Daniel Webster, John Weaver, and Richie Smith in the aftermath of a slew of homophobic remarks published by a single student writer for the campus paper— *Sidelines*. The original membership of this organization consisted of 20 students and faculty members searching for a safe place where they wouldn’t be ridiculed or bullied.

This organization is the oldest of its kind in the state of Tennessee. MT Lambda has weekly meetings and are open to all current MTSU students who act in good faith of MT Lambda’s constitution and community standards.

MT Lambda serves as a support for students, as well as to foster a welcoming environment on campus and a healthy and safe transition into the corporate world. The organization’s mission incorporates four main goals: political activism, LGBT education, community engagement, and social support.

During its tenure, MT Lambda has hosted celebrity speakers such as Judy Shepard, Megan McCain, and Chaz Bono. According to their website, members of MT Lambda were the first to view the pilot for the infamous television show Sordid Lives.

The theme of this year’s conference was “All Identities–Removing Obstacles to Inclusion.” According to the MT Lambda website, the conference focused on how religious beliefs, nationality, race, gender, age, and sexual orientation can play a significant role in how we experience the world. Professors,

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1 5 Y E A R S O F LG B T N E W S 5/5/16 11:30 AM

GRIZZLIES BACHELOR AUCTION DRAWS IMPRESSIVE BIDS Each year, Nashville’s Grizzlies take to Church Street and turn your favorite bars into a literal meat market, auctioning off date packages with some of the team’s fan favorites. This year’s “bachelors” included Taylor Tavarus, Sheldon Sinks, Seamus O’Reilly, Key Harwell, DeLorean, and Joey Brakefield.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF NASHVILLE GRIZZLIES

Thanks to an enthusiastic crowd of bidders, including friends from the Hot Mess League, the boys pulled in from a few hundred dollars to nearly a thousand dollars each, with additional money being raised at the door and in the silent auction. This is an event that gets bigger and better each year, so we can’t wait to see who goes on the block next time!

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MICHELLE VISAGE HOSTS AT PLAY NASHVILLE DRAG RACE DIVA TAKES OVER HER FIRST TIME OUT

PHOTOS: CODY STALLINGS

Michelle Visage is one of RuPaul’s Drag Race’s most well-known personalities, and until last month she had never taken the stage at Nashville’s Play Dance Bar. Leave it to Michelle to not only take the stage but to take over the show. That’s right, SHE HOSTED! If you weren’t there, here’s a little look back at what you missed!

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NASHVILLE’S CONDUCTORS RAISE MONEY, AWARENESS ANNUAL RUN SHOW AND EVENTS A BIG HIT CODY TRACEY

PHOTOS: TERRY CHRISTIAN

Another year has brought another successful run for the Conductors. Each year the conductors put on a fun-filled weekend, called a run or track, in order to have “a chance for us to invite our leather brothers and sisters to Nashville for a weekend of fun and fellowship” of course an opportunity for fundraising too.

The first anniversary weekend was held in 1983 and was dubbed “Track I.” This year was the 35th anniversary, dubbed “Track XXXV.” Some highlights of the weekend included: Freak and Fetish Fashion Show hosted by the Music City Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, multiple cocktail parties hosted by Trax, Stirrup, Mr. Friendly, and the leather clubs, and lastly but certainly not least, the Run Show.

The Run Show is partly a drag show, partly a variety show put on by members and friends of the Conductors, and is one of the biggest fundraisers of the weekend. This year with support from Stirrup, Trax, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and many other locals groups and people, the Conductors were able to raise over $2,200 for charity! The group is very proud of this year’s run, and is looking to make next year’s bigger and better than ever!

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OVER

the RAINBOW

JULIE CHASE

GAIA House - New Hope, Pennsylvania Soulmate and I are here for a private matter. Something I have always wanted; a confirmation of sorts. I always knew I was a woman...now I would finish the affair. All has gone very well up until tonight.

Soulmate’s first visit to a classic gayborhood has turned into a second honeymoon of sorts. Her purring Southern accent and manners entrances and ensnares even the most jaded Yankee specimen who comes across our path (I know how that one works).

Then they took me off of the morphine... and couldn’t switch me to codeine. Tylenol was to be my best friend for the next 72 hours, but the first ones would be the roughest.

Welcome to the longest night of my life.

Far more people have it worse, I suppose. But pain is pain. I cannot sleep, therefore I must write. It is the only way to stay sane.

I went to therapy.

I took the hormones.

I signed the forms.

I underwent the procedure.

I am legally female now...

But I am not a strong woman, yet ... that honorable title was earned by heroes before me; it is never given ... and I have a lot to learn and a very long way to go. The reality only came crashing down upon me during the first days of after surgery. Radical change and no sleep will make anyone cry buckets. I did my share too, with Soulmate holding my hand.

The G-ddess did not abandon me upon the surgery table though. She was still protecting me ... but also desperately trying to impart a crucial fact.

I could not pretend to be a guy anymore, and I must live as women do, 24/7. I must learn right now, if not sooner. The rest of my life will depend upon how I adjust to my new reality, the reality I desperately sought with

all of my being, a reality I can no longer step back from. That reality suddenly just became very difficult and scary to achieve.

I do not miss my parts; I do miss what residual testosterone I was carrying prior to the event. This is part of the female reality my therapist has been trying to get me ready for. Never have I felt so naked and alone in my life, and so dependent upon Soulmate and female friends to help guide me across the border. I am an emotional train wreck…

I never thought I would ever say this, but I am grateful The G-ddess brought me into this world as a biological male. I learned a lot from that existence, good and bad, and I will try to bring the good parts of that life over to my newer one. I always was female.

It took me until my forties to finally accept that. Childhood experience especially made me want to discover the female identity that was denied me. I have always speculated that someone wanted me to do specific things or learn something important before crossing the line. I hope that I have succeeded.

I am also grateful for the soulmate who has stood beside me from day one. Even when she figured out in college that I was not quite cisgender or heterosexual, she stuck by me. It took guts to walk down an aisle with someone who felt more comfortable in the twink world than straight. But she was bi too, and understood. We have always been a quiet lesbian couple. Now all will know.

Some lucky kids are getting their opportunity to transition at a relatively young age. I had to wait until my late forties. I knew I was a girl. I told my parents. They told me they loved me, then they threw me into military school out of love. They thought I would wind up a homosexual pedophile otherwise.

I’m an adult now, and I understand the culture my parents were brought up in. I have learned how to forgive, though I will never forget. I have declared war on that culture accordingly. For all of its bad points, a military school education does teach you how to stand and fight. That culture shaped my

ILLUSTRATION: MELISSA GAY

LEARNING TO FLY

early psyche. I will take my anger from a lost childhood and use it to fuel my resolve that this generation’s LGBTQI kids will not have to endure the same. Let the forces of bigotry and darkness take notice: I have always been woman, and I am becoming a stronger one.

Now I am a butterfly. I have never been a girly-girl, nor have I ever really desired to be. My heroes and role models were lesbians.

I prayed every night of my childhood to be turned into one.

And then, one early morning, kind people asked me to go to sleep, and upon awakening my body had been transformed. I was already a woman, of course, just hidden behind some mismatched parts. The therapist made sure I understood that before I did anything else. I was always a girl with boy parts, and I could have lived with that. But I chose to become a butterfly with olive drab wings. That’s just who I am. No regrets.

Let the adventure begin, while remembering it’s ok to cry.

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.

@OUTANDABOUTNASH

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What was it like with your peers in school?

I was bullied a lot and made fun of. They would call me stuff like candy-ass or pansy.

I was jumped by several guys and even the teachers would make a joke of me. I talked to our guidance counselor, and he said the best thing for me to do was turn in my books and leave school

A KIKI WITH PAIGE TURNER | @PaigeTurner01

Holy Untucked! What a treat we have in store for you: the Nashville legend, Miss Tina Louise!

This year, this little lady celebrates forty-five years in drag! To say it was a pleasure to kiki with this lady would be a major understatement. Her experience is so incredible! Today’s generation could learn a lot from her because it’s legends like her that really paved the way. Sit back and relax, because this is one for the books!

How did you start doing drag, and what intrigued you into doing it?

I started doing drag when I was 15 years old. I used to play with my mom’s clothes and jewelry.

I started dressing up because I felt like I was a girl. Around 16, I met a friend named Regina Ray: she was one of the only two white queens in Nashville at the time. One day she got put in juvenile for being caught out in drag, because back then it was illegal to cross dress. It was called masking.

Tell us more about masking. What would the police do exactly?

They would put you in jail: it was a misdemeanor.

If you were a minor, they would just take you to juvenile for being out past curfew. But I never got arrested for masking. One night we got pulled over and DeeDee got arrested for contributing to a minor. They took me to juvenile for being out after curfew. I was the only one in drag that night. There I was subjected to having to walk up and down the hall naked, in front of all the other boys, while still in makeup. It was my first brush with the law but it taught me a big lesson.

Who do you recall being some of the first drag performers in Nashville?

Well one day I was at Regina’s house and she showed me a newspaper clipping. In the corner was a picture of Roxanne the Latin Lovely and Chris Cross, who were two of the first performers here in Nashville. That was at the 36

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Watch Your Hat and Coat Saloon. I wasn’t old enough back then to get in, but I would stand outside and watch through a small window.

What was the shade like back then?

Well, since masking was illegal, people would call and tip you off that other queens would be out that night. Some girls who were jealous or what not would then call and turn you in for masking.

Or they would see you out and call the law to turn you in. I would always run: sometimes the heels would pop off the backs of my shoes because I used to run track in high school.

How was it for you as a child?

I was the oldest of seven, and we lived in the projects on Shelby avenue. My father was in the military and my mom was a stay at home mom—seven kids will keep you busy. In school the teachers always liked me, I was a good student. I was in choir, and band. Anything musical or plays, they always would put me in it because I stood out… A couple of shows my dad would show up, but he would be drunk.

What was it like with having your father battling alcoholism?

It was hard you now, but it taught me to never be that way. He was abusive, and it was just a hard thing to deal with as a child. A lot of my friends struggled with it, but I never did because I grew up with it and witnessed the effects first hand.

How did your family deal with you being trans?

I was very lucky: my parents were very accepting and understood that was just how I was. They would let my friends that were kicked out or had to leave home come stay with us. I was very lucky: I never had to deal with the parental torment other people had to go through.

Tell me more about gay culture back then. Was there a lot of hate towards the community?

Oh yeah, there was stuff happening like that all the time. My dear friend Peanuts was murdered.

She was stabbed 38 times and to this day her murder is unsolved. One girl didn’t tell a guy she was a man, and he killed her, slit her throat. It was hard back then especially dealing with the loss of our friends and community. I’ll tell you this as a trans woman I have never lied to a man about me; I always told the truth.

Then in 1973 the Watch Your Hat and Coat Saloon burned. That year Miss Gay America was happening and there was a lot of backlash. A lot of people were not happy about it being here in Nashville. So someone set the bar on fire. Some think is was another bar owner and some think it was a jealous queen. The next year another bar was hosting the pageant, and someone burned it down the following day.

Tell me more about gay culture back then. Was there a lot of hate towards the community?

Oh yeah, there was stuff happening like that all the time. My dear friend Peanuts was murdered.

She was stabbed 38 times and to this day her murder is unsolved. One girl didn’t tell a guy she was a man, and he killed her, slit her throat. It was hard back then especially dealing with the loss of our friends and community. I’ll tell you this as a trans woman I have never lied to a man about me; I always told the truth.

How would you compare drag back then to how it is today?

Well there are so many more types today then

Miranda’s

ADULT STORES

there were back then. Today with all these shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race, it’s more mainstream. You don’t have to go to bar to see a drag queen, you can just turn on the T.V. I think that has changed it a lot, because it makes it hard for other queens to get bookings because bar owners target those queens from these television shows more.

How would you describe your drag style?

Oh, I’m very old school being from my era. I’m not saying I am vain, but I like to be pretty, to show cleavage and what not. I was always known for kinda being the R&B girl. I always did songs like the Supremes and stuff like that.

Where can our readers keep up with you?

Well, I am not doing any shows right now because a few years ago I had to have a mastectomy. I am recovered from that now and have had reconstructive surgery, but it has flared up a lot of other problems. But I am on Facebook as Tina Louise!

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y g o l o k r Sna aux Time It ’s Ge

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 I swear we’re time traveling, because I’m certain I’ve woken up in the beginning of the French Revolution. The distance between rich and poor has never been greater. The wealthy who run the right-wing party have gone full French aristocracy. The president doesn’t pay taxes but we’re jailed if we don’t. For-profit incarceration is the modern-day debtors’ prison. I can’t for the life of me figure out how people don’t see this.

Oh, wait! Yes I can! They use bait-and-switch to carry out their cloak and dagger schemes. Instead of plainly saying “we’re getting rich off your backs because, ‘f*** you, we can’.” They get the media to tell us it’s the fault of gays or black people or Mexicans or feminism. They’ve completely tricked the population into pointing fingers at each other, blaming “the different...”

You know like in WWII. All this time travel has me wondering what the French peasants got so right that we’re getting so wrong. Well, for one, the poor knew they were poor rather than thinking of themselves as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.

So let me help. Look, Cletus you’re never gonna be part of the 1% and here’s why… The system is rigged to f*** you hard without lube.

The chances you’ll make it out of the working class are slim at best, so get comfortable. You’ll never get rich screwing yourself or blaming minorities for your problems. If you could, Mississippi would be the wealthiest state in the nation.

Seriously, look at the statistics, they vote for Jesus hardcore and they’re one of the poorest states. You wanna guess why? I’ll give you a hint: a party run by the 1% doesn’t give a shit about you. If you think they do, bless your heart. The liberal party isn’t much better because again it’s run by millionaires, but we’ll tolerate them because they don’t make scapegoats out of the disenfranchised. But they use them just the same.

Our two-party system has gotten us here. That and the electoral college.

The sleight of hand the right... We live in a country where almost everything is becoming illegal. Wanna protest it? Cool. You’ll go to jail. The government wants us quiet and compliant, or they’ll put you in a for-profit prison and throw away the key.

People, it’s guillotine time. If we start beheading the “let them eat cakers”—figuratively of course—I bet they’ll start listening. But let’s not pretend we’re above unsanitary street murders. You’d all be either taking video for social media or reposting it.

If we all said, “F*** you, we’re not paying unfair taxes,” what are they gonna do? Lock us all up? We make less money but pay (by percentage) more of our wages into the government than the wealthy. By the way, my favorite is seeing broke-a**es complain about “the rich being taxed to death” like they know the struggle. (Audible eye roll).

When they make it us versus us, not only are they cloaking their bullshit by distracting us, but they also create a hostile, violent environment and put the well-being of innocent citizens at risk. Like puppets we play right into it.

The French revolutionists had it right. We need to rise up and take our country ... not back, back is bad, take it forward. Forward is good.

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I swear, the way the media operates these days, the oppressors can take literally the clearest case of wrong versus right and make the most benign thing an evil. Just look at the way United try to use spin to vilify Dr.Dao after violently yanking him off a plane for a mistake THEY made. I swear, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Girl Scouts vilified for selling cookies because they contain gluten or Obama bought some once.

The basis for the manufactured “outrage” I see now a days is literally that baseless and stupid. We need to take our brains back. Show some human empathy. I get so sick of people saying, “I don’t want MY money going XYZ!” You know what? Screw you. I don’t want mine going to a public that uses religion to exclude to minorities or wars or bail outs.

Guess what—if we don’t have social programs and a livable wage, we have more social problems. If you’re too stupid to realize that, then you can go live beyond thunderdome in whatever post-apocalyptic hell hole you want. You can hoard all YOUR money and enjoy having to home school your kids and drive a tank to literally wherever you want to go because we’ll be living in a war zone. The Congo doesn’t have a livable minimum wage or social programs, but hell, they’re doing great!

We have got to work together to fix the situation we’re in, which means we have to stop looking at what’s different about us, stop judging others because their life choices aren’t the same as ours, band together, and start putting mice up the noses of the 1%. (I could come up with these ideas all day.)

We aren’t each other’s enemy: we’re in this together. The enemy is the palace dweller who doesn’t care about the harm they do as long as they make more money. Those people are scum. They get away with it and trick us into cheering them on by way of distraction. It’s high time we put pixie sticks in their pee holes… Just sayin’. VIVA LA REVOLUTION!

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Please contact us by phone at 800/437.0118 or via email at timberfell@timberfell.com.

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Be mellow. Be responsible.

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