Don’t miss Atlanta’s favorite Back-to-School Benefit presents
Help Georgia’s kids in need start the school year right: WITH A NEW B A C K PA C K & SUPPLIES
Featuring: Open bar d'oeuvres Heavy hors ic us m t Grea e auctions Silent & liv
Space is limited! More information & tickets available at forthekid.org! PRESENTING SPONSORS
SATURDAY JULY 13TH
MAGNOLIA HALL PIEDMONT PARK
7 - 1 0 PM
RSVP at FORTHEKID.ORG to guarantee admission and bring a backpack filled with supplies or purchase a ‘virtual’ backpack for $40
CONTENTS JULY 10, 2019
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EDITORIAL
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Mikkel Hyldebrandt Editorial Director mikkel@peachatl.com
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From the Editor Having lived seven years in Atlanta, I have witnessed how Atlanta has vastly improved its outdoor spaces. Piedmont Park has been expanded and connected to the Beltline, which in itself has made Atlanta a much greener city. And in a few years, we’ll have the Westside Park project, which will be even bigger than Piedmont Park. And, of course, Atlanta’s green spaces are far from confined to the urban area with both mountains and vast forest surrounding the city. Check out our mini-guide to notable urban green spaces on page 14 and a good list of outdoor adventures on page 46. In this week’s celebrity interview, Chris Azzopardi talks to First Wives Club Hollywood icon Diane Keaton about the gay following she never knew she had, and lesbian roles for which she is totally available and ready for.
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The content of Peach ATL Media is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice. The opinions expressed by any writer, advertiser, or other person appearing in the Peach ATL Media are not necessarily those of this publication, its management or staff. The information and materials appearing in the magazine are not guaranteed or warranted as to accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness, or suitability of the information and materials found or offered for a particular purpose. It shall be your responsibility to ensure that any products, services, or information available through Peach ATL Media meets your specific requirements. Peach ATL Media is not responsible for claims made by advertisers, content of information, changes, events, and schedules. The magazine contains information and material which is owned by or licensed to Peach ATL Media, including but not limited to articles, advertisements, design, layout, graphics, and logos. No part or portion of Peach ATL Media may be reproduced in any way without the prior written consent of the publisher. Unauthorized use of Peach ATL Media may give rise to claims for damages and or criminal offenses. Your use of the information or materials in Peach ATL Media is strictly at your own risk.
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Come CELEBRATE at the Piedmont Park Pool to help Joining Hearts raise awareness and funds to provide care and housing assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS in Atlanta. 32 years after joining Hearts held its first major fundraising event in 1987, the pool party has not only grown to be the non-profit’s main fundraiser, but to be the highlight of Atlanta’s plentiful lineup of summer events. Back when Joining Hearts was founded there was still a lot to learn about HIV/AIDS, and today we are facing another HIV/AIDS crisis in the metro Atlanta community – in fact, Atlanta is seeing new infection numbers comparable to those the city saw in in the 1980s, so supporting the cause today is just as important as 32 years ago. The CELEBRATE pool party offers three levels of experiences: General Admission, VIP, and Ultra VIP ($120-$2.500). Complimentary cocktails for all, food by Sun In My Belly (depending on your ticket level), and beats provided by Andres Vergel
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who will do the opening set before allowing Superstar DJ Rick Braile to take the dancefloor into the night. As a main event tradition, the pool party will end with a spectacular fireworks show over the lake and is followed by several afterparties and after hours. Go to joininghearts.org to get your ticket now, because this event will sell out! About Joining Hearts The mission of Joining Hearts is to raise awareness and funds to provide care and housing assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS in Atlanta. Since 1987 Joining Hearts has donated more than $2.5 million to their beneficiaries. -What: CELEBRATE – Joining Hearts Main Event When: Saturday, July 20, 4 – 10:30 pm Where: The Greystone, Piedmont Park Pool Tickets and info at joininghearts.org.
By Mikkel Hyldebrandt
In their efforts to support metro Atlanta children in need, For the Kid hosts their annual Backpack in the Park event. Peach spoke to Jeff Mayhew (President) and Sean Dunn (VP), about the benefit and how you can support the students in need. Tell us a little about the background of Backpack in the Park. “Backpack in the Park” is a back-to-school benefit that collects school supplies for students in need. We’ve distributed over 24,000 backpacks since we started! Think of this event as the “Toy Party” of Summer (we do that one, too!). Who will these backpacks full of school supplies support? Backpacks collected through this campaign are donated to local non-profit organizations that serve children who would otherwise not have all of the shiny new school supplies needed for a positive, confident, and fresh start to the school year. The recipient groups work directly with kids and apply based on need each year. What can people expect at this year’s Backpack in the Park? This year we are at the beautiful Magnolia Hall in Piedmont Park. Please join us Saturday, July 13th from 7-10 PM for an open bar, heavy hors d ‘oeuvres, music, and great auctions throughout the night. This year, be prepared for an upscale feel and plenty of opportunities to mingle and support the cause.
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What do you need to know if you want to bring a backpack? New, unused backpacks only, please. Fill them up with the following supplies that will cover the basics for several age groups, and everyone will be happy: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
6 Two-pocket Folders 2 Spiral Notebooks 1 Box of Crayons 2 Packs of Filler Paper (Wide Rule, 150 pages each) Hand-held Pencil Sharpener 1 Glue Stick 12 No. 2 Pencils (1 pack or 12 individual) 1 Pack of Colored Pencils (12 -pack) 1 Three Ring Binder 1 Ruler
Is there an option to support even if you don’t show up with a backpack? What a good-looking question! You can purchase a virtual backpack or donate any amount online at forthekid.org. In what other ways can you support For the Kid? Because we are a 100% volunteer organization, we are always looking for new volunteers and committee members to help our mission! Email support@forthekid.org if you have any interest! Hope to see you there! Anything you’d like to add? What else can we say, other than that we are truly grateful for all of our sponsors, donors, and volunteers. There is no way we could do this without their help; they help make all of this possible.
Join Join us us for for
2019 2019
For more info visit: http://gaykeywestfl.com/ tropical-heat/
peachATL.com | 11
I’ll Never Forget What’s-Her-Name By Gregg Shapiro
Over time, P!nk has become one of the hardest working women in show business. Throughout the course of her evolution from blue-eyed soul diva to raucous rocker to pop icon, P!nk has vividly colored our world. Her live shows, involving complex and outrageous aerial stunts, are legendary. As is her embrace of the LGBTQ community. While there’s nothing as outstanding as “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)”, “What About Us?”, “Stupid Girls” or “Just Like Pill” on her new album Hurts 2B Human (RCA), it’s still a worthwhile effort. Cowritten with Nathan Ruess of fun. (the band)fame, “Walk Me Home” sounds like something you might have found on one of its albums. “Hustle” is a statement of strength and “90 Days”, a duet with gay artist Wrabel serves up the drama. Other recommended numbers include the semi-clubby “Can We Pretend”, the emotional “Courage (cowritten by Sia) and the subtle twang of “Love Me Anyway” (a duet with Chris Stapleton). For someone who spent her career, particularly during the early years, setting trends and being well ahead of the curve, Madonna sure has lost her touch. In addition to suffering from a serious case of cultural appropriation (see “Medellín”, “Faz Gostoso” and “Batuka”), Madame X (Maverick/ Interscope) already sounds dated. Still working the tired bondage element that began with “Justify My Love” and continued through Erotica and the album cover of Rebel Heart, Madame X’s kink art feels put on and dull. Not especially known for the profundity of her lyrics, much of what she has to say here feels more simplistic than ever (“Killers Who Are Partying”). When including a spokenword segment, as she does on “Dark Ballet” or “God Control”, it helps that what’s being said bears up during repeated listens, something that doesn’t hold true for either song. At least “God Control” features a vintage disco energy that elevates it. “I Don’t Search I Find” also rightfully returns Madonna to the dancefloor (something her longtime queer fans will appreciate), while 12 | 07.10.19
Photo: PR
“I Rise” is her latest political statement. It’s also worth asking if Madonna is being self-referential (“Bitch I’m Loca” as an update to “Bitch I’m Madonna” and “Don’t Tell Me” quoted in “Future”) or has she just run out of ideas? Madonna doesn’t seem like the type who listens to advice. But if she was, she’d be wise to listen to Be The Cowboy and Remind Me Tomorrow, the brilliant recent albums by Mitski and Sharon Van Etten, respectively, to find out what the best modern music sounds like, and how incorporating dance beats doesn’t have to sound forced. Of course, by the time she mimics them, it will probably be too late, and tastes will have evolved. Consider this: it’s been 20 years since Dido released her debut album No Angel. Hit singles from that album, including “Thank You” and “Here With Me” established Dido as a household name. Since that time, Dido has only released four more albums, including her latest Still On My Mind (BMG). There’s much to like here, which should serve to return Dido to people’s minds. Dance-oriented cuts including “Take You Home”, “Friends” and “Hell After This” provide the mostly laid-back album with an energetic spark. Dido still has a knack for getting us to well-up as she does on the stunning “Some Kind of Love”, as well as “Give You Up”, “Walking By” and “Have To Stay”. While it’s not as cuddly as its title might suggest, The Lamb (Hardly Art), the second album by Lala Lala (aka Lillie West), should satisfy your appetite for tasty modern rock. Not mincing words on “Water Over Sex”, for example, Lala Lala sings “You think I’m good well I’m soil in a sifter”, clearing up any doubt. “I Get Cut” and “Spy” set their dark imagery to modern dance beats. Listening to “The Flu” is like taking a musically interesting sick day. “Moth” hovers dangerously close to the heat and “When You Die” is unexpectedly lively.
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Atlanta is getting bigger and greener by the minute. In fact, with a generous urban vision which includes the Beltline and the Bellwood Quarry, Atlanta is climbing up the list of green cities in America. Here are three urban green spaces that you should cherish and look forward to! By Mikkel Hyldebrandt Photo: Shutterstock, renderings courtesy of City of Atlanta, HGOR
Piedmont Park The park is undoubtedly the green heart of the city. With its sprawling green spaces that include bike paths, tracks, basketball & tennis courts, a pool, playgrounds, and much more, it is the focal point of countless festivals and events in the city. Since 1989, millions have been invested in making Piedmont Park the most vital green space in the city, but also a cultural and recreational hub in the urban space. The Beltline The former railway corridor has been developed in stages to become a multiuse trail. The majority of the trails have been redeveloped while others remain more rugged still. The plan is to develop the Beltline into walkable trails fully. Many initiatives have been sparked because of the Beltline including Art on The Beltline and the major Lantern Parade (pictured) in September. The Westside Park The former Bellwood Quarry was made famous as a movie set in ‘Hunger Games’ and TV shows like ‘Walking Dead’ and ‘Stranger Things.’ Now the disused quarry is getting new life as the $300 million Westside Park project is set to create a park space bigger than Piedmont Park – and provide an important water reservoir for the city of Atlanta at the same time. The first phase of the project started back in May, and redevelopment will continue over the next years and culminate in a magnificent park with approximately 280 acres of multiple green spaces for recreation like fields, playgrounds, walking trails, and connections to the Beltline’s Westside Trail. Not to mention the quarry lake itself and the elaborate gateway entrance at the intersection of Johnson Road and Grove Park Place.
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Through laughter, tears and every emotion in-between, Summer Shorts explores the colorfully rich spectrum of the queer experience. Through a series of short plays and monologues, and performed as part of Out Front Theatre Company’s Young Professional Performers Series, Summer Shorts promises to enliven, enlighten and entertain in the summertime heat!
AUG 1-4, 2019
All Tickets: $15 Out Front Theatre Company 999 Brady Avenue, Atlanta
www.OutFrontTheatre.com
By Scott Sohn I know we’ve all heard it before, don’t eat too much sugar! You’ll go blind! Or maybe that was masturbation, but either way, we all know, too much of most anything is usually unhealthy. The problem with sugar is that many of us are unwittingly consuming way more sugar then we realize. Sugar in its various forms has become ubiquitous in our food supply in a relatively short period of time. For millions of years, humans evolved as hunters and gatherers eating a paleo type diet that consisted of meats, seeds, nuts, berries, seasonal vegetables, and tubers. Before the advent of farming, crops such as sugar cane, corn, wheat, and barley were not part of the human diet. Not until around 10,000 BC did we start to become an agricultural society. Farming was the turning point for humans which transformed the land, our lives, and our diets forever. By the sixteenth century, one crop in particular called sugarcane was in high demand due to the growing European appetite for sweets. Before that time, sugar was considered rare and exotic enough to be thought of as a spice or medicine. It was only on a special occasion that someone could satisfy a sweet tooth with some fresh honey or fruits when they were in season. Needless to say, it was a very salty time indeed. Beginning in the 1500s, sugar plantations began to spring up in the British Caribbean colonies to fuel increasing demand by wealthy Europeans. Between 1500 and 1850, around 13 million slaves were shipped from Africa to the Americas and Caribbean to harvest sugar cane. This exploitation continued to make sugar relatively cheap and available throughout the centuries. In fact, Queen Elizabeth I had quite a fondness for sweets and her teeth are said to have blackened from over-consumption of sugar in the late 1500s. Fast forward a few hundred years, and the sugar industry is still booming. Of course, the U.S. is leading the way as the #1 producer in the world, hurray! Between sugar cane, sugar beets, and corn used in the production of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), we are swimming in sugar! Two hundred years ago, the average American consumed about 2lbs of sugar per year. Today, that number is over 150lbs per year or 3lbs per week! As time has passed our appetite for sweets has only increased as food manufacturers continue to add 16 | 07.10.19
copious amounts of sugar to their products. Over the past 30 years sugar has secretly crept into our diets through processed foods, sauces, energy drinks and sodas in a variety of forms and names including: glucose, honey, sorghum syrup, lactose, fruit juice concentrate, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), dextrose, fructose, corn syrup, sorbitol, molasses, maltose, corn sweetener, sucrose, brown sugar, and syrup. In recent decades added sugars consumed by Americans have increased by over 30% to roughly 300 extra calories per day. Similar findings are alarming throughout the world as traditional diets are shifting more towards western-style convenience and processed foods. Diabetes was virtually unknown among the Maya of Central America until the 1950s. Since that time diabetes cases have skyrocketed among the population as Americanized processed foods have become prevalent. The worldwide shift towards highly processed foods containing sugar is having a negative effect on world health and contributing to the rising epidemic of obesity and related diseases. In fact, sugar is now recognized as a leading contributor to most chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cognitive decline, and cancer. The consensus among health experts is to limit added sugar in the diet to under 10% of total calories. That’s around 6-9 teaspoons of added sugar per day compared to the current 42 teaspoons that most Americans consume. For reference, a regular can of soda contains 11 teaspoons of sugar. That one soda alone puts you over the top. You get the picture; it doesn’t take much to get too much. If you’re also getting added sugar from candy, pastries, sauces, juices, drink mixers, and various other foods, it’s easy to see how quickly you can blow your sugar budget. I’m not saying you can’t treat yourself, just be aware of what you’re putting into your body. Read labels and take control of your health. A little mindfulness when choosing foods can make all the difference. Live well. -Scott is a local Registered Dietitian Nutritionist specializing in men’s health and wellness programs. Learn more at sohnnutrition.com.
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Diane Keaton is Sorry (Not Sorry) By Chris Azzopardi Photo: STX Entertainment
Diane Keaton doesn’t have all the answers to all the questions and she’s sorry about that. She’s sorry a lot. So sorry I kindly urge her not to be, like she’s not Diane Keaton but a familiar friend, her fizzy, giddy, no-pretense charm making it easy to be honest with her. In conversation, Keaton reads less Oscar winner, more fun, drunk aunt who loves a kiki, her on-brand self-deprecation and bewilderment amusingly intact. For all her Hollywood clout, Keaton is not exactly keen on her own Keatonness, despite a rich awardsspeckled history of acclaimed roles (The Godfather), box-office smashes (Father of the Bride, Something’s Gotta Give) and The First Wives Club, her sassy-sisters-unite comedy. We are talking Annie Hall herself. But Keaton is especially floored to hear the LGBTQ community still pays any mind at all to The First Wives Club. Yes, it came out in 1996; no, Diane Keaton didn’t know you can’t put a date on a timeless gay cult classic. The 73-year-old actress’ androgynous style – suits and top hats – may make her appear lesbianbar-ready, but her life is not that iconic gay club scene in the film, shared with co-stars Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn. Gay men love to celebrate our ladies. Ladies with staying power. Keaton, of course, is one – even if she doesn’t know it. She should know and so I tell her that she is “a masterclass in authenticity.” She is flattered, but can’t put her finger on why, despite ageism and sexism, there’s always been a place for older women in the gay community. “Huh? What’s the question?” She laughs. “I’m too stupid. I really am.” I repeat the question; she gives it her best shot: “Maybe because they love their mother. I don’t know! But I appreciate it!” (At least on Twitter, Keaton must have some sense gay men follow her considering this gay-inclusive tweet she once sent about Magic Mike XXL: “OK, girls and guys, we’re one week away from HEAVEN.”) Later, unable to name any actors who could possibly pull off drag like Chris Pine did in their 2006 TV movie, Surrender, Dorothy, she apologizes again. For the whole interview. “Sorry I was a loser,” she says. “I’m gonna bone up on things.” “On gay stuff?” I ask. “You bet. I’m gonna read everything I can.” 18 | 07.1o.19
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Until then, Keaton talks about the lack of a First Wives Club sequel even though she’s game, not taking fashion tips from anyone (no offense, queers), and not recalling the night she thought Lena Dunham was a lesbian.
Hey, it happens to the best of us. I hope she will forgive me.
You are aware you have an LGBTQ following, right? Me? No. I wasn’t really aware.
I wonder if that was your only gaydar fail. Well, I guess, since I never heard about it! And since I have no memory of saying it! But I’m sure I must’ve. Perhaps I was drinking too heavily.
But you did The First Wives Club. Oh yeah! I know I was in it. But I’m not aware. I don’t think I follow things. Maybe I’m missing out. (Laughs) This is good news!
Is that a thing? It’s a MAJOR thing, can’t you tell? (Laughs) No! It’s not much of a thing. But maybe, you know, I was anxious. You never know.
It is good news. You better believe it!
In The First Wives Club, your lesbian daughter is instrumental in getting you what you want. How have gay men and women been instrumental in your own life? Well, all along, you know, I’ve had a lot of gay friends, both sexes, and it’s just been part of my life. I was probably living in New York when I first kind of formed friendships that were gay, but I was aware even in junior college – I went to junior college – and I remember going on a U.S.O. tour (in 1964) of Bye Bye Birdie. Can you believe that? And I remember one of the guys there I really liked, and he was kind of playing the lead opposite me and he was gay. He was a friend and he was really talented too. And I remember some girl coming up to me and saying, “Don’t you try to be his girlfriend! You’re just trying to be his girlfriend!” (Laughs) It’s just like one of those stupid things, you know. And I wanted to tell her that I knew he was gay, but then I just let it pass.
Your tomboy fashion has been celebrated by the lesbian community. Do you get tips from lesbian friends or do you give them tips? I don’t give tips to anybody and I don’t take tips, either. Because for me, it’s just something I’m interested in, do you know what I mean? I pick out what I like; I don’t have a stylist or anything like that. And also I just go with – look, I’m a person who collects magazines. I’m addicted. And I always check out the magazines, I always check out the newspapers – the New York Times, you know. T Magazine is interesting with what they do with fashion. So that’s what I do. I sit there and I cut them out, and I have all of these scrapbooks filled with all these fashion ideas, so that’s where I go for clothes. T Magazine is a good choice. They publish issues entirely dedicated to fashion. T Magazine is really an amazing magazine on so many levels – graphically, and just their articles. And when they do have their fashion issues, when they have one for women and one for men twice a year or something, when they dedicate the magazine to fashion for both sexes, it’s great. A few years ago, Lena Dunham said that you misread her as a lesbian at a Jennifer Aniston party. Has that been your only gaydar fail? I’m sorry, say that again. You once misread Lena Dunham as a lesbian at a Jennifer Aniston party. Oh, did I? Stupid. 20 | 07.10.19
She actually thought you were gonna try to convert a gay man? Yeah, right. Wrong! During the gay bar scene in First Wives Club, openly lesbian actress Lea DeLaria plays a lesbian who makes some moves on Goldie Hawn’s character. Has a lesbian ever made moves on you? Um, I don’t think so. I’m trying to think back… That’s disappointing. Am I disappointed? I said, “That’s disappointing,” but are you disappointed? Well, maybe! I’m very surprised to hear this. You’ve been to a gay bar, I assume, right? Yeah.
What’s the most fun night you’ve had at one? And was it anything like the one in _First Wives Club_? No, I don’t really – I’m not somebody who really goes out a lot to bars at all anyway. I’m boring, you gotta understand. I’m somebody who’s friggin’ boring. I am! But yeah, I’m sorry. You don’t have to apologize for being yourself. We don’t do that. (Laughs) OK! There have been few moments in cinematic history that have shook gay men as much as your “You Don’t Own Me” number with Bette and Goldie. When did you know that you’d started a gay frenzy with that musical number? I never knew! This is the first I’m hearing of it. I did not know that. Hearing that, how does that make you feel? Well, I’m sure that it’s over. You know, no one’s coming up to me going, “Oh god, that was fantastic!” I mean, it’s so far gone. It’s far in the past. Who cares! But it’s nice to hear (laughs) and I hope somebody enjoyed it. It’s like, maybe Goldie enjoyed it. Or Bette! They’ve had more interesting lives. There was talk of a reunion project called Divanation for Netflix that was supposed to happen. Do you know about this project? About what? Which project? What? It’s called Divanation and it was gonna reunite you with Goldie and Bette. WHAT?! Where am I? I never heard that! I’d love to do something with Goldie and Bette again. They were fantastic. That was a fun movie.
In the TV movie Surrender, Dorothy you seemed to enjoy dancing with Chris Pine, who was in drag. Do you remember this? Yeah, a little. I mean, it’s not one of my better projects: Surrender, Dorothy? Give me a break, you know. I’ve had some hard times. But that scene: Can you understand why gay men might love that scene? You, Chris Pine as a gay man, Chris Pine in drag… Yeah. He went on to do well. Looking back at your roles, have you ever questioned the sexuality of any of your characters? Questioned the sexuality: Well, sure. I mean, Looking for Mr. Goodbar (in 1977), I questioned that. She was killed! (Laughs) Yeah, I think sexuality is a double-edged sword sometimes. You have to be careful. I mean, she put herself into a situation where she became a victim in that movie. I remember my dad seeing it and he was not happy. Why? Because I died and he didn’t want me going to bars meeting guys who were inappropriate for me (laughs). He was a dad! You questioned the sexuality of that character, but have you ever played an actual lesbian character? I don’t think so, uh-uh. Has there been a lesbian character someone else has played that you wish you had? No, not that I know of. But you know, if it came up, I’m here. I’m available.
Would you like to revisit that film with them? Of course I’m interested, but it never happened. And we tried, in a way, the girls, but we never got a good script and I don’t know why and now it’s sort of like, it’s over, right? No one’s gonna have us get in a movie together, the three of us. But I love that movie, and I love them.
If you were to play one, who might you cast as your love interest? Oh, I don’t know. I don’t think about it. I don’t really have anybody in my mind. I’d have to think about it, right? But it also probably wouldn’t even be my choice. I’m the actress. I’m not the director. Unless you’re asking me to be the director, now that’s a different matter.
In the 2005 dramedy The Family Stone, you memorably sign your love to your gay deaf son in that film. How do you reflect on that scene and how that may have influenced parents with LGBTQ kids? It’s a very touching scene, and he (Tyrone Giordano) was a very extraordinary person and I’ve never seen him again. He was in that one movie, and sometimes I think back on him. He had that opportunity and he was really very touching and wonderful in the movie, but it’s kind of sad to me that there was no future for him, you know? It’s too bad.
I’m telling you you’re Diane Keaton and you should have some say in it. OH MY GOD! (Laughs) It doesn’t work exactly like that!
Did you understand at the time how that scene could be influential for parents of LGBTQ kids? You know, I’m not that bright, let’s get real. I was thinking about, “Oh, gee, how’d the scene go?” And, “How was that?” And, “Did the movie do OK?” I was thinking about the most superficial things, so it’s like, I should’ve thought about it, but I never did because, “Oh, how’d it go? OK, we did good.” And I liked Tom (Bezucha, who is openly gay). Tom is brilliant, our director. And he’s a friend. I’m sorry. I’m a failure.
There are a lot of women who’ve played lesbians who I think would be good for you. I’m sure that’s true. Probably many we don’t know yet, so let’s not leave them out.
Stop it. No, I’m gonna go on and on and on. Wanna hear my sad story? (Laughs)
Well, say you did have a say. Who might you pick? Hypothetically, Diane. I don’t know. I really don’t know. Meryl Streep would be my pick. That’s a good choice.
No, we should not, you’re right. Get them in the mix. -As editor of Q Syndicate, the international LGBTQ wire service, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in GQ, Vanity Fair and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @ chrisazzopardi. peachATL.com | 21
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WORLD UNITED RUN & FOR EQUITY INCLUSIVENESS 5K We are pleased to announce the first annual World United Run for Equity & Inclusiveness 5K. Our Atlanta 5K is just one in a series of World United Events around the World focusing on equity and inclusiveness and encouraging the graceful acceptance of diversity. Events are in the planning now in Bengaluru, India and Fort Walton Beach, Florida. A concept of Oneness & Equity in our City and in the World is encouraged. Companies with Diversity and Inclusiveness Departments or Divisions are asked to register as a Team. Teams with the largest number of participants will receive special awards. We welcome all to join us in this run/ walk held in the spirit of equity and inclusiveness. Let’s join together and graciously respect diversity and others who are different than ourselves. Sign up now at www.active.com and participate in the World United Run for Equity & Inclusiveness, promoting equity and inclusiveness for all.
RACE HIGHLIGHTS •
USATF Certified Course for 2020 Peachtree Seeding
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Electronic Chip Timing by Horizon Race Solutions of Atlanta
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Race Organization by Road Race Services of Atlanta
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Great Soft Cotton t shirts
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Race is limited to 2,000 Runners/ Walkers
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Portion of proceeds will benefit organizations with a history of policies of diversity and inclusiveness
Contact
Ed Williams - roadraceservices@comcast.net
When
August 10 - 7:00 a.m. - Packet pick up - 8:00 a.m. - 5K Run/Walk.
Entry Fee
Registration: $35 through 4/01/19 $40 through 6/1/19. $ 45 after that and on race day if not already sold out.
Registration
- mail-in race registration flyer - online @ rungeorgia.com - in store at Phidippides Ansley Mall 404-875-4268 Packet Pickup: Early packet pickup will be available at Phidippides Ansley Mall: Starting Saturday August 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8.Early packet pickup is strongly encouraged. Race day pickup will be available 7 am to 7 45 am next to the Charles Allen Gate.
Distance: 5K Date: August 10, 2019, 8:00 a.m. Location: Atlanta, GA - Piedmont Park
peachATL.com | 25
LESLIE JORDAN EXPOSED @ WESTSIDE ARTS CENTER PHOTOS BY BRIAN SAWYER
26 | 07.10.19
r e umm
Metrotainment Cafes
S
! r u To
$5 off
for vip members all summer long* Monday Einstein's Tuesday Guaco Joe's Wednesday Hudson Grille & Hudson FC Thursday Joe's on Juniper Friday Bakery & Sugar Shack
*discount applied to food only
peachATL.com | 27
Tickets Available @ joininghearts.org
Cesar was born in San Antonio Texas but calls Atlanta home. He works in the medical field and loves it. His dream is to become a Trauma Surgeon as he is passionate about helping others. He is very family-oriented and enjoys spending his free time with loved ones. He is very blessed to have a group of friends who have become like family, and they push him and support him to become a better person every day.
@ cesar.atll
Cesar Lemuz
30 | 07.1o.19
peachATL.com | 31
L i fe Has A Rhythm By Jamie Kirk
Every component of our life has a rhythm. Being successful has a rhythm. Our destiny has a rhythm. Being healthy has a rhythm. Being welleducated has a rhythm. Being talented with a trade has a rhythm. Anything that is going to work out for our good, has a certain flow, a certain rhythm, if you will. If you notice when things seem a little off-center or outta whack, it is because the timing or the process is not working. Those two things are synonymous with rhythm. Our LOVE has a rhythm. Who, What, How, When and Where are all contributors to a pattern and flow. Not just people, but things. Our love of nature has a rhythm. Our love of travel has a rhythm. Our love of people has a rhythm.
When people have a love of nature and the outdoors, they have a need to be out in the open air, be it the mountains, the lake, the park, or just at the apartment complex swimming pool. People that love the outdoors think more clearly and have higher energy levels when they are out and about. The same goes for people. Have you ever noticed, at certain times of the year, if you are single, you meet more quality dates? When we travel, there is a rhythm. The way we book the trip and the hotel. The time of year. These seem like preferences, but they are literally the rhythm of your travel. Notice how unsettled you become if the hotel of your choice is booked. Notice the anxiety when you can’t get on the return flight that gets you back into Atlanta before/after rush hour traffic. That is all our unconscious rhythm. How we go about our day-to-day lives is a frequency that sometimes we don’t even know is happening. The organic state of the rhythm of your life is individual unique to just you. Just because you and someone else have the same patterns or the same “likes” does not mean he/she is your soul mate. It is just means y’all like the same stuff. However, the rhythm of our lives will most certainly be completely different. There are times when we wake up and feel like we can’t function 32 | 07.10.19
because something seems “off”. We blame the change of season, a relationship that has ended, et cetera as “the” reason. When in actuality, we could just be out of rhythm.
The unique component of our Life Rhythm is that we don’t pay attention to it, until we get out of rhythm and something commands our attention. When you get that feeling of failure or unsettling outcomes, it is likely due to your rhythm being off and out of sync with your path or your destiny. The rhythm of our life should help us navigate the rough waters, help us with difficult conversations and really be our guide to peace and contentment. So, summing it up, our rhythm has to be aligned in every (okay, most) areas of our life. We have to have the rhythm of love, to help us toggle through our relationships, both romantic and platonic. We have to have rhythm in our family life to be able to sacrifice and be unselfish in our dealings with our loved ones. We have to have rhythm in our finances because when you have money woes and you are stressed about paying bills, you make bad decisions. The same is true when your rhythm is off regarding your fitness goals or health. When you are stressed out, tired, or overeager, you will undoubtedly make hasty decisions without facts to support your decision-making process. When your hobbies, like being an outdoorsy type person is being stifled, this will cause your rhythm to be discombobulated as well. If you need the sun, the moon and the stars, and you ain’t getting it, you could become mean and irritable because you are not feeding that area of your life that gives you joy. We have to first acknowledge and accept that each of our lives has a rhythm. The next step is to surrender to the rhythm and not push back when our lives don’t feel “right”. In those moments we have to be still, get quiet and step back into what we know works for us. When our lives are working, when we feel productive, calm, valued and stress-free, then, and only then; can we say we are succumbing to the Rhythm of Our Life.
The Human Rights Campaign invites you to our fourth annual tennis social, Serving for Equality! Players of all skill levels are encouraged to participate in this fun doubles event. Don’t have a doubles partner? We will pair you up with other players and you can make some new friends along the way. Not a tennis player? That’s okay! Join us as a spectator. Players and spectators will enjoy food, cocktails, music, a photo booth, a silent auction and more!
Saturday, July 27th, 2019 Sharon Lester Tennis Center | Piedmont Park 400 Park Drive, Atlanta, GA 30306
6:00P.M. - 10:00P.M. Ticketing: Player: $60 Spectator: $25
Corporate Sponsors Presenting
Platinum
Gold
For more information, please visit
hrc.org/sfeatlanta
Community Sponsors
Getting Real By Jeff Fuller MTV definitely had a role in opening my generation up to frank discussions of sexuality. Initially, this expression came through music videos, but by the early 1990s, MTV’s programming started giving way to reality television, a phenomenon that would ultimately transform mass media, help bring about greater acceptance for the LGBTQ community, but also begin to use queer lives to promote products.
begins dating a man who works with an MTV like network who promises to produce her documentary so that it can reach a wider audience. However, the finished product turns out to be an overproduced commercial. She ends up leaving him and instead runs after the brooding Ethan Hawke character. While Reality Bites isn’t the best movie in the world, it was already aware of the commercializing tendencies of reality television.
MTV’s The Real World was probably one of the most important reality shows of the genre, but also notable for its inclusion of gay cast members. The show’s premise was to document the lives of seven strangers chosen to live together in an exciting city and “find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real.” The gay and lesbian cast members from the first several seasons probably had the most impact, including Norm (New York), Pedro (San Francisco), Danny (New Orleans), and Genesis (Boston). Rather than seeing LGBTQ characters portrayed in a fictionalized story, viewers got to encounter these people in a more realistic way and learn about their struggles and triumphs. Most poignant was probably Pedro’s on-screen battle with HIV/AIDS which ultimately claimed his life after the San Francisco season ended. Pedro even gained the attention of President Bill Clinton, who released an official statement praising him for raising AIDS awareness and helping give audiences a personal connection with someone suffering the disease. While The Real World often broadcast the most dramatic parts of the participants lives, the show generated a great deal of goodwill and empathy, particularly for its LGBTQ characters. The Real World brought openly gay people’s lives to closeted parts of the country.
Today, the initial power that reality television had to shape attitudes or provide ground-breaking material concerning LGBTQ lives is somewhat lessened (although there are some notable exceptions). It is now more marketing driven and less of an art form, something that even MTV’s The Real World quickly fell into. By the mid-2000s, smartphones, Facebook and Instagram made everyone a reality star. People can now document and share their stories, photos and videos of their lives, showing at least the parts that they want you to see. The social media platforms for these ultimately seek to serve the purpose of marketing. Despite the tendency of mass media to turn everything into a commercial, there still is a need for LGBTQ people to share their own authentic stories. Sharing real stories still has the power to create real change. -Apart from being a Gay Generation-Xer, Jeff Fuller is an attorney, writer, travel blogger, historian, and military spouse. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Jeff went to college, graduate school and law school in the Southeast. He has called Atlanta home for the last decade but recently moved to DC to follow his husband on his military career. He occasionally blogs at journeyingjeff. com.
In the mid-1990s, the Generation X movie Reality Bites offered a fictional portrayal of the reality phenomenon. The movie follows a documentary producer named Lelaina, played by Winona Ryder, who turns her cameras on her group of friends who are struggling in recession-era Houston, including a gay friend who comes out to his parents. Lelaina 34 | 07.10.19
The GEN X Files
We’re closer to Atlanta than you think! Get the details on these and other great upcoming events on our website calendar.
Membership Required * Must be 21 to Enter
You deserve Personalized Care & Individual Attention – that’s what we deliver at Family Health Care of Atlanta • Participating in many clinical trials • Certiied HIV Specialist, American Academy of HIV Medicine • 20+ years experience in Family & HIV Care SPECIALIZING IN DERMATOLOGY, STD’S, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, UROLOGY, PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS
peachATL.com | 35
TREAT YOURSELF. GIVE YOURSELF THE VIP TREATMENT AND SUPPORT ATLANTA PRIDE'S YEAR-ROUND WORK. DON’T DELAY - VIP TICKET QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED AND WILL SELL OUT! ATLANTAPRIDE.ORG/VIP VIP AREA PRESENTED BY
ATLANTA PRIDE CELEBRATION OCTOBER 11-13, 2019
July 10 – July 17
HRC Poolside Equality W Atlanta Downtown and the Human Rights Campaign starts off the weekend right with their Poolside Equality event at the W’s infamous Wetdeck with signature cocktails, beats from DJ Ree de la Vega, and much more. Admission is free, but a $10 donation is suggested – register at act.hrc.org. Friday, July 12, 4-9 pm W Atlanta Downtown STAFF PICK!
Zocalo’s Sunday Funday Summer is in full effect and DJ Neon the Glowgobear will be spinning on the patio where you can sip the signature “rocket fuel”! Sunday, July 14, 3-7 pm Zocalo’s
Screening: My Own Private Idaho For one night only, Queers On Film, presented by Wussy Mag and Out On Film, screen the 1991 Gus Van Sant classic ‘My Own Private Idaho’ starring Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix. Monday, July 15, 7-9:30 pm Plaza Atlanta
Poolside Fashion Show Join the Doggies on the Catwalk Foundation on the rooftop of the lilli Midtown for a poolside Mr. Turk/Trina Turk fashion show. Experience a private sample sale, twirling drag queens, silent auction, cocktails, light bites, and DJ. Tickets ($40) available at DoggiesontheCatwalk.net Sunday, July 14, 1-4 pm LILLI Midtown
38 | 07.10.19
Sunday Service with Vicki Powell and Brian Rojas Close out your Sunday Funday by dancing under the stars and experience the fellowship that is Sunday Service. Deep South resident DJs Vicki Powell and Brian Rojas will lift your spirits to praise SHE! Sunday, July 14, 7 pm to midnight Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room
HEIFER REVIEW STONEWALL 50 CELEBRATION @ JOE'S ON JUNIPER PHOTOS: ANDREA DWYER
40 | 07.10.19
MIDTOWN 1
Monroe Dr. NE
14
Amsterdam Ave.
NE ve . tA
Piedmont Park
on
11
dm
6 12th St. NE
18
Pi e
Juniper St. NE
14th St. NE
7
9
2
10th St. NE
10
. NE
19
oe Dr
e. NE Piedmont Av
Juniper St . NE
Peachtree St. NE
3
Monr
Charle s Alle n Dr . N E
12 W. Peachtree St. NW
15
16
4th St. NE
8
13
BARS Amsterdam Blake's Bulldogs Friends The Model T My Sister’s Room Ten Atlanta
5
Dining 502 Amsterdam Ave NE 227 10th St NE 893 Peachtree St NE 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE 699 Ponce De Leon Ave NE 66 12th St NE 990 Piedmont Ave NE
9 10 11 12
10 th & Piedmont Campagnolo Einstein's F.R.O.G.S
clubs 13 Atlanta Eagle
306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
14 Urban Body Fitness 500 Amsterdam Ave NE
spa/bath 15 Flex Spa
42 | 07.10.19
991 Piedmont Ave NE 980 Piedmont Ave NE 1077 Juniper St NE 931 Monroe Cir NE
fitness
retail 8 Barking Leather
4
Ponce De Leon Ave. NE
Ponce De Leon Ave. NE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
P o n ce D e Leo n Pl . N E
Spring St. NW
17
76 4th St. NW
16 17 18 19
G’s Midtown Henry’s Joe's on Juniper La Hacienda
219 10th St NE 132 10th St NE 1049 Juniper St NE 900 Monroe Dr NE
billards/Darts drag dancers leather non-smoking area Patio
When the world throws you Let be your savedandgay.com
Cheshire 23
ansley 21
e
ge
Rd
on tC ir .
Piedmont Park BARS 2043 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1086 Alco St NE 1931 Piedmont Cir NE 2425 Piedmont Rd NE 1842 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1824 Cheshire Bridge Rd
32 33 34 35 36
Midtown Moon Felix's The Hideaway Mixx Oscar's
805 Lambert Dr. NE, Suite A 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd 2069 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1739 Cheshire Bridge Rd 2201 Faulkner Rd NE
Spa / bath 2103 Faulkner Rd NE 2135 Liddell Drive NE
1492 Piedmont Ave NE 1510 Piedmont Ave NE 1544 Piedmont Ave NE 1492 Piedmont Ave NE 1510 Piedmont Ave NE
Dining 38 Eclectic Bistro
Fitness 30 Gravitee Fitness
NE
.
clubs 28 Heretic 29 Tokyo Valentino
e. nt mo ed
39 38
Retail 26 Barking Leather 27 Southern Nights
41
Pi
28 20
Dining 24 Las Margaritas 25 Roxx
Av
ge Rd Brid hire
r.
E
Ches
.N
.
25
BJ Roosters Opus 1 Tripps Woof's
31 Manifest 4 U 42 The Den
35
24
id Br
Dr
Rd
BARS 20 21 22 23
40
32
oe
hir
36
nr
dm
es
ll D
31 er
Mo
Pi e
29
Ch
idde
kn
27
33
. NE
Manchester St. NE
Piedmont Rd. NE
22
42 L
ul
IX
34
x Rd
Fa
26
BL
Le no
30
Lambert Dr.
PU
St.
.
A l co
1600 Piedmont Ave NE 1425 Piedmont Ave NE
Retail 39 Boy Next Door 1447 Piedmont Ave NE 40 Brushstrokes/Pleasures 1510 Piedmont Ave NE
Fitness 41 Equilibrium Fitness
1529 Piedmont Ave, Suite L
NOT SHOWN
Mary's Sister Louisa’s Church Swinging Richards Lips Atlanta
1287 Glenwood Ave SE 466 Edgewood Ave SE 1400 Northside Dr NW 3011 Buford Hwy NE
peachATL.com | 43
A snapshot of Gay Atlanta’s favorite destinations. View their ads in Peach ATL & visit their websites for weekly event listings.
Bars & Clubs
EAST ATLANTA, GRANT PARK & EDGEWOOD
Retail
MIDTOWN
MARY’S
MIDTOWN
amsterdamatlanta.com
1287 Glenwood Ave SE
AMSTERDAM
502 Amsterdam Ave. NE
ATLANTA EAGLE
marysatlanta.com
SISTER LOUISA’S CHURCH
BARKING LEATHER AFTER DARK barkingleather.com
306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
sisterlouisaschurch.com
CHESHIRE
SWINGING RICHARDS
BARKING LEATHER
1400 Northside Dr NW
805 Lambert Dr NE
BULLDOGS
Dining
2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE
FRIENDS NEIGHBORHOOD BAR
MIDTOWN
736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
10thandpiedmont.com
atlantaeagle.com
306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
BLAKE’S ON THE PARK
blakesontheparkatlanta.com 227 10th St NE
893 Peachtree St NE
friendsonponce-atl.com
466 Edgewood Ave SE
swingingrichards.com
10TH & PIEDMONT
MY SISTER’S ROOM
991 Piedmont Ave NE
66 12th St NE
einsteinsatlanta.com
mysistersroom.com
TEN ATLANTA
tenatlanta.com
990 Piedmont Ave NE
CHESHIRE
EINSTEIN’S
1077 Juniper St NE
BOY NEXT DOOR MENSWEAR boynextdoormenswear.com 1447 Piedmont Ave NE
GCB & PLEASURES
brushstrokesatlanta.com 1510 Piedmont Ave. NE
Fitness MIDTOWN
2069 Cheshire Bridge Road
219 10th St NE
BJ ROOSTERS
HENRY’S
gsmidtown.com
bjroosters.com
henrysatl.com
2043 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
132 10th St NE
OPUS 1
JOE’S ON JUNIPER
TRIPPS
ANSLEY
931 Monroe Dr
frogsmidtown.com
G’S
1086 Alco St NE
SOUTHERN NIGHTS VIDEO
FROGS CANTINA
HERETIC
hereticatlanta.com
barkingleather.com
joesonjuniper.com
1049 Juniper St NE
URBAN BODY FITNESS urbanbodyfitness.com
500 Amsterdam Ave NE
CHESHIRE GRAVITEE FITNESS graviteeatl.com
2201 Faulkner Rd NE
1931 Piedmont Circle N
LA HACIENDA
Spas/Baths/Adult
WOOFS
900 Monroe Dr NE
MIDTOWN
2425 Piedmont Road NE
CHESHIRE
FLEX SPA
ANSLEY
LAS MARGARITAS
MIDTOWN MOON
76 4th St NW
1842 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE
CHESHIRE
ROXX
MANIFEST 4U
woofsatlanta.com
1492 Piedmont Ave NE
FELIX’S
lahaciendamidtown.com
lasmargaritasmidtown.com
1510 Piedmont Ave NE
1824 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE
THE HIDEAWAY
DEKALB
1544 Piedmont Ave NE
LIPS ATLANTA
MIXX
3011 Buford Hwy NE
mixxatlanta.com
1492 Piedmont Ave NE
OSCAR’S
oscarsatlanta.com
1510 Piedmont Ave NE
44 | 07.1o.19
atldragshow.com
flexspas.com
manifest4u.org
2103 Faulkner Rd NE
THE DEN
thedenatlanta.com
2135 Liddell Drive NE
LUXURY LGBT ALMAR RESORT TIMESHARE PLUS BONUS FOR SALE BEACH FRONT BEAUTIFUL BEACH HOTEL & FOOD CONTACT leonrri@hotmail.com
Massage Bodyworks by David $80 per hour 1st time $60 w/Peach ATL ad David cell 205-206-5218 cylondk1@gmail.com Located in Atlanta on Ponce De Leon Ave NE
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10 OUTDOOR ADVENTURES In and Around Atlanta
1. Explore the Appalachian Trail 2. Hike Stone Mountain 3. Trail Sweetwater Creek (perhaps at night?) 4. Explore Georgia’s Waterfalls 5. Stroll the Atlanta Beltline 6. Mountainbike the Pinhoti Trail 7. Shoot the Hooch 8. Visit Piedmont Park 9. Tour the Botanical Gardens 10. Volunteer to clean up nature 46 | 07.10.19
WE'RE HIRING Playmates and soul mates...
WE ARE SEEKING Motivated, Hard-Working, Innovative People to be Our Next Superstar Ad Sales Representatives.
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THE PLACE TO BE ! peachATL.com | 47
Text your Peach Pits to 540-30-PEACH, or e-mail mikkel@PeachATL.com
Me: What would you do if I broke up with you?
Him: Go back to my ex!I
Uhm, if you’re living your dream, I think you need some better sleep. Me: That’s it! We’re done!
Him: Hey, you want to go out? I like champagne, diamonds, and longs walks to the toilet.
Me: I thought you wanted to go back to your ex?
Him: You are my ex.
Dad Joke Alert I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down!
Don’t tell me what to do. Unless you’re inside me.
Asking for a friend How do I lose ten pounds without cutting tacos?
48 | 07.10.19
Don’t you just hate the feeling of getting out of the shower and staring at yourself in the mirror wondering where it all went wrong?
Everybody planning their vaca like they don’t have to work all summer. Ugh!
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21) Today’s a good one to expand your horizons. Plan a trip to somewhere foreign and exotic. If you can’t do that, visit different parts of your town and meet new people. Do whatever breaks you out of your rut of ennui.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19) Others will be impressed by your ability to communicate effectively with everyone. They may want you to communicate to a wider audience. They’ll hint that your powers could be used for good. They may try to convince you to enter politics. That’s when you’ll run far, far away.
CANCER (JUN. 21 - JUL. 22)
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18)
Don’t get involved with anything you need to pay attention to today. You just won’t be able to focus on details. Go peacefully through your day, because for once, ignorance really is bliss.
You’ll eschew music for the masses today, and listen to something innovative and daring. It could be from other cultures, or it could be centuries old. Anything’s cool as long as John Mayer isn’t involved.
LEO (JUL. 23 - AUG. 22)
PISCES (FEB. 19 - MAR. 20)
Nothing will strip you of your pride faster than being ripped off. Being the victim of identity theft is easy these days, so be on your guard. Don’t be so free with your social security number and personal info, and only do business with the most reputable people and businesses.
Today’s a good one to try out some ideas you’ve been working on. They’re not doing any good just sitting in your brain, so let them out. Some may fly and others may crash, but you won’t know until you try.
VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEP. 22)
ARIES (MAR. 21 - APR. 19)
Being the know-it-all loudmouth leaves little room for interjection from others, and that’s how you like it. Respect other people’s opinions today and they might respect you in general. Being the center of attention is pretty hollow when you’re the only one paying attention.
Today will be frustrating for you as your clarity dissolves into a haze of befuddlement. That used to happen a lot in college, but for now it’s puzzling. Avoid making any decisions or agreements until this blows over. Find some soft sand to stick your head in.
LIBRA (SEP. 23 - OCT. 22)
TAURUS (APR. 20 - MAY 20)
Your day may not go as you scheduled today, so be flexible. Meetings will be postponed, appointments will be canceled and your date with that cute guy probably won’t happen. So have Plan B ready; you may need it.
If you’re in the mood for love, it’s time to think about marketing yourself to the masses. It’s never too early to plan wardrobe, hairstyle and where best to see and be seen. Do some research and analysis to figure out things like demographics and target audience.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21)
GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN. 20)
Take some time to ponder some of life’s mysteries today: the Loch Ness Monster, crop circles, Bigfoot, the bizarre, unexplainable popularity of Rufus Wainwright. There are some things that are impossible to figure out.
Communicate electronically today, because spoken word will be useless. Misinterpretation by others will have you turning to e-mail, text and PDA’s to get your messages across. The less said the better today; let machines do the talking for you.
50 | 07.1o.19
By Mikkel Hyldebrandt Trouble in the love department? With sex? Or just people in general? Send us your queries, questions, and problems, and you’ll get answers served straight up and with a little ice.
M
y boyfriend and I are getting to that point where parents are introduced. I met his, and they are lovely, welcoming, and supportive. Now my boyfriend wants to meet my mom, and I don’t want him to. She wasn’t supportive when I came out, and she says she only tolerates me being gay now. Also, she tends to give me little sermons on how god does not think this is right, and she mourns the facts that grandkids (REAL grandkids, mind you) are not an option because I am, you know it, G-A-Y. I just don’t want to expose him to all that dysfunction. Any tips on how to avoid this or to at least limit the damage of a potential meeting? Sincerely Mommy Not-So-Queerest Dear Mommy Not-So-Queerest First of all, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Given the explanation you have just given here, there are plenty of reasons for you NOT to see your mom with your boyfriend. Start by explaining to your boyfriend that this is not easy for you and list the reasons why this is so difficult for you. That’ll also be the perfect prelude for a potential meeting, so your boyfriend knows just how potentially anxiety-inducing this could be – for YOU. If you decide to go through with this, make the first meeting a time-limited one. Make arrangements to go to lunch and see how it goes. If things are awful, it’s only a couple of hours at the most, and if things go well, you can arrange for another get-together – and hopefully, you will be less anxious about the whole thing. Maybe, when your mom sees you with someone you love, and she sees the person who cares so deeply for you, she will be less judgmental and spare you the sermon.
52 | 07.10.19
A
t a party, two of my friends made out. Nothing copious about that, except for the fact that one of them is HIV-positive, and he doesn’t always disclose his status to sex partners. How do I know? I had sex with him, and he said he had no STDs, we used a condom, and when I found out afterward he was HIV-positive, he said he was undetectable and on meds. So should I tell my other friend about him? Or just remind him to play safe and hope that’s enough? Sincerely Observer Dear Observer You could tell your friend that this guy was a jerk to you! Ok, half joking, but actually, it is a crime in some situations not to disclose your status in Georgia. Then again, the whole aspect of carrying an undetectable viral load creates this grey area where transmission of the virus isn’t even possible, so should the person disclose the full status then? There is no doubt that your friend, who is HIVpositive is in the wrong here. The continued stigma around being HIV-positive probably causes your friend’s reluctance to disclose his status, but if he continues to be quiet or at least not correct his mistruths, it isn’t unethical of you to provide your other friend with that information. What you can also do is not to treat this in a gossipy manner which will only enforce the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. Do the right thing and do it right.
NEED ANSWERS? REACH OUT TO US, AND YOU WILL GET THEM! SEND YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS TO OUR EDITOR AT MIKKEL@PEACHATL.COM.
Flex is hiring all positions and all shifts