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Feeling the Pride Wanda Sykes Celebrates Pride at the Fox American Life: Queer Before and After Stonewall

Peach Recommends: CHRIS 180’s The White Party

2018 LGBTQ Non-Fiction Reading List

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From the Editor June is National Pride Month which gives the LGBTQ community and its allies the opportunity to celebrate our history, what we’ve accomplished and acknowledges what we still need to fight for. Pride Month also commemorates one of the most defining historical moments – the riots at the Stonewall Inn in June 1969 - which is primarily credited for sparking the birth of the modern LGBTQ civil rights movement that we know today.

So, this issue is dedicated to celebrating pride but also asks the question about how Stonewall relates to our community today. Do we even have something to fight for now that we have marriage equality? An interview with Wanda Sykes, opinion pieces from Scott King and Jamie Kirk, and a movie review of a transthemed movie will help you answer that question – and not to spoil your reading fun: yes, we still have a lot of things to fight for as an LGBTQ community!

Happy Pride Month, Peaches!

Steve Tyrrell steve@peachatl.com

CONTRIBUTORS Scott King Jamie Kirk Branden Lee Gregg Shapiro

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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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The White Party Hosted by Chris 180 The annual White Party traditionally kicks off the summer season in Atlanta. The cocktail party and silent auction celebrates diversity and more importantly benefits the LGBTQ+ programs of CHRIS 180. The White Party will be held at Mason Fine Art where more than 300 guests will be donning their whitest whites while enjoying live entertainment, games, food, and drinks.

The event raises funds for specialized help for LGBTQ+ youth who are at higher risk for homelessness and to support the training and advocacy that CHRIS 180 does on behalf of LGBTQ+ youth to help ensure that they receive equal quality of services.

The White Party paves the way for a positive impact in the lives of LGBTQ+ youth by providing safe housing, counseling, life skills, training, and adoption services with the belief that every child can reach his or her potential if given the chance.

CHRIS 180’s vision is to improve the community by providing children, adults, and families with high-quality behavioral health services and support systems - because everyone deserves to be a part of a safe, vibrant community.

Join Chris 180 at the White Party for an extraordinary night and to reaffirm your commitment to help and serve LGBTQ+ and all youth of Atlanta.

The What, When and Where!

What: The White Party Benefiting Chris 180’s LGBTQ+ Programs When: June 9, 2018, 7-11 pm Where: Mason Fine Art, 415 Plasters Avenue NE, Suite 100,Atlanta, GA 30324 Purchase tickets at whitepartyatlanta.org.

8 | 06.06.18

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NEW GAY IN TOWN: I Like’Em Young

By Branden Lee Branden Lee is a writer and actor now living in Atlanta. Follow Branden on Twitter and Instagram @Brandeness and watch him on his YouTube channel SexxxPerTease.

10 | 06.06.18

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people say they prefer older men because they’re more mature. That’s not been the case in my experience.

Age doesn’t directly correspond to maturity. Some older guys are immature, and younger guys are more mature. Some men can go their whole lives without any regard for anyone but themselves.

Some younger people have had to grow up fast and take care of themselves. Some older people have never had to struggle while younger people’s lives have been a struggle.

Lately, I’ve been more into younger men. I’ve always preferred guys closer to my age.. Usually within three years older or younger. I like someone that understands my pop culture references and is at a similar point in life. Perhaps it’s because my parents are close in age, so growing up I thought couples should be close in age. Maybe it’s because in school all of my friends were in my grade. In college, all of my friends graduated at similar times. I just relate better.

I’ve hooked up with older men, and I’ve enjoyed it as much as hooking up with guys my own age. But I can’t fathom a relationship with someone much older. Intergenerational relationships just don’t seem pragmatic to me. They just remind me of gold-digging or mid-life crisis. I want someone that’s going to grow old

with me, not grow old much before me. Granted we can all get ill and die at any age, but I’d still prefer to marry and plan my future with a guy that’s close to my age.

The guys I’ve been seeing lately are 23 and 21. A four and six-year difference. I thought I was done with college boys by the time I graduated, but I’ve been so deprived of meeting guys with degrees it seems like a bonus to get with a guy that’s still working on his higher education as opposed to one without one at all.

Plus the 21-year-old just graduated, and the 23-year-old is still working on his degree. Ironically, they’re both in law school. I never had good dating experiences with lawyers, since they tend to be the biggest liars.

I’m enjoying these younger men.

They’re chivalrous. Paying for dates, paying for my Ubers home, picking me up for dates, etc. Some guys I hooked up with recently my age and older kicked me out of their hotel in the middle of the night with no regard for how or if I made it home.

These younger men have been inviting me on trips, holiday functions, and introducing me to their friends.

All things I never even got to experience with my ex of six months who was older than both of these guys.

It doesn’t matter how old they are; it matters how they treat you. Don’t dismiss younger men because of stereotypes. Granted a lot of them are fuckboys, still figuring themselves out and learning what they want. That can be said for older men too.

I do think the whole age not corresponding to maturity indeed impacts gay men because we all come out at different ages. We’re all on different stages of our journey of becoming comfortable with our sexuality and finding our place in the gay world. Maybe the guy you like just came out and is in his slut phase. Maybe you’ve done that already, and you are ready to find a partner. Find someone you love, that loves you, and wants the same things. Regardless of their age - well as long as it’s legal.

peachATL.com | 11

The State of the Beard

It’s time to tame the wilderness growing on your face. Beards are still in fashion, but instead of letting it grow wild, the trend is now a little more trimmed and groomed.

So, here are some tips on how to grow and maintain a handsome, healthy beard.

Get Pro Help

Slim Sides Just like a good fade looks good on your hair, a gradient in your beard makes it look sharp and well-kempt. Keep the sides more trimmed than the front.

Trimming your beard can be difficult, so get help from a barber who can fix your beard when you get a haircut. That way you only have to do light maintenance in between cuts.

Keep It Soft A beard balm or oil will soften and condition the stubble - and it will look shiny too!

Lips Free Creating a ‘lip line’ around your mouth where you trim hair away to reveal your lips, will clean up your look considerably.

Keep It Clean Wash your beard with a face wash to remove dirt and oils. Don’t use shampoo as it can be too harsh and dry out the skin.

Square Chin You can keep the beard in the front full but trim it in a square-ish shape to accentuate your jaw. Also, cut it so you won’t have ‘straggler hairs’ that stick out.

12 | 06.06.18

A Real Wonder Woman

By Gregg Shapiro

Photo: Sony Classics

Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Lelio (the acclaimed 2013 movie “Gloria”) is having quite a run. His latest film, the lesbian-themed “Disobedience” is now playing in theaters, just as his Best Foreign Language Film Oscar-winner “A Fantastic Woman” (Sony Pictures Classics) is beingreleased on Blu-ray. Notable for the way it depicts a few days in the life of a trans woman in Santiago, “A Fantastic Woman” is at turns fabulous and heartbreaking.

Marina (trans actress Daniela Vega) is a waitress at a restaurant in an amusement park and arcade in Santiago. Her real ambition is to be a singer and when she isn’t singing nights in another restaurant, she’s training with her vocal coach (Sergio Hernández).

She’s in a loving relationship with Orlando (Francisco Reyes), a straight divorcee, who is several years her senior.

At dinner in a Chinese restaurant, the night of Marina’s birthday, he presents her with a handwritten IOU “valid for two trips to Iguazu Falls” because he has misplaced the white envelope in which he put the tickets he printed out from his computer after a visit to a sauna.

Back at his apartment, after dinner and drinks, they make love. Orlando wakes up in the middle of the night feeling sick and disoriented. As they leave his apartment to drive to the hospital, he falls downstairs. Arriving at the hospital, with his head banged up and bruises on his body, he’s taken to the emergency room.

The ER doctor is uncomfortable around Marina, unsure how to address her. Regardless, he must deliver the bad news that Orlando has died of an aneurysm. Marina uses Orlando’s phone to call his brother Gabo (Louis Gnecco) and tell him what has happened. Unsure of what to do, Marina leaves the hospital after that.

Because of the condition in which Orlando arrived at the hospital, the police are called to bring her back. There is an awkward scene in which a policeman is questioning her, insisting on using her birth name because her transition is still pending. Fortunately, the sensible Gabo arrives in time to help with the situation.

Gabo is one of the few friendly faces Marina will encounter for a while. Orlando’s ex-wife, Sonia (Aline Küppenheim),

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*The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Peach.

still shaken by the divorce, becomes particularly nasty following his death. She’s initially civil to Marina, simply asking for the return of Orlando’s car. However, once they are face to face in the parking garage at Sonia’s office, she takes off the gloves and is cruel and offensive to Marina, even going as far as banning Marina from Orlando’s wake and funeral.

Orlando’s adult son Bruno (Nicolás Saavedra) is even more vicious. Showing up unannounced at Orlando’s apartment (he has his own key) where Marina is currently living (she was in the process of moving in with Orlando). Bruno stakes his claim to the apartment, as well as to Orlando’s dog Diabla.

Perhaps the worst of Marina’s encounters is with Detective Cortes (Amparo Noguera) of the Sexual Offenses Unit.

The insensitive interrogation, which includes questions about their sex life and whether Marina was being paid by Orlando (she tells the detective that they were a couple in “a healthy, consensual relationship between two adults”) is only the beginning. Cortes insists that Marina submit to a physical examination, yet another in a series of degradations she must experience in the midst of her shock and mourning.

All the while, as Marina attempts to hold her life together following Orlando’s death, she is also intent on solving a mystery. She finds a key ring with a key and number disc attached to it. After discovering that the key is to Orlando’s locker at the sauna, Marina pays a visit to the spa, in one of the most powerful scenes in the film.

Without giving away too much, it’s safe to say that Marina emerges triumphant. However, what she has to go through in order to become the fantastic woman that she is is probably more than most people would be able to survive.

In short, “A Fantastic Woman” lives up to its name.

peach rating: 4.5/5 Peaches: Juicy peach

peachATL.com | 15

Celebrating Pride with Wanda Sykes

16 | 06.06.18

The Atlanta Pride Committee and The LGBT Institute at The National Center for Civil and Human Rights has partnered with the Fox Theatre to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the legendary Stonewall Riots. The first-of-its-kind event in Atlanta features a comedy show with Wanda Sykes and Tig Notaro at the Fox Theatre on Wednesday, June 20 at 8 p.m. Peach got a chance to talk to Wanda Sykes about her sense of pride and the meaning of Stonewall today.

What do you define as the beginning of your career?

I’m from the Virginia, DC area where I started doing standup back in 87’. I caught my first break as a writer for Chris Rock on his show and then moved from behind the camera to being in front of the camera.

You have made a successful career in stepping from writing to performing yourself – are you still involved in writing?

Yes, I write all of my own material, I have my own production company and several TV shows including a show called Face Value on BET. I also work as a consulting producer on Roseanne, She’s a great writer too, and the show has a powerful cast.

As part of the lineup for the Pride Stonewall Celebration of the Fox, what does pride mean to you in this day and age?

Pride is very important for our community. The more we are on the same page, the better.

What relevance do you think Stonewall has today?

I think we see what’s going on with police brutality today resembles what went down with Stonewall so even today, it’s very relevant. It’s not so much a gay issue but impacts black and brown people more, but as a whole, our community is impacted.

We see the same policy continue.

What can people going to the Fox expect from the performance on June 20?

It’s brand new hour I have written, and I talk about race, the administration, and my family. It’s a lot of fun coming up with a new show even though I talk about a lot of uncomfortable things. Humor is great in that way because you can talk about these things, and it resonates more with the audience without it being a rant. It hits them more if they can laugh about it.

You are performing alongside Tig Notaro – what do you have to say about her?

We have the same sensibilities, and we get along great. And she is hilarious too.

How have you developed as a performer – has to be a member of the LGBTQ community changed anything?

No, not really. It just makes me more relaxed, and I feel more confident and comfortable with who I am. It has gotten better from a celebrity point of view, and people like me can be an example to the kids today.

What else is going on in Wanda Sykes’ world?

I’m doing a voiceover for a cartoon, and I have a few projects out there. The Roseanne writers meet at the end of the month, and I’m guest starring in a new show on Comedy Central called The Other Two. Wanda Sykes and Tig Notaro performs June 20 at the Fox Theatre as part of Atlanta Pride’s Stonewall Celebrations. Tickets at foxtheatre.org.

UPDATE: As a result of the insensitive tweets made by Roseanne Barr in late May, Wanda Sykes left her position as consulting producer and writer on the Roseanne show prior to it being canceled by the ABC network.

peachATL.com | 17

To Tell the Truth

- Spring/Summer 2018 Non-Fiction for LGBTQ Readers By: Gregg Shapiro

Now that most of the country has thawed out from one of the lengthiest winters on record, everyone is anxious to get outside and enjoy the nice weather. The following titles are suggestions for reading on a park bench, at the beach or anywhere the sun is warmly shining on you.

Thanks for the memoirs Not only is Jake Shears a talented singer/songwriter and all- around magnetic performer who is, shall we say, easy on the eyes, but he’s also a marvelous writer as he proves with his first book, Boys Keep Swinging: A Memoir (Atria, 2018).

Following the extraordinary success of his epic 2016 bestselling novel Queen of the Night, Alexander Chee returns with the essay collection How to Write an Autobiographical Novel (Mariner, 2018) in which he touches on his own personal evolution, as well as love and loss, including the AIDS crisis and the 9/11 tragedy.

Anyone who has ever read any of memoirist and educator Barrie Jean Borich’s previous books (Restoring the Color of Roses, My Lesbian Husband and Body Geography) knows that the arrival of each new one is an event, and Apocalypse, Darling (Mad Creek Books, 2018), which ventures into toxic landscapes and wastelands, both personal and environmental, is no exception.

Hiding Out: A Memoir of Drugs, Deception, and Double Lives (Dey Street, 2018) is queer actress/playwright Tina Alexis

Allen’s “audacious” story in which she untangles the knot of her upbringing, closely tied to a shared secret with her strict and religious father.

I Can’t Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race, and Other Reasons I’ve Put My Faith in Beyoncé (Atria, 2018) is Michael

Arceneaux’s timely, humorous and deeply considered essay collection told from the perspective of an African-American gay man.

In Michael Goddart’s unique memoir In Search of Lost Lives: Desires, Sanskaras and the Evolution of Mind & Soul (Epigraph, 2018) the writer shares the details of his recovery of more than 80 past lives, including more than 10 homophile lives.

Continued on Pg. 20

18 | 06.06.18

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As seen on TV You’ve probably seen Claire L. Evans give a TED Talk or in music videos by YACHT (she’s one half of the musical duo) and now is your chance to read her writing in her Broad Band: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet (Portfolio/Penguin, 2018).

Marion Ross, who played everyone’s favorite Midwestern TV mom on Happy Days, and later made an appearance on the gay `80s Showtime series Brothers, tells her story (with help from David Laurell) in My Days: Happy and Otherwise (Kensington, 2018).

LGBTQ folks have long been a presence in and fans of reality TV shows, from PBS’ An American Family to MTV’s The Real World and Bravo’s The Real Housewives series, and Lucas Mann’s Captive Audience: On Love and Reality TV (Vintage, 2018) gives them something to read about.

Cultural affairs Just in time for Pride month, and ideal for readers of all ages, the colorful Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag (Random House, 2018), written by Rob Sandersand illustrated by Steven Salerno, tells the story of social activist Milk and designer Gilbert Baker.

Almost everything you need to know about Feminist Weed

Farmer: Growing Mindful Medicine in your Own Backyard

(Microcosm Publishing, 2018) by Madrone Stewart, featuring sections on “Creating A Good Growing Environment”, “Protecting your Plants” and “Harvesting your Medicine”, can be found in the title of the book.

Arriving on bookshelves around the same time as Julie Cohen and Betsy West’s RBG doc opens in theaters, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: In Her Own Words (B2 Books, 2018), edited by Helena Hunt, features a multitude of quotes from the trailblazing Supreme Court Justice, including those on the subject of same-sex marriage.

Also focused on legal issues and the LGBTQ community, Gay Priori (Duke, 2018) by Libby Adler is “a queer critical legal studies approach to law reform”.

In addition to a couple of pages on “homosexuality”, Mark Kurlansky’s Havana: A Subtropical Delirium (Bloomsbury, 2017), queer folks such as Reinaldo Arenas, Allen Ginsberg, Josephine Baker, and Federico García Lorca, as well as the gay film Strawberry and Chocolate, also appear in the book.

The aforementioned poets Ginsberg and Arenas are also written about in Orchids, Rosebuds, and Sweet Flags: Reflections on Gay Poetry (Lethe, 2018) by Drewey Wayne Gunn, along with notable gay poets such as Mark Doty, J. D. McClatchy, W. H. Auden, Oscar Wilde, Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes.

20 | 06.06.18

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I break into dance whenever the mood and music move me. I won’t let my HIV rob me of anything in life. I know that staying in care and on treatment helps me to be the best mother, wife, and HIV prevention educator I can be. I tell other HIV-positive women: All the fear that you have can be overcome. Every day I wash down my pills with a prayer. I’ll continue to do so until my dying day—and HIV will not be the cause of it.

Get in care. Stay in care. Live well. cdc.gov/HIVTreatmentWorks

JOINING HEARTS COOKOUT AND BEER BUST AT THE HERECTIC PHOTOS: Sher Pruitt

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ATLANTA PRIDE’S

STONEWALL CELEBRATIONS

Wanda Sykes

Tig Notaro

WEDNESDAY JUNE 20

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BIG PEACH CLOSING PARTY AT THE HERECTIC PHOTOS: Sher Pruitt

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Aaron Armstrong moved to Atlanta in 2010 after a ten-year stint in Athens, and now divides his time between Atlanta and his hometown Asheville, NC. He works as a web developer and an Airbnb hospitality manager, and also enjoys working out, complaining about working out, traveling abroad, and a steady diet of pop music, superhero films, and video games. He lives in OW4 with his husband, David, and his toothless cat, Bonk. You just missed his birthday, but if you want to get him something, follow him on Twitter and Instagram @craftybast.

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We’ve Got So Very Far To Go

By Jamie Kirk

I am writing this article literally as news is breaking about the insensitive public comments made by Roseanne Barr.

So, forgive the tone and the lack of political correctness.

She is a raging idiot. Let me be perfectly clear; I don’t care what she said, she just said it publicly. She may have tweeted what many folks think, the issue is, you moron, they are NOT (well was) a top female comedian with the highest-rated network show. Keep your racist and unkind comments to yourself. Your apology fell flat and was likely just an elementary act of damage control.

Obviously, I am on social media, and obviously, I have a TV, so obviously, I can’t ignore what happened or not read the differing points of view based on what Roseanne said. This short and sweet article is not about me using this forum to express “my” point of view, it’s simply to highlight we are not nearly as far as we think we are when it relates to racial equality, gender equality, or behaving like a decent human being.

How in the world do people feel they can call the POTUS a lunatic on a new program? How in the world do people fee it is acceptable to make fun of children with special needs? How in the world do people think it is acceptable to abuse their position of power? How in the world do people feel it is “okay” to run a commercial by which you insinuate you will shoot someone if they don’t treat your daughter right? Killing an innocent teen because you “thought” he had a weapon? All of these examples are recent - very recent even - and show a lack of sensitivity, a lack of human decency and are actually just plain dumb.

Here in Atlanta, more importantly in Midtown, we are excited by seeing same-sex couples at a restaurant, we think it is cute for a transgender to be working at the local Starbucks, and we even do a secret “awwww” when little Johnny has two mommies. However, if we go about 12 miles in ANY direction, those same feelings of love and acceptance are countered with angst, discord, anger, disbelief, hatred and disdain. In many areas outside of the metro city limits, that includes Chicago, Miami, San Francisco, (okay, maybe not San Francisco), Dallas, DC, Asheville or Nashville, they are less than impressed with liberation, tree-huggers and folks that appear free-spirited. They tend to stop and stare

30 | 06.06.18

at anyone that does not have a Volvo, 2.5 kids, a white picket fence and a four-legged animal running around the perfectly manicured lawn.

Unfortunately here in Atlanta, we get disillusioned by the perceived freedom we see because it appears to be what’s the word I’m looking for - normal. Newsflash: the definition of normal is the usual, average, or typical state or condition. Seeing a same-sex couple in a fine dining restaurant with a happy anniversary cupcake is not normal in Loganville, Georgia. Nothing against my peeps from Loganville, but the above is not a typical state or condition.

I am not using the word normal as right or wrong, good or bad; our normal is far from the definition of our friends and family members 12+ miles away.

Okay, I will not go down a rabbit hole and mention how the all too frequently police brutality instances are beyond comprehension. I am not going to go on-and-on about how certain neighborhoods have had occurrences of inappropriate graffiti on their homes. Maybe I’ll write a full article about the homeless problem and lack of empathy from some small business owners that don’t want a certain element within 50 feet of their awning. There are just so many examples of how disappointing we are in our fight for equality and human rights.

Even though lots of folks are fresh off a trip from Pensacola, heading back from DC or crossing the border from their first international trip of the season, we must come back to reality. And the reality of the situation is that we have lots of work to do here at home. As a community, we have to take action. We can’t continue to be comfortable because things appear to be “okay”. Things are still fucked up, continue to be fucked up and will stay fucked up until we consistently call out the Roseanne’s of the world and let them know ‘no more’. Your ignorance is going to cost you everything you love. Be it racial, gender, age, or sexual discrimination (comments or actions), you won’t win.

Love will win, you won’t. Not now, not ever.

Jamie Kirk works for a software company and is a certified spinning instructor. He also enjoys yoga, swimming, bicycling and running. He aspires to start a blog about what we put in our bodies not only fuels our body but our mind and spirit as well. Follow Jamie on IG @tysonsdad

American Life

Coming Up Queer Before and After Stonewall

By Scott King

“Out and proud!”

Jodie Foster was in a prom dress, mocking 40+ years of the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. The members of the Hollywood audience, most of whom were closer to her age than mine, were applauding her, were cheering, were in tears.

I was livid.

“Fuck you, you ungrateful hack!” I yelled at the telly. I was at a Golden Globes party, so such catty remarks weren’t uncommon. But my remark wasn’t catty; it was telling.

I think she hit a nerve.

I couldn’t understand why she still wasn’t coming out, why she was being so glib, why she was talking nonsense about eschewing one’s truth in order to pursue “the right to privacy.”

It’s in the Constitution.

I’ve seen every happy and sad documentary about the Stonewall riots and the early days of the LGBT Civil Rights Movement. I even read a book once. Back then, we were not referred to as LGBT. On a good day, we were referred to as gay and lesbian. Let’s just say the people who called us queer back then were NOT progressive.

These days, even pro wrestlers are “out and proud.” But the stigma still lingers, on both sides of the closet door. Both Jodie Foster and troglodyte pro wrestlers talk about how “mean

gays” kept them in the closet. Resplendent, medal-winning Adam Rippon gets chastised in the comments section for talking about his sexuality. “Focus on your skating and keep your mouth shut!” they scream. It’s impressive that they find time to be freelance life coaches in between Trump voting sessions.

At the 2016 Republican National Convention, DT promised to protect LGBTQ Americans from radical Islamic terrorism. It got more than polite applause and more than its share of spilled ink.

But fuck you. What does that shout out with pseudo politically correct terminology mean?

Is he suggesting that some other political candidate might NOT protect LGBTQ Americans from violence and terrorism? It’s almost as if we are actual Americans, worthy of our share of constitutional and civil liberties and protections.

I was shocked because I am for some reason consistently shocked by stupidity when PDT declared that doctors and other medical professionals could refuse care to LGBTQ Americans, based upon the doctor’s religious faith.

You can change the terminology, you can polish a turd, but the vitriol and ill-will of the right-wing will always be there, and it will always stink, no matter how many of them get drunk and cruise divorcees at our gay weddings.

Continued on Pg. 36

34 | 06.06.18

SUNDAY

4PM - 7 JELLO SHOTS RAFFLES BENEFITTING:

2425 PIEDMONT RD, NE ATLANTA, GA 30324 peachATL.com | 35

Speaking of wedding singers, did y’all see the remake of “It” last year? Or Stranger Things?

Although it was cute when Winona Ryder whispered it like it was verboten, I was happy and gay to see that they left in the F-word. As shocking these days as any of the plot twists or imagery employed in those two horror shows, use of the F-word and or even using “gay” as pejorative was as common as shoulder pads in that era.

Imagine ten years before that. Or twenty.

Now, do you see why Jodie Foster may have been hesitant to come out? She was born in 1962, years before the Stonewall riots in 1969. Before the American Psychological Association removed homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses in 1973. Before Newsweek magazine published a groundbreaking story on “The American Homosexual” in 1975. Before Harvey Milk beat back Anita Bryant’s Briggs Initiative in California in 1978. Before the AIDS crisis decimated a generation of gay men and brought the remaining generation out of the closet and provided a path for succeeding generations to come out as well.

I was born in 1981, along with Jake Gyllenhaal, Britney Spears, and MTV. We are not quite Millennials, but we are the beginning of what they call the post-Stonewall generation.

Despite the fact that my generation, the 80s babies, are the brokest in history, I feel very 36 | 06.06.18

fortunate to have been born when I was. I understand and appreciate the difference between the olden days and the new smartphone era of the illusion of ubiquitous acceptance. I know that just because most of my friends are liberal and queer or queer-friendly, that does not mean that we are living in a safe space.

The haters, the portion of the citizenry who feel they are entitled to a white, heterosexual, gender-conforming country, they can all go fuck themselves. But that doesn’t mean that I won’t engage with them.

When I post an m4m missed connections ad on Craigslist and receive a reply from someone sending me a comic strip about how anti-gay Americans are oppressed because they can’t protest a pride rally without being charged with a “hate crime,” I return their email. If they are capable of responding in language that they haven’t stolen from the telly, I will take them even further down the path of dialogue. I don’t see how it could possibly make things any worse.

I am here. I am queer. Come talk to me. I will tell you my story. I will live my truth. I will smash your illusions.

Out and Proud.

Scott King’s milkshake brings all the boys to the yard. He could teach you, but he’d have to repeal and replace. Scott King is, like, a really smart person.

TALK TABLE C E T E UND Undetectable means reaching a point where the amount of HIV in your blood is so low it can’t be measured. It is important for your health and means you have effectively no risk of passing HIV to a sexual partner.

cdc.gov/StartTalking /ActAgainstAIDS /StartTalkingHIV @TalkHIV

June 6 - June 13

Dine Out for Pride at Varuni Napoli

Out in the Park at Six Flags

Visit Varuni Napoli and enjoy some of Atlanta’s best piz- Out in the Park, presented by Atlanta Pride, is a day full za and 10% of all sales this night are donated to Atlanta of fun, rides, and a special all-you-can-eat meal at JB’s Pride!

Sports Bar and Grill. Get your passes at sixflags.com.

Thursday, June 7, 5 PM - 10 PM

Saturday, June 9, 10am-10pm

Varuni Napoli

Six Flags Over Georgia & Hurricane Harbor

STAFF PICK!

HRC Margarita Bust Join the Human Rights Campaign, Zocalo Atlanta, and Milagro Tequila for a bottomless margarita bust for LGBTQ equality! Guests will enjoy unlimited fresh margaritas, $5 Milagro shots, and beats from DJ Neon the GlowGoBear.

Saturday, June 9, 3-7pm Zocalo’s

HSL Beer Bust

Once Upon A Drag - Drag Queen Bingo

Join HSL for a “beer bust for a cause.” All net proceeds will benefit the HSL 2018 charity, Pride School Atlanta!

Show your support and celebrate the end of the HSL regular season.

The next PALS Atlanta Drag Queen Bingo has gone DISNEY! Come out as our favorite Fairy Godmother, Bubba D. Licious, hosts a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious night full of fun that will have you singing Hakuna Matata all the way back to your castle.

Sunday, June 10, 5-8 pm Woofs on Piedmont

38 | 06.06.18

Tuesday, June 12, 7:30 pm LIPS Atlanta

THE BIG PEACH GAMES PHOTOS:Andrea Dwyer

40 | 06.06.18

peachATL.com | 43

BIG PEACH SOFTBALL PARTY AT MIDTOWN MOON PHOTOS: Sher Pruitt

44 | 06.06.18

11th annual

Required For Entrance:

Must wear a hat (preferably creative, wacky, cool or fab!)

Minimum $10 donation to For the Kid (cash, check, or cc paid at the door ONLY)

Prizes for Best Hats • Festive Entertainment • Hors Dʼoeuvres And Fun!

Now hosted by

Featuring DJ Jay McCracken: Kraax

we’re excited to announce that

PATIO SEASON IS BACK!

peachATL.com | 47

MEMORIAL DAY HEIFER REVIEW PHOTOS: Andrea Dwyer

PLEASE CHECK OUT FACEBOOK AND OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE PHOTOS 48 | 06.06.18

The River’s Edge9 DEWEY ROSE, GEORGIA

We’re closer to Atlanta than you think!

Southeast Leatherboy - Jocks for Cause, June 8 - 10 BlaqjaX Weekend, June 22 - 24 Deep South Weekend, June 29 - 30 Get the details on these and other great upcoming events on our website calendar.

Membership Required.

Must be 21 to Enter.

The Rivers Edge Campground 2311 Pulliam Mill Road, Dewy Rose GA 30634 (706) 213 - 8081 www.camptheriversedge.com “Like” us at www.facebook.com/camptheriversedge

Disney will never be the same again ...

peachATL.com | 49

MIDTOWN 1

Monroe Dr. NE

14

Amsterdam Ave.

12th St. NE

NE ve . tA

Piedmont Park

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11

dm

6

18

Pi e

Juniper St. NE

14th St. NE

7

9

2

10th St. NE

10

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19

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e. NE Piedmont Av

Juniper St . NE

Peachtree St. NE

3

Monr

Charles Allen Dr. NE

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

50 | 06.06.18

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

Ponce De Leon Pl. NE

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

’ Cheshire 23

ansley 21

37

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ir .

BARS 2043 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1086 Alco St NE 1931 Piedmont Cir NE 2425 Piedmont Rd NE

Dining 24 Las Margaritas 25 Roxx

1842 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1824 Cheshire Bridge Rd 805 Lambert Dr. NE, Suite A 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd

clubs 28 Heretic 29 Jungle

2069 Cheshire Bridge Rd 2115 Faulkner Rd NE

Fitness 30 Gravitee Fitness

2201 Faulkner Rd NE

Spa / bath 31 Manifest 4 U 42 The Den

32 33 34 35 36

Midtown Moon Felix's The Hideaway Mixx Oscar's

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 37 Cowtippers 38 Eclectic Bistro

Retail 26 Barking Leather 27 Southern Nights

NE

39 38

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BJ Roosters Opus 1 Tripps Woof's

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20

BARS 20 21 22 23

41

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28

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22

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26

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34

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BL

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30

Lambert Dr.

PU

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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

The Cockpit Atlanta Mary's Sister Louisa’s Church Swinging Richards Lips Atlanta

465 Boulevard SE 1287 Glenwood Ave SE 466 Edgewood Ave SE 1400 Northside Dr NW 3011 Buford Hwy NE peachATL.com | 51

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

THE COCKPIT

MIDTOWN

thecockpit-atlanta.blogspot.com

BARKING LEATHER AFTER DARK

AMSTERDAM

amsterdamatlanta.com

502 Amsterdam Ave. NE

ATLANTA EAGLE atlantaeagle.com

306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

BLAKE’S ON THE PARK blakesontheparkatlanta.com 227 10th St NE

BULLDOGS

465 Boulevard SE

MARY’S marysatlanta.com

1287 Glenwood Ave SE

SISTER LOUISA’S CHURCH sisterlouisaschurch.com 466 Edgewood Ave SE

SWINGING RICHARDS

barkingleather.com

306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

CHESHIRE BARKING LEATHER barkingleather.com 805 Lambert Dr NE

SOUTHERN NIGHTS VIDEO

swingingrichards.com

2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE

1400 Northside Dr NW

ANSLEY

friendsonponce-atl.com

Dining

BOY NEXT DOOR MENSWEAR

MODEL T

MIDTOWN

1447 Piedmont Ave NE

modeltatlanta.com

10TH & PIEDMONT

893 Peachtree St NE

FRIENDS NEIGHBORHOOD BAR 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

699 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

communitashospitality.com

MY SISTER’S ROOM

991 Piedmont Ave NE

mysistersroom.com

EINSTEIN’S

66 12th St NE

TEN ATLANTA tenatlanta.com

990 Piedmont Ave NE

CHESHIRE HERETIC hereticatlanta.com 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road

BJ ROOSTERS

einsteinsatlanta.com

WOOFS

Fitness URBAN BODY FITNESS

frogsmidtown.com 931 Monroe Dr

urbanbodyfitness.com

G’S

500 Amsterdam Ave NE

communitashospitality.com

CHESHIRE

219 10th St NE

HENRY’S JOE’S ON JUNIPER

1931 Piedmont Circle N

1510 Piedmont Ave. NE

MIDTOWN

OPUS 1 TRIPPS

brushstrokesatlanta.com

FROGS CANTINA

henrysatl.com

1086 Alco St NE

GCB & PLEASURES

1077 Juniper St NE

bjroosters.com

2043 Cheshire Bridge Road NE

boynextdoormenswear.com

132 10th St NE

joesonjuniper.com

GRAVITEE FITNESS graviteeatl.com

2201 Faulkner Rd NE

Spas/Baths/Adult

1049 Juniper St NE

MIDTOWN

LA HACIENDA

FLEX SPA

lahaciendamidtown.com

flexspas.com

900 Monroe Dr NE

76 4th St NW

2425 Piedmont Road NE

CHESHIRE

CHESHIRE

ANSLEY

LAS MARGARITAS

MANIFEST 4U

woofsatlanta.com

MIDTOWN MOON

lasmargaritasmidtown.com

manifest4u.org

1842 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE

2103 Faulkner Rd NE

FELIX’S

ROXX

THE DEN

1510 Piedmont Ave NE

1824 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE

THE HIDEAWAY

ANSLEY

1544 Piedmont Ave NE

COWTIPPERS

MIXX

cowtippersatlanta.com

1492 Piedmont Ave NE

mixxatlanta.com

1492 Piedmont Ave NE

OSCAR’S oscarsatlanta.com

1510 Piedmont Ave NE

52 | 06.06.18

1600 Piedmont Ave NE

DEKALB

LIPS ATLANTA atldragshow.com

3011 Buford Hwy NE

thedenatlanta.com

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10 WAYS TO CELEBRATE PRIDE MONTH

WE’RE QUEER AND PRIDE MONTH IS HERE PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK, CHRISTIAN HORZ, FOTOLUMINATE LLC,

Support your local LGBT businesses

Learn your queer history!

Update the LGBTQ policies at work Go to a pride event Talk to your fellow LGBTQ peeps

Get tested!

Support/volunteer with LGBTQ nonprofit

Be proud!

Have a LGBTQ movie night

Support LGBTQ youth 54 | 06.06.18

Sunday Funday = Playmates and soul mates...

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Text your Peach Pits to 256-60-PEACH, or e-mail mikkel@PeachATL.com Illustrations by: Jerel Ely

This may come from the pig’s mouth, but raw is sometimes hard to swallow…

This lady honked at me to get my parking spot, so now we’re just going to sit here until forever comes around.

Him: Let’s take a few moments to take a deep breath and appreciate all the good things in our life.

I usually don’t have time to call people back, but when I do have time, I don’t

Me: Well, my allergies are really bad, so unless I get my inhaler I’m not breathing deep!

Asking for a friend: is holding two drinks the best way to keep from texting that boy you shouldn’t?

My charts suggest I lean more towards transparency, so I’ve been bathing in Windex.

Last night I lucidly dreamt I had a shaved face and shoulder length Gaga-yellow hair. Not a good look on me. Glad I woke up.

What adulting really is: Still feeling like you never get your life together, your questionable decisions are more expensive, and your level of regret is way lower.

There hasn’t been a picture of the Loch Ness Monster in a while. I hope she’s okay.

56 | 06.06.18

306 PONCE DE LEON AVE, NE, ATLANTA, GA 30308

ARIES (MAR. 21 - APR. 19)

LIBRA (SEP. 23 - OCT. 22)

If you’ve been planning a long trip by air, you might doubt whether you should continue with your plans.

Money might be the issue. Be aware that your fears may run away with you. The situation may be more secure than it appears. You might want to attend a class or lecture, perhaps on computer science or some other technology. As with the vacation plans, try to view this objectively.

This could be a confusing week for you. Financial issues might be complicated by computer glitches or failures in communication. Keep pushing, however, and whatever you’re trying to straighten out will be resolved.

An opportunity to participate in a project you’ve never tried before could have you doubting your abilities. Believe in yourself and then move ahead. There’s a first time for everything!

TAURUS (APR. 20 - MAY 20)

SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21)

You might feel too overwrought to concentrate on whatever goals you’re trying to reach, particularly if they’re financial. Past issues might crop up at inopportune times but will still need to be released. If you aren’t careful, this could get in the way of just about anything you need to do. Keeping cool is the most important thing to remember.

Financial issues might have you and your partner a bit more on edge than you need to be. Perhaps money is tighter than usual right now, and you have to put off purchases you want to make. Try to work it out. This is a great week to reach a compromise in just about any touchy situation, because you should be in just the right space to see both sides of any issue.

GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN. 20)

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21)

You tend to be pretty self-assured, but self-esteem issues dating from long ago could resurface. You might feel like a schoolchild called on to recite. This could cause a few snags in your relationships or interfere with your effectiveness at social occasions.

Try to remain objective. Don’t lose sight of who you are. Don’t let old insecurity interfere with your effectiveness.

Your intellect is flying high this week. A number of new ideas, perhaps about political or social issues, might excite your curiosity and cause you to want to spend hours in the library or on the Internet. Mundane tasks still need handling, however. This might be frustrating, because it takes you away from your quest.

CANCER (JUN. 21 - JUL. 22)

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19)

You might feel a bit bloated and slow, which could interfere with your daily routine. You might not feel like exercising, but it’s important that you do it anyway.

Moving the body can clear your head and put you in the proper frame of mind to get on with your day. It can also help purge your tissues of all the excess toxins you got over Halloween weekend.

Your imagination is working overtime this, and you might spend hours at a computer writing or in front of an easel or piano creating your own brand of painting or music. This drive to create comes from the heart and shouldn’t be ignored no matter what other issues come up. Take care of whatever needs to be handled and then follow your inspiration. You may be surprised at what you produce!

LEO (JUL. 23 - AUG. 22)

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18)

This week your job or another activity could require your artistic skills for a particular project. You may not be used to this, so it could throw you into a bit of a panic. There should be others around who can collaborate with you, so you will be all right. A tendency to be overly emotional could interfere with just about anything you try. Stay centered.

A conflict between your responsibilities to family and obligations to friends could rear its ugly head this week.

You might want to attend an event but need to deal with emotional issues in the home immediately. It could be difficult to keep a cool head under these circumstances.

If you can, you should find a way to satisfy your family and go out. Step back and be objective!

VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEP. 22)

PISCES (FEB. 19 - MAR. 20)

A subject of interest that you’ve been pursuing could bring up some deeply buried emotions this week.

You might want to retreat into your mind and try to make sense of it, although analyzing it intellectually may not be the answer. Avoid emotional confrontations. Things might be said that shouldn’t be said, and they won’t be easily forgotten.

Dissatisfaction with certain job conditions might come to a head this week. A discussion with colleagues might be necessary to defuse a potentially explosive situation. Clear, honest communication is necessary in order to avoid misunderstandings. Try to remain objective. Don’t let your emotions take control. Things will work out to everyone’s satisfaction.

58 | 06.06.18

WHAT happened was . . .

What Happened Was...

Trouble in the love department? With sex? Or just people in general? Send us your queries, questions, and problems, and we’ll give you the answers served straight up and with a little ice.

I’ve been hanging out with this guy – platonically – who is my best friend’s ex. We get along great, but there is definitely flirting going on too. I think we both want to take it to the next level, but neither of us has acted on it because of the ex-connection. What are my options?

Can I date my best friend’s ex?

Sincerely Dating Too Ex-Tra? Dear Dating Too Ex-Tra? So, when it comes to your friend, of course it’s going to hurt him if you engage with his ex. The main reason being that it takes a long time to get over a significant romantic relationship. No matter how you look at it, there is a whole world of feelings – true, unresolved, and lingering – that can make it hard for anyone to say they are truly “over it.” So, when it comes to your friend, of course, it’s going to hurt him if you engage with his ex.

It’s basically signaling that you need to get laid, and his feelings are less important to you. Does this mean that you can’t ever date someone’s ex? No, but on a general level, it is just a horrible idea. So, ask yourself is this boy really that important to you that you are willing to risk it? Is he husband material or is he just a hot guy you’re attracted to? Is the connection more profound than just a physical one? Do you just want to feel a connection with someone? And are you ready to possibly cause irreparable damage to your friendship?

For the past months I have been seeing to handsome men that are very different but in each in their own way have the potential for a meaningful relationship. So I have been thinking about dating them both at the same time! They are both open to the idea, but is it possible to date two different people in a more serious way?

Sincerely Double-Dater

Dear Double-Dater By all means, date two guys at once! Today, where thruples and polyamorous relationships are a thing, there is nothing that holds you back from having two beautiful relationships with two different men. But you also need to consider that dating just one person can be really difficult, so dating two is likely more complicated. Add to that the potential throes of jealousy that all parties in the love triangle can experience and you quickly add layers to the equation of three people being involved.

The most important thing for all of you is to be wholly transparent and acknowledge all the feelings that may occur – especially in the initial stages of the constellation.

So be ready for it – it may seem like a wonderland right this moment, but as with any relationship this is the beginning, and you are bound to hit a few snags along the way.

My boyfriend just announced that he wants to take a break, and he is vague about as to why. I’m devastated, and I’m afraid things may be over – what does all this mean?

Sincerely Relation-Snipped Dear Relation-Snipped When a boyfriend asks for something like this, it usually isn’t a good sign. It’s usually the chicken way of breaking up. Even more unfortunate: you are going to have to respect his wish and give him some space and time – talking him out of it will amount to nothing, and you will have even more uncertainty in your life afterward. It’s really tough and your devastation is completely merited, but it’s all you can do. Maybe he just needs time to collect his thoughts and feel you missing in his life – or maybe he wants to pursue other options. The best thing you can do is to let him know you hear him and give him space. You can also demand that you know the underlying reason for this break, but you also need to be prepared to hear something that could hurt you more.

NEED ANSWERS? REACH OUT TO US, AND YOU WILL GET THEM! SEND YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS VIA OUR EDITOR AT MIKKEL@PEACHATL.COM.

60 | 06.06.18

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