Peach v3_i17 Make a Splash

Let’s Make It Brief

Underwear & Swimwear

Advice & Antics

Consequences of Speedos

LGBTQ Books

Reading List for Pride

Interview

Anna Paquin’s Queer World

32ND ANNUAL HRC ATLANTA GALA DINNER & AUCTION

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From the Editor There’s still a Spring chill in the air, but temperatures are definitely crawling into something that resembles summer. So, before it’s too late, you better get your poolside and beachfront looks together while there’s still time! A big trend this summer is going shorter, so both your underwear and swimwear are making it brief. Get inspiration to the trend on page 14 and 16, so you can make a splash.

Kevin Assam and Mitzi Pennington are also joining in on the swimsuit theme, and Gregg Shapiro gives you an extensive reading of LGBTQ-authored and -themed books – maybe not directly related to swimwear expect for the fact that reading is a perfect pool or beachside activity!

Our feature interview this week is with Anna Paquin, who came out as bisexual while playing Sookie Stackhouse in True Blood, and now she pursues scripts and roles that somehow support the LGBTQ community. Read Chris Azzopardi’s interview with her on page 18.

That, and so much more in this issue of Peach

CONTRIBUTORS Kevin Assam Chris Azzopardi Mirza Muftic 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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Gala for Goood 32nd

attending guests a live and silent auction, dinner, and an extensive program of speakers and entertainment that celebrate the organization’s accomplishments and progress while also highlighting why there is still a need to fight for equality towards the LGBTQ community.

One of the highlights of the gala is the presentation of community awards for individuals and groups who have offered distinguished service, leadership, and tradition of activism for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community.

Annual HRC Atlanta Gala Dinner & Auction celebrates the organization’s work, honors local LGBTQ group, and addresses the current battle points in their work for full equality.

As the most significant LGBTQ fundraising of the year, the annual HRC Atlanta Dinner & Auction easily packs well over a thousand black-tie clad guests comprised of corporate sponsors and local patrons and supporters into the ballroom at the Hyatt Regency.

The swanky affair represents one of the most important fundraisers for the HRC Atlanta, and the evening offers

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Speakers in the dinner program have previously included Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, HRC President Chad Griffin, and Senator John Lewis - not even mentioning the slew of celebrities who have graced the stage of the gala - so guests can expect a great lineup of guest speakers and surprise appearances throughout the night.

General admission tickets are $250 for the exquisite gala ($150 if you are an HRC Federal Club Member).

Tickets can be purchased at hrcatlanta.com/tickets – but hurry because the biggest LGBTQ fundraiser of the year is selling out fast!

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8 | 04.24.19

32nd Annual HRC Atlanta Gala Dinner & Auction Saturday, May 4, 2019 Hyatt Regency Atlanta Ballroom

Pride 2019 Reading List

Pride 2019 is taking on special meaning with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots being incorporated into celebrations across the country. With that in mind, it’s never too early to begin assembling a reading list for the celebration as well as for the summer of 2019. Visit your favorite independent bookseller or the love-it-or-hate-it Amazon.com to reserve and order copies of these forthcoming LGBTQ books for readers of all (rainbow) stripes.

By Gregg Shapiro Poetic Paths

It’s hard to believe that The Tradition (Copper Canyon Press, 2019) is only the third full-length collection by gay African-American poet Jericho Brown, because he’s such a constant and invigorating presence in the world, but it’s true! A poetic examination of terror, The Tradition incorporates Brown’s literary device known as the duplex, a form that merges the sonnet, the ghazal and the blues.

In the “fore/words” to her new poetry collection Sweet World (CavanKerry Press, 2019), multi-award-winning lesbian poet Maureen Seaton asks the reader for forgiveness for having “mixed up magic with grief, love with terror, light with impenetrable darkness” in these Colorado-created poems written during the “decision-making of breast cancer treatment”.

Described as an exploration of “queer, Asian American femininity”, the “Turing Test-inspired” poems in Soft Science (Alice James Books, 2019) by writer/ performer/educator Franny Choi are a thrill to behold.

How could a book of collaborative lyric essays by two cherished poets, straight ally Denise Duhamel and lesbian writer Julie Marie Wade, be anything less than supremely poetic? Fiercely feminist, political and personal, The Unrhymables: Collaboration in Prose (Noctuary Press, 2019), including essays based on colors, religion, movies, crossing thresholds and celebrating inspirational women, it’s the kind of book you read where you learn as much as about the writers as you do about yourself.

Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of legendary “gay poet-preacher” Walt Whitman, Lovejets: Queer Male Poets on 200 Years of Walt Whitman (Squares & Rebels, 2019), edited by Raymond Luczak, features the work of 80 (!) gay poets including the aforementioned Jericho Brown, as well as Edmund White, David Trinidad, Bryan Borland, Scott Hightower, Alfred Corn, Felice Picano, Jaime Manrique, and M. J. Arcangelini, to mention a few.

Everything you need to know about LGBTQ Fiction and Poetry from Appalachia (West Virginia University Press, 2019), edited by Jeff Mann & Julia Watts, can be found in the descriptive title. The first of its kind collection features poems by Nickole Brown, Aaron Smith, Dorothy Allison and Kelly McQuain, as well as short stories by Silas House, Fenton Johnson and others.

Told in verse, straight writer Aida Salazar’s debut Y/A book The Moon Within (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic, 2019) tells the story of Celi Rivera, whose life “swirls with questions” about her first crush on a boy, the changes taking place in her body and the way her best friend Magda explores gender-fluidity.

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Continued on pg. 12 >>>>

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Adult Books Original co-founding member of the Violet Quill Club, poet/novelist/ memoirist Felice Picano’s new novel Justify My Sins: A Hollywood Novel in Three Acts (Beautiful Dreamer Press, 2018), which incorporates “noted names and events” of the `70s through the `90s, is described by the author as “one of the most rational, pleasant, and easy experiences he can recall”.

The latest installment in James Earl Hardy’s B-Boy Blues series, Men of the House (IAJ Books, 2018) tells the story of Brooklyn-based high school senior Raheim, the oldest child of a gay male couple, who has his hands full balancing his relationship with girlfriend Maxine, admissions offers from Ivy League universities and creating an identity for himself.

In The Stars of Locust Ridge (Vivid Imagery, 2018) his third novel since 2017, prolific writer Craig Moody takes us to rural Tennessee (in the Great Smoky Mountains near Dolly Parton’s childhood home) and introduces readers to teenaged Genevieve, in this coming-of-age tale.

Lesbian novelist Nina Revoyr says that her new novel A Student of History (Akashic Book, 2019), “is an L.A. story, but it is also an American story”, about economic disparity, history and “invisible aristocracy”, all wound around the country’s “complexity and diversity”, as narrator Rick becomes involve with two powerful and irresistible women. Revoyr’s debut novel The Necessary Hunger (Akashic Book, 1997/2019) has been reissued with an introduction by Lynell George.

One of the most eagerly awaited books of the year, Stella Maris & Other Key West Stories (Turtle Point Press, 2019), the second book by award-winning gay writer Michael Carroll, in which he makes the political personal, set in the “beautiful town, Key West, the last bastion, the place of the just-misfits”.

Sexual identity and self-acceptance become a major through-line in Anatomy of a Miracle (Hogarth, 2018/2019), the new novel by Jonathan Miles, featuring the subtitle “The ‘True’ Story of a Paralyzed Veteran, a Mississippi Convenience Store, a Vatican Investigation, and the Spectacular Perils of Grace”. The paperback edition “Extra Libris” edition includes essays, reader’s guides and more.

Beginning in 1912 and continuing into the 21st century, Correspondents (Grove, 2019), the second novel by gay writer/activist Tim Murphy, author of 2016’s brilliant Christodora, is every bit as powerful and epic in breadth and scope.

Straight novelist/ally Elinor Lipman is no stranger to writing about queer characters (read 2009’s The Family Man) and her hilarious and touching new novel, Good Riddance (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019) about the troubles associated from a discarded yearbook and a nosey neighbor, is no exception.

In Nirvana Is Here (Three Rooms Press, 2019) his first novel since 2005’s incredible Faith For Beginners, gay writer Aaron Hamburger follows historian Ari on his quest to reconnect with (straight) high school crush Justin, while also dealing with a crisis involving his ex-husband, all set against the backdrop of “the meteoric rise and fall of the band Nirvana and the #metoo movement”.

A letter from a son, Little Dog, to a mother, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (Penguin Press, 2019), the debut novel by award-winning gay poet Ocean Vuong, traces the history of a family, from Vietnam to America, and the events that shaped the lives of the characters.

“Set in the glamorous literary and film circles of 1950s Italy”, Leading Men (Viking, 2019), the fourth novel by gay writer Christopher Castellani features Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Williams’ lover Frank Merlo and “legendary film icon Anja Bloom”.

Taylor Saracen joins gay authors St. Sukie de la Croix (Chicago Whispers) and Jim Elledge (The Boys of Fairytown) in exploring the queer past of Chicago’s notorious and openly gay Towertown neighborhood of the 1920s in her novel In the City by the Lake (13 Red Media, 2019).

In Todd Sweeney: The Fiend of Fleet High (Hosta Press, 2019), gay writer David Pratt takes the story of Sweeney Todd in a new and entertaining direction, setting the story in a high school where the titular character, along with pal Nellie Lovett, comes to the rescue of best friend Toby Ragg in an unexpected way.

Gay novelist Henry Alley’s new book Men Touching (Chelsea Station Editions, 2019) is set in 1986, where Seattle-based Vietnam vet Robb attempts to take action regarding his drug addiction as his high-school teacher partner Bart faces the prospect of coming out to his family while dealing with a friend dying of AIDS complications.

The Shape of the Earth (Bold Strokes Books, 2019), the new full-length erotic romance novel by Gary Garth McCann, involves Lenny, the manager of a struggling bookstore, his fidelity issues with Dave, and his flirtation with grad student Ian which threatens to upend everything.

Michael G. Williams has described his science fiction detective novel A Fall in Autumn (Falstaff Books, 2019), set in 9172 and featuring gay protagonist Valerius Bakhoum (“a washed-up private eye and street hustler”) as “a little filthy and a lot of fun”.

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Briefs Bare All

By Mikkel Hyldebrandt

Underwear briefs are making a huge comeback as a preferred staple when it comes to what is closest to your skin. And it’s no wonder because briefs do cushion everything superbly down while also making everything look nicely presented.

Organic cotton infused with stretchy elastane makes these nonbranded, old-school tighty whities an excellent choice.

Emporio Armani’s stretch modal fabric feels amazing against the skin while giving you a gentle lift.

Good things come in 6-packs! These skivvies are not only comfortable, but you get a lot of bang for your buck too.

Bread & Boxers Brief, $18

Emporio Armani Stretch Modal Brief, $31

Fruit of the Loom Dual Defense Stripe/Solid Fashion Brief 6 pk, $19

This fast-drying, ultra-soft material is so versatile that you can use it for working out, swimming, or as your daily underwear.

A unique, breathable microfiber blend assures maximum comfort and movement – perfect for working out.

Briefs are not only for daily wear or working out – a cool pair of briefs worn at the circuit party will make you the attraction there.

Teamm8 MicroMax Brief Army, $25

Mack Weldon Airknitx Briefs, $24

Marco Marco Nautical Half Moon Brief, $32

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Photo: Courtesy of Teamm8, PR

Register, volunteer and/or donate to a participant at actioncyclingatl.org

A Brief Moment

By Mikkel Hyldebrandt

Men’s swimwear is a myriad of color, prints, and patterns – but one trend is growing stronger, and that’s briefs! This year, try out a pair of briefs that – like underwear – cushions you nicely and gives you a little lift for maximal presentation at the pool or on the beach.

2Eros combines excellent materials and prints with an unmistakably sexy edge.

A sporty look for your classic swim brief. Look closely, and you will see how these also display your pride!

You may think some swim briefs come with a hefty price tag, but the fabric is made for rougher conditions, so consider it an investment for years to come.

2Eros V60 Tiger Swimwear, $43

2Xist Pride Rio Jogger Swim Brief, $60

Charlie Lifeguard Brief, $145

The Spanish-based brand offers high-quality swimwear that looks great and will make you look even better with the optional ‘Pack Up’ insert.

The Mr Turk brand is a bit of a master when it comes to classic shapes with updated prints and patterns.

Want to keep it simple?

Go for a classic Speedo in a solid color – it’s still got it!

Mr Turk Bondi Swim Brief, $98

Speedo Core Solid Brief, $39

ES Collection 1923 Flowery Sailor Swim Brief, $94 16 | 04.24.19

Photo Courtesy of ES Collection, PR

peachATL.com | 17

This Queer World According to Anna Paquin ‘True Blood’ actress talks ‘tricky’ LGBTQ representation, understated queer roles and trans teachings

By Chris Azzopardi

Photo: Kevin Scanlon, POP TV

Enough with the labels: Anna Paquin just wants LGBTQ people to be people. As star and executive producer of Pop TV’s Flack, Paquin’s celeb-PR spin doctor, Robyn, fascinates because her hyper-controlling nature at work is in sharp contrast to her out-of-control family life. Robyn’s bisexuality is a mere footnote.

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peachATL.com | 19

It’s 2019. This is the queer-is-human moment Anna Paquin has been waiting for. This explains why, though she plays a lesbian character, she appreciates that her love interest (Holliday Grainger) in her upcoming film Tell It to the Bees, out May 3, eludes any kind of fixed sexual identity.

Openly bisexual herself, Paquin came out in 2010 in a public service announcement for Cyndi Lauper’s Give a Damn campaign, dedicated to LGBTQ equality. At the time, she was portraying southern heroine Sookie Stackhouse on HBO’s vampire queerfest True Blood; she married her co-star, Stephen Moyer, that same year.

(The couple has 6-year-old twins, Poppy and Charlie Moyer.)

But the 36-year-old actress’ precocious career in film and TV goes back decades to her childhood, when, at just 11 years old, she won the best-supporting actress Oscar for her portrayal of Flora McGrath in 1993’s The Piano. Cross-genre roles abounded: Fly Away Home (1996), She’s All That (1999), Almost Famous (2000) and three X-Men films.

In 2017, Paquin starred as a detective investigating the disappearance and murder of a trans woman (Sadie O’Neil) on the short-lived drama series Bellevue.

Nearly 10 years later, Paquin still gives a damn – about inclusivity in her work, entertainment as a way to open closeminded minds, and actors who are forced out of the closet in the name of representation.

In Flack, there’s a gay scandal, a trans scandal and a lesbian sex tape, and that’s all within the first three episodes. I mean, this show was made with the LGBTQ community in mind, right?

I mean, not intentionally. It was just made more with, you know, the human race in mind. And that includes all of us (laughs). There’s humor and drama to be found in all of our communities, but, yes, there is definitely something to be had for our LGBTQ community in the world of Flack. Although a lot of people ask me if that was me, because obviously it’s important to me, but that was just always part of the fiber of the show in those episodes, and that was our writers. I wish I could take more credit for that, but I really can’t.

As an actress, are you drawn to stories that tell our stories?

Yes, but I’m also just drawn to really amazing writing, and I think especially when there are stories that are our stories but are also written in a beautiful and eloquent way, that, to me, is a twofer. I mean, I love the fact that Robyn being bisexual just kind of casually drops in; it’s not a thing because it shouldn’t be a thing. And I feel like so many movies and shows, if they have characters who are leading anything other than heteronormative lives, it’s made into a big deal. It really shouldn’t be and isn’t. So I do love that part of the show.

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It sounds like you don’t think we’re at a place where LGBTQ characters can simply live within the fabric of the world, and maybe that’s because LGBTQ people can’t just yet either.

Are we? (Laughs) I mean, I think everyone has different experiences. I really think it depends what part of the country you’re in and what kind of community you grow up in. Look, I’m a non-American-born Canadian-Kiwi living in liberal California, so my experience of the world as a bisexual woman is probably incredibly different from someone who lives in – not to single anyone out in particular, but let’s say a less progressive state. So I feel like we still have a ways to go, but we’re obviously going in the right direction.

Where do you stand on the debate that exclusively LGBTQ actors should be playing LGBTQ roles?

In casting all the characters in this show, it would never have occurred to us to look at anyone other than trans actors for trans roles. I frankly did not ask the actress who plays Robyn’s ex-girlfriend because I also don’t really think it’s any of my business. What’s tricky around some of that stuff is that, while I think representation of people within our community is incredibly important, I think it’s also putting a lot of pressure on people to come out in a public way that they may or may not be ready to do yet. I don’t think it’s anyone’s place to force people out of the closet, to be like, “Hey, you shouldn’t be playing this role because you’re not gay.” Well, what if that person is but isn’t comfortable coming out? Where does that leave us as far as representation, but also respecting people’s own timeline for their own lives and what they’re comfortable with? I think it’s incredibly complicated.

Was there pressure on you when you came out?

If there was, I certainly didn’t experience any. Everyone in my private life knew. It wasn’t a big deal. But also, things aren’t a big deal if you don’t make a big deal of them.

I’d like to note that your show Bellevue represented the trans community in a very real way. I know you really bonded on the set with actress Sadie O’Neil, who played a trans character.

What an awesome, smart, talented actress and writer and poet. She was incredibly patient with all of us who know less about her community asking quite specific questions as far as how we’re representing the community on the show. Because the script, you can do a good approximation, but if that’s not the life that you have lived then, obviously, you’re not gonna get all

In a film, yes. But my character in (2017’s sci-fi anthology TV series) Electric Dreams was also a lesbian.

of it right. And being patient with the fact that we had taken a good stab at it, but then wanting to actually get it right, was something we were really very grateful for, and we obviously very much deferred to her on a lot of it.

In what ways was the show and being with Sadie on set a teaching moment for you?

It’s one thing to conceptually support all members of our rainbow community, it’s another thing to pretend that you know what somebody else’s life experience is like, and I don’t pretend to know things I don’t know.

So, to me, getting more information is something that I just think you can’t have enough of. And the more you know, the more helpful you can be. It literally had never even occurred to me that feminism could exclude trans women. That, to me, just doesn’t make any sense, and that’s a huge deal and kind of blew my mind.

You know, these kinds of conversations that end up casually happening because you’re working with them and getting to know them, it’s like, “Wow, I feel a bit embarrassed that I didn’t know that and I’m glad I know that now.”

Does it mean something to you that a role such as Robyn or your role as Dr. Jean in Tell It to the Bees is creating greater visibility for the LGBTQ community?

Absolutely ... absolutely! Yes. I think that people learn about people they don’t understand through entertainment. That’s one of our most powerful tools for bringing people out of their own bubble and their own world, because if you see somebody depicted on screen you sort of are emotionally connected to that person and their story and their life, and maybe it can change people’s minds about how they sort of snap-judge other people and their sexual orientation or gender identity or whatever it may be. I think entertainment is a very powerful tool for that, so yeah, it’s very meaningful to me.

When were you first aware that entertainment had that kind of power?

Honestly, not really until I was a grown up because when I was a teenager just, you know, doing my thing and going to school, I wasn’t massively conscious of it. Becoming a parent I think also makes you more aware of that, the cause and effect when your kid watches something and repeats something back that you’re like, “We don’t speak like that.” You get to see a very tiny microcosm of what its effect is, just even on little humans, because they don’t know. But it’s all around us. That’s not to say that all entertainment that I do (laughs) can be watched by all people of all ages, because I do some stuff that is, obviously, very adultoriented, but it has made me think about what kind of things I put out there into the world.

In Tell It to the Bees you play your first explicitly queer character in film.

Why did it take so long?

It wasn’t really a conscious thing. A lot of times with choices it kind of depends on what material comes your way and when. I hadn’t happened to have a proper lesbian love story of any sort really come my way prior to that. I think I was probably somewhat obvious casting for that (laughs). But it’s a beautiful love story, it’s set in the 1950s in Scotland, my character is adopted, basically got outed as a teenager and left her community under quite traumatic circumstances. (She) falls in love with another outsider, a young mother in the community who is – we don’t ever really put a label on her sexuality, but it’s probably more on the bisexual-to-straight-butfalls-in-love-with-the-human. It’s about what they bring out in each other.

I’m surprised to hear that you haven’t been offered more queer film roles.

I was on a TV show for, like, the entire time surrounding (coming out), so I wasn’t really available to do anything else (laughs). And also, True Blood reps hard on the Pride front.

How aware were you of what True Blood was doing for the LGBTQ community at the time it aired?

Vampires coming out of the coffin: the metaphor was pretty specific! (Laughs) And also just the sexual fluidity of all the vampires. Obviously, we would have to have been living under a rock not to have felt the support and love from the community.

Do you hear from gay fans about Flack on Twitter?

In general, yes. Whenever I’ve done work that has any representation of our community, yes, I always end up hearing really cool, nice feedback from people who are appreciative of conversations being easier to have because they’re happening in the public eye.

As editor of Q Syndicate, the international LGBTQ wire service, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. Reach him via his website at www.chrisazzopardi.com and on Twitter (@chrisazzopardi).

peachATL.com | 21

BULGE TACOS & TEQUILA BENEFITTING NCSF @ THE HIDEAWAY PHOTOS: ANDREA DWYER

22 | 04.24.19

FTK is an all-volunteer non-profit that hosts fundraisers to provide toys, school supplies, and camp experiences to Georgia’s kids in need. Learn more at forthekid.org!

$10 Beer Bust Joe’s on Juniper 1049 Juniper St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

May 4 2019

“May the Fourth be with you!”

1PM - 5PM forthekidatl

ATLANTA LEATHER PRIDE @ ATLANTA EAGLE PHOTOS: ANDREA DWYER, FERNANDO

24 | 04.24.19

PALS Drag Queen Bingo

Pajama Party May 14, 2019

For tickets visit our website www.palsatlanta.org Hostess Bubba Dee peachATL.com | 25

DIVINE'S FACES

@ IRISH BRED PUB IN DOUGLASVILLE

PHOTOS: ANTHONY BAZA-FAINN

26 | 04.24.19

In the guise of satiric exploitation-horror, the all-female cast of The Secretaries takes an unflinching look at the warping cultural expectations of femininity. Pretty Patty Johnson is thrilled to join the secretarial pool at the Cooney Lumber Mill under the iron-fisted leadership of sultry office manager Susan Curtis. But she soon begins to feel that all is not right—the enforced diet of Slim-Fast shakes, the strange clicking language between the girls, the monthly disappearance of a lumberjack. By the time Patty discovers murder is part of these office killers’ skill set, it’s too late to turn back!

By The Five Lesbian Brothers

MAY 2-18, 2019

Tickets: $15 and up Out Front Theatre Company 999 Brady Avenue, Atlanta

www.OutFrontTheatre.com

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Will grew up on a farm in Dacula, Georgia, where he honed his artistic skills as a musician playing the flute, being in marching band, and figure skating. He began practicing yoga daily in 2015, and in 2017 his figure skating capabilities earned him a spot on the Disney On Ice Tour with which he toured the country. In 2017, he also began practicing fire-breathing and spinning with fire, and you may have seen him at events across the city doing just that.

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30 | 04.24.19

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Summer Is Coming

The rising temperatures and ungodly pollen count can only mean one thing in the South: Summer’s coming! Whether you’re here for it, or running from it, bikini season is almost upon us. I recently performed at a prom-like dance event where the dress-up theme was ‘beach party’. While I danced in my itsy-bitsy, teeny-weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini, it dawned on me that I had no idea what my Summer beach looks would actually be. Would I be the conservative one-piece bikini kind of gal, or would I go wild with a barely-there two-piece? There are too many options of swimwear I could sport, so I had to reach out to some helpful minds to get me bodied for the season!

Sallie Sillyputty was the first person I asked about what this summer’s swimwear sweeties should strut.

Sallie works at Simply Swimwear Repair, a go-to for most bikini-related repair jobs. She says most people try the skimpier approach and end up ripping their swimwear. Her suggestion is to buy one size up and preferably from Amazon.

“It’s ridiculously cheap cause it’s from China, so even if you DO rip it, no big deal!”

– Sallie Sillyputty

The great thing about the cheap swimwear you find online is most of it is poly-stretch, so very forgiving to your body. They also come in many off-brand patterns and colors. For those with a ritzier mindset, my good friend, and CEO of The Prudish Perv, Jamila J’llo says her store’s wide selection of lacy and kinky attire is all you’ll need this summer. To her, swimwear and lingerie are one and the same, which is why her products have a certain sexy side to them. My favorite piece is this orange swimsuit with a spilled ice cream cone on the crotch area. It’s tastefully subtle and still unnecessarily sexual. The clothing does run on the more expensive side, but her Poor for the Summer financing program lets you pay it off in style!

If wearing clothes isn’t your thing, I got you covered! I took a short trip to a nudist beach somewhere in the Bible Belt of America. It was there I met Fernando. As I gazed upon his oiled complexion, trying to undress him, I noticed he was completely naked. Our summer-long affair inspired me to launch my own limited-release of bikinis: Emperor’s New Bikini. Much like the fairytale I took inspiration from, the swimsuits are completely see-through and cannot be felt to the touch. It’s as if you’re purchasing an empty box at premium prices! The suits fit any body size and use mostly locally-sourced organic biproducts.

For those of a certain age like myself, there are options for you as well. Summer isn’t just to be enjoyed by the youth, just ask any of the residents of Last Chances Senior Living. These party animals know the secret to a great summer swimsuit for senior citizens lies in the color pallet. You can find all the colors under the rainbow at the gift shop located on the first floor of Last Chances.

“I was always a fan of mauve, but my friend Judith always loved a pale purple pallet, and with both of us confined to wheelchairs, the gift shop on the first floor is the ideal place to do our summertime shopping.”

– Suzie Sillyputty, Sallie’s grandmother and former owner of their bikini repair shop.

No matter where you are in life or your physical journey, this summer’s heat is sure to make you uncomfortable. So, to fight off the heat, slip on a swimsuit that suits your stature and show it off!

Yours

Mitzi Pennington is the self-proclaimed sex symbol and advice-giving-guru alter ego of Mirza Muftic. She came from humble roots of middle America and married into money shortly after dropping out of college. Her late husband’s fortune allows her to travel the world and have a sense of enlightenment one normally gets from actually working for their money. Mirza has had none of those experiences in his life. On occasion, Mirza will perform as Mitzi around Atlanta. His other interests/day job include film editing, retouching, and stop-motion animation.

32 | 04.24.19

in swimwear scouting,

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tears for fears • tash sultana • dashboard confessional

liz phair • sharon van etten • oh sees • black lips yellow days • the joy formidable • foxing • idles • curtis harding face to face (ACOUSTIC) • peach pit • devon gilfillian • wilderado low cut connie • hannah wicklund and the steppin stones i don't know how but they found me • duncan fellows • taylor janzen SATURDAY, MAY 4

cage the elephant

gary clark jr. • interpol • jim james • the struts

music festival MAY 3–5 • ATLANTA, GA CENTRAL PARK

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peachATL.com | 33

Will Speedos Make My Husband Bait for Otters?

By Kevin Assam

Photo: John Fornander

I’m all about swimsuits right now, which means I went trolling all the cabanas and poolside happy hours for your most outrageous moral and sensual questions on life. As summer continues to look like a particular scorcher down south, now is a good time to consider the consequences of Speedos. Enjoy!

I saw presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg sunbathing with his husband at a trendy club pool. Is it poor etiquette to ask him to sign my chest?

He should be fine with it even if only out of fear of losing one vote in a battleground state should he snag the party nomination. Ask him to take a photograph with you instead. If he goes on to be more than a longshot, then you’ll have a historical image to replace your profile shot on Grindr. Taps abound.

I want to purchase a Ouija board to communicate with my wife’s ex and ask him how he really died in that strange boating accident. Clever idea?

Island people have a saying that if you don’t like someone, invite them out on your boat. You already know what happened. Better to spend the time finding the least insensitive way to end things with your murderous wife.

Get this. I’m on a date with a guy when suddenly it sounds like we’re being singled out by a flock of sparrows. Turns out it’s the sound of his hip replacements when he walks. What should I say?

Focus on the bigger picture. Will those replaced hips prevent him from tackling such philosophically questionable bedroom positions as a Double Reverse Cowboy or a Triple Threaded Taiwanese Typhoon? As long he won’t break anything further, just whistle along to the sound of those squeaky hips.

If I’m on a date at a restaurant and I find a hair in my meal, should I send it back or will that make me appear bitchy?

Make sure it is not your hair of course. Then scrutinize the location. Is the hair intertwined in your fettuccini or casually hanging off the plate well away from the food?

In the case of the former, be polite and send it back.

34 | 04.24.19

This has to do more with hygiene and less the feelings of your date. If he or she somehow takes offense at your “fussiness,” reassure him or her that this will not impact your decision on giving oral that night.

Will Speedos makes my husband bait for the bears and otters come summer time pool parties?

Yes, especially if it comes in fifty shades of red.

Honestly, certain body types will always be framed better by the tight flashy nature of the speedos or jockey cut swimwear. While other body types are better served by black board shorts with a repeat print featuring tiny peeled bananas.

Caught my partner engaging in self pleasuring while watching various videos of Cersei from Game of Thrones. Why would they choose that specific character?

Cersei is essentially an incestuous murderous sociopath.

I would immediately hire a private investigator to look into her interactions with her siblings and why she’s gone butch and latched on to the idea of a new toolshed.

Cersei is also a cougar, so you better age up fast if you want any action.

I found a tampon floating in the pool of my overpriced all male resort. How the hell would it have gotten there?

Perhaps Paul from Pensacola was previously Paulina from Pittsburgh? If (s)he retained her original sex organ, then it means (s)he better not be a tart lest (s) he risks a trip to Planned Parenthood. What you should pay attention to is the likelihood that the tampon might be the cleanest thing in the pool at that sausage fest resort.

Kevin is a middling writer but top notch interviewer. His ideas on love and relationships are mostly fueled by his wild imagination. He often orders dessert first.

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May 4th, 2019 | Heretic 9:00PM - 3:00AM $20 ADVANCE (AND UNTIL 11:00PM DAY OF) $25 AFTER 11:00PM | 21+ ID REQUIRED

Tickets available at: joininghearts.org

Apr 17 – Apr 24

HARDER

Inman Park Festival

NYC’s sexiest dance party makes its Atlanta debut! At HARDER, you can leave all your inhibitions behind and step onto the dark dance floor and let your senses guide you. Dress up to dance and play to beats by DJ Eric Bloom and an opening set by Vicki Powell.

Friday, April 26, 10 pm – 3 am The Heretic

The 47th Inman Park Spring Festival takes place in one of Atlanta’s oldest and most beautiful neighborhoods.

Live music, a tour of historic homes, a street parade, and artists’ market makes for a perfect weekend activity in Atlanta.

April 26-28 Inman Park

STAFF PICK!

Dine Out For Life Celebrating its 27th anniversary, Dining Out For Life will be one of the largest citywide fundraisers in Atlanta with more than 100 participating restaurants that will donate portions of their proceeds to help Open Hand. See the full list, that includes Woofs, Roxx, Guac y Margy’s Joe’s, Einstein’s, and many more, at diningoutforoh.org.

Wednesday, April 24

The Odd Ball ft. Yvie Oddly

Shade Volleyball Beer Bust

A celebration of all the oddballs, outcasts, and freaky fresh club kids that continue to push the proverbial envelope hosted by Yvie Oddly, the breakout star of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11.

Help the Shade Volleyball team raise funds for their trip to the NAGVA Championships in Denver. $10 bottomless beer and $1 Shadey Jell-O shots.

Saturday, April 27, 9 pm – 3 am MSR My Sisters Room

38 | 04.24.19

Saturday, April 27, 4-7 pm BJ Roosters

PALS BINGO DOLLY PARTON NIGHT @ LIPS Photos: Andrea Dwyer

40 | 04.24.19

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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 | 04.24.19

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

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ge

Rd

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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

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25

BJ Roosters Opus 1 Tripps Woof's

31 Manifest 4 U 42 The Den

35

24

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BARS 20 21 22 23

40

32

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36

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31 er

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33

. NE

Manchester St. NE

Piedmont Rd. NE

22

42 L

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34

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26

BL

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30

Lambert Dr.

PU

St.

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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

MODEL T

991 Piedmont Ave NE

699 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

einsteinsatlanta.com

modeltatlanta.com

EINSTEIN’S

MY SISTER’S ROOM

1077 Juniper St NE

66 12th St NE

frogsmidtown.com

mysistersroom.com

TEN ATLANTA

tenatlanta.com

990 Piedmont Ave NE

CHESHIRE

SOUTHERN NIGHTS VIDEO

ANSLEY BOY NEXT DOOR MENSWEAR boynextdoormenswear.com 1447 Piedmont Ave NE

GCB & PLEASURES

brushstrokesatlanta.com 1510 Piedmont Ave. NE

FROGS CANTINA

Fitness

931 Monroe Dr

MIDTOWN

G’S

gsmidtown.com 219 10th St NE

HERETIC

HENRY’S

2069 Cheshire Bridge Road

132 10th St NE

BJ ROOSTERS

JOE’S ON JUNIPER

hereticatlanta.com

barkingleather.com

henrysatl.com

URBAN BODY FITNESS urbanbodyfitness.com

500 Amsterdam Ave NE

CHESHIRE GRAVITEE FITNESS graviteeatl.com

bjroosters.com

joesonjuniper.com

2043 Cheshire Bridge Road NE

1049 Juniper St NE

OPUS 1

LA HACIENDA

Spas/Baths/Adult

900 Monroe Dr NE

MIDTOWN

1931 Piedmont Circle N

CHESHIRE

FLEX SPA

WOOFS

LAS MARGARITAS

76 4th St NW

2425 Piedmont Road NE

1842 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE

CHESHIRE

ANSLEY

ROXX

MANIFEST 4U

MIDTOWN MOON

1824 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE

FELIX’S

LIPS ATLANTA

THE HIDEAWAY

3011 Buford Hwy NE

1086 Alco St NE

TRIPPS

woofsatlanta.com

1492 Piedmont Ave NE 1510 Piedmont Ave NE 1544 Piedmont Ave NE

MIXX

mixxatlanta.com

1492 Piedmont Ave NE

OSCAR’S

oscarsatlanta.com

1510 Piedmont Ave NE

44 | 04.24.19

lahaciendamidtown.com

lasmargaritasmidtown.com

DEKALB

atldragshow.com

2201 Faulkner Rd NE

flexspas.com

manifest4u.org

2103 Faulkner Rd NE

THE DEN

thedenatlanta.com

2135 Liddell Drive NE

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peachATL.com | 45

10 hits for your poolside playlist

Better come prepared with some SPF and tunes!

P!nk – Can We Pretend feat. Cash Cash

Marina – To Be Human

Grayson – Cherry Pits

Banx & Ranx – Speaker

Lizzo – Cuz I Love You

Bryce Vine – La La Land feat.

YG Nightly – Twenty Something Rüfüs du Sol – Treat You Better

Q Money – Neat (Remix)

Elle Fanning - Wildflowers

46 | 04.24.19

WE'RE HIRING Playmates and soul mates...

WE ARE SEEKING Motivated, Hard-Working, Innovative People to be Our Next Superstar Ad Sales Representatives.

Jumpstart Your Career by Joining Atlanta's Newest Gay Media Company!

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Text your Peach Pits to 540-30-PEACH, or e-mail mikkel@PeachATL.com

Him: So, I see the internet was out last night Me: Yes, it was – how do you see that?

Knowing when to call it a night is a skill I simply haven’t learnt yet

Him: You organized the spice rack by color

Me: So?

Dad Joke Alert What does garlic do when it gets hot?

It takes its cloves off

Him: … and our closet is rearranged Me: Ok, so I couldn’t stream any shows – I was bored!

Boot Edge Edge – that’s all!

Sure, it’s great with all the different parties, but can we get some new circuit DJs to Atlanta, please? This circuit is running in circles!

I need a cocktail Asking for a friend: Is it okay only to invite your friend and not her kids to your birthday?

48 | 04.24.19

... but hold the tail

I did the same thing as Jesus for Easter – I went out Friday, and I came back Monday!

VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEP. 22) You’ll try to make a good impression with a new acquaintance today. But your massive ego may have him running in the other direction. Toning it down a bit could have you figuring out how to lure him back, and why it is you have so few friends.

LIBRA (SEP. 23 - OCT. 22) The dating game can be played anywhere, even at work. Fix your eyes on coworkers who may be looking at you. Hopefully those colleagues will be guys who play for the same team. Otherwise you may have some ‘splainin’ to do.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21) ARIES (MAR. 21 - APR. 19) You’ll need to come up with unique ways to approach a hectic workday. Drinking plenty of coffee is one solution, as is exercising before heading to work. But your best tactic could be staying in bed, and leaving the mountain of headaches for your coworkers to deal with.

Repeatedly striking out with men recently may have you feeling depressed. Cheer up mate, because it’s the dawning of a whole new day. If you act like a desperate jerk, you’re only going to attract desperate jerks, so accentuate the positive and see what happens.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21) TAURUS (APR. 20 - MAY 20) You will be turtle-like today, slow moving and meticulous. Too bad the day will start in overdrive and only get faster from there. You’ll have to ramp up as quickly as possible. You know what happens when the turtle tries to move into the fast lane.

Recent overspending may have left your finances in a weakened and pitiful state. Tighten that belt strap today, and get frugal. You may have to return some favors if you want people to help you out, and hopefully some of them won’t involve taking off your pants.

GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN. 20)

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19)

Curb your enthusiasm if a friend approaches you with an interesting business proposition today. Look at his plans from all angles, but remember that business can be like dating. You may find someone who looks attractive, but you’ll only wind up getting screwed, and not in a way you’d like.

The high energy with which you’ll greet the day will be countered by slow moving coworkers. You won’t have the patience for their sluggishness, and you’ll tell them so. This won’t make them work any faster, and will cast you as the office pariah for the remainder of the day, if not the week.

CANCER (JUN. 21 - JUL. 22) 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.

LEO (JUL. 23 - AUG. 22) Difficulties will arise at work today, but you’ll handle them with the poise of a miracle worker. It’ll be like you have a magic wand and those problems will instantly disappear. Now where was that wand when you needed it last week?

50 | 04.24.19

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18) Despite your best laid plans, today will be one disaster after another. You won’t be able to figure out why that is, but don’t try to fight it. Go with the flow and you’ll get though this difficult day, but expect frustration and a headache that will feel like your brain is caught in a vice.

PISCES (FEB. 19 - MAR. 20) You may have to rely on favors from friends in high places today. Being beholden to others is not a comfortable place for you, because there’s no telling what they’ll expect in return. So keep your integrity intact, and don’t do anything that involves farm animals, a leather thong and a blender.

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.

I

’m a man in my twenties, and so far, I haven’t had any experience with anal - receiving it, that is. I’ve been in a relationship before where it wasn’t an option, and I was molested by a family member which has caused me to have issues with anal sex. I feel very ready for it now, and I fantasize about it, but now that I’m in my twenties, and everybody else seems to be taking all the d**ks with no problems, I am really reluctant to disclose that I am a ‘virgin.’ I also want to take steps to prepare myself for it, because I really, really want it.

How do I deal with this?

Sincerely Tight Space Dear Tight Space It sounds like part of your process of getting ready for anal sex, and really wanting it also has to do with the fact that you have put your abuse situation behind you and moved forward. If that is not the case, your process should start with therapy! If you do feel prepared mentally and physically – to get f**ked then consider these three things: consent, cleanliness, and comfort.

Your worries about being reluctant about revealing your inexperienced status can be worked out when working out the whole consent situation. Just be honest and open, and if the dude isn’t into making this a learning process with you, then that’s when you move on. There should be no pressure, and both parties have the right to say no at any time. Cleanliness is also essential, but there is no need to do a full douche every single time – if you watch what you eat and have a healthy digestive system, you should be pretty ‘clean’ after your BMs. A quick shower and some wet wipes go a long way.

Comfort is also crucial, and this is where you have to make sure that your partner goes slow and prepares you for penetration. And of course, lube is essential and whether you or your partner prefer water-based or silicone-based is totally up to you. Finally, you also need to take care of yourself: consider getting on PreP and practice safe sex, because you don’t want to worry about STDs when having your first anal experience.

I

have gone on a date with this guy four times now, and every time it is the same: We have a few drinks, and after a while, we start making out at the bar, and things even get a little steamy (for a public place). But then he says that he doesn’t want to have sex drunk, and we end up just calling it a night. On date number four we did go to his place, and once again he said that we shouldn’t have sex because he was too drunk. But then we made out again on his couch, and he opened my pants and started jerking me off. Even though I really wanted to continue, I gently removed his hand and told him that we shouldn’t do it for the reason he had just given me: no sex when drunk! Since then I haven’t heard from him that much, and it leaves me a little confused. Didn’t I do the right thing in the situation?

Did he think I was rejecting him and therefore no longer interested?

Sincerely Confused Consent Dear Confused Consent You did do the right thing in the situation. You revered his wish, and despite your own desire, you stopped in your tracks and respected him. He may have (clumsily) granted you consent in that situation, but what you did was right, so good for you. As for him not texting you back a lot; maybe he is a little embarrassed and does feel a little rejected by you. Perhaps he was indeed so drunk that the memory of the episode is muddled?

So what do you do now? How about you reach out to him again and you arrange for a fifth date – and this time you don’t go to a bar, so alcohol is no longer in the picture? This way you will be able to express your intentions better, and maybe you will be able to take the next step.

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

52 | 04.24.19

Flex is hiring all positions and all shifts