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Q
EDITOR'S NOTE PUBLISHERS INITIAL MEDIA, LLC
is for
Queer We hope it's also something new you’ve been missing. "Q is for queer. You already know that.” Those were the first words I ever wrote for Project Q Atlanta in 2008. Nine years later, our content, character, and that trademark letter that inspired our name have undergone several changes. Today, we embrace that Q and all it represents even more. Welcome to the next generation of LGBTQ Media: Q Magazine. We believe it’s time to put our Q on local queer media in a new way. As we expand our takes on news, events and buzz into print, we also extend the options for readers with a glossy print product unlike any queer Atlanta has ever seen. You’ll find content you want to take home and spend time reading, not just flip through, content that you’re just plain not used to finding in the Old Guard of print media, one less focused on one or two groups and more open to the whole LGBTQ village.
MIKE FLEMING EDITOR & PUBLISHER
Q magazine pulls in more than 25 years each of experience for myself and fellow publisher Matt Hennie. From daily newspaper men to editors at Atlanta’s Southern Voice and the driving forces behind Project Q and the best years of David. Our partner, Richard Cherskov, brings decades of experience running businesses.
We’re ready to bring it all together and raise the bar on what you’re used to picking up. This and every weekly issue includes opinions, profiles, culture, and advice, as well as the most popular coverage from Project Q: event photos, Queer Things to Do, and news roundups. That’s right: Our sister site isn’t going anywhere. Its coverage continues as we have for nine years, and Q magazine complements it every Thursday. Q is on the street every week and online every day. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, plus Podcast Q is on iTunes and wherever you find audio content. And please, for the record, let comparisons to, and perceived competitions with, other print outlets in town die here. We’re not thinking about them. We and they each run our own race. We wouldn’t slow ourselves to look back to see where they are or worry about what they’re doing. Let them do them. We do us.
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We’ll do you too, with as many voices and smiles as we can find to share, and as many stories we can find to tell. Writers, photographers and readers with pitches for unique LGBTQ-ATL coverage, email me at mike@qmagatlanta. com. Let’s do this.
MIKE FLEMING PUBLISHER & EDITOR MIKE@QMAGATLANTA.COM MATT HENNIE PUBLISHER & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MATT@QMAGATLANTA.COM RICHARD CHERSKOV PUBLISHER& GENERAL MANAGER RICHARD@QMAGATLANTA.COM
ADVERTISING SALES RUSS YOUNGBLOOD SENIOR SALES REPRESENTATIVE
GRAPHIC DESIGN TOMMY FLEENOR TOMMY@QMAGATLANTA.COM
CONTRIBUTORS IAN ABER LAURA BACCUS BUCK C. COOKE BRAD GIBSON HEATHER MALONEY JAMES SHEFFIELD BO SHELL DISCLAMER The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors do not necessarily reflect opinions, beliefs or official policies of Q Magazine or its publisher Initial Media, except where individual publishers’ names specifically appear. Appearance of photos, credits, or names in this publication neither implies or explicitly states the sexual orientation or gender identity of its subject. Q Magazine and the author of each article published on this web site owns his or her own words, except where explicitly credited otherwise. Articles herein may not be freely redistributed unless all of the following conditions are met. 1. The re-distributor is a non-commercial entity. 2. The redistributed article is not be sold for a profit, or included in any media or publication sold for a profit, without the express written consent of the author and this publication. 3. The article runs in full and unabridged. 4. The article runs prominently crediting both the author’s name and “courtesy Q Magazine Atlanta.” For questions or comments about our content, publications, policies or any other business, visit projectQ.us/contact.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1 NOVEMBER 16, 2017
PEOPLE
Dance Diva
18
COVER STORY
Night Moves
Jungle Ends an Era. Who's who and what's next?
10 QUEER THINGS
Have Sex
13 10
34 Bar None
And other acts of revolution and resistance
NEWS
Queer Vote
13
Meet the mayoral and other runoff candidates
39 Sunday Funday
FEATURES Q Voices
8
Q News
15
Q Shots
39
The Q
46
6
46
42 On the Scene
7
Q
trans
VOICES
worrying that everything was out to get me. These aren’t twins that anyone cheers for. I spent a significant amount of time contemplating everything from running away to death, because those seemed like easier alternatives. My chess match of coping mechanisms spanned years, eventually evolving into drug and alcohol abuse, destructive romantic relationships, and a variety of bad decisions made from a place of anxiety and trauma. I began to see these parts of myself as positives. My How a lifetime of worry can empower experiences had built a pretty solid skill set for my you through the Trump years. internal resume: a unique type of resiliency came from constantly talking myself of a ledge and persistently worrying about things beyond my control. It taught me to navigate complicated social situaMY BACKGROUND AS A TRANSGENDER tions and produced empathy for others experiencing HILLBILLY with a lifetime of managing a hodgedisparity or suffering. Add that to the skills I depodge of anxiety fueled mental illness has left me veloped growing up in the woods preparing for and with a skill set that I find quite handy during our working through worst-case scenarios. American tryst into a real life dystopian novel. From Given our current political reality, it’s like I’ve been worrying about natural disasters to evaluating the trapped in a sports training montage this entire time potential for a Russian invasion, this presidency and and now it’s time for the big matchup. Based on my its fallout is a bit familiar to me. social media feeds, not everyone has this same feeling As I watch so many of the people close to me right now. struggling with the onslaught of terrible news and “If you find yourself buried in fear and anxthe “what ifs” of the day, I find myself wantiety over Trump’s America, take a few tips ing to comfort everyone and whisper, “I from someone whose particular queerness know, honey. I know.” has him ready for damn Southwest of Atlanta, I grew up on near anything. tornado drills, Boy Scout You’re not crazy. Racism, misogyny, preparedness, and the Patrick Swayze homophobia, transphobia, gun violence version of Red Dawn. In summer, and remarkable greed are bad, but not our well would go dry, and we could new. They are emboldened. It’s OK to go extended periods of time without ask for help. running water. Floods periodicalJA M E S PA R K E R You’re not alone or the worst-off. ly covered the tiny bridges that led SHEFFIELD Recognizing the suffering of others and to grocery stores and hospitals and trying to help could keep us all alive. washed away the dirt roads that were Dismissing their fears as “distractions” isn’t productive our backup routes.“Vacations” consisted of hiking and and misses the bigger picture. Others may have past camping with the scout troop or church and going trauma that make things you view as small significant. multiple days in the woods without power. You’re not helpless. Ask yourself what you’re most On a political front, Ronald Reagan’s “Trickle afraid of and the likelihood of that actually Down Economics” most definitely did not trickleoccurring. Once you’ve established that baseline, down to poor families, and the Cold War with Russia imagine what you would do in that scenario. was the backdrop for our fears around a foreign Develop a plan for emergencies. Worrying without takeover.As you might imagine by the analytical tone planning is useless, as is trying to force here, no, it is not. yourself to ignore or run away from reality. By the time I was in third grade, my brain was a breeding ground where typical fears about the world James Sheff ield is an LGBTQ health advocate in Atcopulated with deep-rooted internalized transphobia lanta. Read hi full column at ProjectQ.us. to produce anti-social behavior and constant state of
MAN Plan with a
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VOICES Q
Gender
fears
One woman’s journey through dread, horror and self-acceptance to discover her true self
that’s how I perceived it while growing up until it finally shattered. Lo and behold, the “acid” was estrogen all along! And as much as people love saying how it’s important to “go against the grain” and “don’t worry what everyone else thinks,” that’s not always so simple. We’re social creatures. We’re afraid of losing our social lives, and transitioning from one perceived gender to another is one of the most socially unacceptable practices we learn of while growing up. It’s seen as a joke, so when we’re growing up and thinking about it more and more, many of us see transition from male to female as one of many examples we’ve seen in the media as men dressing up as women for laughs. “Every guy wants to secretly be a girl” is something so many trans women say to themselves, myself included, even though it sounds ridiculous to others.” Of coursenobody would admit to it, but who wouldn’t want to be female?”
IT CAN BE A DIFFICULT PROCESS of selfrealization to learn that you are not the gender you were told you were from birth. I have no doubt that there are countless transgender people in this world who will never decide to transition or even acknowledge that it’s something they need to deal with outside of their deepest thoughts and feelings. Think about it: You’re told from the moment you’re born that you’re H E AT H E R unquestionably this gender, and it MALONEY becomes one of the basic building blocks of your life and society as a whole. Some people are men, some people are women. They didn’t choose to be that way, but they are. And the answer when trans children inevitably ask “why” is biological. And so we go along with this, believing that the constructs are all there for our owngood. We have the luxury of never needing to ask what someone goes by or knowing how we need to treat the person because it’s right there in their presentation like a name tag. It’s great, right? As you might imagine by the analytical tone here, no, it is not. For those who don’t feel comfortable with the gender identity that they were given to carry their entire lives with all of its implications, it’s like holding a vat of acid and told not to spill it. We don’t want to carry that around, but We’re expected to keep it balanced wherever we go, since a spill would certainly hurt us and those around us. At least,
Heather Maloney is a writer and creative thinker in Atlanta with a vested interest in gender and sexuality. Read the conclusion of her column at QMagAtlanta.com. Photo by Robin Rayne Nelson/ZUMA.
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Q
10 QUEER THINGS
Revolution Resistance & 10 Queer Things To Do While You R-E-S-I-S-T by Mike Fleming
Wield Your Power
Politicize and prioritize your queerness. It’s an every day part of you. Talk about it. Make it incidental to discussions of equality and social justice.
Public Displays of Affection
Show the world that still sometimes criminalizes and pathologizes our sexuality how it’s going to be.
Embrace the Word Queer
The word itself actively resists definition. Reclaim previously harmful definitions. It subverts heteronormativity and homonormativity and is more inclusive.
Reclaim Your History
Your queer lineage is long and winding. Learn it. Who was at the Compton Cafeteria Riots? What was the GLF? Who were the Salsa Soul Sisters? 12 18 10
Encompass More than Sexuality
The word itself actively resists definition. Reclaim previously harmful definitions. It subverts heteronormativity and homonormativity and is more inclusive.
Acknowledge Your Privileges
If you’re cis, white, male, gender-conforming and/or rich, recognize your advantages as they happen. Listen to other perspectives. Educate yourself. Initiate conversations.
Feel Your Feelings
Look around. Don’t hide from the discrimination and hate from the current administration, and don’t accept anger as your only option. Listen to your emotions and don’t be afraid to be raw and
Have Sex
Queer sex is politically powerful. Fuck as if your life depends on it, because under this administration, it’s how we also fuck the status quo.
Act Up and Act Out
We’re here, we’re queer isn’t just for our forefathers. If not now, when? If not you, who?
You Be You
Live your truth. Nothing says I’m down with the Resistance like flying your unique flag as your unabashed true self. 11
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Q NEWS Q
Meet theMAYORS Would-be Atlanta Mayors Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mary Norwood talk LGBT issues ahead of their runoff By Matt Hennie For LGBTQ voters, the years-long race for Atlanta mayor boils down to this: A runoff between an old friend and a new one, both working to convince us that they’ve got our backs on issues of equality, HIV, policing and inclusion. City Councilmembers Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mary Norwood won the most votes in a crowded field of 12 candidates on November 7. Cathy Woolard, a former City Council president and the first openly gay elected official, placed third. Now, Bottoms and Norwood will spend the next few weeks piecing together a diverse coalition to win the Dec. 5 runoff. LGBTQ voters will likely play a critical role, and both candidates have addressed LGBTQ issues in forums and interviews on Podcast Q, a new podcast from Project Q Atlanta and Q Magazine. You can listen to the full interviews on Project Q, iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or anywhere you find your other favorite podcasts. Here are excerpts from the interviews:
Atlanta is pretty progressive in terms of LGBT issues and receives a perfect score year after year on HRC’s Municipal Equality Index. What’s left to do on LGBT issues in the city? Keisha Lance Bottoms: It is about educating our community as a whole about how important it is that we don’t look at issues just in terms of race in the city, which we have traditionally done but it’s about us being an inclusive city. It’s really interesting. I had a conversation this morning with my six-year-old twins and they brought up the word “gay.” And I don’t know why that came out. I don’t know what context it came up between the two of them and we talked about it and having an active conversation with them about what it means to treat everybody the same. So it was it was nice that the conversation came up. It’s nice that it’s something they are talking about amongst themselves because I think again it’s about us being inclusive as a community and making sure that we are thinking about everyone in this city and not just what’s in front of us. continued 13
Q
Q NEWS, continued
What’s left to do on LGBT issues in the city? Mary Norwood: We need to always focus on issues that are our of importance to the community, whether it’s HIV, whether it’s transgender issues, whether it’s Lost N Found Youth, whether it’s people who are experiencing discrimination on whatever front. Atlanta is a city that does not tolerate any kind of discrimination and I love the fact that the city is having those perfect scores. As you know, in 2009 I was the first candidate to come out for marriage equality and take a strong stand on that. I was the candidate that put the [anti-LGBT “religious freedom”] legislation before City Council. It got a unanimous vote on that going over to the state legislature when municipalities, local governments were not really at the forefront of that. So whatever comes up, I want to be involved and engaged. After the Pulse nightclub massacre, I was the first person at 10th Street because it was important. It is when you show up and when you care and when people know that, there’s a connect there and that has been my connect. How would you use the bully pulpit of the mayor’s office to advocate for LGBTQ issues? Bottoms: It’s extremely important for it to be top of mind and conversation from our city and our city leaders. Atlanta has always led the way in terms of us being an inclusive city. And we really have led the way for the nation and the world. Obviously you can go back to the 1960s and the work that was done in this city on behalf of the Civil Rights Movement. As you talk about issues that are facing the community as it relates to equality in general, Atlanta still has a responsibility to lead the way. We can not be a major city and a major player in this world and in sit back and watch any one group be discriminated against, especially because of sexual orientation. Norwood: My background is media. And I intend to be the major who communicates important messages to the citizens and more importantly make sure that they’re actually heard. Many times in government people don’t have a good enough media strategy, so they think that everyone under you has heard but it’s really not there. I will say that I’m thrilled the mayor painted the [rainbow] crosswalks. And when I got together with Paul and John and we walked across the crosswalks the day after they were installed, in 14
the next 48 hours on Facebook we had 18,000 views. So it was a wonderful demonstration of just enjoying the city and having the world through Facebook see how important the LGBTQ community is to the city. Atlanta is a leader in new HIV infections each year. What would you as mayor do to help combat that? Bottoms: One of the things that I would like to see happen is that we have a director of health from the mayor’s department and although Fulton County has that responsibility in terms of county health, it impacts the entire city and again it goes back to having proactive not reactive conversations. Fulton County has dropped the ball in terms of our HIV rates and our prevention rates and our education rates. And again it’s about proactive conversation and proactive work. When we look at Atlanta, obviously our HIV rates aren’t just an issue within one community. They are issues in multiple communities. And I think that the city has to take a more proactive approach in response to it. Norwood: I think it’s the bully pulpit. I think it’s working closely with Fulton County to make sure that those dollars are spent well. Knowing what new issues may be out there and I will work very closely with the LGBTQ community to hear on an ongoing basis what may be happening, whether they’re threats to funding, because there’s always competition with funding. This is very important. I have served on the Community Development/Human Services Committee where those funds come through our committee and have supported them every year. I will make sure that we put all the resources in place that we can and need to to help.
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Q
Q NEWS
LGBTQ Georgia’s
BIG By Matt Hennie
Election Day Three wins, three runoffs among crowded field of LGBT candidates this year
Three victories for LGBTQ candidates on November 7 include Georgia’s only transgender City Council member. Three others – Keisha Waites, Alex Wan and De’Andre Pickett – face runoffs next month. Two of the winners were elected to the Doraville City Council – Joseph Geierman and Stephe Koontz, who will become the council’s first-ever transgender member and the only transgender
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elected official in the state. Liz Ordiales, a lesbian, was elected mayor of Hiawassee. In the two highest-profile runoffs on Dec. 5, Waites is up for Fulton County Commission chair, and Wan battles it out for Atlanta City Council president. Pickett faces a runoff in District 60, which is the state House seat Waites gave up to run for the Fulton office. Find our full election coverage on ProjectQ.us.
In 10 other races, LGBT candidates lost their bids for office, including campaigns for Atlanta mayor, state Senate, Fulton County Commission and Atlanta City Council. Here’s a rundown of the three LGBTQ candidates in runoff races.
to Robb Pitts and will face him in a December runoff. Pitts won 38.27% of the vote to Waites’ 33.93%. Gabriel Sterling received 27.80% of the vote. “I have a long track record of standing up for LGBT equality. I have a long record of standing up for Fulton County taxpayers. I have a long record of standing up for Fulton County residents. I represent everybody in Fulton County – gay, straight, black, and white. And I will continue to do that as the next chair,” Waites told Project Q Atlanta last week. Waites took office in February 2012 after winning a special election for the District 60 post in the state House. In 2010, she ran for the Fulton County Commission, topping a crowded field only to lose the runoff by 168 votes to Joan Garner, who went on to become the commission’s first openly LGBT member. In 2006, Waites ran for Fulton chair and lost to John Eaves. Georgia Equality and Georgia Stonewall Democrats endorsed Waites.
Alex Wan, Atlanta City Council President Wan took the most votes in the race for City Council president, putting him in a December runoff with fellow City Council member Felicia Moore. Wan, after two terms on the City Council, announced in January that he would run for Council president. Wan won with 38% of the vote to Moore’s 35%, according to the AJC. Unofficial election results from Fulton County put Moore in first place and Wan in second. Wan was endorsed by Georgia Equality, Georgia Stonewall Democrats and Victory Fund.
De’Andre Pickett, State House District 60 Pickett placed second in the state Houose race and is headed to a runoff against Kim Schofield. The race is to replace Keisha Waites, who resigned to run for the Fulton County Commission. Waites held the seat for five years and was one of four openly LGBT lawmakers at the Gold Dome. Schofield won 35.86% of the vote to Pickett’s 34.95%. Sparkle Adams won 29.30%.
Keisha Waites, Fulton County Commission Chair After five years as a state lawmaker, Waites said it was time to run for Fulton County Commission chair. Waites placed second
In 2014, Pickett lost a race for the Fulton County Board of Education. A year earlier, he lost a race for the East Point City Council. Georgia Equality and Georgia Stonewall Democrats endorsed Pickett. Find full LGBTQ election coverage on ProjectQ.us. 17
Q
dance
PEOPLE
DIVA
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From Ellasaurus drag to master’s thesis, Corian Ellisor combines art and activism to celebrate Southern queers of color By Mike Fleming Corian Ellisor isn’t your typical dancing queen. That said, he is one of Atlanta’s popular queens, and wow does he dance. And sing. And tell stories. The performer turns LGBTQ Atlanta every queer way but loose. “On My Mind” staged three times earlier this month as Ellisor’s Master of Fine Arts thesis performance. Through drag, comedy, song and of course, dance, the show brought his loves for social justice and the arts together to tell a compelling Atlanta story about life as a black queer man in the South. It was a culmination of all his work to date, and observational activism through art is part and parcel of the 33-year-old Houston transplant’s personal raison d’etre. “Being a queer person of color with a platform, I realize my importance in my community,” Ellisor tells Q. “I have a voice that allows me to reach several audiences and connect different types of people. With my voice comes great responsibility.” He describes his work as eclectic, thoughtful and honest – and it’s not just for him, but for all who share commonalities of experience with him. “I am not only representing myself; I represent my people,” Ellisor continues. “Through all of my performances, there is an important component of truthfulness and shining light on subjects that I think are very important in the queer people of color scene.” So while some audiences may know him best as Ellasaurus Rex of the Glitz and Gurlfrandz shows at Mary’s, there’s so much more to love. We dive deep into ‘On My Mind’ with the mastermind himself. Some know Ellasaurus Rex better than you. Who is she? Ella is my drag persona. She hosts the drag shows down at Mary’s in East Atlanta Village. She allows me to the super wo(man) I want to be in my everyday life. She is fearless and headstrong. She is proud the be the mother of all the drag monsters in EAV.
two years, and this is my culminating work. It has to do with the current social, economic and political climate in which I live in as a black, queer man living in the South. “On My Mind” is a fusion of drag, dance, theater, music and storytelling. What does the project mean to you? I see this project as a celebration of people that do not get the appreciation that they deserve. Each group [people color, women, trans people, queer people] is uniquely fierce and has taught me how to except myself for exactly who I am. How much of yourself - metaphorical and actual blood, sweat and tears - goes into a show like this? I have spent countless hours reading books from James Baldwin, Roxanne Gay, bell hooks and Angela Davis. Every day I wake up and watch the news and reflect on the state of affairs through journaling. I go to the studio and dance out the pain and suffering of my people and try to make sense of the fractured relationship I have with America. The local community still sometimes struggles with diversity – of gender, of race, of any identities perceived as “other.” What can local LGBTQ individuals do to bridge the gap? I think the best think we can do as a community is to be as authentic as we can in our own lives. I think it also important to listen. Through personal stories, we can find our commonalities through the human experience. What else do you do in Queer Atlanta when you’re not setting the arts-activism world on fire? Gurlfrandz is the first Saturday of the month, and Glitz is the third Thursday of the month. I also teach dance at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. There, I teach children and adult classes. I am also the co-director of the children’s modern dance company called Prime Movers. I have choreographed several dances for myself as an independent choreographer and for different dance companies around Atlanta. I basically get to be artistic every day of the week.
What is it about dance that you love so much? Movement is the only way I can express myself in my most Anything else you’d like to shout out to Queer Atlanta before authentic way. Many times I do not have the accurate words to convey my my feelings, but I the performances? Queer Atlanta is a place I love to be a part of. It has shown me can always dance it out. love and support for so long. It has allowed me to blossom into Tell us about ‘On My Mind.’ the person I am today, and I am so grateful. Everyone needs a I have been working on this show for almost place and a space to be exactly who they want to be.
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Q
THE QUEER AGENDA The Best Queer Things To Do in Atlanta This Week November 16 – November 23 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16 Beats Per Minute
Out on Film, Georgia Equality and AID Atlanta screen this explicitly hot, sexy, moving take on a “90s ACT UP AIDS Drama” like you’ve never seen. Put the sex back into sexually transmitted @ Midtown Art Cinema, 7 p.m. Talk-back with former Atlanta ACT UP members follows the movie. landmarktheatres.com
A Night On Point
The national organization that offers an array of scholarships to worthy LGBTQ students hosts its annual Atlanta cocktail reception. Meet
Point Scholar Hadden Kelley, a Georgia Tech Biomedical Engineering major @ 303 Peachtree, 7 p.m. pointfoundation.org
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18 Drag Queen Story Time
The library is open, and it’s time to be read! Edie Cheezburger returns to the scene of her last child slaying to entertain kids and adults alike while reading children’s stories aloud @ Posman Books, 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. posmanbooks.com
Respect The Brunch
The gays who take their weekend meals-with- cocktails pretty seriously are back. This time, Lost N Found Youth for homeless LGBTQ teens benefits from 15% of your food and beverage bill as well as a matching donation @ Zocalo, 12 noon – 3 p.m. facebook.com/RespectTheBrunch/
Bey Day
When the queers venture into mixed crowds, beautiful things happen. Look for it to play out in spades as this popular East Atlanta venue dedicates this entire party to the Queen, Beyonce. The music, your look, everything is all Bey, all night. Get in formation @ TheBasement, 10 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22 Thanksgiving Eve
If you’re not going home for the holiday, take advantage of having Thursday off at your favorite local watering hole. Our people are open and pouring at full tilt, including the annual dance into the wee hours with DJ Deanne @ Heretic, 10 p.m.
Check out the full Queer Agenda for your weekend with dozens of events at ProjectQ.us. 20
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Cover and cove story graphics by Bo Shell 22
COVER STORY
the FUTURE Atlanta’s LGBTQ Nightlife
Q
Jungle ends an era. Are the days of gay dance clubs just … over? By Mike Fleming First, 24-hour dancing left the City Limits and our claim to fame as an always-open-and-pouring gay Mecca. Then the entire metro area followed suit. Then 4 a.m. closings became 2 a.m. closings in most places. Afterhours parties became the exception rather than the rule. Then Atlanta’s gay dance spaces themselves started imploding, sometimes literally, sometimes excruciatingly slowly as crowds dried up or other shiny objects began to distract would-be dancing queens. Short-timers and pretenders to Atlanta’s gay dance hall throne came and went. Still, Jungle remained steadfastly pumping the beats in a strip center just off Cheshire Bridge Road since 2004. Until this week. On Saturday, November 11, it was the proverbial Last Dance for Jungle. “I’m sad to see it go,” says Richard Cherskov, owner of Jungle in an exclusive interview with Q. “Losing another club is a huge blow to our community.” “There’s so many people invested in Jungle – and it’s not just money,” he adds. “Some very famous drag careers started at Jungle. We have so many community and charity events. Losing this space affects so many people.” Just across the street, the hot, hunky heart of Heretic still beats strong, but that beloved venue is more a hybrid that can morph depending on the night and the crowd. Sure, there’s throbbing trance and diva vocals, but there’s also Country boot-scooting, alterna-queer femme parties, camp drag shows and softball beer busts. They even host a reunion of the lesbian bar Sports Page, which was in their building back in the day.
“What sets Heretic apart from most other bar’s in town is the fact we don’t cater to just one demographic,” says Alan Collins, GM at Heretic. “We’ve always had a kind of ‘melting pot’ clientele, and over the past few years, opened our doors to different promoters in our community, whose client base most likely would never have stepped foot in Heretic.” Atlanta Eagle, too, is more a social bar with a popular dance floor than a dance club. Plenty of smaller establishments have dance floors, but that isn’t their main draw. So it begs the question: Why are Atlanta’s gay dance clubs fading? Is it the City of Atlanta? Have we just plain moved on? “People don’t go out the same way they used to,” Cherskov says. “Now there are so many other ways for gays to connect. Apps have placed a huge role in this. It’s so much easier to ‘order in’ and skip the club. People are saving the “big club nights” for special events.” So is LGBTQ culture itself evolving away from dance clubs and its culture? After a decades-long arch of gay men crowding floors by the hundreds from Discos to Raves to Circuit Parties to Mega Clubs, are the days of gay dancing queens over? Not really, but it may morph and grow, says Cherskov, who is also General Manager and Co-Publisher of Q magazine. By his estimation, as long as there are LGBTQ crowds, there will be LGBTQ dance clubs. For many reasons both logistical and cultural that Cherskov outlines in his full interview on the following page, Jungle met its end, but he hopes his gay club-owning days are not over. The real estate market in Atlanta plays a huge role in where he’ll end up, but as he reveals in our Q&A, he’s still interested in raising the lights on another dance floor. 23
Q
COVER STORY, continued
closing
TIME Richard Cherskov on closing Jungle Atlanta
After years of rumors, Jungle is closing. How do you feel about that? Obviously I’m sad to see it go. Losing another club is a huge blow to our community. I knew when our buildings were sold about two years ago that our time was limited. Of course I’m upset, but the developers in Atlanta hold all the cards, and they have a right to do what they want with their land. There’s so many people invested in Jungle – and it’s not just money. We have so many community and charity events. Losing this space affects so many people. Why are so many gay dance clubs around the country closing? There are lots of reasons. First, people don’t go out the same way they used to. I remember when I came out my friends and I would go to the same place every Wednesday, the same place every Friday and the same place every Saturday. Now there are so many other ways for gays to connect. Apps have placed a huge role in this. It’s so much easier to “order in” and skip the club. Also, people are saving the “big club nights” for special events. It’s hard to run a club with just one busy Saturday a month. Gay clubs used to be able to thrive being open literally one night a week – now we need community events, pageants, drag shows and anything else we can think of just for the business to survive. Finally, it takes a lot of money to open a club – and people with the resources to do so can invest elsewhere for much less risk – and there is so much risk. With the amount of development going on, it’s so hard to secure a location. Tell us about the ‘glamorous lifestyle’ of nightclub ownership. I’ve spent several afternoons fishing the most curious things out of clogged toilets. Talk to me about glamorous when you’re knee deep in sewage and you have 800 people arriving in 20 minutes for a party. Seriously, there are definitely perks – but it’s a still a business, and a time-consuming one at that. There’s an impression that club owners throw on a smoking jacket and sit in the office 24
stroking a fluffy cat, but it’s a daily grind with all of the responsibilities that other businesses have. What was your most embarrassing moment? Doing our second turnabout drag show. I dressed as Cher, and everyone kept bringing me shots. I ended up sprawled out on a couch – and one of the local publications was kind enough to print that pretty picture! The runner-up would be when I was finally convinced to dress up for a theme night – Rocky Horror Picture Show. I went all in and dressed as Dr. Frankenfurter. I was halfway into makeup and leggings when Atlanta PD decided to come check on our licenses. To their credit, they didn’t bat an eyelash. You must have dealt with a lot of “personalities” over the years. Yes! We’ve worked with so many top DJs and drag talent. One thing I learned and this was a surprise: the bigger the talent, the smaller the ego. The real pros have been doing this for years, can roll with the punches, and don’t make ridiculous demands. Develop a reputation for being hard to work with, and you’ll find club owners will simply not work with you. What’s next for you? I’m working as hard as I can to find a new home for Jungle. No one wants a nightclub in their backyard. The real estate market is so hot right now, and landlords who have the space are hesitant to rent to us – so much less risk to open another furniture store or put up a new apartment community. In the meantime, I’m beyond excited to be working with Q Magazine as co-publisher and general manager. Nightlife and local publications are both important parts of the fabric of our community, and I’m lucky to be part of both. Reach Richard Cherskov via Richard @ QmagAltanta.com
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Who’s who at Atlanta’s LGBTQ nightspots?
LGBTQ Atlanta is changing, and that goes double for the nightlife landscape. Meet the owners and managers of some of the most popular bars and clubs, and let them welcome you in their own words.
TEN Atlanta james nelson What’s your favorite thing about TEN Atlanta? Our patio. It is one of the best in the city. And I have to add the diversity of our crowd is a close second. What compliment do you consistently receive about the venue? How wonderful our staff is. Hands down we have some of the best bartenders in the city, and I am proud of each one of them. What does TEN’s mean in gay Atlanta? It symbolizes the unity within not only the LGBT community, but our neighborhood as a whole. … We must continue to fight for our rights, stand together as one, and TEN represents a place we can all come together for a few hours and enjoy we are all entitled to. 990 Piedmont Ave. NE tenatlanta.com
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Bulldogs tonya ellison
What’s your favorite thing about Bulldogs? The family atmosphere . We have been around for 39 years, so we have grown to knowpeople on different levels than just “a customer.” They’re family.Bulldogs is a known landmark in the city by the gay community as well as out of town visitors to come to have fun, drink and to be free. What’s your favorite thing about Bulldogs? Our drinks are great! Not only are the prices worth it, but they are strong and the serviceis fast. You can’t complain when the cups keep flowing, right? 893 Peachtree St. NW 404-872- 3025
Atlanta Eagle richard ramey How long has the bar been in Atlanta, and how long have you been in charge? I’ve owned it for 20 of its 30 years. What’s your favorite thing about the Eagle? It’s a place you can come and be yourself and not be judged. People always tell me hownice and friendly my staff is. What part does the Eagle play in the fabric of LGBTQ Atlanta? No matter who you are, you have a “safe place” to come and be yourself. 306 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE atlantaeagle.com
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Blake’s on the Park doug craft How long has Blake’s been in business, and how long have you been there? Both 27 years Tell us something about you that people don’t know. I love college football, especially LSU. What’s your favorite thing about Blake’s? It’s a comfortable place for everyone who comes in. What’s the No. 1 thing you hear from patrons? “Wow, you’re still here?” You’re off work. What are you drinking? Bud Light or Vodka Cran (the People) Where do you personally see Blake’s fitting in the nightlife scene? It’s a place of refuge. 227 10 th St. NE
blakesontheparkatlanta.com
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Burkhart’s Pub don hunnewell How long has Blake’s been in business, and how long have you been there? The bar’s been here almost 30 years. I’ve managed for about 18 months. I owned and operated The Metro and for nine of those years I lived in Maine raising my son. What’s your favorite thing about Burkhart’s? The team of seasoned professionals. Second to none. What’s the most frequent feedback you receive? People love our extremely diverse mix of customers, and we have something foreveryone. What is the first thing you notice when you walk into a bar? With decades of experience, I notice every detail but focus on customer service. What tempted you back into the bar business at Burkhart’s? It’s an exciting opportunity and challenge to remain calm and carry out the owner’s vision. 1492 Piedmont Ave. NE burkharts.com 30
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My Sister’s Room jennifer & jamie maguire
Name something about you most people don’t know? My wife [ Jami] built homes, and I [ Jennifer] worked in finance for 20 years before buying the bar from the original owner. When we’re not working, we spend our time raising kids and rescue animals. What’s the best thing about My Sisters Room? We are the longest running lesbian bar in the Southeast [since 1996], and we welcome everyone into our establishment. What does My Sisters Room being part of LGBTQ Atlanta mean to you? It means everything to us! Jami and I take pride in what we do and hope to continue another 20 years. 66 12th Street NE mysistersroom.com
BJ Roosters bobby hamill & john david What’s your favorite thing about BJ’s? John: We have a very diverse crowd that comes in to hang out. Our go-go dancers bring a lot of different types of people – lesbians, gay, straight, male, female… What’s the No. 1 comment you get about BJ’s? Bobby: Besides the dancers on the bar, people usually mention the amount of fun they had and how everyone is so nice. What has BJs come to mean to you? Bobby: The people who come to the bar are my chosen family. 2043 Cheshire Bridge Road NE bjroosters.com
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Every Night is a
PARTY
Open & Pouring 4 PM Everyday/365 Including Thanksgivng. Boys of BJ’s Nightly at 9 PM.
2043 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324
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Swinging Richards matthew harrell How long have you been there? I’ve been there for five, and bar manager for one year alongside the owner, CB, and the general manager, Harry. What sets Richards apart from the other gay establishments in town? Our number one difference is offering fully nude entertainment. We have a great staff of all different types of guys who love to show off and create a perfect fantasy for our patrons. What do you hear from patrons most? We have a lot of people come from out of town solely to check us out, and it’s awesome hearing that their anticipation was worth the wait. We often get notes from guests who tell us about their good experiences, and we keep them all hung up around the office. 1400 Northside Dr NW swingingrichards.com
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Heretic alan collins How long has Heretic been open, and how long have you been in charge? We opened in December 1991. I started bartending in 1994 and managing a few years later. What’s sets Heretic apart from other bars? It’s the fact we don’t cater to just one demographic. We’ve always had a kind of “melting pot” clientele. Over the past few years, we’ve opened our doors to different promoters in our community, some of whose client bases most likely would never had stepped foot in Heretic. What do you hear most often from patrons that makes you smile? Great music, strong drinks, and a great price.
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You belly up to somebody else’s bar. What are you drinking and doing? Absolut, with probably cranberry or Red Bull. I’d look for familiar faces and hide from some (laughs), and just try to blend in as a patron, which I don’t often get to do. 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road NE hereticatlanta.com
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Friends regina sims
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Tell us something about yourself that people are surprised to find out? That I’m very introverted away from work. In my free time, I support the pageantry system, and I like a very low-key simple time out with friends.. What’s your favorite thing about Friends? It’s a melting pot much like the street it’s on, Ponce and the neighborhood. What do Friends and LGBTQ Atlanta mean to you? I think about all the changes we have fought for, and we have worked to achieve. I see it in the acceptance as the patrons come in and party together and find unity and fun. 736 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE friendsonponce-atl.com
Lips tyler king Tell us something about yourself that people don’t know. I was on the 1991 season of Saturday Night Live. I’ve been culinary volunteer coordinator for Atlanta Food & Wine Festival for the last 5 years. What’s makes Lips special? There is no room for drama or pretension at Lips. Everyone here is having a good time. It’s always a party. It’s a place where all are welcome. You can feel free to express yourself and that expression is embraced by everyone that enters the building. What’s the No. 1 compliment you receive from patrons? “Wow! There is nothing else in Atlanta like Lips! Can’t wait to come back!” 3011 Buford Hwy NE atldragshow.com
More Don’t-Miss Venues Mary’s
1287 Glenwood Ave. SE marysatlanta.com
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Woofs
2425 Piedmont Road NE woofsatlanta.com
Cockpit
465 Boulevard SE thecockpit-atlanta.blogspot.com
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Q SHOTS
80s NIGHT at JERUSALEM HOUSE
By Russ Youngblood
HALLOWEEN AT JUNGLE
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SUNDAY FUNDAY at TEN
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FRIDAY NIGHT at BULLDOGS
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BEARRCUDA at TEN Q SHOTS
BEARACUDA at HERETIC
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#IAMMIDTOWN at BLAKE’S
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THE Q?!
BEST
Friend’s Girlfriend
You have issues. Advice from our Life Judge can help.
Q
You know how queer friends can feel more like family than our actual family? I have one friend who is as important to me as any sibling. We’ve been there for each other through ups, downs, girls, women and more girls and women. When she finally found what she thought was the woman of her dreams, I was so happy. She deserves a wife for life. At first, her new girlfriend’s random Facebook PMs to me seemed harmless, so I engaged with her as a way of welcoming her into our circle. Then the messages started coming after midnight. Then she said she had a dream about me where we were naked in a field. Then it turned explicitly sexual. I have a few choice words for this pretender to my friend’s heart, but I don’t want the jerkface to get to my friend before I do after I tell her off. Should I say something to shut her down before or after I tell my friend? How do I break it to my friend what happened?
talk about sex with her, and that her messages make you uncomfortable. No need to say anything about how lame a sex dream come on is whether she’s dating your friend or not. Stop all further communication, and call your friend immediately. Tell her that what you thought was friendly took a turn that you didn’t expect, ask for or like. Say that her long-term happiness is more valuable than any short-term discomfort between you. If your friendship is as strong as you say, she’ll accept it on the spot or come back to you after processing it. Respect her either way.
‘Said she had a dream about Q me where we were naked.’
Dear Friend For Life: That’s some real shit you’ve wandered into right there. You can get out of it, but step lightly. This person has behaved abhorrently. No need to stoop to her level – or escalate the drama. It’s natural to want to protect your friend, but don’t barge into action. The instinct to go full guerilla assault on the new girlfriend, then run a screaming tattletale maneuver on your bestie, is natural. But don’t, at least not without thinking it through. The secret is staying calm. If you go in hot, everyone gets burned. Stick to the facts. Tell the offender flatly that you don’t want to 46
I’ve been dating a guy for a couple months. He tries to run my life sometimes, but he is older and confident in his declarations about how things are. He has a great high-rise apartment where we spend most of our time, and my own rent is a little steep for my current situation. I know it’s technically too soon, but is there a way to move in with him that doesn’t cause problems? Dear Daddy’s Boy: Technically and actually, no. Next? Fine. A few things to consider: 1. You don’t know him. 2. If he is already trying to drive your life like it’s your car, don’t hand over the keys. 3. Let’s say you decide to split, as two-month dating relationships can do. If it’s his place, where are you going to live? If you add your name to the lease, how are you going to get out? The Q is for entertainment purposes. If you need serious advice, seek a professional. Send your burning Qs to mike@qmagatlanta.
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