November 11, 2021
APP Like That
LGBTQ Wins, Losses And Runoff Elections PALS Fur Ball Tops Week’s Best Events Marios, Angels, Jareths & Great Gay Halloween Pics
Thrive 365 Reaches in Your Pocket
Pride, People
& POLITICS
EVERYTHING IS POLITICAL, not just these days but throughout history, because it’s about people. Official and informal politics run societies and communities. And well, there is one thing humans cannot escape: each other. Luckily, Q ATLus is quite happy with our people and wouldn’t trade y’all for the world. Queer Atlanta leans on pride in each other, and that goes double when politics goes to the polls in an election cycle. Q News hashes out the LGBTQ wins, losses and runoffs to watch in the Nov. 2 results. Speaking of pride and people, locals making us proud in this issue include the guys at Thrive SS. They put their advocacy into a new app for clients. In other Q Community updates, Positive Impact celebrates 30 years of service with a capital campaign. You being you, and Q being Q, we also offer snapshots from our recent photo galleries, upcoming events you won’t want to miss, and Q Advice. When you’re done, you can also count on us for new content online at theQatl.com.
MIKE FLEMING EDITOR & PUBLISHER MIKE@THEQATL.COM GRAPHIC DESIGN DECATUR ATLANTA PRINTING JOHN NAIL, DESIGNER DECATURATLANTAPRINTING.COM
LOCAL ADVERTISING INFO@PROJECTQATLANTA.COM RIVENDELL MEDIA NATIONAL ADVERTISING SALES@RIVENDELLMEDIA.COM 212-242-6863 theQatl.com 5
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
V O LU M E 4 I S S U E 4 8 N OV E M B E R 1 1 , 2 0 2 1
WHAT’S GOING ON?
The Week’s Best LGBTQ Events
COVER
15
19
Connections
Thrive SS Goes Mobile
9
12
NEWS
MILESTONES
Election Results for LGBTQ Candidates
Positive Impact Anniversary Campaign
Winning
Q News........................ 9 Q Community............ 12 Q Events.................... 19 Q Shots...................... 20 Q Map........................ 26 Q Advice.................... 29 6 theQatl.com
30K for 30 Years
Q ADVICE
Came, Saw Facing and Conquering Fear
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30 years
DID YO U KNOW ?
PIHC patients have a viral suppression rate of more than 90%. Make a gift to honor PIHC’s 30 years! • Snap this code with your phone • Text PIHC30TH to 44321 • Or donate at: PositiveImpactHealthCenters.org
NEWS
Q
Liliana Bakhtiari and Alex Wan won Atlanta City Council Districts 5 and 6, respectively. If Keisha Waites wins her At-Large runoff, the three would make the most LGBTQ representation on the council at the same time.
Wins, Losses
& RUNOFFS
Local LGBTQ candidates rack up record election results By Patrick Saunders OF NEARLY TWO DOZEN LGBTQ HOPEFULS running for public office on Nov. 3, several candidates won representation outright, with even more living to fight in the Nov. 30 runoffs. The most decisive finisher was Alex Wan. The former city council member cruised to an easy victory in the Atlanta City Council District 6 race, finishing with nearly 80% of the vote. In 2010, Wan became the first Asian American and first openly gay male member of the council. He served two terms before losing a race for council president in 2017.
“I am grateful that my friends and neighbors in District 6 have again affirmed my track record,” Wan said in a statement. “I am humbled and honored by the broad base of support during this campaign; it’s a great springboard to continuing to fight for our shared issues, including public safety, city service delivery and quality of life initiatives.” Another LGBTQ candidate — Diogi Pet Services owner Courtney DeDi — placed third in the same district race with 10% of the vote.
POISED FOR HISTORY
Queer community organizer Liliana Bakhtiari won the Atlanta City Council District 5 race without a runoff. She crossed the 50% threshold in the five-person race by just 20 votes, according to unofficial results. If that tally holds up, Bakhtiari becomes the first openly LGBTQ Muslim elected official in state history. theQatl.com 9
ELECTION continued It would be a comeback of sorts for the candidate, who came within about 250 votes of winning the same seat in 2017. At this writing, she has not claimed victory, and the second-place finisher Mandy Mahoney has not conceded. In other Atlanta races with LGBTQ candidates, former state Rep. Keisha Big gains in the suburbs meant a win for Brett Reichert in Hapeville, plus high runoff hopes for Khalid Kamau in South Fulton and Imani Barnes in Tucker. Waites tops her field for openly LGBTQ member. the Atlanta City Council Post 3 At-Large spot. With 30% of the vote, she Reichert was “humbled and proud,” he posted on faces Jacki Labat in the Nov. 30 runoff. Facebook. If Bakhtiari and Waites pull out wins and join Wan, it will be the most openly LGBTQ members to serve on the Atlanta City Council at the same time.
LESS SUCCESSFUL
Atlanta City Councilmember Antonio Brown lost his bid to become Atlanta’s first LGBTQ mayor. He finished a distant fifth in the race with just over 5% of the vote. City Council President Felicia Moore easily advances to a runoff in the race against Councilmember Andre Dickens, who bested former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed in third. Gay veteran and small business owner Mike Russell came in fourth in the race for Atlanta City Council president. Six other LGBTQ candidates for Atlanta City Council lost their races on Tuesday: Brandon Goldberg and Jereme Sharpe for Post 1 At-Large; Kelly-Jeanne Lee in District 1; Larry Carter in District 4; Devin Barrington Ward in District 9; and Jason Hudgins in District 10. All three LGBTQ candidates for the Atlanta school board also lost on Tuesday: Stephen Spring for At-Large Seat 7; Jason Allen for At-Large Seat 9; and Bethsheba Rem in District 2.
SUBURBAN GAYS
Gay educator Brett Reichert beat Jonathan Scott by over 30 points in the Hapeville City Council At-Large race. He becomes the council’s first-ever 10 theQatl.com
Chamblee City Councilmember Brian Mock ran unopposed for mayor and will become the city’s first LGBTQ leader. Doraville City Councilmember Stephe Koontz ran unopposed and begins her second term in the District 3 seat in January. Hiawassee Mayor Liz Ordiales also ran unopposed and cruises to a second term. Pine Lake City Councilmember Jean Bordeaux returns for a third term as one of three top three vote getters in a four-person race for that council. South Fulton City Councilmember Khalid Kamau heads into a runoff against the incumbent Bill Edwards in the race for mayor. Kamau would become the city’s first LGBTQ mayor if elected.
TUCKER’S MIXED BAG Emory University scientist Imani Barnes goes into a runoff against Cara Schroeder for the City Council District 2 Seat 1 post. If she wins, Barnes would be the council’s first Black and first LGBTQ member. Former Obama aide and TV pundit Robin Biro lost his bid to become Tucker’s first LGBTQ mayor. The incumbent Frank Auman beat him by about 10 points. For more on the elections and all the best local LGBTQ news coverage, visit theQatl.com.
Antonio Brown
30 YEARS
Q
MILESTONES
of Service
Positive Impact Health Centers marks anniversary with fundraising campaign By Patrick Saunders
POSITIVE IMPACT HEALTH CENTERS celebrates 30 years of fighting HIV in Atlanta with a $30,000 capital campaign to help the agency continue to fight against the epidemic. The cause hits home for former PIHC clients like Brent Jones. “Positive Impact Health Centers was there for me in probably the darkest days of my life,” Jones told Project Q Atlanta. At one time, Jones lived a hard-partying life in Midtown. He developed a crystal meth addiction, contracted HIV, lost his job and his home. In 2017, he spent two months in jail on “some pretty serious charges,” he said. “The day I got released from jail, I walked into Positive Impact Health Centers and my life changed from then on,” he added. PIHC helped Jones face his HIV diagnosis and connected him with behavioral health, counseling and addiction services. He went to the agency every day for a year as part of an intensive outpatient program. “I learned life skills, emotional maturity skills and anger management skills,” he said. “They helped me 12 theQatl.com
stay sober. I had a world class treatment team. They showed me what work I needed to do and helped me in my recovery journey. It truly saved my life.” Jones finished the recovery program and got his HIV status under control. He then started working for the agency as an outreach and engagement coordinator and is now the program manager for the outpatient program. “The program that saved my life is now the program I’m responsible for managing,” he said. “Every day, I wake up so full of joy and happiness and I work with amazing people that saved my life.”
REACHING MORE PEOPLE
PIHC has grown exponentially since opening in 1991. In 2020, the agency enrolled over 4,000 patients in care, conducted nearly 14,000
medical visits, administered nearly 4,000 food cards and coordinated over 2,700 medical transportation trips. “Looking back over the years, we’ve had numerous achievements and painful setbacks. We also remember those we lost,” PIHC president and CEO Larry Lehman told Project Q. “I am very grateful for the support of so many volunteers, donors, staff, board members and colleagues to make a difference in PIHC’s fight to end AIDS.” Ever adapting and expanding to meet client needs, the agency redesigned its services during the COVID-19 pandemic. It received a $2.6 million federal grant last month to launch an opioid abuse treatment program. With 30 years under its belt, the agency’s fund-
raising campaign – look for the QR code in this week’s issue of Q ATLus – has a goal of $30,000. The funds would help PIHC include an additional 10,000 patients in future prevention and care services, Lehman said. “Our community has thousands of individuals out of care,” he said. “Raising funds and increasing support is critical to bringing those individuals into care and reducing community viral load.” All donations are “money well spent,” according to Jones. “Every dollar that they receive is used to make a difference in people’s lives like you wouldn’t believe,” Jones said. Visit positiveimpacthealthcenters.org. theQatl.com 13
Q
NEWS
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COMMUNITY PANDEMIC PIVOTS
Q
Thrive SS launched in 2016 to support health equity for Black gay and bi men living with HIV in Atlanta. The nonprofit hosts events and health forums and provides numerous other services. The COVID-19 pandemic posed new challenges and exacerbated existing ones for the group’s members.
APP for That
Atlanta HIV group launches Thrive 365 By Patrick Saunders
ADVOCACY GROUP THRIVE SS LAUNCHES a new app this week for Black gay and bisexual men living with HIV in metro Atlanta. The “Thrive 365” app lets users interact, ask questions, access resources, and indicate any food insecurity or housing needs. Thrive SS plans a soft launch on Nov. 2 and a full launch on Nov. 15. “This app will connect Black same-gender-loving men not only to the resources they need but also to one another,” Thrive SS founder and executive director Larry Walker told Project Q Atlanta. “It provides a safe space to receive affirmation around our myriad intersections and interests and provides an outlet to express ourselves freely.” The app is about a year in the making. The group’s members directly inspired it. “They noticed how unsafe Facebook and other social media can be, especially for Black SGL men living with HIV, and wanted a space we could control,” Walker said. “THRIVE seeks to stay on the cutting edge of innovative support, advocacy and power building,” he added. “We feel the Thrive 365 app will serve as an essential tool for accomplishing our goals.”
“We heard of members who couldn’t pay their bills, get an appointment to see the doctor, get meds or even get through to someone to get their questions answered,” Walker said. Housing insecurity became even more widespread. Stress and anxiety increased. “Luckily, many agencies were able to course-correct pretty quickly,” Walker said. Thrive SS partnered with Georgia AIDS Education & Training Centers and Theratechnologies to host trainings for patients and providers to address the issues. It also introduced a COVID-19 emergency fund to provide microgrants for clients to take care of essentials. “In all, through the challenges, I feel COVID forced us to provide better, more comprehensive services,” Walker said.
LIL NAS X DROPS IN
The group got a boost to its mission from none other than internationally recognized gay rapper Lil Nas X last month. The Atlanta native included Thrive SS and two other local HIV and LGBTQ advocacy groups on a “baby registry.” Fans were encouraged to make donations to celebrate his 2021 album drop, “Montero.” Lil Nas X also stopped by Thrive SS’s office in East Point in October to show even more love. Next up, Thrive SS joins with several other groups for the Trans Masculine Sexual Health & Wellness Ball on Nov. 19 at 840 ATL in West End. “The event is a fundraiser for the participating orgs and will be unlike any House Ball competition before,” Walker said. Visit thrivess.org. theQatl.com 15
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Q Events
The Best LGBTQ Things to Do in Atlanta This Week
SATURDAY, NOV. 13 DJ Ben Bakson
This nationally recognized hottie mans the tables while the boys bump booties. DJ Mike Pope opens @ Heretic, 10 p.m. hereticatlanta.com
THURSDAY, NOV. 11 Spark Game Night
DJ Darlene finds you playing games with the Wheel of Prizes and other fun twists @ Hideaway, 8 p.m. facebook.com/atlantahideaway
FRIDAY, NOV. 12 PALS Fur Ball Pets Are Loving Support hosts its annual masquerade fundraising gala with open bar, music, silent auction, performers and you all gussied up @ Fox Theatre Egyptian Balllroom, 8 p.m. palsatlanta.org
Tina Devore Tributes
Two huge shows celebrate the Atlanta drag and pageant legend who passed last month. A reunion show of shows kicks things off @ Heretic, 6 p.m. hereticatlanta.com The performances and remembrances continue @ Friends, 10:30 p.m. friendsonponce.com
SUNDAY, NOV. 14 Chaka Khan Hacienda Skate Party
Peaches Birthday with DJ Jerac
Future Atlanta house mother Peaches celebrates with beats by the House-down DJ. Speaking of the house, club showrunner and local legend Phoenix performs too @ Future, 11 p.m. future-atlanta.com Manhole
All drag kings, all night in this new show with performances by Perka Sexx, Mystery Meat, Mr. Elle Aye, TJ Maxx and more @ Noni’s, 9:30 p.m. instagram.com/sfqp Always Jane
A new docuseries follows a trans teen through big changes with full support of her family. Streaming from today @ Prime Video, through December. primevideo.com
The queers who did Sundays on the Beltline head inside for colder weather. Roll, baby, roll @ Sparkles Family Fun Center, Kennesaw, 7:30 p.m. facebook.com/ chakakhanhacienda
TUESDAY, NOV. 16 Trivia Tuesday
Drop in on a full afternoon and evening of specials, and don’t forget Trivia Tuesdays with a $50 bar tab prize @ Hideaway, 9 p.m. Happy Hour specials every weekday, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. facebook.com/atlantahideaway Find the full weekend calendar of LGBTQ events each Thursday at theQatl.com theQatl.com 19
Q SHOTS
PHOTOS BY RUSS BOWEN-YOUNGBLOOD
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HALLOWEEN AT FUTURE
Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com
HALLOWEEN AT HERETIC
Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com
Q SHOTS
PHOTOS BY RUSS BOWEN-YOUNGBLOOD
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HALLOWEEN AT X MIDTOWN
Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com
Q SHOTS
PHOTOS BY RUSS BOWEN-YOUNGBLOOD
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Q SHOTS
PHOTOS BY RUSS BOWEN-YOUNGBLOOD
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HALLOWEEN AT BJ ROOSTERS
Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com
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227 10th St. NE 2. Bulldogs Bar 893 Peachtree St NE 3. Friends on Ponce 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE 4. My Sister’s Room 84 12th St 5. X Midtown 990 Piedmont Ave. NE 6. Atlanta Eagle 306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
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Bars
Restaurants North Ave. NW
North Ave. NW
Clubs Retail/Services
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Future 50 Lower Alabama St SW, Suite 180
8. Henry’s Midtown Tavern 132 10th St NE
Mary’s 1287 Glenwood Ave SE
9. Joe’s onRalph Juniper McGill Blvd. NE 1049 Juniper St NE
Sister Louisa’s 466 Edgewood Ave SE
10. Zocalo Mexican Kitchen & Cantina 187 10th St NE Highland Ave. NE 11. Barking Leather After Dark 306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE (inside Eagle) 12. Urban Body Fitness 500 Amsterdam Ave NE
The T 465 Boulevard SE Swinging Richards 1400 Northside Dr NW Lips Drag Show Palace 3011 Buford Highway NE Lost ’n Found Youth Thift Store 2585 Chantilly Dr NE
Ponce De Leon Pl. NE
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Ponce De Leon Ave. NE
7. Flex 76 4th St NW
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Glen Iris Dr. NE
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Cheshire Bridge Road 5. The Heretic 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
9. Gravity Fitness 2201 Faulkner Rd NE
2. Tripp’s Bar 1931 Piedmont Circle NE
6. Las Margaritas 1842 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
10. Southern Nights 2205 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
3. Woof’s Sports Bar 494 Plasters Ave NE
7. Roxx Tavern 1824 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
11. Tokyo Valentino (Cheshire Bridge) 1739 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
4. BJ Rooster’s 2043 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
8. 2Qute Hair Salon 1927 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
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5. Barking Leather 1510 Piedmont Ave NE 6. Boy Next Door 1447 Piedmont Ave NE
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1. Felix’s on the Square 1510 Piedmont Ave NE
3. Midtown Moon 1510 Piedmont Ave NE
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7. Brushstrokes 1510 Piedmont Ave NE 8. Equilibrium Fitness 1529 Piedmont Ave NE
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Instagram.com/theQatl
Q Advice Don’t Feed the FEARS Q
but personal progress comes from outside our comfort zones. None of his actions constitutes a lifetime obligation. Stick around long enough to discover what’s next.
Q
I’m 42 and still going to the same bars, eating at the same places, and running into the same people that I did when I was 25. It’s OK I guess, but is that all there is? None of this is where I saw myself going. Dear Stuck: Most people in their 40s take stock and come up wanting more. Welcome to midlife and its famous “crisis.” Think of it more as an opportunity. Your life’s proverbial halfway mark is a chance to identify, evaluate and face down any fears — the unknown, failure, even success — that hold you back. What choices would you make if you weren’t afraid? What would you try if you could not fail? Is failing worse than not trying? Use the answers to define your next chapter.
You can’t change the past or predict the future, but you can act boldly. You’ll be glad you did.
Q
My boyfriend is too close for comfort. He’s leaving things at my house. He wants to introduce me to his mom. I want to bolt. Dear Phobia: Let’s talk about fear of commitment. Your guard against being hurt in the future is hurting you in the present. Pushing him away may be easier in the moment,
Bondage porn is hot, but I’ve only had vanilla sex. What’s going on in my head is usually way different than what’s going on in the bed. I’m afraid to try BDSM because I don’t want to lose control. I’m intimidated by the fetishes I see at Pride. They fuel my fantasies, but also my fears. I also don’t want to be seen as a freak. People ridicule fetishists, and I’m afraid of being lumped in with them. Should I try it, and how do I meet people who won’t judge me for my desires? Dear Fraidy Cat: Fears get a bad rap. They’re not all created equal. Natural “fight or flight” responses kick in as a warning to evaluate your situation. The problem comes when you stop there. If you accept fear as a reason to avoid circumstances without assessing them and making an informed decision, you’re stuck. BDSM invites you to use your fear to your sexual advantage. Turned on and intimidated at the same time? That’s the point. Adrenaline pumps, you’re short of breath, and your sweet relief comes from giving in. You owe it to yourself to try it. A community of people can teach you about passion via consent and trust. Forget naysayers who use their own fears to judge and ostracize people they don’t understand. Stop making life decisions based on what you fear others think. The Q is for entertainment, not counseling. Send burning Qs to mike@theQatl.com. ILLUSTRATION BY BRAD GIBSON
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