Q mag v1i11 | February 1, 2018

Q

Show Us How You

QUEER BURLESQUE

inform | inspire

February 1, 2018

Mind

The True Crime Is

BLOWN LGBTQ Mental Health

PUNISHING DISEASE

Queens, Owners, Racism &

WHAT’S UP AT BURKHART’S Stage Direction:

ANGELS, LOVE & SEX

+

Q Shots The Q Queer Agenda Q News

EDITOR’S NOTE Q PUBLISHERS INITIAL MEDIA, LLC MIKE FLEMING PUBLISHER & EDITOR MIKE@QMAGATLANTA.COM MATT HENNIE PUBLISHER & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MATT@QMAGATLANTA.COM

Pulling Yourself

TOGETHER

RICHARD CHERSKOV PUBLISHER & GENERAL MANAGER RICHARD@QMAGATLANTA.COM

Challenges unique to queer identities, and fun only as we know how to have it

ADVERTISING SALES RUSS YOUNGBLOOD SENIOR SALES REPRESENTATIVE RUSS@QMAGATLANTA.COM

AS MUCH AS WE MAY LOATHE THE IDEA of coddling whiners and the terminally special mentality of life’s perpetual victims, we must be careful not to mistake excuses and complaining for genuine reasons and grievances. No time for butthurt shouldn’t translate to a complete lack of empathy for real problems people face.

ART DIRECTOR JOHN NAIL JOHN@QMAGATLANTA.COM

That’s why, among the usual events, arts, fun and news you can use, our features in this issue of Q acknowledge the distinctly queer hurdles that LGBTQ people can face. In Q Voices, a local man discusses challenges coming at him from black, white, gay and straight communities for his interracial relationship.

CONTRIBUTORS IAN ABER LAURA BACCUS BUCK C. COOKE JON DEAN BRAD GIBSON SUNNI JOHNSON JAMES HICKS HEATHER MALONEY ERIC PAULK JAMES SHEFFIELD BO SHELL DUSTIN SHRADER 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.”

MIKE FLEMING EDITOR & PUBLISHER

In another column, we meet a defender of HIV positive people in the war on gay sex. Author Trevor Hoppe talks about his work against one of the most insidious problems facing HIV-positive people: Stigma and how it bolsters ill-conceived disclosure laws that make them criminals. What’s worse? Our own people are among the ill-advised and misinformed.

In our Graphic Intervention, we try to start clearing a path for an open discussion of queer mental health. With myriad anecdotal examples, misdiagnoses, and half right opinions, such discussions must start instead with facts. We pull together an info graphic that lays the issue bare, and look at little things we can do each day to begin helping ourselves, as well as things to do as a community. From coming out to couples, from substance abuse to sex and beyond, we also added a list of LGBT specialists in Atlanta with years of experience.

But it’s not all blown minds and sad hearts in this issue. The women of Roxie Roz Burlesque want to entertain you. Their queer-inclusive cast and audiences are growing by the week. We highlight two plays of queer interest staging in Atlanta right now: The epic Angels in America, and the thought-provoking The Mystery of Love and Sex. And we see you out there, grabbing your life. In a fun turn this time, 10 Queer Things dissects queer dance moves, and Q Shots shines a spotlight on your shining faces. As always, Life Judge closes the issue in the Q advice column, and this week, whether you deserve it or not, it’s not about you. On the other hand, I’m all about you. E-mail me your Q mag-related thoughts at the address in our staff box. theQatl.com

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE VOLUME 1 ISSUE 11

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

MONEY MOVES

Dance like no one’s watching

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COVER STORY

8

Keep It Together

PEOPLE

13 16

31 Bar’s Open

Show Off

Roxie Roz Burlesque stripped down THOUGHTS

20

Punishing Disease

33 Field Dreams

When stigma makes HIV criminal

FEATURES Q Voices Q News

11

Q Shots

31

Queer Agenda The Q 4

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Q

VOICES

My Life in the

career moves, and lots of fun times, travels and surprises.

Interracial gay couple faces

When race came to the forefront in the news, I have been hurt and embarrassed at my own race for the things that were said and done, and the hate that continues to be spread in this current political climate.

SWIRL

unique challenges beyond other same-sex relationships JOURNALIST DON LEMON AND TIM MALONE. Comedian Mario Cantone and Jerry Diton. Fitness Guru Shawn T and Scott Blokker. Political Commentator Jonathan Capehart and Nick Schmit.

But interracial couples also face unique challenges. Every time I look at Rommel, I still see no color, just the man with the sexy voice and the big heart I fell in love with almost 14 years ago. Not so with others around us.

Every time I look at Rommel, I still see no color, just the man with the sexy voice and the big heart I fell in love with almost 14 years ago. Not so with others around us.

What do all these famous celebrity couples have in common? They’re gay and interracial, black and white. Down with the swirl as they say.

In a world where being gay is still given the side eye, real couples find love outside their own race and give meaning to the phrases “color blind” and “love is love.” In the current atmosphere of divisiveness and hate, and given the backlash given to both African Americans and gays, these couples aren’t only role models to people like me, but brave – and whether they like it or not, heroes in both communities.

CHARLES E. D AV I S

I grew up gay in a Southern Baptist family, which was not easy on its own. When I met my soul mate in 2003.

He was strong with a deep sexy voice and all the qualities I admired in a possible mate. He was also African American.

After a false start, we kept running into each other at different events and had a connection, so I asked for a second chance and he gave it to me. That was in 2004, and I have never looked back or regretted my decision.

Two years ago, we became Mr. and Mr. Davis.

Rommel and I have overcome obstacles like any other couple, my family being one of the main ones. They have welcomed Rommel into their home for dinner, and at our home to open presents and just to visit in Atlanta. We have been through family sickness and death, financial struggles,

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We continue to love each other, respect each other, and honor the vows we made even before we signed a piece of paper that is filed in court to say we’re married legally.

We both continue to believe and trust that things will get better, and things will change. We do our part to contribute what we can to help others and support causes we believe in. We choose not to spend our money or contribute our time to places that do not support the community we are proud to be part of.

We have seen change, although we still get looks and people exchanging glances when they find out we are a couple. In Destin, Fla., last September, we were at a lunch counter and saw the couple beside us shift in order to not sit next to Rommel.

We carry on being brave, led by the love we have for each other and the life we have built despite ups and downs and naysayers. At the end of the day and the beginning of every day, we kiss and tell each other “I love you,” because the next day is not guaranteed. We live our life to the fullest and know that someone has our back, regardless of what happens outside our home.

Love is love.

Q reader and f irst time columnist Charles E. Davis lives and loves in Atlanta.

Q

10 Fun,

10 QUEER THINGS

Bad, Silly,

Bites Bottom Lip

Welcome to the party, white boy. You may not have the moves, but you can show how into it you are by serving this face.

Body Roll

If you’re flexible and rhythmic, you can employ this scene-stealer.

Make like ocean waves and undulate from top to bottom.

theQatl.com

Bring your sexual energy to the floor.

Bonus points if you can work it out with all your boys boyband style.

You are so you, and you do you like only you do. Here’s how you move.

QUEER DANCE MOVES

By Mike Fleming

Part-Time Stripper Maybe your job used to be with a pole as your co-star.

Maybe you just like popping your pussy.

You do you.

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Sexy & Sensual

Carlton Side Stepper It’s not unusual to be loved … for your moves. Come on, Fresh Prince fans. Carlton showed us all how to serve Basic with zero Fs to give.

Twerk Boy Sure it’s done, and many will say it’s over.

But this is what you do best. Don’t let any bitch stop you from shaking that thing.

The Look When you’re about the costume and require almost no movement, just get out there, stand tall, and be seen!

Twirl Girl They say never wave above the crown, but they don’t know how big your crown is. Just throw your hands up and spin, baby!

Back Dat Ass Up Put your best asset front and center, whether you’re grinding it into your man or just showing it off.

Vogue Whether you’re still about 1991 or think you’re being Retro, gay boys are still channeling Madonna on dance floors everywhere. theQatl.com

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Q NEWS Q

Gay Metro Atlanta Entrepreneur’s

BID FOR CONGRESS

By Matt Hennie ADAM WYNN – A GAY DEMOCRAT AND SELFemployed entrepreneur – is running for a metro Atlanta Congressional seat, hoping to unseat an incumbent who has condemned LGBT people and cozied up to supporters who do the same.

Wynn formally announced his run for Georgia’s 11th District on January 16, focusing on a campaign platform of expanded healthcare, boosting environmental protections, protecting consumers from financial fraud, raising the minimum wage and passing the Equality Act. The legislation, introduced in 2015, would bar discrimination against people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity by amending existing federal laws, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Acworth, Cartersville, Woodstock and Canton. It also includes Bartow and Cherokee counties, along with portions of Cobb and Fulton.

Wynn lives in Waleska, which is a small town in Cherokee County.

If he wins, Wynn would become the first-ever openly gay man elected to Congress in Georgia. Seven LGBT people currently serve in Congress.

“I want people of my district to know I have the energy, stamina, and the team to go the distance against the Republican incumbent. I’m an internet software professional, a former small business owner, and I’m the son of working-class Americans,” Wynn said in a prepared statement.

Wynn highlights “LGBTQ+ Rights” among 15 campaign issues on his website: It is time to make sure that everyone in our country is protected from discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. No one should have to fear losing their job or being denied access to things like healthcare, housing, or credit simply for being who they are and loving the person of their choosing.

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I know the importance of and far-reaching benefits of equality. I believe strongly in equal protections for all Americans, and that’s why I fully support the Equality Act currently introduced in Congress by Representatives John Lewis and David Cicilline, and Senators Jeff Merkley, Tammy Baldwin, and Cory Booker.

Wynn said he “understands the struggles” of people who live in the district.

“I’m tired of politicians who say they’ll represent us in Washington, only to have them rubber stamp the agendas of big corporations and lobbyists while ignoring the needs of those who sent them there. It is time we have a representative who is in touch with people all across our district, and understand the struggles we face every day. I intend to win this election and be a leader in Washington, D.C., not a follower. My friends and neighbors across this district deserve nothing less,” he said.

Wynn faces an uphill battle against Rep. Barry Loudermilk, a Republican and longtime state lawmaker who was first elected to Congress in 2014. But the gay challenger would provide a counter weight to Loudermilk’s anti-LGBT record. He has a history of heated rhetoric aimed at LGBT people, immigrants, Muslims and others. And when he’s not spewing his anger at people not like him, he’s glad-handing supporters that do.

In 2015, Loudermilk said the U.S. Supreme Court overstepped its bounds by legalizing same-sex marriage and added that the court sometimes “gets things wrong.” He compared the court’s ruling to past decisions about slavery and the Dread Scott case.

Loudermilk has also argued that the country needs stronger “religious freedom” bills like the First Amendment Defense Act to prevent the government from bullying people. And by people, he means conservative Christians like him. Loudermilk has also backed fired Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran, who was dismissed over his anti-gay, misogynist and anti-Semitic book.

Sometimes, Loudermilk lets others do the hate-mongering for him. The Family Research Council – classified as an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center – endorsed Loudermilk in 2013. Debunked conservative historian David Barton has also backed Loudermilk, who has called Barton “a great expert on the U.S. Constitution.” Barton, in turn, has said God condemns homosexuality through AIDS.

Religion

The district stretches along Interstate 75 from the Atlanta suburbs to Adairsville and includes portions of Smyrna, Marietta, Kennesaw,

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Q NEWS Q

Burkhart’s Under Fire Entertainers quit, sale unravels, and public outrage grows in wake of racist of social media posts

By Matt Hennie A GROUNDSWELL OF COMMUNITY OUTRAGE HAS ensnared Burkhart’s, the embattled Midtown gay bar facing blowback over racist social media posts from its owner and criticism from entertainers who say that’s just scratching the surface of the problem.

Reaction to the posts from co-owner Palmer March – uncovered by Wussy Mag in a Jan. 19 story – was swift. Critics on social media called for the bar to be closed or sold and within days, Burkhart’s entertainers quit and a public forum amplified the outrage.

“I can tell you story after story about what we’ve been through,” Shavonna Brooks, who headlined Femme Fatale and performed in other shows at the bar, told a crowd of more than 150 people during a Jan. 27 forum hosted by Rainbros.

The performers who spoke out at the meeting issued a stinging indictment of the bar’s managers, not just Marsh and his wife Mary, who co-owns the bar.

“We’re not going to go back because it’s still the same man telling us that we can’t do urban music. It’s still the same man telling us stop doing the music and bringing those food stamp people up in here,” Destiny Brooks said.

Brooks said the bar’s managers implement policies that target black patrons.

Entertainers at the bar resigned Jan. 25, a week after Marsh’s posts surfaced. In the posts made to Marsh’s Facebook page in 2015, President Obama is referred to with a racial slur and others praise “Confederate values.”

The posts prompted Brigitte Bidet – the creator and headliner of Tossed Salad on Sundays – to end the show’s three-year run at Burkhart’s and move it to My Sister’s Room.

“At the end of the day we can only do what we feel is ethical, and our thoughts go to those still employed by Burkhart’s who are suffering because of the owners,” Bidet said.

“No matter how you did the equation, the money still went to Palmer and Mary. Their lack of interest in resolving the situation was too disturbing for any of us to look beyond

that, no matter the cost or how it could affect our livelihood,” Bidet added.

The club closed for two days after the entertainers resigned.

Several of the performers who quit – including Shavonna Brooks, Destiny Brooks, the bar’s entertainment director Phoenix, Angelica D’Paige, Alyssa Edwards, Edie Cheezburger, Brigitte Bidet, Evah Destruction and Armorettes Trashetta Galore and Cherry Poppins – attended the forum.

Galore said she hoped the desire in the crowd to force changes at the bar would last.

“My fear would be that as a community that we are passionate, we’re passionate for the moment but then we go back. We don’t hold people accountable long-term,” Galore said.

James Brian Yancey, a Rainbros co-founder who organized the forum on Saturday, also cautioned the crowd to turn their outrage into something more “than a flash in the pan.”

“My single hope is that this is a spring board to longer term action,” Yancey said. “The bigger concern is that we want to move forward and preserve the heritage of the space but in terms of the ownership, we need fresh clean ground to move forward.”

The Jan. 27 forum came hours after the bar’s general manager, Dan Hunnewell, announced that Burkhart’s was being sold.

But the purported sale quickly collapsed. A representative from Burkhart’s did not attend Saturday’s event.

The entertainers warned that a sale wouldn’t necessarily pave the way for their return to performing at Burkhart’s.

“You said OK, Palmer don’t own it. You can say Jesus Christ owns it. But nothing changed if you still got the racist people running the bar. So nothing has changed. This is such foolery.

No, we won’t go back. They still don’t get the reason why we’re not there,” Destiny Brooks said.

Read the full story and ongoing coverage at theQatl.com.

theQatl.com

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Q

LEGISLATIVE BRIEFS

Fayette commissioners back anti-LGBT bill The Fayette County Commission stepped into the contentious debate over “religious freedom” legislation, voting to support a bill panned by critics as anti-LGBT and a threat to the state’s economy.

Anti-LGBT activists renew fight for ‘religious freedom’ bill in Georgia Supporters of anti-LGBT “religious freedom” legislation rallied at the State Capitol on January 16, re-igniting a years-long contentious fight by calling on lawmakers to pass their bill.

The effort, hosted by the Faith & Freedom Coalition, was part of the organization’s Religious Freedom Day activities across the country. Supporters of the legislation said it wouldn’t discriminate or damage the state’s economy – arguments from opponents that have helped stall the legislation in past years.

The event included several prominent supporters of “religious freedom” legislation and other anti-LGBT efforts, including Virginia Galloway, a regional director for the Faith & Freedom Coalition; Mike Griffin, a lobbyist for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board; conservative cheerleader Tanya Ditty; Santorum spreader Kay Godwin; Rev. Garland Hunt; and state Sen. Josh McKoon, the face of Georgia’s “religious freedom” battle who is running for Georgia Secretary of State.

They called on lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 233, which is “religious freedom” legislation that Sen. Marty Harbin (photo) introduced last year. The bill stalled as Republican leaders in state government helped sideline it.

Hunt – who in 2016 blasted Gov. Nathan Deal for vetoing the legislation by declaring that “God is not going to be vetoed in our state” – said people of faith are facing discrimination and the legislation would address that, according to the AJC. Some Republicans made it clear ahead of the legislative session that they don’t want a fight over the legislation. They fear it could harm the state’s reputation, damage chances of landing Amazon HQ2 and impact a film industry that generates $9.5 billion a year in Georgia.

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The commission side-stepped criticism and voted 4-1 on January 11 to adopt a resolution calling on state lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 233 from Sen. Marty Harbin. Harbin, a Republican whose district includes Fayette, urged commissioners to support the legislation and showed a three-minute video he created advocating for it.

“Just like monsters hiding under the bed, this boogeyman is a myth and fabricated to scare us,” Harbin said in the video, dismissing critics of the legislation.

Commissioner Charles Rousseau – who voted against the resolution – questioned whether the commission should step into the debate over the bill, according to the Citizen.

Gov. Deal: No reason for ‘harmful’ bill A top aide to Gov. Nathan Deal, who vetoed similar legislation once already, warned lawmakers away from the so-called “religious freedom” bill, then the governor himself sent a message to lawmakers who want to pass it this session: Don’t bother.

Via the AJC: “It’s one of those things that presents a cloud over the minds of people who might otherwise be looking at our state. It’s unfortunate, but sometimes those are the realities that we all have to deal with,” he said. “I don’t see any reason at this point in time to create any potential impediments to job opportunities for our children and job opportunities for their children.”

The reviews are in!

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Readers love

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and your messages are the proof!

Thank you for the support, and please continue reaching out!

Q

PEOPLE

SHOW US HOW YOU

Queer-inclusive troupe stages dozens of shows a year across Atlanta

Burlesque

By Ian Aber

W

ith over a decade in Atlanta burlesque, Shellie Schmals and her troupe Roxie Roz continue to create, innovate the genre, as well as entertain and inspire the next generation to step up and strip off.

With a few performances coming up quickly and lots more on the horizon, Schmals sits down with Q to chat about all things burlesque and Roxie Roz. She’s not shy about creating inclusive spaces for queer and straight performers as well as audiences.

Tell us the inspiration behind Roxie Roz Burlesque.

Our name Roxie Roz captures the spirit. Roxie –

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Shellie Schmals

from Roxie Hart in “Chicago,” and Roz, my grandmother’s name (whose favorite saying was, “She doesn’t know her ass from a hole in the wall”) and Roz Kelly, who played Pinky Tuscadero on Happy Days. All strong women and tough talking broads!

with Roxie Roz burlesque. Our debut show was in October 2015 at Star Bar, and we’ve grown to include over 40 different performers in 25(ish) shows since then.

The heart and soul in helping me see a new vision for Roxie Roz has been working with my artistic team of Royal Tee and Emily Rose. These two talented ladies have brought fresh air into what could have become a one–note concept.

So. Many. More. Performers! There’s been an organic expansion to the community, and a paradigm shift that’s inclusive of troupes (who meet weekly or monthly), production companies (who book gigs for show), and independent performers.

Burlesque is meant as a commentary on society, sometimes the best way to take a serious issue and make it relatable.

What’s your elevator pitch for what Roxie Roz does?

Roxie Roz Burlesque is a collective of dancers, performers, comedians and artists who celebrate the art of the tease in both vintage and contemporary styles.

How many years have you been involved in burlesque?

10 years. It was a slow start with a few pauses. In 2008, I inched into the scene by meeting Katherine Lashe (Syrens of the South) and Talloolah Love (The Candybox Revue).

We co–produced a burlesque and stand–up comedy show at Relapse Theatre together under the SOS brand. I took a few classes, and watched from the sidelines, trying to figure out where I fit in. I’m not a dancer, but I loved the artform so much – everyone I met was super supportive. I knew there was a place for me, I just didn’t know what it would be.

In 2009, I coordinated an art show/fashion show fundraiser that included performers from SOS and a future creative partner, Kellyn Willey. In 2010, I co–founded Minette Magnifique as lead producer, publicist and emcee. Shortly after that, we won 2013 Best Burlesque (Creative Loafing).

I stepped out to take a break. When I stepped back in, it was

How has the burlesque scene in Atlanta changed over that time?

In Atlanta, you can enjoy all different genres of burlesque with routines that vary from classic burly-q, neo–burlesque, nerdlesque, boylesque, vaudeville, and circus acts!

What makes a great burlesque audience?

My Likes: Fun folks ready to have a good time and enjoy a show! My Dislikes: Audience members who talk throughout a show (take it to the bar) and non–tippers (If you like what you see, give a little sugar. It costs $$$ to look that good!) Also, don’t ever–ever–ever touch the performers – not kosher.

What makes a great burlesque performance?

I love seeing a performer who is comfortable on stage, in the moment with their music and dance work, storytelling with the routine, and brings the audience in to experience it with them. That encompasses all kinds of musical and dance styles.

Burlesque often features performances with a comedic element. Why do they pair so well?

Burlesque is parody. The word burlesque is not fundamentally indicative of stripping. It’s meant as a commentary on society.

Sometimes the best way to take a serious issue and make it relatable, is by making it comedic. It helps bring the audience together with a collective understanding.

You are one of the producers of The ABCD show, A Burlesque Comedy Drag Show. How does it differ from other burlesque shows in town?

The name says it all! No other show in town will bring these three genres together in such a distinct but cohesive manner.

We are curating an experience to celebrate the body and mind.

At every show, there’s always someone who has never seen burlesque or drag.

Roxie Roz stages an open show on February 3 at Relapse Theatre, 10:30 p.m. Visit roxieroz.com, and @roxieroz on Instagram. Go to theQatl.com for our full extended interview, including how to become part of the troupe.

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GRAPHIC INTERVENTION

Keep It Together

Q

Facts, figures and resources to nurse your mental health for your best queer self

By Mike Fleming

THE CORRELATION BETWEEN LGBTQ PEOPLE AND MENTAL health concerns isn’t just in your head. Queers are not inherently any crazier than the rest of humanity, of course, but studies back evergrowing statistics that a disproportionate number in our community face emotional struggles due to personal and societal circumstances.

Discrimination, acceptance, and other orientation and identity factors can lead to risks including stress, depression and substance abuse.

Here are some facts and figures, as well as some tips and resources, if you or yours need help.

LGBT people are twice as likely to experience clinical depression as straight, cis people, and twice as likely to entertain suicidal thoughts or actions.

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/3

More than 33% of LGBT people are afraid to access healthcare services because they don’t want to disclose their orientation or gender identity to their practioner.

7x

Across all age groups, LGBT people are seven times more likely to over-indulge in recreational drugs or abuse alcohol.

WHAT TO DO Exercise Eat Right Sleep on a Schedule

A quarter of LGBT people report fair or bad general health, versus 1 in 6 of the general population.

Hydrate Talk About It Socialize Soak Up & Supplement Vitamin D Take Breaks & Travel

CHECK IN

Over half of LGBT people aged 18-24 deliberately harm themselves, versus around 10% of young people overall.

JF & CS Tools for Living Counseling for Jewish-identified LGBT people yourtoolsforliving.org Positive Impact Health Centers Counseling for at-risk people with HIV positiveimpacthealthcenters.org

12%

More than a tenth of gay men and lesbians, and more than 15% of transgender people are subjected to ‘treatment’ against their will, including hospitalization, aversion therapy and electric shock.

John Ballew, LPC Three decades experience bodymindsoul.org William Brown, MS, LPC Couples, Addiction, Coming Out williambrowncounseling.com Brian Leringer PhD, LMFT Couples, HIV, Trauma, Coming Out briancounseling.com Will Mahan Sex Therapy, Addiction, HIV, Intersectionality, Coming Out atlantacounselor.net Joshua M. Noblitt, LMFT Couples, Groups, Sex, HIV and Intersectionality joshuanoblitt.com Brett Rozen, MS, Ld, LPC Anxiety, Bipolar, Couples, Eating, Grief and more brettrozentherapy.com Sources: National Alliance on Mental Illness, Williams Institute

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Q

THOUGHTS

Meet the queer author defending us in The War on Sex and battling those who are

Punishing Disease

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S

By Mark S. King

ociologist Trevor Hoppe is a gay man with his finger on the pulse of gay sexual politics, a topic he has written about for years. He’s also an over-achiever, defined as someone who is more productive than me.

In his latest book, Punishing Disease, Hoppe tackles HIV criminalization, one of the most polarizing issues in the LGBT community.

HIV criminalization refers to the prosecution of people living with HIV, often using a rationale that runs counter to the facts about risk and transmission. It is most widely known for HIV non-disclosure statutes, which make it a crime not to disclose an HIV positive status to sexual partners.

Criminalization also includes people who receive heightened charges or sentences for other crimes because they are HIV positive. The scenario can increase a simple assault charge against a person with HIV to attempted murder, for instance.ď‚„

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THOUGHTS, Continued FORGET WHAT YOU HEARD In Punishing Disease, Hoppe examines the prosecution of people with HIV and why the legal system puts people in jail who have not harmed anyone. That’s right, actual transmission does not need to occur for someone to be charged with a crime. In many cases, HIV positive people who used a condom or were undetectable are serving jail time for non-disclosure.

“I think the key thing for gay men to understand is that most people prosecuted under these laws do not resemble the boogie man in their heads,” Hoppe says. “These are people who either used a condom or were on treatment or, in some cases like in Tennessee, spit on a police officer.”

In other words, the narrative of crazed HIV-positive people roaming the countryside with the intent of infecting others is largely a myth. And it is a storyline that a conservative justice system is willing to perpetuate, because they don’t believe gay men, much less people with HIV, should be having sex at all.

Officials, especially in non-urban areas like a recent case in northeast Georgia, can be more than willing to prosecute under these laws — or by using other charges where non-disclosure laws do not exist. Other charges such as murder, assault, and even bioterrorism.

Such charges are the true crimes being committed in such circumstances.

ARE WE PART OF THE PROBLEM? A lot of gay men have complicated feelings about non-disclosure.

Everyone seems to have a story about a partner lying to them about their status.

While I don’t minimize cases in which this occurs, gay men have endured 30 years of fear and mortality around HIV. Becoming infected today carries so much guilt and shame that it is easier to blame someone else than take responsibility for our own risk behaviors.

Too often, when someone tests positive, they pick up the phone to call a lawyer before calling a doctor. HIV stigma is that prevalent, and this behavior is an under-sung side effect of not facing down and quashing stigma.

Far too often, convictions for non-disclosure are the product of simple ignorance and fear, if not outright homophobia and racism.

“These prosecutions reflect a broader punitive attitude towards sex that Americans think is deviant,” Hoppe says. “That includes any sex that people living with HIV have with their partners.

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“Most Americans can’t imagine having sex with someone who is living with HIV,” he continues, “and thus assume that anyone who does must not have been told of their status.”

Hoppe points out that most prosecutions have heterosexual defendants, but men and women of color and men who have sex with men are often the ones arrested and sometimes play an active role in bringing up the charges in the first place.

It only takes one ex-boyfriend with an ax to grind to claim his former partner never disclosed his status to start a process that cannot be reversed once cooler heads prevail.

“Many gay men with HIV live in fear that their partners will prosecute

them, even if they do disclose,” Hoppe adds. “Ironically, I think this leads some people to choose not to disclose because they’re worried about that information getting out there and being used against them.”

SAY HIS NAME Hoppe is a name to watch. He published another book in 2017, The War on Sex, a collection of essays edited by himself and David M. Halperin. It dissects how American law and culture have attacked the sexual proclivities of anyone behaving outside the norms set out by our famously uptight society.

The War on Sex approaches its topic from a social justice point of view, investigating how the social and legal consequences of sex have become a weapon “of social control, adjudication, and, ultimately, oppression.”

Like I said, an over-achiever. And we’re all the better for Trevor Hoppe’s productivity.

For more on the legal and social justice works of Trevor Hoppe, visit trevorhoppe.com.

Former Atlantan Mark S. King is an award winning blogger, author, and HIV/AIDS advocate who has been involved in HIV causes since testing positive in 1985. His blog, My Fabulous Disease, was awarded the National Lesbian and Gay Journalist Association’s “Excellence in Blogging” honor in 2014 and 2016, and was nominated for a 2015 and 2017 GLAAD Media Award. Visit marksking.com.

Q Podcast Q is where we talk to newsmakers, influencers, entrepreneurs, elected officials and activists so you know what's happening in LGBT Atlanta.

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Find us on iTunes, Google Play and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

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Q

THE QUEER AGENDA The Best Queer Things To Do in Atlanta This Week

February 1 - February 7

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5 Lana Del Ray

The queen of badass melancholy and dreamy love lights up the

queers on the Atlanta leg of her latest tour @ Philips Arena, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1 Gays for Plays: Angels in America

Local theater queens buy a block of the hottest ticket in town, and you get a discount. Enjoy the show with a pre-party @ Actor’s Express, 6:45 p.m. facebook.com/gaysforplays

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2 All Stripes Happy Hour

Another winning Atlanta United soccer season is coming, and the

LGBT fan group can’t wait. They’re partying about it early @ Ten, 5 p.m. facebook.com/groups/allstripesatl

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3 Mardi Gras Bowl for Equality

Every February, HRC Atlanta opens its year with bowling and a theme. This year, the date lands

perfectly for your plastic beads @ Midtown Bowl,

12 noon. hrcatlanta.org Urban Tree Comedy

Gay comic and Q columnist Ian Aber produces and hosts a comedy

block, this time headlined by Joe Kelley @ Urban Tree Cidery, 7 p.m. urbantreecidery.com

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4 NFFLA Super Bowl Party

The local flag football league closes its early

registration with drink specials, raffle prizes, and the big game @ Blake’s, 2 p.m. nffla.com

The Cakemaker

A gay chef and an Israeli widow are united

in grief in this Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

favorite @ UA Tara, 7:55 p.m. ajff.org

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Q

STAGE

Iconic ROLE What it’s like to take on a central role in Actor’s Express’ gargantuan Angels in America

By Jim Farmer

I

f he was looking to make a splash in the Atlanta theater scene, out actor Grant Chapman certainly chosen the right play. He plays one of the central characters in Actor’s Express’ currently running Angels in America.

Tony Kushner’s 1993 work that won both a Pulitzer Prize and several Tony Awards deals with sex, religion and politics like no other queer production. It takes place in 1985 at the height of the AIDS epidemic in New York City, and for many

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is serves as the defining epic about the era.

Split over two parts – “Millennium Approaches” and “Perestroika” – it’s an epic undertaking. Q catches up with Chapman to talk about his role as Prior Walter, a gay man with AIDS who has begun having heavenly visions.

What excites you about the role?

I find the contrast of Prior’s well-to-do WASP-y background with his life as a downtown sometime-drag queen and designer to be really rich, and I’m excited to continue to explore it as the run progresses.

Our costume designer Ivan Ingermann has emphasized the context of NYC’s East Village underground queer art scene of the 1980s in his designs for Prior.

Photo by Ashley Earles Bennett

Why does the play remain so timely?

Angels introduced me to my history as a queer person in this country, and was the beginning of my political awareness. It was the first play I read where gay characters were important and worthy of an epic character arc.

We’re still dealing with the consequences of the extreme government neglect people with AIDS faced in the initial years of the epidemic. That history wasn’t taught to me in school. I learned it from Angels in America.

Certainly HIV/AIDS and politics are still an issue as well, especially in the South.

Barriers to HIV education, prevention, and treatment still exist. HIV is still highly stigmatized, and in some cases criminalized. In Georgia, for example, people with HIV can serve jail time for not disclosing their HIV status to others in certain situations.

In the politics of the play, we see the seeds of our current political moment. The historical Roy Cohn, who appears as a character in the play, was a mentor to Donald Trump. Our country is caught, as all of the play’s characters are caught, in this moment between moving forward into progressive

We’re still dealing with the consequences of the extreme government neglect people with AIDS faced in the initial years of the epidemic. That history wasn’t taught to me in school. I learned it from Angels in America. change or falling backward into reactionary conservatism.

What do you most want audiences go to get from Angels?

The play is so vast it’s hard to pinpoint one thing I hope audiences get from it. I hope we’re able to engage their minds AND their hearts at the same time – or at least in the same space of time.

Angels in America runs through February 17, with both halves running on Saturdays. Visit actorsexpress.com. theQatl.com

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Q

STAGE

And you thought you and yours had it rough.

Meet Charlotte & Jonny at Out Front Theatre

W

hen Out Front launched as Atlanta’s LGBTQ theater with shows like Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical and The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, audiences thought we knew what to expect. Since then, the troupe has surprised and delighted with some selections from left field.

Enter The Mystery of Love and Sex, which opens on February 1 and runs through February 18 at Out Front. Written by Bathsheba Doran, the poignant and humorous show shares a complex love story that will take audiences on a journey from laughter to tears and back.

Deep in the heart of the South, Charlotte and Jonny have been best friends since they were nine. She’s Jewish, he’s Christian; he’s black, she’s white. Their differences intensify their connection, until sexual desire complicates everything in surprising, compulsive ways. The performance portrays an unexpected love story about the intertwining of souls and consequences of growing up.

If it sounds like the ultimate complicated love story, both characters also question their sexuality through the course of the play. But that’s not the only reason the show was selected by the all-queer, all-the-time theater troupe, according to the local production’s director Amber Bradshaw.

“The Mystery of Love and Sex is a coming out story,” she asserts. “We all have to come out into the world, open up our shell, step out of our closet and introduce ourselves.”

But the play is so much more, Bradshaw adds.

“It’s also a story of redemption, second chances and the many ways we love each other. The mysteries of life are not answered, but questions are brought forth about what it means to deeply connect with another human being,” she says.

“Because life is like that – hard and soft, cold and hot, love and hatred, all at once. And that’s the mystery of it all.”

The Mystery of Love and Sex is a real “get” in the theater world, and with its selection Out Front shows its eye for good work and its chops for securing it.

Since its premiere production at New York’s Lincoln Center Theater in 2015, the play has been produced regionally by some of the nation’s most respected theater companies. Out Front Theatre Company presents the touching and humorous new work in its first Southern incarnation.

The show stars Terrance Smith as Jonny and Rachel Wansker at Charlotte.

Donald McManus and Tiffany Morgan round out the cast.

Tyler Ogburn Photography

It’s

You’re already convinced, but for the heathens and art The Mystery of Love and Sex contains full nudity.

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The Mystery of Love and Sex stages Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. on February 1-18 at Out Front Theatre Company. outfronttheatre.com

DRINK! AT CACTUS HOUSE MIDTOWN

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ATLANTA FIELD DAY KICKOFF AT WOOFS

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SWEET TEA AT MAMMAL GALLERY

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MANILA LUZON AT FEMME FATALE

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Q

THEQ?!

It’s Not

ABOUT YOU

Whether you’re jumping to conclusions, they’re taking you for granted, or you’re new to love, it’s about more than No. 1

Q

I’ve been dating this successful business professional, and on the morning of our biggest date yet, she texted that her workday imploded and she had to reschedule. I’m livid. How could she? And how could I have gotten my signals so messed up?

Dear Naive: Take a breath. What if – gasp! – it’s not about you. What if she called as soon as she could and hoped you’d understand that life can get in the way of RomCom perfection?

Q

My boyfriend tends to pat my ass on his way out the door, and that’s the extent of affection. He says that if I had a better job, I’d understand why he’s so busy. He also thinks “more suitable employment” would make me better able to hang with his rich friends when they go away on weekends. How can I measure up?

Dear Victim: You do need to make a change, but not in your job. As much

theQatl.com

From the way he treats you, to his demeaning comments, to the time he finds for friends but not you, this is all about him.

Consider this information your free ticket away from this guy’s emotional abuse.

She texted that her workday imploded and she had to reschedule.

I’m livid. How could she?

As long as you’re making assumptions, why not assume that she’s being honest and the cancellation has nothing to do with you? Getting your head straight will smooth things out internally as well as in your relationship.

38

as he would like you to think that adjusting your life would suit him, this isn’t about you.

Q

I’m 19 and in love. What do experienced queers know that I can learn early?

Dear Gayby: Trust yourself. If you don’t, explore why and get there before you commit to someone else.

Past that, relationships are learning experiences. Here are a few lessons coming in your future: It’s no longer about you; it’s about “us.” You marry their family as well as them; Bathroom taboos and personal space evaporate; Both of you have to change some; Relationships are works in progress and never finished.

The Q is intended for entertainment purposes and not as professional counseling. Send your burning Qs to mike@qmagatlanta.com.

Illustration by Brad Gibson

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