Q
March 22, 2018
Q ueer Atlanta’s SPRING AWAKENING
inform | inspire
Affair of the
ART
Best Places for Q-ATL DAYDRINKING
Spectra Showcase Spotlights LGBTQ Artists
Oops, You Fell for YOUR BEST FRIEND Defending Your PERSONAL BOUNDARIES
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Queer Agenda 10 Queer Things Q Shots
The Weekly Print Publication of Project Q Atlanta
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gynecomastia:
The Male Curse So many men have enlarged breasts. Did you know that 30-60% of men are affected by large breasts? This common condition affects the self-esteem of men. The cause and treatments remain a mystery for most men because we never discuss the issue. If you are embarrassed to remove your shirt in public or in private because of your chest… you have Gynecomastia. Gynecomastia is caused by an imbalanced ratio of testosterone to estrogen at puberty. This imbalance can cause fat and/or glandular tissue to be deposited in greater quantity in the breasts. Gym steroids can cause or contribute to gynecomastia. Surgery is the only way to fix the problem. Liposuction with or without glandular excision is the cure. These procedures are performed as out-patient surgeries. Most men will miss only a few days from work. Post-operative pain and discomfort is minimal. Since there are no adverse health effects with Gynecomastia, it is considered a cosmetic surgical procedure. The cost of the treatment is similar to liposuction costs. Keith Jeffords, MD is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Smyrna, Georgia. He is the 2018 Moderator for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ series on “Aesthetic Surgery for Men” and lecturer on Gynecomastia.
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EDITOR’S NOTE Q Q MAGAZINE THE WEEKLY PUBLICATION OF PROJECT Q ATLANTA PUBLISHERS INITIAL MEDIA, LLC 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 RUSS@QMAGATLANTA.COM ART DIRECTOR JOHN NAIL JOHN@QMAGATLANTA.COM CONTRIBUTORS LAURA BACCUS BUCK C. COOKE JON DEAN BRAD GIBSON TAMEEKA L. HUNTER SUNNI JOHNSON ERIC PAULK DUSTIN SHRADER DISCLAIMER 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.”
SPRING
Awakenings Longer days and sunshine inspire queer art, cocktails and libidos in this week’s issue
DON’T LOOK NOW, BUT THERE’S A BIG yellow fireball in the sky behind the clouds over Atlanta, and it’s warming my face. If it doesn’t quit, I might even shuck some of these layers. Yes, I’m hokey, but don’t miss me with your own cheesy exaltations of recognition that spring is finally shining on queer Atlanta. This week’s Q magazine knows you’re not alone in that budding enthusiasm for all things fresh, light and outdoorsy. An overflowing number of queer events was our first clue that the season is turning as party promoters, community organizers and just about everyone else pokes out their heads to see the sun. It continues this week in our Queer Agenda calendar, and you can see it already happening in an up-sized Q Shots section with eight glorious pages of smiles from across the LGBTQ-ATL. To celebrate, let’s go #daydrinking. Far more than just drinking during the day – no really – it’s a whole thing. MIKE FLEMING EDITOR & PUBLISHER We take you through a full day of weekend pub crawling done right and recommend queer and queer-friendly Patio Places to tag your pics along the way Or maybe you want to drink at home. 10 Spring Drinks offer recipes with a queer twist that drop a flavor bomb on your own backyard. Nowhere is our excitement for blossoming Atlanta queerdom than at the Spectra Queer Art Showcase. Photographer and artist Cameron Lee and his promo-genius other half Rigel Gemini are new to town, and they’re making a huge splash with their art and this show. Take a tour of their art and their efforts in our cover spread, and see why all signs point to The Event of the Year So Far when Spectra opens this weekend at Revelator Coffee. Speaking of queers budding in Atlanta, Instacouple Rick and Griff Twombley-King are making your thirst their business in Cashing In, and readers in our advice column The Q are falling for and/or sleeping with their best friends. The weekly features you’re coming to expect in Q mag are all here, including Q News from our Project Q Atlanta home site. In our opinion section, Voices, counselor Alexandra Tyler talks relationships and offers help for folks who put other people’s feelings over their own. Enjoy the offerings, and reach out to me at mike@qmagatlanta.com. I’ll be here working away on the next issue and welcome your feedback and ideas. Be sure to pick us up each week, and visit us at theQatl.com for fresh content daily. theQatl.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE VOLUME 1 ISSUE 18
MARCH 22, 2018
10 QUEER THINGS Drink up
18
COVER STORY
8
Art Fags Spectra showcase colors our world
CASHING IN
13 10
Pay Per View
26 Lewk Out
Fans pay for privilege of seeing ATL Instacouple PLACES
14
Patio People
31 Team Spirit
#Daydrinking in queer Atlanta
FEATURES Q Voices Q News
10
Q Shots
26
Queer Agenda The Q 4
6
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38
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Q
Q VOICES
Sacrificing
YOURSELF When we take too much responsibility for loved ones’ feelings over our own
PEOPLE WITH POOR BOUNDARIES IN RELATIONSHIPS often fall into two groups – people who take too much responsibility for the actions and emotions of others, and those who don’t take enough responsibility for their own. The person who takes too much responsibility for others is often motivated by believing they have to sacrifice themselves for others in order to think of themselves, or be thought of by others, as a good person. They might also be motivated by a fear of rejection if they assert their needs, wants and rights. A third motivation might be a desire to avoid conflict or the emotional meltdown of the other person.
been raised by emotionally unstable or immature adults or find themselves in an adult relationship with someone who tends to not take responsibility for their own emotions or is mentally, emotionally or physically abusive. When one partner expresses their pain, the partner who takes too much responsibility might feel immediately guilty without the first partner even suggesting the guilty-feeling partner forego their own feelings. Many people have such a strong, painful emotional response when a partner feels pain or discomfort that they jump to accommodate in order to relieve their own pain. Others try to stand up for themselves, but find themselves getting quickly confused as their partner justifies and rationalizes why they should be accommodated. Here are a few things you can do to begin identifying your personal boundaries and defending them. Explore your thoughts and beliefs. Why did you feel guilty and ashamed? Try imagining the same scenario, but replace you and your partner with two other people in your imagination. If you think a stranger shouldn’t put up with certain behaviors, why afford this other person more rights, more autonomy, and more humanity, than yourself in the same situation?”
Join online or in-person support groups of other people with similar struggles. Consider journaling about when you feel you are accommodating ALEXANDRA There is a strong traditional cultural component T Y LER , LCSW, CCH others and don’t really want to, and consider what you might do differently if you felt stronger, for the first two beliefs, especially for women braver or more independent. and especially in the South. In the traditional gender model, to be a good wife or mother, women are told they must almost always put their desires, goals and needs last. There is also a traditional gender component for men, too. It tends to coalesce around sacrificing what he really wants in order to be a breadwinner, or the disciplinarian, and feeling responsible for financially supporting others.
These traditional gender components can be picked up by anyone, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Those of us in the LGBTQ community may have felt others expecting us to conform to gender expectations with which we did not identify. Or, we may have identified with and taken on gender expectations with which others did not expect us to identify. Regardless, none of these motivations are psychologically or emotionally healthy, nor are they building blocks for a healthy relationship. Even so, people can be conditioned to take on the responsibility for other people’s emotions, especially if they have 6
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Start standing up for yourself, maybe in smaller ways at first, and make note of what responses you get – what works, what doesn’t, and how good it feels to succeed, even in small things. If you’re avoiding conflict or another person’s emotional meltdown, your guilt is only part of the problem. The other part is controlling effect those conflicts have on you. As always, if you can’t address these steps on your own, seek professional support. Next time, I’ll help identify a health compromise for those who simply want to accommodate the other person. Alexandra Tyler is an LGBTQ, poly, kink, sex worker supportive mental health therapist in Atlanta. She specializes in treating trauma/ PTSD, depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues and teaching relationship communication. Twitter @ATylerLCSW, Facebook @AlexandraTylerLCSW.CCH. Read her columns on her website, CultivatingJoy.net. One-time reprint here and on theQatl.com with permission.
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10 QUEER THINGS
Cheers,
Toast to spring with quick drink upgrades featuring a queer twist
Queers! By Mike Fleming
Party Thyme Lemonade You’re always ready with equal parts Lemon-Thyme syrup, citrus vodka, and club soda. Garnish with fresh thyme and put sugar on the glass rim.
Suckle, Honey. So easy, and everybody wants one. Tequila, honey, syrup (half water), lime juice, and suck!
Go Green Hot Passion Simple syrup, passion fruit puree, lime juice, chili-infused tequila. So hot. Add chili pepper garnish if you dare. 8
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Refreshing and perfectly suited to warm-weather pursuits, this mojito substitutes a half-cup of brewed, chilled green tea for most of the lime juice.
Bae Bourbini Fall in love all over again when you do bourbon, peach liqueur, sparkling wine and a dash fo peach bitters.
Macho Margarita Put the sashay in your old margarita with a couple of extras that make it look fab and taste even better. Throw frozen strawberries and fresh basil into the blender.
Berry Gay
Cute & Cukey
Huckleberry reduction, huckleberry juice or blueberry juice, vodka and vanilla. Drop berries into the glasses and sugar the rim if desired.
Your gin and tonic just got a gay upgrade. Add cucumber and rosemary, and you’ll be going back for more. As if you wouldn’t already. Put cucumber and lime in your gin and tonic. , Garnish with rosemary.
Diva Juice Femme Fatale You’re always just a little better when you’re a little bad. That’s what makes this classic El Diablo with a modern, great-looking twist. Frozen limeade and tequila get a kick with crème de cassis and ginger beer.
Melons are just starting to trickle back into circulation. They might not prime for eating yet, but they don’t have to be perfect to make you the belle of the cocktail ball. Muddle seeded watermelon and cucumber with mint leaves, then add the mix to half tripel sec and half lime juice. Cocktails adapted from The Kitchen, Organic Shaken & Stirred, DIY Drinks, Backyard Bartender theQatl.com
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CASHING IN
SEX Sells 10
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By Mike Fleming LOCAL QUEER MUSCLE cuties Rick and Griff TwombleyKing have been turning heads in Atlanta’s gay male scene for years. Both enjoy showing off the fruits of their labor in Rick’s eponymous personal training business by going shirtless – and maybe a little more – on social media.
Atlanta Instacouple monetizes people’s thirst for them with pay-per-peek views
When they joined forces in life and on Instagram, the combination of their looks and hidden talents for entertaining continues to be irresistible to look at for a growing number of fans outside Atlanta. Add their gift for dubsmashing showtunes, and a global gay viral thirst was born.
After marrying each other and their individual Instagram accounts into one sexy union, the couple has taken Instafame to new heights. By mid-March this year, they’re closing in on 200,000 followers with revealing stills and fun videos including renditions of Little Mermaid tunes and “What Is This Feeling” from Wicked. Now the site OnlyFans allows them to show way more skin (and even more than that). For a fee, fans pay for the privilege to peek
behind the curtain of their lives. It’s all for show and reveals just a small portion of their actual life and relationship, but it’s a tidbit that thousands are definitely watching. According to a new mini-documentary on Vice, the pair is investing a ton of personal time and effort into making the new venture pay off. In short, they’re treating it like a job, including professional photography and videos.
While fans of gay porn – yes, you – won’t want to give up those more salacious subscriptions for the money shots, these husbands hope that there’s room for their sexual teases, workout videos and food prep tutorials, and that they resonate enough to earn some of your hardearned coins. Critics call it narcissism, but the couple calls it exhibitionism. And while they say they’re out to set an example for other gay men, they like getting fans’ blood pressure rising. “It’s a turn-on, frankly,” Rick tells Vice. Let the photos on these pages help you decide if you are smelling what they’re cooking. Follow Rick Twombley and Griff King on Instagram @rick_and_the_ griffopotamus, where you’ll find links to their other work.
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NEWS BRIEFS
DeKalb sheriff fights to keep job after Piedmont Park cruising arrest By Matt Hennie DEKALB SHERIFF JEFFREY MANN – ARRESTED LAST year after allegedly cruising for sex in Piedmont Park – fought to retain his law enforcement certification on March 8 in an appeal to the Peace Officer Standards & Training Council. The council revoked Mann’s certification last September, some four months after Atlanta police arrested Mann in Piedmont Park. Armed with two condoms, the sheriff allegedly exposed himself and masturbated in front of an Atlanta police officer in an area of the park near 10th Street known for men seeking men for sex. He led the officer on a quarter-mile chase along 10th Street and Argonne Avenue before surrendering. Mann to plead guilty to charges of obstruction and prohibited conduct in July, according to the AJC. He was fined $2,000 fine and ordered to serve 80 hours of community service. A judge also banished Mann from city parks for six months. In September, POST – the state panel that certifies law enforcement officers – revoked his certification. If Mann loses his certification, state law mandates that he be removed from office. Mann has said little publicly since his arrest last year. Initially, Mann called the incident a misunderstanding and then asked for support. A week after the arrest, Mann issued a statement
though an attorney apologizing for “the unfavorable light I have brought on this county.” The fight over Mann’s law enforcement certification could be lengthy. Via WSB: According to their process, POST can do one of three things as a result of arguments heard in the hearing: take no action, vote on a recommendation to issue another sanction or uphold this sanction to revoke Mann’s certification. If the latter occurs, Mann can appeal to the Office of State Administrative Hearings, known as OSAH. An Administrative Law Judge would oversee that hearing, and the state attorney would represent POST. If it got to this point, and Mann did not agree with that judge, the case could head to Superior Court.
Georgia House committee approves hate crimes bill By Matt Hennie
County. The Senate passed Tippins’ bill on February 23.
A HATE CRIMES BILL THAT WOULD PROTECT people based on sexual orientation and gender – though not gender identity – was approved by a key Republican-led committee in the Georgia House on March 8.
The new combined bill increases sentences for crimes targeting people based on their actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, and mental or physical disability. The bill passed strips out gender identity from the versions by Hanson and Bennett. Hanson tried to add gender identity back to the new bill, but that effort failed.
The vote by the House Judiciary Civil Committee was likely the furthest an LGB-inclusive hate crimes bill has advanced since the legislature passed a hate crimes bill in 2000. That measure was dumped by the Georgia Supreme Court in 2004, leaving Georgia as one of just fives states without hate crime protections. Lawmakers pulled language from two hate crimes measures – House Bill 633 from Rep. Meagan Hanson, a Brookhaven Republican, and House Bill 660 from Rep. Karen Bennett, a Stone Mountain Democrat – and added language from those to Senate Bill 373. That measure, from Marietta Republican Sen. Lindsey Tippins, adds a Superior Court judge in Cobb 12
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Even with the approval by the Judiciary Civil Committee, the legislation faces a long legislative process. It moves to the House Rules Committee, which could send it to a full vote by the House at any time. If the House passes the legislation, it would return to the Senate for its approval with the substitute hate crimes language. The legislative session ends March 29. Our team at Project Q Atlanta covers news of LGBTQ interest daily at theQatl.com.
I am a candidate for an open seat on the Fulton County Superior Court for the May 22, 2018 election. I decided to seek this position because the citizens of Fulton County should have a highly qualified judge to represent their interests. The citizens of Fulton County expect and deserve to be served by a judiciary that is transparent and fair. I will serve the citizens in an expeditious manner that is transparent and fair. My legal career of twenty-two years has afforded me a broad range of experience which includes private practice, Assistant Solicitor for the City of Atlanta, and most recently, supervising the largest division of the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office as a Deputy District Attorney. Each of these positions were in service to Fulton County Citizens, resulting in a wealth of knowledge, understanding and respect for the great people of Fulton County. As Georgia’s laws become more complex, there is a call for judges who demonstrate an understanding of how the law affects all citizens. More importantly, all judges should serve from the moral position that every citizen who stands before the court has both a legal and constitutional right to fair and unbiased proceedings and rulings. Having served as lead counsel on a gamut of case types, I am equipped with the years and variety of legal experience to ensure my ability to serve as your next Fulton County Superior Court Judge with wisdom, fairness and a work ethic that has gone unmatched. I have included a list of professionals from various fields who serve our community and who support my candidacy for this position. I am asking you to join them and vote for me on May 22, 2018. Early voting begins on April 30, 2018.
E N D O R S E M E N T S
Bensonetta Tipton Lane Former Superior Court Judge
Brenda BJ Bernstein Attorney
William Boddie State Representative
Rev. Dr. Anton Rowe, Senior Pastor
Greater Solid Rock Baptist Church Attorney
Sherry Boston Dekalb County District Attorney
Page Pate Partner Pate & Johnson, Adjunct Professor University of Georgia School of Law, Legal Analyst for CNN and WABE
Keith Meadows Chief
Dr. Reverend William John E. Floyd Partner, Bondurant, Edward Flippin, Jr. Mixson, and Elmore Pastor LLP, Author Rico State Emmanuel Lutheran By State a Guide to Church ECLA Litigation Under the State Racketeering Statutes
L. David Wolfe Criminal Defense Attorney
Sam Park State Representative
Renee Rockwell Byron Amos Attorney Board Member Atlanta Licensed to practice in Public Schools Georgia, Louisiana and Texas, Legal Analyst for CNN, HLN, MSNBC, FOX
Sara Becker Trial Attorney Arora & LaScala
Marcia Mack Director of Accounting Southeast Region for a Fortune 500 Company
Fani Willis
Judicial Candidate Fulton County Superior Court
EDUCATION, MEMBERSHIPS, & PROFESSIONAL ACCOLADES
• Howard University, Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude, December 1992 • Emory University School of Law, 1996 • Law and Justice Award, Woman of The Year, Georgia's Most Powerful and Influential Attorneys 2017- 2018
• Lewis R. Slaton Award, 2005, 2006, and 2011 (only three time winner in history) • Member, Georgia Bar Association • Member, Georgia Association of Women Lawyers • Member, We All Value Excellence (WAVE)
ELECTION: MAY 22, 2018 - EARLY VOTING BEGINS APRIL 30, 2018 Visit us at: www.faniwillis.com
@electfaniwillisjudge2018
@electfaniwillisjudge2018
@electfaniwillis
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PLACES
Imbibing during daylight is almost a queer rite of passage. Here are our favorite places to tag with #daydrinking this patio season By Mike Fleming
hances are you are already one of the Atlanta queers responsible for putting the gay-drinking in #daydrinking. On its face, #daydrinking could appear to be just drinking during the day. Well, that’s correct, but the LGBTQ-ATL makes it more fabulous than that. With our help, you can make it a full day of bar hopping. Make no mistake. There is a right way to get the most out of it, so update your ride sharing app and come along on our little queer crawl of local hotspots.
BRUNCH
When brunch goes long with flowing mimosas or bloodies so good that you lose track of time, welcome to #daydrinking Pro Tip: Brunch holds a key for the successful #daydrinker: Food. Carb up because you’ll need it.
DAYDRI Hit Henry’s, Campagnolo, Las Margaritas, Zocalo’s, Cowtippers, and Roxx for Midtown queers. Try Raging Burrito in Decatur, Mezcalito’s in Grant Park, or if you’re working the Beltline, Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall and Lingering Shade are sure bets. We also love all the little boutique eateries in Emory Village.
BAR HOURS
Now that she’s gone, your next stop might be a place where everybody knows your name. Or at least, they will by the time you leave. Maybe one of your friends is griping about how much he spent on brunch, but you’re feeing magnanimous. Another round on you! Besides, you’re on a mission: #daydrinking #hellyeah Pro Tip: Blake’s has good food, and #daydrinkers need that, remember? Have a bite.
THEME QUEENS
From ‘90s throwbacks to Disco, from Bowie tributes to covers-only and beyond, #daydrinking is literally in the event name each Saturday in East Atlanta. Pro Tip: Mary’s weekly #Daydrunk pours on a new theme every Saturday from 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. Walk over to Midway 14
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INKING Pub for good grub and a cool vibe. Over in Buckhead, hit the Revival Drag Brunch at Whiskey Mistress.
PATIO PLAY It’s time again to soak up some of that alcohol while you soak up some sun. Pace yourself on a patio or deck, and be cool around the non #daydrinking patrons. Despite your deepest feelings otherwise, your rendition of “Walking on Sunshine” is not about to win friends any minute now. Pro Tip: Depending on where you started, find new scenery by freeing up a table at one place to take a load off at any of the other venues we’ve already mentioned. Also, the new Drag Brunch at Cactus House is super popular right now.
SUNDAY FUNDAY
By now, you’re in prime form to hit a main event, and Sunday central is at the corner of Gay & Gayer. And because we know you’re thinking it, no shots. Repeat: Do not do shots. Shots are the sworn enemy of #daydrinking. Pro Tip: As if you haven’t already, hit Ten every Sunday around 4 p.m., or venture over to 529 in East Atlanta every Saturday for the 420 Open Mic 4-ish p.m.
GO DRUNK. YOU’RE HOME
Girl, it’s time for you to go. At home, eat. Once more with feeling. Strap on your eatin’ dress and devour carbs and grease. Not only will this be the best thing you ever tasted in your life, it will save you tomorrow. theQatl.com
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S G UR U P ES R R TS ISE ac he ! l
Se s ing pr yS nd Sa
WHISKEY MISTRESS
3161 Maple Dr. NE • Atlanta, GA 30305 Next to Buckhead Pet Smart
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Doors open at 2 Show starts at 3 p.m. cover DJ Spins at 5 p.m.
$5
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SUNDAY MARCH 25, 2018
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Relive the good ol’ days at our drag show and t dance!
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THE QUEER AGENDA The Best Queer Things To Do in Atlanta This Week
March 22 - March 28
FRIDAY, MARCH 23 Party for Princess
The beloved Princess Charles Kollock needs major medical funding, and this dance party
is here to help @ My Sister’s Room, 10 p.m. Spectra
The first queer art showcase of its kind features works by six local
talents @ Revelator Coffee, 8 p.m. Read our preview in this issue.
SATURDAY, MARCH 24 Lisa Lampanelli
The singularly hilarious comic with the big gay following hits the stage @ Center Stage, 7 p.m.
Let the Games Begin
The latest concert from the LGBTQ instru-
mentalists of Atlanta Freedom Bands plays @
Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 8 p.m. Neon Neverland
Everything glows, including your get-up and
the underwear on the go-go boys @ BJ Roosters, 9 p.m.
Michelle Malone
The local lesbian legend releases her latest CD of blues rock awesomeness @ Eddie’s Attic,
9:30 p.m. eddiesattic.com
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Writers! Photographers! Q magazine and Project Q seek to expand our pool of contributors Reporting, commentary, event pics, portraits and photo essays. Help us express Atlanta’s diverse LGBTQ perspectives on a one-time or recurring basis. Samples to mike@qmagatlanta.com
Dine Out for Pride
A portion of your bill goes to Atlanta Pride when you gobble the goodies @ Agave, 5 p.m. atlantapride.org
SUNDAY, MARCH 25 Field Day Margarita Bust
Get ready for next week’s annual day of playground games with
bottomless margs, silent auction, raffle and more @ Ten Atlanta, 2 p.m. atlfieldday.com, tenatlanta.com
Project Q Atlanta’s full Queer Agenda with dozens of events hits each Thursday at theQatl.com.
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ART
1 of 4 new “Spectra� works by Cameron Lee featuring Aaron Valenzuela. Each element is photographed individually and digitally collaged. @cameronleeart. Prints available at rigelgemini.bigcartel.com after March 23. 18
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S
By Sunni Johnson pring has sprung! Though difficult to tell whether we are trying to frolic in a flowerful but frosty breeze or tank top temperature, it’s time for queer Atlanta to celebrate the lush season of wildly romantic release of blossoming trees and upcoming lively activities of festivals, music and art. Enriching springtime’s local queer art sphere is the Spectra showcase, set for this week from a creative couple new to Atlanta hailing from Los Angeles, artist Cameron Lee and influencer extraordinaire Rigel Gemini. They were featured in February’s Love Issue of Q, and as Atlanta newbies, they’ve been enthusiastically connecting with the local arts community since their relocation from the West Coast. “We were searching for a place that had a relatively warm climate, lots of gay people, social acceptance, and a vibrant creative scene,” Rigel explains. “We visited in April 2017, and Cameron not only agreed, he was ecstatic to see the thriving art community here. From there, Cameron was even more determined than I was to move to Atlanta. We realized that Atlanta is at the center of so much right now, and people in cities like LA and New York don’t even realize.” The couple moved cross-country to Atlanta in July 2017. By December, they were sure and made their first home purchase. Each with a keen eye for talent, the couple further shows their love for their new stomping grounds by curating the upcoming group show Spectra Queer Art Showcase at Revelator Coffee in West Midtown on Friday, March 23. Cameron’s own photography and collages will be part of the show. His work ranges from event pics to editorial, fine arts to polished blogging. But style in particular is Cameron’s specialty, including a previous partnership with LA Fashion Week. Unveiling four new artworks from his galaxy-inspired collection (“Aaron’ this page), the showcase also includes works from Cameron’s “Flores Fatales” series, including this week’s Q magazine cover “Mikayla.” These digital collages combine classical painting with a vibrant, ethereal edge in portraits that are energetically femme and dripping with androgynous ambiance. More of his work can be seen on the following pages to whet your appetite for the show. Spectra debuts just shy of the Spring Equinox by a few days. True to the season, it showcase five other blossoming, queer-identified, Atlanta-based artists. Savana Ogburn’s collage style and love of a colorful palette pay homage to Cindy Sherman and Pierre et Gilles but are distinctly fresh with a personal aesthetic all her own. Taylor Alxndr, musician, organizer and founder of Southern Fried Queer Pride, shows her disposable cam snapshots that highlight ATL’s rich genderqueer underground performance community. Local queer photographer and Q contributor Jon Dean, who is also editor in
Affair of the
ART
First showcase from new queers in town kickstarts Atlanta’s season of art, music and festivals chief at Wussy Mag, is set to show new works featuring Atlanta queens in their homes and in nature.
Shanisia Person, who studied illustration at SCAD and contributes to the queer party circuit as DJ La Cochino, creates strikingly surreal watercolor drawings and paintings that express gender variant subject matter. Photographer and graphic designer LaRue Calliet shows new work from his series En Tissu (French for “fabric”),which highlights his appreciation for beauty alongside studious technique with results that are intimate, sensual and crystalline. “It came from a time in my life where I felt I had no control and I wasn’t able to be myself,” LaRue tells Q. “I was drawn to using fabric, a big fan and models, athletes and dancers to convey my emotions. With each shoot a little bit of my stress was released.” Each artist brings a unique approach and use of mediums, so the variation of work and style in the same space, as well as the popularity of the featured artists and Rigel and Cameron’s deft curation, should create a show and an event to remember. Spectra Queer Art Showcase takes place March 23 at Revelator Coffee, 3423 Piedmont Road NE, 8 p.m. Tickest on Eventbrite. For more on Cameron Lee’s work, visit cameronleeart.com. Follow the couple on Instagram @rigelgemini and @cameronleeart theQatl.com
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“James” from Cameron Lee’s “Flores Fatales” series. @cameronleeart 20
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“Amanda” from Cameron Lee’s “Flores Fatales” series. @cameronleeart
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“Starchild� by Cameron Lee featuring Dru Morales wearing Del Hacienda. @cameronleeart 22
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Savana Ogburn
Savana Ogburn
Shanisia Person
More to
Jon Dean
LOVE Featured art in the
Spectra showcase also include work by these and Shanisia Person
other local queer artists. LaRue Calliet
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Jon Dean
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LEWK PARTY WITH WILL SHERIDAN AT DEEP END
PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD 26
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RISE WITH DJ PAULO AT HERETIC
PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD
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HOTLANTA SOFTBALL BEER BUST AT LAS MARGARITAS
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REVIVAL DRAG BRUNCH AT WHISKEY MISTRESS
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PHOTOS BY MATT HENNIE
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HONEY DIJON WITH DEEP SOUTH AT MUSIC ROOM
PHOTOS BY LAURA BACCUS 36
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NIGHTLY DRINK SPECIALS!
Q
THEQ?! Friends &
LOVERS
When friends become crushes or friends with benefits, communication breakdown is the enemy
Q
You know when you wake up the next morning and go, “So that happened”? Well, it happened. I had sex with my best friend. I saw it coming, but did he? If he sees it as a total mistake, things might be weird now. If he’s glad it happened, there could be more to explore.
Dear Lovesick: There’s a reason communication is key: It works. Even so, too much of it can be Kryptonite for some people who view facing feelings as tantamount to self-destruction. That’s a problem, but it’s pointless and ineffective to make it yours alone to fix. Forcing people into conversations they aren’t equipped to handle can be disastrous. You have two choices. One is to let it go without revealing yourself. The other is to tell her in the most non-confrontational way possible – “Hey, I’ve got this situation, and I’m wanting to know your thoughts (not feelings!) about it.” And then you have to still let it go. If she’s interested, let her circle back around to it in her own time. The former option to leave it unspoken may sound harsh but is worth considering. If you are the type of person who pushes for emotional resolutions, not only are you her worst nightmare, you won’t thrive in a relationship that avoids communication, either. You might be better off not getting involved.
When we’re not queening out and laughing, he’s kind of the strong-silent type. How can I find out where we stand? Dear Mind Reader: You didn’t write in to a psychic, but I am getting a signal. Like you, I have no idea how your friend feels. Luckily, we have a tried and true method to find out: Communication. Ask him how he feels. From there, you’ll know how to move your friendship forward. Chances are that he is asking himself the same questions. Living in fear of the answers is worse than knowing them. This is still your best friend, and you are still you. The only way to make it weird would be to let it fester. Barring supernatural insight, something tells me if you can queen out, laugh, and still want into each other’s pants, this may be a deeper match.
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I’m in love with my best friend. Half the time I think she must know exactly how I feel, but the other half, she seems clueless. To make matters worse, she is notorious for not sharing her feelings. I think a lot about how much I’d like to bring down her emotional barriers, but I’ve seen her bolt at the slightest hint somebody wants to get serious. Blurting it out won’t work. I might spook her permanently. I’ve made eyes and dropped hints until the cows come home. She’s not reading them. How can I get through?
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Here’s a super gay conundrum for you. I’m want a guy named Paul, but Paul has the hots for Noah. And, yep, Noah is all about me. Help! Dear Coven Cluster: That you’re all friends is a great start. Buy a bottle of wine and call a meeting. Y’all’s knots can’t get any more twisted by applying some honest communication to the situation. The Q is for entertainment purposes and not professional counseling. Send your burning Qs to mike@qmagatlanta.com. Illustration by Brad Gibson
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