Q
Atlanta Straps On LEATHER PRIDE
inform | inspire
April 12, 2018
Q ueer, Latinx, Feminist &
‘HERE NOR THERE’ Ni Aquí Ni Allá Art Show
Is Pop Culture QUEER CULTURE? Poz and Neg and MIND-BLOWING SEX
10 Reasons to
TRY LEATHER
+
The Q Queer Agenda Q Shots
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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
L WORD Leather, Latinx, The
libations and love
WHEN THE EAGLE TURNS 31, a queer feminist collective meets at the intersection of art and identity, and a second new gay bar in as many weeks gets the nod, it must be time for another edition of Q magazine. We are here for all of it and more, and we are here for you. It’s down to little thing we call The Love, and we show it for LGBTQ Atlanta every week in every way we can. That’s right, “the L word” isn’t just for lesbians any more, though of course you’ll find those LGBTQ-ATLiens on our pages as well. This week, the love goes out to Ni Aquí Ni Allá in our Cover Story of vibrant photos by Patricia Villafane and an interview by Sunni Johnson. Their name means “Neither Here Nor There,” but this team of four artists is anything but aimless. Their group show hosting more than 20 intersectional artists next week explores what it means to be queer, Latinx and feminist.
ART DIRECTOR JOHN NAIL JOHN@QMAGATLANTA.COM CONTRIBUTORS LAURA BACCUS BUCK C. COOKE JON DEAN BRAD GIBSON TAMEEKA L. HUNTER SUNNI JOHNSON ERIC PAULK VINCE SHIFFLETT ALEXANDRA TYLER 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.”
But before that, there’s a queer event landing at the Eagle in our Events section that will pack the weekend. As the bar celebrates an anniversary more than three decades in the making, the folks at Southeast Black & Blue help throw a celebration that includes the Mr. and Ms. Atlanta Eagle title contests. MIKE FLEMING EDITOR & PUBLISHER
To get you in the mood, we explore reasons everyone should try leather once before they die in 10 Queer Things. It’s so hot, you may need a drink. Lucky there’s yet another new gay bar in the works on our News pages. Just as you get used to putting Midtown Tavern on your rounds, the owners of Oscar’s buy Burkhart’s with plans to change the name and completely renovate its look and late-stage reputation. Spreading the love further, columnist Ian Aber explores the connection queers have to pop culture in Voices. We think he’s onto something. Also tapping into the LGBTQ zeitgeist are three readers in The Q advice column, all of whom think they might face a dealbreaker in their discordant relationships. This and every week, look to the Queer Agenda for upcoming events, our Q Shots pages for community photos, and our home site Project Q Atlanta for fresh daily content at theQatl.com. Like what you see? Write me any time at mike@qmagatlanta.com. theQatl.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE VOLUME 1 ISSUE 21
APRIL 12, 2018
10 QUEER THINGS Try Me
18
COVER STORY
10
At the Crossroads Ni Aquí Ni Allá
EVENTS
13 14
26 Gay Games
Eagle Flies
Atlanta Leather Pride Weekend NEWS
13
Fresh Start
33 Church Lady
New owners renovating Burkhart’s
FEATURES Q Voices Q News
13
Q Shots
26
Queer Agenda The Q 6
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38
36 Easter Bonnets
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Q VOICES
Finding My
LOST TRIBE When ‘gay’ and ‘queer’ meant ‘ain’t right’ and why pop culture is inherently gay THE LONGER I AM “GAY” THE MORE I WONDER IF I ever knew what that meant. Or has the definition become more complex in the age of identity? As a child in the 1970s, I was born into a world where the words to describe my sexuality or my otherness were not readily available. At home, I was described as “high spirited.” At school, the institutional term was “distraction.” At the doctor’s office, it was medically diagnosed as ADHD, and prescriptions were written. At five, my older brother cut through the muddle with his own assessment, that I most assuredly was “that way.” Though when pressed further to explain what “that way” meant and what implications it would have on the rest of my life, all my brother knew was that being “that way” also meant I “ain’t right.”
Sometimes it was overt gayness, but more often than not, there was a lot of implied gayness, and it was up to me to notice it and read between the lines. It was like a secret language that I was born understanding, a queer codex embedded in the DNA that made me see signs of queerness all around me. And I did see it all around, and I made sure to watch as much television as humanly possible, see every movie I could, listen to all kinds of music and search the library for books with queer themes or characters.
In our quest for identity, did many of us end up a perfect consumer demographic? In this pursuit to discover my culture, my people and my heritage, I unwittingly became a super consumer of pop culture. Because there was so little evidence of queerness in my daily life, I had to turn to something, and that something was pop culture to feed my need to see myself in the world. So much so, being a consumer of pop culture is something I have done longer than I’ve been doing...well, men. It is much a part of the gay identity as glitter, brunch and some other stereotype I hate but also completely embody.
All of this flashed through my mind as I sat It would be another three years before I heard IAN ABER watching Love, Simon, a sweet simple, if not the word “gay.” For three years, I lived in an a completely implausible, love story that has identity of being “that way” and “ain’t right,” been touted as ground breaking but then cast a straight actor and let me tell you, it’s not empowering. When I finally as the gay romantic lead. heard the word gay, it was immediately followed by every imaginable slur there was at the time. Is being a super consumer part of the queer identity? Are we the target market the straights say we are? Or in our quest While there was a part of me that felt shame in being this for identity, did many of us end up a perfect demographic weird thing, at least I knew what I was – and more imporbecause we had to excavate through popular culture to distantly, there were more of us out there. My lost tribe, as I cover ourselves and other queer people? used to think of it. My life at that point became about observing and noticing gay people in the world, to look for signs of intelligent and fabulous life. While there was little to see in real life at that age, there was evidence of homosexuality on TV and in movies, music and books.
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I’d go on but I have a couple series to binge watch, a podcast to catch up on, all the Drag Race gossip on Reddit to read, and about six hours of Real Housewives reunions to watch. Ian Aber is a standup comedian, show promoter, columnist and queer culture sponge living in Atlanta.
News | Events | Culture | Photos | Podcast
IN PRINT WEEKLY new content online daily Q Magazine
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10 QUEER THINGS
COMMUNITY UNITY
It’s not the gear, but the welcoming attitude that makes the queer leather community so great.
What’s So Great About
LEATHER? 10 reasons to check out queer Atlanta’s leather scene
DIVERSIFY
Far from clone stereotypes, leather events embrace far more various gender expressions, body types, social circles and archetypes than other LGBTQ circles.
BODY POSITIVE
By Mike Fleming
Welcome to the birthplace of the bear, otter, cub, wolf and pig communities, where more than one standard of beauty reigns.
WALK ON YOUR WILD SIDE
You only think you’re all vanilla all the time. Open your mind and see what you find. Others are into that one thing that’s always been in the back of your mind. 10
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SELF EMPOWERMENT
SENSORY OVERLOAD
Whether it’s because the gear makes you feel like a badass, or a harness focuses your super powers, leather emboldens your confidence.
You don’t necessarily have to be into BDSM to enjoy the sensations of this particular fabric against the skin.
HEAD GAMES
Roleplaying within the parameters of military and police protocols can heighten fantasies and experiment with your own psychology.
EMBRACE THE UNKNOWN If you’re hitting the same place with the same people, shake things up with a new view.
ROCK OUT WOMEN WERK
Commonly associated with men, leather groups specifically for female-identified queers thrive around the globe. Of course Atlanta offers a Ms. sash as well as a Mr. Eagle title.
Embrace the scene that metal icons Judas Priest and others specifically cite as their inspiration – long before JP’s lead singer came out. theQatl.com
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Q NEWS Q
Fresh
START
Oscar’s owners buy Burkhart’s, plan renovations and return to drag By Matt Hennie THE HOME OF ONCE-POPULAR BURKHART’S PUB will soon re-open with new owners and a fresh take on a twostory space that has served gay Atlanta nightlife for decades.
Oscar’s owner Chris McDonald and business partner Marco Penna completed the purchase of Burkhart’s equipment and signed a new lease with the property owner on March 30. They plan a soft opening in a few weeks, with renovations, a new entertainment lineup and improved menu to follow, Penna says. “I’m excited about it,” Penna tells Q. “I really want to jump in there and open the doors and welcome people in here with open arms.” The purchase by McDonald and Penna has been in the works for several weeks. The transaction starts a new chapter for the former home of Burkhart’s, which imploded in January during a controversy over racist social media posts from its owner. The bar’s entertainers quit, and a public forum showed that racism at the venue ran deeper than just its owner, and its general manager was fired. Burkhart’s closed its doors in February. It also marks the second announcement of a new gay nightlife space in Atlanta in as many weeks. On March 26, former Jungle owner Richard Cherskov and Keith Young, who owns GA Boy Productions and Xion, bought Midtown Tavern with plans to turn the restaurant and bar into a gay space. Penna helps McDonald operate Oscar’s, which sits across the Ansley Square parking lots from their new bar. He says Burkhart’s has been a special place to him since moving to Atlanta from New York in 2004. “This was the first bar I came into. I have a lot of memories, and I like the place,” Penna says of Burkhart’s. “You came here, and everybody was family. I had a connection to this place.” Penna also says that he and McDonald want to return “that special feeling back” and are prepared to work hard to repair the damage left behind by the bar’s former owners and manag-
Photo by Russ Youngblood Chris McDonald (left) and Marco Penna (right) during the Easter Drag Races on April 1.
ers. He adds that former mangers Don Hunnewell and Steve Tallas are not involved with the new bar. “It’s all about bringing our community back here again,” Penna says. As of press time, Penna and McDonald still haven’t decided on a name for the bar. They’ve considered Marco’s on Piedmont and 1492, but ut Penna says that 1492 – the bar’s address on Piedmont Avenue – brings with it ties to Christopher Columbus, a connection that wouldn’t be helpful for a space fighting to move past racial controversy. “I know my history,” Penna said. “I want this place to stand out on its own.” To help, Penna says the owners plan renovations that will remove the first floor bar to the left once customers enter. That will make room for a stage, which will likely house the Armorettes – the camp drag troupe moved to Oscar’s when entertainers fled Burkhart’s – and other shows. Plans also call for rearranging the DJ booth and replacing the pool tables upstairs with a piano and bistro tables. Customers can also look forward to an improved menu, expanded happy hour options and Sunday Brunch. Penna also plans to host more charitable events. “I want to bring a nice flavor to the place food-wise and bring back the happy hour meet and greets,” he says. Penna declines to discuss the purchase price or the terms of the lease. “I want to bring it back to the way it used to be,” Penna says. “We work hard all of our lives, and we need to come to a place where we feel good, where we feel like family here.” theQatl.com
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EVENTS
Eagle turns 31 playing home base to Atlanta Leather Pride Weekend and title contests
By Mike Fleming YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT THE LOCAL LEATHER and rubber crowds gather all year at Atlanta Eagle. What you may not remember is that when the bar hits its anniversary month in April, all of that fetish and gear hotness cranks up a notch. As the bar turns 31, it hosts Atlanta Leather Pride April 13-15 as not just a party celebrating the years that have passed, but honoring the people who keep it rocking week-after-week as if no time has passed at all. Kneel down and strap on what you need to know before you get up and head out.
Full Roster
Atlanta Leather Pride is way more than the Mr. & Ms. Atlanta Eagle and Mr. Southeast Rubber contests, though Saturday’s main event is certainly a highlight. It actually consists of multiple events Friday through Sunday. Before you watch the titles and sashes pass from last year’s reps to a new crop of doms and subs, hit Fetish 14
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Night on Friday for bootblacking and kink demos, and rock Saturday’s afternoon gear swap or evening $5 BBQ Beer Blast on the Eagle patio. After the contests that night, the Sweat Victory Party goes into the night with DJ Neon the GloGoBear. A Sunday brunch at Roxx wraps the weekend.
All Comers
The bar’s owner and the weekend’s organizers are legendary for making clear that everyone is welcome at their events. Their Pride is no different. Partiers across the kink spectrum, from plain vanilla to extra kink, are encouraged to attend and get to know these locals with big hearts. Speaking of those infamously giving hearts, proceeds from the weekend benefit the Leather Heart Foundation, which helps members of the community in need. Find more on them at leatherheart.org.
Eagle Has Landed
There’s only one appropriate place for all this awesomeness to happen. Leather Pride coincides with Atlanta Eagle’s 31st anniversary. Though updates and upgrades have happened to the building on Ponce de Leon Avenue at Myrtle Street over three
decades – and lord there’s been public triumphs and tribulations – the love of the Eagle’s owner for the clientele, and the sense of ownership he shares with his patrons, hasn’t changed. Richard Ramey bought the bar 21 years ago and continues to shepherd its legacy.
All. Weekend. Long
If you haven’t gathered yet, make a note, tap it into your calendar, or write it on your hand. Atlanta Leather Pride starts this Friday, April 13, and continues through Sunday, April 10. Rest up; you’ll need it.
Community. Community. Community
Yes, Atlanta Leather Pride is clearly a celebration of Atlanta’s leather-Levi aficionados and their sensual penchants. But it’s so much more. Welcome to a whole weekend that’s at its heart about community, about accepting everyone for who they are and who they love, and about giving back to those who need a helping hand. Visit atlantaleatherpride.com, atlantaeagle.com, or f ind them both on Facebook and Twitter. theQatl.com
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Q
THE QUEER AGENDA The Best Queer Things To Do in Atlanta This Week
April 12 – April 18
THURSDAY, APRIL 12 Stars Party
Get your spring look together for Jerusalem House’s annual silent auction and cocktail party @ Biltmore Ballrooms, 6 p.m. jerusalemhouse.org Fiona Zedde
The former Atlantan reads from Insatiable
Appetites, the latest in her lesbian erotica series @
Charis Books, 7:30 p.m. charisbooksandmore.com Atlanta Film Festival
The 42nd annual slate of movies, including the LGBTQ Pink Peach track films like Cherry Pop (photo), opens @ Plaza Theatre, 7 p.m.
Runs through April 22. atlantafilmfestival.com
FRIDAY, APRIL 13 Atlanta Leather Pride
Southeast, Black & Blue and the Eagle throw
their annual fest of contests, demos, dances and
socials @ Atlanta Eagle, all weekend. atlantale-
atherpride.com, atlantaeagle.com Jukebox The Ghost
This trio of cuties gives you a lot to sing about @ The Loft, 8 p.m. centerstage-atlanta.com
SATURDAY, APRIL 14 Atlanta Symphony LGBT Night
Atlanta Pride and the local orchestra serve Dvořák’s 7th Symphony, including pianist Conrad Tao, the 23-year-old YouTube, Tumblr
and Twitter sensation, with a reception after the
show @ Woodruff Arts Center, 8 p.m. atlantasymphony.org
Q
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
Antigone Rising
The all-female queer favorites rock the house @
Eddie’s Attic, 8:30 p.m. eddiesattic.com Queer Prom
All college students from any local school are invited to this LGBTQ+ prom with the women of Agnes Scott College @ ASC Evans Hall, 9 p.m. facebook.com/ascascend
SUNDAY, APRIL 15 Fairway to Equality
Golf with HRC Atlanta @ Cross Creek Golf Club, 9 a.m., followed immediately by the Fairway to Equality “Tee Dance,” 1 p.m. hrcatlanta.com
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ART
de
T
NANA
By Sunni Johnson
he Atlanta art scene that had so long prioritized the white and hetero has seen a stronger formation of diversity over the past decade. The myriad mediums of art forms produced by the various communities in our Southeastern hub is spectacular, and Ni Aquí Ni Allá’s impact has been beyond grand indeed. The name means “Neither Here Nor There,” and the team’s upcoming multimedia show on April 19 at The Bakery is a collaborative effort of more than 20 artists, featuring both the personal and political in expression.
“We will revisit our childhood memories, our family traditions, our spiritual roots through a lens polished with subversion and decolonization,” Ni Aquí Ni Allá artistic director Bella Dorado says. “It’s a window onto a vital facet of American culture, and we welcome people of all backgrounds to indulge in our uniquely American blend of Latin cultures and traditions, uprooted and replanted.” Dorado has always found herself surrounded by queers and feminists, communities integral for the project. “Ni Aquí Ni Allá seeks to explore the complexity and fluidity of identity that exists within our community so gathering a broad range of artistic perspectives was always at the forefront of our intentions,” Dorado explains. “What was really lovely about the submission process was that we didn’t actually have to search and scrounge for that representation. Proposals poured in from queer and feminist artists hungry to voice their travails and triumphs surrounding their journeys of self discovery.” Queer and feminist narratives have also been the life force behind the ongoing Bodies on Display series by group Curator Joey Molina. Having previously revamped 368 Ponce and currently 18
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Meet Ni Aquí Ni Allá, the team bringing queer Latinx and feminist communities together in art
The Ni Aquí Ni Allá team, from left, Amanda Bonilla, Joey Molina, Bella Dorado, and Margarita Rios. This week’s Q cover featuring Rios, and all team photos on these pages by Patricia Villafane. pvillaphoto.com theQatl.com
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ART, Continued co-organizing the Discrit theory discussion at Murmur Gallery, Molina is proving a rich resource for the Ni Aquí Ni Allá team withhis deep well of knowledge combined with a passion to bring these stories to surface.
fascinating,” Dorado says. “There are certain aspects of your identity that may always remain the same, but for the most part identity shifts over and over again throughout your life.”
The vision of Ni Aquí Ni Allá Creative Director Margarita Rios further rounds the show concept of art submerging into one beautiful amalgamation of dialogue. Rios’ organizational spark also serves promo company OYE with her partners Living Wall’s Monica Campana and La Choloteca’s Randall Ruiz.
“I think that state of constant flux is usually discouraged because it is interpreted as being unsure of yourself or undefined, but for me that fluidity and constant opportunity for change represents freedom, growth, and adaptability,” Dorado says.
Ni Aquí Ni Allá Project Manager Amanda Bonilla met Dorado after a dance class, and both movement artists are set to perform during the April 19 show, “searching, reflecting and meditating, serving as a live representation of what the Latinx community is constantly experiencing,” Bonilla says. The show also features work by Estela Semeco, Roberto Navarrete, Victoria Garcia, Jurell Cayetano, Kathy Garcia and others who amp imagery with Latinx subjects and style. From sex-positive chongas to the deep grassroots of pagan brujas, aesthetic and identity intertwine in underground art and music that alive and proud thanks to the cultural re-imaginings of feminist and queer Latinx, Dorado muses. “Identity is ultimately fluid, and I find that beautiful and
But that shift represents artistic potential, she adds.
As a fresh group of visionaries, Ni Aquí Ni Allá thrives at the intersection of feminist, queer and Latinx cultures. Eager to add dialogue to the lush Atlanta art community, their emotive aura of exploration and focus on healing in times of turmoil is already a force to be reckoned with. For so young a collective, the team has the gusto to bring together a don’t-miss evening of celebration, fused with performance, visual art and dancing. The Ni Aquí Ni Allá show takes place April 19 at The Baker, 825 Warner Street, 7 p.m. La Choloteca hosts the after party at MJQ Concourse, 736 Ponce de Leon Ave NE. Visit niaquiniallaatl.com
Ni Aquí Ni Allá Creative Director Bella Dorado by Patricia Villafane, pvillaphoto.com
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ART, Continued
Ni Aquí Ni Allá Curator Joey Molina by Patricia Villafane. pvillaphoto.com
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Ni AquĂ Ni AllĂĄ Project Manager Amanda Bonilla by Patricia Villafane. pvillaphoto.com
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ART, Continued
Kathy Garcia Roberto Navarrete
Victoria Garcia
‘Neither Here Nor There’ Select works from other artists in the Ni Aquí Ni Allá group show on April 19 at The Bakery. niaquiniallaatl.com
Estela Semeco
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Jurell Cayetano
The reviews are in! Wow. I just found Q, and it’s great!
Congratulations on the new magazine. Atlanta didn’t even know Finally! A queer publication what it was missing!
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A gay magazine I actually want to sit down and read! I just wanted to tell you how much my husband and I love your new magazine…
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energetic, something that was sorely You guys are like a missing in the ATL. breath of fresh air.
Thank you for bringing Q to Atlanta! You guys should have done this years ago!
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THEQ?!
Differences &
DEAL BREAKERS Q
Tapping divergence as fuel, but knowing when discordant relationships are a damper
Q
I’m dating an awesome guy who aligns with me on so many levels, but the trouble is that I’ve been out of the closet for 20 years, and he came out last year. We’re around the same age, and we both love sci-fi and video games. We’re both successful and fulfilled at work, and we have both traveled extensively. But while being openly gay is exciting and new for him, it’s been-there-done-that for me. He has a lot of questions, and at first I was eager to help him figure it all out, but lately I just want to talk about something else. To make matters worse, I increasingly feel that he’s just late to the party and need him to catch up. How do I broach the subject?
My girlfriend and I have been together almost a year and are ready to take it to the next level. For me, that’s monogamy and marriage. For her, that’s emotional monogamy and an open sexual relationship. I’m not sure I can be happy her way, and she says that she can’t live up to mine. Should I compromise my deep-seated values for the woman I love? Dear Rigid: It’s great that you both are honest about what you want, but it’s another example of a discordant relationship over a core issue. I recommend knowing someone at least 18 months before thinking about marriage. After that, shack up to see how it would be. This allows time to unearth critical information – like how each of you defines “the next level.” You actually ask two questions: Should you change your original idea of monogamy for the woman you love? Maybe. Should you compromise your values? No.
Dear Post-Gay: Differences in taste can help both parties in a relationship grow, but differences over a few core issues are tougher to navigate. Discordant “outness” is one of them. Your experience is typical of guys at different stages of coming out. It creates a power struggle. The person further along becomes frustrated, and the more closeted or recently out person feels inadequate. Now the tough part. The chances of him “catching up” after 20 years are low. If it’s early enough in your relationship, consider this a possible deal breaker. If you’ve already fallen, it will take more patience than you’ve shown so far to make it work. There’s no wrong time to come out. Begrudging him his journey is not only pointless but selfish. Your best hope is to constantly communicate where you are and actively listen to where he is. Channel your best self. Use truth and kindness as your guide. 38
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go?
I’m HIV-positive, and the guy I’m seeing is HIV-negative. I’m terrified of giving it to him. I’m obsessed. I can’t stop thinking about it. Should I just let him
Dear Poz: You are in what is called a Sero-Discordant relationship. It comes with unique challenges, but it’s the one discordant relationship in today’s column that definitely doesn’t have to be a deal breaker. Play safe, talk openly, and by all means have mind-blowing sex together. Use your growing intimacy and trust to calm any fears. 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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