Q Magazine v1i34 | July 19, 2018

Q

A Joining Hearts DRINKING GAME

inform | inspire

July 19, 2018

T-shirts anything but basic in black, white and queer all over

Drag Q ueen Teaches QUEER PATRIOTISM Why Do LGBTQ s BELITTLE THE LITTLE? More Pride Nights for SUMMER SPORTY SPICE

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Q Shots Q News The Queer Agenda

The Weekly Print Publication of Project Q Atlanta

Q

EDITOR’S NOTE

Our Best

SELVES

The perks and obligations of building your queer life in Atlanta

WITH THE PRIVILEGE OF LIVING in a queer urban oasis comes some responsibilities. We have to recognize and respect that, just miles outside our blue island, is a red sea of awful for too many LGBTQs. And in seeing it, we have to work to change what we can, have difficult conversations, further our cause in ways big and small.

Of course, the opportunities in a welcoming city also come with perhaps the most amazing perk of all — the ability to build ourselves into the change we want to see in the world.

MIKE FLEMING EDITOR & PUBLISHER

Having the freedom to envision, and go for, whatever we want in this queer Atlanta life is a huge advantage, and Q embraces the myriad forms that takes in our village each week. Whether you’re a little person with a confidence problem, a queer patriot with less to sing about lately, a party queen with a pool party to get to, or a fashion maven in a plain t-shirt, we are here for it.

Taking a cue from Hollywood and Rock legends, our Fashion cover essay strips the color out of your summer wardrobe to let you provide the pops of flavor. Whoever thought plain tees were too basic never saw these LGBTQ badasses shining in all their glory.

New columnist Kyle Rose hits the ground running with his thoughts on how a drag queen saved Fourth of July in Q Voices. His perspective shows that inspiration comes often when we least suspect it.

Over in the The Q advice column, a self-appointed “pocket queer” tries to buy his own drinks and deboard a plane with some self-respect in tact. As he does so, we find lessons every queer in town can learn from his examples.

And what would the third week in July in queer Atlanta be without a teaser for Joining Hearts? The largest gay male pool party of the year goes down on Saturday, July 21, and 10 Queer Things celebrates with a decades-worth of archival photos in a new drinking game to play. Give it a whirl as hundreds of guys descend on Piedmont Park to raise money against AIDS and raise hell against the summer doldrums.

We’re Q, so you know this issue also includes Q Shots galleries, the best LGBTQ things to do in the Queer Agenda calendar, and the week’s most titillating news from Project Q Atlanta, where fresh content is brewed daily at theQatl.com.

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Q MAGAZINE THE WEEKLY PUBLICATION OF PROJECT Q ATLANTA PUBLISHERS INITIAL MEDIA, LLC MIKE FLEMING PUBLISHER & EDITOR MIKE@THEQATL.COM MATT HENNIE PUBLISHER & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MATT@THEQATL.COM RICHARD CHERSKOV PUBLISHER & GENERAL MANAGER RICHARD@THEQATL.COM ADVERTISING SALES RUSS YOUNGBLOOD SENIOR SALES REPRESENTATIVE RUSS@THEQATL.COM ART DIRECTOR JOHN NAIL JOHN@THEQATL.COM PROJECT Q ATLANTA PATRICK SAUNDERS EDITOR PSAUNDERS@THEQATL.COM CONTRIBUTORS LAURA BACCUS GABRIELLE CLAIBORNE JON DEAN BRAD GIBSON JAMES L. HICKS TAMEEKA L. HUNTER SUNNI JOHNSON ERIC PAULK KYLE ROSE 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.”

GET NOTICED!

Atlanta’s newest LGBTQ weekly is already standing out from the crowd, and so can you!

Call 404-949-7071 or e-mail sales@theQatl.com to advertise in Q Magazine and Project Q Atlanta. theQatl.com

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE VOLUME 1 ISSUE 34

JULY 19, 2018

10 QUEER THINGS Hearts Out

COVER

16 10

Tee Time

A Simple T-Shirt Makes a Bold Statement NEWS

Anchorman

13 12

29 Show Time

The Legend of Thomas Roberts hits ATL

QUEER AGENDA

14

To Do List

33 Woof Woof

Best Things to Do in Atlanta this Week

FEATURES Q Voices

8

Queer Agenda

14

Q Shots

28

The Q

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36 Total S.L.U.T. theQatl.com

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Q

Q VOICES

Q ueer

PATRIOTISM Feeling freedom and liberty in a country that still has a way to go

WHEN DISCUSSING PLANS FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY with a friend, I realized I was just not really into it this year.

Yes, there were plenty of parties, events and opportunities to “celebrate,” but I was not feeling very celebratory.

To be honest, I was never especially and certainly not overly patriotic. In my teens, I had a moral conflict with the violent words of our national anthem. I have always been a liberal pacifist.

Then 9/11 brought out patriotism I never knew I had in me. I felt the same gutwrenching shock and horror that many others felt. I displayed the flag in my window for a year. But in time, reality set back in with the Bush years of war, friends and many more dying of AIDS, and a lack of equal rights that is only ancient history to newer generations.

Thank you for climbing Miss Liberty.

Thank you for protesting Stone Mountain.

Thank you to a gay brother and veteran.

And thank you for performing the national anthem in full drag!

He was not present, but he was honored. Damn it, my eyes were getting moist.

Another drag queen followed Ruby and performed a gorgeous selection of “The Star Spangled Banner.” I leaned in and told my friend, “I really was not feeling very patriotic today, but watching the national anthem performed by a drag queen and honoring a gay vet is about the best Fourth of July that I can think of right now.”

KYLE ROSE

And it was. I had goosebumps on my arms and neck, tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. I am not a very touchy-feely kind of guy, but this all really got to me.

Now that the Trump Regime is not only threatening but actively working to reverse so much of what hard won equality we have — though still woefully short of being truly “equal” — patriotism is just not something I feel very much in touch with these days.

And so, I want to say thank you.

This year on the Fourth, I joined a friend for dinner and drinks. Low key, nothing special, it was all about the company and not the occasion.

These acts are what America is really about: our freedom and liberty, our right to be ourselves, equal to all with no fewer rights than any other.

During dinner, I noticed the large screen across the room showing a protestor scaling the Statue of Liberty. I have to tell you I felt a smiling jolt of satisfaction.

Thank you to all the immigrants past and present. Thank you to all POC and BLM, women, LGBTQ brothers and sisters.

Thank you to all the protestors and leaders of protests who stand up, because each one stands for us all.

“Good for her!” I thought to myself.

After dinner, we went for cocktails. There was a lot of red, white and blue to which I felt immune. Then I noticed a nearby table was watching and talking about an NAACP protest on Stone Mountain. “Alright!” I nodded affirmatively to myself. Starting to feel a little better, I raised my glass in a private toast to the prostestors.

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Then the lights dimmed, and Atlanta drag mainstay Ruby Redd picked up the mic to welcome everyone. I had not known there was anything going on there that night. She continued, paying tribute to a regular guest, a gentleman who walked with a cane, a Vietnam vet — a gay veteran. An out, gay veteran.

theQatl.com

Thank you for climbing Miss Liberty. Thank you for protesting Stone Mountain. Thank you to a gay brother and veteran. And thank you for performing the national anthem in full drag!

Thank you for showing me a new patriotism this year, one than I can be and am proud of, a patriotism more American than all the conservative, Trumpian revisions could ever be, a patriotism no hater can ever take away: my Queer Patriotism.

Kyle Rose is a former gay rights and AIDS activist in Atlanta who writes about queer culture and politics.

theQatl.com

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Q

10 QUEER THINGS

Trunk Gays

Speedo Queens

JOINING HEARTS Creative Accessories

Smiles

Bouncing Balls

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Group Looks

Tank Tops

DRINKING GAME Take a shot each time you encounter these sure bets at the July 21 Shine pool party

By Mike Fleming

Tattoos

Hunk Sandwiches

Daddies

theQatl.com

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Q

NEWS

Welcome to the Gayborhood,

THOMAS ROBERTS!

Emmy-winning cable news veteran lands back in Atlanta with nightly gig at CBS46

By Patrick Saunders

OUT FORMER MSNBC AND CNN ANCHOR THOMAS Roberts is returning to Atlanta to become an evening anchor at CBS46.

Roberts will — alongside Sharon Reed — co-anchor the 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts on CBS46 and the 9 p.m. newscast on sister station Peachtree TV. He replaces Ben Swann, the conspiracy theorist who was fired by the station in January for working on a side project without the network’s permission.

FTVLive broke the news on July 3, and the AJC’s Rodney Ho confirmed it the following day.

Roberts comes to CBS46 after seven years at MSNBC, which also included work for NBC News and “The Today Show.”

From 2001-2007, he was based in Atlanta as a co-anchor for CNN Headline News. Prior to that, Roberts had stints in several TV news markets across the country.

After their previous time in Atlanta, Roberts and his husband, Patrick Abner, were open to returning. Abner, a pharmaceutical executive, just needed a city with access to a major airport. Plus, they both love it here.

“We had a great quality of life when we lived here before,” Roberts told the AJC. “That hasn’t happened since we left.”

It’s a major hire for CBS46, which has struggled in the ratings for years.

“I consider myself an underdog,” Roberts added. “I think CBS46 is the same. Throughout my career, it’s been nice to prove people wrong.”

His first day at work was Monday, and it’s unclear when his on-air debut will occur. It will be the first time he’s done broadcast news in nearly 17 years.

Roberts came out in 2006 while at CNN, and he won an Emmy in 2015 for his coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision legalizing gay marriage.

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Thomas Roberts (right) with husband Patrick Abner.

The anchor and his husband said they are looking for a home near

the station on 14th Street and will likely end up living in Midtown.

Roberts posted a picture of the Midtown skyline on Instagram on his first day at the station, writing “New Day. Go and Do!” Project Q reached out to Roberts for further comment. He

directed us to CBS46, which had yet to respond by press time.

Atlanta has historically been a comfortable place for high-profile gay anchors. CNN’s Don Lemon once called Virginia-Highland

home, and was there with Roberts and Abner when they married in 2012. And who can forget Sam Champion, who lived in Mid-

town during his stint with the Weather Channel before leaving in 2016. Artsy local news hound Brandon Rudat also called Atlanta home before changing markets.

Visit Project Q Atlanta for fresh LGBTQ content daily at theQatl.com.

Photo via Shutterstock.

Q

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

July 19 - July 25

THURSDAY, JULY 19 Best of Atlanta

Georgia Voice newspaper honors its annual LGBTQ readers’ choice

awards in multiple categories @ Georgian Terrace, 6 p.m. thegavoice.com Danielle Sellers

The author reads from her Minor Territories as part of Cliterati Open No-Mic Night @ Charis Books & More, 7:30 p.m. charisbooksandmore.com

Indigo Girls

The homegrown lesbian

Pride Night

monies @ Chastain Park

welcome this time for LGBTQ fans. Wear rainbow @ Yaarab Shrine

duo rocks famous harAmphitheatre, 8 p.m. indigogirls.com

SATURDAY, JULY 21 GLOW Dance Party

The all-inclusive Nonsense ATL crew

puts your neon under black lights @ The Basement, 10 p.m. basementatl.com Southwest Atlanta Pride

Cook out and soak in summer during Pride in

the Park with LGBTQs from ATL’s SW quadrant @ Howell Park, 12 noon. facebook.com/aouthwestatlantapride

SATURDAY, JULY 21 Joining Hearts

The biggest gay male pool party of the year

raises money against HIV @ Greystone at

Piedmont Park, 5 p.m. After the “Shine” main

event, hit after party “Illuminate” and late-night

“Radiate” at 595 North, as well as Heretic and Xion for more visiting DJs. joininghearts.org.

Check out our preview of what

to expect in this week’s 10 Queer Things feature.

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Atlanta Rollergirls host their usual smash-em-up derby with a special Temple, 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. atlantarollergirls.com Afternoon Beer Busts

Start at one, end at the other, and do it all with queer jocks. Atlanta Rainbow Trout pour the bottomless brews @ Joe’s on Juniper, 1 p.m.,

and Hotlanta Softball’s Titans pump endless

beer @ Midtown Moon, 4 p.m. atlantarainbowtrout.com, hotlantasoftball.org Swank

The women of Bellissima host this semi-regular les-

bian cocktail party @ Henry’s, 9 p.m. henrysatl.com

Icon: Disco

The glitz and glamour of

the era inspires the tunes and your ensemble @

The Deep End, 10 p.m.

Q

wussymag.com

SUNDAY, JULY 22

Retro Concert

Culture Club (picture), the B52s,

and Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins sing you into a state of ‘80s

Britpop bliss @ Chastain Park, 7 p.m. chastainseries.com

Writers!

Photographers!

SUNDAY, JULY 22 Abel’s Diva Tour

The gay DJ keeps the weekend going @ District Atlanta, 7 p.m. gaboyevents.com

TUESDAY, JULY 24 Dine Out for Charis

Atlanta’s lesbian-feminist literary stalwarts raise

funds for their outreach programs with proceeds

from your meal benefiting the cause @ Farm

Burger Decatur, 4 p.m. – close. chariscircle.org Pride Night

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@theQatl.com

Top men’s tennis pros like John Isner are in town for

the BB&T Atlanta Open, and LGBTQ fans are on the agenda with special seats and pricing @

Atlantic Station, 5:30 p.m. bbtatlantaopen.com Discount code:

PRIDEBBTAO Find even more events in the Queer Agenda each Thursday at theQatl.com. theQatl.com

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Q

FASHION

WHITE AND QUEER ALL OVER 16

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Plain t-shirts make for looks that are all about you

T

By Mike Fleming

his week’s photo essay takes a page from legends of Hollywood and Rock & Roll. While everyone else’s summer wardrobe is about pops of color, you provide the pops of queer flavor in plain tees.

Flip the following pages to see LGBTQs shine through in basic pieces that look anything but basic.  theQatl.com

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Q

FASHION, Continued

BASIC BADASS

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THE FUN CONTINUES ALL WEEK LONG! THURSDAYS

SATURDAYS

TNT Talent Night

Divas of the Moonlight Cabaret

6 p.m.

9-11 p.m.

11 p.m.

TUESDAYS

FRIDAYS

MONDAYS

Musical Mondays Presented by OutFront Theater Company

Karaoke

Hosted by Angelica D’Paige Brooks

10 p.m.

WEDNESDAYS

Whatcha Singing Wednesday Hosted by Ron Scoza, Baby D GaLore and DJ Weston

10 p.m.

Hosted by Destiny Brooks

Fresh Fish Friday Drag 8-10 p.m.

Movie on the Patio Bar 7 p.m.

Moonlight Divas

with Shavonna B. Brooks & Raquel Lord

11 p.m.

with Shavonna B. Brooks

SUNDAYS

Gospel Brunch

Brunch from noon - 3 p.m.

Kitchen Open 4-8 ALL YOU CAN EAT PRIME RIB

$16.99

T-Dance Sunday Funday 3-7 p.m.

The Armorettes 9-11 p.m.

Kitchen Hours Mon-Sat 4 -10 p.m. • Sunday Brunch Noon -3 p.m. • Dinner 4 - 8 p.m.

1492 Piedmont Ave NE • Atlanta, GA 30309 • 404-343-6514

ALWAYS A PARTY BUT NEVER A COVER!

Q

FASHION, Continued

ROCK ON

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FASHION, Continued

AGAINST THE WALL

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FASHION, Continued

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POPS OF YOU

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THE OTHER SHOW AT MIDTOWN TAVERN

Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com 28

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Q SHOTS Q

PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD

Q

Q SHOTS

WEEKENDS AT WOOFS

Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com 30

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PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD

Q

Q SHOTS

WUSSY YEARBOOK DAYDRUNK AT MARY’S

Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com

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PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD

WEEKENDS AT BLAKE’S

Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com

Q SHOTS Q

PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD

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Fresh content served daily 34

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HOTLANTA VOLLEYBALL AT TEN

Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com

Q SHOTS Q

PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD theQatl.com

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Q

Q SHOTS

S.L.U.T. AT HERETIC

PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD

Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com

OP EN

The Club Where Men Do It! Open Thursday - Sunday at 9pm Special Theme Nights every Wednesday!

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LA TE

www.manifest4u.org 2103 Faulkner Rd SE Atlanta, GA 30324

!

Q

THEQ?!

Come Through,

SHAWTY!

When you’re more vertically challenged than the average bear

Q

I’m a “pocket queer,” but I have a ginormous personality.

Almost everything I can do for myself, of course, and I get insulted when others assume I’m helpless just because I’m smaller than the average bear.

Please, guys. I can order my own drink, step out at a “Walk” light by myself, and no I’m not dying to unzip you because your crotch is at eye level.

That said, sometimes I can use help but feel self-conscious. The most glaring examples are overhead bins on airplanes. The time it takes to get my luggage into the compartment is bad enough with everyone watching, but getting it down has me waiting until everyone else has deplaned to even attempt it.

I hate to ask for help, and I hate to check my suitcase because they charge for that these days. Help!

Dear Just Right: Queer or not, it’s tough sometimes to be below average in height. The top grocery shelf and roller coasters are just the beginning of how the everyday world discriminates against the vertically challenged.

You are right that no one should look down on you just because they might look down to see you. It sounds like you’ve made your height more of a signature to your big personality than a hindrance for the most part, but you also show a residual case of a disease I call “Worrying Too Much What Others Think” with a side of Overdefensiveness.

Maybe people buying you drinks are flirting.

Either way, no need to turn down free alcohol. And don’t wait to deplane. It may take some self-coaching, but suck up your fears when your row comes up and ask, “Can I get your help with that bag?” Strangers don’t care about your issues and will happily assist in order to get off the plane faster.

Everyone has challenges, and as long as no one is directly giving you shit about yours, forget it. If they are, 38

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1. Fuck them. 2. Be less defensive at least at the beginning. Humor can help. I once heard a 6’7” guy respond to “How’s the weather up there?” with “Put your mouth on my thermometer and find out.”

Q

I make a good enough living that my wife was able to quit her job, but she slowly stopped handling day-to-day stuff around the house. Now she sleeps until noon. She overreacted when I told her to find a hobby or volunteer, so how can I facilitate change?

Dear Helping: She might feel useless. Maybe she stagnated into such a funk that even reasonable suggestions seem overwhelming to her. Professional advice might help her put one foot in front of the other, or perhaps try some real talk putting all the issues on the table. Until then, be more nurturing than bossy.

The Q is for entertainment purposes and not professional counseling.

Send your burning Qs to mike@theqatl.com.

ILLUSTRATION BY BRAD GIBSON

If you like the tease, you’ll love the strip!

1400 Northside Drive NW Atlanta, GA 30318 404.352.0532 SwingingRichards.com

MONDAY

Industry Night

ALL MALE ALL NUDE ALL NIGHT ALL

MALE ALL NUDE ALL NIGHT

Free entry with proof of industry employment

TUESDAY Latin Night

THURSDAY Smirnoff College Night Free entry with college ID

SATURDAY T-shirt Review at Midnight