Q
The Queer Agenda of Holiday Happenings
November 28, 2019
inform | inspire
Give &
RECEIVE Atlanta’s Best LGBTQ Holiday Gift Guide
Feeling Old Every Time We Lose A Queer Hero Atlanta Glances Back As We Forge into the 2020s Trying to Control Them As a Perfect Plan to Fail
Q Shots 10 Queer Things Q Voices The Weekly Print Publication of Project Q Atlanta
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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@THEQATL.COM MATT HENNIE PUBLISHER & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MATT@THEQATL.COM RICHARD CHERSKOV PUBLISHER & GENERAL MANAGER RICHARD@THEQATL.COM ART DIRECTOR JOHN NAIL JOHN@THEQATL.COM PROJECT Q ATLANTA PATRICK SAUNDERS EDITOR PSAUNDERS@THEQATL.COM CONTRIBUTORS IAN ABER LAURA BACCUS GABRIELLE CLAIBORNE BUCK COOKE CHARLES E. DAVIS JON DEAN BILL DICKINSON JIM FARMER BRAD GIBSON JAMES L. HICKS BENTLEY HUDGINS TAMEEKA L. HUNTER HEATHER MALONEY ERIC PAULK KYLE ROSE JAMES PARKER SHEFFIELD VINCE SHIFFLETT ALEXANDRA TYLER VAVA VROOM RUSS YOUNGBLOOD NATIONAL ADVERTISING RIVENDELL MEDIA SALES@RIVENDELLMEDIA.COM 212-242-6863 LOCAL ADVERTISING SALES@THEQATL.COM 404-949-7071
Give to GET Generosity is the best gift we can give ourselves all year
AS THANKSGIVING GIVES way to a full-court press on the holidays, Q magazine makes a list and checks it twice — for queer gift ideas, yes, but for an even more important LGBTQ spirit. Love it or loathe, it, giving is a priority for many people this time of year, but it’s also a privilege. Even if material resources aren’t plentiful, what everyone can afford is to give of ourselves. Show interest in another person. Flatter an aspect of their personality or taste that you genuinely admire. What you get back comes ten-fold, and spoiler alert: This holds true all year long.
MIKE FLEMING EDITOR & PUBLISHER
Yep. We receive by giving. Good karma also sets off a year-round effect for us and those around us, from our inner circles to our larger networks of queers depending on each other for support and for advancing the movement one change at a time.
Sometimes moving forward means looking back to those we lost, especially as we get winsome this time of year. Q Voices columnist Ian Aber thinks that dying LGBTQ icons signal his own advance into queer middle age. Here at home, our end-of-year series continues with what we’ll miss from last two decades as we head into the ‘20s. This time, it’s 10 of the people who left a lasting legacy on queer life. In the Q advice column, giving of ourselves can mean holding back — on the urge to control everything and everyone. And you’d have nothing to give if life was all work and no play, so give freely from this week’s packed Queer Agenda calendar of LGBTQ events. Now about that Q Gift Guide? It’s massive, y’all. Dozens of options in Home, Fashion, Jewelry, Tech, Stocking Stuffers and even Sexy Adult stuff await from local retailers as well as international queer and queer-friendly outlets. To expand the options even more, our advertisers pepper you with their suggestions as well. So from Project Q Atlanta and Q magazine, welcome to the holidays in LGBTQ Atlanta. May your generosity of spirit be the best thing you give — and get back — this year. theQatl.com
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VOICES
When Heroes
DIE
How Diahann Carroll honed one man’s queer vengeance vibe IN 2016, I STARTED NOTICING THAT WE ARE NOT forever young and that no one, no matter how beloved, is beyond death’s snatching hands. David Bowie died early in the year, and that was devastating for me. He was a bastion of prolific creativity, androgyny and bisexuality, and we celebrated and emulated him for it.
propping up a silly hetero story in the way we always do, but that is a rant for another day. Two days later, Carrie Fisher died to round out an epic year in celebrity deaths. While there have been plenty more stars that have faded from the sky since 2016, none have made me take more pause to reflect than the recent passing of Diahann Carroll. I watched her through the original run of Dynasty as the cunning and beautiful Dominique Deveraux. I was so fascinated with how the character was brought in to take down the main family, the Carringtons, something I had been waiting for on the show since its beginning. Very early on in the show, we learned that brother Steven Carrington is a homosexual (cue dramatic music) when his father Blake catches him hugging his friend Ted. In a fit of rage that defines “gay panic,” Blake breaks up the two men hugging and pushes Ted violently. He falls, hits his head, and in true soap opera fashion, immediately dies. As a closted teen, this was terrifying and ultimately infuriating as the Blake character would be found guilty but have his sentence suspended and essentially never pay for his crime. I literally only watched the show after that to see the character of Blake suffer. He represented the epitome of the evil straight white man to me, and I was invested in seeing some semblance of justice.
Just when we were collectively coming to terms with the loss of Bowie, Prince passed away very suddenly and too soon of an accidental drug overdose. Again, he was a giant in terms of his creativity and volume of work he left IAN behind, and he was truly an original in everyABER Enter Diahann Carroll as Dominique Deveraux, thing he did. If Bowie shocked you, Prince’s an international businesswoman and jazz singer (it’s a soap) passing made you take pause and take stock of your life with who also is secretly Blake Carrinton’s half-sister who has come his music and movies as a soundtrack to it. to take everything from him. In short, I am here for every Before 2016 ended, another shocking death would come. No, minute of it. not the death of the American experiment with the election Where Blake was impetuous and hot-headed, Dominique was of the Cheeto Voldemort. On Christmas Day, we lost George calculating and cool. When she finally revealed her plan and Michael, and gay men and the women who try to date them Blake’s face was fully cracked, I danced with joy in my living were devastated. George was this complicated creature who room because somebody had finally taken that homophobic hid his sexuality from the public but also was ostentatiously prick down a notch. flamboyant throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s until his unfortunate incarceration for trying to blow an undercover cop in a That was the beginning of a lifetime of chasing that feeling Beverly Hills park restroom. and often emulating the character of Dominique without apThrough that embarrassing moment, he was reborn an out proud gay man. His death was the icing on the shit cake that was 2016 for certain but his legacy will live on through his music. A film called Last Christmas is out now that features much of his songbook — another example of queer excellence 6
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propriating the behavior or mannerisms outright. I was given a lot of strength at a time I needed it by Diahann Carroll, and I carry that memory and feeling with me now and always. Ian Aber is a queer comic and comedy showrunner in Atlanta. Visit abercomedian.com.
GOOD EATS
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ROARIN 10 QUEER THINGS
Look back at a few faces we’ll miss in the new decade By Mike Fleming
F
or the end of 2019, we’ll look back at gone-but-not-forgotten icons of the last 20 years as we head into the next. Next up, 10 of the people we lost who were icons in community, nightlife, activism and industry. Cheryl Courtney-Evans Trans Icon and Advocate
Berl Boykin
Pride Co-founder
Allen Thornell
Georgia Equality Director
Tim Wilkerson
Community Photographer
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NG ’20s Durand Robinson
Traxx and Black Gay Pride
Lateasha Shuntel
Trans Woman, Bartender and Drag Performer
Alan Penrod
Mr. Atlanta Eagle 2009, Atlanta Leather Pride Co-founder
Philip Rush
Activist, Rush Center Namesake
The Lady Shabazz Drag Performer, Pride Cabaret Host
Diamond Lil
Drag Performer and Recording Artist For more 10 Queer Things We’ll Miss in the Roaring ’20s, visit theQatl.com. theQatl.com
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At Your Service To advertise, contact us at sales@theqatl.com or 404-949-7071
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THE QUEER AGENDA WEDNESDAY, DEC. 4
The Best Queer Things To Do in Atlanta
Bedpost Confessions
November 29 – December 13
A queer-inclusive collection of writ-
ers, performers and comics like Rewop
FRIDAY, NOV. 29
tell sex stories. Plus audience-member
Puddles Pity Party & Friends
confessions will be collected anonymously
The singing-clown national sen-
and shared on stage @ Highland Inn, 8 p.m.
sation with all the cool, queer
local ties serves a holiday jubilee like only he can do @ Fox
thehighlandinn.com
THURSDAY, DEC. 5 Out in the Kitchen
Theatre, 8 p.m. foxtheatre.org
Out Georgia Business Alliance throws its annual chef tastings for the holi-
days @ W Atlanta Midtown, 6 p.m. atlantagaychamber.org
FRIDAY, DEC. 6 — SATURDAY, DEC. 7
SATURDAY, NOV. 30
Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus
Michelle Malone
The 39th annual holiday concert from the
Celebrate the release of the queer
venerable chorus raises 100 voices
blues rocker’s holiday band album.
@ Cathedral of St. Philip, 6 p.m.
The Hot Toddies perform during
voicesofnote.org
their holiday party @ Crimson Moon, Dahlonega, 7 p.m. michellemalone.com
SATURDAY, DEC. 7
Furball XXX
Bear Invasion
Paulo takes the helm as the big boys bump @ Heretic, 10 p.m.
DJ Dan De Leon corrals the queers with a scandalous theme and
hereticatlanta.com
Beefyboy, Bearskin and BWM in tow @ Heretic, 10 p.m. hereticatlanta.com
SUNDAY, DEC. 8 All Stripes End
SUNDAY, DEC. 1 World AIDS Day with AID Atlanta
Make a week of it with AHF and AID Atlanta. Commemoration on Monday
the 2nd at Tavern Pointe, 6 p.m. Testing on Tuesday the 3rd at Clarke Atlanta
Student Health Center and Friday the 6th
at Morehouse College, all day. World AIDS Day Concert on Thursday, Dec. 5 at Center Stage, 6 p.m. aidatlanta.org
12.01 Ball: We Declare War
Icon Father Kamaro Blahnik offers huge cash prizes in OTA Runway and FQ Realness honor World AIDS Day to benefit Positive Impact Health Centers @ Silver Ultra
Lounge, 5 p.m. facebook. com/kamaro.blahnik
of Season Celebration
THURSDAY, DEC. 12
Free cider and snacks plus plans
John Waters Christmas
for next year with the LGBTQ fan
The King of Trash returns with his
group of Atlanta United @ Urban
Filthier & Merrier show @ Variety
Playhouse, 8 p.m. varietyplayhouse.com
Tree Cidery, 6 p.m. allstripesatl.com
THURSDAY, DEC. 12 Holy Sh!t
The comedy night curated by Q’s own Ian Aber in the queer-
run halls @ Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room, 10 p.m.
sisterlouisaschurch.com
FRIDAY, DEC. 13 DJ Mister Richard
Take a disco nap, because it’s going to be a bumpy night @ Atlanta Eagle, 10 p.m. atlantaeagle.com
Find more queer things to do in the expanded edition of the Queer Agenda at theQatl.com.
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LOCATIONS IN
BUCKHEAD • VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS • SANDY SPRINGS
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GIFT GUIDE Q
We’re here, we’re queer and we’ve got holiday gift ideas
F
Compiled by Mike Fleming
rom family to fr-amily, sweeties to frenemies, your shopping list just got easier with Q ideas for giving — and maybe a little something for yourself.
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GIFT GUIDE continued
Home for the
HOLIDAYS
Gourmet Oils & Vinegars Bottles from $13.50, Sets from $37 Splash of Olive City of Decatur splasholive.com
Original Art By Patty Young & Others From $250 Wild Oats & Billy Goats City of Decatur wildoatsandbillygoats.com
Tea Towels Cute Sayings $12 facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta 14
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Funky Furniture From $25 lnfy.org outofthecloset.org
Original Decorative Arts From $10 Homegrown City of Decatur homegrowndecatur.com
g n i p p o h S d ats an Wild O ts oa Billy G
more Worth rs le e Jew
op of
h Little S
t Fine
Kisme
Stories
y Jewelr h
ig tain H Moun rs e Outfitt
anger Bleu H
On Thursdays in December enjoy seasonal shopportunities, deals, discounts, drinks and snacks, special in-store events, and extended hours at 24 Decatur shops.
ness
Well ranch B e v li O
som
h Blos
Squas arket
M Kelly’s
Get a Lyft on Us decaturga.com/terrific-thursdays visitdecaturga
terrificthursdays
visitdecaturga
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decaturtourism
decaturga
Take a Lyft to Downtown Decatur 5-11 pm on anyTerrific Thursday and we’ll pay $10!* Get each week’s promo code at decaturga.com/lyft. *Limited to the first 50 participants. Full details online and on the app.
Q
GIFT GUIDE continued Throw Pillows From $55 cantoni.com
Home for the
HOLIDAYS
Antiques Decades to Centuries Years Old Furniture, Rugs, Art, China, Novelties, Accessories antiquesandbeyond.com
Tiffany & Co. Barware Collection Pieces from $275 tiffany.com
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Aquiesse Soy Candles Scents like Pomegranate Sage From $22 facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta
Give the perfect MetroFresh gift!
MetroFresh Uptown
MetroFresh Midtown
Breakfast, lunch, after work tapas and cocktails One Midtown Plaza 1360 Peachtree St. Mon-Tues, 7 am - 7 pm Wed-Fri, 7 am - 8 pm
Breakfast, lunch and dinner Midtown Promenade 931 Monroe Drive Mon-Fri, 7 am - 9 pm Sat, 8 am - 4 pm
Food & Thought and gift cards available in-store or online at metrofreshatl.com. (A $100 gift card gets $10 free.)
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GIFT GUIDE continued Topology Athleisure Tights From $40 facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta
Fun Socks Hundreds of Styles from $8 facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta
Looks For Less Pieces from $5 outofthecloset.org lnfy.org
Clothes Make the Sunspel Tanks and Tabio Socks Tanks $65, Socks, $20 sunspel.com, tabio.com
C4 Print Belts Environmentally Friendly, Endless Possibilities, $35 facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta
JJ Malibu Pocket Shorts Variety of Fun Prints, $26 facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta 18
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Bryn Walker Tunics & Tunic Dresses Boutique Karma City of Decatur $115 shopboutiquekarma.com
QUEER
Graphic Tees From $21 each facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta Tees, hoodies, mugs and more, from $15 teepublic.com/user/neonhorror
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GIFT GUIDE continued Vintage Costume Jewelry From $10 lnfy.org outofthecloset.org
Family
JEWELS
MadStyle Accessories From $8 facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta
‘Significant’ Jewelry Handmade, Stackable Intention Bracelets, Meaningful Materials and Custom Designs From $20 etsy.com/shop/significantbykelle Pronoun Bluebird Pins & Pronoun Luck Pins $12 each meghasissues.bigcartel.com
John Varvatos Rings Sterling Silver $589 -$889 worthmorejewelers.com 20
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Grab your Christmas package! White
Get a $75 Visa gift card with purchase of any service: Botox | Fillers | Profound Body Contouring Massage Therapy | Signature Facials Testosterone Optimization Program Sports Med Treatment (Minimum purchase required. Limited supply of gift cards.)
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GIFT GUIDE continued DusenDusen Designer Dog Beds Embroidered, Variety of Patterns From $130 dusendusen.com
Pet
PRESENTS
UpCountry Collar/Leash Sets Myriad patterns and prints $48 di-o-gi.com
Snark City Pet Bowls Multiple nicknames and sayings $12 each facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta
Polite Pooch Class 6 wee ks of S a turday $225 (P classe olite Pu s ppy is Individ 4 class ual tra e ining a s, $165 from $ lso ava ) 135 pe ilable, r hour di-o-gi. com
Light-Up Collars and Leads By Illuminated Apparel $20 each facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta
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Dog Care alking, Including W aycare Training & D er session From $22 p di-o-gi.com
World AIDS Day with AID Atlanta AID Atlanta’s World AIDS Day Commemoration Event December 2, 2019 from 6pm-9pm Tavern Pointe 1545 Peachtree Street NE Atlanta, GA 30309
World AIDS Day Testing December 3, 10am-3pm
AHF World AIDS Day Concert December 5, 2019 from 6pm-9pm Center State Atlanta 1374 W Peachtree St. NW Atlanta, Ga 30309
Clark ATL Student Health Center 223 James P. Brawley Dr., SW Atlanta, GA 30314
December 6, 10am-3pm Morehouse College 830 Westview Dr, SW Atlanta, GA 30314
Q
GIFT GUIDE continued
Tech
SAVVY
Fossil Smart Watches Niche functions of Apple with stylings of classic analogs Fossil Smart Accessories, $95 - $395 fossil.com
Underarmour Smart Shoes Tracks biorhythms and running metrics $120 and up underarmour.com
Smart Rings Almost everything your smart watch does By MOTA, Ring Zero by Bulgari and NFC (shown) $60 - $250 tamo.com, bulgari.com, nfcring.com
Carry-On Jackets & Coats By Ayegear and ScotteVest Hides Valuables Apparel from $20. Ayegear J25 Jacket (shown), $200 ayegear.com, scottevest.com
Mad Style Texting Gloves From $8 facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta
Flash Drive Cufflinks Sterling Silver, $99 brookstone.com
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GIFT GUIDE continued American Spirit Whiskey Georgia Heartwood Single Barrel 750 ml $70 towerspirits.com
Stocking
STUFFERS December Diamonds Ornaments From $14 facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta
True Colors Cava 750 ml $16 towerspirits.com
Gift Certificates Winterizing, Sandwiches or Meat-and-Three precisiontune.com, metrofreshatl.com, eatsonponce.net
Greeting Cards Multiple Styles, Custom Card Stock & Messaging From $81 for 50 Count mycreativeapproach.com 28
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MoMA Pop-Up Cards Including Out-of-Print Vintage Designs From $25 per box facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta
Q
GIFT GUIDE continued Pure Stay Ready Collection Capsules, $27 Water-based Lubricant, $18 Cream, $20 Wipes, $10 Lotion, Scrub and Soap Kit, $55 facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta
Something
SEXY
Leather Garmet Falls Floggers Multiple colors, from $139.99 barkingleather.com, photo by McCall Studio Bulldog Harness Black or Red, from $139.99 barkingleather.com, photo by McCall Studio
Boneyard Ultimate Ring Silicone, $18 each Other colors available facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta
Archer Harness Red on black from $179.99 barkingleather.com, photo by McCall Studio Colt Camo Line Heavy Duty Universal Cuffs, $25 Over the Door Cuffs, $30 Collar and Leash, $35 Collar, Cuff and Leash, $55 facebook.com/brushstrokesatlanta Custom Leather Jock Black on blue from $119.99 barkingleather.com, photo by McCall Studio 32
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Come Fill Your Sack at
Saturday, Dec. 7 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Twisted 2019 ATLANTA’S PREMIERE HOLIDAY KINK SHOPPING EXTRAVAGANZA! All proceeds from the door, Cafe Kink and general admission will be donated to Rainbow House Coalition.
Atlanta Eagle • 306 Pone de Leon Ave. • Atlanta, GA 30308
MISC EDGEWOOD FINALE AT NONI’S
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Q SHOTS Q
PHOTOS BY RUSS BOWEN-YOUNGBLOOD theQatl.com
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PALS FUR BALL
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PHOTOS BY RUSS BOWEN-YOUNGBLOOD theQatl.com
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SHALLOWEEN AT HERETIC
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Q SHOTS Q
PHOTOS BY RUSS BOWEN-YOUNGBLOOD theQatl.com
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Richard Cherskov
Michael Birnholz
richard.cherskov@cruiseplanners.com
michael.birnholz@cruiseplanners.com
888-402-0004 richardandmichael.travel
LATIN DANCE PARTY
306 PONCE DE LEON AVE NE ATLANTA, GA 30308
2ND FRIDAY OF THE MONTH W/ DJ MOOSE 10PM - 3AM NO COVER
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HALLOWEEN AT MIDTOWN MOON
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PHOTOS BY RUSS BOWEN-YOUNGBLOOD
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Q SHOTS
ONYX MASQUERADE AT ATLANTA EAGLE
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PHOTOS BY RUSS BOWEN-YOUNGBLOOD
Q
THEQ?! And,
SCENE!
The problem with trying to direct how others act
Q
I love my boyfriend as is, so let me start with that. Among so many characteristics I truly cherish is his intelligence
and grace at expressing himself. From art to politics to social justice and beyond, he is so observant and articulate.
He has a great education and lots of success, and it shows, but I’m afraid exactly what I like about him will be the thing that
completely turns off my best friends. They are self-built business owners, and they are leery of anyone they see as “showing off.” They deem intellectuals as privileged elitists.
I want everyone to get along, so is it OK to have my boyfriend tone it down a bit? I think if he avoids big vocabulary words,
speaks plainly and tries not to go into elaborate descriptions of
nuanced concepts, my friends can get to know him instead of his style. I can also ask my friends to open their hearts in advance and explain that he can sound a bit haughty.
I’m afraid my friends will distrust him and discount everything he’s accomplished if they view him as privileged. For his part, my boyfriend is as populist as can be and would never insult them on purpose.
Which side do I take if my plan goes awry and I have to choose one? Dear Stage Director: People cannot act like someone they aren’t for very long, and
definitely not when trying to do so at your behest. Controlling
them and your expectations is the wrong approach from the start. You can’t stage-manage this scene. Instead, let’s look at what you can control: You. Look at your preconceived notions and deal with those.
You don’t trust your friends to see through the vocabulary to the person, and you don’t trust your boyfriend to find ways to communicate. What may be worse, you don’t trust yourself.
With emotion invested in the outcome of this meeting, you
forget to trust that you are good at choosing the people in your
life. Chances are that they feel the same way about you, so while
you can’t make them like each other, you can probably trust them to make the most of the meeting for your sake.
Whatever you do, stop trying to determine what happens in
advance. When the time comes, resist the urge to jump in and
cheerlead each side to the other. The more real you keep it, the
more at ease everyone will feel and therefore the more likely they are not to choke.
As for which “side to take,” choose your own side. If things
go sour, align yourself with the people who are being the least
obnoxious. If your friends are so fake-woke that they can’t look for the good in others, that’s one sign. If your boyfriend is so
self-absorbed that he won’t try to build bridges, there’s another. Trust yourself and everyone involved to figure it out. Imagine
them behaving as their best selves instead of their worst, and you can concentrate on representing yourself in the same way.
The Q is for entertainment purposes and not professional counseling. Send your burning Qs to mike@theqatl.com.
ILLUSTRATION BY BRAD GIBSON 46
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