QNotes Jan. 7-20, 2012

Jan. 7-20 . 2012

qnotes

qnotes

Jan. 7-20 . 2012

inside Jan. 7-20, 2012 Vol 26 No 18

12

a&e / life&style 8 Naked Twister 15 From farm to fork 16 Tell Trinity 17 Out in the Stars 19 Q events calendar 19 Dharma Lounge presents party

11 news & features 6 10 11 12 13

News Notes: Regional Briefs Y alternatives a bonus New TOY director Local PFLAG honored State org opposes amendment

opinions & views 4 4 5 9

Editor’s Note General Gayety Transilluminations QPoll

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Jan. 7-20 . 2012

qnotes

VIEWS

editor’s note by matt comer matt@goqnotes.com

A New Year for change and growth

VIEWS

Three… two… one… Happy New Year! Yes, it’s time for well wishes, resolutions and new beginnings. I do it. You do it.

We all partake in the annual wish-making and dreaming that is New Year. With a new calendar comes hopes for change, progress and success. And, as much as we each wish better for ourselves, here’s to new hopes that our community and world experiences better days as well.

2011 was a rocky year. Bad news seemed constant. The economy was and remains in shambles. Politicians and civic leaders seem deadlocked in constant disagreement.

Dysfunction abounds. Despite it all, our community saw its fair share of successes last year — accomplishments I hope we can build on for bigger and brighter goals in 2012, a year that will prove historic for Charlotte and North Carolina.

Our city’s and state’s LGBT communities

general gayety by leslie robinson qnotes contributor

Helping out on the resolution front

SUBSCRIBE!

I’ve taken the liberty of composing New Year’s resolutions for individuals who are just too busy to do it themselves.

Newt Gingrich: 1. Lose weight.

2. Win the Republican nomination.

3. Win the presidential election.

4. Gloat.

Mitt Romney: 1. Win the Republican nomination.

2. Win the presidential election.

3. Sentence Newt Gingrich to Devil’s Island.

Herman Cain: 1. Land a gig on Fox. 2. See a marriage counselor with Gloria.

3. Find a new piece of chicken on the side.

Rick Santorum: 1. Lose the Republican nomination.

2. Sulk.

Michele Bachmann:

will be handed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shine on a national and world stage this year — the highlights, of course, being the impending anti-LGBT constitutional amendment vote in May and this September’s Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

In the next few months, the campaign to defeat the proposed amendment — which would forever ban recognition of samesex marriages, civil unions and domestic partnerships — will heat up. Both sides will begin fundraising ferociously (if they haven’t already) and TV ads, radio spots, billboards, yard signs and mailers will soon become as commonplace as the Carolina pine trees that stand tall in nearly every single backyard in this state.

The amendment will be an uphill fight.

Thirty states across the country have passed similar constitutional measures, though North Carolina’s is one of the most draconian.

1. Win the Republican nomination.

2. If that fails, angle for the vice-presidential nomination.

3. Confront Marcus once and for all.

4. Introduce legislation removing all gay people to Key West — at least Marcus will be warm.

Marcus Bachmann: 1. Reconcile my faith, my orientation and my choices.

2. Not. Rick Perry: 1. Burn the jacket I wore in the antigay video.

2. Remain firmly ignorant about everything.

Ron Paul: 1. Lose the Republican nomination.

2. Declare Houston a new libertarian nation.

3. Deny foreign aid to Dallas.

Jon Huntsman: 1. Come from behind, way behind, and win the

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Jan. 7-20 . 2012

Fortunately, Tar Heels have a long, progressive tradition and history to draw upon, giving us a firm foundation for building coalitions and working toward the defeat of the amendment.

And, regardless of the amendment’s eventual fate, the organizing and grassroots work undertaken will leave an indelible mark on LGBT communities in every single city and town, no matter their size.

This fall, LGBT community members in Charlotte — and even those across the state — will have the opportunity to engage in a conversation that could prove useful for creating more progressive and inclusive movement at the local level. Thousands and thousands of LGBT and LGBT-friendly politicians, activists, lobbyists, Democratic Party workers and media representatives will pour into the Queen City for the 2012 Democratic National Convention and become our captive audience.

For the week the convention is here, and for the several weeks preceding it, local LGBT community leaders and members will meet and mingle with some of the nation’s most influential LGBT leaders and visionaries. Such access, I hope, will serve as a boon to efforts to increase our visibility and credibility as an active, politically and socially dynamic constituency.

I sincerely hope my fellow community leaders will take this opportunity and use it for its maximum potential benefit. A wasted opportunity such as this would be quite sad, indeed. I envision speaking engagements and leadership discussions and public projects and initiatives to increase our visibility. We all know our community is culturally vibrant — now it is our turn to become politically dynamic and viable. We’ve been ignored for far too long, hidden away in the Queen City’s dusty closet.

Our community’s continued journey out of Charlotte’s proverbial closet is, perhaps, my most ardent and heartfelt wish for our local community this new year. We had a glimpse of the possibilities during Pride Charlotte’s Uptown 27,000-plus extravaganza in August.

We are a large and powerful community — but only if we choose to be, such as recent efforts to engage the Charlotte City Council in continued conversations on a non-discrimination ordinance and domestic partner benefits.

Pride Charlotte’s 2011 theme — “Stand Up. Stand Out. Stand Proud” — was perfectly symbolic and it’s a message we should take to heart as this new year unfolds and we begin to face the amendment’s challenges and Democratic Convention’s many blessings. : :

Republican nomination.

2. Failing that, accept a cabinet post — in the Obama administration.

Fred Karger: 1. Be denied entry to the Republican National Convention.

2. Lose the Republican nomination.

3. Start planning for 2016.

Sarah Palin: 1. Get Todd his own reality show on snowmobile racing.

2. Win the Arizona Senate seat.

3. See Russia from Scottsdale.

Donald Trump: 1. Convince the world I’m the most important person in it.

Barack Obama: 1. Recapture the White House.

2. Work on my place in history.

3. Resume smoking, no matter what Michelle says.

Michelle Obama: 1. Campaign like crazy.

2. Urge America to support Iraq veterans.

3. Rotate my crops.

Bo Obama: 1. Locate an irreplaceable White House antique and eat it.

John Boehner:

1. Do my part to get a Republican in the White House.

2. Perfect my tan so Sports Illustrated has to ask me to model in the swimsuit issue.

Barney Frank: 1. Serve effectively in Congress until my final term in finished.

2. Try not to laugh when people suggest I lead the HRC. Tammy Baldwin: 1. Win Wisconsin’s tough Senate race.

2. Publicly downplay that I’m the first openly gay U.S. Senator.

3. Privately tingle all over.

Angela Merkel: 1. Save the European Union.

2. Vacation anywhere but Greece.

Pope Benedict XVI: 1. Continue leading the Church backwards.

2. Convince God I’m too valuable to be called home.

Grethe Cammermeyer: 1. Make sure certain persons know I’m available to serve on the Joint Chiefs.

Steve Jobs: 1. Reveal to the world that my consciousness now resides in Apple’s latest product, the

see General Gayety on 9

VIEWS

transilluminations by eva hayward qnotes contributor

Transgenderism and transsexualism are expressions of life-loving invention

A love affair broke out between a transsexual woman — male to female — and a transgender man — female to male.

I have lived as a woman for years and he had recently transitioned from female to male.

I define as transsexual — someone who feels an essential need to modify her body — and he is transgender — not necessarily wanting sex reassignment. I always desired men and he always women. While sex and gender identity do not define one’s sexuality, we moved across cultural categories of gay and lesbian, man and woman. Neither of us was looking for a transgender lover, but we found each other and became a different kind of heterosexual couple.

Although relationships can be complicated, love is often quite simple. In many ways, our relationship is no more or less convoluted than any other: Do you desire me as much as I desire you? Has this relationship changed me, or not? And, in other ways, the coupling feels novel.

Transgenderism and transsexualism are expressions of life-loving invention. Simply, transgender people, like all people, are part of life’s exuberance, the planet’s investment in change and potential. Even a casual reading of Charles Darwin reminds that organisms flourish because of their ability to transform or adjust, not because of their capacities for strength or intelligence. And, a more careful reading of Darwin invites us to see how non-reproductive members of a species are not detriments, but advantages. So, might it be true that variation in sex, sexuality and gender is indeed “natural”?

What makes this male-to-female and female-to-male couple fresh is that bodies shift across seemingly inherent cultural codes. Rather than suggesting the apocalypse of society (although I confess that on some Monday mornings I long for nothing else), this couple expresses elasticity in identities that most Americans assume are true and enduring. Bodies are potentials rather than absolutes. The interest in Chaz Bono, Thomas Beattie (“the pregnant man”), “America’s Next Top Model” candidate and transwoman Isis King and author Jennifer Finney Boylan demonstrates this as a cultural truth. If you need more proof, watch the Oprah Winfrey Network for a few hours.

Transpeople define themselves in numerous ways. There is probably no single term that adequately conveys this diversity.

Self-identifying language in the trans community is rapidly changing. What worked a couple of years ago — for example, “tranny” — is suddenly wrong or misrepresentative.

“Tranny” is now viewed as offensive, a slur.

These changing definitions are not arbitrary, but indicate a people finding their voice in a larger context.

It’s common to read about why people transition genders — it seems some researcher is always searching for some biological code or psychological event that triggered it — but, the question is often irrelevant. How do any of us know how we became gendered? Or, why we desire a particular gender or sex? Perhaps too much misguided time and money is spent on defin-

ing a genetic code or a traumatic experience that will account for all the ways transgender people become transgender.

The real question is why we pose these questions. Are they meant to secure better health care or to foster social justice for a politically-disenfranchised population? Or, are their purposes less altruistic? Behaviorist psychologist John Money studied why transsexuals feel an innate need to change their sex and concluded that such feelings are indicators of mental illness. Consequently, the American Psychiatric Association listed “Gender Identity Disorder” in the 1994 revision of the diagnostic manual, which has since impacted the lives of transsexual and transgender people.

Usually transgender people are written about. Their stories are interpreted by sometimes sympathetic writers, but more often than not by insensitive journalists, interviewers, academics or health care providers. This isn’t to dismiss our political allies; they are crucial for solidarity projects and cultural change. But, even allies should give voice back to a community that has for too long been named, defined and pathologized.

Even the inclusion of “T” in LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) pays only lip service and lesbian and gay organizations ignore issues that are unique to transpeople. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) introduced in Congress would prohibit discrimination against employees on the basis of their sexual orientation. In 2007, The Human Rights Campaign Fund, one of the largest lobbyists for the lesbian and gay community, refused to extend ENDA’s protections to include gender identity: transgender and transsexual.

A lot of education is needed, even in local news reporting. Sam Peterson, a local artist and activist who organized ChestFest at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro, described an encounter with a local person who “looked like a man.” The interviewer told Sam that he didn’t look like a man to him. The irony of course is that all men try to look like men, but without the assumption that they are not actually men.

In general, news stories constantly refer to transpeople using the wrong pronouns — “A man dressed in women’s clothing was found murdered,” read a Baltimore news article, or “She tricked this other woman into thinking she was a man,” a British publication reported. But, it is not just disrespectful misrecognition that is the problem, but the way transpeople are either criminalized or represented as deserving victims of violence.

Far from resembling the character Buffalo Bill in “The Silence of the Lambs” or Norman Bates in “Psycho,” transgender women as a group risk being assaulted and killed at a much higher rate because of who they are. The Transgender Law Center conservatively estimates that one in every 900 homicides in the U.S. is an anti-transgender hate-based crime.

As for claims of deceit, there is nothing about having sex with someone that requires disclosure about one’s trans status. Don’t we all

see Transilluminations on 9 Jan. 7-20 . 2012

qnotes

BRIEFS

news notes: from the carolinas, nation and world compiled by Lainey Millen :: lainey@goqnotes.com | David Stout :: david@goqnotes.com | Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com

Carry the torch!

CHARLOTTE — Unity Fellowship Church Charlotte has initiated a fundraising effort to allow them to provide more for its congregational ministry.

The Lighthouse Project enables the church’s efforts to renovate its facility, as well as construct a new multi-purpose building to reach into the community through athletics, conference and office space. Even more, it will provide more opportunities for local and national collaborations.

Contributions may be made in the following categories: $100, stone block; $250, eco-friendly rainwater basin; $500, youth and community gym; and $1,000, elevator for the “differently-abled.” Recognition will be made through the church’s Torchbearer Wall in the new facility.

Send contributions made payable to UFCC, earmarked for Lighthouse Project, to Unity Fellowship Church Charlotte, P.O. Box 37131, Charlotte, NC 28237.

For more information, ufccharloattenc.org.

— L.M.

Charlotte

Eastern

Film to benefit national organization

It’s movie night!

CHARLOTTE — “Legalize Gay!” will be shown on Feb. 9 and 11 as a benefit to support Campus Pride.

The film is a documentary that captures the courage and conviction of a new generation of activists — gay and straight — as they campaign, often in parts of the country hostile to gay and lesbian rights, for LGBT equality in marriage, non-discrimination in sports and at work, standing up to bullying and forging inclusive college campuses. “Legalize Gay” follows LGBT and ally young activists as they put their words into action.

Screenings will be held at Petra’s Piano Bar, 1919 Commonwealth Ave., on Feb. 9 with a reception at 7 p.m., and film presentation following at 7:30 p.m. and at The LGBT Center of Charlotte, 820 Hamilton St., on Feb. 11 with a reception at 2 p.m., followed by the film presentation at 2:30 p.m.

The event is free. However, contributions in any amount will be accepted to benefit local scholarships for LGBT and ally youth who wish to attend Camp Pride from July 17-22 in Nashville, Tenn.

The film will air on Logo later in the year.

For more information, visit campuspride. org/camppride/.

— L.M.

Chorus unveils giving program

CHARLOTTE — One Voice Chorus ended 2011 with a call for contributions to support its work.

Since the economy may make it difficult to make lump sum donations, a budget-minded, monthly giving program, Encore Circle, makes it simple to “keep the music and mission of the chorus thriving throughout the year.”

For those who make a pledge of $30 or more each month, One Voice will send two free tickets to their April 13 “Dreamscapes” concert at Club Marigny, 1440 S. Tryon St. The chorus is extending an invitation to the community for those enjoy singing to join them. Rehearsals begin Jan. 17 at Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte, 234 N. Sharon Amity Rd., from 7-9:30 p.m.

For more information or to make a contribution, visit onevoicechorus.com.

— L.M.

qnotes

Jan. 7-20 . 2012

GREENVILLE — The Greenville Area Classic GLBT Film Night will be held on the third Friday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greenville, 131 Oakmont Dr. Features for the first quarter are: Jan. 20, drag comedy; Feb. 17, lesbian love stories; and March 16, documentary shorts (marriage equality theme).

The screenings are preceded by a refreshment and social gathering at 7 p.m., with the movie beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Admission is free. Refreshment sales help to fund local LGBT organizations.

For more information, email richerichnc @gmail.com or visit facebook.com/ glbtmovienight/.

— L.M.

Western Mountain group forms

BAKERSVILLE — The Mitchell County Gay Straight Alliance had its first public meeting on Nov. 15 at the county library amidst protest. Since then it has been the focal point for working “toward ensuring equal rights and justice for lesbian gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people” in this mountain community.

Formed by Allison Bovée and Amy Waller, its inaugural meeting met with resistance, according to The Mountain Xpress. The organizers wrote in an opinion piece in the Asheville weekly that there were religious, homophobic protesters who threatened the meeting.

YouTube videographer “lifeinmitchell county” posted a short documentary at youtube.com/watch?v=YfUf56lTcKI. He interviewed several protesters and got comments from them. One person said that he did not like gays.

The group was formed outside the normal school environment. They told the XPress that they formed the alliance to be the voice of gay and straight people who wished to work together for equal rights and justice for gays in Mitchell County. They hope to make the county more welcoming.

Support for the group has landed them positive comments on their Facebook page.

Ted Allen, a noted food critic and former cast mate from “Queer Eye on the Straight Guy,” said “Thanks for doing what you’re doing! xoxo.” Equality North Carolina Board Chair Dan Gurley has offered to come speak at an event. He is a native of the county. Others from as far away as San Francisco and Canada tipped their hat to the group as well, saying that they had read a recent post on Andy Towle’s towleroad.com and wanted to congratulate them.

At their Dec. 12 meeting in Spruce Pine, the group netted 30 attendees.

They encourage their members to become active in the anti-gay constitutional amendment battle, as well as expanding awareness and visibility in the county.

For more information, email MitchellCountyGSA @gmail.com.

— L.M.

Legendary activist at ASU

BOONE — “An Evening with Angela Davis” will be presented on Jan. 24, 2012, at 7 p.m. at Appalachian State University’s Farthing Auditorium.

She is being brought in for the school’s 26th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration.

A renowned political activist and scholar, Davis (pictured, credit Wikipedia) has authored eight books.

She has lectured throughout the U.S., as well as in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and South America.

The university public relations office said that in recent years, a persistent theme of Davis’ work has been the range of social problems associated with incarceration and the generalized criminalization of those communities that are most affected by poverty and racial discrimination. Through her activism and her scholarship during the last decades, Davis has been involved in the nation’s quest for social justice. Her work as an educator — both at the university level and in the larger public sphere — emphasizes the importance of building communities of

struggle for economic, racial and gender equality.

The Diversity Lecture Series is co-sponsored by the school’s Office of Multicultural Student Development, Department of Government and Justice Studies, Women’s Studies Program, Office of Equity Diversity and Compliance, and Arts and Cultural Affairs.

This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, call Augusto Peña at 828-262-6252 or email penaae@appstate.edu.

— L.M.

Regional Internships opportunity announced

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Have a hankering to spend time on Capitol Hill? Are you a college student who wants to gain valuable skills, insight and perspective by working with out elected officials? Then apply for a spot at the intensive summer Gay & Lesbian Victory Institute’s Congressional Internship program.

The program brings at least five outstanding LGBTQ college students to Washington, D.C., for an intensive semester-long leadership program, including an eight-week Congressional internship and a structured curriculum to learn about the legislative process and careers in the policy-making process. The Victory Institute intern will help coordinate logistical aspects of this program.

A byproduct of participation is obtaining development as a future out public leader. They will work with members of the LGBT Equality Caucus and be involved with a community service project.

Qualifications include a demonstration of strong written and oral communication skills, attention to detail, creative thinking and independent project management, as well as a solid grasp of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.

The internship requires a creative thinker who enjoys the challenge of organizing information in a concise and understandable manner and can find solutions to problems as they arise in the course of maintaining a system of gathering and organizing data.

Housing accommodations in downtown and a stipend of $1,000 will be made available to cover other living expenses. Airfare to and from the capital at the beginning and end of the program will be provided and more.

Academic credit may be obtained, depending upon each participant’s college or university.

Deadline for application is Feb. 6.

To apply or for more information, email a current resume and cover letter to careers@ victoryinstitute.org, or visit victoryinstitute. org/vci_application to make online application.

— L.M.

National/Global Archbishop’s KKK remark condemned CHICAGO, Ill. — Chicago Archbishop Cardinal Francis George ignited a firestorm when he compared advancing LGBT equality to the Ku Klux Klan in a television interview with Fox Chicago a few days before Christmas. Cardinal George said: “You don’t want the gay liberation movement to morph

into something like the Ku Klux Klan, demonstrating in the streets against Catholicism.”

Rev. Eric Lee, executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, spoke strongly against Cardinal George’s remarks: “I am insulted by the comparison of the Klan to the current LGBT movement. When we distort the history of terror for cheap political aims, we only inflict pain on those whose lives have been scarred by the Klan.”

— D.S.

Equality pioneer Lawrence has passed

HOUSTON, Texas — John Geddes Lawrence (pictured), a co-defendant in Lawrence v. Texas, the monumental 2003 legal case that ultimately overturned all U.S. sodomy laws, died Nov. 20 at home his partner revealed in late December. He was 68.

In 1998, Lawrence and Tyron Garner (another heroic man, who passed away in 2006) were arrested in Lawrence’s Houston home and jailed overnight after officers responding to a false report found the men having sex. They were convicted of violating a Texas state law that barred consensual sexual contact between people of the same sex.

Lambda Legal litigated the case through the Texas court system and eventually to the U.S. Supreme Court. In a stunning victory, all state sodomy laws in the country were found unconstitutional. The decision established for the first time that gays and lesbians are entitled to fundamental liberty and privacy rights under the Constitution.

Courts nationwide have cited Lawrence v.

Texas more than 600 times to date, and this decision continues to shape the evolution of LGBT civil rights law.

— D.S.

CDC guidelines increase gay donors

ATLANTA, Ga. — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is updating guidelines for organ donation established in 1994 that will minimize the risk of transmission of HIV and viral hepatitis while maximizing the supply of organs available for transplantation from medically qualified donors. The current rules disqualify potential male donors who have had sex with a man within five years. Under the new policy the “look-back period” will be shortened to 12 months.

HIV health experts lauded the change but said it is still longer than medically necessary because current tests can detect HIV infections that occurred more than six months prior to donation.

— D.S.

National summit on LGBT elder housing

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Dec. 7, the National Center for Lesbian Rights co-hosted a day-long summit on LGBT elder housing issues with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This was the first-ever national event to address housing, health and long-term care issues for LGBT elders. More than 90 people registered for the event, and the list of attendees included three U.S. assistant secretaries.

The invite-only event brought together activists, academics, and government officials to discuss a broad range of issues affecting LGBT elders in housing, including discrimination in

long-term care facilities, the economic impact on LGBT elder housing models, and how to ensure LGBT elder housing efforts are inclusive of transgender elders and elders of color.

HUD and HHS will use the information gathered to work with NCLR and other groups to develop new initiatives that will improve LGBT elders’ access to housing and health care.

— D.S.

HIV+ man alleges outrageous bias

DETROIT, Mich. — Lawyers for James White, a 26-year-old recently diagnosed with HIV, have called his case the worst example of alleged HIV-related job discrimination they have ever handled. According to White, who was an office assistant at Great Expressions Dental Center (part of a national chain), his superiors leaked news of his HIV-positive status to fellow coworkers, several of whom began spraying White with Lysol, prohibiting him from touching doorknobs, and wiping down office furniture and equipment after he used it. Finally, during a stint in the hospital to seek care for his HIV, Great Expressions allegedly called White and told him not to return to work.

The Detroit chapter of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has already determined that there was “reasonable cause” to believe White was discriminated against because of his HIV-status. However, at press time Great Expressions has continued to ignore the ruling made by the EEOC. — D.S.

U.N. guidelines will aid refugees

GENEVA, Switzerland — Last month, the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a first-ever report documenting human rights violations against LGBT and intersex individuals around the world. The report made special mention of vulnerable LGBTI refugees and asylum seekers.

As part of the document, the Office of the High Commissioner: • Urges governments to recognize persecution based on sexual orientation and gender identity as grounds for refugee status, and calls for better training for asylum adjudicators and government officials to grasp the unique challenges faced by LGBTI refugees.

• Recognizes the extreme vulnerability to violence of LGBTI refugees both before they flee their homelands and during the refugee status determination and resettlement process. It also calls for a more consistent approach to safeguarding the human rights of LGBTI refugees.

• Asks governments not to return LGBTI refugees to countries they have fled where their freedom will be threatened because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

ORAM, the Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration, an international nongovernmental organization helping refugees fleeing sexual and gender-based violence, welcomed the report.

— D.S.

Jan. 7-20 . 2012

qnotes

LIFE

Naked Twister qnotes writer strips down for the inside story

by David Stout :: david@goqnotes.com

Yoga instructor Joey Barnes enters the room where his class is set to begin in just a few minutes. He drops his bag and opens his folded notes, making a last mental record of the movement and balance poses he has planned for this afternoon’s session.

After a quick scan he puts the paper in his pocket and removes his jacket, shoes and socks. He is left wearing a tank top and track pants. An agreeable uniform for the practice of yoga — in most instances anyway.

In a moment these items are also peeled off and Barnes is nude. He turns his attention to the similarly unclothed assemblage of men resting cross-legged before him. I sit nervously among them. Following a genial exchange of hellos and how have you beens, Charlotte’s first and only naked yoga class for men gets underway.

I take a deep breath and try to relax. “Why in the world do people want to do this,” I wonder silently.

In no time my muscles are burning and my mind is solely focused on the practice. The earlier awkward awareness of my own nakedness is completely wiped away. Time passes quickly and when the class is over, like most, I mill around the snack table making smalltalk.

If not for the fact that we are all undressed, this could be any mixer I’ve ever been to.

It occurs to me how comfortable I have become with my own naked body in such a short period of time. It’s one of those wonderful “a-ha” moments.

qnotes

Jan. 7-20 . 2012

According to publicity materials, the goal of the group known as Charlotte Nude Yoga “is to provide an opportunity for male community and holistic social interaction between supportive, centered individuals who enjoy the practice of yoga as well as the company of other naked men.

“We strive to provide an atmosphere of camaraderie, body-acceptance, and sensuality (not sexuality). Although sensuality is an intrinsic part of this group practice, it should be clear that this is not a sexual venue. You will work…you will sweat…and you will love it.”

The group’s genesis can be traced to a one-off, clothed yoga class held at Charlotte Yoga one evening in early October 2010.

The event was a special Takeover Friday offering that drew a roomful of gay men and

a few women. Barnes, who is gay and an instructor at Charlotte Yoga, led the class, which I attended.

I had taken a number of yoga classes prior to that one, but none with Barnes. I was immediately drawn in by his broad smile and open spirit — not to mention his gay disco music selection that eschewed sitars and tablas for Gaga, Beyonce and Rihanna.

To accommodate the wide range of fitness, flexibility and familiarity with yoga among the participants, Barnes kept the practice pretty basic that night. Still, we were all focused and wiping sweat inside of 10 minutes and that’s usually a good sign. Afterward the buzz was uniformly positive.

Howard, a friend of a friend, mentioned to me that he and a few other participants belonged to a loosely organized group of gay and bi male nudists who were hoping to organize a regular naked yoga class under Barnes’ direction.

I’ve never been too comfortable being naked in front of people — a feeling brought on by any number of middle school gym class traumas, I’m sure. Still, I was intrigued enough to give Howard my contact info.

He said he would let me know if the effort led anywhere.

A few weeks later, I was emailed a message that the first class had been scheduled.

Interested parties were instructed to reply ASAP because demand outstripped the available spaces. Only those who made the cut would be sent the location, the email noted.

On Nov. 13, nine guys gathered in the meeting room of a massage studio on Tyvola Road for the inaugural Charlotte Nude Yoga class. I wasn’t one of them — my nerves having gotten the better of me. I felt foolish for my reticence and vowed to attend the next one.

The second class, held a couple of weeks later in a member’s finished garage, was my introduction to naked yoga. As I said, participating changed my self-perception tremendously. According to the group’s website, charlottenudeyoga.com, that’s one of the primary goals of practicing without clothes. “[Naked] yoga provides a great way to deepen body acceptance. Also, being naked can bring up many of our vulnerabilities. By facing these fears in the context of a safe and supportive community of men,

we naturally become more grounded and comfortable with ourselves.”

Beyond my own interior growth, through Charlotte Naked Yoga I have been introduced to a great group of men who represent a variety of ethnicities, ages (must be at least 18), orientations and — for you larger men who are no doubt wondering — body types.

In fact, the website directly states, “By no means do you have to have a perfect body to attend our classes. Our yoga classes are about the journey of enrichment of our bodies and minds, not a pursuit of the perfect form.”

Charlotte Nude Yoga met for 36 classes in 2011. For most of the year they rotated between the massage clinic and a yoga studio in NoDa. Due to their respective sizes the number of men who could attend classes was limited to 12-17 per session.

In all, around 120 guys attended one or more classes. They came from all across the greater Charlotte area, as well as other North Carolina cities including Raleigh, Asheville,

Greensboro and Winston-Salem. South Carolina was represented by men from Rock Hill, Columbia and Charleston. Out-of-state attendees were from Vermont, Ohio and California.

A resource listing at NakedYoga.Net reveals just how widespread the nude yoga movement is, with groups meeting in more than 30 U.S. cities. Interntionally, naked yoga groups have been established in Canada, Mexico, England, France, Russia and Australia.

Now that a large permanent space has been secured for Charlotte Nude Yoga, organizers are working to increase awareness of the group’s existence through its website, promotional flyers and word-ofmouth. Attendance is expected to grow substantially in 2012.

Interested men are encouraged to visit the Charlotte Nude Yoga website where they can register to receive via email the monthly list of class dates and times. A fee of $15 is collected at each class to cover expenses.: :

Transilluminations continued from page 5 risk some self-discovery when we are intimate with another person? Is the anxiety of nontransgender people that they will be tricked actually a fear that sleeping with a transgender person could affect their own identity?

By living their lives, transpeople invite everyone to question his or her assumptions. The invitation is a reminder to us all that change is what we are. We don’t sustain ourselves because we are intact or perfect, but because we embody the reach and pos-

sibility of our experiences. Our sense of self is created out of ingenuity and necessity. We should not only want to live and love according to variation, but we must. : : — We are proud to welcome Eva Hayward as a new qnotes columnist and contributor.

Her monthly column in Raleigh’s Independent Weekly will be sydnicated to us every other issue. This column first appeared in Independent Weekly on June 1, 2011.

General Gayety continued from page 4 iMback.

Kim Kardashian: 1. Become a spokesperson for gay marriage rights, even if they don’t want me.

Chaz Bono: 1. Appear on several reality shows.

2. Question reality.

Tinky Winky: 1. Haunt Rick Perry by being Photoshopped in with him as often as possible.

Jerry Sandusky: 1. Go down fighting.

2. Go down lying.

Ian McKellen: 1. As “The Hobbit” is edited, check to make sure I’m not being upstaged by Bofur, Bifur and Bombur.

Jane Lynch: 1. Write another book.

2. Host more awards shows.

3. Star in “Glee” and appear in other shows.

4. Continue doing ads.

5. Throw in a movie.

6. Avoid a nervous breakdown. info:

lesarobinson@gmail.com . generalgayety.com

qpoll

Would you ever participate in a nude yoga or other exercise program?

See the options and vote: goqnotes.com/to/qpoll

Jan. 7-20 . 2012

qnotes

NEWS

Y alternatives bonus for community Still some Ys across the state embrace diversity, inclusion

by Lainey Millen :: lainey@goqnotes.com

DURHAM — qnotes reported on July 9 in a News Notes brief, “Protections top concern in merger” (goqnotes.com/11730/) and updated on Aug. 6, “YMCA alternate recommended” (goqnotes.com/11936/) that serious concerns were expressed that some of the YMCAs in the area would no longer be LGBTfamily friendly and that alternatives had been recommended by community members.

Discussions are on the table between the Triangle YMCA and Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA to merger into one.

Since then, more discussion has been circulating on the subject among LGBT community members.

Cheri Patrick said, “I was at a gathering of lawyers last night and one of those attending took the floor to pitch their firm’s involvement in the Durham Y’s campaign to raise funds for summer camps, etc. After she spoke, I responded with a statement summarizing their history towards our community and mentioned that there was currently a discussion going on regarding that issue and that until they recognized all families, I would not give them my $. I asked her to please note in her final report to the Y that the funds she was able to collect were reduced due to their policies toward LGBT families, which she agreed to do.”

Chantelle Fisher-Borne has made plans to meet with the Durham director, Gordon

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Sinclair, to discuss the matter more thoroughly. Her reaction to their disparity between straight and LGBT families is based upon her work within faith communities and she has little tolerance of those who hide behind “Christian values” as a rationale for discrimination against gay/lelsbian families, she shared. She suggested that interested parties contact Sinclair at gordon.sinclair@ ymcatriangle.org.

Lee Coggins reported that her family left the Y and are members of Hollow Rock, which has been “very welcoming,” she said. “We even had our daughter’s birthday party there and it was just normal. … For me to come back to the Y, they’d need to change their policies and have their staff offer a welcoming environment. You can feel the disdain and judgment just filling out the application.

I’m not spending money there to be ‘tolerated.’

I did for a while because our daughter loved the indoor pool so much, but after a while, I

just couldn’t stomach it. Also, now we love Hollow Rock and wouldn’t leave them.”

Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton (pictured) totally opposes the possible merger. According to Raleigh’s The News & Observer, he stated that he felt it was a big mistake, even if the financial benefits were enticing. The article also reported that on Dec. 14 the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA voted “to form a committee to discuss how and if the two organizations could share resources.” Two models are being reviewed, one that consists of a management services agreement and the other as a full merger.

Other officials who agree with Chilton are Carrboro Alderwoman Lydia Lavelle, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools board member Mia Day Burroughs and Chapel Hill Council member Penny Rich.

The national YMCA’s website policy on diversity and inclusion states: “The Y is made up of people of all ages and from every walk of life working side by side to strengthen communities. Together we work to ensure everyone, regardless of gender, income, faith, sexual orientation or cultural background, has the opportunity to live life to its fullest. We share the values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility — everything we do stems from it.”

In Charlotte, YMCA PR Director Molly Thompson shared that there is no language that is in their membership application that would be discriminatory. She shared that they have a multitude of “families” among its members. She indicated that in these days that a family is more than a mother and father and children. A household family in their terminology can consist of two adults (who may or may not be related), a parent, grandparent or aunt and children or a host of other combinations. Families today, she said, come in all shapes and sizes. Charlotte has 19 branches and two residential camps and serve 271,000.

Greensboro’s Customer Service Representative Gordon Smith said that families consist of two adults, two adults and children or one adult and children and, as long as both adults live in the same household, they can be either two men, two women or a man and a woman. YMCA of Northwest North Carolina (which serves Winston-Salem and surrounding areas) has a similar policy. (For other YMCAs across the state, visit or call their facility to inquire about similar membership opportunities.) : :

NEWS

New TOY director wants to provide voice of support, advocacy Rodney Tucker comes to organization with experience, education

by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com

With Tucker’s hire, TOY’s staff gets a bump in expertise.

“Everyone is a master’s-level clinician,” he says. “We have two program staffers who have master’s degrees in social work and me with my degree in counseling. It automatically ups the bar with the types of services that youth will receive when they come through the doors here.”

TOY’s services and connections with the broader social service community in Charlotte have grown tremendously over the past few years. Tucker’s predecessor, Steve Bentley, shepherded the group through a period of rebuilding, rebranding and re-growth, including outreach to other professional child welfare organizations and an involvement in countywide children’s initiatives.

“The board is ready for TOY to be a state leader and national model,” Tucker says.

Already, TOY’s youth and staffers are traveling the state with their speakers’ bureau program and talking to organizations and community leaders about gay-straight alliances, safe zones and how TOY’s support services function.

Locally, TOY’s direction will take a decidedly more advocacy role with increased outreach to schools and LGBT student leaders.

“Working with the school system is a big push you’ll hear more about from TOY,” Tucker says.

The group is already forging ahead with related plans. One full-time staff person, shared with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte, is working to help develop and sustain LGBT high school student leaders and LGBT student organizations.

“One of their first events was a dance for all the gay-straight alliances in Mecklenburg County,” Tucker says of the recent fall activity. “We had 45 youth together for a night to meet each other and to start building a network across school boundaries.”

In all, students from eight different high schools attended the event.

Helping to shape future community leaders is an important part of TOY’s mission. It will require more community involvement, Tucker warns.

“Part of me is shocked that the gay community has not been as involved as volunteers with TOY,” he says. “I want more people to come into the doors and meet these kids. Our LGBT community has to be the ones to be the

mentors and provide example leadership to help our youth grow into the next set of leaders.

With big plans, Tucker says TOY will need to up their ante on fundraising. His predecessor and the board have provided solid financial footing with a six-month cash reserve on hand.

An increase in programming capabilities will take more, though, and among the many items on Tucker’s wish list is the potential for future partnerships and funding from local, state and federal agencies.

Beyond fundraising and programming, Tucker’s chief mission remains with the welfare of the youth his group serves and ensuring that LGBT young people and their need to have a place and voice at the table.

Tucker says, “Part of the work that I want to do is in the areas of people working with children and youth, to be the voice of the LGBT and to make sure that someone keeps bringing that to the forefront in professional settings.” : : info: Want to learn more about Time Out Youth and how you can get involved?

Visit their website at timeoutyouth.org or call 704-344-8335.

Photo Credit: Roger Plaster

CHARLOTTE – In December, Time Out Youth (TOY) hired a new executive director, Rodney Tucker. Long-known for his involvement and work with the community in a variety of ways, Tucker says he’s looking forward with optimism and excitement for TOY’s future growth.

“I see the history of Time Out Youth as 20 years to build on,” he says. “It’s exciting for me to come to an organization that has been around and sustained for 20 years.”

Tucker is a native of nearby Oakboro, N.C., and a former employee of the Regional HIV/AIDS Consortium. He’s also a former development director for the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network and most recently served as executive director for the Hickory-based AIDS service organization, ALFA. Tucker holds degrees from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, including a master’s degree in Christian education with a focus on child and family development. Starting his career as a minister to homeless and at-risk youth in New York City, Tucker says the opportunity to work at TOY brings him full circle.

“It fits more clearly with my education than other jobs have,” he says. “A core part of me will always be a minister and my goal in seminary was to work in the inner city with disenfranchised youth and homeless people. I’m back doing what I wanted to do with my career.”

Jan. 7-20 . 2012

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NEWS

Local PFLAG receives national honor Salisbury-Rowan chapter awarded at national convention

SALISBURY — The Salisbury-Rowan chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) received the PFLAG National Chapter Award for Advocacy recently at the organization’s annual convention in Washington, D.C. Pete Bonneau, a Food Lion executive and member of the PFLAG National Board of Directors, accepted the award on behalf of the local chapter. The award recognizes a chapter’s contributions in the area of advocacy, one part of PFLAG’s threefold mission of support, education and advocacy. During the presentation, the chapter was cited for its successful scholarship program, having awarded 15 separate $1,000 schol-

arships to Rowan County LGBT students and/or their straight allies, as well as having produced Salisbury’s first LGBT Pride celebration as primary considerations for the award.

“We are excited, and at the same time, humbled to receive this award”, said Mike Clawson, president of the local chapter. “With so many PFLAG chapters across the country doing such incredible work in the areas of support, education and advocacy, we are honored to be recognized in this way. I’d like to thank our Executive Committee, our membership, supporters and benefactors for their continued commitment to PFLAG’s mission and vision.”

Local leader Pete Bonneau, a Food Lion executive and member of the PFLAG National Board presents an award to Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG President Mike Clawson.

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Massachusetts’ U.S. Rep. Barney Frank and Caitlyn Ryan, director of the Family Acceptance Project. “I am extremely proud of the many accomplishments of the Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG chapter� said Linda Stroupe, PFLAG South Atlantic regional director. “With over 300 chapters nationwide, the receipt of the Advocacy Award is a tremendous honor. I am so thankful for the many successes of this chapter.�

PFLAG was founded in 1973 with the simple act of a mother publicly supporting her gay son and is the nation’s foremost family orientated ally organization. PFLAG is committed to securing full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people by providing support, education and advocacy. PFLAG National has grown to include more than 200,000 members and supporters in more than 350 chapters throughout the United States.

To learn more, please visit pflag.org or salisbury-pflag.org. : : — Compiled by qnotes staff from release

NEWS

Members of PFLAG chapters from across the country traveled to the nation’s capital for the 2011 PFLAG National Convention. The activities during the four-day event included lobbying members of the U.S. House and Senate to support and advance the Safe Schools Improvement Act and the Students Non-Discrimination Act, federal legislation that will help build safer schools for their LGBT loved ones.

In addition to a day of advocacy on Capitol Hill, PFLAGers from around the country enjoyed networking and attending workshops and plenary sessions on a wide array of topics, including building safer schools, fundraising strategies, dialoguing about LGBT people in faith communities, and more.

Speakers and guests for the convention included Betty DeGeneres (mother of comedienne Ellen DeGeneres), who received the Betty DeGeneres Advocate Award and talked about her work as a straight ally and her life as a mom to a lesbian daughter, Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden,

State organization opposes amendment Same-sex marriage denial damaging to mental health

RALEIGH — The North Carolina Psychological Association released an opposition statement on the Defense of Marriage amendment in September. Equality North Carolina lauded the position.

They assert: “There is no empirical evidence that supports the denial of marriage rights to people in same-sex relationships. ‌ There is empirical evidence that denial of marriage rights to people in same-sex relationships is damaging to their psychological health. ‌ There is empirical evidence that opposing denial of marriage rights initiatives has beneficial psychological effects. ‌ From a social justice perspective, significant ben-

efits accrue to all of us when diverse families are legally and socially sanctioned.�

Care2 writer Steve Williams recently said, “This policy statement is a powerful response to the North Carolina GOP who have been widely criticized for claims that gay marriage will damage so-called traditional marriage in the state, and that gay marriage will hurt children. Legislators have also claimed that gay marriage would be the same as legalizing bestiality and polygamy.�

To read the entire statement, visit care2. com/causes/nc-psychology-association-  opposes-gay-marriage-ban.html. — Compiled by Lainey Millen

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Jan. 7-20 . 2012

qnotes

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Jan. 7-20 . 2012

LIFE

From farm to fork: Five ways to eat local throughout the year Eating locally-grown food has personal, community benefits

Fresh food is harder to come by once the last leaves fall and the frost sets in, but there are still a number of ways you can keep your commitment to eating locally alive year round.

Engaging people who are interested in living healthier and greener, Good Housekeeping recently partnered with LG Electronics this fall on a “Living Greener” initiative, showing consumers across the country how to make the most of local produce and other healthy foods. The program encourages a greener lifestyle, providing consumers with tips and ideas for efficient products, such as LG’s new refrigerator, which the company says helps to maintain superior humidity and temperature levels to help keep food fresh longer.

Susan Westmoreland, food director of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute offers these tips to keep eating local even after the growing season is done: • Support year-round community support agriculture (CSA) projects and farmers markets.

• Make good use of your refrigerator and freezer.

• Can and preserve.

• Stock up on hearty vegetables that last longer.

• Patronize restaurants that focus year-round on the freshest, healthiest ingredients. : : — ARAContent

‘Farm-to-fork’ restaurants in Charlotte Charlotte is blessed with an abundance of restaurants that have taken on the local foods challenge.

These below, and we’re sure many more, make an effort to include locally- or regionally-grown foods and ingredients whenever possible.

Bistro La Bon 1322 Central Ave. 704-333-4646 bistrolabon.com

Halcyon 500 S. Tryon St. 704-910-0865 halcyonflavors.com

Bonterra 1829 Cleveland Ave. 704-333-WINE (9463) bonterradining.com

Harvest Moon Grille The Dunhill Hotel 235 N. Tryon St. 704-342-1193 harvestmoongrillecharlotte.com

Carpe Diem 1535 Elizabeth Ave. 704-377-7976 carpediemrestaurant.com Good Food on Montford 1701 Montford Dr. 704-525-0881 goodfoodonmontford.com

LuLu 1911 Central Ave. 704-376-2242 luludinewine.com

New South Kitchen 8140 Providence Rd. Suite 300 704-541-9990 newsouthkitchen.com Revolution Pizza & Ale House 3228 N. Davidson St. 704-333-4440 revolutionpizza.com Table 274 274 S. Sharon Amity Rd. 704-817-9721 table274.com — Compiled by Matt Comer

Mimosa Grill 327 S. Tryon St. 704-343-0700 harpersgroup.com/mimosa.asp

Jan. 7-20 . 2012

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15

A&E

tell trinity by trinity qnotes contributor

Meeting someone outside The GLBT Box

Trinity Dear, I’m 36, fun, good-looking and very educated. I just can’t go to GLBT bars, chat rooms or any other ridiculous place GLBT people go to meet each other. So, how can I meet my match without dumping my self-respect?

Roaming with Respect, Tulsa, OK Dear Roaming, In GLBT life, gay bars, chat rooms and other meaningless acts are somewhat cultural and actually meaningful. It’s where gay people were first allowed to be gay.

However, darling, it’s 2012, so you now can join a spiritual, political, educational or sports group in the GLBT community. Many GLBT folks exclusively go to these events. It will give you the self-respect you need and introduce you to many GLBT’ers who have found alternative meeting situations. And, lastly, when you’re at these events, talk, socialize and act interested.

Being gay is really great, so sell your fabulousness like a new car, not a used one.

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Hey Trinity, When I was single, I had lots of freedom. Even though I was lonely at times, my life was all mine. Now, I feel like I’m a slave to my relationship. Is my dissatisfaction all in my mind?

Trapped, Providence, RI Hey Trapped, The way you see life is all in your mind, knowing that fact should give you freedom. So, honey, change in your mind what you can’t accept and accept in your mind what you can’t change! (My cartoon shows you how I handle the harem issue.)

Hello Trinity, Is it always proper, even in gay dating situations, to hold the door, stand up when someone is leaving the table and walk someone to their house?

Proper, South Beach, FL Hello Proper, Yes it’s always proper, but establishing who’s the leader or follower takes time or, at least, a drink. Straights typically stick to the established rules. But, until you know who’s who, go ahead, be proper, be courteous and be yourself.

Yet, pumpkin, in those head-bunting situations where both are leaders, take turns and take videos…and send them to me!

Dearest Trinity, I went on two blind dates last month and everything went wrong. My compliments ended up as insults and everything else I said turned to unintelligible babble. I want to sound like a poet, but I end up sounding like an idiot. I’m truly afraid to face another disaster.

First Disasters, St. Louis, MO

Dearest First Disasters, Yes, you do need some help, especially being yourself on first dates. However, sweetie, don’t be too much yourself if it’s too beat poet without a job, hint, hint. Even better why not read: Trinity’s Poetic Tips For Destroying A First Date 1. Looking sloppy, unkempt or like you just got over the flu means planning a second date is not gonna happen for you!

2. Laying all your cards on the table at first, leaves a waterlogged first date, with no chance of thirst.

3. Discussing your financial, emotional or relationship troubles is like placing your dentures along side the champagne bubbles.

4. Being false, pretentious or telling over inflated lies, is a big no-no unless you like short goodbyes.

5. With charm, good attitude and a dose of intent, you can rest assured this first date won’t end in lament.

6. Planning future trips together or expressing spousal needs can turn any first date into a meal you want to heave.

7. Going to a strip club, bathhouse or your favorite pickup bar with a new first date is the biggest faux pas!

8. Having too many sexual needs or needing money to pay your way, is like violently murdering the bride on her beautiful wedding day.

9. If you have anything “special” that your first date might catch, sharing this information should come from your words, not your snatch!

10. And, lastly, expecting this date to be “everything you ever wanted” is like forcing a child into a house that is haunted! : : — With a Masters of Divinity, Reverend Trinity was host of “Spiritually Speaking,” a weekly radio drama, and now performs globally. info: www.telltrinity.com . Trinity@telltrinity.com Sponsored by: Provincetown Business Guild 800-637-8696 . www.ptown.org

A&E

out in the stars by charlene lichtenstein qnotes contributor

January 7-20

Sisyphus was a king who spent eternity pushing his rock uphill only to have it roll back down over his toes. Ah, if he were around, he could harness the energy of Mercury conjunct Pluto trine Jupiter and conjure up a way for the rocks to propel on their own steam. Push your dreams to the limit and stay out of falling rock zones.

CAPRICORN (12.23-01.20) There is too much going on in your life as events will add a bit of surprise to the choices. Pink Caps are goaded into making snap decisions and later find that these decisions are based on very changeable facts. Smile for the camera and make your debut as graceful and charming as possible. They adore you today and forget your foibles tomorrow. You hope.

AQUARIUS (01.21-02.19) If you have been daydreaming through life, this time period delivers a clarion wake up call. Pow! All that you have come to expect and know suddenly shakes, rattles and rolls. Weak structures fall. Strong ones get stress cracks. But, when the dust settles and garbage gets hauled away you may just see the sunny sky peek through. Now, get to work, Aqueerius!

PISCES (02.20-03.20) What is a friend? Certainly someone with whom you can share a laugh, who will be there for you when the chips are down and who tolerates even your most disgusting habits.

Pals may surprise you, Guppie. Your social list undergoes revision. Potential pals gravitate to your orbit like so many asteroids…or is it cosmic debris? I guess we will soon find out.

ARIES (03.21-04.20) Are you confident that your careful political maneuvering will pay off professionally? Let’s see how the organizational chart shifts to fill the potholes in your corporate superhighway. Are you fated to middle management? Heck no. Be flexible, keep a good sense of humor and carefully invest your money. Then you can buy the company and “clean house.”

TAURUS (04.21-05.21) Queer Bulls cannot rest their cases. There are suddenly too many objections to overcome. The best thing to do is to focus on any legal wranglings with an eye to making a fresh and compelling argument.

You shine in center stage and can even enlist expert help. Sequester yourself in some far off hideaway and seek a friendly habeas corpus.

Is the jury still out??

GEMINI (05.22-06.21) Flirty pink Twins have a rocket in their assorted pockets. You begin to boil over with an excess of sexual energy that needs to be released. But, are you in it for the long haul, lover? Right now, things may favor short bursts of ardor rather than luxuriously long stints and quantity rather than quality. Hmm, so why is it different from any other time?

CANCER (06.22-07.23) Even serene relationships have moments of explosive intensity.Prepare for a few skirmishes on the relationship border and extra stress along with the passion. As fast as it comes is as fast as it goes. Real soon you might settle back into a dull routine. It is a shame that you can’t bottle all this intensity for an occasional pick me up. Or, can you?

LEO (07.24-08.23) There has never been a better time to make changes in your day-to-day work pattern. Nothing goes as planned in anything routine. Good! Proud Lions need more spice in their life. Look at the world with fresh eyes by painting that gray cubicle a hot pink. They’ll be talking for weeks. So, give them something to talk about beyond small paint swatches and memos.

VIRGO (08.24-09.23) Queer Virgins become known for their electric, eclectic passion. You are apt to feel charged to the point of being overloaded.

There are too many places to go and people to see. The dance music speeds up and the fun becomes fun, fun, fun. How much can you withstand before your wires fray and cause a fire? Wear an

asbestos suit just in case and party on!

LIBRA (09.24-10.23) Your domestic agenda gets sidelined. Nothing that you plan to do around the house pans out in the expected way and that goes for projects and family interactions. Things that go bump in the night also bump and grind in the day. This can be good — you can see things in a new way. Just have plenty of cleaning material at hand for the aftermath, proud Libra. Oops!

SCORPIO (10.24-11.22) I just read an article about creating new words like “bagriculture.”

Okay, here’s another one: “scorpionious” — a desperate attempt to stabilize ones world as cosmic forces wreak havoc with every word. You have some great thoughts and just need to sugar the message. Avoid any scorpionious fallout by speaking softly and carrying a big stick. Oh, you tease you.

SAGITTARIUS (11.23-12.22) In financial situations sometimes you’re up and sometimes you’re down. This is especially so now when your fiscal windmill tilts with every breeze. Big money can be gained or squandered — it is up to you. My advice is to avoid major purchases and content yourself with window shopping. Perhaps, the best things in life are free? Oh, don’t make me laugh. : : © 2012 Madam Lichtenstein, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Entertainment. info: Visit www.TheStarryEye.com for e-greetings, horoscopes and Pride jewelry. My book “HerScopes: A Guide To Astrology For Lesbians” from Simon & Schuster is available at bookstores and major booksites.

Jan. 7-20 . 2012

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17

Positive Postings

Knowledge is POWER!

by Dale Pierce ~ Practice Manager/Ryan White Program Director

In this installment of our series we thought it would be good to go back to a basic HIV 101 for all of us. If you are reading this and you don’t know your status, if you are sexually active, if you have been positive for a long time, this article is still for you. Knowledge is power. When battling a disease like HIV, we all have to get back to the basics sometimes and remember that this is a disease that is 100 percent preventable. Share this article with friends and family and let’s educate and re-educate the community.

Thanks to the CDC, HRSA, and AMFAR for their resources in gathering this information for you all.

What is HIV? HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

It is the virus that causes AIDS. A member of a group of viruses called retroviruses, HIV infects human cells and uses the energy and nutrients provided by those cells to grow and reproduce.

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What is AIDS? AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. It is a disease in which the body’s immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off infections, known as “opportunistic infections,” and other illnesses that take advantage of a weakened immune system.

When a person is infected with HIV, the virus enters the body and lives and multiplies primarily in the white blood cells. These are immune cells that normally protect us from disease. The hallmark of HIV infection is the progressive loss of a specific type of immune cell called T-helper, or CD4, cells. As the virus grows, it damages or kills these and other cells, weakening the immune system and leaving the person vulnerable to various opportunistic infections and other illnesses ranging from pneumonia to cancer. A person can receive a clinical diagnosis of AIDS, as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if he or she has tested positive for HIV and meets one or both of these conditions: • The presence of one or more AIDS-related infections or illnesses; • A CD4 count that has reached or fallen below 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood. Also called the T-cell count, the CD4 count ranges from 450 to 1200 in healthy individuals.

How many people are affected by HIV/AIDS? The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimates that there are now 33 million

people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. Most of them do not know they carry HIV and may be spreading the virus to others. In the U.S., approximately 1.1 million people are living with HIV/AIDS; about 56,300 Americans became newly infected with HIV in 2006. And the CDC estimates that onefifth of all people with HIV in the U.S. do not know they are carrying the virus.

Since the beginning of the epidemic, AIDS has killed more than 25 million people worldwide, including more than 583,000 Americans. AIDS ranks with malaria and tuberculosis as one of the top three deadliest infectious diseases among adults and is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. More than 15 million children have been orphaned by HIV. How is HIV transmitted?

• Unprotected sexual intercourse (either vaginal or anal) with someone who has HIV. Anal sex (whether male-male or male-female) poses a high risk mainly to the receptive partner, because the lining of the anus and rectum is extremely thin and is filled with small blood vessels that can be easily injured during intercourse.

• Sharing needles or syringes with someone who is HIV infected. Laboratory studies show that infectious HIV can survive in used syringes for a month or more. Other types of needles, such as those used for body piercing and tattoos, can also carry HIV. • Infection during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding (mother-to-infant transmission). Any woman who is pregnant or considering becoming

pregnant and thinks she may have been exposed to HIV — even if the exposure occurred years ago — should seek testing and counseling. In the U.S., mother-to-infant transmission has dropped to just a few cases each year because pregnant women are routinely tested for HIV. Those who test positive can get drugs to prevent HIV from being passed on to a fetus or infant, and they are counseled not to breast-feed.

• Unprotected oral sex with someone who has HIV. There are far fewer cases of HIV transmission attributed to oral sex than to either vaginal or anal intercourse, but oral-genital contact poses a clear risk of HIV infection, particularly when ejaculation occurs in the mouth. This risk goes up when either partner has cuts or sores, such as those caused by sexually transmitted infections (STIs), recent tooth-brushing, or canker sores, which can allow the virus to enter the bloodstream.

It is our hope at Rosedale Infectious Diseases that this article sparks conversations around the community and by educating the population, we can decrease stigma and the spread of this disease.

If you need an appointment to find your status, the local health department and almost any primary care doctor can run an HIV test for you. If you find yourself in need of HIV services, PLEASE call us at Rosedale ID at 704-948-8582 or visit or website at www.rosedaleid.com.

Don’t forget to visit on Facebook for community and clinical updates.

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arts. entertainment. news. views.

Jan. 8 • Winston-Salem First Sunday Tea Dance Winston-Salem’s montly Sunday Tea Dance will be held on a special New Year date on Jan. 8. No cover, free food, drink specials and music by DJ Clash. A percentage of the drink sales will benefit Equality Winston-Salem.

Blue, 271 W. 4th St. 5-8 p.m. 336-918-0902. outatthemovieswinston.org.

Jan. 11-15 • Chapel Hill ‘No Child…’

Nilaja Sun brings her exuberant, insightful, critically acclaimed portrait of life at fictional Malcolm X High School to the PRC2 stage.

“No Child…” has been showered with awards, including the Obie Award, Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best New American Play and Best Solo Performance and the US Comedy Arts Festival Award for Best Solo Show. Elizabeth Price Kenan Theatre, Center for Dramatic Art, 150 Country Club Rd. Various times. playmakersrep.org/nochild/.

Jan. 14 • Winston-Salem Film screening OUT at the Movies Winston-Salem screens “Going Down in La-La Land” on the campus of the University of North Carolina School of

Jan. 14 • Raleigh Open mic night Express yourself on the second Saturday of every month as the LGBT Center of Raleigh opens its doors to let you have your say at Center OpenMic. We suggest the general topic of the month and hand you the microphone. Express yourself through dramatic reading, spoken word, scripted presentations, free expression. Coffee and refreshments provided. Sign up to speak as you come in the door. LGBT Center of Raleigh, 411 Hillsborough St. 7:30 p.m. Free. 919-832-4484. lgbtcenterofraleigh.com.

Jan. 15 • Charlotte ‘Queer As Folk’ DJ spins Fresh to the Charlotte scene, DJ Peter Presta of “Queer As Folk” fame joins opening DJs Jason Fotizo and Brittany Gaston with host Dan Mauney for a special “Queer As Folk” Circuit Party at Dharma Lounge, 1440 S. Tryon St. 704-334-8336. dharmacharlotte.com.

Jan. 15 • Winston-Salem Mr. Don’t H8 Celebrity Jason Dottley of “Sordid Lives” will appear at the first national Don’t H8 pageant.

Featuring Mr. Don’t H8 2011 Stone Parque and Mr. Don’t H8 2010 Chip Matthews. Club CO2, 4019 Country Club Rd. 9 p.m. facebook. com/event.php?eid=203536659715229.

Jan. 17 • Charlotte Meet the Dunns The Charlotte Business Guild hosts a special monthly meeting with local transgender activist and civic leader Roberta Dunn and her wife, Jay. LGBT Community Center of Charlotte, 820 Hamilton St., Suite B11. 5:30-8 p.m. $20 admission includes dinner. Cash bar available. charlottebusinessguild.org. gaycharlotte.com.

we want your who/what/where Submitting an event for inclusion in our calendar has never been easier: visit goqnotes.com/qguide/events/submit

Jan. 19 • Charlotte Miss Gay South Carolina The Miss Gay South Carolina U.S.ofA. Pageant, themed “Year of the Drag-On,” will be held at Scorpio, 2301 Freedom Dr. 6 p.m.

704-517-4009. info@scusofa.com. scusofa.com.

Jan. 19-22 • Blowing Rock Gay Ski Weekend The 4th Annual NC Gay Ski Weekend takes over Blowing Rock. Organizers say the event will be bigger and better than ever with more host properties and more events, including appearances by Logo’s “A List New York” star Rodiney Santiago and comedian Fortune Feimster from “Chelsea Lately.” ncgayskiweekend.com.

Jan. 20-Feb. 5 • Charlotte ‘Doubt’ Theatre Charlotte presents 2005 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play “Doubt: A Parable” by John Patrick Shanley. In the play, Sister Aloysius, a Bronx school principal, suspects that the young Father Flynn has had an inappropriate relationship with a male student. Theatre Charlotte, 501 Queens Rd. Days/times vary. Prices vary. 704-376-3777. theatrecharlotte.org.

Jan. 21 • Salisbury Brent Childers Brent Childers, executive director of Faith in

A&E

Q

the Arts, 1533 S. Main St. 7-8:45 p.m. Ticket information call 336-918-0902. outatthemovieswinston.org.

America, will speak at a regular meeting of the Salisbury-Rowan PFLAG. Haven Lutheran Church, 207 W. Harrison St. 10 a.m.-noon.

Free. salisbury-pflag.org.

Jan. 27-March 24 • Charlotte Exhibit: CONVERGE “Converge” features renowned artists Quisqueya Henriquez and Sonya Clark and the pieces they created while in residence at the Center. Exploring themes of identity and inclusion, the work showcased in the exhibition will represent a convergence of art, history and diverse cultures. McColl Center for Visual Art, 721 N. Tryon St. Hours vary by day. 704-332-5535. mccollcenter.org.

Feb. 5-7 • Charlotte Community HIV training The Communicable Disease Branch of the N.C. Division of Public Health and other community partners present the first MAI/MSM Community and Provider Training Conference, bringing together representatives from HIV care, treatment and providers, along with members of the community that are affected by HIV disease.

Registration is free but required and covers all training conference meals. Seating and attendance is limited. Charlotte City Center Marriott, 100 W. Trade St. Register online at northwestahec.wfubmc.edu/mura/www/#/ event/36019.

Dharma Lounge presents QAF circuit party

Charlotte’s Dharma Lounge will welcome with style nationally renowned DJ and recent Charlotte newcomer DJ Peter Presta of “Queer As Folk” fame at their Jan. 15 “Queer As Folk” Circuit Dance Party featuring host Dan Mauney of Takeover Friday and DJs Jason Fotizo and Brittany Gaston.

Presta became well-known for his anthem “Proud,” the theme song for the hit Showtime series “Queer As Folk.” The song will also be featured as the 2012 London Olympics theme song. Peter has produced over 400 records and worked with artists like Duran Duran, Rihanna, Sade and Usher.

Doors open for the Jan. 15 special event at 9 p.m. to those 18 and up. Cover is $10. Dharma Lounge is located at 1440 S. Tryon St., Suite 105. For more information, visit dharmacharlotte.com or call 704-334-8336.

Meetings: Program: Time: Membership: Information:

Third Tuesday of every month, except when there is specialized programming, plus monthly socials to promote networking and friendship A wide variety of topics of interest to appeal to the diverse LGBT community After work with a cash bar social and heavy hor d’oeuvres with dinner and program following Visit the website for application options and benefits.

Call 704.565.5075 or email businessguild@yahoo.com for more details or write to The Charlotte Business Guild P.O. Box 33371 | Charlotte, NC 28233

www.charlottebusinessguild.org Jan. 7-20 . 2012

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