QNotes, February 21, 2020

Feb. 21-March 5, 2020

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Feb. 21-March 5, 2020

inside this issue

Feb. 21-March 5, 2020 Vol 34 No 22

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feature

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10 Moving Forward Together: NCSU’s Jonathan McCorey

contributors this issue

Kode Brown, Mykah Buff, Florin Roebig, Bruce Henderson , Neal Justin, Stan Kimer, Bill Malcolm, Lainey Millen, Jamila Reddy, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Gregg Shapiro, Trinity, Brent Winter

front page

Graphic Design by Chris Ruidisill Photography: North Carolina State University Mission:

The focus of QNotes is to serve the LGBTQ and straight ally communities of the Charlotte region, North Carolina and beyond, by featuring arts, entertainment, news and views content in print and online that directly enlightens, informs and engages the readers about LGBTQ life and social justice issues.

news

charlotteobserver.com/1166/ a local news partner of The Charlotte Observer

In an interview, comedian Fortune Feimster shares her rise-to-stardom story and her life’s experiences from her Belmont, N.C. roots.

5 LGBTQ America Reaches Historic Milestone 5 Orgs Endorsement Picks 6 ’STRONG’ Participants Take on Capitol 6 Cultural Power Center Launches Fellowship 6 News Briefs 7 Assessment Launched 7 Med Pros Oppose Trans Youth Legislation 8 Gay Rights Documentary 9 Trans Voter Files Lawsuit

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Funny Fortune

a&e 12 14 16

Funny Fortune Tell Trinity Out in Print: ‘Gay Like Me’ & ‘Name Drop’

life 15 19

Milwaukee is Hopping Health & Wellness: Glycemic Index

views 4 Huge Diversity Gaps in Business Leaders 13 Legal Eagles:

LGBTQ Discrimination

events 18 18

‘Paris is Burning’ Kristian Chenoweth

PAGE 12

Queer Travelogue: Milwaukee, Wisc.

This spot in the Midwest has a ton of adventures to enjoy while spending time exploring the sites and the gay scene .

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Feb. 21-March 5, 2020

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Huge Diversity Gaps in Business Leaders A Systemic Issue Needing a Systemic Approach

BY Stan Kimer | Guest ContributoR

M

any people in the business industry continue to state that our corporate leadership is getting more and more diverse, touting the increase in women, people of color and LGBTQ people reaching the highest echelons of business leadership. In addition to these optimistic statements being heard nationwide, they are frequently spread across my local area of Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, N.C., often called the Triangle. We are a leading center for the high tech, healthcare, pharmaceutical and education industries.

So I was in for a shock when I received my Nov. 22, 2019 Triangle Business Journal. This issue featured the 50 fastest growing privately-held companies in the Triangle with brief descriptions and photos of the CEOs. As I went through the first several, I noticed how all the photos started looking similar; and then I decided to count them. These 50 fastest growing companies are led by 44 white men, 3 white women, 2 Asian men and 1 black woman.

What extraordinary optics! I immediately reached out to share this with an area consultant I often collaborate with, Al Sullivan of Inspirus Consulting, to discuss these numbers.

Even as I was drafting this blog post in midDecember, a New York Times article by Lauretta Charlton titled “Few blacks to be found at the top of the corporate ladder,” also appeared in our Raleigh News and Observer. She reported that there are only four black CEOs of Fortune 500 companies (that’s less than 1 percent,) down from 7 less than a decade ago.

One report by the leading consulting company McKinsey & Company completed an extensive study across 222 companies employing more than 12 million people. Some of their findings include: • Women remain significantly underrepresented in the corporate pipeline from the outset. Even though women represent 57 percent of college graduates, fewer women than men are hired at the entry level.

• White men are in 36 percent of the entry level roles. That increases to 47 percent of management, 61 percent of vice presidents and 67 percent of the C-Suite (C-Suite individuals are those are executive-level managers within a company).

• White women fare worse; 31 percent of entry roles, 26 percent of management, 23 percent of VPs and 18 percent of C-Suite.

• Men of color are somewhat underrepresented compared to white men, 16 percent of entry roles, 16 percent of management, 11 percent of vice presidents and 12 percent of C-Suite.

• And women of color are far under-represented in leadership roles, declining from 17 percent of entry roles down

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to 11 percent of management, 6 percent of VPs and only 3 percent in the C-suite.

Another way of looking at the data is a percentage under-represented or over-represented. They are in senior leadership compared to entry level jobs.

All things being equal (and we know they are not), the ideal fair state would be each particular demographic being the same percentage of the workforce across all levels from entry level to vice president to C-suite. Looking at the data this way: •W hite men are over-represented in VP and C-suite roles by 91 percent •M en of color are under-represented in VP and C-suite roles by 38 percent •W hite women are under-represented in VP and C-suite roles by 42 percent •A nd women of color are under-represented in VP and C-suite roles by 77 percent!

Clearly we are not moving along in the area of diversity in career progression as we should. Why might this be happening, and systemically, what can be done?

Here are five tactics to systemically address this issue: 1) T raining and commitment of senior leadership. The very top leadership has to understand the extreme criticality of building a more diverse leadership team. They need to understand the changing dynamics of the talent

pool and how it is much more diverse. If most of the people progressing into higher levels are white men, they will eventually run out of qualified leaders.

2) R obust investment in minority coaching and training. Due to Unconscious Bias, particularly the “Like Me” syndrome, it is far too easy for current leaders to mentor and teach people similar to themselves. This is not necessarily done intentionally, but is a natural human tendency. Deliberate thought has to be given, and intentional action taken, to provide mentoring and development opportunities for underrepresented minorities.

Extra investment may be needed since it is more challenging for someone to lead a group of which they are not in the majority.

3) B uilding an earlier pipeline. Companies as a whole need to get more engaged in building a diverse pipeline of future talent at far earlier stages.

Investment needs to be made in education at the elementary and secondary levels, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas which historically have seen less investment in education than affluent areas. Companies can encourage and even provide paid time for employees to engage junior high and high school kids in career discussions, sharing the wide diversity of vocational options and encouraging youngsters to further their college or vocational education.

4) Never let up. One issue that is slowing down progress and even at times leading us backward is lack of an ongoing continual commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. So often executives see a little progress (“we now have an African-American in the C-Suite, women in management has gone up from 18 percent to 20 percent”) and then the budget gets cut and work stops.

Then things will take their natural course and revert back to the old pattern. Dr. Vida Robertson, professor at the University of Houston, often states “you cannot take the foot off the gas or the vehicle will stop.” In this case, since it is an uphill battle, the car will go backwards once you take your foot off the gas!

5) E nforce with incentives. And finally, senior leaders and boards of directors need to spend more effort in measuring diversity statistics and even tying part of executive pay to diversity metrics. But do be careful that the incentives don’t drive leaders to haphazardly promoting underrepresented groups to simply get their bonuses, but need to be accountable for doing the real work or grooming diverse, competent leaders.

The business world as a whole needs to invest much more to deliberate building more diverse talent and senior leadership that truly reflects the demographics of our country and individual communities. : :

news

LGBTQ America reaches historic milestone First Openly-Gay Candidate Wins Iowa Caucus

BY Mykah Buff | QNotes Staff Writer

Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg made history at the Iowa caucus as the first openly-gay presidential candidate to win primary delegates toward a major party’s nomination process.

Buttigieg’s win represents just how far the LGBTQ community has come in recent decades.

The mere fact that an openly-gay individual is able to run for president shows that attitudes in the U.S. toward homosexuality are changing.

“He is running for president against a notably homophobic president and administration, and — right now, in his bit of the contest — he’s winning, rising, and creating a memorable public silhouette,” said The Daily Beast Senior Editor and Writer Tim Teeman. “Wherever his campaign goes from here, Iowa represents a pivotal moment in not just simple political terms, but also about what the prospect of a Buttigieg presidency means for and to LGBTQ America,” Teeman added.

Former South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg was a history-maker as the first openly gay candidate when he won in the Iowa Caucus. (Photo Credit: Gary Riggs via Wikimedia Commons. CC-SA-4.0-International license)

Following Buttigieg’s landmark win at the Iowa caucus, he went on to take second place to Bernie Sanders by only two percentage points in the New Hampshire primaries.

“The electability assumptions of political pundits are tumbling down all around us — with Pete showing in Iowa and New Hampshire that he can build broad coalitions in cities and rural areas and across the political spectrum,” Annise Parker, LGBTQ Victory Fund president and CEO said in a statement.

“It shatters the notion that an openly-gay candidate can win in only the most liberal hotspots and underscores Pete’s position as the best candidate to unite Americans in defeating Donald Trump. That the historic nature of his candidacy is relatively subdued is a testament to our progress as a nation. With enormous momentum heading into the upcoming primaries, it is clear America is ready to elect its first openly gay president.” : :

Orgs share endorsement picks Federal, State and Local Races

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t’s finally 2020 political season and the country is off to the start for voting for their favorite candidates across a plethora of races. Here in the Carolinas, races are being run in hopes of capturing voter’s nods when they cast their ballots on Super Tuesday on March 3.

Kendra R. Johnson, executive director of Equality North Carolina, released the following statement: “With the massive number of races on the ballot in 2020, we have a crucial opportunity for North Carolinians to elect pro-equality legislators and change the course of history for this state — and America. We are living in dire and terrifying times for some of our community’s most vulnerable members — particularly trans and gender-nonconforming people of color and other individuals living at the margins. These voters deserve leaders committed to creating a more equitable and safer world for them to live, work and raise families. We believe the politicians that we’ve endorsed are the most well-equipped to help build that world, change the dangerous trajectory that this country is currently heading towards, and create a better North Carolina for us all.”

Equality North Carolina made their choices and list them as follows: U.S. Senate Erica Smith U.S. House of Representatives Scott Huffman Alma Adams David Price David Wilson Brown Deborah K. Ross Moe Davis Andy Terrell Monika Johnson-Hostler Governor, Roy Cooper Lt. Governor, Chaz Beasley Attorney General, Josh Stein Treasurer, Ronnie Chatterji Secretary of State, Elaine Marshall Schools Superintendent, Jen Mangrum Commissioner of Agriculture, Jenna Wadsworth Commissioner of Insurance, Wayne Goodwin Commissioner of Labor, Jessica Holmes.

For the North Carolina General Assembly, picks are: N.C. Senate Harper Peterson (9) Angela Bridgman (18) Wiley Nickel (16) Sarah Crawford (18)

BY Lainey Millen | QNotes Staff Writer Kirk deViere (19) Gray Ellis (20) Natalie S. Murdock (20) Pierce Freelon (20) Mike Woodard (22) Valerie Foushee (23) Michael Garrett (27) Wally White (30) N.C. House Brian Farkas (9) Allison Dahle (11) Debbi Fintak (16) Deb Butler (18) Marcia Morgan (19) Vernetta Alston (29) Marcia Morey (30) Grier Martin (34) Julie von Haefen (36) Sydney Batch (37) Joe John (40) Gale Adcock (41) Kimberly Hardy (43) Cynthia Ball (49) Graig Meyer (50) Lowell Simon (52) Robert T. Reives, II (54) Verla Insko (56) Ashton Clemmons (57) Nicole Quick (59)

Terri LeGrand (31) Jose Santiago (35) Mujtaba Mohammed (38) Deandra Salvador (39) Natasha Marcus (41) Jeanne Supin (45) David Brian Wheeler (47) Julie Mayfield (49) Cecil Brockman (60) Pricey Harrison (61) Ricky Hurtado (63) Dan Besse (74) Al Heggins (76) Aimy Steele (82) Gail Young (83) Mary G. Belk (88) Terry Brown (92) Ray Russell (93) Christy Clark (98) Nasif Majeed (99) John Autry (100) Carolyn Logan (101) Becky Carney (102) Rachel Hunt (103) Brandon Lofton (104) Wesley Harris (105) Kelly Alexander (107) Susan Fisher (114)

Across the state, local and municipal endorsements are: Asheville City Council Kristen Goldsmith, Kim Roney and Nicole Townsend Buncombe County Commissioner Donna Ensley, Jasmine Beach-Ferrarra, Nancy Nehls Nelson, Brownie Newman, Parker Sloan and Terri Wells Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam, LeVon Barnes, Heidi Carter, Brenda Howerton and Wendy Jacobs Johnson County Commissioner Wendy Ella May Orange County Commissioner Mark Dorosin, Mark Marcoplos, Renee A. Price and Penny Rich Orange County School Board

Carrie Doyle Wake County Commissioner Matt Calabria, Sig Hutchinson and Audra Killingsworth.

The Victory Fund has selected their endorsees as follows: President, Pete Buttigieg Buncombe Commission, Jasmine Beach-Ferrara N.C. Senate, Gray Ellis N.C. House, Deb Butler, Allison Dahle and Marcia Morgan Emily’s List has endorsed: N.C. Senate Natalie Murdock (20) Julie Mayfield (49) Natasha Marcus (41) N.C. House Frances Jackson (45) Marcia Morgan (19) Jean Farmer-Butterfield (24) Verla Insko (56) Evelyn Terry (71) Rosa Gill (33) Aimy Steele (82) Julie von Haefen (36) Christy Clark (98) Sydney Batch (37) Becky Carney (102) Quanta Monique Edwards Rachel Hunt (103) (38) Treasurer, Dimple Ajmera Auditor, Beth Wood Commissioner of Agriculture, Jenna Wadsworth In South Carolina the Human Rights Campaign has endorsed Jaime Harrison for U.S. Senate.

(Photo Credit: Stephen Coburn via Adobe Stock)

Feb. 21-March 5, 2020

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news

ENC honors African-Americans

’STRONG’ participants take on capitol RALEIGH, N.C. — On Feb. 8 a crowd of 30,000 individuals marched and rallied in downtown Raleigh at the 14th annual Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HKonJ) People’s Assembly and Moral March.

Organizations, families, and friends walked together — singing, chanting, and carrying signs with messages like “Love is Love” and “War is Costly, Peace is Priceless” — through downtown Raleigh to the front of the state capitol building. Those gathered heard speeches from those fighting for a number of issues, including higher wages, quality health care for all, immigrant rights, LGBTQ protections and equality, more funds for public education, criminal justice reform and voting rights. The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, former state NAACP president and founder of the national Poor People’s Campaign, spoke on the main stage, celebrating the crowd for coming together under a shared agenda of equality and justice and encouraging people to vote. “We have to show that we are still here. We have not given up fighting,” he said.

This year, the LGBTQ Committee of the NC NAACP made history by establishing the largest contingency of LGBTQ individuals and allies for the People’s Moral March and People’s Assembly. The group, called the 1000STRONG Coalition, was done in partnership between the NC NAACP, The Historic Thousands on Jones Street Coalition and The Freedom Center for Social Justice. Sponsors included PFLAG, Unity Fellowship Movement, Equality North Carolina, LGBTQ Democrats of NC and qnotes.

The coalition joined together to celebrate the full humanity of LGBTQ people while lifting up the intersectional needs of the community, and demanding an end to anti-LGBTQ legislation, organizers shared.

Members of North Carolina’s LGBTQ community spoke on the main stage, sharing personal stories about gaining the right to marry, the homelessness crisis facing transgender women, the multi-faced discrimination experienced by those in the LGBTQ community, and more.

“We made a bold statement to NC representatives that LGBTQ rights are civil rights, and that the intersectional needs of their residents cannot be ignored,” said Ezra Fairley-Collins, the Freedom Center’s intersectionality programs manager.

Jessica Hulik, director of civic engagement and politics at Equality North Carolina, said, “Marching with this coalition of LGBTQ organizations from across NC, felt extremely powerful.”

Reina Pozo, Charlotte native and recent graduate from Chowan University, marched with the coalition as an ally and called her experience “inspirational and truly humbling.” “It grew my respect and love for the power that is the LGBTQ community. I gained a new sense of community and perspective on the world.”

The day before the rally, as part of the pre-march event programming, the LGBTQ Committee hosted a leadership summit where LGBTQ leaders and allies generated ideas about how to work together in more impactful ways.

“This historic effort exceeded our expectations,” shared Bishop Tonyia M. Rawls, the inaugural chair of the NC NAACP’s LGBTQ Committee. “Yes, we wanted to send a message to N.C. legislators to advance LGBTQ rights and protections, but we also consider it a major victory that so many of our LGBTQ siblings felt represented, loved, seen and affirmed by our support.” info: fcsj.org.

— Jamila Reddy

Cultural power center launches fellowship OAKLAND, Calif. — The Center for Cultural Power, formerly CultureStrike, in partnership with 5050by2020 announced the launch of The Disruptors Fellowship — a five-month program that will be awarded to 10 artists of color who identify as transgender and/or non-binary, disabled, undocumented and/or formerly undocumented immigrants.

The Disruptors Fellowship was created to support emerging television writers. “With 91 percent of TV show creators being white and 78 percent being men, it is crucial to empower and provide the right tools to storytellers who can speak to different perspectives,” explained Favianna Rodriguez, president of The Center for Cultural Power. “It is of the utmost importance to diversify the voices in Hollywood, and one of the best ways to do that is to provide opportunities for these writers to get a chance to be in the writers’ room.”

Jill Soloway, “Transparent” producer and director and co-founder of 5050by2020, strongly believes that it is imperative to create an industry in Hollywood that reflects the diversity of the population. Creating a fellowship that supports and empowers writers of color is a clear path to achieving change, “There has never been a fellowship quite like this.

It is intersectional, it is disruptive, it elevates the most marginalized of voices and says, hey, these stories matter, and we are going to invest in them to change Hollywood. I am so proud 5050 is partnering with The Center for Cultural Power and I look forward to being personally involved in championing these artists and their work.”

By creating this program, The Center for Cultural Power supports artists that share their values, specifically Artist Disruptors, a term the center uses for artists committed to expanding their artistic practice and using their creative powers to move culture towards empathy, social justice and ecological harmony.

The fellowship, designed in partnership with Young Entertainment Activists and Original Media Ventures will include master classes, one-on-one coaching and feedback, peer support and community consciousness-raising, culminating in an industry reading of a pilot excerpt. Mentors, panelists and master class leaders will include industry veterans and fresh voices like Rafael Agustin (“Jane the Virgin”), Katherine Beattie (“NCIS”), Shantira Jackson (“Saved by the Bell” Reboot, “Busy Tonight”, Thomas Page McBee (“The L Word,” “Tales of the City”), Soloway, Ryan O’Connell (“Special”), Jenny Yang (“Last Man Standing,” “Busy Tonight”) and Trey Callaway (“Rush Hour,” “CSI: NY”).

The submissions will be juried by a panel that includes Nick Adams from GLAAD, Christine Bruno (chair of the NY SAG-AFTRA Performers with Disabilities) and select staff from The Center for Cultural Power and 5050by2020. Deadline for submission is March 13.

The program will announce its fellows in April. info: culturalpower.org. site.5050by2020.com. artistdisruptors.org.

— Compiled by Lainey Millen

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Feb. 21-March 5, 2020

In observance of Black History Month, Equality North Carolina has created a space to honor black icons whose “work, live and legacies have proven integral to the advancement of lived equality for marginalized folks,” the organization shared. As of press time, honorees include Maya Angelou (bit.ly/2HtMxwC) and Mandy Carter (bit.ly/2SyDn8c).

info: equalitync.org.

Triad center seeks staff

North Star LGBTQ Community Center is currently seeking applicants for two positions on its staff — program director and center director. Job descriptions and applications are listed on the center’s Facebook page at bit.ly/2uGsg4j.

Submit resume and cover letter to info@ northstarlgbtcc.com after filling out the application online.

info: northstarlgbtcc.com.

SAGE chapter changes leadership

SAGE Central North Carolina has announced that its current coordinator, Joseph Wheeler, is stepping down and that former coordinator Les Geller will return to assume the role again.

Geller founded LGBT Center of Raleigh programs geared for older adults and instituted its program as a SAGE affiliate.

info: lgbtcenterofraleigh.com.

Barkley fights discrimination

Charles Barkley, an NBA legend and icon and former Republican, has said that he is an advocate for LGBTQ rights. He made that statement on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” recently, BET reported. DeGeneres expressed her appreciation for Barkley’s stand against HB2. It was he who convinced the NBA to move the 2017 All-Star Games out of Charlotte, N.C. because of the bill. Barkley’s sentiments were shared with DeGeneres, saying, “I think anytime you’re Black, you’ve got to stand up for other people. Black people know what discrimination is like. If you’re in a position of power, you’ve got to always stand up against discrimination. I’ve been blessed...

I’m never going to sit back and let discrimination happen on my watch.” He was also a supporter of same-sex marriage and supported gay NBA player Jason Collins.

info: bet.us/2HyEiPG.

Grindr user beaten

Two men have been accused of beating a man after meeting on Grindr, Charlotte Alerts reported. Desmond Myers and Daquavis Autry have been arrested and charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and kidnapping.

info: bit.ly/322STMI.

anti-discrimination laws okayed

The Associated Press reported that Swiss voters approved by a wide margin a measure that will make it illegal to discriminate against people because of their sexual orientation. Voter margins were 63.1 to 39.9 percent. Only three states voted against the measure.

info: bit.ly/2HsGJU2.

‘Safe place’ launched in port city

Charleston, S.C’s police department has launched an initiative aimed at reducing anti-LGBTQ crime. The Safe Place is designed “hopes to increase public trust in law enforcement officials as it creates a safer environment for the LGBTQ community by addressing the low reporting of biased-motivated crimes,” The Daily News reported.

info: bit.ly/39EnqDl.

Needs assessment launched on awareness day

Medical professionals oppose trans youth medicallynecessary care prohibition legislation

DALLAS, Texas — The Southern Black Policy & Advocacy Network (SBPAN) releases a first-of-its kind HIV advocacy needs assessment in conjunction with National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The report brings together “often-disparate data sets” in order to provide a more complete picture of HIV and advocacy needs for black communities in the South.

The report, entitled “HIV Advocacy Needs Assessment: Health Policy and Advocacy Opportunities for Black Communities in the South,” includes cross-comparisons of: • Statewide HIV prevalence rates • HIV care continuum data • Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program data— the largest federal HIV program and the administrator of the nationwide AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP)

GREENVILLE, S.C. — More than 200 medical professionals from across the South released a statement expressing strong opposition to new legislation that has been filed in states across the country, including a cluster of Southern states, prohibiting doctors from providing medically necessary care to transgender children under the age of 18. Signatories of the statement, an effort coordinated by the Campaign for Southern Equality, include physicians, nurses, physician assistants, psychiatrists and mental health professionals.

Nearly all of the signers work directly with transgender adolescents or adults.

These bills have been introduced in South Carolina, Kentucky, South Dakota, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Missouri.

Advocates in Florida rallied against similar legislation and declared the bill dormant after lawmakers said they would not meet again to consider the bill.

The statement reads: As medical professionals serving Southerners, we have an obligation to advocate for the health of all of our patients and oppose discrimination. That’s why we strongly oppose legislation that targets transgender young people for discrimination.

Several bills currently filed or being drafted in state legislatures seek to prohibit doctors from providing medically necessary care to transgender children under the age of 18. Some bills even make it a felony for physicians to deliver this vital care to their patients.

These bills run counter to the growing consensus in the medical community that improving access to gender-affirming care is a central means of improving health outcomes for transgender people. Major medical associations, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Medicine, recognize that supporting transgender youth is critical to their health and well-being.

Many credible studies of trans youth populations have demonstrated that genderaffirming care is linked to significantly reduced rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide attempts. Gender-affirming care reduces reliance on self-prescribed and self-administered hormone use, which can be dangerous without the oversight of a physician.

To put it plainly, gender-affirming care saves lives and allows trans young people to thrive.

Anti-transgender bills would not only violate the rights and freedoms of transgender young people – they are also an attempt to prohibit medical professionals from doing our jobs, an effort to force us to violate existing standards of medical care for transgender patients.

We believe that all people, including transgender people, should be treated with dignity and respect no matter where they live.

For all of these reasons, we stand united in opposition to anti-transgender legislation and in support of gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

For a full list of signatories, visit bit.ly/2HtL7lM. The Campaign for Southern Equality partnered with the following for support in distributing the sign-on letter: ACLU of Kentucky, Alliance for Full Acceptance, Charleston Area Transgender Support, Charlotte Transgender Healthcare Group, Fairness Campaign, Gender Benders, PFLAG Spartanburg, Pride Link, QMed, Uplift Outreach Center, and Western NC Community Health Services. Medical professionals who want to add their name to the statement can visit bit.ly/2Hvtj9L to sign on. info: southernequality.org.

— Compiled by Lainey Millen

• Medicaid expansion • Statewide pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) coverage—the HIV prevention medication that can reduce HIV transmission by up to 97 percent • Community mobilization and advocacy perceptions and opportunities • The black public health workforce The Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America (bit.ly/31XHqhA) is a 10-year U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiative that seeks to reduce the number of new HIV infections in the U.S. by 75 percent within five years and by at least 90 percent within 10 years. All nine states included in SBPAN’s report have priority EHE Phase 1 jurisdictions, meaning they are among the communities in the U.S. most heavily impacted by HIV. This report highlights the necessity for “A Plan for America” that is responsive to the realities of black communities in the South who are most affected by the HIV Epidemic, the Southern Black Policy & Advocacy Network said.

“Too often data is insufficient in enabling real comparisons,” shared Venton Hill-Jones, chief executive officer of SBPAN, “so we sought to fill this knowledge gap. The Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America (EHE) work really necessitates a localized approach to improve health outcomes. With this document, we are ensuring that communities have this incredibly timely and important information that they need in order to make their EHE plans and, ultimately, advance the end of HIV in the South.”

The U.S. South (bit.ly/31WNQO7) accounts for 51 percent of new HIV cases annually despite representing just 38 percent of the U.S. population. The region also experiences higher HIV-related deaths as well as a host of other health disparities, barriers to care, and un- or under-tapped opportunities. Black people in the South are the most disproportionately impacted in every transmission risk group, accounting for 53 percent of new HIV diagnoses.

“In addition to its data, our report is very centered on the Black experience and making information on black communities in the South accessible. It details what it will take for black communities to mobilize — which is necessary to get at the root causes of these health inequities and their continual perpetuation,” Hill-Jones added. “Our hope is that this document will educate and embolden individuals no matter their previous advocacy experience to become more involved, more interested, and more engaged.”

Through the Southern Black HIV/AIDS Advisory Council, SBPAN worked with a diverse body of advocates, community-based organization (CBO) leaders, public health professionals and persons living with HIV across all nine states represented in the report. This is a first step in building out a broader advocacy network focused on black communities in the South, and advancing not only HIV but also other health and workforce disparities.

Hill-Jones left Washington, D.C. to return to his southern roots and launch SBPAN so that efforts like the “HIV Advocacy Needs Assessment: Health Policy and Advocacy Opportunities for Black Communities in the South” could be possible. “I came back to the South because I saw both the overwhelming need, as well as timing that suggested that real change was possible,” explains Hill-Jones. info: sbpan.org.

— Compiled by Lainey Millen

Feb. 21-March 5, 2020

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news

Gay rights documentary ‘Visible: Out on Television’ deserves to be seen Tells Story of Difficult Days and Progress Made

BY Neal Justin, Star Tribune | Guest Contributor

D

ecades before Anderson Cooper became a CNN fixture, openly gay men had to be creative about getting time behind the anchor desk. Sometimes it meant breaking the law. Footage of activist Mark Segal storming the set of “The CBS Evening News With Walter Cronkite” on Dec. 11, 1973 — and the surprising aftermath of his live protest — is just one of the many freeze-frame moments in Apple TV’s “Visible: Out on Television,” a new docuseries that chronicles milestones in gay rights on the small screen.

There are plenty of opportunities in the five-hour project to celebrate just how far we’ve come.

But viewers will also have to do a lot of wincing.

Among the most heartbreaking moments: Sheila James talking about how her breakout character, Zelda, on “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” was denied her own spinoff because she was too butch;

Documentary executive producer Wilson Cruz “American Idol” standout Adam Lambert recalling the backlash he received after

planting a kiss on his keyboardist during a performance on “The American Music Awards;” and a disturbing look back at the career of Paul Lynde, the closeted comic whose private torture was anything but funny.

Clips from a 1974 episode of “Police Woman,” in which Pepper hunts down killer lesbians at a nursing home, and a tone-deaf 1967 Mike Wallace documentary, “The Homosexuals,” are excruciating to watch.

Household names share the impact programs like those had on them when they were growing up.

Ryan White, who directed all five parts, said “Project Runway” judge Tim Gunn was grateful for the opportunity to participate.

“He left our interview saying, ‘That was like a therapy session,’” White said last month during the Television Critics Association press tour.

“He had never talked about what his background was like and how negatively

television impacted him and his family in the ‘50s and ‘60s.”

“Visible” eventually gets around to honoring progress, from Ryan Phillippe’s portrayal of TV’s first openly gay teenager on “One Live to Live” to Ellen DeGeneres conquering America through her daytime talk show.

There are also lighthearted moments, like when Jane Alexander shares how she and Gena Rowlands maneuvered around censors’ silly rules while playing a gay couple in the 1978 TV movie “A Question of Love.”

“It’s a love letter to all the people — straight, allies, LGBTQ people — who took it upon themselves to take the risks to tell the story of the LGBTQ community,” said executive producer Wilson Cruz. “They did that so people would actually understand who we are, as opposed to the false narratives that are given by people who don’t necessarily understand who we are. And because of that honesty and authenticity, we were able to move the needle to acceptance.”

Cruz should know. His roles as openly gay men in “My So-Called Life” and “Star Trek: Discovery” have influenced an entire generation for the better.

“Oprah (Winfrey) talks at one point in her interview about how debilitating it is to someone when they’re not a part of the storytelling on our televisions. You just feel like your life doesn’t matter until your stories are being told,” Cruz said. “I got to see firsthand the power of television and how it has helped people see themselves a bit and find comfort in being visible.” : : This story was originally published by The Charlotte Observer on Feb. 14, 2020, and is reprinted with permission. qnotes is a member of the Observer’s Charlotte News Alliance.

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news

Transgender voter sues N.C., Mecklenburg election officials for questioning identity Politics & Elections

BY Bruce Henderson, The Charlotte Observer | Guest Contributor A transgender woman sued North Carolina and Mecklenburg County election officials on Feb. 12, claiming she was denied equal protection under state law and endured emotional stress when a Cornelius elections official questioned her identity last November.

The voter, identified as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, said a chief precinct judge demanded to see her identification, which state law doesn’t currently require for voting.

Doe says a lengthy debate ensued, drawing a crowd of onlookers, when she tried to vote from a curbside area for people with disabilities.

The Cornelius town hall precinct judge, the lawsuit states, said that identification was required “because your face does not match your name.”

Jane Doe reluctantly provided her driver’s license, the complaint says, and was allowed to vote more than an hour after arriving at the site. The episode ended, it says, with Doe “crying and trying to hide” from bystanders around her car.

North Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment requiring voter ID in

2018, making it effective this year. But in December a federal court blocked the measure from taking effect, at least for the March 3 primary election.

Transgender activists have said the law, if eventually upheld, will require training of poll workers. Many transgender and gender-nonconforming people are unable to afford legal name changes, including on driver’s licenses, which advocates say could fuel discrimination at the polls.

Faith Fox, the Charlotte lawyer who filed the complaint on behalf of Doe, said her client has identified as female since age 4 and has lived as a female since she was 14. She’s now 28 and is in the process of changing her name legally.

The driver’s license Doe presented to election officials last November has a photo of her, consistent with her female identity,

Fox said, but the name on the ID is that of a male.

County elections officials have not responded to the woman’s request for an apology from the precinct judge, Fox said.

The State Board of Elections said it hasn’t been served with the complaint and has no comment. The precinct judge in question was “retrained on the challenge process,” the state board added.

Mecklenburg County elections director Michael Dickerson could not be immediately reached [on the day the lawsuit was filed], but told reporters in November that the woman was able to vote. Dickerson added that the incident showed the need for poll workers to be aware of voters who may have altered their appearance.

“We have all been through sensitivity training for photo identification,”

Dickerson said, recalling a 2016 state law, later overturned, that had also required voter ID. “Especially with the next year coming up, we always want to make sure that we retain the integrity of the process.”

Doe’s lawsuit says transgender voters are especially vulnerable to challenges of their identity “as they are consistently and illegally denied the opportunity to have their appropriate sex or gender designation reflected on any birth certificate or drivers license documents.”

The complaint claims the elections officials violated the state constitution’s equal protection clause, were negligent in their hiring practices and intentionally inflicted emotional distress. It seeks more than $25,000 in damages.

Despite the experience, Fox said Jane Doe is ready to vote again on March 3.

“She’s extremely emotional about it, but she’s determined to vote,” Fox said. : : This story was originally published by The Charlotte Observer on Feb. 12, 2020, and is reprinted with permission. qnotes is a member of the Observer’s Charlotte News Alliance.

Feb. 21-March 5, 2020

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life

Moving Forward Together: 5 Questions with NC State’s GLBT Center Director Jonathan McCorey

A Former Pastor and Self-Described Mystic Emerged From an Evangelical Background to Serve a Diverse Population of Students at the State’s Largest University

BY Brent winter | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Jonathan McCorey, director of NC State’s GLBT Center, joined the Wolfpack in 2019. (Photograph Courtesy of North Carolina State University) Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in the Bulletin, NC State University’s faculty/staff newsletter, on Jan. 6, 2020

T

he life of Jonathan McCorey is a study in personal transformation. As a teenager, he had no interest in college, but he wound up earning two degrees and getting a job in higher education. He attended Liberty University, an evangelical Christian liberal arts institution, and now he’s director of NC State’s GLBT Center — and he identifies as a “mystic,” which is not a word typically associated with the evangelical movement. The Bulletin recently sat down with McCorey to discuss his transformational journey and his vision for the GLBT Center’s future.

Let’s start this journey at the beginning. Where were you born? What was your childhood like?

I was born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

I loved it there. I had a great childhood. Summer was my favorite season; I was outside all day every day, doing things like looking for tadpoles, catching lightning bugs, building clubhouses. Every time it rained, it felt like I was being punished because that meant I had to go back inside. After

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I’d been out playing for a while, when I came back inside my mom told me I “smelled like a boy.” I wouldn’t trade that time for the world.

In high school I had a lot of fun. A lot of fun. I got into some trouble — nothing too bad. One of my dear friends in high school had been leading the charge in getting us all in trouble, but then one summer he went off to camp for this nondenominational church he started going to. When he came back, he wanted the rest of us to come and see what this church was about.

At first we blew that off so we could stay out late on Saturday night and sleep in on Sunday. Eventually I did wind up going to some services there because I appreciated and respected my friend. People at the church were very nice and kind to me, even though I was hungover.

When I graduated high school in 2002, I did not want to go to college at all. What I really wanted to do was go to New York and become a dancer for Missy Elliott. But one of the factors making it more likely for young men of color to go to college is parental expectation and encouragement, and that definitely played out in my life. Ever since I was little, my parents talked about college as if it was just

the expected thing. It was like 13th grade. So even though I didn’t want to go, I applied to East Carolina and UNC. Around that time, a guy at this church I’d started attending got a scholarship to Liberty University. That piqued my interest, so my parents took me there on a campus tour, and they decided; so that’s where I went.

By its own description, Liberty University is an evangelical Christian university. How does a director of a GLBT Center emerge from that kind of academic background?

As far as going to Liberty is concerned, I don’t think I’d make the same choice again, but I made a lot of good friends there and had a phenomenal time. So much of your experience in life has to do with the community you find, and I had a great community at Liberty. It was hard being black at Liberty, so the students of color really bonded. I got involved in a hip-hop dance crew and the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and that’s where I met a lot of my see next page u

friend group. We were all on our journeys.

We all supported each other.

I was dating women at the time, and I really enjoyed that. It felt natural to me.

At the same time, I had all these strong relationships with the men in my life.

Eventually I realized I had the capacity to be with men too. And I was fine with that too. But this was Liberty, which meant there was only one view on that topic.

There was no room for discussion. So I didn’t act on it. I didn’t process it. The mind is good at doing what it has to do to survive. I was making order out of chaos.

I earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s in religious studies from Liberty.

After I got out of school I was dating a woman who identified as queer. One time she told me she knew there was this man who had a crush on me, and I had a really strong knee-jerk reaction against that. She said, if you’re OK with me being queer, why not be OK with him and yourself?

I started thinking a lot about what she said. There were a lot of identities I had to unpack there. How does my blackness relate to that? What about my religious background? In light of those parts of myself, what would it mean to say I’m queer? This was the first time someone had invited me to reconcile my educational background with who I was as a person — and with no judgment. As far as she was concerned, wherever I landed, that’s where I was.

How did your time serving as a pastor inform your current work?

I served as a lay pastor between undergrad and grad school. I learned some principles from that time that have stuck with me ever since. The thing is, after Jesus was crucified, the veil that hung in the temple in front of the Holy of Holies was torn in two. That means that now God might talk to anyone, instead of just the priests. So I can’t say how he’s going to reveal himself or what he’ll say to people. The bottom line for me is that I’m not here to prove anybody right or wrong; I’m here to move us all forward together.

When you’re a pastor you help people move along their spiritual journey. My role at the GLBT Center operates on a similar principle because I’m still helping people move along their journey. I try to take a nonjudgmental approach and give people

space to be 100% themselves. In order to truly listen to who somebody is, I have to be able to empathize with them where they are.

People rearrange the world to make sense to them, often as a result of things they learned when they were very young.

Whatever someone’s telling me, that’s the way they see the world; so if I can’t see it from their point of view, we’re not going to be able to move forward together.

Your bio also says you “[identify] as a mystic.” What does being a mystic mean to you?

To me, being a mystic means you have an awareness of your connection to a higher power. If the divine is all-knowing and all-powerful, and I am not, how can I comprehend that? Focusing on that connection is how I navigate it today. That could change tomorrow.

I put that fact in my bio for several reasons. First, it’s an example of claiming authorship of your own story, which is a big part of what I’m here to help people do in my role at NC State — especially students.

It also highlights my intersectionality. When I come to campus every day, my sexuality shows up, my blackness shows up, my faith shows up, and all those intersections inform the work I do. It’s important for my work that I am visible in all those identities. Also, spirituality is a very vulnerable place for people to go, and vulnerability begets vulnerability. I don’t think spirituality is taboo to talk about; you just have to be mindful of how you talk about it.

What do you hope to accomplish as director of the GLBT Center?

First I want to build on what’s already been done. The prior directors, Justine Hollingshead and Renee Wells, did a lot of significant work over many years to get the center where it is today.

When I was hired here, we had an interim vice provost for the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, so my longer-term plans were somewhat in flux until that position got filled. Now that Sheri Schwab has taken over that role on a permanent basis, I’m looking forward to working with her so I can build our center’s vision in accord with her vision for the whole unit.

I know I want this center to be a backbone for our community and a resource for faculty and staff learning how to provide services for GLBT individuals. I also want this place to be a highlight of the GLBT students’ time here at State.

Ultimately all the campus centers are here to serve the NC State community, and I’m looking forward to doing that. : : North Carolina State University’s GLBT Center began in 2008 and has been serving LGBTQ populations at the school ever since.

Feb. 21-March 5, 2020

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Funny Fortune

An Interview with Comedian Fortune Feimster

BY Gregg Shapiro | Guest Contributor

C

omedian and actress Fortune Feimster is practically everywhere! Her hilarious Netflix special “Fortune Feimster: Sweet & Salty” premiered in January 2020 and is so funny you may find yourself repeatedly falling out of your seat. She provides the voice of Brenda on the animated Fox series “Bless the Harts” and can be seen as Heather in Prime Video’s “The L Word” reboot “The L Word: Generation Q.” Fortune also has two new movies scheduled to open in theaters this year, “Deported” and “Friendsgiving.”

Additionally, Fortune is embarking on a multi-city comedy concert tour. Busy as she is, she was kind enough to spare a few minute for an interview.

GS: In “Sweet and Salty,” you talk about how “representation matters.” Kate McKinnon, who got her start on Logo’s “Big Gay Sketch Show” along with Bowen Yang, are breaking ground as out cast members on “SNL.” What would it mean to you to be invited to be a guest host on “SNL?” FF: That would be an amazing thing! I tested twice for that show. They flew me out to New York in 2009 and 2010. I think any comedian grows up watching that show and it was a big part of their love of comedy and where they learned a lot about comedy. Yes, that would be a huge honor to get to do that. I don’t know that I’m close to getting to do that, but if it ever happened one day, obviously that would be the dream.

Gregg Shapiro: Fortune, I interviewed you in 2018 before your performance at Pridefest Milwaukee. What do you enjoy most about performing at a Pride festival?

Fortune Feimster: I like it because to me it’s a big celebration. The community comes together to be proud of who they are and to celebrate with each other; how far we’ve come and to remember what work needs to be done still. To get to be part of it is a really special thing because I remember how important the Pride festivals were when I was first coming out. How good it felt to finally find my own community, where I felt like I fit in.

GS: You are playing one of three Fairy Gay Mothers along with Margaret Cho and Wanda Sykes in the upcoming movie “Friendsgiving,” written and directed by Nicol Paone, another of “The Big Gay Sketch Show” alums. What was that experience like for you?

FF: That was fun! I’ve known Nicole for years.

She asked if I’d come and do it. I was happy to do it just because Margaret and Wanda are both buddies of mine and comics that I respect. To get to do something like that was fun. We were in and out in one day. We weren’t a big part of the movie, but it was cool to pop up and play this silly part in the company of two great performers like that. It was awesome.

GS: Since the last time we spoke, you have been increasingly busy, beginning with your Netflix standup comedy special “Sweet & Salty.” Your mother does your introduction for “Sweet & Salty” and she also figures prominently in your standup.

Does she have a good sense of humor?

FF: Oh, 100 percent. My entire family has a really great sense of humor. I don’t know where that stems from. I guess my parents liked to joke, and they passed that down to us. When life would get difficult or there Comedian and North Carolina native Fortune Feimster. (Photo Credit: Jen Rosenstein) were challenges — money was always an issue, paying bills was hard, tragedy would happen or losing a loved one — somehow cial media person is, but they need to hook a girl up with my family managed to find the silver lining in it, or we some chicken wings. would crack a joke to break the tension or the sadness.

No matter what we were going through, there was always GS: Your coming out story is a part of “Sweet somebody in my family who would make a joke or try to and Salty,” and you also mentioned being raised make people happy. I think that I just naturally got that Methodist. That church has been in the news lately from growing up that way. Now that I’m a comedian, my due to the split over gay marriage. How do you feel mother loves the jokes, even if [laughs] she’s the butt of about that? the jokes sometimes. She knows it comes from a place of FF: That vote was a tough one. I always looked that the love. She’s able to laugh with everybody else. She comes to Methodist church as being a bit more open and accepting my stand-up shows when she can. I’ll tell jokes and people than some of the other denominations. I was hoping that will look at her like, “Is that true?”, and she’s like, “Yeah, it’s they would lead the way in being more inclusive. People in all true!” She wears that stuff as a badge of honor. the congregation are split over it. There’s talk of it dividing the church with people starting their own part of the deGS: Has anyone at Chili’s or Hooters corporate reached nomination. I’m not sure what will happen. I was obviously out to you after your shout-outs to their dining estabvery disappointed. My mom said she’s not sure if she wants lishments in your special? to keep going to church there because if that’s how they FF: [Laughs] Chili’s has reached out because for a couple of feel, she doesn’t want to be a part of that. In my opinion, years now I have expressed my love of Chili’s. Their social I say that having someone like my mom who is inclusive media person has been acquainted with me and would and open-minded, who is showing people how to be in the send me stuff from Chili’s. They saw my special and sent South, (it) is more important that she is there. Then she’s me a package with tequila and margarita mix and Chili’s helping change minds one-on-one. She’s showing them, margarita glasses saying they enjoyed my special and the here’s how you do it. To me, that’s powerful and maybe, in margaritas are for celebrating the sweet and salt. That was the end, can make a big difference. If everyone says they’re really nice. I like that they have a good sense of humor, leaving, then they’re not forced to face the decision they too. But I haven’t heard from Hooters! I can’t believe it made. If you love the church for many other reasons, stay because I’ve talked about them everywhere, even on the there and keep being a good advocate for us. Maybe in the “Colbert” show. And nothing! I don’t know where their soend, that will end up being what makes the change.

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GS: You have also been on “The L Word: Generation Q” as Heather. What has that been like for you?

FF: I was such a fan of the original show because, going back to representation matters, they were iconic in that not a lot people had seen a show like that when it came out. I certainly hadn’t. I wasn’t out yet when it first came out, so to see women in relationships and dating and doing all kinds of things, it blew my mind. It certainly had an effect on me back when I first watched it. Then to come full circle, now I’m out, I’m an out comedian. I’m hopefully being a part of someone else’s representation experience. I was such a tiny part of it; honestly, it was just a cameo. But for me it was cool to be on set. It’s cool to be a part of a show that’s having another moment with a new generation.

“Sweet and Salty” was filmed in Charlotte, North Carolina and you are a Belmont, North Carolina native and longtime resident. What makes that area so appealing to you?

FF: I really wanted to do my special there because I think when people think of the South they have a preconceived notion of what that’s going to look like and what people are like there. I just wanted to show that there are people like that, but there are also people like me there. Here’s my experience as a Southern person. I think that’s an important story to tell and see because you forget that there are all kinds of people in every part of the country.

I wanted to represent my area in that way as an out gay person. Also, it was important to me because the story is autobiographical, and it made sense to tell stories about my childhood 30 minutes from where I grew up. I wanted my family to be there but also the people in my hometown of Belmont have been so supportive of me and so accepting of me from day one. I’ve never gotten any negativity from my hometown for being gay. Long before I was hired to do comedy, they would let me perform in the back of bars. A hundred of them would pay five dollars to watch this newbie stand-up practice being a comic. They supported me long before anybody cared, and it felt right to share that big moment with them. : :

views

How Discrimination Affects the LGBTQ Population Legal Eagles

By Florin Roebig | Guest Contributor (Editor’s Note: Florin Roebig’s guide offers an important overview of the types of discrimination LGBTQ individuals face in the United States and their legal protections.)

W

ith more than 5.5 million LGBTQ individuals living in the U.S., it’s important to recognize not only our progress in furthering equality efforts, but also the barriers LGBTQ people still face in fair and equal access to employment, housing, healthcare, and public accommodation.

According to the Center for American Progress, as many as 1 in 4 LGBTQ individuals in the U.S. reported experiencing some form of discrimination in 2016.

While there exist a number of nondiscrimination laws on the federal, state, and local levels that protect people from discrimination on the basis of characteristics such as age, sex, or national origin — there is not currently any federal law that protects individuals from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Laws do exist offering specific protections for LGBTQ individuals in certain states and regions, but these do not necessarily extend nationwide.

Discrimination Affects Experiencing discrimination is not something that can or should be easily brushed

off, despite the reality that many people often feel they must brush off discrimination in order to maintain peace. Yet supporting or promoting discriminatory acts has real consequences on the lives of those affected.

The effects of discrimination can be even more significant among LGBTQ individuals who are marginalized in other ways.

For instance, LGBTQ people of color are 19 percent more likely than white LGBTQ individuals to face discrimination when applying for a job in the U.S. Transgender and non-binary people of color report higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors and are more likely to experience violence, poverty, and incarceration than their white counterparts.

Being a woman, identifying as nonbinary, or being transgender also carries a higher chance of facing discrimination among those in the LGBTQ community.

Other factors that can contribute to the prevalence and types of discrimination faced by LGBTQ individuals include a person’s age, national origin, religion, disability status, and more.

Discrimination In The Workplace Seventy-four countries across the globe prohibit employment discrimination on account of sexual orientation. The United States is not one of them.

Although many employers have introduced non-discrimination policies on a company-level — including 93 percent of Fortune 500 companies — laws that explicitly prohibit employment discrimination for sexual orientation and gender identity have only been passed in select states.

As of January 2020: • 22 states and two U.S. territories have laws that prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.

• 21 states and two U.S. territories prohibit workplace discrimination based on gender identity.

Medical Care Discrimination Members of the LGBTQ community experience higher rates of mental and physical health problems compared to the general population.

Discrimination In A Legal Setting With a lack of federal oversight, or even state-level protection in most areas of the country, there is little recourse available to LGBTQ people who face discrimination by lawyers, attorneys, and other legal professionals on account of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Laws Protecting LGBTQ Rights Despite widespread concern and reports

of discrimination targeting LGBTQ individuals, the options LGBTQ people have for legal recourse in situations of discrimination are limited, be they in employment and housing, public accommodation, credit, healthcare, as well as those who are state employees.

If You Have Experienced Discrimination Following an experience of discrimination, it’s important to learn your legal rights and contact an attorney who can help you navigate the process of filing a discrimination lawsuit.

Follow these steps if you’ve been discriminated against for your gender identity or sexual orientation: 1. Contact an attorney with experience in lgbtq discrimination 2. Document the incident 3. Report the discrimination (if applicable) 4. File a discrimination lawsuit Once you’ve sought legal guidance, an experienced discrimination attorney can share with you your options as far as what legal action you can pursue based on the details of your case. : : Florin|Roebig is a multi-state trial and litigation firm headquartered in Palm Harbor, Fla. Read the complete story online at goqnotes.com/64997.

Feb. 21-March 5, 2020

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You Are Never Gay Enough!

Tell Trinity

BY Trinity | CONTRIBUTING WRITER Dear Trinity, Why do gay people always have to push the limits, like the way they dress, act and the art they produce? It’s often so over the top.

When is too much, too much?

Yours, Too Much, Baltimore, MD Dear Too Much, Gay people often push the limits, set higher standards and even make some people say, “Quick, grab the kids!” Look at gay Pride parades versus a Veteran’s Day parade. Look at Mapplethorpe and Warhol versus a painting of a ship in the harbor.

Look at Paul Lynde, Richard Simmons or look at… me. To these gays I say, “Thank God!” Why, pumpkin, without very gay people, we’d still be living in dusty caves, wearing smelly animal skins and using wooden clubs to score our next mate. Now, it’s time for a triple vodka martini, extra dry, extra twists, and kill me with the olives!

XOXO Trinity

you’ll meet the person of your dreams or you’ll keep compromising till you get a puppy. But as long as you’re as aggressive and assertive as a bee seeking honey, you will find your honey, honey. We deserve everything the universe has to offer. Just wish, stay focused on your dreams and don’t be attached to how long it takes or what happens on the way. And, if worst comes to worst, then you’ll end up like me, an eccentric advice columnist, with an international singing career, a WIG ministry and a life-size cut out of Chris Evans by your bed. (No matter how busy I am, I

can always find time to date some terrific people. Who knows when that “magic” person will show up, right? See my cartoon for how I spend my time with song!)

Lots of love, Trinity Hello Trinity, During lovemaking I find it almost impossible to be passionate after I reach a climax. I get tired, lazy and unable to focus on pleasing my partner. I know it’s normal, but I’d like to figure out how to get past it.

Yours, Dead Beat, Tucson, AZ Hello Dead Beat, I noticed that you use the words “lovemaking” and “pleasing your partner.”

These words demonstrate that you probably put a lot work into lovemaking, thus you deserve a little R & R after a climax but so does your partner. So, darling, try having mutual climaxes, try taking turns climaxing with some hugging, spooning and embracing in between act one and act two and try going second, now and then. And, ah… sorry, I must go take a cold shower now.

Good Luck, Trinity

Dearest Trinity, Am I a fool to think that if I wait long enough, then one day I’ll meet the love of my life? Or, am I just wasting my time dreaming?

Yours truly, Dreaming, Oberlin, OH

Hey Trinity, I went to visit the Dalai Lama via the Internet, of course, and found out that he has a top 20 list similar to yours. I was very impressed! I’ve sent it to you. And, oh yes, I love your column.

Your #1 Fan, Minneapolis, MN

Dearest Dreaming, Of course, if you wait long enough,

Hey #1 Fan, Thanks for the list and your support.

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I’ve decided to print some of the Dalai Lama’s tips for a healthy life. And, please sweetie, read them mindfully.

Trinity’s Enlightening Tips From The Dalai Lama

1. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

2. Follow the three R’s: respect for self, respect for others and responsibility for all your actions.

3. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

4. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

5. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

6. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

7. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

8. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

9. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

10. J udge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

With a Masters of Divinity, Reverend Trinity hosted “Spiritually Speaking,” a weekly radio drama performed globally, and is now minister of sponsor, WIG: Wild Inspirational Gatherings, wigministries.org, Gay Spirituality for the Next Generation! Learn more at telltrinity.com.

Send emails to: trinity@telltrinity.com.

life

Milwaukee is hopping

Queer Travelogue: Free Street Car, Great Museum, a Public Market and More

BY Bill Malcolm | Guest Contributor hotels downtown, so check Trip Advisor to pick one. Milwaukee hotels are a bargain compared with most cities (and no resort fees like Portland and many other coastal cities), so plan and spend the night or even two or three.

NIGHTLIFE I took the Hop to the This Is It Bar at 418 E. Wells (exit Wells off the Hop Streetcar). They have great drink specials, a friendly crowd and showtunes on Sundays! The lady next to me at the bar was having a whisky-bourbon cocktail. You may want to stick to red wine.

Wisconsinites love their liquor.

The rest of the bars are in Walker’s Point south of downtown.

Other bars include La Cage, LVL (801 S. 2nd), and Fluid which are all close to each other in Walker’s Point. Also, fun is the Harbor Room (117 E. Greenfield) and Kruz (354 E. National).

Milwaukee Art Museum

M

ilwaukee, Wisc. is just a short hop from Chicago, Ill. With seven roundtrip trains a day on Amtrak, you are there in just 90 minutes.

Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport is another option and is one of the few under-utilized airports in the country — frequent non-stops including Southwest to many cities.

From the Amtrak Inter-Modal Station in downtown Milwaukee, you are just steps away to all the attractions or you can get there in many cases on the new, free streetcar known as The Hop.

Milwaukee Athletic Club which rents hotel rooms, but they are currently closed for renovation. The Pfister is the grand dame of Milwaukee hotels. The Hyatt Place is new and has great rates. There are many other

WHERE TO EAT The Stone Creek Coffee near the Inter-Modal station has the best coffee anywhere, as well as some food selections.

Colectivo Coffee is also very good including at 223 E. St. Paul. Try the breakfast burrito.

You will find Hamburger Mary’s on

Fifth St. at National south of downtown (730 S. 5th).

HELPFUL TRAVEL TIPS The weekly, Shepherd Express, has an LGBTQ page (“HearMeOut: Ask Ruthie”/”Ruthie’s Social Calendar”). It also has events going on around town.

Visitmilwaukee.org for events and other options happening during your stay.

Currently, the Milwaukee Art Museum, Harley-Davidson Museum, Grohmann Museum and the UWM Union Art Gallery are putting on a series of exhibitions that they are calling “Milwaukee Made.” Don’t miss it. Find other travel tips and upcoming events at keymilwaukee.com.

Milwaukee is a great city with a lot to offer. You can’t beat it for a day trip or a weekend getaway. : : Bill Malcolm is native of Madison, Wisc. and now lives in Indianapolis, Ind. where he writes the nation’s only syndicated LGBTQ+ value travel column as a hobby. They can be read in publications in Florida, Palm Springs, Chicago and other cities, as well as on the IGLTA travel blog website. His opinions are his own and he pays for his own air fare and hotel expenses.

Thanks to Kristin Settle of Travel Milwaukee for travel tips and museum tickets.

WHAT TO DO A must is the Milwaukee Art Museum.

The stunning addition by the Spanish architect Santiago Caltrava hangs over Lake Michigan like a giant bird. Dubbed the Quadracci Pavilion at the Milwaukee Art Museum (700 N. Art Museum Dr. on Lake Michigan), it features a 90-foot-high ceiling.

Just east of the Amtrak Inter-Modal Station in the Historic Third Ward you will find the Milwaukee Public Market. Pick up some Wisconsin cheese, enjoy a beer or have lunch or dinner. If you like the French Market at the Metra Station in Chicago, you will enjoy this Wisconsin version.

The parks and beaches north of downtown are also very nice.

A walk around downtown is a must with many historic structures to see including the stunning Milwaukee City Hall (200 E. Wells St.) which is an excellent example of classic Flemish Renaissance architecture and dates to 1895. The Wisconsin Gas Building at 626 E. Wisconsin Ave. is Wisconsin’s best Art Deco skyscraper (and dates from 1930).

WHERE TO STAY I stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Milwaukee Downtown at 300 West Michigan Ave. It is close to everything and has a great happy hour in the Bistro Restaurant twice a night with good flatbread treats at a bargain price during happy hour. The Cambria Hotel nearby also looked very nice. I like the

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a&e

‘Gay Like Me: A Father Writes to His Son’ Out in Print

BY terri schlichenmeyer | CONTRIBUTING WRITER “Gay Like Me: A Father Writes to His Son”

by Richie Jackson ©2020, Harper $24.99 163 pages

L

ike father, like son.

When you were small, people said you looked just like your Dad. As you grew up, they said you had his sense of humor or his temper, you laughed alike, you walked alike. Today, you may be close or you may have a chasm of miles or emotion between you, but as in the new book “Gay Like Me”

by Richie Jackson, you’re a lot more like Dad than you think.

From the time he was small, Jackson knew two things: he “felt lucky to be gay,” and he wanted to be a father someday.

“Everything good that has happened to me is because I am gay,” he says — and that includes the birth of his son, born to a surrogate when Jackson was in his 30s. Since then, in the meantime, the sentiment has surely doubled since Jackson’s son came out as gay.

That was his “greatest wish” for his son, Author Richie Jackson. (Photo Credit: Nathan Johnson) that he know the joy of being gay because it’s “a gift.” Says Jackson, he is “thrilled for the battles have already been fought by people at Stonewall, flight ahead of you” and “wary of the fight in the military, in marriage equality and in everyday life. ahead of you” because wonderful things could happen, but These things give Jackson hope as he launches his eldest vigilance is required, and the knowledge that pain someson in the world as a gay man, but he has advice…. times comes from people you didn’t think would hurt you.

Know who you are, he counsels, and “never diminish Still, Jackson is excited for his son, who is college-age your essence.” Know the heroes who went before you. now and who grew up at a time when AIDS isn’t a death Never let your sexuality shame you and never use it to sentence, hiding isn’t mandatory and so many large

shame others. Know your partner’s HIV status in advance. Don’t fall into the same drugs-and-alcohol trap that’s ensnared so many other gay men. And “vote as if your life depends on it, because it does.”

Is there a modern teenager in the world who takes his father’s advice? Perhaps not, but if he’s a gay young man, he might still be glad to have “Gay Like Me.” Written with enthusiasm and gratitude, author Jackson also displays a lot of loving steel hidden in the things he wants his son to know. His advice is fierce, but tempered with the kind of acquired fear that traumatically becomes a part of one’s DNA. In the sweetest of dad-tones, he’s honest, using a please-don’tdo-as-I-did warning, heavy on the “please.” He doesn’t just write words to his son, but he penned them about his son, and they’re caressing, but difficult, words that aren’t only for the sake of, or aimed at, one specific, specificallyyoung man.

You don’t, in other words, have to be young or gay or even a man to enjoy “Gay Like Me.” Mothers of gay teens will want it, fathers and sons alike. : :

‘Name Drop: The Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only Tell at Happy Hour’ Out in Print

BY terri schlichenmeyer | CONTRIBUTING WRITER “Name Drop: The Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only Tell at Happy Hour”

by Ross Mathews ©2020, Atria Books $26.00 225 pages

S

ome people collect glassware.

Others collect books or sweaters or Santa statues or fancy cars or any one of a million things there are more than two of. Scientists say that, as a species, we’re hard-wired to do it, even if you just collect friends. And in “Name Drop” by Ross Mathews, some of them might even be famous.

From the time he was a little boy growing up in a farm community in Washington state, Mathews wanted to have friends that were celebrities. He imagined what it would be like to hang out with them and gossip… and then it actually happened.

Now, he says he hates when people “name drop,” but “honey,” he has stories...

His celebrity circle started when he was an intern on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” which sent him to report on the Olympics three times, which led him to start a blog and that’s how he became BFFs with Rosie O’Donnell. They’ve been fast friends ever since, though it was she who “made” him “sleep with a Republican.”

He worked with Chelsea Handler on “Chelsea Lately” and because of where the show was filmed, he met and became friends with the Kardashians, who were filming their reality show in the

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same building. The Chelsea gig also gave Mathews the opportunity to be on the sidelines when his beloved Seahawks won the Super Bowl in 2013.

That was the year he also got to play celebrity matchmaker.

He had a chance to meet two of the Spice Girls. He got a quickclick photo op with Celine Dion. He met Omorosa and scooped every rabid reporter on TV; he met “Liza with an OMG” and spent all night talking with Christina Aguilera.

But “not every celebrity story is going to end like a fairy tale where the famous person and I end up bonding...” says Mathews.

Especially when it’s Barbara Walters, Faye Dunaway or Elizabeth Taylor…

No doubt about it, “Name Drop” sure is fun.

It’s got the feel of a Friday night at your bestie’s house, where the snacks on the kitchen counter are bottomless and so are the Skinny ‘Ritas, and you scream yourself hoarse in mock horror and real laughter at the stories you’re told. It’s got the kind of gossip you want about the stars you love (or love to hate), spilled with a little snark and a charming amount of awe. It’s got an absolute (and absolutely relieving) sense that being famous sometimes doesn’t make a person act famous — although sometimes, it does. And it’s got “Rossipes” (Rossipes!) you can make to go along with your reading.

Like a red-carpet walk with a broken heel, though, “Name Drop” sometimes limps. Author Mathews is funny and punny, but not both simultaneously: alas, the puns are too much, too overwhelming, so feel free to groan and ignore them. The dishy tales you get in this book are way more fun; in fact, if you love boy-meets-girlcelebrity tales, you’ll find that “Name Drop” is a great collection. : :

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events entertainment, awards and more.

Tickets are available online. bit.ly/3797DeJ.

February 21 So You Think You Can Bark

Knight Theater 430 S. Tryon St., Charlotte.

7:30 p.m.

Dogs and their owners will perform cool, outrageous, and unique tricks and will be judged by a panel of celebrity experts. blumenthalarts.org.

February 22 ABBA The Concert

Ovens Auditorium 2700 E. Independence Blvd., Charlotte 8 p.m.

This tribute group is bringing ABBA back to life with classics like “S.O.S,” “The Winner Takes All,” “Mamma Mia” and “Dancing Queen.” Tickets are on sale now and start at $35. boplex.com.

February 22 25th Annual HRC Carolina Dinner and Silent Auction

Le Meridien 555 S. McDowell St., Charlotte 5 p.m.

Come out and meet HRC’s new president, Alphonso David. Evening includes cocktails, dinner,

February 23 Queen City Prism Mike Bloomberg 2020 LGBTQ Kickoff Party

Ascent Uptown Apartments, Skydeck 225 S Poplar St., Charlotte 6 p.m.

Dancing, networking, drinks and finger food. Special guest DJ Little Betty and American rock singer songwriter Justin Utley. Lean more about Mike Bloomberg’s LGBTQ Platform. bit.ly/3bJINFe.

February 25 Best Practices for LGBT-Friendly Senior Services

Centralina Area Agency on Aging 9815 David Taylor Dr., Suite 100, Charlotte 10 a.m.

Show support by learning more about the cause and how to promote one’s business to the LGBTQ senior community. centralina.org.

February 25 Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce I Love Networking!

Dr. Brian Williams, DDS Office 2711 Randolph Rd., Ste. 501, Charlotte 6:30 p.m.

Learn what the Charlotte LGBTQ community has to offer in the business world. Work the room, socialize and make new and old connections. Chamber members

February-March 2020

Submit your events: editor@goqnotes.com

receive complimentary beverage and hors d’oeuvres. Members no charge, non-members $5. clgbtcc.org.

February 25-26 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center 130 N. Tryon St., Charlotte 7:30 p.m.

Alvin Ailey presents two different dance performances showcasing heart and soul: Feb. 25, BUSK/ Ode/Revelations; and Feb. 26, The Call/Cry/EN/Revelations. Tickets start at $25 and are available online. bit.ly/321Bt32.

February 26 LGBT Center of Raleigh Polyamory and Open Relationship Discussion Group

LGBT Center of Raleigh 119 E. Hargett St., Raleigh 7:30 p.m.

A group discussion on the alternative lifestyles within polyamory and/or open relationships. Open to all, from beginners to advanced levels of experience, to LGBTQ and straight individuals. lgbtcenterofraleigh.com.

February 28 Southern Spring Home and Garden Show

The Park Expo & Conference Center 800 Briar Creek Rd., Charlotte 10 a.m.

This will be a two-week event with the latest trends in home improvement, outdoor living and gardening. Joining the event will be celebrity speakers Kevin O’Conner of “This Old House” and Matt Fox of “Room by Room.” Tickets start at $10 and can be purchase in groups for a discounted price. bit.ly/2Ug1mKT.

February 29 Diana Ross

Belk Theatre 130 N Tryon St., Charlotte 8 p.m.

From music, movies, musicals, and television the iconic Ms. Diana Ross will be in Charlotte for the Diamond Diana: 75th Birthday Celebration.

Tickets are available online. bit.ly/2ZcMayH.

March 5 Charlotte Hornets Pride Night Special Guest One Voice Chorus of Charlotte

March 10: Kristian Chenoweth ‘For the Girls’ Concert

Kristian Chenoweth visits the Queen City in celebration of her new album “For the Girls,” a tribute to many women who inspired her through her career. Tickets start at $39.50 and are available online. Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, 130 N. Tryon St., Charlotte. 7:30 p.m. bit.ly/2SNI5hA.

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Spectrum Center 333 E. Trade St., Charlotte 7 p.m.

One Voice Chorus of Charlotte will be singing the national anthem before the game and appearing in the halftime show. bit.ly/31WSSKs.

February 27: ‘Paris is Burning’ Film Screening

In celebration of Black LGBTQ History Month, the Freedom Center for Social Justice is screening “Paris is Burning,” a documentary film about the ball culture of the 1980s in New York City. Seating is limited and popcorn and pizza will be provided. Free admission. Freedom Center for Social Justice, 4921 Albemarle Rd., Suite 204, Charlotte. 6 p.m. fcsj.org.

March 7 Charlotte Pride Band Concert ‘Broadway Songs’

Park Road Church 3900 Park Rd., Charlotte 5 p.m.

Charlotte Pride Band celebrates its 10th season by playing a tribute to Broadway. This concert features music from “Les Misérables,” “Hamilton” and more. Tickets are $15 and are available online or at the door. bit.ly/2uPNixk.

March 7 Not Your Average Wedding Show

Noda Brewing Company 2921 N. Tryon St., Charlotte 12 p.m.

Queer-friendly wedding show dedicated to providing a safe space for people to plan their weddings and find inclusive wedding vendors. bit.ly/2HsbRmG.

March 14 Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte ‘After Dark 2020: Wild Wild West’

Knight Gallery at Spirit Square 345 N. Tryon St., Charlotte 6:30 p.m.

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte annual fundraiser, with eats and drinks. Silent and live auctions, games and a small performance from the chorus. gmccharlotte.org.

March 21 Just Twirl Boot Camp 2020 Spring Training

Visulite Theater 1615 Elizabeth Ave., Charlotte 10 p.m.

Pull out boots, camo and leather gear for Just Twirl’s annual spring

event, with DJ J Warren from Boston. Tickets are available online at bit.ly/2HvK6cO and are $15 early bird through Feb. 28, $20 advance and $25 at the door. justtwirl.com.

March 21 2020 Guilford Green Foundation Gala & Green Party

Starmount Forest Country Club 1 Sam Snead Dr., Greensboro 7 p.m.

Sit-down dinner with special guest author Sally Kohn of “The Opposite of Hate” and host Jessica Mashburn and Evan Olson for the green party. Tickets are $175 and are available online. bit.ly/2SvnYpq.

March 21 Wig Out – A Hair Raising Night Charity Campus Pride for LGBTQ+ Youth

Midtown Ballroom Venue 1133 Metropolitan Ave., #180, Charlotte 7 p.m.

Enjoy a silent and live auction of unique one-of-a-kind wigs in order to raise money for Campus Pride.

Tickets start at $35. campuspride.org/wigout.

March 24 We Are at the Table

Charlotte Museum of History 3500 Shamrock Dr., Charlotte 6 p.m.

A women’s roundtable with focus on community changes and empowerment with guest speakers City of Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and Janet LeBar, president Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. clgbtcc.org.

life

REGULAR EVENTS Charlotte LGBT Chamber

Regular business meetings, social events and other activities throughout the year. Days and times vary. info: clgbtcc.org.

Health & Wellness: An Incomplete Picture

Prime Timers

Monthly meeting including dinner, speaker, games and more for gay men ages 21 and up, 5-7 p.m., Park Road Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 3900 Park Rd., Charlotte. info: charlotteprimetimers.org.

Transcend Charlotte

Support groups for partners, friends and family of transgender and gender non-conforming adults ages 18 and older, second and fourth Sundays of each month, 6-7 p.m., Time Out Youth Center, 3800 Monroe Rd., Charlotte.

Prior to each meeting an anxiety support group is offered 5-6 p.m. info: transcendcharlotte.org.

Trans Youth Group

Time Out Youth Center hosts weekly discussion groups for transgender youth ages 13-20 each Thursday, 4:306 p.m., 3800 Monroe Rd., Charlotte. info: timeoutyouth.org.

Youth Drop-In Space

Drop-in space Monday-Friday, 3-6:30 p.m., Time Out Youth Center, 3800 Monroe Rd., Charlotte. info: timeoutyouth.org.

Youth Discussion Group

Weekly discussion groups for LGBTQ youth ages 13-20 each Wednesday, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Time Out Youth Center, 3800 Monroe Rd., Charlotte. info: timeoutyouth.org.

Youth of Color Group

Weekly discussion groups for LGBTQ and ally people of color each Thursday, 7-8:30 p.m., Time Out Youth Center, 3800 Monroe Rd., Charlotte. info: timeoutyouth.org

UPDATES/ADDITIONS?

Do you have a regular and reoccurring community event you’d like listed? A listing to update? Email us at editor@ goqnotes.com.

Glycemic Index

BY Jack Kirven | qnotes contributor

H

ere I am again, telling you to stop counting calories. I have repeatedly brought up Dr. Jason Fung’s book “The Obesity Code,” wherein he explains in clear language why calories are a distraction. The degree, frequency and severity of insulin responses to food is what matters when it comes to improving blood sugar and/ or body composition. If you want to reduce your risk of developing metabolic disorders like diabetes, or if you want to lose body fat, stop counting calories!

Rather, let’s look at this insulin issue a bit more.

Many people are becoming more familiar with the Glycemic Index. This rating lets you know the speed and severity with which a particular food will raise, or perhaps spike, your insulin levels.

Insulin is released in tandem with blood glucose levels and regulates how much sugar is stored for later use.

Why is this important? Because, over time, with too frequent and/or severe fluctuations in your blood sugar, you become susceptible to insulin resistance. This forces your pancreas to create more insulin to pull the excess sugar into storage (i.e., body fat), which itself will damage the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, while also causing your insulin receptors to become numb to the hormone. It’s rather like a drug: you need more to get the same effect, but the damage the larger dose causes undermines the effectiveness of that larger dose.

So we turn to the artificial concept of calories to try to understand how to control our serving sizes. But this is misleading, because serving sizes tend to be ridiculously small, and if you aren’t measuring your food, you still will possibly eat far too many portions in one sitting. Americans are notorious for our serving sizes. With this in mind, the entire purpose of calories becomes even less helpful.

Back to the Glycemic Index: This score indicates how damaging a food will be to your blood sugar levels. Foods that score 0-55 are rated low impact (and thus presumed to be better for diabetics and those looking to maintain healthy weight and/or body fat ratios), 5669 are moderate, 70 and above are high. For reference, table sugar is a 100. So the index measures the comparison between the speed and degree a food affects blood sugar against table sugar.

But this is not the whole picture. If you look at charts of foods and their Glycemic Index scores, you will notice many surprising results.

Most proteins and all fats are rated 0. But highly refined proteins like whey powder do raise blood sugar, which is why consuming too much whey can still rapidly increase body fat. Unused fat is stored directly. One glaring example of how the Glycemic Index alone can be misleading is ice cream (51) versus watermelon (76). Are you really going to accept this at face value? Do you actually want to believe the fantasy that ice cream is “better” for you than watermelon?

What I have noticed is that, as with Atkins diets, this “allows” people to consume rampant amounts of bacon and cheese, because they’re low carb, as if these huge portions of foods won’t get stored for later use. It also means people see ice cream as healthier than some fruits. This obviously cannot be right.

In the case of ice cream, the fat in it slows down the digestion of carbohydrate, Calculating the Glycemic Load of food which is what lowers the sources gives a clear picture of how Glycemic Index rating for ice insulin levels will respond to them. cream. Watermelon has no (Photo Credit: Vitalii Vodolazskyi via protein, fat or fiber to slow Adobe Stock) the digestion of its sugars.

But ice cream includes vast amounts of sugar, whereas watermelon has very little. Plus watermelon contains potassium, which itself helps to improve blood sugar levels. So then, what gives?

Familiarize yourself with the Glycemic Load. This scoring system takes the Glycemic Index and takes portions into account. The Glycemic Load ranks thus: 0-10 is low, 11-19 is moderate, 20 and above is high. Now look at ice cream and watermelon again, with this score in mind. Ice cream ranges 11-24 (depending on the flavor, fat content, and toppings), and watermelon ranges 3-8 (depending on ripeness).

Now does ice cream look “better” for you than watermelon?

Even in this example where ice cream is at the lower end of its range, it still contains many ingredients that can undermine your wellness goals when eaten in large and/or frequent portions.

Watermelon contains water, vitamins and minerals. Ice cream’s sugars get into your blood more slowly than watermelon’s; however, there is so much more sugar in ice cream than in watermelon that there really cannot be any honest comparison concerning which is the healthier option.

As with any kind of singular datum, you have to be cautious about isolating it. That diminishes the broader context. I hate the Body Mass Index scale (BMI). It looks only at the ratio between height and weight, without giving any consideration whatsoever to body composition. According to the BMI, I am obese. I’m short and relatively thick for my size. Never mind that my body fat ranges from 9-15 percent, I’m “too heavy” for my stature. Just as it would be ridiculous to call me obese, it would be ridiculous to believe that ice cream is a more healthful choice than watermelon.

Coming back around to calories: The number of calories doesn’t tell you anything about the quality of a food. People who cling to the absurd idea that all calories are the same will often make the ridiculous claim that 100 calories of cookies is the same as 100 calories of apples. A calorie is a unit of heat energy. It says nothing about the source of that energy. If anyone, especially a trainer or coach, tells you that ice cream is better than watermelon, that cookies are the same as apples, or that your BMI alone tells you anything meaningful about yourself… politely nod your head, fire them and call me. : : Jack Kirven completed the MFA in Dance at UCLA, and earned certification as a personal trainer through NASM. His wellness philosophy is founded upon integrated lifestyles as opposed to isolated workouts.

Visit him at jackkirven.com and INTEGRE8Twellness.com.

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