QNotes, April 5, 2019

April 5-18, 2019

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April 5-18, 2019

inside this issue

April 5-18, 2019 Vol 33 No 25

connect

feature

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contributors this issue

Buff Faye, Torie Dominguez, Elizabeth Kerr, Lainey Millen, Jesse Monteagudo, Stan Popovich, Rev. Dr. Joan Saniuk, Trinity

front page

Graphic Design by Lainey Millen Photography: TA Craft Photography (girls) and Syda Productions (boys) via Adobe Stock 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.

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LGBTQ+ Youth

Dishing with Buff Faye: Drag queen picks for Disney villains

news

Buff Faye thinks that Disney characters look like drag queens.

So, in light of that, she has chosen nine ‘friends’ whom she pairs with Disney’s villianous queens and more!

6 GGF Bestows Service Awards, Names First Berlin Scholarship Recipient 6 Kliesch Promoted to CEO of ALFA 6 Trans Docu-Series Premieres 6 News Briefs

a&e 13 Tell Trinity 15 Dishing with Buff Faye: 9 Favorite Drag Queen Picks for Disney Villains

life 4 The Importance of Getting Help for Your Fears and Anxieties 7 LGBTQ Youth Events 8 LGBTQ Organizations

views 5 Gay Parents and Non-Parents 11 Spiritual Reflections: Praise for the gifts we can’t ‘pray away’

events 14

‘A Bronx Tale’

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Spiritual Reflections: Praise for the gifts we can’t ‘pray away’

Unscrupulous practices such as conversin therapy are harmful to one’s life and spirit. Finding self acceptance is key to accepting the queer ‘gifts’ that have been given by God.

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April 5-18, 2019

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LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide and Self-Harm Risks

BY Elizabeth Kerr | Guest Contributor

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ecent attention has increasingly been drawn to the rapidly escalating rates in suicide attempts or suicide completion by adolescents nationwide. What has often been underreported or used as a footnote, however, is the unique vulnerability of the LGBTQ community of adolescents and teens to both suicidal attempts and completions, as well as self-harm. While there are positive indicators of change, significant modifications are needed in the way that we protect, support and provide healthy outlets for LGBTQ youth in our community.

The LGBTQ youth community has been shown consistently to have higher rates of self-injury, suicide attempts and suicide completions. One study found that non-cisgendered youth were two to seven times more likely to have suicide attempts compared to their cisgendered counterparts. The “2019 North Carolina Child Health Report Card,” published by NC Child and the NC Institute of Medicine, showed gay, lesbian and bisexual students were three times as likely to attempt suicide as their straight-identifying peers.

Another concern facing LGBTQ youth is the practice of self-harm. Roughly 18 percent of the overall adolescent population report actively participating in self-harm.

LGBTQ youth, however, are almost six times as likely to engage in self-harm. While mental health professionals generally distinguish between self-harm and suicide attempts, self-harm is a sign of deep emotional pain and, in LGBTQ youth, one researcher has suggested that rates of self-harm might be elevated due to concerns about societal rejection and lack of emotional regulation.

What we don’t know or have solid data about is the rates of risk for LGBTQ youth who are bisexual, transgender, identify as any other more gender-expansive term or who are also persons of color.

Studies and surveys have not focused on the wider range of sexual orientations beyond the traditional gay/straight to isolate bisexuality or other identifications. Similarly, it is known that rates of depression and suicide are exponentially higher in persons of color when examined generally, but we do not know how people of color who also identify within the LGBTQ community might affect these rates.

What statistics can’t show, will never show, however, is the individual person. The teenager reading this article. The LGBTQ adolescents and teenagers I work with as a mental health therapist. They will always be specific, and their needs unique. If you are someone who has suicidal thoughts, or loves someone who does, there are ways to help. Be aware of warning signs, which you can learn by following some of the links in the resource list below. Ask the person directly if he/she/they are suicidal. Use the word “suicide,” and use it calmly. Contrary to many fears, saying “suicide” doesn’t make someone more likely to commit suicide: it opens up dialogue and lets them know you are with them and okay with what they say. Listen. Don’t offer advice.

Your job is to be with them and hold space. Know when you are in over your head and get professional help. Start with a trusted adult. Start with a help line.

If you’re suicidal and wondering how you are going to continue to get through this day, much less the next, know that there are a lot of us: therapists, teachers, coaches, positive adults who accept you and your gender orientation and sexual orientation no matter what and who want to hear your story. Our job isn’t to fix you or your life: you’re not broken. Our job is to listen to what you have to say and provide companionship when it seems very dark and lonely, and to help you look for guard rails that might keep you from acting on your thoughts. You see, the world is still waiting for your gifts, and it’s my job, the job of this entire community, to provide support and acceptance so that you can thrive. You can absolutely get better.

If you’re a member of the community, wondering how to help, LGBTQ youth surveyed by the Human Rights Campaign in 2012 identified absences of support in their families, religious leaders and places of worship, elected

leaders, state and local government, movies/tv/radio and community leaders. They were more likely to report bullying or physical victimization in their schools and were twice as likely to describe alienation from their peers.

Many reported not having any supportive adult to go to with problems. I would personally add to this list that medical professionals, from primary care doctors to mental health therapists, need significant additional LGBTQspecific training to increase their comfort and knowledge in working with sexual minority youth. Go out and find a place to make a difference somewhere in that list.

There’s work and hope for all of us. : :

••• Resources: SAVE — Warning Signs of Suicide save.org. bit.ly/2vB2vgN. Suicide Prevention Lifeline — LGBTQ Suicide Factors suicidepreventionlifeline.org bit.ly/2JABILQ. The Trevor Project thetrevorproject.org.

It Gets Better itgetsbetter.org/get-help.

Suicide Prevention Resource Center sprc.org.

Family Acceptance Project familyproject.sfsu.edu.

Atrium Health Behavioral Health Help Line 704-444-2400 National Crisis Text Line Text HOME to 741741 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255 Time Out Youth Center, Charlotte timeoutyouth.org.

Elizabeth Kerr is a licensed mental health therapist in practice at Green Leaf Counseling Group in Charlotte, N.C. To learn more about her, visit newleafcounselinggroup.com.

The importance of getting help for your fears and anxieties Working With a Professional Can Bring Relief

BY Stan Popovich | QNotes CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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etting professional help for dealing with your persistent fears and anxieties is the single most important step in your recovery. Many people are reluctant to get the assistance they need for various reasons. Making excuses of not getting the treatment for your anxiety will not solve the problem. Here are a few reasons on why getting help is important.

Getting professional help can lead to additional insights about your stress and anxiety problems. A professional counselor can give you many ideas on how you can manage your fears and anxieties. This is important in getting better.

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Most counselors and psychologists know of ways to get rid of your fears. They can recommend certain treatments that will make you feel a lot better. The only way you will get access to these treatments is if you go talk to a counselor. Ask your primary care physician if he or she knows anyone that can help you.

You can not manage your fears all by yourself. Our anxieties and fears can be extremely difficult to manage, and more than likely you will need some help. Remember when your boss or your coworkers showed you how to do your job? You needed help from someone to learn the ins and outs of doing your current job. This concept applies to man-

aging your fears. Do not feel ashamed that you are getting help. We all learn new things from others on a regular basis.

As you work with a professional, you will improve on your skill sets in managing your stresses. You will become better in time, which will benefit you later on in your life.

Do not be ashamed to ask for assistance. We all have to learn new things in life and learning how to manage your fears is no different. : : Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods.” For more information, visit managingfear.com.

Gay Parents and Non-Parents Jesse’s Journal

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ast December TV personality Andy Cohen announced that he was expecting a child through surrogacy: “Family means everything to me, and having one of my own is something I’ve wanted in my heart for my entire life,” the 50-year old Cohen said, “and though it’s taken me longer than most to get there, I cannot wait for what I envision will be the most rewarding chapter yet.”

Cohen’s son was born Feb. 4 and was named Benjamin Allen Cohen after Cohen’s grandfather. Like every other parent, Andy Cohen soon discovered that his life was transformed by the joys and responsibilities of having a child.

“I’m in love. And I’m speechless,” Cohen told “TODAY” show hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb (both moms). “I look at him the way I used to look at Instagram.

I just sit and stare at him. I’m like, ‘Well, this is more interesting than a bunch of hot guys on my feed.’” Unlike previous generations of gay dads, Cohen did not have to go back in the closet, marry a woman or even have a male partner in order to raise a kid.

Andy Cohen’s parenting experience is part of a veritable “baby boom” among gay men everywhere. Some of the gay dads are celebrities — Nate Berkus, Matt Bomer, Neil Patrick Harris, Perez Hilton, Alec Mapa, Ricky Martin and Dan Savage, among others — while others are ordinary folk. They became parents in various ways, including via heterosexual intercourse, co-parenting, adoption, donor insemination, reciprocal IVF and surrogacy.

Like Cohen, these men are out and proud and have no problem being openly gay fathers. And while most people’s idea of a gay man is that of a childless bachelor, according to the 2000 census, no less than 22 percent of

BY Jesse MonteagudoE | Guest Contributor male couples have raised at least one child. This movement toward gay parenthood has increased in recent years: A recent survey by the Family Equality Council found that 63 percent of gay millennials are considering expanding their families.

In pre-Stonewall days, most men who were not yet openly gay were married to women and had children as a matter of course. Even today many older gay men, though since out, have children who are the product of previous heterosexual marriages. Younger men, those of us who came out after Stonewall, accepted the newfangled idea, though sometimes reluctantly, that gay men should remain childless. In this we differ from our homosexual fathers, who had children with their wives, and many of our queer sons, who have kids with their gay husbands. Many gay Baby Boomers never had an opportunity to parent, since they died from AIDS complications before they could decide to take such a move.

Like most of my gay contemporaries, I never had a child, nor do I expect to have one in the years that I have left. In a sense, it is probably a good thing. I probably would not have made a good parent. In any case, being childless allowed me the time, funds and opportunity to do many of the things I have done in my life. Children are not cheap. And it is easy for a wealthy celebrity like Andy Cohen, who has servants and nannies at his disposal, to raise a son than it is for those of us who are less fortunate. Like other childless men and women, we who are not parents have chan-

The decision to become an LGBTQ parent or not depends upon one’s life circumstances and a the desire to father or mother a child.

(Photo Credit: Africa Studio via Adobe Stock) neled our parenting and nurturing energies into teaching, social work, missionary work and other endeavors designed to help the children of today and tomorrow. On the other hand, I have nothing but respect and admiration for those gay men who have gone out of their way to perform the difficult task of having and raising children.

Unlike straight men, who often have kids by accident, gay dads have children because they want to. And theirs is a choice that we should celebrate. : :

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news GGF bestows service awards, names first Berlin scholarship recipient GREENSBORO, N.C. — Members of the LGBTQ and allied community were honored for their service and their dedication in working for equality and social justice at the 2019 Guilford Green Foundation Gala and Green Party held on March 23.

The 325 guests watched as the following individuals received their honors: Paul Marshall, Visionary Award, for his decades of service in the LGBTQ community through Alternative Resources of the Triad, the Greensboro Pride Festival and countless other projects; Nancy Vaughan, Dawn S. Chaney Award, for her work to make Greensboro the top city in the Carolinas for LGBTQ people to live and work on the Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index; John Faulkner, Distinguished Service Award, for his decades of support to the LGBTQ community as Lenny Gerber, wife of the late Pearl a founder of the Guilford Green Foundation Endowment, former board member and long-time Berlin, and Pearl Berlin Scholarship Award donor; and Brian Coleman, Distinguished Leadership Award, for his years of service to the LGBTQ recipient Anthony Cason Davis-Pait. community as Fuchsia Rage, performing in support of local non-profits.

Individuals, business, and non-profit sponsors and donors raised $123,000 at the event and auction. Keynote speaker Sarah McBride, transgender activist and national press secretary at the Human Rights Campaign, who told the story of coming out to her family and her college while serving as student body president.

Anthony Cason Davis-Pait has become the first recipient of the Pearl Berlin Scholarship Award and was recognized for this at the Gala.

The monies received will help him with his studies at Tufts University when he starts there in the fall.

The scholarship honors Berlin and her lifetime of work as an advocate for LGBTQ rights, marriage equality and education. It celebrates and supports continuing education for LGBTQ and allied students who exhibit courage and leadership in their schools and communities.

Davis-Pait demonstrated leadership in the LGBTQ community by presenting at conferences across North Carolina about his experience as an openly transgender student, helping organize the annual Alternative Prom for LGBTQ youth and serving as a liaison to school administration on transgender inclusivity, the Foundation shared. info: guilfordgreenfoundation.org.

— Lainey Millen

Kliesch promoted to CEO of ALFA HICKORY, N.C. — The AIDS Leadership Foothills-area Alliance (ALFA) announced that they promoted Christina Kliesch from her role as executive director to the organization’s chief executive officer, effective on Jan. 1 of this year. She has been with ALFA since 2016.

In her new role, Kliesch oversees a growing budget and workforce, which currently includes a staff of 13 in three offices, as well as implementing several new programs, including harm reduction services, dedicated medical transportation and expanded services to minorities and individuals with substance use disorders.

“Under Kliesch’s leadership, ALFA’s budget and staff has doubled,” said ALFA Board President Laura Levinson.

“With the greater funding she has led initiatives to expand our services to include screenings for the hepatitis C virus, acquiring a mobile testing unit so staff can better serve remote locations in our nine-county region and enhanced ALFA’s capabilities in offering patient navigation services for treatment for HIV, hepatitis C, and PrEP. “ALFA is recognized as one of the leading HIV service organizations and received glowing reports during a 2018 HRSA audit for their prevention and care services. Working with the local Ryan White clinic, ALFA leads the state in retaining individuals in medical care and reducing patients’ viral loads, which leads to healthier individuals and also a lower risk of transmission to others,” Levinson added.

In addition, in November, 2018, ALFA secured a $50,000 Gilead Compass grant administered by the Emory School of Public Health that will support expanding services and reducing stigma around HIV.“Chris came on the scene, evaluated the needs, formed a strategy and then made it happen with intense determination. She recognized that securing grants was critical so she taught herself how to be best in class at doing it, and then did it! We are so proud of Chris and thrilled at how ALFA is positioned to continue to do their important work in the future” said ALFA legacy sponsor Mitchell Gold. info: alfainfo.org.

— Lainey Millen

Trans docu-series premieres LOS ANGELES, Calif. — In honor of International Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31, Revry premiered the award-winning, Sundance-backed documentary series “America in Transition,” a Revry original that explores the community, family and social issues of transgender people of color across in the U.S. Featured were a veteran turned activist, an immigrant seeking home, a woman living with HIV healing from trauma and a model navigating family life.

Transgender filmmaker, educator and community organizer, André Pérez, founded the Trans Oral History Project in 2008, motivated by the isolation he felt growing up in a military family in Virginia. Perez journeyed across the country to document the subjects of the series. Each of the four episodes explores one person’s story in depth, tackling intersectional issues such as HIV criminalization, living as a transgender individual in the South, family acceptance, transgender exclusion from the military and immigrant detention.

“America in Transition is a compelling and powerful portrait of trans people surviving in a world built for their exclusion, said Zachary Drucker, producer of “Transparent.” “[The series] was initially inspired by my own experience coming of age in North Carolina and starting my transition as a youth in rural Vermont,” said Pérez. “I had questions about everything from healthcare access to navigating relationships, but I had no one to ask. Without role models or institutional support, I felt like I had to come to the city to find myself. I went on to found the Trans Oral History Project. Over the past seven years, I’ve interviewed trans folks across the country who express parallel stories of being told trans didn’t fit with other aspects of our personhood. How can you be trans and Muslim or black or Mexican or Southern? We found ways to reconcile the seemingly disparate parts of who we are.”

The “transgender tipping point” came in 2015, project representatives shared. But 2016 brought some of the most regressive civil rights legislation in modern U.S. history. “Transgender people have become the targets of radical social conservatives who are leveraging fear and ignorance to create a social climate of increasing and unrelenting hostility — a culture war, as Southern lawmakers fight the federal government in order to protect the supposed ‘right’ for businesses (Mississippi and North Carolina), schools (Texas), and even health professionals (Tennessee and Texas) to discriminate against transgender people. [The series] uses character-driven storytelling in order to highlight issues of importance to trans people in marginalized communities.”

The series is about how environments shape humanity. It complicates notions of social change in under-represented communities.

“This is a crucial moment to help people understand how trans realities differ based on identity, geography and social context. The world is changing for the white, upper-middle class people we see on mainstream television, but trans people of color, immigrants and working class families face a different world. ‘America in Transition’ focuses on relationships as it explores where, when and how change happens in a complex individual, a diverse community and a divided nation,” producers said. info: revry.tv.

— Lainey Millen

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Scientists host potluck

Triangle Area Gay Scientists will hold a potluck on May 11, 7 p.m., at a private residence. To learn more about the organization, email tags@zuberfowler.com. info: meetup.com/gaypros-328.

Airline offers booking options

United Airlines announced it has become the first U.S. airline to offer non-binary gender options throughout all booking channels, in addition to providing the option to select the title “Mx.” during booking and in a MileagePlus customer profile. Customers now have the ability to identify themselves as M(male), F(female), U(undisclosed) or X(unspecified), corresponding with what is indicated on their passports or identification, The Trevor Project reported. info: united.com. thetrevorproject.org.

HRC Carolina seeks gala co-chairs

The Human Rights Campaign North Carolina Board of Directors and Board of Governors are seeking individuals to serve as their 2020 gala co-chairs.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: raising funds; cultivating, educating, leading and motivating dinner committee members; and serving as a positive ambassador for the organization. Application submittal is available online. info: bit.ly/2Uhrs0v.

Stonewall launches yoga group

Stonewall Sports Charlotte has announced its first Stonewall Connect offering — Stonewall yoga. Classes begin this month on Sundays at 4 p.m. at Bijou 5 Yoga, 2317 Randolph Rd. Classes are $5 each and registration is required. To learn more, email charlotte. connect@stonewallsports.org. info: bit.ly/2U6Amyl.

Black youth forced into sexual acts

A Human Rights Campaign report, “The Black and African American LGBTQ Youth Report,” discloses that two out of 10 black LGBTQ youth are forced into sexual acts. The full report is available online at bit.ly/2uFu3CN. info: hrc.org.

Events target mental health

R U OK has recently started an initiative that focuses on removing the stigma around talking about mental health issues. On the third Tuesday of the month, the community can come together at 7 p.m. at The Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St., where participants can engage in dialogue focused on creating space to share and learn from one another. In addition, the evening will feature artistic performances. Proceeds go to benefit the Mental Health America Central Carolinas. info: facebook.com/ruokclt.

eveningmuse.com.

ASO’s bingo takes on the ’80s

AIDS Leadership Foothills Alliance will hold their Not Your Mama’s Bingo’s ’80s Throwback Bingo on May 11, 7 p.m., at Hickory/Metro Convention Center, 1960 13th Ave. Dr. SE, in Hickory, N.C. Cocktail hour begins at 5:30 p.m. Funds raised at the event go to support the work of the organization. Tickets are $25 and available online. info: alfainfo.org. bit.ly/2CKtUmc.

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Organizations host a fun-filled slate of events for LGBTQ youth Networking, Camaraderie Key to Providing Alternative Options for Growth

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inding meaningful and rewarding activities for LGBTQ youth can be challenging, but the events listed below help bridge that gap between isolation and engagement. Some of the activities are simply for fun, while others aid in the development of leadership skills and provide ways to find a footing for future involvement in the community.

The Future Perfect Project April 6, 1 p.m.

The Rainbow Room (at Calvary United Methodist Church) 304 E. Trinity Ave., Durham, N.C. Insideout and Upsidedown welcome Broadway artist and The Trevor Project Co-Founder James Lecesne and Ryan Amador for an afternoon workshop. insideout180.org.

Rock the Red Carpet Prom April 26, 7 p.m.

Extravaganza Depot 1610 N. Tryon St., Charlotte, N.C. Time Out Youth Center hosts their annual prom for LGBTQ youth and allies ages 13-

BY Lainey Millen | QNotes Staff WRiter 20. Tickets are available for advance purchase online for $5. Tickets will be available at the door the day of the event for $10. timeoutyouth.org/youth/prom.

The Charleston Queer Prom 2019: Enchanted May 11, 6 p.m.

Redux Contemporary Art Center 1056 King St, Charleston, S.C. We Are Family sponsors this annual event for middle and high school students.

Registration is required and is available online or at the door. Admission is free. waf.org. bit.ly/2YBHFgd. bit.ly/2CJY6Ok. Alt Prom May 18, 7 p.m.

Kaleideum Children’s Museum 390 S. Liberty St., Winston-Salem, N.C. In its 13th season, the prom’s theme is “Candyland” and is open to high school students in grades 9-12. Enjoy music, dancing and more. Admission is free, however, a $5 suggested contribution is appreciated to help defray costs. northstarlgbtcc.com/alt-prom-2019.

Queer Prom 2019: Lost in Retro Space!

May 25, 7 p.m.

Columbia Museum of Art 1515 Main St., Columbia, S.C. This event is presented by Harriet Hancock Center’s Youth OUTLOUD. It is open to current high school students with ID (or letter of admittance if home schooled) is required for entrance. Tickets are $15 at the door. bit.ly/2FMnVPy. Time Out Youth Center Lavender Graduation May 31 Time Out Youth Center 3800 Monroe Rd., Charlotte, N.C. Time Out Youth Center holds their Lavender Graduation to celebrate the accomplishments of LGBTQ graduates in the Charlotte region. timeoutyouth.org.

Camp Pride July 10-14 Charlotte, N.C. Participants develop social justice and leadership skills. campuspride.org/camppride.

Queer Oriented Radical Days of Summer July 21-26, youth 12-15 July 28-Aug. 2, youth 15-17 QORDS is an annual week-long overnight summer camp for queer youth or youth of queer parents, with special focus on youth in the South. This summertime experience brings youth together to create music, learn about LGBTQ issues and have fun.

Registration is now closed. qords.org.

CampOUT July 29-Aug. 2 Time Out Youth Center 3800 Monroe Rd., Charlotte, N.C. campOUT is Time Out Youth Center’s annual summer day camp for LGBTQ youth 13-20. It focuses on providing LGBTQ youth opportunities for social engagement, leadership development, community service and fun. More details will be available later in the spring, along with registration details. timeoutyouth.org/youth/campout.

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Regional resources provide a home away from home for LGBTQ youth Friendship, Fellowship, Fun, Support Available for Those Who Seek a Safe Harbor

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BY Lainey Millen | QNotes Staff Writer

cross the Carolinas, LGBTQ youth are safe spaces with which to gather with their peers and to receive valuable guidance from adults. Listed here are organizations that are geared to provide support and more to the LGBTQ youth population.

Gay-Straight Alliance Network For students, gay-straight alliances have been a key component in making an uncomfortable situation more palatable. Not only are GSAs front and center for them while they are engaged in their academic endeavors, but they provide a social outlet as well. gsanetwork.org.

Gay-Straight Alliance Network contacts for both North and South Carolina are: Time Out Youth GSA Network Charlotte, N.C. timeoutyouth.org. bit.ly/2YEnhv8.

LGBTQ organizations provide a lifeline for youth and a place to thrive. (Photo Credit: Markovka via Adobe Stock)

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South Carolina GSA Network Columbia, S.C. scequality.org. bit.ly/2WsnAXU.

These two organizations will also have other youth-related resources available for those who seek other options.

919-590-5566 deltayouthnc@gmail.com. deltayouth.org.

Campus Pride Campus Pride provides student leaders and campus groups with support, resources, training and networking to help facilitate the work to create a safer college environment for LGBTQ students.

Founded in 2001 P.O. Box 240473 Charlotte, NC 28224 980-321-9107 info@campuspride.org. campuspride.org.

iNSIDEoUT/Upsidedown/The Cypher iNSIDEoUT is a youth-led (and youthfounded) organization by and for LGBTQI+ youth that strives to connect and support all LGBTQISA-queer individuals and groups. It also publishes Backwords, the official zine of iNSIDEoUT. Upsidedown creates space that is respectful of everyone, where youth 12 and younger who are gender non-conforming, transgender, or whatever else, can connect, have fun, and change the world.

The Cypher is a music support group for queer and allied youth of color. This group is a space for youth of color who are LGBTQ to be powerful and accepted.

Founded in 2011 P.O. Box 25429 Durham, NC 27702 919-923-7884 insideoutamy@gmail.com. insideout180.org. upsidedown180.org. insideout180.org/thecypher. see next page u

Delta Youth (on hiatus) The mission of Delta Youth is to improve the lives of queer youth in Alamance, Durham and Orange counties by improving physical and emotional health outcomes; building individual financial and educational capacity; creating awareness and visibility within the community; and empowering youth to unapologetically exist in the world.

Founded in 2016

LGBTQ Center of Durham Transforming Families NC Transforming Families NC is a peer-led resource and support group for the parents of Trans and gender-exploring children.

114 Hunt St. Durham NC 27701 919-827-1436 community-wellness@lgbtqcenterof durham.org. lgbtqcenterofdurham.org. bit.ly/2U6kXOS. LGBT Center of Raleigh Youth Initiative The LGBT Center of Raleigh’s Youth Initiative works to support, engage and empower LGBTQ+ youth in North Carolina.

It includes the Youth Coffee House (confidential meeting space), ASPYRE (leadership camp), Queer NC (service work) and TpartE (transgender youth meeting space), among other support services.

324 S. Harrington St. Raleigh NC 27603 919-832-4484 nbuchser@lgbtcenterofraleigh.com. bit.ly/2uGktzv.

North Carolina H.E.A.T. (Heroes Emerging Among Teens) NC HEAT is a youth-led organization that uses peer education and organizing campaigns to advocate for youth liberation by defending schools against destructive cutbacks, privatization and austerity; organizing to end the school-to-prison pipeline; promote safety and security for LGBTQ students; and secure resources and equality for immigrant youth.

Founded in 2010 wakeyouth.wordpress.com/nc-h-e-a-t.

North Star LGBTQ Community Center North Star LGBTQ Community Center works to become a safe space for LGBTQ youth 24 and younger to get connected and empowered. Its purpose is to build a strong queer youth community through education, creative and performing arts and community events such as its Alternative Prom (Alt Prom) and Middle School Spring Social.

930 Burke St. Winston-Salem, NC 27101 336-893-9053 info@northstarlgbtcc.com. northstarlgbtcc.com. bit.ly/2WxrZsv. OUTright Youth of Catawba Valley OUTright Youth provides a unique, youthcentered, safe environment for LGBTQ youth ages 12-23, and their allies, to come together, receive unconditional support and make friends who understand who they are as they struggle with sexual orientation, gender identity and other issues.

Founded in 2010 748 4th St. SW. Hickory, NC 28602 828-320-1937 awatson@outrightyouthcv.org. outrightyouthcv.com.

QueerLab QueerLab, a program of Elsewhere Museum, is a youth-led media program exploring LGBTQ+ experiences in the Southeast and beyond. It publishes I Don’t Do Boxes annually since 2013. see Youth Resources on 10

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life Youth Resources continued from page 9

606 S. Elm St. Greensboro, NC 27406 336-907-3271 museum@goelsewhere.org. goelsewhere.org.

208 Princess St. 2nd Floor Wilmington, NC 28401 910-538-0234 wilmingtonpride@gmail.com.

QORDS (Queer Oriented Radical Days of Summer) QORDS is a camp that empowers Southern queer youth and builds community through music and the arts.

Founded in 2012 P.O. Box 1328 Durham, NC 27702 919-864-2215 qords@qords.org. qords.org.

Youth OUTLOUD Youth OUTLOUD, a program of the Harriet Hancock Center, gives LGBTQ high-schoolers between the ages of 14-19 years of age a safe and confidential environment that allows the youth to be who they are and to help them make friends with other LGBTQ Youth in the surrounding Midlands area.

Founded in 2008.

1108 Woodrow St. Columbia, SC 29205 803-771-7713 yol@harriethancockcenter.org. harriethancockcenter.org.

The Youth Organizing Institute The Youth Organizing Institute is a leadership development and organizing training program to support low-income youth, LGBTQ youth, and youth of color.

Founded in 2010 info@empoweryouthnc.org. empoweryouthnc.org.

Time Out Youth Center Time Out Youth Center offers support, advocacy and opportunities for personal development and social interaction to LGBTQ youth ages 11-20.

Founded in 1991 3800 Monroe Rd. Charlotte, NC 28205 704-344-8335 info@timeoutyouth.org. timeoutyouth.org.

We Are Family We Are Family provides support, resources and leadership development opportunities to LGBTQI and straight ally youth.

Founded in 1995 P.O. Box 21806 Charleston, SC 29413 843-637-9379 info@waf.org. waf.org.

Wilmington Pride Youth Group The Wilmington Pride Youth Group is a fun, safe, confidential space for teens to gather and discuss various LGBTQIA topics.

(Meeting Space) ReSpawn Wilmington

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Youth OUTright WNC Youth OUTright WNC, Inc. is the only youth advocacy and leadership non-profit organization in Western North Carolina solely dedicated to empowering LGBTQIA+ youth ages 14-20.

Founded in 2009 P.O. Box 1893 Asheville, NC 28802 866-881-3721 info@youthoutright.org. youthoutright.org.

YouthSAFE YouthSAFE is a Greensboro, N.C.-based organization providing an environment for LGBTQIA+ youth to find community, share resources and build skills for responding creatively to the world around them. They are a drop-in program for LGBTQ+ youth and always welcome new members. They have weekly meetings on Friday from 6:308:30 p.m.

(Meeting Space) Higher Ground 210 E. Bessemer Ave. Greensboro, NC 27401 youthsafegso@gmail.com. youthsafegso.org.

This list is not fully comprehensive and qnotes welcomes input so that the list provides accurate information and current resources to maintain its integrity. Email editor@goqnotes.com to make changes or additions.

views

Praise for the gifts we can’t ‘pray away’ Spiritual Reflections

BY Rev. Dr. Joan M. Saniuk | Guest Contributor There are almost three times as many references against interest in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures as there are against homosexuality, yet fundamentalist Christians don’t object to banks or credit cards. The real reason some churches want to “convert” us is their discomfort with queer people.

All too often, individuals’ discomfort is really with their own sexuality and gender identity.

Several years ago, for example, the two (male) founders of the “ex-gay” organization Exodus announced that they were Being queer deserves praise and prayer for the gifts it leaving the organization, that brings. Those who would seek to change that create conversion efforts did not work, harm when they attempt to erase the essence of one’s and that they were in relationnature with acts like that of conversion therapy. ship. I can only pray that an (Photo Credit: Prazis Images via Adobe Stock) adversary who “doth protest too much” will face and accept their A few people and I were sitting around, God-given self… before they and one was telling about their difficult delude and defraud others, and possibly relationship with their parents. They do them serious harm. added, “I have a friend who invited me to a Because conversion counseling is danmeeting at their church, where they have a gerous quackery, it is against the law in 15 support group for people like me.” states, and the District of Columbia, to force Four or five of us responded, almost minors into such “therapy.” None of those in unison: “Don’t go.” “No, I won’t,” they 15 are in the Southeast, so it is important replied. We all breathed a sigh of relief. to be careful when choosing a therapist.

Although it was debunked decades ago, Reputable practitioners can be found by the practice of trying to “convert” queer searching the Psychology Today website, people to a heteronormative lifestyle is, psychologytoday.com. Be wary of “biblical unfortunately, still around. Every major counseling” practitioners, who may not be association of psychologists and therapists licensed. And if you have a Christian spiriopposes conversion counseling. It is not tual practice, gaychurch.org lists churches, only non-evidence based and ineffective, including my own Metropolitan Community but also is abusive, as was depicted in the Church (MCC) congregation, that will cheerrecent film “Boy Erased.” Yet, there are still fully accept you for yourself. religious groups that claim they can help Being queer, or a queer ally, is a gift! young people to “pray away the gay” (or When we accept ourselves and others, lesbian, or bi, or transgender). it opens our hearts even wider to the Why does conversion counseling diversity of humanity. Let’s give praise, as persist? Certainly, it is rooted in biblical did Paul in Galatians 3:28, for the Holy One legalism: God hand-made the first two in whom “there is no male nor female,” people, one male and one female, and for “all are one.” We are one big, beautiful, directed them to “be fruitful and multirainbow family. Hallelujah! : : ply,” and it must always be so. However, this legalism is highly selective. Take the The Reverend Dr. Joan M. Saniuk is pastor of practice of charging interest, for example.

MCC Sacred Journey in Hendersonville, N.C.

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news News Notes

continued from page 6

Trans fund taking apps

Trans Love Fund (a partnership between the Alliance for Full Acceptance and We Are Family) has launched its Spring 2019 grant cycle to award small, need-based grants to support transgender lives in South Carolina.

Applications are available online at affa-sc. org/trans-love-fund. The deadline is April 15. info: affa-sc.org. waf.org.

Study shows attraction links

The Williams Institute shared that new analysis finds that the 25-year-old children of lesbian parents are more likely than their peers to report same-sex attraction, sexual minority identity and same-sex experiences. The subjects are participants in the ongoing U.S. National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study. info: williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu.

Legal org seeks CEO

Lambda Legal announced its search for the organization’s next CEO. With the assistance of search firms, staff and stakeholders, the board will develop a job profile that highlights the various skill sets required of a new president. The final job profile will be announced and will be available online. info: lambdalegal.org.

Charlotte MCC to host dinner

Metropolitan Community Church of Charlotte will hold a free Maundy Thursday dinner, From Egypt to LGBT Liberation: Locating the Jewish Jesus in the Passover, on April 18, 6:30 p.m., at 7121 Orr Rd., in Charlotte, N.C. Tickets are $15 and are avail-

able online. To learn more, email Kim Martin at ksmartin34@yahoo.com. Last day to order is April 5 at 6 p.m. info: mymcccharlotte.org. bit.ly/2THDagp.

Raleigh chamber welcomes ENC exec

RBPN, Raleigh’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly meeting on April 10, 7 p.m., at 18 Seaboard Restaurant, 18 Seaboard Ave. #10, in Raleigh, N.C. Guest speaker for the evening will be Kendra R. Johnson, Equality North Carolina executive director, who will share her thoughts on “Using Your Power to Make a Difference.”

Networking will take place between 6-7 p.m. Registration is available online at bit. ly/2I9KijN. info: raleighlgbtchamber.org.

Google gets HRC endorsement boot

In response to Google’s refusal to remove an anti-LGBTQ conversion therapy app from Android phones, the Human Rights Campaign withdrew its Corporate Equality Index endorsement of the technology giant.

In question was the one from Living Hope Ministries. The campaign told Fox News that it had been “urging Google to remove this app because it is life-threatening to LGBTQ youth and also clearly violates the company’s own standards.” Microsoft, Apple and Amazon complied with the request to remove the app from their platforms. info: fxn.ws/2I3tgDN.

Actor releases bullying video

Actor Antoni Corone has released a series of YouTube videos on ways to stop bullying. info: bit.ly/2HT4Zkl.

PFLAG fundraiser upcoming

Concord/Kannapolis PFLAG will hold their Annual Spring Fundraiser on April 27, 6 p.m., at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Rd., in Concord, N.C. Tickets are $15 and are available in advance via email at ckpflag@ gmail.com. They include admission, spaghetti dinner, beverage and dessert. A silent auction and raffle ($3 each or two for $5) for a variety of prizes are on hand as part of the fundraising effort. The Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte will be in concert for the event.

Also, the 2019 recipient of the chapter’s advocacy award will be announced. info:bit.ly/2HSkrx7.

Org provides teen safety guide

The National Home Security Alliance has published an online teen safety guide that details how to remain one’s security while on the web. info: staysafe.org/teens.

Queer military org welcomes Mabus

The American Military Partner Association announced that the U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus will speak at the 6th Annual AMPA National Gala on May 11 in Washington, D.C. info: militarypartners.org.

N.C. church ordains trans woman

On March 24, Wake Forest Baptist Church ordained Erica Grace Saunders, a transgender woman, who is a 2019 Master of Divinity candidate at Wake Forest University School of Divinity. Baptist News Global reported that Wake Forest’s pastor Lia Scholl said the student’s sexuality was not an issue and that Saunders had the support of the office of diversity and the LGBTQ center at the university. She has been serving as a ministry intern at the church. info: bit.ly/2HR884g.

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Daily dating affirmation: really?

Tell Trinity

BY Trinity | CONTRIBUTING WRITER Hey Trinity, Why does dating always have to be so negative and draining? Isn’t there some way for getting through the daily sludge of dating?

Yours, Sick O’Dating, San Jose, CA Hey Sick O’Dating, Dating is always challenging. That’s life. But to survive those draining, difficult dates, it’s best to start every morning with a dating affirmation. Really, it’ll keep you positive minded and open hearted. It goes like this, “Dating is healthy, adventurous and educational. With each date I attract interesting, healthy and supportive people who treat me with respect and kindness.

Being single and dating will bring me to a higher place. I also forgive all bad dates and trust they’ll lose their teeth someday.”

There, sweetie, don’t you feel better. And if affirmations don’t help, Absolut vodka comes in many flavors.

Good Luck, Trinity

Hello Dirty Dating, No, you’re not wrong for wanting out.

Dating him will eventually mean cleaning up after him, which may be just the start of many other issues. But, pumpkin, it wouldn’t “mess him up” if you told him the truth before ending it. (Check out my cartoon to see how I “clean up the dirt” when I have someone wanting to court me!

Impressions really are what counts when you want to have a “tidy’ relationship. So put your best, I mean duster, forward and show the mess who is boss!)

Better luck next time, Trinity

qonexions

Dear OUTings, Being gay means being proud, out and… ready for no one to really care about your sexuality, especially in 2019. Today, gay couples are part of everyday life. In other words, they’ll deal with it in their own way! And anyway, honey, when gay couples go to straight wedding, straight folks almost always assumes that they’re brothers, unless they slow dance together, and then they just assume one is blind.

Love, Trinity Dearest Trinity, I’m dating a smoker, and I’m a non-smoker. I’m trying to be accepting of it, but it’s not easy. Help!

Smoked Out, Oklahoma City, OK Dearest Smoked Out, It’s hell, I know, baby. But there are a few lessons I’ve learned. So here are:

Trinity’s Smoky Tips For Dating a Smoker

Hello Trinity, I dated this really interesting guy for a month before going to see his place. Trinity, it was so dirty I couldn’t sit down. His floor was his laundry basket. Now he keeps calling and wants to see me more, but I can’t. Am I wrong for wanting out because he’s so dirty?

Dirty Dating, New Orleans, LA

qomunity

Dear Trinity, I was recently invited to my straight friend’s wedding. I’m gay and nervous about bringing my boyfriend. Would I be selfish by bringing him?

Wedding OUTings, Austin, TX

1. L earn to sit downwind, as far away from or on the floor, when your date is smoking.

2. L earn to light incense and carry breath mints (for your date).

3. L earn to calmly and non-confrontation-

ally ask, “Can you move your cigarette, darling, to your other hand, away from me (so that the smoke blows in someone else’s face)!

4. Learn to control your mild depression and discomfort every time your date lights up (as if it doesn’t bother you).

5. Learn to look at, smell and love the sight of a dirty ashtray!

6. Learn to constantly feel like a nag for having to ask, “Honey, can you wash your hands and mouth from the cigarette before cooking our food or kissing my lips?”

7. Learn to hate being in closed quarters, especially cars, when your date begs, “Do you mind if I smoke, sweetie? I’ll keep the window down!” (As if smoke defies nature by not entering the car.)

8. Learn to control your nervous twitch, snappy temper and dissatisfaction for dating a smoker as the weeks, months and cigarettes burn go by!

9. Learn to take breaks from your date so that he or she can smoke while you’re nowhere in sight (crying over this smoky situation!)

10. A nd, lastly, learn to finally break up with your date before killing him, her or yourself for the torturous months of stink, disgust and disrespect which has now driven you… to smoking!

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.

space starting at $22: call qnotes for details 704.531.9988

April 5-18, 2019

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events April 9 ‘Conversations About Transgender Lives’

UNC Charlotte Center City 320 E. 9th St., Charlotte 6:30 p.m.

UNC Charlotte’s Aliaga-Buchenau Witness in Residence Initiative hosts a community conversation that explores transgender lives in the context of family, friends and communities. Speakers are Matthew Rice, Rev. Debra Hopkins, and Debra Bercuvitz. The event is free, but advance registration is requested. clas.uncc.edu/witness.

April 9 Wine Tasting Benefit for Time Out Youth Center

Aria Tuscan Grill Founders Hall 100 N. Tryon St. 6:30 p.m.

Time Out Youth Center is hosting a wine tasting benefit sponsored by the Wine Vault at the Shoppes at University Place and Aria Tuscan Grill. Guests will enjoy 21 unique wines while supporting LGBTQ youth. Wines will be available for purchase with a mixed case price available with free delivery. After the tasting, stay and enjoy a three course dinner experience for $30 dinner per person. $20 per person suggested contribution. RSVP to Holly Drummond at 704-344-8335 or via email to hdrummond@timeoutyouth.org. timeoutyouth.org.

April 11 ‘The Forgotten Murders: Gendercide in the 21st Century and the Destruction of the Transgender Body’ UNC Charlotte Main Campus Fretwell Building, room 121

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9203 Mary Alexander Rd., Charlotte 2:30-3:45 p.m.

Speakers Haley Marie Brown and Nikolai Mather lead a talk jointly sponsored by the university’s Center for Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies program, Department of Philosophy, and LGBTQ+ Staff and Faculty Caucus.

Funded by the Women’s + Girls Research Alliance of UNC Charlotte. globalstudies.uncc.edu.

April 12-13 ‘Love: Nothing Stronger’

First United Methodist Church 501 N. Tryon St., Charlotte 7:30 p.m.

A new collaboration between the vocalists of One Voice Chorus and the musicians of Charlotte Pride Band. Tickets $15. onevoicechorus.com.

April 13 Paula Poundstone

Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts 430 S. Tryon St., Charlotte 8 p.m.

The comedian and author, best known for her role as a panelist on NPR’s “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!,” brings her national tour to the Queen City. Tickets start at $19. paulapoundstone.com.

April 14 Asheville Drag Brunch

Claddagh Irish Pub 4 College St., Asheville 1 p.m.

Divine the Bearded Lady leads a lineup of queens in this familyfriendly event with proceeds benefitting Tranzmission, an advocacy group for transgender and nonbinary people in Western North Carolina. Tickets $20, available online. ashevilledragbrunch.com.

April 20 Tosco Music Party

Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts 430 S. Tryon St., Charlotte 7:30 p.m.

April 5-18, 2019

April-May 2019

Submit your events: editor@goqnotes.com

More than a dozen acts, including the likes of Chapel Hill-based Violet Bell and New York City’s The Bailsmen, showcase their talents in Tosco Music’s spring production. Tickets $15-$35. toscomusic.org/events.

April 26 Green Queen Bingo

Terrace at Greensboro Coliseum Complex 1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro 7 p.m.

Fuscia Rage leads the entertainment lineup at this quirky fundraiser for the Guilford Green Foundation & LGBTQ Center and Greensboro Pride. Doors open at 6 p.m. Appropriate for ages 15 and up. Tickets available for purchase online or at the door. $15 general admission, $12 for students and government employees with ID. guilfordgreenfoundation.org

April 27 Salisbury Pride Potluck Picnic

Ellis Park 3541 Old Mocksville Rd., Salisbury 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

Bring a dish to share with the group and hang out for a few minutes or for the day. Lunch will be served at noon and dinner at 5:30 p.m. salisburypride.com.

April 27 Drag Me to Church!

Calvary United Methodist Church 304 E Trinity Ave., Durham 6 p.m.

Join the members of Calvary for their family-friendly Drag Me to Church! fundraiser event for iNSIDE0UT 180. The event will feature local drag performance artists who are donating their time and talent for the support of local LGBTQ youth. The event also features a 50/50 raffle and silent auction. Tickets are $10 and are available online. bit.ly/2CnPmNx. calvarync.org.

April 29–May 4 Charlotte Jazz Festival

various locations and times

April 16-24: ‘A Bronx Tale’

A boy is torn between loyalty to his father and a charismatic mob boss in this musical adaptation of Chazz Palminteri’s one-man show turned film of the same name. With music by “Beauty and the Beast” songwriter Alan Menken. Tickets start at $25. Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, 130 N. Tryon St., Charlotte. Various Times. blumenthalarts.org.

With offerings including “Ellington Through the Ages” by the Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis, this year’s Charlotte Jazz Festival is a week-long celebration that also provides numerous free events centered around Uptown Charlotte. bit.ly/2FPEfz2.

May 4 Out! Raleigh

Fayetteville St., Raleigh 11 a.m.–6 p.m.

The free, family-friendly annual celebration offers live entertainment, local artists and vendors, food and a KidZone. outraleigh.org. bit.ly/OutRaleigh2019.

May 4 Rainbow Ball

805 Spartan Blvd., Spartanburg 7-11:30 p.m.

This fundraising gala benefits the future LGBTQ Upstate Outreach Center. Individual tickets start at $40, sponsorships at $250. pflagspartanburg.org/events.

May 7 2019 Leadership Charlotte Legacy Awards NASCAR Hall of Fame Crown Room 400 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.,

Charlotte 8 a.m.

Leadership Charlotte will present the 40th Annual Legacy Awards to notable, innovative leaders in the education, housing and healthcare sectors of the community. These leaders have challenged the status quo by tackling local issues from unique and innovative perspectives to improve the Charlotte community. Stay afterward for Design Thinking Workshops from 10 a.m.12:30 p.m. RSVP online. Tickets are $50/individual, breakfast only and $60/individual, breakfast and workshops. bit.ly/2EvI1gl.

May 17 Time Out Youth Platinum Gala

Le Méridien Charlotte 555 S. McDowell St. 6:30-10:30 p.m.

TOY’s yearly formal event celebrates LGBTQ youth in the Carolinas and raises funds for the organization’s new and ongoing enterprises. Dinner, entertainment, and silent and live auctions are included in the festivities. Individual tickets start at $100, with sponsorship options to $25,000 and beyond. Spots still available for corporate sponsorships. Tickets and more information are available online. timeoutyouth.org/gala.

REGULAR EVENTS Charlotte LGBT Chamber

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

PFLAG Concord/Kannapolis

Meets for monthly group support meetings, second Tuesday of each month, 7-9 p.m., Trinity United Church of Christ, 38 Church St. N., Concord. info: bit.ly/1pCFVBq.

PFLAG Gaston

Meets for monthly support meetings, third Thursday of each month, 7 p.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 258 W. Franklin Blvd., Gastonia. info: pflaggaston.org.

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: primetimersww.com/charlotte/.

Stonewall Sports

Regular team sports, meet-up, social and service events throughout the year. Days and times vary. info: stonewallcharlotte.leagueapps.com.

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.

Transcend Charlotte

Hosts twice monthly 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.

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.

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Nine favorite drag queen picks for Disney villains Dishing with Buff Faye

BY Buff Faye | CONTRIBUTING WRITER | info@bufffaye.com singer meets Vegas showgirl — plus Eartha Kitt is the voice. I know Detra Panucci can pull this villain off and bring her to life.

She’s got the groove and the moves.

Is it just me… or do most Disney villains look like drag queens? It is not a surprise that drag queens worship these larger than life characters. It is undeniable that the infamous Divine was the inspiration for Ursula. And Cruella de Vil surely was adapted from some vindictive Chelsea queen who had one too many puppies.

For this column I decided to let my Disney queerness out and celebrate some of my favorite Carolina drag queens and what Disney villain I think they would rock out. Read more and please realize I write this with a sense of humor and fun.

1. Cruel de Vil is the ultimate villain.

I mean she has attitude, loves smoking and boos. Plus, she’s a fashion trend-setter — spotted puppy furs. Without a doubt, the “101 Dalmatians” depiction of Cruella would have my choice be Valarie “Aunt Carol” Rockwell — one of my favorite sarcastic, quick-witted and dynamic entertainers. Just watch her Facebook videos, where she burns things, and you will know what I mean.

6. Madame Medusa terrorizes as the grande dame in Disney’s “The Rescuers.”

She is all about her vanity and money. At times she is a bit crazy and ill tempered. But I don’t pick this queen for those traits, rather I choose Barbara Burning Bush because she has that fiery look and personality. And I know she can pull off the sagging breasts. Just kidding.

7. The Queen of Hearts is often called a tyrannical and deranged ruler.

She is the perfect antagonist in “Alice in Wonderland” and is obsessed with decapitating the girl. I personally think she is hilarious, and this drag queen depiction needs to be a big girl with a big personality. So I pick Coco Couture — because that lady is crazy. And her hair is huge!

Buff Faye as Ursula.

(Photo Credit: Tommy Feldman)

2. Maleficent is sometimes known as the “Mistress of All Evil.”

Yep, this would be Tia Douglas. Have you seen her in the Maleficent costume? It fits her perfectly. As far as Disney, this villain is just a misunderstood soul. After all, her parents were killed by humans, and she was an orphan left in the enchanted forest with Pixies. Yeah, she makes bad choices, but somehow you want to forgive her. Plus, she loves a good “prick.”

3. The Evil Queen is known by many names (The Queen, Queen Grimhilde, Evil Queen) — but her most famous quote from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is “Magic Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?”

Yeah, what drag queen hasn’t said that in a mirror? And even though she has not done drag in awhile, I would have to pick my good friend Judy Bella Nichole Jade for this Disney villain depiction. Plus she is now a make-up and hair stylist, so it makes so much sense.

4. Cinderella’s stepmother is a classic villain who uses her cunning wit and antics to get what she wants.

Now I have not seen this lady in awhile — but I choose Patti O’Furniture. She is witty, clever and she knows what she wants.

All great qualities in a villain and show director. Plus, I know she is good at running off mice in the kitchen.

5. Yzma is the villain of “The Emperor’s New Groove.”

I love how they draw her in the movie, kind of like a Cabaret

8. Gothel only wishes to remain young and beautiful forever.

Gothel lies to Rapunzel telling her that she is her mother and wants to protect her by having her stay in the tower. She also wants her “golden” magical hair so Gothel can use it to remain young. Now I think Lilli Frost has told a similar story to some boys on a Saturday night. Plus, I know she loves this movie.

Whip that hair back and forth lady!

9. Ursula is by far my favorite of all the villains.

I mean she is always well-intentioned, she’s a plus size gal and she wants to help “poor unfortunate souls” — regardless of how pathetic they are. I am going to own this. I pick me — Buff Faye. I perform her often and I even have a special cochlea necklace that I made myself.

Watch out Magic Kingdom — this is going to be fierce! Ladies, lets do a big production and bring these villains to life! : : DRAG TIP: Stay fresh. Remember to wash your pads and undergarments regularly. I said this for you Kristin Collins!

Buff Faye calls the Queen City her home and loves Mickey Mouse (plus she loves to raise money for charities). Find her at your favorite bars and hot spots. And don’t forget her monthly Sunday drag brunch.

Learn more at AllBuff.com. Follow on Twitter @BuffFaye.

SHOUT OUTS: Don’t miss the Diznee Drag Brunch on Sunday, April 28 and give back to local charities. Get tickets online at AllBuff.com.

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