April 25-May 8 . 2014
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April 25-May 8 . 2014
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In Memoriam: Allen McCarthy
arts. entertainment. news. views. 6/16/67-4/14/14
online only: goqnotes.com Visit goqnotes.com for special online only features including a look at this year’s Queen City Stomp, our regular Precious Pets column and other regular updates and breaking news.
cover story 12 Murder mystery revived
news & features 4 Charlotte’s new mayor 4 RAIN AIDS Walk 6 News Notes: Regional Briefs 9 News Notes: U.S./World
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a&e / life&style 10 Playing the Field 15 Jane’s World 15 Tell Trinity 17 Pride Band concert 17 Siren’s on the Mountain 19 History of womyn’s music 20 Augusta: Taylor Dayne 22 Q Events Calendar
opinions & views 5 Editor’s Note 5 QPoll
April 25-May 8 . 2014
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qnotes connect April 25-May 8, 2014 Vol 28 No 26
arts. entertainment. news. views. goqnotes.com twitter.com/qnotescarolinas facebook.com/qnotescarolinas
contributors this issue
Paige Braddock, Matt Comer, Todd Heywood, Jon Hoppel, Lainey Millen, Trinity, Adam Wadding
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Graphic Design by Matt Comer Photography: Paper scans from archives. Miller: public resources Mission:
The focus of QNotes is to serve the LGBT and straight ally communities of the Charlotte region, North Carolina and beyond, by featuring arts, entertainment, news and views in print and online that directly enlightens, informs and engages the readers about LGBT life and social justice issues. Pride Publishing & Typesetting, Inc., dba QNotes P.O. Box 221841, Charlotte, NC 28222 ph 704.531.9988 fx 704.531.1361 Publisher: Jim Yarbrough Sales: x201 adsales@goqnotes.com Nat’l Sales: Rivendell Media, ph 212.242.6863 Editor: Matt Comer, x202 editor@goqnotes.com Copy Editor: Maria Dominguez
news Clodfelter is new Charlotte mayor goqnotes.com/to/news
New leader stresses stability and diversity, was ally to LGBT people, others in Senate by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com
CHARLOTTE — Former state Sen. Dan Clodfelter took his post as the city’s newest mayor on Wednesday, April 9, bringing to an end a twoweek drama that saw former Mayor Patrick Cannon’s resignation after being arrested on federal corruption and bribery charges and a city-wide discussion on the best steps for Charlotte to move forward. Clodfelter had been chosen 10-1 by City Council on April 7, and he came to the government center two days later with words to reassure the public. Like many voters, Clodfelter said he had struggled to understand the prior two weeks’ events. “This is a city that makes things happen. Things do not happen to us,” Clodfelter said in a short speech after taking his oath of office. “How did this happen?” The shock of Cannon’s arrest was a good sign and “testament to the depth of integrity in this community,” he said. “To be any less shaken by this…only then would we be justified in being worried about our body politic,” Clodfelter added. Clodfelter said he would support City Council’s new effort to undertake a comprehensive, in-depth review of the city’s ethics policy. He also said he would help guide Council as the city continues to grow, with an eye toward leadership, stability and trust. “Never has there been a time when our state has looked to Charlotte for leadership than it does now,” he said, citing the city as a powerhouse for a new economy. On matters like diversity, he said, Charlotte is a model, showing others “how to knit out of such diversity a sense of unity and purpose.” Clodfelter’s oath of office was administered by state Sen. Fletcher Hartsell, a Republican who represents Cabarrus County. Fletcher and Clodfelter attended Davidson College together, where they were both members of Sigma Phi Epsilon. The Rev. John Cleghorn, pastor of Caldwell Presbyterian Church, presided over both the opening and closing prayers for Clodfelter’s oathof-office ceremony. In his opening prayer, Cleghorn called leaders to live up to Charlotte’s “long tradition of honest and good government,” though admitting the city’s legacy was given a “new dose of humility.” Cleghorn cited the prophet Jeremiah, calling on leaders to “seek the welfare of the city” and to learn again “the meaning and power of working for the common good.” Empathy, Cleghorn said, should replace apathy, as he called on “suburban areas and urban streets to unite with a sense of shared purpose and interdependence.” On Clodfelter, Cleghorn described the leader as having “uncommon intelligence,” “unwavering integrity,” “untiring energy” and “undying devotion to public service.”
Dan Clodfelter, right, stands with his wife and daughter as state Sen. Fletcher Hartsell (R-Cabarrus) administers the oath of office.
Clodfelter had served on City Council from 1987-1993. In 1998, he was elected to the North Carolina Senate. There, he was an ally to LGBT people and other minorities, co-sponsoring the 2009 School Violence Prevention Act and the landmark, but now-repealed Racial Justice Act. Clodfelter voted against the state’s anti-LGBT constitutional amendment and efforts to further restrict women’s access to healthcare and abortion-related services. : :
Production: Lainey Millen, x205 production@goqnotes.com Printed on recycled paper. Material in qnotes is copyrighted by Pride Publishing & Typesetting © 2014 and may not be reproduced in any manner without written consent of the editor or publisher. Advertisers assume full responsibility — and therefore, all liability — for securing reprint permission for copyrighted text, photographs and illustrations or trademarks published in their ads. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers, cartoonists we publish is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or photographs does not indicate the subject’s sexual orientation. qnotes nor its publisher assumes liability for typographical error or omission, beyond offering to run a correction. Official editorial positions are expressed in staff editorials and editorial notations and are determined by editorial staff. The opinions of contributing writers and guest columnists do not necessarily represent the opinions of qnotes or its staff. qnotes accepts unsolicited editorial, but cannot take responsibility for its return. Editor reserves the right to accept and reject material as well as edit for clarity, brevity.
AIDS Walk steps onto main street 18th annual event changes walk route by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com
CHARLOTTE — The Regional AIDS Interfaith Network’s 18th annual AIDS Walk Charlotte is slated for Uptown on May 3. Folks from across the city and region will head out to raise funds and awareness for those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. And, this year, they’ll do so on a more visible route right down Tryon St.
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One of RAIN’s AIDS Walk Charlotte marketing posters, picturing (L-R): RAIN Executive Director Rev. Debbie Warren, Michael Rodriguez and Kita Chandler.
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“We heard from many of you that you loved the neighborhood feel of the route but you wanted more visibility,” the organization recently announced. “We are excited to announce that the route has changed and we are walking through the heart of Uptown Charlotte — right now Tryon Street. The route is still two miles long but we hope you will enjoy the visibility the new route brings.” The event begins with check-in and registration at 8 a.m. at the Gateway Village Promenade. A morning program and RAIN’s annual awards will begin at 9:30 a.m., with the annual AIDS Walk commencing at 10 a.m. AIDS Walk Charlotte is the largest annual fundraising event for RAIN, which has served those affected by HIV/AIDS since 1992. The group offers a variety of services for those living with HIV and those whose family members are HIV-positive. This year’s AIDS Walk theme is “Be Brave.” It’s marketing materials have featured a diversity of RAIN staffers, clients and community supporters of all ages, races, genders and sexual orientations. The event is expected to attract more than 2,000 participants. For more information, visit aidswalkcharlotte.org or contact info@aidswalkcharlotte.org or 704-973-9818.
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editor’s note by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com
An open letter to North Carolina’s Republicans To members of the Old North State’s Republican Party: Whatever you do on May 6, our state’s primary election, please, please, pretty please, for the love of all that is holy and good, do not vote for Mark Harris. Pastor-turned-politician Harris is on the ballot in your Republican U.S. Senate primary. He has several opponents, chief among them state House Speaker Thom Tillis, Dr. Greg Brannon and Army Nurse Corps veteran Heather Grant. Vote for one of them. Pass right over Harris’ name and vote for one of them. Harris, pastor of Charlotte’s First Baptist Church, isn’t deserving of your vote. He’s used his pulpit, his leadership of the state Baptist convention and his role as a chief proponent of anti-LGBT discrimination to denigrate, demean, discriminate and divide. The people of this state — the people of your party — deserve a better representative. And, yes, I know many of you will disagree with me, but for your fellow North Carolinians who are LGBT, especially, Harris represents a harmful, regressive agenda that seeks to not only infringe on our equality, but may also very well infringe upon your own. See, Harris is an extremist. In every sense of the word, he is an extremist. There’s no other word to describe a man who buddies up with known hate-group leaders like the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins and uses the holy name of our Lord to advocate for totalitarian governmental control of people’s lives and bodies. This is not just about Amendment One, our state’s 2012 constitutional amendment that discriminates against your fellow LGBT citizens. It’s about much more. A potential Senator Harris is quite a scary prospect, indeed — single women stripped of access to reproductive healthcare, low-income families denied access to affordable health services, immigrants put under the microscope of an
oppressive government-sanctioned hypervigilantism fueled by xenophobia, public school children denied resources as public money flows to private, religiously-based schools. The list of people and communities targeted by Harris’ far-right ideologies is miles long. You should be worried. He’s already come after your gay neighbors, siblings, cousins and co-workers. He’s proven that his voice and pulpit are mere means to a scary, oppressive end. I believe in you, my lovely Republican Tar Heels. I believe you have the capacity to understand right from wrong, good from evil, love from hate, lamb from wolf, prophet from profiteer, righteous from self-righteous. I believe you can look at Harris and see through the plastic hair and smile, straight into the depths of a soul that has not love, but rather division and fear at its heart. See, we Democrats have had plenty of disagreements with you Republicans. But, at our very core, I believe we all love this state, we are all patriots, we are all loyal to the ideals and principles upon which our republic is built. Harris is the complete antithesis to everything we hold dear. He doesn’t represent the North Carolina values we know and cherish. Quite simply, he’s the wrong choice. On May 6 — I beg and plead you — send Harris back to his Charlotte pulpit. Let him stand not in the U.S. Senate, but right back there at First Baptist Church in the witness of the Almighty and testify to his twisted, hatemongering faith. Let him do damage to his own flock, not our entire state. Let him lead them, not all of us citizens, down the road to division. A man so weak he uses God as a prop for his own prejudices and fears is not the kind of great and strong leader North Carolinians seek. I’m fully confident in you, fair-minded Republicans. I trust in your judgment. Don’t disappoint me. : :
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news notes: carolinas compiled by Lainey Millen & Matt Comer
‘Pageant’ supports center
RALEIGH — The LGBT Center of Raleigh, 324 S. Harrington St., is heading to Theatre In The Park, 107 Pullen Rd., on May 1 to see “Pageant: The Musical Comedy Beauty Contest” at 7:30 p.m. “Beauty queens have it all — looks, talent, and that something extra that makes them stand out. Come and see who will take home the crown as our queens participate in evening gown, talent, and swimsuit competitions!” the theatre company said. Judges who are selected from the audience will determine the winner. The cast includes Jesse Gephart (Miss Texas); Matt Gore (Tawny Jo Johnson); Chris Maxwell (Miss West Coast); Thomas Porter (Miss Deep South); Mike Raab (Frankie Cavalier); Jon Skinner (Miss Industrial Northeast); Justin Tyler (Miss Great Plains); and Brett Wilson (Miss Bible Belt). Ira David Wood IV serves as director. This emersion experience will serve as a kick off for Out! Raleigh on May 3. Tickets are $28/adult and $22/students, seniors and military and are available online. Groups of 10 or more are $20 each. For every ticket sold for the May 1 performance, $5 will be contributed to the center. info: lgbtcenterofraleigh.com. theatreinthepark.com. — L.M.
Charlotte Candidate forum slated
CHARLOTTE — The LGBT Democrats of Mecklenburg County are hosting an inaugural candidate forum on local, state and federal government legislative issues on April 26, 9 a.m., at the LGBT Community Center of Charlotte, 2508 N. Davidson St. LGBT DMC President Gary Leake and board said, “During the 2012-2014 biennium, legislators on all levels of government affecting Mecklenburg County residents introduced over 1,475 bills, a third of which, if enacted, would affect the LGBT community directly. Bills addressed issues such as marriage equality, energy conservation, growth centers and land use, transportation funding, health care, state budget impact on local governments, education, funding for small businesses and anti-discrimination. The forum will hear from candidates throughout the program: county, 9-10:30 a.m.; sheriff, 10:30-11:30 a.m.; and state and federal, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Topics discussed will be: transportation funding and maintenance of local roads and bridges; federal recognition of LGBT individuals under the EEO; state marriage equality and anti-discrimination laws; education funding and use of the Education Fund; economy and state budget constraints including shrinking federal dollars; energy conservation and alternatives;
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municipal environmental infrastructure; and public safety. Email Cameron Joyce at j.cameron.joyce@ gmail to learn more. info: lgbtmecklenburg.org. facebook.com/ LGBTDMC. — L.M.
Drag brunch holds fundraiser
CHARLOTTE — Buff Faye’s “We’re Back” Sunday Drag Brunch will be held on April 27, 12 p.m., at UpStage, 3306-C N. Davidson St. The event raises funds to fight cancer. This time part of ticket proceeds will be donated to benefit research and support services in memory of Allen McCarthy who died on April 14. McCarthy was a founding member of the Charlotte Royals Rugby Football Club. On hand will be Buff Faye, Bella Nichole Jade, Tommy Feldman (Miley Vyrus), Kiana Layne and Michael DP Brailey, plus some special surprises. Tickets are $6/advance, $10/door and does not include food. Food reservations are due by midnight on April 26 to ensure food availability for all who attend. Go to upstagenoda.com/events/ drag-brunch-show/ to order and secure a spot. info: facebook.com/events/692453280812025/. — L.M.
Elder dinner upcoming
CHARLOTTE — An aging solutions dinner will be held on April 28, 7 p.m., at Flying Biscuit Cafe, 4241 Park Rd. Organizers hope this event will be the catalyst for organizing the area’s LGBT and ally senior community. They want to bring professionals and non-professionals together to forge a local initiative to address the concerns and issues of area LGBT elders.
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Currently, there are few resources for LGBT seniors in Charlotte. The Prime Timers, a group for mature men, offers social support, but no other groups offering resources or elder advocacy currently exist. Bets McCurley and Cheryl Roberge are coordinating the efforts. They said, “Our initial objective is to create an environment where people who are interested in aging issues in support of the LGBT community in Charlotte can meet others who are interested in same. We have a marvelous cross sampling of registrations, to date, of people who are LGBT and non-LGBT; people who are working gerontology professionals in the Charlotte and those who are aging in place. We expect to wrap up this first gathering with action items for a meeting in May. Our goal is to bring a program to Charlotte that has been created based on the needs expressed by those gathered who are willing to join us.” The dinner is being held in conjunction with AARP. To RSVP, email clt.lgbt.elders@gmail.com. — L.M.
Center hosts olympics
CHARLOTTE — The LGBT Community Center of Charlotte, 2508 N. Davidson St., is gearing up for the LGBTQ Spring Olympics 2014 on May 3, 2 p.m., at Veterans Park, 2136 Central Ave. LGBTQ and allied community members who are 18 and older can participate individually or as a team. Attendees are invited to go for the gold while competing in a sack race, balloon toss, water sponge relay, tug-of-war, hoola hoop circle, golf ball relay and soccer world cup. Winners receive T-shirts, bragging rights and event medals. This is a family-friendly gathering. Cost is $5 per person or $50 per team. Teams can consist up to 10 competitors. Registration is due by April 28. Proceeds benefit the center. info: lgbtcharlotte.org. — L.M.
Youth ready for gala
CHARLOTTE — Time Out Youth Center, 2320 N. Davidson St., will hold its Platinum Gala Voices on June 6, 6:30 p.m., at Center Stage, 2315 N. Davidson St. Hosted by NBC Charlotte anchor and reporter Ben Thompson, the evening will feature keynote and youth speakers, entertainment and updates on Time Out Youth’s work. Attendees will be able to enjoy food, cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, art auction and more while supporting the youth organization. A portion of the sale of cocktails will benefit Time Out Youth. Time Out Youth Center is committed to discouraging under-age drinking. No one under the age of 21 will be permitted to attend the gala, with the exception of chaperoned youth speakers, organizers said. Early bird tickets are $75 plus a $5.12 processing fee and can be purchased online at eventbrite.com/e/platinum-gala-2014-tickets-11060547395. info: timeoutyouth.org. — L.M.
Guild unveils new website
CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte Business Guild recently launched its upgraded and
reformatted website. The expanded site allows members to create profiles, be a part of a business directory, post resumes, conduct job searches and become a part of a supply chain directory. Also included is a community networking section, blog and a resources page. The site was designed by Create-ster, a local design firm owned and operated by Charlotte Business Guild board member Ann Gonzales. The guild has developed strategic partnerships with the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, National Diversity Council, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority and Visit Gay Charlotte. Membership applications are available online. info: charlottebusinessguild.org. — L.M.
Triangle Senior group hosts social
RALEIGH — Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) Raleigh will host its first singles social for the LGBT community on April 30, 8:30 p.m., at C Grace, 407 S. Glenwood Ave. This event will help to usher in Out! Raleigh, a festival for the LGBT community of the Triangle, held this year on May 3. The ambiance for the evening is reminiscent of classic jazz clubs, complete with low lights, great music and tasty beverages. Enjoy the comfortable social environment while chatting and networking. A solo pianist will tickle the ivories at 9 p.m. Free parking will be available at the parking deck at 222 Glenwood Ave. info: lgbtcenterofraleigh.com. — L.M.
Network establishes affiliation
RALEIGH — The Raleigh Business and Professional Network’s (RBPN) board has announced enhancements to it membership, as well as networking opportunities. The network is affiliating with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. This will give its membership access to business resources and advocacy, as well as becoming part of a growing association nationwide. Member benefits with the network include: money saving offers from corporate partners; application for business members to receive LGBT Business Enterprise certification (bypassing the requisite $400 fee); access to corporate partner supplier diversity programs and more. RBPN have two membership levels. Individuals can join for $25/year. A new business level membership is available for $175. It entitles members to a logo on the RBPN website; free listing in the newly instituted business directory; individual membership for two business associates; waiver of the $400 application fee and annual $100 renewal fee for the certification program; and ability to contribute additional funds to assist the network’s community activity involvement. Checks should be written to RBPN and sent to P.O. Box 18844, Raleigh, N.C. 27619-8844. For more information, call Stan Kimer at 919-7873091 or email sckimer@yahoo.com.
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After a two-year absence, RBPN is relaunching an updated online business directory. Cost for individual members is $40/ year and free for business-level members. Listings include a link to member’s website and social media pages; short description; logo; and photo. info: raleighnetwork.org. — L.M.
Western Community explores activism
ASHEVILLE — Idit Klein, executive director of Keshet, will be heading to the High Country to share her “Risk and Responsibility: A Professional Gay Jew’s Take on Activism and Leadership.” On June 27, 7:30 p.m., she will begin the dialogue at Congregation Beth HaTephila, 43 North Liberty St. The following afternoon, she will continue her presentation at Congregation Beth Israel, 229 Murdock Ave. Attendees will hear Klein’s reflections on her journey from secular Israel to Orthodox day school to the LGBT rights movement. She will also discuss the challenges and opportunities in working for LGBT equality and inclusion in Jewish life and offer concrete steps for making change in one’s own community. The program is a joint effort among Gays and Lesbians of Western North Carolina, Congregation Beth HaTephila and Congregation Beth Israel. info: neil@jccasheville.org. — L.M.
Stand Against Racism is an annual event of the YWCA. info: standagainstracism.org. — L.M.
Dinner features national author
ASHEVILLE — Dr. Sonia Johnson will present “Gifts and Other Female Economies” on May 4, 11 a.m., at the Roof Garden Ballroom at Battery Park Apartments, 1 Battle Sq. An author, Wise Crane and fifth generation Mormon, Johnson will discuss the merits and possibilities of an economy based on matriarchal values. She was excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1979 when she was publicly critical of the Mormon position against the Equal Rights Amendment. Attendees are encouraged to arrive prior to 11 a.m. to have easier access to the locked senior housing facility. Those arrive after the start time will need to enter the 0706 security code on the keypad to be buzzed in. Free parking is available on the street and
in the lot (spaces 1-10) at the intersection of Battle Square and O.Henry Ave. Organizers encourage brining a potluck dish to share for those who will remain afterward. A love offering is suggested to cover Johnson’s travel expenses. Johnson, who currently lives with her partner Jade DeForest in New Mexico, continues her involvement in feminist circles. She has been a part of the Feminist Hullaballo in the past, sharing the stage with women such as musicians Alix Dobkin and Margie Adams and philosopher Mary Daly among others. This ingathering featured speeches, drumming, music, commitment ceremonies and more. — L.M.
Gals to host dance
ASHEVILLE — A Girls Out Dancing event will be held on May 17, 7:30 p.m., at Club Eleven on Grove, 11 Grove St. Food and filtered water will be provided. And, a cash bar will be available.
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Music will be supplied by Nancy Hedge. The event is part of a women’s dance-amonth schedule. Cover cost is $10. — L.M.
Social justice residents sought
ASHEVILLE — Asheville’s Jewish Community Center (JCC) and the Center for Diversity Education at the University of North Carolina-Asheville are searching for individuals to serve as Tzedek Social Justice Residents. The project’s residents will participate in leadership building activities, as well as management of community diversity projects. They also serve as liaisons between the Asheville JCC and other Jewish and non-Jewish community agencies. The Jewish principles of charity (Tzedakah), repairing the world (Tikkun Olam) and leadership (Hanhagah) serves as the
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Racism examined
ASHEVILLE — Blue Ridge Pride has extended an invitation to its Stand Against Racism event on April 27, 2 p.m., at Eagle Street Coffee Emporium, 39B Market St. Participants will be able to be part of a conversation about race, inclusion and diversity. “By participating in this event, you will help raise awareness that racism still exists in our communities and that it can no longer be tolerated. We seek to bring people together across communities, for one common goal — the elimination of racism. We ask you to make your voice heard by joining the Stand against Racism,” organizers said.
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News Notes continued from page 7 base for the work that the program presents. It receives funding from the Amy Mandel and Katina Rodis Fund of the Mandel Foundation. This is a full-time, one-year temporary position supervised by the executive director. A $25,000 annual stipend and $2,500 professional development/training funding, two weeks paid vacation, paid holidays in line with the JCC calendar are part of the compensation package. A full job description, list of responsibilities and qualifications are available online. Send resume and cover letter to Lael Gray, executive director, at lael@jcc-asheville.org. Likewise, the UNC-Asheville center’s residency focuses on collaboration as it relates to the LGBTQ, Jewish and anti-bias social justice movements, in addition to youth and young adult leadership. It offers a similar compensation package. Residents report to Deborah Miles, executive director.
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Send resume and cover letter describing how this position fits into one’s life’s goals to blenhart@unca.edu. Additionally, applicants must provide three references. Applications are due by May 15. Candidates who are selected will commit themselves from Aug. 4, 2014-August 14, 2015. info: jcc-asheville.org/employment/now-hiringtzedek-residency. diversityed.org/spotlight. — L.M.
‘Headaches’ plague tax filers
ASHEVILLE — BlueRidgeNow.com reported that same-sex couples were challenged this year when same-sex couples prepared their tax returns. Janice and Elizabeth Mallindine shared that they could file a federal form jointly, but the state required individual returns to go along with the state’s filing forms.
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What this amounted to was both of them filling out a joint return, then doing the same as individuals as a pro forma return to go along with their state submission. Normally, returns amounted to around 20-30 pages, but this year it took 250 or more to satisfy the requirements. [For those who filed similarly, how did you fare this year? Did you use an accountant or tax preparer to handle the paperwork or did you do it yourself? Email qnotes at specialassignments@goqnotes.com and let us know.] — L.M.
Regional Voters more tolerant
RALEIGH — Public Policy Polling (PPP) reported in mid April that voters in the state have shifted their view on gay marriage.
In 2012, voters approved by a 22-point margin to ban same-sex marriage. Less than two years later, the opposition to gay marriage is only 13 points, mirroring the kind of movement seen across the U.S. on the issue, PPP said. Numbers suggest that there is more tolerance. Forty percent indicated that gay marriage should be legal as opposed to 53 percent who think it should be illegal. With rising support for gay marriage throughout the country, 62 percent of young voters are for it, while 33 percent are not. PPP also added, “There is increasingly little division among voters in the state about whether gay couples should at least have some sort of legal rights in the form of civil unions. Sixty-two percent support either marriage or civil unions for same sex couples to only 34 percent who think they should have no legal recognition at all. Sixty-eight percent of both Democrats and independents support at least civil unions, and even Republicans narrowly do by a 50/48 spread.” WCHL reported that PPP’s Director Tom Jensen was able to explain the attitude change. “We’re really just finding that, as time goes on, both in North Carolina and everywhere, voters are becoming more and more accepting of gay marriage. … I think they’re more likely to know openly gay people in their lives who help change their minds about the issue.” Exposure to “more positive images of gay people in pop culture and television” have broadened more acceptance, Jensen added. — L.M.
news news notes: u.s./world. goqnotes.com/to/news
Mississippi businesses say ‘We Don’t Discriminate’ JACKSON, Miss. — Following the Mississippi legislature’s recent passage of a religious freedom bill that opponents say could lead to state-sanctioned discrimination against gays, businesses statewide have responded by displaying a decal informing LGBT customers that their business is welcome. The “If You’re Buying, We’re Selling” campaign started in the commercial district of Jackson’s Fondren neighborhood in early April, and has since spread statewide, reports The Clarion-Ledger. The campaign is built around opposition to Senate Bill 2681, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Gov. Phil Bryant signed the bill on April 3. Opponents of the new law, which takes effect July 1, worry it could lead to statesanctioned discrimination against gays and lesbians. Supporters insist it does not authorize businesses to deny service to customers based on religious beliefs.
But a group of entrepreneurs behind the “If You’re Buying, We’re Selling” campaign want to make clear that they’ll take money from anybody willing to spend it. “A lot of us were trying to counter the negative stuff from outside Mississippi,” said local business owner Eddie Outlaw, who was part of the creative team behind the campaign. “We wanted to let people know — not just the LGBT community but the progressive community as a whole — that this doesn’t represent everybody here.” To drive that point home, participating businesses will display in their storefront windows a vinyl, sticker-like circle that reads, “We don’t discriminate. If you’re buying, we’re selling.” Equality Mississippi says hundreds of companies across the state have already signed up to display the new stickers in their window. The program is free of charge and is open to any business who is opposed to discrimination of all kinds.
Olympics pressured to protect LGBT people The International Olympic Committee on April 15 came under increased pressure to prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination and ensure future host countries do not have discriminatory laws on their books. The international gay rights group All Out reiterated its call on the IOC to overhaul its selection process, citing the controversy that surrounded the Winter Games in Sochi over Russia’s law prohibiting so-called gay “propaganda.” All Out says it delivered messages by more than 100,000 members before the deadline for public submissions on “Olympic Agenda 2020,” IOC President Thomas Bach’s project for reforms that will be voted on in December in Monaco.
All Out says more than 74,000 members signed a petition delivered to the IOC and another 41,000 sent their own messages. The group wants the IOC to require that host countries have no discriminatory laws in place and future host city contracts include human rights pledges. It also urges the IOC to amend a clause in the Olympic Charter to specifically prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. In Washington, 19 members of the U.S. Congress sent a letter to Bach calling on the IOC to amend its charter to ban anti-LGBT discrimination. The lawmakers want Principle 6 of the Olympic Charter to “explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity,” the letter states. Principle 6 currently prohibits discrimination “with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise.” Among the letter’s signatories are four openly gay congressmen — Reps. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Michael Michaud (D-Maine), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) — and GOP Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.). : :
— by LGBTQ Nation (lgbtqnation.com). Reprinted with permission. LGBTQ Nation is a qnotes media partner.
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Playing the Field Match-ups from across the Carolinas: Athletes show strength; McCarthy remembered by Jon Hoppel :: qnotes contributor Howdy sports fans! I hope everyone is enjoying nice spring weather, which has been a long time coming. Here’s hoping that the extreme high pollen count has not dampened your resolve to go out and play, watch and support your local LGBT sports teams. In that vein, here is what you might have missed and what you should not miss over the coming weeks! Softball After some early season weather delays, the Carolina Softball Alliance will be starting up their season the last weekend in April, Sunday the 27. This season, games will be played at Clanton Road Park until construction comes to an end at Revolution Park. This diverse league, in skill level and participants, is looking forward to its largest group of teams yet in its sevenyear history. If you are interested in watching some fun and exciting softball in a laid back atmosphere, check out their game schedule at carolinasoftball.org. Kickball On Saturday, April 12, Charlotte held the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Co-ed Kickball Tournament at Runde Park. Four teams battled on a beautiful sunny day for the title of kickball champions, all in the name of “kicking cancer in the balls!” The four teams were the Pink Panthers, Saving Second Base, Kick Teasers and The Rack Pack. In the double elimination format, two teams emerged to face off in the final, The Rat Pack and the Pink Panthers. Led by Kelsey Bendig, The Rack Pack was able to squeak out a win 5-3 to take home the victory. Organized by Lauren Bendig and her family, Mallory, Kelsey, Lugene and Tom, the event raised over $1,200 to help fight the battle against breast cancer. If you would like to donate to this cause and lend your support to bring an end to this terrible disease, visit info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR/Walk/Charlotte?team_ id=127630&pg=team&fr_id=2367.
The Charlotte Royals take on the UNCC rugby team. Photo Credit: Zechariah Sanders
Rugby The Charlotte Royals finally had their season-and-a-half winning streak stopped in April after two losses to two formidable teams. The first came against the University of North Carolina-Charlotte (UNCC) men’s rugby team at their beautiful campus on a cool, muddy afternoon. The match was extremely well-contested in the first half, with neither team able to break into the scoring column until 20 minutes into the first half. UNCC took an early lead, followed by the Royals matching them quickly. The score was 10-20 in UNCC’s favor with five minutes to go in the first half when Danny Wadsworth was able to rumble into the endzone for a try, making the score 17-20. However, Charlotte fell
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Kelsey Bendig (captain), Grayson Barton, Shannon Bennett, Andrea Blanton, Keith Burns, Katie Kaiser, Jess King, Jessica Kluge, Carina Lucero, Brendon Osmer, Brice Taylor, and Brandee Winkler. Photo Credit: Lauren Bendig
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April 25-May 8 . 2014
April 25-May 8 . 2014
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Shelby Murder Mystery Revived Alleged Kansas City shooter Frazier Glenn Miller tied to anti-gay murders in 1987 by Matt Comer & Todd Heywood The April 13 murders of three people at a suburban Kansas City Jewish community center and retirement home has brought back memories and increased scrutiny of a 1987 triple slaying at a Shelby, N.C., gay bookstore. Frazier Glenn Miller, the 73-year-old white nationalist charged with the Overland Park, Kan., murders, was “involved” in the brutal execution-style murders of three men at the adult bookstore in 1987, attorneys who worked on the case said in a version of this report first published by The Raw Story on April 18. The two defense attorneys encountered Miller during the first and only Shelby murder trial in 1989. Miller appeared as a witness in that case, but the attorneys say he should have been considered a prime suspect in the crime that, to this day, is unsolved. ‘Execution-style’ murders Police say sometime shortly before midnight on Jan. 17, 1987, three armed gunmen entered the Shelby III Adult Bookstore located outside Shelby, N.C. The men ordered the four customers and clerk to the floor. Once there, the five men were shot execution style in the back of the head. Police say a .22 caliber weapon and .45 caliber weapon were used in the shootings. Following the shooting the masked intruders took cash from the register and rigged up plastic gallon jugs filled with gasoline with detonation fuses. Three of the men died from the gunshot wounds. Travis Melton, 19, Kenneth Godfrey, 29, and Paul Weston were found dead inside the burning store. Two men — James Parris and John Anthony — survived the gunshot wounds to their heads and managed to escape the burning building. Emergency first responders found both men in their cars in front of the burning building. Fire and police officials testified that had the fire continued to burn another 10 or 15 minutes that none of the victims would have been recognizable. The case is largely forgotten in popular memory now, even if some locals in and around Shelby remember it. At the time, though, the murders were front-page headlines across the state. The Shelby Star covered it extensively, as did The Charlotte Observer. But, it was in the LGBT community where the most shock was felt, as community members scrambled to understand the implications. “What actually happened in the Shelby shooting? Was it anti-gay violence?” a headline from the Raleigh Front Page read on March 17, 1987. Hate-related crimes — including others committed by local Ku Klux Klan chapters — were recent, not distant, memories in North Carolina. Even as the Shelby investigation unfolded and later turned to focus on white nationalists, Klan members were publicly targeting gay men and those living with AIDS in places like Greensboro. No leads, and then Miller For months following the gruesome and brutal murders, investigators in North Carolina posited many theories about their cause. Investigators opined the killings could have been the result of mob ties or business battles over the adult bookstore industry, or a homosexual relationship that “had gone sour.” But in April 1987, Miller, Douglas Lawrence Sheets, Robert “Jack” Eugene Jackson and a fourth man, Anthony Wydra, were arrested in Ozark, Mo. Federal agents arrested the quartet with a stockpile of weapons and charged them with federal arms violations. The group was also distributing a “Declaration of War” issued by Miller. The declaration was made on “niggers, Jews, queers, assorted mongrels, white-race traitors and despicable informants,” according to a May 1989 report on the case in The Charlotte Observer. According to that report, the declaration also provided
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a point system for killing various people. One point was given for killing “a nigger,” the paper quoted Sheets as reading. Five points were assigned for “a queer,” while 10 points were assigned to a Jew. Twenty points were assigned for murdering an abortion doctor, while 50 points were assigned for killing a judge or race-traitor politician or a government witness. But, Miller’s hatred for government witnesses seems to have been a more-or-less pliable guideline than a hard-and-fast rule. Shortly after his arrest in the weapons case, Miller turned. He took a plea deal with federal investigators and agreed to testify against other members of the White Patriot Party and later entered the witness protection program. Miller pointed the finger for the Shelby murders squarely at Sheets and Jackson. Little evidence, too much ‘hearsay’ Sheets was tried in April and May 1989, and Jackson’s trial was scheduled to take place once it was done. News clippings of the time report that it was known Miller was testifying against former members of his White Patriot Party as part of a plea deal. Miller told the court that Sheets and Jackson had told him they had committed the killings in Shelby. Three other witnesses also said they’d heard Sheets talk about the Frazier Glenn Miller, with bullhorn, marches with members of his killings while they were incarcerCarolina Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in this undated photograph ated with him in prison. One was a former White Patriot Party member from the Southern Poverty Law Center. who had abandoned the Miller group in the Ozarks, allegedly after Don Bridges, one of Sheets’ attorneys, also recounted to juhearing the story of the bookstore rors a conversation between Miller, Sheets, and Jackson. “Don’t murders from Sheets and Jackson. That witness, Rob Stoner, worry boys,” Bridges said Miller told them, “I’m going to be received $5,000 from the federal government for his role in the pointing the finger at you, but don’t worry. You can’t be convicted indictments against Sheets and Jackson, as well as entry into because it’s all hearsay evidence.” the witness protection program after a bounty was put on his That turned out to be true. With no way to put Sheets at the head by members of the Tennessee Ku Klux Klan. scene of the murders, he was acquitted. Jackson’s trial was then Prosecutors also presented evidence that gloves found in the canceled. To this day, there’s been no other trial or conviction for weapons cache from the April 1987 Missouri raid were linked by the murder of the three men in Shelby. the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to fibers found on the plastic jugs used to torch the bookstore. Was Miller involved? But prosecutors couldn’t put Sheets or Jackson at the scene. Nearly 30 years later, attorneys who worked to defend Sheets In fact, they had alibis that put them in other states around the against the Shelby murder charges remain convinced Miller was time of the bookstore killings. Sheets had evidence that he’d involved. been in Kansas the day before the killings, and a blizzard that “I still believe Miller was involved with those murders. I do,” struck made it virtually impossible for him to have been in North said Kirk D. Lyons, an attorney known for defending white nationCarolina to commit the crime. alists. “And, I’ve got a lot more proof than I’ve ever had because As the trial went on, Sheets and his attorneys pointed out that he’s done it again — killed more people.” it was Miller who didn’t have an alibi for the night of the murders. The chief counsel of Sheets’ defense team was Leslie ‘Les’ On the stand, Sheets said that Miller had told him that “he Farfour, and he too believes Miller was responsible for the 1987 damn sure made a big boom in Shelby.” Miller, meanwhile, in murders. pretrial statements had referred to a feature in the bookstore — “I fully believe that,” said Farfour, who still practices law in a two-way mirror — that suggested he might have taken part in Cleveland County. the killings himself.
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I don’t have anything to back that up. It just seems to be the case, especially with the White Patriot Party claiming responsibility. Who else is going to be directing it other than the leader of the White Patriot Party?” Farfour says Miller’s organization issued a claim of responsibility in a pamphlet about a year after the trial. But, by then, prosecutors had moved on. After Sheet’s acquittal and Jackson’s dropped charges, it didn’t seem to matter which organization claimed responsibility for the murders, which remain unsolved 27 years later. Lyons believes that federal authorities — and their plea deal with Miller — prevented them from looking at Miller more closely. “If they thought [the prosecutor] had screwed up somehow, they had the right to come in behind him and file civil rights charges, by virtue of depriving the people in the bookstore of their civil rights by murdering them,” Lyons says. “That was never attempted. The problem was — and what it comes back to me is — Miller got to them first and they kind of took him for all they could get out of him. My thinking is that it is very possible they just looked the other way and were not very interested in following the path to Miller and I think they should have.” Sheets’ and Jacksons’ families, too, believe Miller was involved in the Shelby murders. “We mourn for the tragic victims of the recent murderous rampage in Kansas. Our prayers go out to their grieving families,” read a statement from the families, provided by Lyons.
Lyons said Miller was in Raleigh the day after the Shelby murders, while Sheets and Jackson had alibis placing them in other states. “The day after the bookstore murders, he was in Raleigh at a march for the White Patriot Party for Robert E. Lee’s birthday,” Lyons said. “Now, granted the storm comes in and makes travel impossible if you’re in Oklahoma, but, come on, I think somebody from Raleigh could have gotten to Shelby that night in a car.” A May 25, 1989, report on the Sheets’ trial in The Charlotte Observer notes that Raleigh Police Lt. Randy Deaton testified that Miller was in that city on Jan. 18, 1987, “watching a parade by members of the Southern National Front, formerly the White Patriots.” Farfour and the defense team repeatedly told jurors Miller was responsible for the murders. “He was, as far as I am concerned, was directing everything that occurred — anything [the White Patriot Party] did, he had his fingers in,” Farfour said in a telephone interview. “I can’t imagine if this was actually a hit by the White Patriot Party that he was not personally involved, directed it somehow.
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“If the federal government and their intel partner, the Southern Poverty Law Center, had acted responsibly in bringing Frazier Glenn Miller to justice for masterminding and participating in the Shelby Bookstore Murders back in the 1980s, this Kansas tragedy could never have taken place.” Memories and closure? The Kansas shootings in April brought a flood of memories back to those who remembered the Shelby case or worked on it. For Farfour — the lead attorney in the murder trial — the experience has been palpable. He had worked on several capital murder cases prior, but the Shelby trial was, by far, his largest, he said. It shocked him and the rest of the community at the time. “It was very significant. It was big. It’s something that just doesn’t happen in small-town Shelby — to have execution-style killings of three people and the burning of an adult bookstore,” Farfour said. The people of Shelby weren’t prepared for the case’s brutality or its aftermath. “We’re in the Bible belt and a lot of people frowned on there being an adult bookstore there, but they would never have gone to the extent of killing and burning,” Farfour said. As the case progressed and came to trial, the community braced for trouble. Shelby had had its share of tragedies and murders, Farfour said, but nothing like the bookstore shootings. “There was a lot of concern that the White Patriot Party or the Klan might have put a hit out on [Miller] to keep him from testifying,” Farfour recounted. “There was a lot of publicity and anxiety in the community. We had FBI agents on top of the court house with sub-machine guns during the entire trial.” Farfour continued, “The trial took a little over a month to complete with all the publicity and attention, we were worried about if somebody was going to bust into the courtroom and start shooting or if a bomb was going to go off.” Despite the attention and discussion, Shelby didn’t seem to change much. “I didn’t see views toward gays or toward the Klan change a lot one way or the other,” Farfour said. “I don’t think it particularly changed anybody’s perspective on things. I’d like to say it did, but I don’t think it did at all.” At the time, Farfour said Shelby’s citizens simply wanted to put all the controversy and shock behind them. “We had always been a very progressive, friendly, smalltown atmosphere,” he remembered. “I think we wanted to try to build that image back up and put it behind us and move forward.” But, moving forward requires closure — something the families of the Shelby murder victims never received. Miller, now in federal custody for the Kansas shootings, could be questioned again on the Shelby case. “If they wanted to try to get closure for the families of the victims, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to ask,” Farfour said, but he doubts Miller would ever admit to anything. Without a confession, the brutal Shelby murders will likely never be fully solved. But, Farfour will continue to have his suspicions. “To me, in my mind, it was solved when the pamphlet came out and the Ku Klux Klan or the White Patriot Party or whichever one took credit for it,” Farfour said. “You’ve got the organization that did it, but you don’t have the individuals. As far as knowing the individuals, no, I don’t think it will ever be solved.” We reached out to Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office Detective Tim Adams, who runs the agency’s cold case squad, hoping to ask him if Frazier Glenn Miller had been taken seriously as a suspect, or might now that he’s killed people in Kansas City. We’re still waiting for a call back. : :
An in-depth version of this report exploring more details of Miller's ties with the 1987 murder and the resulting 1989 trial was published by The Raw Story with portions reprinted here with permission. Read the original story online at bit.ly/QsFQ1b.
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Ask Dr. C…HIV and healthcare advice
Helping to keep you in the know with up-to-date information by Frederick Cruickshank ~ Medical Director
After many successful installments of “Ask Dr. C”, this is yet another opportunity to offer our readers information about HIV from basic questions to in-depth explanations. We are still receiving many of your questions and are working hard to provide responses to as many questions as possible to provide information for you and the community. The questions have provided us a forum to debunk myths and remove stigma from those living with HIV and AIDS. It is important to educate yourself, get tested, and protect yourself! We appreciate every question we receive! Dr. C looks forward to responding to as many emails as possible. Does everyone who is exposed to HIV get infected? — Ben from Charlotte Good question, Ben. The answer is no. It is possible to be exposed to the infection and not become infected. Whether a person becomes infected after
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being exposed to HIV depends on how the virus enters the body and the amount of virus that enters the body. But, that doesn’t mean that you should exposure yourself thinking that you will not become infected. It only takes one exposure to HIV-infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids to contract the disease. Protect yourself and get tested if you think you could have been exposed. The earlier that diagnosis occurs, the more effective treatment is. Dr. C, I am a lesbian and only have sex with other women. I have heard that women who only have sex with other women are not at risk for HIV infection. Is this true? — Kim from Gastonia This is an important question, Kim. I have been asked this many times. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), female to female transmission of HIV is much less likely to occur as compared to transmission in which a male is involved. However, it is possible! HIV transmission could potentially occur if vaginal secretions or menstrual blood enters open sores or cuts in or around the mouth, such as those caused by canker sores or blisters, vigorous teeth brushing or flossing, or some form of trauma. This could allow for the exchange of potentially infected blood or body fluids. In order to protect yourself, you can use a dental dam (a thin, square piece of latex) or
April 25-May 8 . 2014
a non-lubricated condom when having sex with your female partner. Female to female transmission also occurs often by sharing needles. At any time if blood from one partner can enter the other through a breakage in skin, infection can occur. Can a person who is HIV positive with an undetectable viral load still pass HIV to someone else? — Bobbie from Charlotte Bobbie, this is a great question because I think people often think the answer is no. In reality the answer is yes. A viral load test measures the amount of HIV in a person’s blood. An undetectable viral load means that the amount of virus in a person’s blood is too low for the test to measure. It does not mean that there is no HIV in the person’s body. A person who has a low or undetectable viral load can pass HIV to someone else, although the risk is probably lower than if he or she had a high viral load. Risk reduction measures, like using condoms and not sharing needles, still need to be taken. Protect yourself! Does “the pill” offer any protection against STDs or HIV? — Bettie from Rock Hill Bettie, this is a very common misconception. Many people feel that they can forego condom use if the female is taking “the pill.” But, in reality, this is not
true. Oral contraceptives decrease your likelihood to get pregnant, but offer no protection from STDs or HIV. It is important to use a condom when having sex in order to protect yourself. Likewise, other forms of contraception including Depo-Provera and “the patch,” only reduce the risk of pregnancy. Keep an open dialogue with your sexual partners and use a condom. It is important to protect yourself. If you believe you or your partner has been exposed, I encourage both of you to get tested. We conduct HIV and STD testing here at Rosedale on a regular basis. You can also get tested at your local health department. Always remember that this is an advice column based on your questions and the best possible knowledge out there. We need your questions to help educate the community, so email them to info@rosedaleid.com and be sure to include a first name and location. All respondents will remain anonymous. We will try to do our best to answer, educate and inform from your responses to this column. Don’t forget to visit our website at rosedaleid. com and friend us on Facebook for community and clinical updates. Don’t forget to visit our website at rosedaleid.com and friend us on Facebook for community and clinical updates. — Sponsored Content —
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tell trinity by Trinity :: qnotes contributor :: trinity@telltrinity.com
Holiday parties, dinner guests and when you’re talking too much Dearest Trinity, I hosted a party at my apartment so that my friends could meet my new boyfriend. But, I messed up really bad, got really drunk, said really stupid things and ended up “making out” with an old boyfriend in front of my new boyfriend, who is now really mad! Help! Hosting Horrors, Boston, MA Dearest Hosting Horrors, Ouch! You did mess up in a big way, but nothing a little time, Tylenol and two dozen roses can’t fix. Now, for your next bash Honey, let me just remind you that when hosting a party that includes your new boyfriend: a) don’t invite your old boyfriends unless they have boyfriends with them, b) don’t fight with your new boyfriend in front your company, c) don’t spend too much time away from your boyfriend, stay close by him and d) for God’s sake, please don’t get caught drunk kissing anyone else in front of him! Better luck next time. Dear Trinity, I was recently at a cocktail party where I was accused of upstaging everyone. To be honest, everyone was just so boring that I ended up talking all night. I like to talk and I’m funny. Is that so bad? Cocktail Talk, Miami, FL Dear Cocktail Talk, Being the life of the party is wonderful, but sucking the life out of a party is another story! Sweetie, a great party guest always asks questions, invites others to dialogue with them and always watches out for cues for when to shut up. Sometimes, when it’s all about you, you have to be all about everyone else! (Be the talk of the town — in a good way — not talking to the “town” till they are totally bored or had enough. My cartoon shows this really well.) Hey Trinity, I went to my best friend’s dinner party. It was really great, but I was the only person who didn’t bring something. I apologized, but still. Trinity, when is it and isn’t it appropriate to bring something to a dinner party? Dinner Doubts, Austin, TX
Hey Dinner Doubts, It is always appropriate to bring something to a dinner party! You can never go wrong with a gift! Now, pumpkin, I know you’re thinking, “But what if the host says ‘don’t bother’?” Well, maybe if they insist then, and only then, may you possibly get away with it, but why not just bring a bottle of wine, some cookies or a thank you card anyway! Hosts of parties always remember and invite back the guests who bring something. People who don’t leave a lasting impression don’t always get a next invitation. Hello Trinity, I’ll be throwing my very first party as someone who is newly single. However, my ex lover used to do everything, I just cleaned up. Now that I don’t have my ex around I’m lost. Single And Hosting, Chicago, IL Hello Single And Hosting, Next time, before the divorce, grab your ex’s party planner instead of the cat, it can be worth a lot more. So, darling, since it’s your first time and you want to do it right start with: Trinity’s Uptown Tips For Hosting A Party 1. I know it’s your house, but put the sex books and toys away! 2. Serve yourself is fine, but cook yourself is unacceptable! 3. A party without background music is like a funeral with a punk band! 4. If dinner’s late, appetizers and drinks are mandatory! 5. Having to use a dirty bathroom as a guest is like having to use a rectal thermometer as a cocktail stick. 6. For potluck hosts, you should never expect the guests to bring the main course or drinks. 7. “Does this cigarette bother you?” always means yes! All smokers, including you, should step outside! 8. Women or anyone in high heel shoes always get invited to sit first! 9. A drunk and sloppy host promises an unforgettable finale to your party-hosting career! 10. A nd, lastly, lock the humping dog(s) in the bedroom. Please! : : info: 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. Learn more at telltrinity.com.
Want more A&E features? Then check out the newest installment of Charlene Lichtenstein’s Out in the Stars online at goqnotes.com/28922/. April 25-May 8 . 2014
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Playing the Field continued from page 10 asleep on the ensuing kickoff and let UNCC score right before halftime, resulting in a 17-27 deficit. UNCC rode that wave of momentum throughout the second half, scoring at will and won the contest 17-69. Charlotte next played the Table Rock Gargoyles in an away match down in Gastonia, N.C. On this picturesque April The Charlotte Royals push their defense against UNCC. Saturday, both teams Photo Credit: Zechariah Sanders were amped to face off against each other again against the Grizzlies and the Atlanta Bucks. For since Charlotte won their last meeting this past times and locations of these matches, check season. The first half was exceedingly close as out their webpage on Facebook at facebook. well, with Table Rock only holding a 14-point lead com/CharlotteRoyalsRFC. at halftime. But, Charlotte was unable to produce any offense for most of the game, losing almost In Memoriam every scrum and 50/50 ball to the relentless Allen McCarthy, 6/15/67-4/14/14 Gargoyle team. The final score was 14-45. These two losses should be a good motivator for the rest of the season as they try to build momentum going into the Bingham Cup in August. The team’s next matches are a roundrobin tournament in Charlotte on April 26 versus the Nashville Grizzlies and the Charleston Blockade, followed by another round-robin tournament in Nashville the next weekend
Allen McCarthy Photo Credit: Jeff Enochs
Lastly, it is with a heavy heart that I have to report that the Charlotte Royals lost one of its founding members in mid-April. Allen McCarthy passed away on Monday, April 14, surrounded by his family, friends and partner Grayson Tucker, after a four-year-long battle with cancer. Always upbeat and wearing a smile on his face, Allen was the heart and soul of the Royals’ first few years of existence. His leadership and tenacity on the field could only be matched by the work he did off the field, serving as president, secretary, treasurer or any other position the team needed at any given time. And, despite being diagnosed with such a horrible disease, his positive and loving personality never wavered, watching and supporting the team whenever he could. He will truly be missed by everyone that came across him in their life. : :
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Charlotte Pride Band celebrates ‘Heroes’
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Sirens sound in the hills Music festival showcases talented artists
Last concert of season planned May 10
by Lainey Millen :: lainey@goqnotes.com
The Charlotte Pride Band will present their final concert of the season in May. The concert, “HEROES” will celebrate and salute all the individuals who provide inspiration. The band promises to have the audience “soaring with Superman and swinging with big-band style with America’s greatest generation.” Formed in February 2010, the Charlotte Pride Band is now in its fourth year. It’s one of three or four dozen LGBTinclusive community bands nationwide. In Charlotte, they’ve been gracing audiences with big sounds and fun a plenty — all with volunteer players. The “HEROES” concert is scheduled for May 10, 5 p.m., Heaton Hall at Myers Park Baptist Church, 1900 Queens Rd. Tickets are $13 for individuals, available online or at the door. A family pass is available for $22.50 and includes admission for two adults and children under 12. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit charlotteprideband.org. : : — Matt Comer
Rickie Lee Jones Rising Appalachia Bette Lavette and Rock), Shannon Whitworth (singer/songwriter, cross genre), BOONE — Sirens on the Mountain will be staged from June Sole Schaefer (Blues vocalist) and Underhill Rose (country trio). 20-21 at the High Country Fairgrounds, 748 Roby Greene Rd., in Also on hand will be a plethora of creatively talented artists what is described as a celebration for everyone. who will showcase their wares in the Artisan Village. The two-day music festival, nestled in the Blue Ridge High No festival is complete without food vendors. Festivalgoers Country, celebrates women in the arts and unites musicians with can sample a wide range of culinary treats during their stay. talented crafters. It was formerly known as the Siren Mountain Choices range from vegetarian and vegan to non-vegetarian ofJam, and held its first festival last year. ferings. Non-alcoholic beverages will not be sold, but attendees “We’ve been music fans forever and to festivals ourselves,” may bring them onto the festival grounds. festival founder Beth Carroll told qnotes in an interview last year. The organizers are always on the lookout for volunteers. “We’re fans of all sorts of music and we kept wondering why we Email volunteers@sirensonthemountain.com to learn more. didn’t see many women’s and other festivals here.” At press time, Piedmont public radio station WFDD 88.5 is a Each day of the 2014 event is chocked full of music from sponsor of the event. To participate, email the promoters. morning until late at night. Headliners are Rickie Lee Jones A list of do’s and don’ts are listed on the festival website. For (singer/songwriter), Rising Appalahia (World Music duo) and those who are attending, following these guidelines will make for Bettye Lavette (Soul singer/songwriter). a more enjoyable experience for everyone. Others slated to perform are Amythyst Kiah (alternative Tickets, at $75 each, and RV passes, at $150 each, are availcountry/blues musician), Gigi Dover (singer/songwriter), Laura able for purchase online. RV sites are limited and do not have Blackley (singer/songwriter, radio host and producer), Melissa hook ups. They also require a two-day festival ticket purchase. : : Reaves (Rock musician), Michelle Malone (Acoustic musician), info: sirensonthemountain.com. Mountain Laurels (American/Celtic folk quintet), Red Leg Husky sonicyonicproductions@gmail.com. (folk group), Samantha O’Brien (singer/songwriter, Americana
April 25-May 8 . 2014
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a&e Women’s music legends come to the Carolinas goqnotes.com/to/arts
Tret Fure, Holly Near share rich history through song by Lainey Millen :: lainey@goqnotes.com
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“Billboard Hot 100,” hailed from Lawndale, N.C. ate in the 1960s and early 1970s, women In 1978 she became a Grammy nominee for her performers dotted the landscape. However, “Nightlife” hit. The tune went on to be featured most of them were mainstream artists like in motion picture films. Bridges has considered Janis Joplin, Grace Slick, Joan Baez, Janis Ian, herself more of a rock and R&B performer. She Diana Ross and others. They were mostly rockcurrently lives in Columbia, S.C. ers, folk musicians or soul performers and were In today’s world, there is a blending of able to attract label representation, along with communities and many of the lesbian artists no throngs of diehard fans. longer rely on targeted labels. The Indigo Girls However, there was an untapped and (Amy Ray and Emily Saliers), k.d. lang, Melissa unrecognized group of talented musicians, Etheridge, Tegan and Sara and more, dot the songwriters and performers who became the landscape and appear on a varivoice of the feminist movement, ety of platforms from local clubs lesbian and lesbian separatists to television and theatre. communities. Many were folk This very abbreviated history music artists as well. of the women’s music movement In 1969, Maxine Feldman could not begin to tell the entire brought what some believe is story behind its rich and eventthe first out lesbian song and ful past. Too many amazing, performance, “Angry Atthis,” to talented, gifted and exceptional the new genre of “womyn’s” or women not only recorded their “wimmin’s” or women’s music. musical offerings, there were Following her was Alix Dobkin also a cornucopia of dedicated engineers, (considered the matriarch of the movement), Kay producers, promoters, graphic artists, vocal Gardner and Patches Attom who performed as coaches, to name a few, that helped to round Lavendar Jane. Their iconic, full-length album, out the genre. Through their trailblazing efforts, “Lavendar Jane Loves Women,” became the inthe ability to reach global audiences has never augural foray for the movement. Others followed. been more prolific as it is today. Distribution was challenging and mostly Reality TV shows such as “The Voice” and relied on word-of-mouth promotion. Lambda “American Idol” have introduced a number Rising in Washington, D.C., added women’s of lesbian artists to a wider audience. Some music to its catalog offering. include Beverly McClellan, Vicci Martinez, In 1973, Olivia Records became the preMK Mobilette, Frenchie Davis, Kristin Merlin miere women’s music label. A consortium of and the list is growing. “Big Brother” featured artists created it. They brought Meg Christian Jennifer Arroyo on one of its seasons. (a graduate of the University of North Carolina) The early artists are still contributing to sociand Cris Williamson to the scene. Tret Fure, ety and some are still touring and entertaining. who had been on the music scene already, Dobkin became a member of Old Lesbians found working in sound engineering interesting Organizing for Change and has served on its and became one of the first women to do so at steering committee. Olivia. In later years, Williamson and Fure colWilliamson is still touring and will perform laborated and released three CDs in the 1990s. at the Michigan festival. Additionally, Gardner, Margie Adam, Holly Near Fure turned her “Tomboy Girl” into a fashion and a host of others started their own labels. label and has published a cookbook. Then in 1976, Ladyslipper was formed as a Adam has gone into integrative counseling non-profit organization in Durham, N.C., and beafter receiving her Ph.D. in psychology. gan to distribute women’s music. It has published Near and Fure are currently on the touring the comprehensive “Catalog and Resource Guide cycle and will be coming to the Carolinas. of Music by Women” in print. And, it added its evFure will be the featured artist on May 9, 7 er-expanding “Music Online Catalog & Resource p.m., at Mountain Laurel B&B, 139 Lee Dotson Guide.” It contains around 15,000 listings of past Rd., in Fairview, N.C. and present artists and titles. Additionally, Photo Credit: Tickets are $15 and it serves as a small independent label for Donna Korones are available online emerging musicians and artists. or via email mldozer@ Again, others followed so that the msn.com or call 828genre was available to those who 712-6289. thirsted for its focused, lesbian and On May 10, she will feminist offerings. Tret Fure Holly Near be at Lawndale Swim During this era, an outcropping of and Tennis Club, 2919 Keats Pl. Suggested women’s music festivals began. Today, one epic donation at the door is $20. Reservations are extravaganza, the Michigan Womyn’s Music recommended. Email TretGSO10May2014@ Festival, will host its annual event this August. It gmail.com to learn more. remains the highlight of musical aficionados who The following day she will be at The West want to experience an all-woman event, held in End at The Arts Center, 30-G E. Main St., Hart, Mich. Every detail is managed and attended in Carrboro, N.C. Tickets are $15/advance, to by women. Childcare is made available to $11/friends and students and $19/door. Visit attendees’ families. To this date, almost every artscenterlife.org for more information. major lesbian artist has played the stages there. Near will be in Chapel Hill, N.C., on June (Local deceased activist Billie (Stickle) Rose and 19,12 p.m., with the Standing on the Side of her partner Samis Rose often took the trek to the Love Concerts trek at The Community Church of festival showcasing their jewelry creations.) Chapel Hill (Unitarian Universalist), 106 Purefoy Alicia Bridges, who brought “I Love the Rd. More information is available at c3huu.org. : : Nightlife (Disco Round),” to the club scene and
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Pop icon Taylor Dayne to bring in crowds for Augusta Pride 2014 by Adam Wadding :: augusta correspondent The final headliner for this summer’s Augusta Pride has officially been confirmed. Taylor Dayne, a singersongwriter legend will be in Augusta for their fifth Pride celebration. One of the most successful performers to ever hit the Augusta Pride stage, Dayne will be due to perform in the Augusta Commons off Broad St. downtown — both Friday night and Saturday — during the 2014 Pride weekend festivities. Dayne broke into the music spotlight over 25 years ago with her hit song, “Tell It to My Heart.” With three Grammy nominations, 18 Top-20 singles and over 75 million albums sold, she has continued to contribute to the music and entertainment industry to this day. Her latest album, “Satisfied,” was released in 2008. In 2011, she released her single, “Floor on Fire,” which gained her 18th top-10 single during her lengthy career. In 2012, Dayne was also inducted into the Long Island Musician Hall of Fame alongside artists such as Billy Joel and Pat Benatar. Dayne is no stranger to Pride stages, having performed in multiple festivals across the country, including last year’s Atlanta Pride. With such a large success over the past two decades, Dayne could potentially bring in an even larger crowd to the still-growing Augusta Pride festival — which has been rapidly rising in attendees each year. Dayne will be sharing the stage alongside “RuPaul’s Drag Race” stars Chad Michaels and Latrice Royale, as well as electric violinist duo Synergy — proving to be be one of the most anticipated and entertaining line-ups in Augusta Pride to date. The outdoor performances will be taking place Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28 in the Augusta Commons, located in downtown Augusta, Ga. : : Top Ten recording artist Taylor Dayne will rock the stage as she brings her energized beats to Augusta Pride.
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C A L E N DA R APRIL-MAY 2014
To see more upcoming events, visit goqnotes.com/calendar/ Submit your event at goqnotes.com/eventsubmit/
Continues through April 27 GayCharlotte Film Festival Theatre Charlotte 501 Queens Rd., Charlotte The sixth annual GayCharlotte Film Festival returns to the Queen City with several films, including state premieres. Tickets per film are $8 online, $5 students/seniors and $10 at the door. A full list of films and a schedule is available online. charlottelgbtfilm.com
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Charlotte Pride Picnic SEP APR Park Road Park, Shelter 1 6220 Park Rd., Charlotte 2-6 p.m. Charlotte Pride hosts a community picnic and potluck. Join other local LGBT organizations and community members for a day of fun and games including volleyball, horseshoes, corn hole and more. The event is free, but registration is requested so the organization can get an accurate head count. Attendees can indicate which side dish they will bring during registration. Information and registration available online. charlottepride.org/picnic/
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Continues on May 3 Queen City Stomp Marigny 1440 S. Tryon St. #110, Charlotte
SEP MAY
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Come be a part of the Southeast’s biggest and best LGBT Country dance weekend. Two-night event Friday and Saturday, with day-time dance lessons and evening events held at Marigny Dance Club. Friday cover is $10. Saturday cover is $15. The event is a fundraiser, with 2014 beneficiaries including Time Out Youth and One Voice Chorus of Charlotte. Details and register available online. queencitystomp.com
Big Gay Sing 2 SEP MAY McGlohon Theatre Spirit Square 345 N. College St., Charlotte 8:04 p.m. Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte returns with the biggest, most excellent and most fabulous sing- and dance-along Charlotte has ever seen! Cheer, sing, dance and laugh to Broadway’s very best. Tickets $25-$35, children under 12 $10. Purchase online at or call 704372-1000. gmccharlotte.org
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Head out to the polls and cast your ballots in several local and statewide Democratic and Republican party primary elections. For more information, including polling locations, visit ncvoterguide.org.
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SEP MAY
SEP MAY
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2014 Carolina Cup Park Road Park 6220 Park Rd., Charlotte 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The 2014 Carolina Cup between the Queen City Tennis Club in Charlotte and the Triangle Tennis Club in Raleigh will be hosted in Charlotte this year. The Queen City Tennis Club (QCTC) is a registered non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of tennis among gays, lesbians, bisexual, transgender and questioning individuals in the Charlotte region. Weather permitting, the club plays every Sunday from 10 a.m.-Noon. More information available online or call 704-782-7182. qctc.org
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The Charlotte Pride Band (CPB) invites you to attend their concert: “HEROES.” Sure to be a great event, CPB will have attendees soaring with Superman and swinging big-band style with America’s greatest generation. Join the band as it pays homage to the people, past and present, who shape our community and world. Tickets are $13 and are available online or $10 from band members. charlotteprideband.org HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY Mom, Mommy, Mommie, Mother, whatever … Sending her love forever!
Continues through May 31 ‘Angels in America’ AIDS Walk Charlotte Carolina Actors Student Theatre, 2424 N. Davidson St., Charlotte SEP MAY Gateway Village Various dates/times 800 W. Trade St., Charlotte CAST presents Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize- and two-time Tony Award 8-11:30 a.m. winning play “Angels In America.” This is the The Regional AIDS Interfaith first production of the play by a Charlotte-based Network (RAIN) hosts its 18th annual theater company in nearly two decades. The play AIDS Walk Charlotte, explores “the state of the nation” — the sexual, raising awareness and racial, religious, political and social issues confunds for those impacted fronting the country during the Reagan years, as by HIV/AIDS. Information the AIDS epidemic spreads. Various ticket prices and registration available online. and various performance dates and times. aidswalkcharlotte.org nccast.com
Submit your event to our calendar!
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Primary Election
Charlotte Pride Band Myers Park Baptist Church 1900 Queens Rd., Charlotte 5 p.m.
SEP MAY
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–––––––––––––––––––– Prom Dress Rugby Tuckaseegee Park 4820 Tuckaseegee Rd., Charlotte 1 p.m. The Charlotte Royals Rugby Football Team hosts its annual light-hearted Prom Dress rugby match, followed by the “famous 3rd half” at Sidelines Sports Bar. $10. –––––––––––––––––––– Queen City Drag Race The Bar at 316 316 Rensselaer Ave., Charlotte 2 p.m. The fifth annual Queen City Drag Race pulls together teams of volunteers willing to slap on high heels to “burn rubber for charity.” qcdragrace.com
You can submit your event to our comprehensive community calendar presented by qnotes, the LGBT Community Center of Charlotte and Visit Gay Charlotte. Submit your event at goqnotes.com/eventsubmit/ and get a three-for-one entry. All Charlotte-area events will appear on each of the three calendars at qnotes (goqnotes. com), the LGBT Center (lgbtcharlotte.org) and Visit Gay Charlotte (visitgaycharlotte.com).
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April 25-May 8 . 2014
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LIST
Best of LGBT Charlotte - 2014
Vote in our QList, Best of LGBT Charlotte and our first-ever
Voting ends June 11
in the ballots below or online at goqnotes.com/qlist
Vote today in our fifth annual QList, Best of LGBT Charlotte for the best of the city’s LGBT nightlife, dining, retail, community and more!
Charlotte’s Favorite LGBT Bartender Contest
The ballot explained: Below you will find a ballot. Fill in your name, email address and city, state and ZIP code (all required) and complete the rest of the form by filling in the name of the club/bar, non-profit, person, restaurant, coffee shop or other business or organization. When you are done, you can mail your ballot to: QNotes, PO Box 221841, Charlotte, NC 28222. Or, if you’re in one of Charlotte’s local LGBT nightlife establishments, look for our ballot box and drop in your folded ballot.
QList Ballot
Our Bartender Contestants
*Required field (small)
First Name* ______________________________________ Last Name* ________________________________________ City* _______________________________________________________ State* __________ ZIP Code* _______________ Email Address* _______________________________________________________________________________________ Opt-out of Newsletter? Your email address will be added to QNotes’ email list for our weekly newsletter and other occasional news and event updates. ❏ Check this box if you do not wish to be subscribed. Business Stores, restaurants and more. Who’s the best in Charlotte business? Best LGBT-friendly, locally-owned restaurant _______________________________________________ Best LGBT-friendly, locally-owned retail store _______________________________________________ Best LGBT-friendly, locally-owned coffee shop _______________________________________________ Community Non-profits, community leaders and more. Your vote can go to any organization, person, business or other entity in Charlotte and the surrounding metro area. Best non-profit organization _______________________________________________ Best AIDS Service Organization _______________________________________________ Best support/social group _______________________________________________ Best LGBT youth leader (under 30) _______________________________________________ Best LGBT leader (Male) _______________________________________________ Best LGBT leader (Female) _______________________________________________ Best transgender community leader _______________________________________________ Best openly LGBT or LGBT-friendly politician/elected official _______________________________________________ Best LGBT arts group _______________________________________________ Best annual LGBT event in Charlotte _______________________________________________
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Important notes: • E ach ballot must include at least one vote in each of our three QList subject areas (Community, Nightlife and Business). Ballots that do not meet this criteria will be discarded. •M ultiple votes and ballots from a single individual are allowed, but each ballot must meet the criteria noted above.
April 25-May 8 . 2014
Best LGBT-affirming faith institution _______________________________________________ Best Man About Town Who is your favorite, coolest, hippest guy “in the know”? Who’s the man who is constantly networking and making friends, being seen out and about? _______________________________________________ Best Woman About Town Who is your favorite, coolest, hippest gal “in the know”? Who’s the lady who is constantly networking and making friends, being seen out and about? _______________________________________________ Nightlife & Entertainment Bars, clubs, drag performers and DJs! Who is the best in Charlotte’s nightlife? Let us know! Best LGBT bar/club _______________________________________________ Best LGBT-friendly bar/club _______________________________________________ Bar/club with best drink value Which bar gives you the biggest bang for your drinking buck? _______________________________________________ Club/bar with hottest bar staff _______________________________________________ Bar/club with best drag show _______________________________________________ Best drag performer _______________________________________________ Best local DJ _______________________________________________
MARK A CIRCLE around your favorite bartender to vote in our bartender contest. See more in-depth profiles of our bartender contestants at goqnotes.com/qlist Jannet Corless L4 Lounge “What I love most about bartending is the scene. I started gogo dancing and bartending in California. I love the attention, beautiful women and watching people have a good time. I’ve been every where from hot spots to starting a new bar from the bottom. In any crowd or situation, I’m a hit. I am a veteran at bartending and lead bartender at Charlotte’s hottest new sexy ladies lesbian bar. I turned bartending not only into my job, but my atmosphere from dream to reality.” Jake Hillyer Cathode Azure “I get to see my friends all week, and meet new ones in the process. I’ve always been a bit of a night owl, so the schedule works well for me.” Liam Johns Petra’s Piano Bar ‘The interaction with people in my neighborhood enriches my life as I grow to meet the LGBT and straight community. Being out as a transgender man and working as a bartender, I feel I give further encouragement to others to feel safe and be accepted in themselves.”
Leah Larson L4 Lounge “I enjoy meeting new people and bringing smiles to people’s faces! I think I should be named Charlotte’s Favorite LGBT Bartender because I work for one of the best lesbian couples I know. I love serving the LGBT community.” Ryan Lynch Cathode Azure “One of the biggest pleasures that working as a bartender at Cathode Azure is my ability to meet all walks of life as members (and some allies) of the LGBT community. The diversity of people within our community is astounding! And I get paid to have fun and help all these people relax after long work weeks.” Jimmy Smith Petra’s Piano Bar “I love to invite people of any sector of our various population to our bar. EVERYONE has a seat where-ever I work. I especially love our senior population. They have so much life experience to share and unfortunately they do not feel comfortable in most places, simply because most younger people shun them away.”