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May 24-June 6, 2013 Vol 28 No 02
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contributors this issue
Paige Braddock, Rosendo Brown, Matt Comer, Maria Dominguez, Jon Hoppel, Charlene Lichtenstein, Lainey Millen, Trinity
front page Graphic Design by Lainey Millen Photo Copyright: Jimmie Cobb/ JC Digital Photography Works
news & features 4 4 4 6 9 9
Youth bill sent back to committee Bill would allow college student discrimination Survey winner announced News Notes: Regional Briefs Election includes gay candidates Private party fundraiser kicks off Mayfield campaign
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a&e / life&style
12 Uptown Utopia 14 Backyard Escape in Elizabeth 15 Playing the Field 16 Out in the Stars 17 Tell Trinity 19 Voice for disenfranchised 22 LGBT Summit in Charlotte 22 Fabulance 22 Jane’s World 23 Q events calendar
opinions & views 5 Editor’s Note 5 QPoll
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GOP attempts restricting youth health access Bill would have restricted teen acccess to STD screenings, contraception, other medical and mental health services by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com
RALEIGH — A bill restricting teenagers’ access to medical and mental health care narrowly escaped approval in the North Carolina House in May before being taken of the body’s calendar and placed back into committee. The legislation (H693) would have prohibited youth under the age of 18 from receiving prevention, diagnosis and treatment for pregnancy and abortion, sexually-transmitted diseases, HIV/ AIDS, mental health and substance abuse without the express written and notarized consent of their parent or guardian. The legislation would also restrict minors’ access to contraception. Because the bill didn’t receive its floor vote and was not approved, it did not make the legislature’s “crossover” deadline. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the bill is dead this session, but could make a return in future sessions. Advocates said the bill would have been the most restrictive in the nation and advocates serving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people say they are concerned about the bill’s possible affect on their services. “My biggest fear is for youth who have estranged relationships with their parents,” said James Miller, executive director of the LGBT Center of Raleigh. “I’m concerned with the youth who come to us and who say, ‘I cannot talk to my parents, I cannot talk to a trusted adult, I don’t have a trusted adult in my life.’ This bill really does put a hinderance on youth who need to access mental health or sexual health services.” Rodney Tucker, executive director of the Charlotte-based Time Out Youth, said the bill could have affected his organizations services. One of his staff currently has a provisional license for professional counseling and would have been
required to follow the proposed legislation’s restrictions once the organization is able to offer therapeutic services this fall. “We have big concerns on delaying of treatment, increase risk of spreading disease, how this could impact depression/ suicide,” Tucker said in a statement via email. “Our youth have very few safe places, this law would change the patient client relationship with their medical provider.” Proponents of the bill include two organizations known for their anti-LGBT advocacy. Tami Fitzgerald of the N.C. Values Coalition, the leading proponent of last year’s anti-LGBT state constitutional amendment on marriage, called the teen medical ban “a commonsense bill that puts control back in the hands of the parents, where it belongs,” according to WRAL Capitol Bureau Chief Laura Leslie. “There is something insanely wrong about physicians’ associations coming into this building and asserting that their judgment should be substituted for the judgment of a child’s parents,” Fitzgerald told a House committee on Tuesday. Jere Royall with the North Carolina Family Policy Council also supported the bill during its committee hearing: “Sexually transmitted diseases, abuse of controlled substances or alcohol, mental illness or pregnancy are critical, sensitive and necessary areas for parents to be aware of and involved in.” Miller’s LGBT Center of Raleigh provides weekly safe space and social activities for LGBT youth, some under the age of 18. His group’s weekly “Youth Coffee House” doesn’t offer clinical or medical services, but the bill or any similar legislation in the future, Miller said, could have a chilling effect on his youths’ ability to access referrals.
“Ultimately, it hurts the child,” Miller said. “I’m concerned about youth not utilizing competent health care and not having to rely on WebMD searches or questioning whether they have HIV.” Rates of new HIV infections among young gay and bisexual men have been growing, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. From 2008 to 2010, the rate of new infections among young men who have sex with men aged 13-24 increased by 22 percent. “We know that anyone who knows their status is multiple times less risky in their sexual health,” Miller said. “[The bill] is going to discourage youth from finding out their status. It’s a public health nightmare.” : :
Bill would allow college student discrimination
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RALEIGH — The North Carolina Senate approved a bill on May 9 that would allow student groups on college and university campuses to discriminate in membership and leadership. The bill (S719) passed with no objections in the Senate and will now head for hearing in the state House. If passed, the proposed law would prohibit public institutions in the University of North Carolina System and the state’s community colleges from enforcing their non-discrimination policies among student group leadership, effectively allowing anti-LGBT and other types of discrimination in student groups, even if those student groups receive public funding. The legislation comes as a response to several past incidents. In 2011, a gay student at the University of North Carolina-Chapel
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Hill was kicked out of a Christian singing group. University administrators later ruled there was not enough evidence showing the group discriminated against the student for his sexual orientation, rather than his religious belief. In 2003, administrators at Chapel Hill also challenged the membership and leadership standards of InterVarsity, a Christian campus group. The group was later allowed to re-affiliate with the school. Last year, administrators at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro attempted to strip affiliation from a pro-abstinence, anti-choice group, Make Up Your Own Mind. The school later reversed its decision after students filed suit. : : — Matt Comer
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Congratulations! We’d like to congratulate the winner of our $100 giveaway during our 2013 Reader Survey. Congrats to Bob Beard, pictured, of Pickens, S.C. We thank you and all of those who participated in the survey for providing your important feedback!
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editor’s note by Matt Comer matt@goqnotes.com
Marriage momentum can carry ENDA In just a few weeks, the U.S. Supreme For nearly 20 consecutive sessions of Court is expected to hand down its decision Congress, the Employment Non-Discrimination in two landmark cases on marriage equalAct (ENDA) has been introduced and stalled. ity. The cases, one challenging Proposition Transgender people, whose risk of employ8 in California and the other challenging the ment insecurity is many times higher than LGB federal Defense of Marriage Act, mark the people, have been pushing for a renewed focus first time the high court has taken on the issue on ENDA and other employment non-discrimiof marriage for same-sex couples. No matter nation measures at state and local levels. their decision, it will be historic. Here in North Carolina, the story is the The political climate on marriage and same. Session after session, bills to extend emother LGBT equality issues has shifted vastly ployment protections to LGBT public workers go since the court first heard oral arguments in nowhere. Neither Democratic nor Republican the cases in March. leaders have advanced the proposal. In just one month, three states —Rhode I get why marriage is important. I underIsland, Delaware and Minnesota — approved stand why, like straight couples, gay couples marriage for same-sex couples. They did so can also benefit. Much more than tax breaks not by order of a or other financial or court, but, rather, legal benefits, marriage through a vote of is the fundamental For nearly 20 consecutive sessions their duly-elected bedrock upon which of Congress, the Employment legislatures. Other we build our lives with Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) has states are advancthe people we love and ing on the issue, as in which we create been introduced and stalled. Here in well. Illinois stands North Carolina, the story is the same. our families and raise ready to hear our children. Marriage Neither Democratic nor Republican provides stability to gay similar proposals. A marriage equality leaders have advanced the proposal. families, just as it does bill was approved to straight families. by a Nevada But, employment Assembly committee in mid-May. In New security also provides stability that is just as Mexico, where state law does not specifiimportant. The ability to work for a fair and cally ban marriage between two people of the livable wage underpins our ability to care for same-sex, city leaders in Santa Fe have taken our families. an official stand in favor of equality. Employment protections and marriage Other nations around the globe are moving equality have more intersecting commonon this issue. France, our oldest ally which alities than differences. The two issues are helped give birth to our own nation, approved complementary. We should be pushing as marriage equality in April. In so doing, they behard for one as we are the other. came the 14th nation worldwide to recognize This summer, we will know the fate of our same-sex nuptials. future movement on marriage. The momentum All around us, the world is changing. is strong. The positive emotion is palpable. Progress once thought impossible is now The stunning successes we’ve seen in moving a commonplace occurrence. The America the conversation forward, in changing hearts of which we’ve all dreamed is becoming and minds, can be used to create better worka reality, as we take more steps into our ing environments for our community. continuing experiment in democracy, liberty It is time we widen our focus. Let’s continand justice. ue our good work on marriage equality while With these series of historic advancements expending more financial and organizational on marriage, it would seem the time was right resources on employment security for all our to also move forward on an issue many in our citizens, regardless of sexual orientation and community feel has been forgotten. gender identity. : :
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news notes: carolinas. nation. world. compiled by Lainey Millen | Matt Comer | Maria Dominguez
Charlotte Demonstrators push for ENDA
CHARLOTTE — About a half dozen community members gathered in front of the federal courthouse in Uptown on May 11 to demonstrate in favor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). The federal legislation would outlaw anti-LGBT discrimination in employment. Currently, federal employment law does not offer protecProtesters stood at the Federal Courthouse in favor of tions to LGBT workers. The bill has employment protections on May 11. been introduced in every session of Photo courtesy Janice Covington/Facebook. Congress, with the exception of one, since 1994. to get sexual orientation and gender identity Some states have adopted protections, added to Charlotte-Mecklenburg School’s but North Carolina and South Carolina are anti-bullying policy in 2008. MeckPAC was not among them. Several local jurisdictions instrumental in getting domestic partner beneacross the Carolinas have passed antifits for Mecklenburg County and Charlotte city discrimination ordinances or policies, though lesbian and gay employees in 2009 and 2012 many apply only to public employment. respectively. They also worked with elected Equality North Carolina is seeking to pass officials to get sexual orientation added to the state-level legislation protecting public workcounty’s non-discrimination policy in 2005 and ers and teachers from anti-LGBT discriminasexual orientation and gender identity added tion. That bill was not heard this year and is to the city’s non-discrimination policy in 2010 not expected to move forward this session. and 2012. — M.C. info: meckpac.org. — L.M.
50s fundraiser slated
CHARLOTTE — Teresa Davis, president of the Charlotte Business Guild, will celebrate her 50th birthday, along with board member Jai Taylor, at a fundraiser for the LGBT Community Center of Charlotte will be held on May 25, 7 p.m., at the center, 2508 N. Davidson St. The event is open to the public. Admission is free. Promoters suggest that a tax-deductible contribution be made to the center in lieu of cards and gifts. Enjoy dancing, food and beverages while joining in the revelry. Beer, wine and soft drinks will be available for purchase or attendees may BYOB. info: charlottebusinessguild.org. gaycharlotte.com. — L.M.
MeckPAC seeks advocates
CHARLOTTE — The Mecklenburg LGBT Political Action Committee (MeckPAC), is searching for new members to join its steering committee and invites interested parties to attend its June 4 meeting, 6:30-8 p.m., at the LGBT Community Center of Charlotte, 2508 N. Davidson St. The upcoming meeting will introduce visitors to ways in which members can become more involved in MeckPAC’s activities. Those include evaluating candidates for local office and making endorsements based on how LGBT inclusive they are and working with elected officials to advocate for policy and ordinance changes to make CharlotteMecklenburg more LGBT inclusive. Over the years, MeckPAC has been instrumental in championing causes that have helped shape the landscape on numerous fronts. They worked with the school board on
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Hockey teams support gay athletes
CHARLOTTE — Hockey teams in North Carolina are standing up for equality and respect in professional sports this month with the release of two videos supporting the You Can Play Project. Based in Denver, the You Can Play is a non-profit meant to unite athletes and sports fans alike in a movement to eliminate discrimination against LGBT athletes. The Carolina Hurricanes, based in Raleigh, showcased players Tuomo Ruutu, Kevin Westgarth, Tim Brent and Tim Gleason in their video. The Charlotte Checkers’ video, featured on the You Can Play homepage on Wednesday, featured players Zac Dulpe, Justin Krueger, Rasmus Rissanen and Brent Sutter, as well as team owner Michael Kahn, COO Tera Black and several fans. Duke University published their You Can Play video in August 2012 and have shown it at student and parent orientations since. “Teamwork and excellence extend far beyond sexual orientation,” Duke athletic director Kevin White says in the video. An assistant athletic director for the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill told The News & Observer that the athletic department there is planning to produce a You Can Play video this summer. You Can Play says they are “dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation.” The group was founded by Patrick Burke, whose younger brother, Brendan, was an openly gay student athlete. He died in a car crash in 2010. The brothers’ father was a former general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the U.S. Olympic hockey team.
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goqnotes.com/to/news “Brendan taught me what the locker room can be like for young LGBT athletes, then showed me the difference one person can make by standing up for what is right,” Patrick Burke says on the organization’s website. To view the videos, visit goqnotes. com/23050/. — M.D.
National/Global Minnesota legalizes marriage equality
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota became the 12th state to legalize marriage rights for same-sex couples when Gov. Mark Dayton (pictured) signed the legislature’s bill on May 14. This victory comes just six months after voters in the state defeated a proposed constitutional amendment banning samesex marriage. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization, was credited for helping the state achieve the legislative victory. “From staff on-the-ground, research, advice, to financial resources, HRC has been a valued and trusted team member working alongside our state and other national groups,” State Sen. Scott Dibble said in a release from the organization. “Thank you, HRC.” Other national groups also offered resources to Minnesotans United for All Families. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has offices in Minneapolis. Freedom to Marry provided staff support. “The transformative nature of people talking about their love and their lives is clear, as we see in reaching this milestone in Minnesota, and in the fact that a clear and growing majority of Americans supports the freedom to marry,” said Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey in a statement. “Coming on the heels of victories in Rhode Island and Delaware, this win for marriage shows that the freedom to marry is a value that Americans across the country stand behind,” Thalia Zepatos, director of public engagement for Freedom to Marry and strategic adviser for Minnesotans United, said in a statement. Minnesota is the third state in May to pass marriage equality legislation. Advocates said pressure is rising on other states to pass similar measures. Equality Illinois CEO Bernard Cherkasov wants his state to take the plunge. The Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act has already been introduced to the state House of Representatives. “Everyone has done the hard work to draft a fair bill that provides for marriage equality while guaranteeing religious freedom. Now, it is imperative that Illinois House members do their job at their next opportunity,” Cherkasov said in a press release. These steps towards equality for LGBT people are being made at a time when the whole nation awaits with bated breath the U.S. Supreme Court decisions on two cases integral to the cause: Hollingsworth v. Perry, challenging California’s Proposition 8, and United States v. Windsor, which challenges the federal Defense of Marriage Act passed
by Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996. — M.D.
Bakker breaks rainbow bread
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Rev. Jay Bakker, the son of the former Fort Mill, S.C., PTL Club leaders Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye Bakker Messner, was in the city two days prior to Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton’s signing of a new gay marriage law. Bakker was opening another branch of his Revolution Church on May 12. Bakker and his wife recently relocated to the state from New York, The Huffington Post reported. The Brooklyn congregation continues to meet in a bar. A pro-LGBT supporter, Bakker also performs same-sex marriages. During the opening of the church, blogger Tony Jones and his photographer wife Courtney Perry and their daughter Lilly shared a rainbow-colored communion bread that
they had made with the congregation. It was done to show support for the then pending pro-LGBT legislation. “It was special to honor Chirst as well as to honor those LGBT people who didn’t make it this far and hope for a better future. It became a real source of redemption,” The Huffington Post reported Bakker saying as a response to hearing about a gay man’s former partner who had committed suicide. He also said that the bread became a “really beautiful thing.” (For detailed instructions on how to make rainbow bread, visit taste-for-adventure. tablespoon.com/2013/04/13/rainbow-bread/.) The following day, he visited the state’s legislature at the time the Senate was taking the vote on the marriage equality bill, The Huffington Post added. Revolution Church is progressive, welcoming and affirming. It was created in Phoenix, Ariz., in 1994. It was followed up by churches in Atlanta, Ga., New York,
N.Y., Charlotte, N.C., and now the one in Minnesota. Podcasts are available online. Bakker has authored three books about his life-long experiences within the Christian community. “Faith, Doubt, and Other Lines I’ve Crossed,” explores questions that are not asked and suggests that people welcome other interpretations of the Bible as they read it, leading to finding God with limitless grace. “Fall to Grace” chronicles Bakker’s life when his parents were beset by scandal when PTL was under fire. It asks readers to challenge their understanding of salvation and encourages non-believers to see Jesus with fresh eyes. In “Son of a Preacher Man,” he searches for a way to find grace amidst the turmoil of his life when it seemed remote. — L.M. info: Have news or other information? Send your press releases and updates for inclusion in our News Notes: editor@goqnotes.com.
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Meetings: Program: Time: Membership: Information:
Third Tuesday of every month, except when there is specialized programming, plus monthly socials to promote networking and friendship A wide variety of topics of interest to appeal to the diverse LGBT community After work with a cash bar social and heavy hor d’oeuvres with dinner and program following Visit the website for application options and benefits. Call 704.565.5075 or email businessguild@yahoo.com for more details or write to The Charlotte Business Guild P.O. Box 33371 | Charlotte, NC 28233
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Elections include gay candidates Brandon for Congress, Lavelle for Carrboro mayor by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com
CHARLOTTE — Local off-year elections this proven to be able to do that most effectively.” season and the upcoming mid-term elections in 2014 Brandon was first elected to the North Carolina will include several historic runs by openly gay and House of Representatives in 2010. He’s been an adlesbian candidates across the state. vocate for charter schools and education reform, Two races, in particular, may very well yield hisas well as an outspoken advocate for ex-offenders. toric results. Situated next to Chapel Hill, Carrboro “When I knocked on doors, those are the two could elect the state’s first openly lesbian mayor. things I noticed the most…about 70 percent of the Current Alderwoman Lydia Lavelle announced her people in the community where I live do not have candidacy for mayor in April. She’s served on the high school diplomas and are ex-felons,” Brandon town’s board of alderman since first elected in 2007. said. “They have zero-percent chance of getting “A lot of folks in the community mentioned to a job. They end up creating a system of their own me they’d like to see me run,” Lavelle told qnotes. “I because they can’t get a job.” decided to go ahead and make the announcement I That system, Brandon said, breeds drug addicwas going to run for mayor.” tion, prostitution and crime. Lavelle said several local issues are at the fore“The system does not work for them and they front of her concern, including regional services like create their own system,” he said. “This is the recycling and waste which require partnership and reason why I deal with education reform and I deal communication with Chapel Hill and Orange County. with second-chance opportunities. I have to get Lavelle is also excited about the potential growth for these people to work. These are the biggest issues downtown Carrboro. facing this community.” “We have our first hotel opening in downtown Brandon said he doesn’t believe his sexual Carrboro,” she said. “We’re trying to really put an orientation will play any role in his campaign. His emphasis on bringing activity and events to downre-election to the state House in 2012, he said, town and encourage not just residents, but also visiwas proof that people care more about the issues tors to come and spend some time in our town, come affecting their daily lives than about hot-button to our festivals and eat in our restaurants.” social issues. Carrboro Alderwoman Lydia Lavelle announced her candidacy for mayor on April 11 in If elected, Lavelle thinks Carrboro and the rest In 2011, Brandon came to the center of debate downtown Carrboro. Photo Credit: Allison Cheyney De Marco. of the Triangle — long-known for its friendliness to when state lawmakers considered and later apLGBT citizens and elected officials — can send a proved an anti-LGBT state constitutional amendthis month that he would be seeking the Democratic Party’s broader message. ment. The measure won approval from voters 61-39 nomination in the 12th Congressional District. “I would think if I’m fortunate enough to be elected mayor, percent on May 8, 2012. Brandon is the first openly gay or lesbian North Carolinian it would really serve as a signal certainly to the rest of the state The 12th Congressional District snakes its way from in a major political party to announce his candidacy for the and if not to this part of the country that our collective comWinston-Salem and Greensboro, through Salisbury and U.S. House. munity really values diversity and doesn’t really think [people’s Concord and into Charlotte. The seat has been held by Rep. Mel “We have the same problem in D.C. as we have in North sexual orientation] matters at all when we look at who our Watt since 1993. On May 1, Watt was nominated by President Carolina,” Brandon told qnotes. “The needs of the communielected officials should be.” Barack Obama to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency. : : ties we represent, especially through the 12th District, are just Lavelle’s run this year isn’t the only historic candidacy the more: Stay tuned to qnotes this summer for more politics too great. What we need is someone who has proven is able state will see. State Rep. Marcus Brandon (D-Guilford), North and elections news. For the latest updates, visit goqnotes.com/ to work across the aisle and be effective. I’m the one who is Carolina’s only openly gay, incumbent lawmaker, announced in/politics/. : :
Private HRC fundraiser kickstarts Mayfield campaign Friend says LaWana Mayfield has been essential on Charlotte City Council by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com
CHARLOTTE — Local organizers affiliated with the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights group, gave City Councilmember LaWana Mayfield a kickstart to her 2013 re-election campaign at a private fundraiser on May 11. Mayfield, a Democrat representing District 3 and first elected in 2011, is running for re-election this year. She is the city’s first and only openly LGBT elected official. “I think it is important to have that voice at the table,” said Scott Bishop, who hosted the fundraiser at his home with his partner. “It is important to have anyone from the LGBT community at the table and representing our viewpoint.” Bishop, a longtime HRC supporter and member of the group’s national board of governors, is also chair of the Mecklenburg LGBT Political Action Committee (MeckPAC).
Mayfield raised more than $47,000 for her 2011 race. A $2,000 contribution from the national Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which endorsed Mayfield, was her single largest contribution that year. A $1,000 contribution from MeckPAC was the third largest, following a $1,400 contribution from Democratic Women of North Carolina. It isn’t clear whether Mayfield will be endorsed by the Victory Fund this year; the group says it does not pre-announce any of its endorsements. HRC does not
see Mayfield on 10 LaWana Mayfield, pictured here during an April City Council meeting discussing the airport and the city’s airport advisory committee. Photo Credit: Robert Lahser/Charlotte Observer.
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Mayfield campaign off and running continued from page 9 regularly issue endorsements in local races, though national officials of the group have encouraged local organizers to rally around Mayfield’s campaign. The private fundraiser in May hoped to raise as much as $10,000 to Mayfield’s 2013 campaign. Essential presence Bishop said Mayfield is a longtime friend. “I want to support my friends in their
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endeavors,” he said. “I have watched what she has done on City Council and I am encouraged by her successes. I want to see that continue.” Bishop said Mayfield’s presence on Council was essential during conversations on some LGBT issues last year. City Manager Curt Walton included domestic partner benefits in the budget Council approved in June 2012. Walton also amended his human resources policies to include
May 24-June 6 . 2013
transgender city workers in non-discrimination protections. Yet, City Council has not addressed other issues, like LGBT-inclusive amendments to the city’s Commercial Non-Discrimination Ordinance. It has been more than two decades since Council took a vote on a standalone LGBT-inclusive measure. Bishop said MeckPAC plans to address that and other issues with candidates and elected officials this year.
LGBT record questioned Some former supporters have voiced reservations about Mayfield’s record and are less enthused with her campaign this election cycle. The out official made several missteps last year, disappointing some of her LGBT supporters. Mayfield told LGBT citizens last year that City Council would not take a position on the state’s anti-LGBT constitutional amendment, saying it was an issue that didn’t affect the city. She also said that City Council “has never taken a stance on anything that comes out of Raleigh,” despite the body’s regular adoption of a state legislative agenda. In earlier statements on a qnotes candidate questionnaire, Mayfield said she would support adding LGBT-inclusive provisions, including a statement on the amendment, to the city’s legislative priorities. Last fall, Mayfield endorsed an anti-LGBT and anti-Semitic religious leader whose organization the Southern Poverty Law Center lists as a hate group. At the time, she refused to make an on-the-record statement distancing herself from the leader or his record of anti-LGBT and anti-Semitic comments. Since that report, Mayfield has not responded to requests from qnotes for comment on a variety of issues. It doesn’t seem Mayfield will face a primary challenger or Republican opponent. Filing doesn’t officially begin until July. : :
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Uptown Utopia Home & Garden: Urban Living Realtor Randy Cernohorsky and his partner John Causby, who owns a sound studio in Charlotte, say Uptown is right where they want to be. “We’ve pretty much always lived downtown,” says Cernohorsky. “We decided to build a house up in University. We moved up there and didn’t like it. This was more our lifestyle.” The couple has lived in Historic Fourth Ward since 1999. The home they purchased, originally built in 1894, was once on Caldwell St. In the 1960s, it was saved and moved to Fourth Ward. Causby and Cernohorsky worked hard to make the house their home, including the challenging work of correcting some structural issues. “I was parked in the driveway and I was looking at the Bank of America tower here and the house here,” Cernohorsky recounts. “There was a gap that was wider at the bottom that got narrower at the top, so one of them was leaning and it wasn’t Bank of America. It was the house.” One side of the house was jacked up and leveled off. And, with that work done, the couple set about crafting their private utopia in Uptown. Inside their home, Cernohorsky and Causby have invested most in their favorite space — the kitchen. “We both like to cook,” Cernohorsky says. When they moved in, the kitchen was workable, having last been updated in the 1980s. They’d planned on building an addition to the home, but later decided against it. Instead, they put in nicer kitchen appliances. “It had cobalt blue countertops,” Cernohorsky says. “It was kind of stuck in the ‘80s. We lived with that up until last year and we just recently redid the cabinets.” Cernohosky says the backyard, a private, walled-off garden, had already been landscaped when the couple moved in. A shed was already in place and the pond was also present. Plant choices, though, weren’t up to snuff. “It looked good — it was on the Mint Musuem tour,” Cernohorsky says. “But the problem was [the former owner] planted one of everything without thinking of size. She planted one of every tree you could get. It didn’t make sense. There was no structure.” The front yard, too, needed work. “The front was overgrown with ivy and a cedar tree was actually growing up into the front porch,” Cernohorsky says. It took some time for the couple to craft their space, and though it’s always an evolving work in progress, Cernohorsky says they are happy with it. “The backyard is private, quiet, secluded,” he says. “If you want to just hang out and not be social, this is the place to do it. If you want to sit out on the front porch, you’ll have people stopping by. It’s very social on the front porch.” : : — Matt Comer. Photos copyright: Jimmie Cobb/JC Digital Photography Works.
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Backyard Escape in Elizabeth Home & Garden: Urban Living
Rows of tidy, early-20th century homes line the streets of Charlotte’s Elizabeth neighborhood. Big front porches. Colorful shutters and trims. Unique and one-of-kind dwellings. One couple, consultant Scott Bishop and interior designer Ron Sperry, have turned their backyard into an urban escape. Their pavilion, built in 2007, is the focus of their backyard, taking up nearly the entire space. It’s airy and relaxed, complete with a sectional sofa, a fireplace, dining area and outdoor kitchen. It’s the perfect space for entertaining, they say. “Scott’s parents usually come to town in the fall and we try to have a cookout, so they get to see all of our friends at one time,” says Sperry. The area can accommodate 20-25 people comfortably and during slightly warmer weather in the winter, the outdoor fireplace keeps things cozy. “When it’s warm in the winter, we can have the fireplace going and you can sit out here,” Bishop says. “We did Thanksgiving dinner out here.” Sperry adds, “Once the fire’s been going for a while, all the bricks heat up and stay warm and they really generate a lot of heat.” The couple, who moved to the home in 2000, have used their outdoor living space for fundraisers and other events, including movie nights with friends. They have a pull-down movie screen and surround sound. The space is constantly changing and growing, they say. “It’s kind of been an evolution,” Sperry says. “We just picked away at it. We’ve just added pieces as we’ve gone and will continue to change it as we move forward. It’s never really done. When you are a designer, you just keep thinking how you can change.” : : — Matt Comer
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SPORTS
Playing the field Match-ups from across the Carolinas: Rugby match steams up in Music City U.S.A. by Jon Hoppel :: qnotes contributor
score, 9-7, stayed that way throughout, until Charlotte scored on a late penalty kick by Danny Wadsworth, winning 12-7. That meant Charlotte, undefeated thus far, would
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Opening ceremony for the Music City Cup in Nashville, Tenn. Photo Credit: Chris Malone
It is that time of year when the temperatures in the Carolinas start heating up and so does the local sports action. This edition is rugby heavy, so put your scrum cap on, lace up your boots and get ready to get your fill of the barbarian game played by gentlemen.
Jordan while he was being tackled. This would be the theme for the Royals that day because the injury bug struck them almost every game. Next up for Charlotte was the still newlyformed Charleston Blockade. In this match, the Royals were able to clean up the small Rugby mistakes from the previous game and get all On April 20th, the wonderful city of the jitters and nervousness out against a team Nashville, Tenn., put on their inaugural Music they had recently beaten, which is exactly City Cup rugby tournament, hosted by the what they did. The final score was 38-0, led Nashville Grizzlies. The one-day event conby Colin Howard three-try effort at outside sisted of six teams from across the U.S. — the center. Unfortunately, starting scrum half, Charlotte Royals, Atlanta Bucks, Nashville B.J. Smith, also went down with a broken leg Grizzlies, Seattle Quake, Chicago Dragons and in the second half when he ended up at the the Charleston Blockade. Play started early bottom of a tackle pile, which was a another Saturday morning and every team knew of the huge blow for a team that is short on depth grueling day that lay ahead of them. With the and heavy on inexperience. possibility of having to play as many as seven There was little time to regroup, with only games, it would be a war of attrition to make it 15 minutes between round robin games, so to the finals. the Royals played on, next against the alwaysThe Royals started their campaign formidable Chicago Dragons. Anchored in the off against the Atlanta Bucks and a full backline by a former Charlotte Royal, Thomas complement of players to make it through Southerland, Chicago looked to run their the tournament. However, by the end of their offensive through him and the rest of their fairly easy 24-5 victory, the Royals lost startwing players. Charlotte adjusted early and ing weak prop, Michael Katchur, to a broken with solid tackling from Zach Anderson and leg when he collided with teammate Garrett David June, that helped quash any momentum the Dragons tried to garner. By scoring three tries in the first half and one in the first two minutes of the second half, Charlotte was able to withstand a late charge and hold on for a 22-17 win and, more importantly, not sustain another injury. The last match of the round robin phase was against the Nashville Grizzlies, an experienced team with plenty of pride playing in front of their home crowd. This game was especially testy due to the physical nature of the sport and the familiarThe Charlotte Royals battle against the Nashville Grizzlies during ity between the two teams. tourney play. Photo Credit: Chris Malone That intensity grew as the
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out in the stars by Charlene Lichtenstein :: qnotes contributor
May 24 - June 6 Venus conjuncts lucky Jupiter. We are bitten by the love bug and manage to send our affections out in all different directions. Smile at the grocer and see what is delivered. Flirt with the gardener and see what sprouts. Will you take a wanton wrong turn and get hopelessly lost? Oh, let’s hope so! ARIES (03.21-04.20) Your speech packs a delicious sweet punch. Even the mildest remarks have a transformative impact, so choose your targets carefully. Maybe it’s time to get involved in a proactive community effort like planting trees or stoking political activism. You are a charmer, proud Ram. Run for political office, or even better, just occupy it. TAURUS (04.21-05.21) Queer Bulls have been terrible spendthrifts recently, squandering their wealth on impulse items and worthless trinkets. (No names please!) And yet, it has been fun, hasn’t it? Gain some new fiscal insights and maximize your largess into something even larger for the summer. Make every penny spend like a dollar. Will you become well endowed? Let’s just see. GEMINI (05.22-06.21) You are catapulted right into the center of the festivities whether you want to or not. It just seems that no matter how much pink Twins try to hide, the spotlight seems to seek them out. Good thing. Why not go with the flow and see where all this jolly activity takes you. Begin new projects now. Enthusiasm alone makes even a lousy idea seem radiantly inspirational. CANCER (06.22-07.23) Gay Crabs empty out their closet with a grand flourish. It’s time to turn
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over a new leaf and dump that smelly baggage. Resolve to sweep out the old and hearken in the true, new lavender you before the summer heats up. While you are at it, increase your karma by volunteering for a good gay cause (is there any other?). Give as good as you get. LEO (07.24-08.23) Friends and large social groups provide the impetus for change and fun. Will you be tempted? Proud Lions can be a big part of the rousing action. So, don’t play shy and retiring. Join in the revelry and shake your mane all around town. I suspect you’ll not only join in the festivities, but will also be elected grand marshall — or is it leader of the Pride pack? VIRGO (08.24-09.23) Your career suddenly shifts from reverse into high gear. It is a great time to make a great first impression on all the senior corporate sharks. Queer Virgins usually like to play their politics according to their own rules. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose with this method. If you take calculated risks now, you rule the forest later. LIBRA (09.24-10.23) Proud Libras hanker to take a vacation to warmer climes or embark on a great global exploration. You are restless and itchy. Wherever you decide to scratch to get out of your usual skin, make it manageable by planning it carefully before embarking. It saves time, energy and money. Better still, find adventure with a mysterious someone and share expenses. SCORPIO (10.24-11.22) Is it getting hot in here? Turn up the temperature and spike your sexy sizzle. Proud Scorps have been fairly sedate and quiet lately. Now, unleash your animal magnetism in time to unwrap and show off your gifts. You can attract a bevy of desirable lovers, but choose carefully and wisely. You don’t want to be just another pot on the stove. Or, do you? SAGITTARIUS (11.23-12.22) Make the most out of relationships. Gay Archers give partners everything they want and more. You have the inspiration and the impetus to make dreams come true, so be generous and magnanimous. Remember, the more you give the more you will (eventually) receive. That alone should be a tempting reason to be generous. CAPRICORN (12.23-01.20) Pink Caps conquer the workplace. Your power of concentration makes you a force with whom to be reckoned. Plot and plan your way out of a particularly dreary job. It is the season to be healthy. You can be inspired to buff your bod in preparation for summer or for those intimate hot tub evenings bobbing for rubber ducks…or whatever. AQUARIUS (01.21-02.19) Lift the curtain on your interpretative performance to an adoring audience. It’s party time! How much fun can one Aqueerian have? I suppose it depends upon how much fun you feel you deserve. Don’t sit home and wait for a knock on the door. Kick up the rug at a Pride dance or tap into your gay muse and create a masterpiece. Uh, does nude food painting count? PISCES (02.20-03.20) The fates won’t let you get stuck in your old routine. Guppies now demand change and improvement in their lives. Good. This is an excellent time to set things queer with family and prepare for new opportunities. No matter what, listen to your inner voice and don’t take “no” for an answer. Compromise is not in the cards and life is too darn short. : : © 2013 Madam Lichtenstein, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Entertainment. info: Visit TheStarryEye.com for e-greetings, horoscopes and Pride jewelry. My book “ HerScopes: A Guide To Astrology For Lesbians” from Simon & Schuster is available at bookstores and major booksites.
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tell trinity by Trinity :: qnotes contributor :: trinity@telltrinity.com
Is love worth moving for? Hello Trinity, I recently met the man of my dreams. Of course, he lives in New Orleans and I’m about to move to New York City. But, I really, deep down, think that he’s “the one!” Help! Dreamer in Two Cities, Atlanta, GA Hello Dreamer in Two Cities, If love finds you, follow it, chase it, run with it until you’re scared and bruised and glowing with adventure. Love’s definitely not practical, so don’t you be either, at least right away. Must you move to New York City? Can’t you
spend a few trial weeks in New Orleans? Listen, honey, if he feels the same way and if you know, or at least can spend time finding out if he is “the one,” then NYC can wait. Love cannot wait. Now live, live, live! Hey Trinity, When is it safe to let someone I am starting to date know all my intimate details? Waiting to Disclose, Boston, MA Hey Waiting to Disclose, When car dealers sell cars, they clean it, tune it and make it “purr like a kitten.” They never disclose the problems. Once it’s sold, the buyer finds the problems, but is already “hooked” and eventually learns to love it. Either way, it’s called “bait and hook.” So, sweetie, wait until someone is “hooked,” then disclose your not-so-perfect past. For me, it’s usually after the fourth date when I say, “I’m a clean freak, a relationship junkie and I can only prepare dinner… reservations!” (See how I deal with life’s little secrets when you check out my cartoon.) Dearest Trinity, While in a 10-year relationship that went sour, my ex convinced me to have sex with him and another man. I hated it! Now, I’m dating this
new guy who asked me to do the same thing! Should I change my ways? Threeway Problems, Salt Lake City, UT Dearest Threeway, Nobody should do what he or she hates. Yet, nobody should fall off a horse and never get back on either. These things come up, I mean three things come up, I mean… listen, pumpkin, if you don’t like the idea of a threesome, then don’t do it, but not because of some old experience. Now, should you change your ways, of course, change, alter, experience and grow! However, I must agree with you that two men snoring is a hell of a lot louder than one. Dear Trinity, I keep falling in love, or, at least, I think it’s love. How do you know if you’re in love or in lust? Love & Lust Troubles, Austin, TX Dear Love & Lust Troubles, There are a million answers to this question, but, darling, you should at least have 10. These 10 tips have always worked for me, so here are: Trinity’s Sassy Tips For Knowing When You’re In Love Or In Lust 1. When you think of him as your hot new porn star boyfriend and nothing else. Lust!
2. When being around her is like floating through the Garden of Eden with French subtitles. Love! 3. Even though he’s a selfish, unkind, schmuck, he’s still really good in bed. Lust! 4. When hugging her gives you butterflies and kissing her makes you see fireworks. Love! 5. When you want to introduce her to all your cool friends, but not any close relatives. Lust! 6. When you change all your plans and move to New Orleans just to see if he’s “the one” Love! 7. When she said, “not interested!” for the fifth time and you still heard, “Hot intercourse.” Lust! 8. When you dream of wedding bells and organ music surrounded by an orgy of naked fitness models. Love and lust! 9. When you keep all of her used undergarments, but toss out the poetry and love letters. Lust! 10. W hen you work past all the problems and still fantasize about growing old together. Love! : : 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.
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‘A voice for the disenfranchised’ Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show chats it up for his first interview with the LGBT press by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com
For 15 years, the band Old Crow Medicine Show has been rocking audiences with their unique, progressive and energetic twists on traditional folk, Americana and Bluegrass. In that time, they’ve drawn together a large and diverse fan base. Those fans live across the world, but perhaps none are more appreciative than those in North Carolina, where the band first got its start after being discovered playing outside a Boone pharmacy by none other than Bluegrass legend Doc Watson. And, their 2004 hit “Wagon Wheel,” recently covered by Darius Rucker and certified platinum this year, is among the most iconic Carolina-themed songs around. The band performed on May 16 at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte. For the first time, one of its members is chatting it up for an interview with the LGBT press. “Having never done an interview with the gay press, it’s exciting,” Ketch Secor, Old Crow’s fiddleand-harmonica-playing lead man, told qnotes in an interview via phone. ”I was looking forward to being able to reach a gay audience in North Carolina. I
know a lot of people of all persuasions who have ‘Wagon Wheel’ as a ringtone. Let it ring…let it ring, loud and proud.” Secor’s views on gay acceptance within Country music, as well as his sense of progressive and folk history, are strong. Those traditions, he says, are reflected in his music. In his interview with qnotes, Secor, a founding member of the band, beckons the rest of the Country music industry to join his band in being “a voice for the disenfranchised.” Our Q-and-A with Secor, below: Matt Comer: Given the popularity of your song, “Wagon Wheel,” is there anything special about your North Carolina fan base? Ketch Secor: We lived in North Carolina for about two years. We lived up around Boone. Before that, right out of high school, I moved to Greensboro to play with a band. When we first got to North Carolina as Old Crow in 1999, my goal was for us to be a band that found success in North Carolina. I knew see Old Crow on 21
Marketplace Charlotte
Old Crow Medicine Show (l-r): Kevin Hayes (guitjo and vocals), Gill Landry (slide guitar, banjo, vocals), Chance McCoy (guitar, fiddle, banjo, vocals), Ketch Secor (fiddle, harmonica, banjo, vocals), Morgan Jahnig (upright bass), Critter Fuqua (slide guitar, banjo, guitar and vocals). Photo Credit: Big Hassle.
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Playing the field continued from page 15 earn one of the top two seeds with Seattle, who also went undefeated in pool play. But, they also lost two more players to injuries: Branson Brown to a broken rib and Wythe Newberry to a high ankle sprain. The Royals were down to 16 healthy players for the rest of the tournament. Two games stood between Charlotte and hoisting the championship trophy and they were undaunted by the rash of injuries sweeping through their team. The first game was a rematch with the now three-seeded Chicago Dragons. It was a clash between two evenly matched teams, a repeat of the closest game either of them had played in the tourney. Both teams were beaten up, tired, sore. But, that did not stop either squad from leaving everything they had out on the field for a chance to play
in the finals. Chicago was the only team to score a try in the game when Qahhar Davis was able to break free early in the second half and Charlotte was stymied at every point near the goal line. Charlotte lost the game 10-3. Their second string scrum half, Colin Howard, went down with a broken collar bone and their chance at the championship. The true sign of a great team is how well they can deal with adversity. Do they wither and fade? Do they crumble under the pressure? Do they give up against seemingly insurmountable odds? Or, do they keep trying, pushing, persisting? I have never seen a team go through the tribulations that the Charlotte Royals endured and still keep their focus and excel even as key players kept going down with injury. After losing their fifth player in
as many games and another teammate early in game six with a severe ankle sprain, the Royals fought on and in a decidedly one-sided game, beat the Nashville Grizzlies to earn third place and the admiration of all the other teams there because of the circumstances they overcame to achieve it. Earning man of the tournament for Charlotte was Arthur Milne, a strong side flanker, who played every minute of every game and provided leadership well beyond his 23 years. The Seattle Quake ended the day by beating Chicago for the second time that day, but this time in overtime, to take home the trophy, winning 20-15. They were worthy champions, having not dropped a single game all day and playing with the poise and intelligence of a well-coached, experienced team. These teams will all meet again on Memorial Day in Chicago when the Dragons host their annual tournament during IML weekend, which is sure to be just as fun, if not more so.
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But, between those two tournaments, Charlotte invited the Charleston Blockade back up to NC for the second part of their home and home, for the Royals’ big fundraising Prom Dress Match. And, if you’re wondering what that is, it is exactly what it sounds like: 30 grown men, playing rugby in prom dresses! Despite the visual hilarity of seeing gnarly rugby players wearing something a bit “softer,� the game was still as hard hitting as ever. Both teams took what they learned from the Nashville tournament and used the game as precursor to what they’ll see in Chicago. The game was well played and flowing, with very few miscues or wardrobe malfunctions. But, in the end, Charlotte still has the experience that Charleston sorely lacks and walked away with a win, 64-0. Men of the match for the Royals: Danny Wadsworth, fly half, who scored 27 points on the day, and Jeff Enochs, weakside prop. : :
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Old Crow continued from page 19 that it was possible because the roots music scene in that state is so vibrant and so healthy. Fifteen years ago when we first got started and first ventured toward North Carolina, there were lots of venues, lots of bands, lots of promoters and, most of all, there is a hoard of eager fans of roots music and all different genres as well; people who love Zydeco, people love old-time music and Bluegrass. I’ve always been pleased to play in North Carolina, probably more than any other place in the South. I also like North Carolina because it reflects my politics. I grew up in the Jesse Helms era and when North Carolina went blue, I felt a particular pride in that. Despite the stereotype that bluegrass fans might be conservative, how can traditional folk music and progressive southern history and culture mix and live comfortably next to each other? Are they mutually exclusive? To me, Country music is a kind of progressive voice. When the United Mine Workers of America came in and taught West Virginia coal mine families that they deserved a livable wage, they did that with song. They didn’t do that with guns. They did it by teaching people to believe in themselves and music was a big part of that. When the attempt to unionize the textile mills in Gastonia happened, in the 1920s, there were a lot of people killed. You can bet they were singing songs about cotton mills, the cotton mill blues, about working for company bosses. Those sorts of social events always have music to go with them and it was always Country music. Country music gave a voice to the disenfranchised. Nowadays, Country is something different altogether. In many ways, Country music seems to be a distraction — get your mind off of the disenfranchised and get your happy meal and shut up, the song’s playing. That’s why I play this old-time music. At its core, Country music is hardcore,
being a music of the disenfranchised people. That’s everybody, anybody who hasn’t been given a fair shake. That’s anybody who is unwelcome. This is the song for you. This is your music. Only one mainstream Country artist, Chely Wright, has come out as gay. With the recent announcement by the NBA’s Jason Collins, do you foresee a mainstream Country artist who is still performing today coming out as gay? I think it’s just a matter of time. Mainstream Country is maybe the last place that in the entertainment industry, which has in general been a place of acceptance of people who are gay. You think that the same stage that can have an openly gay Elton John, you would also have somebody who is gay and wears cowboy hats. It just hasn’t happened yet; I think it will. I think Country music is changing, and reluctantly. But, fans like mine force Country music to reckon with its past. Country music, at present, is something that has fully disinherited its past. But, the popularity of groups like mine and scores of others that are speaking outside of that arena are forcing it to think about what makes up this body of Country music. Is it really the voice of America? Is it speaking for all Americans? I just don’t think Country music can accept it has loyal gay listeners, but it is going to have to if it is going to grow. Your song, “Wagon Wheel,” is getting a lot of radio play with Darius Rucker’s version. What do you think about his cover? I’m glad somebody finally cut it. I know it is a good enough song to be out there. Everybody was already singing it anyway without the radio telling them to. I was sort of biding my time wondering who was going to cut it. I was just so pleased it was Darius. I really like him. It just could have been somebody who bungled it; there’s a lot of put-on in the genre. But, he did a really great job with the song. He’s been really true to what the song is. It’s not auto-tuned to hell, it’s got a banjo and a fiddle. Do you think Darius’ non-Country background helped him see the song more clearly and perform it better than others might have? Well, I think he was able to recognize the power of the song. Having been a pop singer, he could see that it was a pop song
with these Country roots. Anybody else who was going to cut it probably would have made it a lot slicker. For me, I just love to see a black man with a guitar. I don’t really care what he’s singing; [Darius] just happens to be singing my song. In the video, he’s down there on the railroad tracks and strumming a guitar. That’s a face that’s been missing from Country music for so long. You know, there are only three black members of the Grand Ole Opry — DeFord Bailey, Charley Pride and Darius Rucker. Three black members of the Opry when the contributions of black America to Country music is immeasurable? They brought the banjo to the party, for crying out loud! What is it without that banjo? It ain’t nothing. It’s Irish and Scottish and English balladry. You know, that stuff gets pretty boring after a while. Do you consider the success Old Crow Medicine Show has had as maybe opening the doors to groups like the Avett Brothers or Mumford & Sons? We’ve been together a little bit longer than those guys, but only just a few years. With the Avett Brothers, for example, they feel a lot more like half-brothers of ours. Mumford & Sons haven’t been around very long, but because they are friends of ours, we think of them like peers. I don’t think we’re old enough as a band to really think of ourselves that way. For us, we saw Doc Watson. We got to know Doc and get blessed by him in a powerful way and then just went off and did our thing. What interests me about the bands that are at the top of our game is that they are inspiring so many people to turn to Country music. A lot of people don’t even know it’s Country music. They say, “I want to play like Old Crow.” That’s Country music. “I want to play like Mumford & Sons.” And, that’s from the British Isles and those boys don’t necessarily sound all that Country, but harmony-singing and banjos — that’s gospel music, that’s Country. I’m really pleased that, like Doc who educated so many people about what mountain music is and inspired them to head to the hills, we can do the same thing in this time and this generation. : :
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LGBT summit, educational workshops convene on June 6 The Carolinas Diversity Council, a local, non-profit affiliate of the National Diversity Council, will host its LGBT & Allies Diversity Summit at the Charlotte Convention Center, 501 S. College St., on June 6, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Organizer Brian Richards says the event will bring together a wide diversity of community members, leaders, opinions and experiences. “I think it will be a really good selection of really diverse speakers,” he said. “We’re not just getting one group’s or person’s perspective. We’ll get to learn what it is like to live and breath and be an LGBT person within our area.” The summit will have three tracks covering different topics. Each track will have a series of workshops. Participants are welcome to follow one track all day or switch between them. According to a release, the tracks are: • “What Works in the Workplace” ($25, $10 student) builds in complexity throughout the
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day, covering a wide variety of topics with up-to-the-minute best practices. Speakers are corporate leaders, HRC employees, professors, and consultants who can help you know what policies to have as well as how to bring them to life! • “Diversity within the Community” (FREE) is a series of panel discussions, where diversity individuals who self-identify under the same sexuality, speak openly about how various topics influence their lives in Charlotte. It is a unique opportunity to hear about issues from a variety of perspectives and is great for everyone, especially people who are LGBTQIA themselves or uncomfortable discussing LGBT issues. • “Breakout Sessions” (FREE) feature soft skill training focusing on communication skills and alternative sexualities including poly, queer, and asexuality. Great for ‘single serv-
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ing sessions’ or those who are already highly knowledgeable. There is a lunch/keynote option available for all tracks at an additional cost of $25. Richards said he is excited to host the event. “I think what makes this summit especially important is because Charlotte has a great number of community-building events and fun events were we can celebrate just how
far we’ve come, but I’m not sure how many educational events we have on a regular basis, especially ones that go to this level of depth,” he said. “We want to show a broader picture of all the different things equality can mean, much more than gay marriage and the couple other things most commonly talked about recently.” : : info/registration: ndccarolinas.org/what-wedo/events-and-programs/lgbt-allies-diversity/.
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May 29 • Raleigh Polyamory discussion Open group discussion for the public to learn about Polyamorous relationships and how to tackle open, honest, ethical Nonmonogamy. From basics to more complicated topics, all questions are welcomed. Hosted by Triangle Polyamory at the LGBT Center of Raleigh, 411 Hillsborough St. 7:30 p.m. lgbtcenterofraleigh.com. June 1 • Charlotte Homecoming Time Out Youth hosts its annual gala supporting their work with LGBTQ youth. Extravaganza Depot, 1610 N. Tryon St. 6:30-10:30 p.m. $100. 704-344-8335. timeoutyouth.org/homecoming. June 2 • Charlotte Runway Fashion Show Sophisticated Lyfe Entertainment presents their third anniversary fashion show celebrating fashion, diversity and inclusion. Grand Central, 1000 Central Ave. 6 p.m., media and VIP reception. 6:45 p.m., doors open. Info/ ticket purchases at sleevents.ticketleap. com/2013Anniversary. Charlotte • June 4 MeckPAC meeting The Mecklenburg LGBT Political Action Committee is looking for new members to join its steering committee. The group works to make Charlotte-Mecklenburg more inclusive for LGBT residents and meets on the first Tuesday
of every month at the LGBT Community Center of Charlotte, 2508 N. Davidson St., 6:30-8 p.m. meckpac.org. meckpac1@yahoo.com. June 8 • Greensboro June 15 • Winston-Salem TMPC Big Gay Sing Featuring all pop songs, including: “Single Ladies,” “Like a Prayer,” “Born This Way,” “Dancing Queen,” “Firework” and many more. You don’t have to be gay to enjoy “The Big Gay Sing!” Join in this musical extravaganza of fun music, dancing and more audience participation than ever! Two performances: June 8, Greensboro Day School, 5401 Lawndale Ave. 8 p.m. June 15: UNC School of the Arts, Watson Hall. $15/advance. $20/door. triadpridemenschorus.org. 336-589-6267. June 9 • Raleigh High Tea The LGBT Center of Raleigh invites you to a high tea and Vente d’Arte by artist Nancy Baker who will showcase items from her private collection of works. Proceeds benefit the LGBT Center of Raleigh. The Renaissance Hotel, 4100 Main at North Hills St. 2-5 p.m. $40. lgbtcenterofraleigh.com. June 20-21 • Charlotte Hollywood Squares One Voice Chorus presents its third annual take on the timeless game show, “The Hollywood Squares,” with Roxy C. Moorecox as host. North Carolina Dance Theatre, 701 N. Tryon St. Two performances, June 20-21. 8 p.m. For more information and ticket purchases, visit onevoicechorus.com. June 27 • Charlotte Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. The Harvey B. Gantt Center welcomes Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., as its inaugural speaker for the 2013 Gantt Symposium. Dr. Gates will speak on “Finding Your Roots,” a lively discussion about individual lineage and American history. Following the symposium, guests are invited to attend a special opening preview of “The Kinsey Collection: Shared Treasures of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey” during a reception. Knight Theatre, 430 S. Tryon St. 6:30-8 p.m. $10-$50. ganttcenter.org. 704-547-3700.
Memorial Day Weekend May 23-27 • Charlotte Speed Street The 600 Festival and Food Lion Speed Street, presented by Coca-Cola, return to Uptown Charlotte, celebrating food, fun, music and NASCAR. Three days of revelry from May 23-25 featuring vendors, appearances by NASCAR racers and entertainment from Pradigy GT, Sol Fusion, Jon B, SWV, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Chelsea Bain, Sister Hazel and Survivor. 600festival.com. Snug 600 Join Plaza Midwood’s Snug Harbor for three nights of live bands and entertainment, starting Friday and running through Sunday. Featuring: Mike Strauss Band, The Catch Fire, The Woggles, Temperance League, Modern Primitives, 2013 Wolves, Poontanglers and Lazer/ Wulf. $5 each night at the door or online-only $10 purchase for all three nights. 18 and up ($5 surcharge for those under 21). Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St. snugrock.com. Memorial Day Barn Dance Southern Country Charlotte hosts its monthly barn dance on Friday, May 24. Hartigan’s, 601 S. Cedar St. 10 p.m. Free/SCC Members. $5/Non-members.hartigans.com. Marigny Birthday Bash Marigny hosts its “Streamers Memorial Day Weekend” party and a birthday bash for owner and DJ Peter Presta on Saturday, May 25. Marigny Dance Club, 1440 S. Tyron St., Suite 110. 10 p.m. marignycharlotte.com.
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May 24-June 6 . 2013