QNotes, August 24, 2018

Aug. 24-Sept. 6 . 2018

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Aug. 24-Sept. 6 . 2018

inside this issue

Aug. 24-Sept. 6, 2018 Vol 33 No 09

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Katrina Kemp

Amy Ray lights it up

contributors this issue

Rev. Malu Fairley, Buff Faye, Torie Dominguez, Jack Kirven, Nikolai Mather, Lainey Millen, Jesse Monteagudo, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Gregg Shapiro, Kisha Summers, Trinity

front page

Graphic Design by Lainey Millen Photography: Katrina Kemp

Singer/songwriter Amy Ray shares her experiences with writing music and searching for a perfect symphony for a special album compilatioon.

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Reynolds Arts Initiative HIV Medication Options News Notes Briefs Camp Pride

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a&e 10 Ray of Light 12 Out in Print 15 Tell Trinity 18 QEvents 19 Dishing with Buff Faye

North Carolinans unaware of HIV medication options

General public knowledge of valuable and life-altering drugs to combat HIV appear to be unheard of as reported in a statewide survey conducted by Public Policy Polling.

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life 8 9

Campus Groups UNCC LGBTQ Center

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Jesse’s Journal Spiritual Reflections Letters to the Editor

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QEvents Calendar

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

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Aug. 24-Sept. 6 . 2018

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views

Looking at ways to prepare for a new school year Spiritual Reflections

BY Rev. Malu Fairley | CONTRIBUTING WRITER Across the Carolinas students and educators from K-graduate school are getting ready to return to school. For students school lists are being checked off, supplies are being gathered, book bags are being filled, final schedules are being negotiated, books are being purchased and first-day outfits are being picked out.

Some of our children may by grieving the end of an awesome summer vacation.

Yet, some of our children are celebrating going back to school because it means a return to two steady meals each week day.

For many families in our community, back-to-school shopping is a real financial burden. Therefore, it is imperative that those of us who are able, donate supplies to the numerous local back-to-school drives or donate directly to our teachers!

For educators, curriculum/syllabi are being created, texts are being picked, rosters are being looked over, classrooms are being decorated, and teacher work days are being completed. This is a busy and potentially stress-filled time. While these preparations are important, they are all externally focused.

I invite each of us to take a moment to reflect on the internal process needed to begin a new school year well.

Our doing is rooted in our being. In other words, how we feel about ourselves directly impacts how we move in the world. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines intention as “the thing that you plan to do or achieve: an aim or purpose.”

For students and educators alike, the beginning of a new school year can be a

The time to VOTE is NOW! Jesse’s Journal

BY Jesse Monteagudo | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

SUBSCRIBE!

A few articles ago, I asked Trump supporters who read my column to contact me and let me know why they support the President. Apparently Trump supporters do not read my column because, so far, I have not received one reply. It is a shame, because if there is one thing wrong with America today is the fact that we who hold different views do not talk to each other.

We insult and attack each other in the media, our blogs, our Facebook posts and Twitter messages. But do we talk to each other? Of course not. At least people on both sides in our first Civil War communicated with each other, if violently.

This lack of communication from the other side in our Great Divide leads me to conclude that people who read “Jesse’s Journal” tend to agree with me, and believe that Trump is the worst thing that’s ever happened to our great country. So what are we going to do about it? I have a friend who spends his time bitching and moaning about Trump, his administration, followers, policies and programs. But does he do anything to stop Trump? Of course not.

Like many others, my friend is a victim of

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sedentary agitation, a condition where, in the words of U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), “we sit on our couch so upset about what’s going on and fail to realize that we have to do something about it.”

As Sen. Booker said so well, we cannot allow our inability to do everything to undermine our determination to do something. We must do something, or else we will have Trump determine (and destroy) our destinies for the next six years, aided and abetted by a Republican Congress.

Unfortunately, barring a sensational revelation on the part of Robert Mueller’s investigative committee, it is highly unlikely that Trump will be toppled anytime soon. If we want to stop Trump, we must do it ourselves. Happily, the anti-Trump Resistance is alive and well, and always in need of recruits. Opposition groups ranging from the Democratic Party to organizations fighting on behalf of LGBTQ people, women, labor, youth, the elderly, the disabled, racial or religious minorities, immigrants or the environment are hard at work in your communities, and waiting for you to join them.

Why don’t you?

These rates only cover a portion of our true cost, however, our goal is to serve our community Mailed 1st class from Charlotte, NC, in sealed envelope.

Subscription Rates:

☐ 1 yr - 26 issues = $48 ☐ 1/2 yr - 13 issues = $34

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qnotes

Aug. 24-Sept. 6 . 2018

powerful time to set empowering intentions. This is a three-fold ongoing process: 1) cultivating the practice of self-love and compassion, 2) knowing that you are capable and 3) deciding how you will use your energy (mental, emotional, physical and spiritual).

There are so many messages around us, some even from religious institutions, that try to tear us down and make us believe we are unworthy beings that have to prove ourselves constantly. As an ordained reverend within the Alliance of Baptists, I believe wholeheartedly in the doctrine of the Imago Dei, rooted in the Judeo-Christian sacred text of Genesis 1:27, which asserts that we as human beings are made in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, we are good; we are at our core beautiful love-filled beings.

We, each and every one of us, are born worthy. Included in loving ourselves is the understanding that we will make mistakes, and take a few detours along life’s journey. The practice of self-compassion invites us to treat ourselves with kindness and forgiveness.

Another key concept embedded within the Imago Dei is the understanding that we

are each born with the ability to actualize our unique gifts and abilities; we are born to co-create. This knowledge is particularly important for students that struggle with formal learning. Remember that there is nothing wrong with you. We are all capable of learning and growth. We each learn differently and we each have gifts in different areas.

Lastly, with the beginning of the new school year there are lots of opportunities for clubs, sports, the arts and other extracurricular activities alongside the challenging academic requirements.

There is the temptation to be involved in all “the things” in order to prove that we are smart, well-liked and the best educator or student. This can lead to high amounts of stress and ignoring the basic necessities of our bodies, ie., water, food, rest and sleep.

It is important to be mindful of how we are spending our time and our energy, so that we can maintain wellness in our mind-body-spirit. It is my hope that as we start this new school year, we remember to slowdown, breathe deeply and enjoy the journey, knowing that we are made in the image of God! : :

If you cannot join a group, for whatever reason, there is one thing that you can do: vote. If you are U.S. citizen, a legal resident of your state, over 18 and not a convicted felon, you are eligible to vote. Though it might be too late to vote in most primaries, you still have time to register to vote for the November elections. Though Trump will not be up for re-election until 2020, voters in November will have a chance to slow Trump’s momentum in its tracks by electing opposition senators and representatives, governors and state legislators who will say no and mean it; unlike the Trump droids

who make up the current GOP Congress.

Many Americans do not vote; and Republicans in power do their best to keep people from voting, especially those who might vote against them. But you, my friend, must resist the temptation to do nothing.

Come Nov. 6 — if not before, in places that allow early voting — you must step away from your easy chair and vote, as if your life depends on it. (Because it does.) Do not give Trump and his minions the last laugh. Let us have the last laugh, by electing candidates who will work hard to control his madness.

You can’t complain if you do not vote. : :

Letters to the Editor

My current position has given me an opportunity to work in a wonderful program that is providing services to communities that are underserved. Our program focuses on people who are HIV positive, men who have sex with men, and people who are transgender. We are dedicated to serving the LGBTQ community. We provided substance abuse and mental health treatment by licensed and certified clinicians free of charge due to grant funding. The name of our program is CREW which stands for Community Resources for Empowerment and Wellness. I believe that with your influence in the community, together we can continue to assist and give a voice to the LGBTQ community as a whole. : :

— Kisha Summers, Charlotte, N.C.

Send your letters (please keep 200 words or less) or guest commentaries (600 words or less) to letters@ goqnotes.com. All letters must be signed with your first and last name and your city/state. We do not accept unsigned letters or commentaries.

news

Aldersgate-Asbury awarded SAGECare platinum status Senior facility expands focus, attention to LGBTQ inclusion and diversity training

BY Torie Dominguez & Lainey Millen | qnotes staff WRITERs CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Both branches of Aldersgate — the Continuing Care Retirement Community and sibling Asbury Health & Rehabilitation — have earned top platinum status from SAGECare, the occupational education arm and consulting division of New York-based SAGE (Services & Advocacy for LGBTQ Elders), the senior community announced. The division, known as SAGECare, brings the expertise of its parent organization to entities directly concerned with eldercare, through specially developed training initiatives and inclusivity consultation.

While Aldersgate joins almost 300 senior care providers nationwide that have earned the designation for LGBTQ cultural competency, it now has the distinction of being the first continuing care retirement community on the East Coast.

“When we say Aldersgate is open to all, that means everybody,” said Suzanne Pugh, president and CEO. “Our mission calls us to honor the dignity of every individual, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or any diversity dimension. Our mindset has always been to be intentional about inclusion, but it’s especially nice to have a seal of approval from a respected LGBT elder advocacy organization to let the world know: We walk our talk.”

Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Veronica Calderon added, “Building an inclusive community is part of our mission: ‘We honor elders and are committed to creating and fostering diverse, caring communities where everyone has a voice and value.’ No one should feel isolated or like they have to hide who they are. I am so proud to say to residents, prospects and the Charlotte community: All are welcome here.”

Separate from the SAGECare certification, Aldersgate, which is located at 3800 Shamrock Dr., will soon add six gender-neutral restrooms in its common areas. Although not mandated by SAGE, Aldersgate leaders feel it was one important way to signal that all are welcome inside the community.

Asked about the origins of Aldersgate’s current push for diversity and inclusion, similarly exemplified in its plan

to establish half a dozen gender-neutral restrooms in common areas, Calderon explained: “About three years ago, the board and leadership of Aldersgate started having intentional conversations around the future of the organization and the growing diverse population in our city and nation.”

She added that the community is two years into an ambitious five-year plan agreed upon by its board of directors with the aim of “fully embracing all dimensions of diversity including religion, color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, disability, culture, socio-economic status, and other characteristics that make our community unique.”

To achieve SAGE’s most prestigious platinum certification, 80 percent of a service provider’s non-executive staff, including full- and part-time, must undergo one hour of LGBTQ aging training. In addition, 80 percent of the executive senior leadership must also take four hours of in-person LGBTQ elder training. The rank and file take part in one hour of training not required to be delivered in person.

Calderon was quick to respond to qnotes’ request for information on the nature of that instruction, which she says her organization made mandatory for every member of staff, including all new hires. She states that SAGECare training, led by Calderon herself, builds upon a SAGE-created video on cultural competence alongside interactive and group learning opportunities.

Since committing to this initiative, Calderon confirmed, “we have seen an enhancement in our internal culture. Due to the work we are doing to continue to build an inclusive community, our residents are opening up to us and sharing their life stories.”

To date, 92 percent of the Aldersgate staff has completed the SAGE training. Additionally, Aldersgate at Home, the community’s in-home caregiving service, has also received platinum status with 100 percent participation.

The platinum credential is valid for one year.

Organizations must be re-credentialed each year to maintain their status. To date, 33,000 elder care employees have been trained in SAGECare.

Aldersgate has been caring for seniors since it began in 1943 as The Methodist Home. It is now strengthening its commitment to foster inclusivity by providing ongoing education to both staff and residents about how to create a better and more welcoming community for LGBTQ elders.

Recent studies indicate there are at least three million LGBTQ Americans 55 and older, and that number is expected to rise to seven million by 2030. According to SAGECare, LGBTQ elders are twice as likely to live alone as their straight counterparts and four times less likely to have children. So, while 80 percent of the general population relies on legal- or blood-related family for caregiving, LGBTQ elders must look elsewhere.

SAGE is celebrating its 40th anniversary during 2018. To learn more about Aldersgate, visit aldersgateccrc.com. : :

Summer filled with Pride across the Queen City Charlotte Black Gay Pride 2018 | Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade 2018

Charlotte Black Gay Pride celebrated its 2018 Expo in late July with special guests from (left-right) Bishop Tonyia Rawls, Stonewall activist Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, Mr. Charlotte Black Pride Sweetheart Mar’tel Iman St. James and Ms. Charlotte Black Pride. (Photo Credit: Staff)

The Charlotte Pride Festival & Parade took place from Aug. 18-19 in Uptown Charlotte. There were 165,000 attendees during the festival and the Bank of America Charlotte Pride Parade had 170 contingencies and 6,000 participants (Photo Credit: Staff)

Aug. 24-Sept. 6 . 2018

qnotes

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news Reynolds’ art initiative supports inclusion

NEWS NOTES Buff Faye EOY Alternate

Buff Faye placed second alternate at the National Entertainer of the Year pageant contest on July 30 in Louisville, Ky. at the C2 Event Theater. Buff Faye is the highest placing North Carolina drag queen in the state’s history. She was just three points from first alternate.

info: eoy.net.

South Carolina Black Gay Pride

The 13th Annual South Carolina Black Gay Pride, “Unapologetically,” will be held from 24-26 in Columbia, S.C. The capstone event will be its Cultural Arts & Wellness Festival on Aug. 25, 12-5 p.m., at Forest Lake Park, 6820 Wedgefield Rd., featuring entertainment and speakers, as well as “Love & Hip Hop Hollywood” personality Milan Christopher. Other events during the three-day celebration include a welcome reception and a Unity Picnic.

info: southcarolinablackpride.com.

LGBTQ Area Survey WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation has announced the launch of its Inclusive Public Art initiative, one of three that the foundation is supporting under its exploratory and visionary ideas strategy as part of its “All For NC: Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation’s Framework for Grantmaking and Learning.” A request for Letters of Intent is now available on the foundation’s website.

During the foundation’s statewide listening and learning tour from 2016-2017, it saw that there was a disparity between public art and racism and segregation. It became evident that something could be done to offset that imbalance. ZSR’s investment in inclusive public art is intended to share stories of diversity, equality, inclusion and equity as they relate to the people and places of North Carolina, especially those whose stories have not been or are often untold.

This initiative aims to include historically marginalized people in the decision-making processes about art in public places and is intended to spark healthy dialogue. The community engagement aspect of these grants will be just as important as the art installations themselves, and the foundation is looking for communities that will authentically engage a cross-section of their communities in telling, discussing and perhaps even producing the story(ies) depicted in the art.

“For many years, ZSR has supported efforts to promote diversity, inclusion and equity; however, this foray into using public art as a tool for community education and dialogue is a new approach for us,” said Joy Vermillion Heinsohn, assistant director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation and lead staff managing the initiative. “We are excited to see how communities will be creative with these projects, and to learn more about North Carolina’s communities and our shared history.”

Letters of Intent for the initiative are due on Oct. 8. In November 2018, semi-finalists will receive an invitation to apply with a deadline in the spring of 2019. info: zsr.org/inclusive-public-art.

— Lainey Millen

North Carolinians unaware of HIV medication options

RALEIGH, N.C. — A new public opinion survey data released shows that only a small percentage of North Carolinians have ever heard of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP, a daily pill that has been shown to prevent HIV transmission when taken consistently.

Results from statewide survey respondents show that nine percent of respondents had ever heard of PrEP, 59 percent had not and 32 percent answered that they were not sure.

“Though we knew not enough people were aware of PrEP, the data is quite striking and reinforces that our public health response must rapidly hasten if we’re serious about stopping the spread of HIV,” said Lee Storrow, executive director of the NC AIDS Action Network. He added, “We have a pill that will prevent HIV transmission, a medical breakthrough only dreamed about just a decade ago. It’s inexcusable that so few people even know it exists. We must do more to educate the public, and make sure those in need have access to the medication.”

Once those surveyed were informed about PrEP, a majority of both Republicans and Democrats supported efforts in local health departments to fund programs to provide PrEP to low-income individuals who might not be able to access it otherwise.

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do to make sure residents of our state know that we can prevent HIV with a once-a day-pill. Several of our health departments across the state have started programs to make sure residents can access PrEP, and I hope that accelerates in the future,” Executive Director of the NC Association of Local Health Directors Lynette Tolson shared.

The survey was performed on 409 North Carolinians by Public Policy Polling on behalf of the NC AIDS Action Network from July 30-31.

The NC AIDS Action Network and Latino Commission on AIDS are hosting a webinar on Aug. 27 at 12 p.m. to discuss the survey data and highlight current efforts in local health departments to increase PrEP access. Those interested in the webinar can register online at bit.ly/2N0n3YW. info: ncaan.org.

— Lainey Millen

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qnotes

Aug. 24-Sept. 6 . 2018

The Alliance For Full Acceptance has partnered with the College of Charleston, the Community Assistance Program, the Joseph P. Riley Center for Livable Communities and the Medical University of South Carolina to conduct a survey of the LGBTQ community in the Charleston tri-county (Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester) area. This will be the first study ever conducted to listen specifically to the voices of the LGBTQ community in the three counties.

Data collected will be made public.

info: the-lgbtq-survey.com.

Ensminger nets foundation residency

Emily Ensminger, creative director for Elsewhere in Greensboro, N.C., has received an interdisciplinary artist administrator residency this fall from The Rauschenberg Foundation. From Sept. 30-Oct. 14. Ensminger will have the opportunity to have creative time and space to practice her craft.

info: rauschenbergfoundation.org/residency/artists-residence.

Center requests library books

The LGBTQ+ Center at the Guilford Green Foundation, 1205 W. Bessemer Ave., Suite 226, Greensboro, N.C., is in the process of stocking its shelves with books that it can share with the community. Contributors can visit the center’s Amazon wishlist at amzn.to/2L5hZAs to make their selections which will be sent directly to the center.

info: guilfordgreenfoundation.org.

Port City Pride

The 2nd Annual Port City Pride Block Party will be held on Sept. 1, 12-10 p.m., on Castle St. in Wilmington, N.C. The free event will include entertainment, food trucks, vendors and more. In addition, other “Pride-full” Labor Day Weekend festivities will take place including a youth masqerade dance, rainbow road bar crawl, Stonewall kickball pick-up game and fantail fun day dance party on the USS North Carolina battleship.

info: facebook.com/ PortCityPrideBlockParty/.

Miss Gay North Carolina Pageant

The Miss Gay North Carolina Pageant began this year’s competition, “Garden of Eden,” in the Queen City on Aug. 23 and will continue through Aug. 24 with the crowning at 11:30 p.m. at The Scorpio Nightclub, 2301 Freedom Dr. Miss Gay North Carolina American 2017

Eden Parque Divine will be honored and a special performance will take place by Miss Gay America 2018 Deva Station. The North Carolina preliminary pageant began in 1979 and is now in its 40th year.

info: thescorpio.com. missgaynorthcarolinaamerica.com.

Queer youth conference

The sixth annual Carolina Conference on Queen Youth, “Equity in Practice: Supporting Trans and Queer Youth of Color,” will be held on Oct. 19 in Charlotte, N.C. and is seeking presentation and workshop proposals. The conference committee asks that all sessions be interactive for participants and that presenters provide useful resources for participants (handouts, resource lists/guides, brochures, etc.). Deadline for submittal is Sept. 7.

info: timeoutyouth.org/CCQY.

King book release

L’Monique King’s August book release of “From Collards to Callaloo: Poems and Letters to Assata” tackles the issues of homophobia.

The book was written by a grandmother with southern roots whose lesbian identity has kept her from meeting and knowing her Jamacian-American granddaughter for 11 years. King is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a degree in English and is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies. The book is $11.95 and available from Amazon.

info: amzn.to/2ONuUta.

SAGE cookout

The Annual SAGE Cookout and Potluck will be held on Sept. 3, 1-5 p.m., at the LGBT Center of Raleigh, 324 S. Harrington St., in Raleigh, N.C. SAGE furnishes meat and vegetarian options, buns, condiments, beverages, drinks, and accessories. Participants are asked to bring their

favorite side dish or salad, or a homemade dessert to share. Email Joseph Wheeler at jwheeler@lgbtcenterofraleigh.com to RSVP.

info: lgbtcenterofraleigh.com.

Triangle chorus open rehearsals

The Triangle Gay Men’s Chorus has begun its fall season open rehearsals and will continue to do so until Sept. 18. Interested self-identified, male singers of all sexual orientations are invited to attend. Although auditions are not required to join the chorus, singers must be prepared to undergo a voice placement exercise with the artistic director. Rehearsals begin on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, 1801 Hillsborough St.

info: tgmchorus.org.

Charleston questionnaire launch

The LGBTQ community of Charleston, S.C. is being asked to participate in an area questionnaire in hopes of gathering from 1,000-1,200 individual responses from LGBTQ adults in Berkley, Dorcheste and Charleston Counties. Funded primarily by the Weston Milliken’s Freeman Foundation, Charleston Democrat and philanthropist Linda Ketner and MUSC, the data collection initiative will serve to give a broader understanding of the lives of those surveyed. Results are expected to be released in 2019. To read more about the project, visit bit.ly/2MqTAXF.

info: affa-sc.org/lgbtq-survey.

N.C. domestic violence forms

North Carolina’s government forms do not include same-sex couples in domestic violence protective orders, but cover couples who are in opposite-sex unmarried ones.

Bishop Tonyia Rawls, executive director and founder of the Freedom Center for Social Justice has called the forms “exclusionary.” As of press time, Rep. Chaz Beasley (D-92) has plans on filing legislation to make sure North

Camp Pride prepares youth for leadership, advocacy

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Camp Pride, an initiative of Campus Pride, was held from July 18-22 and provided its participants with development of their social justice and leadership skills.

In its 2018 season, 50 students, adult faculty and staffers came from over 30 colleges and universities, Campus Pride Executive Director Shane Windmeyer said. In fact, this year there were a higher number of community colleges and rural campuses than in previous years, he added.

The organization has experienced challenges over the past several years due to travel bans from other states with regard to the discriminatory anti-LGBTQ HB2/HB142 legislation. California has shown the greatest decline in participation, Windmeyer shared.

However, for the participants who have been able to be part of Camp Pride, the experience has been memorable. “Campus Pride gave me hope. I am not alone,” one student shared in his post-camp evaluation. “I learned valuable skills to help my campus, but also met people who are like me. I wish more of my campus could come to Camp Pride next year.” info: campuspride.org/camppride.

— Lainey Millen

Carolinians in all kinds of relationships are protected, WCNC reported.

programmatic and advocacy organizations, especially in the South.

ASOs summit presentation

LuLu’s graduation ceremony

info: bit.ly/2wfAm0r.

Carolinas CARE Partnership and the North Carolina AIDS Action Network recently presented during the North American Housing and HIV Research Summit, which ran from Aug. 1-3 in Washington D.C. The event provides an interactive setting to review recent research and policy initiatives, discuss evidence-based practice and policy and develop community-driven research and advocacy strategies. Presenters stressed the importance of collaboration between HIV

info: carolinascare.org. ncaan.org.

On Aug. 20, a graduation ceremony was held for the class of 2018 from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams LuLu’s Child Enrichment Center.

The center’s founders handed out diplomas to graduates. Keynote speaker and “honorary degree” recipient was Dr. Ric Vandett, Hickory School System superintendent. Lulu’s, a hands-on learning center which teaches healthy eating and exercise habits, has received a five-star rating.

info: mgbwhome.com.

Aug. 24-Sept. 6 . 2018

qnotes

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news

Actions speak louder than words

Three Charlotte colleges and universities’ LGBTQIA inclusiveness revealed in more than the existence of campus clubs

BY Torie Dominguez | qnotes CONTRIBUTING WRITER

M

easuring an institution’s commitment to equality for its LGBTQ students and staff is no easy task.

There is no shortage of top-10 rankings or attempts to apply star ratings, reviewing a young person’s quality of life like a summer blockbuster, and those things have their place. But queer students will not be spending four years in a Princeton Review list. They’ll be spending it in a culture. In a community. Here, qnotes takes a closer look at campus initiatives and student-run organizations at three of Charlotte’s most prominent educational institutions, along with some key events and major milestones, to glean a better understanding of what LGBTQ students there might really experience.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

By far the most widely visible undertaking by UNCC Spectrum, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s (UNCC) LGBTQIA student group, has been the drive to establish a comprehensive resource center for members of the queer and ally communities. The institution it has long envisioned would serve not only those affiliated with the school, but the greater Charlotte area, which notoriously lacks an LGBTQ community center. And the news is more than good: they have won.

As qnotes reported after the petition went live on change.org this spring, Spectrum made a strong case for the urgency of the issue, even as it recalled how long the fight had already dragged on. The suicide of Blake Brockington, a UNCC student and, at 18, already a pioneering transgender activist, became international news in 2015. Many who were shaken by his passing hoped that the tragedy would spur some kind of change. In fact, they demanded it.

Three years later, Spectrum — in particular, the UNCC LGBTQ+ Coalition, a smaller contingent created exclusively to make the resource center dream a reality — are finally finding success in a venture many believed never stood a chance. In this issue of qnotes, Coalition leader Nikolai Mather delivers a powerful firsthand account of the journey that has led them, at last, to this remarkable victory.

While leaving the rest of that story to Mather, who has earned the right to tell it, we will draw attention to another force at work: the Trans Committee of UNC Charlotte.

Over the past decade, the joint student-staff-community venture has evolved from studying existing practices and organizing trans-affirming events to taking on what some consider a more active role in improving the institutions that shape transgender students’ experience. It asserts that “the goal of this committee is actually not necessarily to change policy, but to simply be aware of how current policies affect trans students and communicate these policies;” Nevertheless, the group counts among its own accomplishments more than a few significant shifts, including updating non-discrimination statutes to include gender identity, gender expression and transition status, as well as championing new name change guidelines to eliminate deadnaming on campus ID. Given such institutional entities existing alongside passionate, resourceful activists like the members of the UNC Charlotte LGBTQ+ coalition, there have never been grounds for greater optimism about the future of LGBTQ life at UNCC.

Johnson C. Smith University

While Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) doesn’t explicitly list an LGBTQ student organization among its administration-backed offerings, the school has proven to

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be a valuable ally in the fight for inclusion.

JCSU achieved an important distinction in the summer of 2015, when it became the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) represented at Camp Pride, the annual student leadership conference run by the Charlottebased Campus Pride. Alongside UNCC, Johnson C. Smith played host to a variety of conference events in addition to sending delegates of its own.

Most recently, the university hosted the Charlotte Black Gay Pride and Charlotte Pride Community Town Hall Meeting at its New Science Center Auditorium on Beatties Ford Rd. The event brought together community leaders and residents of all stripes to address the problems of poverty, housing inequality and homelessness faced daily by LGBTQ people in the Charlotte area. As qnotes shared in its June 15 print issue focusing on this very topic, as part of an article profiling local homeless outreach programs, the nonprofit Hearts Beat as One Foundation identifies financial hardship as a significant obstacle preventing at-risk populations from accessing preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to combat the spread of HIV. Hearts Beat as One singles out transgender women of color as suffering particular harm. It’s easy to argue that Johnson C. Smith, one of the region’s foremost HBCUs and boasting a deeply rooted culture of activism, may be uniquely placed to galvanize opposition to systems that disproportionately injure and disadvantage people of color.

The speed with which organized queer activism has progressed at Johnson C. Smith is stunning. The university’s central role at Camp Pride 2015 came only eight months after its first-ever Pride Day, held the previous November. The energy it took to execute such a maneuver makes JCSU’s LGBTQ activists a force to be reckoned with, whether or not they appear in any administrative directory.

Central Piedmont Community College

A person looking for info on LGBTQ life at Central Piedmont Community College might be forgiven for worrying when they inevitably come across the 2014 story of Andraya Williams. The student, a transgender woman, alleged that on March 18 of that year she was stopped by a security officer as she exited a restroom on campus.

The officer, Williams consistently alleged, harassed her, demanded to see identification confirming her academic status — more to the point, her gender — and ultimately had her booted off campus with the help of at least one other officer, despite Williams’ having complied with the instruction to provide ID. Williams’ attorney, Sarah Demarest, was not merely contracted in the aftermath of the incident; rather, Demarest asserted that her client had phoned her while the event was in progress. According to Demarest, she was able to hear Williams’ exchange with campus security almost in its entirety, placing her in the unusual position of bringing a civil rights case stemming from wrongdoing she herself had witnessed.

In the weeks that followed, as qnotes reported at the time, misinformation and outright falsehoods were rife. For nearly a month CPCC stuck to the key contention that Andraya Williams was “escorted” from campus because she refused to show ID. When it finally released its incident report to QNotes, five days after the paper requested that material, the report revealed that Williams

had, in fact, complied. CPCC was forced to change its story.

Now the school argued that WIlliams displayed her ID too quickly.

Suffice it to say, the situation wasn’t resolved to anyone’s satisfaction.

There’s a certain amount of light at the end of the tunnel, though: CPCC archives show that its official nondiscrimination policy, which at the time of the Andraya Williams incident failed to specify any protected category, was amended to include sexual orientation, gender and genetic information (the last being potentially relevant in cases involving so-called biological sex) alongside such factors as race and religion. To cite gender identity and gender expression would, of course, have been ideal, but the change remains a step in the right direction.

Equally important has been the level of engagement demonstrated by Central Piedmont students, both then and now. Back in the spring of 2014 a major student-led protest thrust Charlotte into the national spotlight, spawning a trending hashtag and features in such publications as The Huffington Post. The campus organization formerly known as Spectrum, and since renamed the Pride Alliance, played a critical role, and continues to do so as it gears up for the fall 2018 semester. And that activism on the part of CPCC kids stands out in a way whose significance can’t be overstated: the inaccuracy of the term “CPCC kids.”

As a community college, CP is inherently composed of students representing a far greater range of ages, backgrounds, values and aspirations than one would find at a typical residential liberal arts college or undergraduate tech school aimed at teens who have just finished high school and who, in many cases, have been brought up to view a bachelor’s degree as the natural next step. Those who attend community college, meanwhile, are substantially more likely to have made an independent decision to do so, and to accept that sacrifices will be required.

Many have children. Many have full-time jobs. Some are there seeking an education they hope will afford them the first taste of financial security they have ever had; some are renewing their pursuit of a career they have always desired, a vocation that bears no resemblance to the job they currently endure; some are trying their hand at acquiring a skill they suspect may one day prove useful; some simply love to learn, or thrive on the feeling of having a goal. Doubtless some qualify as all of the above. In short, the CPCC students who keep the Pride Alliance alive both draw from and carry their experiences back to a truly broad, diverse, vibrant entity — the community.

Support Organization: Campus Pride

Founded in 2001 and based in Charlotte, Campus Pride is among the nation’s largest organizations dedicated specifically to ensuring full equality and acceptance for LGBTQIA students. Initially, current Executive Director Shane Windmeyer and Cofounders Sarah Holmes and Chad Wilson built an online resource database, but the community soon took root in the real world. In 2006 the group officially changed its name from Campus PrideNet to Campus Pride.

Today, it hosts major gatherings including an LGBTQfocused college fair, which has grown to include more than 140 schools, and the annual summer leadership conference Camp Pride. Campus Pride strongly emphasizes issues of intersectionality, believing that no one form of bigotry can be eliminated without also combating many others.

In keeping with its origins, it maintains the Campus Pride Index, through which it provides students with ratings and analysis on aspects of LGBTQIA life at over 600 colleges and universities around the country.: :

Patience, Love & Swedish Fish On the UNC Charlotte LGBTQ+ Coalition

BY Nikolai Mather | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Members and volunteers of the UNC Charlotte LGBTQ+ Coalition share information about their initiatives and activities with other campus students. (Photo Credit: Nikolai Mather)

O

n an unusually warm night in February, 13 students squeezed into a small study room in the Atkins Library at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) for what would be the first meeting of the UNC Charlotte LGBTQ+ Coalition.

Many of them were friends, some were strangers, and on the condition that they came to the meeting, all had been promised free food — by me, a broke college student. The only food I had in my dorm was the one-pound bag of Swedish Fish my mother had sent me for my birthday.

And I felt everybody’s eyes on me as I dropped it in the center of the table.

Asha Coutrier, the team scribe, sideeyed me over their glasses, then said, “Okay, first order of business: Nick brought terrible snacks.” The room erupted into giggles.

This exchange set the tone for the rest of this long, challenging, and remarkable campaign. The Coalition was a small group of busy students: most of us were firstyears, many with jobs or other time-consuming obligations. We were attempting to do what no one at UNCC had ever done before: establish a standalone, permanent center created by and for LGBTQ+ students. And we wanted it open by the following semester. Our task was daunting.

We were all pretty scared. But we found the strength and humor to create something out of nothing and accomplish our goals. And we met this task with more than just power: we met it with honesty, with creativity and with love.

When I say love, I don’t mean the bland, “love-trumps-hate” concessions that the opposition tends to demand from us. Our love was radical, and it was for each other.

The Coalition was more than just a club: it was a family. We made each other dinner, we gave each other gifts, and when our meetings ran late into the night, we walked each other home, with our keys between our fingers and our laughter echoing into the trees. We sought to tear down transphobia, queerphobia and all other systems of oppression by building one another up.

Our critics believed that in order to achieve our goals, we needed to be more patient with those contributing to an antiLGBTQ+ culture on campus. What they didn’t understand was that queer and transgender people had been patient with UNCC for 30 years. This university, like most institutions of higher education, is founded in white supremacy, transphobia and elitism.

Though we met many dedicated allies within the administration, we keenly felt the barrier of power dividing us from

them. And we couldn’t cross that barrier by submitting to the status quo.

Because the status quo was killing us.

Every day presents a new set of hazards for LGBTQ+ students. We face higher rates of harassment, sexual assault, physical assault, suicide and murder. Transgender students experience particularly brutal circumstances; misgendering, misnaming and discrimination based on birth sex are all daily realities. At UNCC, we are sometimes forced to room with individuals who share our birth sex, even if we have started medically transitioning. This results in discomfort and gender dysphoria at best and an incredibly hostile living arrangement at worst. When my former suitemate’s mother discovered another roommate and I were transgender men, she berated us for two hours straight, telling us that our “lifestyles” were not only wrong, but morally reprehensible. To be subjected to a barrage of transphobic abuse in your own damn living room is incredibly traumatic and incredibly common for transgender students.

An LGBTQ+ center wouldn’t provide an instant fix for these problems — not instantly, anyway. But we studied in the same buildings as Blake Brockington and Kate Laffitte. Their deaths reminded us of the urgency of the fight against queerphobia and transphobia. We were victims of the same systems; what happened to them could so easily happen to one of us. We couldn’t wait until the next tragedy to take action.

So we got to work. We made flyers, we held meetings, we hosted events, we contacted professors and department chairs and newspapers asking to publicize our campaign, we tabled every single day — and we got over 1,600 signatures on our petition. That small group of busy students soon blossomed into a cohort of dozens.

And eventually, our calls were answered by the administration. It will take some time to launch the space — we don’t even have an official name yet! — but we hope to have it ready by the end of the semester.

The long march toward justice sometimes requires patience. But it always requires passion. The UNC Charlotte LGBTQ+ Coalition had plenty of that. When we began this journey, I had so many doubts.

The injustice I faced as a queer, transgender man was turning me cynical; at times, I thought our struggle was hopeless. The talented, determined, and brilliant individuals in this organization restored my faith in social justice. Our success stands testament to the power of youth organizing. And we are so excited to share it with you. : :

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Ray of light

An interview with Amy Ray of Indigo Girls

BY Gregg Shapiro | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Y

ears in the making, “Indigo Girls Live with the University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra” (Rounder) is a breathtaking experience. Even if you don’t like live albums (you weren’t there, were you?), this one is an exception. Comprised of 22 songs, representing nine of the Indigo Girls’ (Amy Ray and Emily Saliers) baker’s dozen studio albums, Indigo Girls do an excellent job of representing the expected hits (“Power of Two, “Galileo,” “Kid Fears,” “Go”) and popular deep cuts, as well as a generous supply of more recent numbers (“Sugar Tongue,” “Able To Sing,” “War Rugs,” “Happy in the Sorrow Key”). Not surprisingly, the stunning symphonic set closes with a rousing rendition of “Closer to Fine” (complete with sing-along). As familiar as your oldest friends, you’ll never hear these songs the same way again.

Never one to sit idle, Ray is also releasing a new solo record in September 2018, her sixth. “Holler” (Compass/ Daemon) continues in a similar countrified vein as 2014’s “Goodnight Tender.” Featuring guest musicians including Brandi Carlile, Vince Gill, Lucy Wainwright Roche, Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver) and Rutha Mae Harris (of The Freedom Singers), “Holler” is another powerful musical statement from Ray. I had the pleasure of speaking to Amy in early August 2018.

was made up of grad students, community members and professional players, running the gamut of different styles and approaches. The dynamics end up being a little more engaged in a way. The players are fresher to what we’re doing. Some of them are younger. Every orchestra we played

Gregg Shapiro: Indigo Girls are no strangers to live albums, with at least two such previous releases — 1995’s “1200 Curfews” and 2010’s “Staring Down the Brilliant Dream.” Why was now the right time for a new live album such as “Live with the University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra?”

Amy Ray: Mostly because we’ve been touring with symphonies for about four or five years now. We felt like we’d gotten to a place where we knew the material well enough and wanted to document it. When we came upon a symphony that fit all the parameters that we needed to make a live record with a symphony, that was the University of Colorado Symphony. So, it worked out. It was kind of a long process.

We had been hoping to get it done for a couple of years.

GS: What were the parameters that the University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra met?

AR: Number one, they’re just really good.

The conductor was someone we felt like we could work with on a project like this. Where we could say, “We’re going to need to come in and have an extra-long rehearsal, record rehearsal and then record the show, and may have to do a song over.” They’re grad students and community members. They’re at a university, so it’s not under the guidance of a union, which gives us a lot more leeway on how many times we can do a song and how long it takes. With a union symphony, they kind of changed the rules around. It used to be where you paid one set cost to record with the whole symphony. Now you pay each member individually. For us, we wouldn’t sell enough records to cover that.

We had to find a way to record it where we could pay the symphony what they deserve, but it would be a smaller symphony and more student-oriented. In the end, it was probably a better move. They symphony

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with was amazing! It was already on another echelon from what we were doing. But the thing that makes it special with this particular symphony, and we had played with them before… as soon as we played with them, to Emily I was like, “This is the one!” Their dynamics are incredible. They’re totally engaged. They’re excited about playing. Their conductor is super-easy to work with. The conductor is the key to everything. They build that bridge.

We’ve had quite a few conductors that we really love, and Gary is one of them. For me, it was a no-brainer [laughs]. We talked about it, made the arrangements, and a year later they had the time in their schedule for us to go back and have the time to do rehearsal, a show and record and work it all out.

GS: Of the 22 songs chosen for the album, were there any for which the transition to an orchestral setting or arrangement proved to be more challenging than expected?

AR: Yes. I would say that it depended on the symphony, too. There are songs where some symphonies would nail a song and some symphonies wouldn’t.

It’s all about people’s preferences and the way they play and the way we’re playing that day. There are certain ones that are inherently more difficult, like “Happy in the Sorrow Key.” “Come on Home” is a pretty hard song. One of the measures of who we wanted to record with was a symphony that landed the difficult songs, too. It’s not a judgment on who’s better, symphony-wise. Some symphonies get some songs, and others don’t. Or that particular night, maybe we weren’t in the right vibe, so we couldn’t get it; and that doesn’t reflect on the symphony at all.

Some symphonies are just easier to play with and it’s not because they’re better [laughs]. Is the conductor in the space that you’re in? Every symphony has their own symphony hall and that had a lot to do with things. The way the symphony is in that space and how you can work together as a team.

GS: Your new solo album “Holler” continues the country-oriented style of your 2014 solo album “Goodnight Tender.” Is this a direction you see yourself going in for the near future?

AR: I don’t know. This was just what I was writing. I have a band that I’ve been touring with for four or five years. This is really a strong suit for them and for us together. As we tour, and get more and more in the groove with them, we’ve been working in old songs from the rock and punkier stuff. It’s adaptable to that. When I was writing “Stag and Prom,” I was playing a lot with the Butchies, and I was writing to their style. My collaborators typically have a lot of influence over what I’m writing. They’re who I’m creating with, touring with, playing with from day to day. I like a lot of different kinds of music. I don’t prefer this to that; it’s where I’m at. This record has a little more of the earlier, punky, eclectic style mixed in with traditional country. I think I was crossing over into that line in my writing a little bit.

Amy Ray sheds a light on her newest album, ‘Holler,” and her approach to finding the perfect symphony for a live album. (Photo Credit: Brian Fisher)

GS: I’m glad you mentioned collaboration. As always, you have a stellar line-up of guest musicians on the new album, including Brandi Carlile, Vince Gill, Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Lucy Wainwright Roche and Rutha Mae Harris of The Freedom Singers. When you are writing a song — “Last Taxi Fare,” for example — do you hear the guest artist’s voice, in this case Brandi Carlile, as part of the process?

AR: Sometimes. On that particular song, as I was finishing it, believe it or not [laughs], I actually did hear Brandi, and I did hear Vince. I wrote that song over a very long period of time. I think I had watched a see Amy Ray on 13

Interview: Katrina Kemp A little person with a lot of heart

K

atrina Kemp is fierce. Let’s just get that out of the way quickly. She’s widely known for her appearances on television and in performances with celebrities, and she is currently performing in the musical “Love Never Dies,” which is the sequel to “Phantom of the Opera.” All of that is amazing, and you can Google it.

What I want to describe to you are the insights she has shared with me as a person of small stature and huge ambition. I think something many of us appreciate in other people’s stories is the ability others have not only to survive, but to thrive. This is all the more remarkable in situations where someone is, by default, marginalized by the broader culture. How do you make yourself seen in a world where you’re generally invisible?

How? You refuse to be ignored while orchestrating the opportunities and executing the projects that allow you to embody the work you want to do. You define your space, and then you fill it with yourself. “You make your own art. That’s what I constantly kept doing… since I was a little kid, I’m making my own films, editing my own things… writing out scenes and stories.” In other words: She creates her own context.

For Kemp, creating a character involves getting to know the role from a physical perspective. I found this interesting, because there are hardly any roles written for little people, so it’s very clever of her to jump right in and create a person by way of their movement. “I’m very connected to dance and speaking with my body.

I think that led me more toward being around other people who like the same things… taking from people’s energy and listening to them say what they liked me doing… leading me back to this approach of doing what someone is not going to expect… finding yourself in that character, finding that originality.” She agrees that it’s vital to understand how a character moves, which then influences everything else about them.

Exploitation is definitely another issue people with dwarfism have to contend with. Between the general presumption that little people must always be funny or clownish in their personalities, and the more specific sexual fetishization of their bodies, Kemp has taken care to make sure that the work she accepts does not diminish her person or dignity. In “Love Never Dies,” she plays an aerialist named Fleck. “I don’t know who said this role needs to be a little person, but nowhere is there a time that I felt when they wrote that that it felt it comes off as exploitative. If we’re saying this is a circus, and she’s an aerialist extraordinaire, I feel like that eliminates all the exploitation from it for me, because that’s Fleck being an aerialist.”

Kemp impressed upon me that we create the life we choose, and that we choose the life we create. Whether it be inventing original narratives in order to have acting roles to portray, or assembling multimedia projects from scratch to materialize her own opportunities to direct, Kemp has conjured limitless possibility for herself.

By doing so, she is also showing the world how tall the expectations and opportunities can and should be for people who are short.

How does she use her platform to speak to the universal human experience? “I’m striving to live in truth. You know deep down when something doesn’t feel right in your heart, and you feel like you have to say something. I feel like that, and also knowing when to keep my mouth shut and listen — both of those things have always served me. If I feel like someone needed to listen to something I needed to say, I wanted them to hear me out. And I think it’s a ‘Little People Thing’ (and just a people thing in general): If people keep something to themselves, other people are just going to magically understand them one day. It’s like, ‘No! You gotta remind them who you are!’ And if they want to knock you off of your reality, you’ve got to stay in that truth and tell them, ‘This is how it is, and this is how it’s going to be!’”

Big gifts come in small packages? Indeed! : :

BY Jack Kirven | qnotes CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Katrina Kemp may be small in stature, but is supercharged in her approach to her life and her work. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

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‘Tin Man’ Out in Print

BY terri schlichenmeyer | CONTRIBUTING WRITER “Tin Man: A Novel”

by Sarah Winman ©2018, Putnam $23.00 hardcover / $22.95 paperback Canada

T

he picture reminds you of a thousand things.

You recall the day it was taken: the smell of the air, the background sounds, food and drink, laughter and the sense that this was forever. You’ve seen that photo many times throughout the years, but it never fails to remind you of the best of times. Or, as in the new book “Tin Man” by Sarah Winman, it may represent the worst.

Ellis Judd rarely thought of reading anymore, though there were books piled around his apartment. They were Annie’s, so he ignored them. He mostly ignored the picture sitting among them, too, and he tried not to think about the people in it.

But, of course, that was impossible; his face was one of the three in the photograph. And there was Annie, his wife and the love of his life, five years dead from an automobile accident. And Michael, his best childhood friend.

He’d never forget the day he and Michael met: Ellis was visiting Mabel, an older woman and the local greengrocer, when Michael arrived to stay. Both 12 years old, they’d become on-the-spot friends. Years later, Michael was the reason Ellis met Annie, and she instantly loved him, too. Ellis was glad for it.

But then, not too long after Annie and Ellis were married, Michael seemed to disappear, and Annie pestered Ellis on and off. Didn’t he wonder where Michael had gone? Didn’t he want him back in his life?

Didn’t Ellis miss his best friend?

He did — and one day, Michael walked back in, as if nothing had happened, and things seemed to pick up where they left off. Ellis was content again with his day-to-

day until the car accident, and his entire world died.

It took awhile to heal — as if that would ever fully happen — but his losses made distant memories keener, and Ellis began thinking about a painting that his mother and Michael had particularly loved.

Having it would mean a lot so, knowing that it was stored in his father’s attic, Ellis fetched it.

That’s when he found a boxful of Michael’s things, including a notebook…

There are a thousand emotions that you’ll feel when you read “Tin Man,” starting with a melancholy sense of foreboding. Don’t beat yourself up for it, though. Every character here has reason to feel that life is no good.

That alone might make you not want to read this book — why try something when you know it’s going to depress you, right? Wrong: author Sarah Winman also repeatedly offers a most persistent flame of hope in her story, from Ellis’ mother, who finds beauty in a booby-prize painting; to Annie, who happily understands Michael’s needs; and Ellis himself, who learns again what he already knew.

Truth be known, readers will know it, too, long before they get to the pin-

nacle of this book — but the love-storynot-love-story that pulses to the lingering end is worth the journey, times two. And that makes “Tin Man’ a book you should picture yourself reading. : :

from, as well. “Sure Feels Good” is my song of where I live and the dynamics of people like me that are coming from a different place than other folks. How do we rectify that? How do we understand each other?

It’s easy to dismiss people because they don’t agree with you about things because you dogmatically think they’re going to feel a certain way about things. Or it’s not possible for them to come around to a place of tolerance or understanding.

That’s not where I exist. I exist in a place where you get to know your neighbors and you help each other out, regardless of where you come from. Eventually those barriers start to fall away and you begin to understand each other. Hopefully, things change. Racism is the hardest thing to change in the South. But I’ve found that there are still people who do change. I’ve also found that there are people who have a knee-jerk reaction because of the way we’re put into niches and demographics who aren’t being their best selves all the time, and I say, “I know you’re a better person than this. I’ve seen you in my community. I’ve seen the things you do to help other people. And I’ve seen you at church.

I know you have it in you to be better than this.” We all can be better than this.

able. Pop country musicians like Sugarland and Dixie Chicks and others probably also feel like they don’t want to be restricted by being expected to have a certain political perspective. I don’t think music categories need to be restricted by political perspectives in any way on any side. It’s great to me that all these artists are getting some play and that they have someplace where they can sit comfortably and be honored in a way that makes sense to everybody.

Author Sarah Winman (Photo Credit: Patricia Niven)

Amy Ray

continued from page 10 CMT award show or something and Vince was singing with Taylor Swift and Allison Krauss and a few other people. I’ve always loved him, but in that moment, I was like, “That guy can really sing harmony!” In any situation. I was working on that song and it was in my fantasy head that Brandi and Vince would form a trio with me. It’s the weirdest thing, but Alison Brown, who plays banjo on the record, happens to be friends with Vince. It was like one of those moments where it was like, “I can’t believe this is going to work out.” In that case, I was definitely hearing them. Vince was an “if you could have anything in the world” kind of thing.

I did hear Justin and Phil Cook when I wrote “Didn’t Know a Damn Thing.” I had played with them, so it was an easier thing to hear. That really informed that song.

When I first wrote it, that version was harmony the whole way through, because I was thinking of them. Then I decided to change it up to make it more effective when they came in. Lucy Wainwright Roche tends to be a muse, with Indigo Girls, as well. I’ll be working on a song and, in my head, I’ll use her as a harmony singer for inspiration as to where to go musically.

rock icons. I feel their personalities and art in those spaces. I often have to have those spaces in my life and get down and walk the streets and spend all night long out on the town with myself and the city.

It informs what I do. But I find it interesting that, even in the city, and the country, too, you have to think about what came before you; how things got built. What was sacrificed so that you can have what you have. All those things. That’s the tie between the land I live on in Georgia, which was Cherokee land, and then you go to New York and you’re walking among these incredible buildings built by people that were, in essence, slave labor. Proud artisans working for rich people that were brilliant at their craft but none of it was for them. Do you ever think about this when you’re here? People in New York will say, “They just don’t build buildings like they used to”, when they are around historic areas. I’m like, “That’s because they don’t have a hundred people working for ten cents an hour, slave labor.” It’s like saying, “Why don’t they build castles anymore?”

GS: I love the duality of “Oh City Man,” which features the builders of skyscrapers juxtaposed with moonshine makers, and the image of you walking down Broadway during a Manhattan blackout in “Fine with the Dark.” Even though you’ve long lived outside of a city, would it be fair to say that you feel the pull of urban living?

AR: I think that I’m mostly a country person. But I feel the pull of the dynamics of urban living, and the poetry of it. I’ve spent so much time in New York City, and cities like London and Berlin, places where I feel the darkness and light, the pull of that, the Patti Smith of it. Jim Carroll and The Basketball Diaries and all my great punk

GS: In the four years between the release of “Holler” and “Goodnight Tender,” we have had to endure the election of Donald Trump and all that came with it. Am I on the right track when I say it sounds to me like you address that somewhat in the songs “Sure Feels Good” and “Didn’t Know a Damn Thing?”

AR: Yes, for sure! I don’t know if it was so much affected specifically by the presidential election as more of the whole vibe of the country and my own community.

The polarization and thinking about issues around being a Southerner. Trying to take on some accountability myself, and to try to understand where people are coming

GS: Or pyramids.

AR: Exactly!

GS: Every year there seem to be more and more queer female country artists releasing albums, including performers such as H.C. McEntire and Sarah Shook in 2018. Because “Holler” is so steeped in that tradition, what do you think that says about country music and its listeners?

AR: I think country music is opening up.

Sarah Shook and Heather (H.C. McEntire), I’m a big fan of both of them. Both of those artists have found that they have a place in Americana, which is the progressive side of “country”. It’s the place where people who play country, but don’t fit into a more conservative demographic, feel comfort-

GS: Since we’re talking about female country acts, I recently received a press release about a forthcoming Bobbie Gentry box set.

AR: Wow! GS: In the pantheon of female country music artists, where does Bobbie Gentry fall on your personal list of icons?

AR: I would say iconic, probably from my youth. A formative person that made me go, “Oh, I can do this! I’m a female!” Like a role model. But for me, I’ve probably looked at someone like Dolly Parton, and stayed with that. Dolly would probably be an icon for me in a bigger way. For her songwriting and longevity and generosity and vision. The pure star power.

GS: Have you ever had a chance to play with her?

AR: I’ve never played with her, but I have met her. She’s in a class all her own. : : Amy Ray & Her Band will perform on stage with opening act (and N.C. resident) H.C. McEntire on Oct. 24 at Motorco Music Hall, 723 Rigsbee Ave., in Durham, N.C., Oct. 28 at The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Avex Ext., in Asheville, N.C., Oct. 30 at The Ramkat, 170 W. 9th St. in Winston-Salem, N.C. and on Nov. 11 at Sylvia Theatre, 27 N. Congress St., in York, S.C. Visit amy-ray.com to learn more or to purchase tickets.

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Getting back together for the second time?

Tell Trinity

BY Trinity | CONTRIBUTING WRITER Dear Trinity, I broke up with my ex about two years ago. Now he wants to get back together again, but it’s always just to see if the relationship will work this time. Should I give him another chance?

One More Go, Utica, NY Dear OMG, If you have a chance to make a bad thing worse, then run, but if you have a chance to make a bad thing better, then yes, taking chances is what life’s all about!

However, baby, don’t harp on past things, and don’t move in together right away.

This is about a new start, not an old fight!

This time insist on outside counseling, on talking through everything and on taking your time. Remember, a good man is hard to find, but a bad relationship is so unkind!

Kisses, Trinity Hello Trinity, I broke up with my girlfriend only to come home to find that she moved out and took everything. I loved her, but now I hate her. I’m in court to get my stuff back, but Trinity, why do relationships always have to end so cruelly?

Love Hurts, Phoenix, AZ Hello Love Hurts, Sometimes a loved one thinks he or

she deserves it all, needs to make you pay for it all or is just a downright crook and steals it all. It happens on reality shows all the time. So try to get your things back, try to get some peace of mind and, honey, try to accept that sometimes “love” gives and sometimes love takes away! See my cartoon below to see how I would deal with such a difficult situation. Lots of “stuff” can be replaced (although expensive in nature), but remember, sweetie, to hold on to the one thing you have that can’t be taken away while you are not at home — and that’s your self-esteem.

Good Luck, Trinity

Dearest Trinity, I’m a 44-year-old guy dating a 27-yearold guy. I always end up paying for dinner, but I’m afraid he’ll think because I’m older this is how it should always be. How do I not create a pattern?

Setting Young Patterns, Minneapolis, MN Dearest Patterns, The fact is, when two people meet, immediately patterns begin to form depending on who’s cuter, older, pushier or more addictive. It’s natural. Now, sweetie, if one is older and/or financially better off — then why not pay? After a few dates, pick an inexpensive place and hopefully he’ll say, “I’ll get this one.” By gently supporting him by picking an affordable place he can pay for now, and then you’ll create a healthier balance. In my mind, older and/ or wealthier men should pay for (much) younger men; it’s nature’s way of keeping everyone well fed.

Hugs, Trinity Hey Trinity, I’m gay, bearded and I have a belly. How do I know if that makes me a “bear?”

Thanks, Bearly Sure, Atlanta, GA Hey Bearly Sure, There are many ways to know if you’re

a bear. So, pumpkin, to start you off on the right paw here’s:

Trinity’s Hairy Tips For Knowing If (YAB) You’re A Bear (gay-beardedhefty-man)

1. I f you have a hairy face, chest, butt and/ or back (YAB).

2. I f you have girth, a belly or if you look like a childbearing man, then (YAB).

3. If you and all your friends look like the wrestler Bill Goldberg or variations of a cute Santa Claus (YAB) and should email me!

4. I f you have a thick goatee, a sculpted beard or a full beard, then (YAB).

5. I f you hang out in gay bars called The Jackhammer, The Stud or The Thump, then (YAB)!

6. I f most of your shirts have some sort of reference to bears, bear paws or hibernation, then guess what.

7. I f most of your other clothes consist of leather, western or army wear, then guess what again.

8. I f you use the words “woof” or “grrrr” at least once a week, then (YAB).

9. I f you’re “big-boned” and gay and haven’t dieted in y-e-a-r-s, then (YAB).

10. A nd lastly, if you shave your entire face but still feel like a hairy, hefty, manloving man, then (YAB)!

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

Aug. 24-Sept. 6 . 2018

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++++++++ Sponsored Content ++++++++

from the Rx pad……

by Rx Clinic Pharmacy, a comprehensive onsite service of Amity Medical Group

What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

By Hiba Alzouby, PharmD Candidate Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a female reproductive disorder that affects approximately 5-10% of women — this is roughly 5 million women in the U.S. This disorder often causes hormonal imbalances that manifest in a woman’s health and appearance. It is also the most common cause of female infertility, but is treatable.

An imbalance in a woman’s reproductive hormones occurs when the ovaries produce a higher than normal level of male hormones.

Since the ovaries usually produce the eggs released each month during a female’s menstrual cycle, the egg may not develop or be released due to the hormonal imbalance. As a result, women with PCOS often experience irregularities in their menstrual cycles, including missed or prolonged periods.

PCOS can occur at any age after puberty, but is usually diagnosed when women are in their 20s and 30s and visit their doctor regarding fertility issues. However, it is a life-long health condition that can affect women even after their childbearing years if left untreated. Although the exact cause is unknown, family history plays a role. Your risk for PCOS may be higher if you have a female relative such a mother, sister, or aunt with PCOS. Some symptoms women with PCOS may experience are weight gain, infertility, irregular periods, acne, excessive hair growth on the face and body, and pelvic pain. Symptoms tend to be more severe if you are obese. According to the 2003 Rotterdam Criteria, PCOS can be diagnosed by two of the following: infrequent or irregular menstrual periods, excess male hormones resulting in excess facial and body hair and acne, and polycystic ovaries. Since there is no

those who are overweight or obese and have a family history of diabetes. PCOS has also been linked to depression and anxiety.

Although there is no cure for PCOS, a combination of diet, exercise, and medications can significantly reduce symptoms. In many overweight patients, just a 10% reduction in weight can resolve symptoms.

Incorporating healthier eating habits in addition to regular exercise can go a long way in relieving symptoms and may help make menstrual cycles more regular and increase a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant. Medications are available to fight PCOS symptoms, such as metformin, which can improve insulin sensitivity in diabetics and may even help restart ovulation, and hormonal birth control, which can help make menstrual cycles more regular, reduce risk of endometrial cancer, and improve acne and extra hair. In addition, some anti-androgen medicines may reduce excessive facial and body hair and acne.

The symptoms of PCOS may seem daunting, but with the help of your healthcare provider, you can find a proper exercise and medication regimen that suits the needs of your body!

single test to diagnose PCOS, your physician may have to conduct a physical exam, pelvic ultrasound, or blood tests to rule out other causes of your symptoms.

PCOS can also cause serious complications such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. More than half of women with PCOS will have diabetes or pre-diabetes by the age of 40. In fact, insulin resistance, as well as obesity, are major risk factors for developing PCOS. Many women with PCOS have insulin resistance, especially

Resources: • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0024506/ • https://medlineplus.gov/polycysticovarysyndrome.html • https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/polycystic-ovarysyndrome • https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pcos/symptomscauses/syc-20353439 • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3475283/ • https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/polycystic-ovarysyndrome

Aug. 24-Sept. 6 . 2018

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events August 24 Continues through August 25 South Carolina MSM HIV Prevention Institute

1066 Sunset Blvd.

West Columbia, S.C. The conference marks “10 Years of Empowerment, Enlightenment, and Education” as it brings together clinicians, social workers, community and service organizations, health departments, advocates and academics. Registration is $50 and scholarships are available. bit.ly/prevention2018.

August 25 The Charlotte 48 Hour Film Project: General Screenings Knight Gallery at Spirit Square 345 N. College St., Charlotte 2:30 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.

View this year’s entire collection of local filmmakers’ works completed in under 48 hours. Tickets $15. blumenthalarts.org.

The American South as We Know It’

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture 551 S. Tryon St., Charlotte 6-8 p.m.

Coinciding with the overlapping anniversaries of the murder

of Emmett Till, the March on Washington and Barack Obama’s acceptance of the Democratic presidential nomination, the Gantt Center presents a screening of Frederick Murphy’s documentary on the lives of African-Americans during the Jim Crow era. A discussion with the director will follow.

Free to members, $5 general public. ganttcenter.org/calendar/theamerican-south-as-we-know-it.

August 29 Dementia Education Conference

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 3400 Beatties Ford Rd., Charlotte 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Alzheimer’s Association – Western Carolina Chapter hosts its annual gathering of patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals. Registration is $20 for the general public, $60 for professionals. Light breakfast and lunch will be provided. alz.org/northcarolina/helping_you/ education/dementia_education_ conference.

August 30 – September 22 ‘The Legend of Georgia McBride’ Hadley Theater at Queens University 2132 Radcliffe Ave., Charlotte 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday An unemployed Elvis impersonator tries his hand as a drag queen in this musical comedy

August - September 2018 Submit your events: editor@goqnotes.com

from Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte.

Pay-what-you-can preview Aug. 30, 50 percent off admission Aug. 31-Sept. 1. Ticket prices $28-$40 thereafter. atcharlotte.org/georgia-mcbride.

September 1-2 John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival

1841 Eastchester Dr., High Point Featured performers at the eighth annual celebration include the legendary North Carolina native’s son, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, and stepdaughter, vocalist Michelle Coltrane. Tickets $25-$230. coltranejazzfest.com.

September 7-15 ‘Confidence (and the Speech)’

Duke Energy Theater at Spirit Square 345 N. College St., Charlotte Thursday 7:30 p.m., Friday-Saturday 8 p.m.

Charlotte’s Off-Broadway presents a new work inspired by President Jimmy Carter’s 1979 Crisis of Confidence speech. The story challenges conceptions of gender as, in the present day, a woman relates her experience as a White House employee at the time of the speech by taking on the role of president, while the young man who’s asked for her recollections adopts the mantle of the then-staffer herself. $25/advance or $32/door. Pay-what-you-can preview, September 6. blumenthalarts.org/events/detail/ confidence-and-the-speech.

September 7-23 ‘Peter and the Starcatcher’

September 8: ‘Tucked’

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts and OUT at the Movies present the Outfest Audience Award-winning drama chronicling a drag queen’s growing friendship with a younger counterpart. Tickets $8 in advance, $9 at the door. ACE Theatre Complex at UNCSA, 1533 S. Main St., Winston-Salem. 7 p.m. outatthemovieswinston.org. at 5 p.m. and the race begins at 7:24 p.m., with an afterparty at 8 p.m. back at The Shed amphitheater. The route will feature food trucks, vendors, dancing and more. Registration $40, afterparty admission $5. Participation in the run is not required to attend the party. stonewallrainbowrun.org.

September 11-16 ‘Love Never Dies’

Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center 130 N. Tryon St., Charlotte Times vary Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to “The Phantom of the Opera” set 10 years after the Phantom vanishes

from Paris. Tickets $25-$150. blumenthalarts.org/events/detail/ love-never-dies-the-phantom-returns.

September 15 Tosco Music Party

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

Tosco Music marks 30 years of partying with its next jam session featuring a variety of local talent.

Tickets $13-$28. Discounts available for students and groups of 10 or more. toscomusic.org/events/tmpsep-15-2018.

Theatre Charlotte 501 Queens Rd., Charlotte 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m.

Sunday Theatre Charlotte presents 12 actors playing 100 characters in this Tony-winning reworking of “Peter Pan,” which explores the origins of the eternal child. Tickets $28. The show is rated PG. theatrecharlotte.org/show-2018peter-starcatcher.

September 8 Stonewall Rainbow Run

August 25: Chae Buttuh & DJ FemitheFemme

Rising trap star Chae Buttuh performs followed by house from DJ FemitheFemme. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. Tickets $8 online until Aug. 19, $10 at the door. The Artist Bloc, 1020 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro.

10 p.m.-1 a.m. bit.ly/chaefemme.

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The Shed at Station House 600 E. Sugar Creek Rd., Charlotte 5 p.m.

Stonewall Sports Charlotte aims to establish this offbeat charity event as a yearly tradition. Participants are encouraged to don their most outrageous neon attire to traverse NoDa while supporting local nonprofits PFLAG Charlotte, Veterans Bridge Home or CMPD Animal Care & Control. Festivities kick off

About our new calendar:

September 12: Film & Fashion — ‘The Gospel According to André’ The Mint Museum hosts a screening on the lawn of a new documentary about the life and work of André Leon Talley, former Vogue editor-at-large, with Talley himself set to attend. Tickets $10 for adults, $5 kids 12 and under. Museum members receive 25% off admission. The Mint Museum, 2730 Randolph Rd., Charlotte. 7-10 p.m. mintmuseum.org/happenings/1768.

Our new calendar is designed to give you more diverse options for events in the community. Have one to submit?

Email editor@goqnotes.com.

REGULAR EVENTS Charlotte LGBT Chamber

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

PFLAG Concord/Kannapolis

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

PFLAG Gaston

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

Prime Timers

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

Stonewall Sports

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

Trans Youth Group

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

Transcend Charlotte

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

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

UPDATES/ADDITIONS?

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

a&e

Advice from a former Miss Gay North Carolina America Dishing with Buff Faye

BY Buff Faye | CONTRIBUTING WRITER | info@bufffaye.com Last week I got the pleasure of seeing my sister Jessica Raynes Starr who was in town.

She and I have known each other since our drag beginnings back in 2008. She was actually on my original house cast when we first started — “Buff Faye’s Drag Brunch” at Hartigan’s Pub. Wow! How time flies.

Well, we got to have lunch and went shopping at Mary Jo’s Fabric Store down in Gastonia. Along the way, I did an interview for my column. Being a former Miss Gay North Carolina America, Jessica offers many insights for new aspiring drag queens, her views on today’s drag scene and her hiatus from drag for the last few years.

BUFF: So tell me why did you first get started doing drag?

JESSICA: When I came out, I had a very conservative family that I was dealing with.

I had repressed all these feelings — that men had to be a certain way. At the age of 16 I saw my first drag show. I loved it. I fell in love. I loved the performance, the costumes, the hair, the singing,…I loved Cher already. I did talent shows immediately. I lost 20 of them, so by the time I won a talent show I was already hooked. Sometimes when you are rejected, you want it more and more… I learned to sew and do makeup… and that’s how it happened.

BUFF: Well who knew?! LOL. Where did you see your first drag show?

JESSICA: It was at the Scorpio in Charlotte.

Kristin Collins, Angela Lopez, Tracey Morgan and Luscious were all in that show, I think. I remember seeing Kristin, and she clogged on stage. And I had clogged as a kid and I said this is something I have to do.

BUFF: Where did the name Jessica Raynes Starr come from?

JESSICA: So at the time I started doing drag, the Dukes of Hazzard movie had just come out, and Jessica Simpson was everything to me. She was country and was hot. Everything I wanted to be in drag.

Then Roxy C. Moorecox (now known as Delighted ToBeHere) gave me the name “Raines,” but then I changed my last name when Gypsy Starr became my drag mother to “Jessica Raynes Starr.”

included, and everyone was welcome, an event where everyone could be there that I love, an event that all my friends were able to come and we could express ourselves and have fun, then I would do it.

Thank you Jessica for being such a great sister, sharing your insights and standing up for your beliefs as a drag queen. Cheers! : : To learn more about Jessica Raynes Starr, read our extended interview at goqnotes. com/60925/.

BUFF: So how long had you been actively doing drag before you took your hiatus a few years ago?

JESSICA: For seven years, I think.

BUFF: And what pageant titles have you won?

JESSICA: Miss Gay North Carolina America, Miss Hideaway, Miss Hideaway At Large, Miss Beautiful at USA, Miss Gulf States America, and I think that’s it…

BUFF: What advice do you have for new drag queens coming on the scene?

JESSICA: My initial advice is to definitely express yourself. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can and cannot be. But also you need to know the basics and be willing to learn from those who have been doing it for years. Like I have done with Gypsy. Then you can run wild with it.

Jessica Raynes Starr Photo Credit: After 6 photography

BUFF: How do you feel about the trend for drag queens to have no pads or boobs?

I will not say what drag is and is not… but I hate when girls don’t wear boobs and body pads. I hate it.

DRAG TIP: If you’re going to be a bearded drag queen, put some glitter on the beard or something to drag it up.

BUFF: The question everyone wants to know: What will it take to get Jessica Raynes Starr back on stage?

JESSICA: Well I am not in retirement, so it could happen. I don’t think I would ever do a full-time career of drag again. But if there was an event where I felt like everyone was

Buff Faye calls the Queen City her home and performs to raise money so she can find a date on Christian Mingle (and raise money for charities). Find her at your favorite bars and hotspots. Plus don’t forget her monthly drag brunches and other events. Learn more at AllBuff.com. Follow on Twitter @BuffFaye

SHOUT OUTS: Congrats to Kristin Collins on becoming our new Miss Charlotte Pride this past month. Now go forth and create some rainbows!

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