Oct. 2-15, 2020
qnotes
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Oct. 2-15, 2020
inside this issue
Oct. 2-15, 2020 Vol 35 No 12
connect
feature
goqnotes.com
contributors this issue
Mikah Buff, Victoria Crocker, Kyle Kirby, Jack Kirven, Lainey Millen, Cameron Pruette, Chris Rudisill, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Trinity, Connie Vetter, Brandon Wolf
front page
Graphic Design by Chris Rudisill Photography: Carolina Cameraman Mission:
The focus of QNotes is to serve the LGBTQ and straight ally communities of the Charlotte region, North Carolina and beyond, by featuring arts, entertainment, news and views content in print and online that directly enlightens, informs and engages the readers about LGBTQ life and social justice issues. Pride Publishing & Typesetting, Inc., dba QNotes P.O. Box 221841, Charlotte, NC 28222 ph 704.531.9988 fx 704.531.1361 Publisher: Jim Yarbrough Sales: x201 adsales@goqnotes.com Nat’l Sales: Rivendell Media, ph 212.242.6863 Managing Editor: Jim Yarbrough, x201, editor@goqnotes.com Assoc. Editor: Lainey Millen, specialassignments@goqnotes.com Copy Editor: Maria Dominguez Production: Lainey Millen, x205, production@goqnotes.com Printed on recycled paper. Material in qnotes is copyrighted by Pride Publishing & Typesetting © 2020 and may not be reproduced in any manner without written consent of the editor or publisher. Advertisers assume full responsibility — and therefore, all liability — for securing reprint permission for copyrighted text, photographs and illustrations or trademarks published in their ads. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers, cartoonists we publish is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or photographs does not indicate the subject’s sexual orientation. qnotes nor its publisher assumes liability for typographical error or omission, beyond offering to run a correction. Official editorial positions are expressed in staff editorials and editorial notations and are determined by editorial staff. The opinions of contributing writers and guest columnists do not necessarily represent the opinions of qnotes or its staff. qnotes accepts unsolicited editorial, but cannot take responsibility for its return. Editor reserves the right to accept and reject material as well as edit for clarity, brevity.
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Reality TV Goes Drag
news 4 6 6 6 7 7
As a career nurse, wife, mother and grandmother, Dee Murray has a real passion for serving those under whose care she has been given.
Turn Out the Vote on 11/3 Carey Steps Down as ED Suicide 988 Approved News Briefs Dudley’s Celebrates a First Youth Org Now Digital
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a&e 15 Out in Print: ‘My Own Words’ ‘Gatecrashers’ 16 Tell Trinity
life 8 9 17 19
The 1953 Gay Raid in Waco Rosedale Health and Wellness Launches COVID-19 Trial Health & Wellness: The 49 Professions of Joy Our People: Dee Murray
views 5 5 13
Love Your Neighbor Letters to the Editor: Fighting Against Cancer Queer the Vote Legal Eagles: Our History and Our Present
events charlotteobserver.com/1166/ a local news partner of The Charlotte Observer
Our People: Dee Murray
Our print calendar will return once live events restart. See page 13 for how to post to our online calendar.
Voter Turn Out Initiatives on a Mission
Across the Carolinas and the nation, activits and community groups are on a push to get voters out to the polls and to vote early or absentee as Election Day 2020 closes in.
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Oct. 2-15, 2020
qnotes
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news
Turn Out the Vote in November With One Month Left Before the Election, Mobilization Has Ramped Up By Chris Rudisill | QNotes Contributor
“V
ote for our lives.” “Your vote is your voice.” These and other “Get Out the Vote” campaign slogans are fueling communities around the Carolinas fighting against voter suppression efforts in a vital election that is loaded with political division, a pandemic and the continued fight for increased voter equity and mailin options. According to a 2019 Williams Institute study on LGBTQ voters, nearly nine million LGBTQ adults are registered and eligible to vote in the upcoming 2020 general election. Half of registered LGBTQ voters (50 percent) are Democrats, 15 percent are Republicans, 22 percent are Independents, and 13 percent said they identify with another party or did not know with which party they most identify. LGBTQ voters are reportedly racially diverse, nearly half (47 percent) are under age 35, and one-third have at least a college education. Yet, as we reported in the beginning of our Turn Out series, one in five LGBTQ voters is not registered to vote. Do you have a plan?
tions about candidates easier when many are lacking those in-person opportunities because of COVID-19.
Oct. 18-24
Consider being a poll worker. “We must ensure that the voting process at the polls is as smooth and cohesive as possible,” says Kendra Johnson, executive director of ENC. The organization is providing education for workers on the difficulties faced by LGBTQ folks at the polls. For more information, visit equalitync.org or register directly at ncsbe.gov/about-elections/getinvolved/become-election-official.
Oct. 25-31
It’s the last chance at early voting in North Carolina. Early voting ends on Oct. 31. It allows voters to (hopefully) avoid long lines, access more flexible voting hours and locations and have the chance to register or update their registration onsite. If potential voters missed the 25-day registration deadline, they can still access same-day registration at their polling place during early voting only. Remember, one cannot register and vote on the same day come Election Day. To use same-day registration, one must Voters across the Carolinas and the nation are casting votes both in early voting and absentee ballots. provide one of the following documents: a Initiatives by activists groups are asking voters to ‘vote for our lives.’ N.C. driver’s license or other government (Photo Credit: Jonathan Stutz via Adobe Stock) photo ID with name and current address, student photo ID with a school document banking and post-carding are still popular — especially in showing their address or any document from Visit most national LGBTQ reaching potential voters in rural areas. Reclaim Our Vote any government agency with one’s name and current address. websites and you will find voting information front and is a project of Center for Common Ground and has partcenter. As the GLAAD website says, the “2020 election nered with organizations like the North Carolina NAACP may be the most critical of our lifetimes in determining Election Day to fight voter suppression, especially against voters of the future of our nation — and the future of our fight for From local elections to the White House, 2020 is a criticolor. Volunteers use traditional methods to encourage full LGBTQ equality and acceptance here at home and cal election year. qnotes has released endorsements from people to make sure they are registered, to know their around the world.” ENC and SC Equality to help voters to be prepared. The list voting rights and make plans to get to the ballot boxes. GLAAD has teamed up with Headcount, a national includes national, state and local candidates. Visit bit.ly/ It is a nonpartisan campaign and has made more than organization that aims to increase voter registration and QnotesElections2020 for a full list. 500,000 phone calls and sent 5 million postcards as of promote participation in democracy, to achieve the largest Now’s the time to finalize a plan and prepare for press time. turnout of LGBTQ people and allies in history at the polls Election Day 2020. Call friends, families and neighbors to This is the last week to get mailings out in time and the in November. see if someone needs a ride to the polls. current campaign focuses on getting people to participate in Groups like Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and PFLAG early voting. This effort specifically targets people who may are also focused on turning out allies. Turnout by LGBTQ Fueled by the tireless efforts of many LGBTQ people, have been purged from the voter rolls since the last election. people was up 4 percent on Super Tuesday, according to organizations have mobilized voters who care about Phone banking will continue throughout the month. NBC exit polls. Geoff Wetrosky, national campaign director LGBTQ equality for months. Now is the community’s time To sign up, go to centerforcommon at the Human Rights Campaign told Vox, “All of the data to cross the finish line and hope for the best. With the ground.org and click “volunteer.” from this year’s presidential primary, the 2018 midterms, passing of the iconic Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it seems and the 2016 presidential election shows the LGBTQ votappropriate to quote her here. “Fight for the things that Oct. 11-17 ing bloc is growing and that LGBTQ voters are differenceyou care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to One in 3 voters plan to cast their ballots by mail this makers and a constituency to court.” join you.” : : year, according to NBC News reports. Any North Carolina Even Cher has been gearing up for the fight. The musiregistered voter may request, receive and vote a mail-in cal icon has not been one to shy away from speaking her absentee ballot. The USPS is recommending that voters mind against President Trump and in a recent Twitter mail their ballots at least one week prior to the state’s post committed to doing even more. “I WILL VISIT STATES deadline. Voters can request and track their ballots at IF ASKED,” wrote Cher on Twitter. “IF ASKED I WILL VISIT •R egister to vote. If you think you’re registered, check to ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail/absentee-ballot-tools. UNTIL I DROP….PLEASE VOTE.” make sure. Don’t be a victim of voter purges. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Oct. 27 On the local front, Equality North Carolina (ENC) • I f you’re registered, make sure that information is and it must be postmarked by 5 p.m. on Election Day (Nov. launched the #OutToVote “30 Days of Action” campaign. correct. If not, update it. Take a screenshot, so no one 3). Ballots can also be delivered in person to your county Each day from Sept. 9 to National Coming Out Day, Oct. can deny your registration. Board of Elections or early voting site. 11, the LGBTQ equality organization has and will continue •S tay informed. Find out about documents or IDs that Voters can track their ballots using the newly launched to ask members and social media followers to engage might be required. BallotTrax, an online tool created by a Colorado software around mobilizing the vote and volunteering in the •M ake a plan. Know where you are supposed to vote, company that tracks mail-in ballots similar to packages. upcoming election. According to its website, “It’s all one what time polling is open and how you are getting there. Earlier in the series, qnotes reported that HRC partmassive push to Early Voting, which runs from Oct. 15-31 •M ost importantly, know your rights. If polls close and nered with Team to offer a mobile app to engage memin North Carolina.” you’re in line, stay in the line. If you make a mistake on bers and those they identify as Equality Voters to speak So, here’s a quick guide on things the community can do your ballot, ask for a new one. If machines are down, ask directly to friends about the candidates. As the site states, to help mobilize the vote and prepare for Election Day 2020. for a paper ballot. If they can’t find your name on voting “meaningful conversations about LGBTQ equality with rolls, then ask for a provisional ballot. If you run into any our loved ones is how we make progress.” The app allows problems or have any questions on election day, call the Oct. 4-10 an individual to share content directly with their contacts Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE. While mobilization efforts heavily rely on new and through their mobile phone. This makes those conversa• Tell everyone you know. emerging technologies, traditional methods like phone
Full speed ahead
Things to remember:
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qnotes
Oct. 2-15, 2020
views
Love Your Neighbor Op-Ed
BY Kyle Kirby | Guest Contributor I am a small-business owner who serves as a substitute teacher on a part-time basis. On Nov. 3, 2020, I will be standing for election to the North Carolina House of Representatives from District 102, which is centered in Charlotte. My platform revolves around a simple phrase: love your neighbor. I care deeply about our community, and I want to do everything in my power to help our neighbors get what they need from the state government. Before I proceed, I should note that I am the nominee of the Republican Party. I recognize that Republicans have a checkered history with the LGBTQ+ community, and this is the party’s fault. Historically, the GOP has been unwilling to engage with LGBTQ+ Americans and, at its very worst, it has been hostile to their interests. However, I am a different kind of Republican. When I say “love your neighbor,” I mean all of
Loving one’s neighbor means ‘all’ of them, not just a few. (Photo Credit: Ivan Kruk via Adobe Stock) our neighbors, regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation or gender identity. I believe in the inherent worth of
each and every American, and I wholeheartedly back the text of the Fourteenth Amendment: “No State shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” To ensure that North Carolina embodies the spirit of the Fourteenth Amendment, I would sponsor legislation to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and classify hate crimes against LGBTQ+ North Carolinians as such. I would be the conscience of the General Assembly’s Republican caucus on LGBTQ+ issues, and would happily serve as an unofficial ambassador between LGBTQ+ North Carolinians and fellow members of the Republican Party. In my book, everyone deserves dignity and equal protection under the laws. If I am elected to the state House, I will do everything in my power to get North Carolina to that place. : :
Speaking Out: Cancer, Voting Letters to the Editor
Voices from our readers… Comments are solely those expressed by the writers. These submissions have not been edited for content.
Making the Fight Against Cancer a National Priority
A
s the country continues to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, it’s important lawmakers and the public remember research into other diseases must also continue. That’s why I recently took part in a virtual event where I met with a representative from Rep. Dan Bishop’s office as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. During this meeting, I made it clear that the people of North Carolina are counting on our lawmakers to increase funding for cancer research and prevention. That with more than 600,000 Americans expected to die from cancer this year, now is not the time to take a break. We are at a point where advancements in research are saving more lives than ever, and it’s critical that we keep this momentum going forward. Now is not the time to turn back the clock on progress made. Now is the time to invest in lifesaving cancer research.
By increasing medical research funding at the National Institutes of Health by $3 billion, we can continue to make progress in the fight against cancer. : : — Victoria Crocker Victoria Crocker is a volunteer and advocate for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. •••••••••
Queer the Vote: Our Lives Depend on It
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ith over 30,000 absentee ballots already cast, the 2020 election is happening right now. Despite the pandemic. Despite police brutality. Despite attempts to disrupt the postal service. Despite the countless ways a system steeped in White Supremacy and White Nationalism has tried to adjust to the changing tides, this election is happening, and we have the power to change the future. Millions of people have protested and continue the hard work of advocacy and education to achieve the lasting change that our communities need. Systems of oppression will take more than the ballot box to break, but
they can be a start. They can bring about change. We need elected officials who will uplift the silenced voices and be co-conspirators as we work to transform to our broken institutions. From healthcare to housing to employment, we know who still remains most disadvantaged, disrespected, and ignored — Trans People of Color. Subjected to higher rates of violence and outright murder, we must do more than pass a hate crime bill. We must do more than pass a nondiscrimination ordinance. We must do more than paper over the economic injustice that has produced generations of wealth for some, while, by design, leaving Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) locked out of the so-called “American Dream.” The economic reforms we need will not only have to address a living wage, affordable healthcare and accessible housing — they will need to repair the wrongs of the past. : : — Cameron Pruette Cameron Pruette is president of the LGBTQ Democrats of Mecklenburg County.
Oct. 2-15, 2020
qnotes
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BRIEFS
news Carey to Step Down as ED at Task Force
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After serving the National LGBTQ Task Force for 17 years, 12 of them as executive director, Rea Casey has tendered her resignation and will step down as the organization’s leader, effective at the end of January 2021. In a letter she shared with supporters, she said, “It has been a remarkable ride. Just to be alive during a time of such progress over the last few decades has been astounding, and to serve the LGBTQ community, to work towards freedom, justice, equality and equity in my capacity as the longest-serving executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force has been the joy and honor of a lifetime.” She added, “When I came out as a lesbian at 16 years old in the ‘80s in Denver, Colorado, I never could have imagined that I would be able to work at an organization like the Task Force and to serve and help make progress for our community.” The organization stated that Carey was one of the “most respected leaders in the LGBTQ movement.” Through her leadership, “she has advanced a vision of freedom for LGBTQ people and their families that is broad, inclusive and progressive and has grown the organization in depth, influence and reach.” During Carey’s tenure, the Task Force said that she led the organization to conduct its work through a racial, economic, gender and social justice lens, and has served as a progressive voice in the LGBTQ community and an LGBTQ voice on progressive issues. She has emphasized and led organizational collaboration across the LGBTQ movement and with non-LGBTQ civil rights, women’s, racial justice and other progressive partner organizations. “Her approach to leadership has delivered results as diverse as LGBTQ inclusion in broader legislation; passage of an LGBTQ-inclusive federal hate crimes prevention law; defeating multiple state anti-LGBT ballot measures; fighting discrimination against transgender people; winning marriage equality; successfully securing scores of changes in federal agency policies to attend to the needs of the LGBTQ community; centering immigration, voting rights, and access to abortion and reproductive justice as LGBTQ issues; and, serving as the watchdog on the Trump Administration’s attacks on LGBTQ people and their families.” When Carey took on the mantle as executive director, she set out some goals that she wanted to achieve with support from the community and other activist groups. Among them were progress for LGBTQ individuals and their families (such as securing the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act; winning the marriage equality fight; including the lives of those who are LGBTQ in the conversation and legislation about immigration, reproductive justice, voting rights and healthcare; and changed hundreds of policies at the federal level that have made life better for LGBTQ people and their families). Additionally, Carey wanted to structure the work of the task force to account for the wholeness of lives and experiences; provide stability and sustainability; and evolve it into a majority people-of-color staffed organization, among other initiatives. Carey also shared, “Together, we have helped restore voting rights for millions of previously incarcerated people in Florida; we have conducted the largest-ever Queer the Census outreach campaign to make sure LGBTQ people and our families are counted; and we have trained countless grassroots activists to make progress on the local level.” Stepping up to assume the executive director’s position is Kierra Johnson who has served as deputy executive director since 2018. She will assume duties on Feb. 1, 2021. The board praised Carey’s tenure and Johnson’s incoming leadership by saying, “Combining fiery advocacy with integrity and self-described nerdy fastidiousness, Rea Carey has enabled the Task Force to lead a generation’s contribution towards social justice. She has led the Task Force during one of the largest expansions of rights for LGBTQ people in our nation’s history. … We will miss her generosity and brilliance but are fortunate to now join together to support Kierra Johnson, who speaks to this moment with fierceness and compassion that are entirely her own. … Her experiences as a BIPOC will resonate with so many in our economically, racially, sexually, and otherwise diverse community.” info: thetaskforce.org. Photo Credit: National LGBTQ Task Force (left to right, Rea Carrey and Kierra Johnson) — Compiled by Lainey Millen
U.S. House Approves Suicide Prevention Lifeline
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Sept. 21 the U.S. House of Representatives passed The National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, which when implemented will allow Americans to simply dial “988” to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, instead of the current 10-digit number. Passed by the Senate in May and now the House, this is the first bill that is specifically LGBTQ-inclusive to pass Congress unanimously in history, The Trevor Project said. The FCC formally approved a two-year phase-in plan for the new 988 number on July 16. The passage of this bill was a necessary, concurrent step as it authorizes the funding mechanisms needed for 988 to be successful, and contains several key LGBTQ-inclusive provisions, including requirements for LGBTQ cultural competency training for all Lifeline counselors and the establishment of an Integrated Voice Response option for LGBTQ youth and other high-risk populations to reach specialized care. “This passage is a historic victory, as this is the first explicitly LGBTQ-inclusive bill to pass unanimously in history — and 988 will undoubtedly save countless lives. … This vital legislation will require the Lifeline to provide specialized services for LGBTQ youth and other high-risk groups, and make it so much easier for millions of Americans to find support in moments of crisis. We express our sincere gratitude to Congressmen Moulton and Stewart for their leadership in championing the expansion of suicide prevention resources,” said Sam Brinton, vice president of Advocacy and Government Affairs for The Trevor Project. According to The Trevor Project’s 2020 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health: 40 percent of respondents seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12 months, with more than half of transgender and non-binary youth having seriously considered it; 68 percent of LGBTQ youth reported symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder in the past two weeks, including more than 3 in 4 transgender and non-binary youth; 48 percent of LGBTQ youth reported engaging in self-harm in the past 12 months, including over 60 percent of transgender and non-binary youth; 1 in 3 LGBTQ youth reported that they had been physically threatened or harmed in their lifetime due to their LGBTQ identity; and 46 percent of youth report they wanted psychological or emotional counseling from a mental health professional but were unable to receive it in the past 12 months. info: thetrevorproject.org. Photo Credit: Ulia Koltyrina via Adobe Stock — Compiled by Lainey Millen
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qnotes
Oct. 2-15, 2020
Richmond makes historical move
In a first, the LGBTQ Progress Pride flag was raised on the grounds of Richmond, Va.’s city hall, the Richmond TimesDispatch reported. The city was the capital of the Confederacy during the times of the Civil War. This was an historical moment for activists and supporters of the LGBTQ community.
info: bit.ly/2HwuWHz.
Network names new exec
NBCUniversal has announced that Janine Jones-Clark has been promoted to executive vice president, Inclusion – Talent & Content, NBCUniversal Film, Television and Streaming.
info: nbcuni.com.
HRC shares remembrance messages The Human Rights Campaign will share messages of “love, loss, or support” on Oct. 4 as part of the COVID-19 National Day of Remembrance. To record a message, text “COVID” to 472-472. Message and data rates may apply.
info: hrc.org.
‘Race’ teams include gay couple
“The Amazing Race” upcoming 32nd season will feature gay couple Will Jardell, 30, and James Wallington, 31, who are dating, Entertainment Weekly reported. The start date for the competition begins on Oct. 14 on CBS. Filming was done prior to COVID-19 pandemic beginnings.
info: bit.ly/3i10Rwo.
’SNL’ casts out talent
“Saturday Night Live” has announced that it has added out Black comedian and writer Punkie Johnson and actress, comedian and singer Lauren Holt to its 46th season, NBC Universal said. Johnson’s recent credits include “Space Force,” “Corporate,” “Adam Ruins Everything” and “Bill Burr Presents: The Ringers.” She was a New Face at the Just for Laughs Festival in 2019 and is regular at the Comedy Store in Hollywood. Holt is from Charlotte, N.C. and has starred “The Filth,” an independent LGBTQ web series, CNET reported.
info: nbcuniv.com. cnet.co/2G6ce9t.
Elders surveying community
The Charlotte LGBTQ Elders group is seeking community input on a number of issues so it can better provide for those the organization serves. Answers will help with future planning, identify the needs of the LGBTQ elder community and become a SAGE affiliate.
info: bit.ly/36aiNCl.
Donor moves to Biden camp
Transgender billionaire Jennifer Pritzker, who donated $250,000 to Donald Trump in 2016, has now made a $2,000 contribution to Joe Biden’s campaign. Pritzker told the GOP when they asked for another contribution, “Why should I contribute to my own destruction?” She opined in a 2019 Washington Post piece that the GOP would “reform from within and end its assault on the LGBTQ community.”
info: bit.ly/3360ufN.
It’s Boystown no more
The iconic Boystown neighborhood in Chicago, Ill., will be now be known as Northalsted to give all members of the LGBTQ community a stronger sense of inclusion, Block Club Chicago reported. The Northalsted Business Alliance decided to drop the Boystown reference in its marketing efforts.
info: bit.ly/36gPtuh.
Dudley’s Celebrates First Year
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Rosedale Health and Wellness’ Dudley’s Place recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, having now reached over 500 clients with HIV care. Founded in 2019 by Rosedale’s Medical Director Dr. Frederick Cruickshank, Dudley’s Place was created to meet the growing needs of HIV positive patients in the Charlotte region and to provide HIV prevention for the community, the organization shared. Named after his best animal friend, Cruickshank’s goal for Dudley’s Place is to provide love and support to clients like Dudley (the puppy) provided him — “Your new best friend”. “Many of the patients I was seeing were missing the comfort and love Dudley provided me. I wanted to create the non-profit arm of Rosedale Health and Wellness to provide an extra layer of support to ensure that the clients were medically compliant and healthy, but also have a complete support system where they had a ‘best friend’ they could rely on. I am thrilled to see this vision come to reality for the community,” Cruickshank added. While Dudley’s Place is only one year old, they have hired veteran HIV/AIDS advocates who support the mission and share the vision in ensuring client services at the highest level. Dale J. Pierce was named the first executive director of Dudley’s Place and who brings 25 years lived and work experience in HIV/AIDS. “This is one of my proudest moments accepting this job and developing an AIDS Service Organization from the ground up,” said Pierce. “Becoming a Ryan White Part A grant recipient started our first year off in an amazing way to serve clients. Thanks to the unique partnership with Rosedale Health and Wellness, we were able to subcontract to provide Ryan White services immediately.” Dudley’s Place offers a variety of services for clients to best complement medical treatment for those dealing with HIV/AIDS to enhance their overall health. In its first year, Dudley’s Place provided clients free transportation to medical appointments with over 7,000 miles of travel and $9,200 in Lyft rides. Dudley’s Place also provided 849 grocery gift cards totaling $42,450 and gave away 220 pounds of fresh vegetables from Dudley’s Garden. The Essentials Pantry provided 552 toiletry bags to clients with basic toiletry items at a $15 per bag value for $8,430. Additionally, Dudley’s Place provided supportive case management to 510 clients and provided 250 hours of individual counseling. Through the Ryan White Part A program, 473 of clients received medical care/follow up, medical laboratory services, nurse visits and assistance with health insurance. The partnership with Rosedale provides opportunities to participate in medical trials, nutrition and mental health counseling, onsite laboratory and pharmacy, case management. “Year two promises more services for the community including advocacy and social events for clients, community education, condoms/safer sex supplies, support groups, PrEP, PEP, housing and volunteer programs,” Pierce shared. The organization has announced that it has started its new Friends of Dudley buddy program. Participants who are recently diagnosed with HIV/AIDS are paired with someone else who has more years’ experience navigating the disease; is new to the Charlottearea with more long-term residents; and/or are two clients who live in the same proximity. For those interested, call 704-977-2972. In other news, the campus has now become a Smoke Free zone. Visitors are required to finish their cigarettes and e-variety before entering the facility’s parking lot. info: myrosedalehealth.com/dudleysplace. — Compiled by Lainey Millen
Campus Pride Moves to Digital Operational Model
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Campus Pride has announced that it has permanently taken its operations fully online to virtually meet the needs of LGBTQ college students across the country. The decision came after the national non-profit adapted its staffing model and all in-person programming during the summer and fall to an online format. “Campus Pride, since it was founded, has always embraced the use of technology to mobilize communities and create safer spaces,” said Campus Pride Executive Director Shane Windmeyer. “This latest move to go completely digital is a throwback of sorts to the way we started out, with staff and volunteers working together remotely and without a physical space to call our own for several years. The decision is also consistent with our brand, which has always been able to adapt nimbly to meet the changing needs of LGBTQ young people.” Over the previous summer, Campus Pride adapted its annual social justice and leadership development academy Camp Pride, to a multi-day virtual camp that had over 100 registrants for each day. The organization also shifted its programming around students by organizing digital events, like Lavender Graduation, Back to School activities, job fairs and social events that allow LGBTQ young people to connect with others in their community during the pandemic. Additionally, Campus Pride terminated the lease for its office and instituted a new, remote internship program. “Today’s announcement is a preview into the many exciting developments that are to come for Campus Pride as we enter into our 20th year in 2021,” said Tom Elliott, newly-elected chair of the organization’s board. “We have started to imagine what things will look like post-pandemic, and we believe there will be a growing need for connecting with LGBTQ college students virtually. Campus Pride remains steadfast in our mission to build future leaders and create safer communities, and this decision to go digital is the best way to accomplish this.” Elliott is the first person elected as chair in the organization’s 19-year history who was a graduate of Campus Pride programming. He had attended the 2007 leadership camp while a student at Southern Methodist University (Dallas, Texas). He is a founding partner of Acacia Consulting Group based in Chicago, Ill. Previously, Elliott served as the communications director for several statewide political campaigns in Illinois and was the director of public relations for Center on Halsted. In addition, the board elected veteran Campus Pride volunteer Don Wilson as the vice chair to serve the organization. Wilson works for Wells Fargo as the vice president of People & Cultures. He joined the board a year ago and has been an active volunteer with Camp Pride for four years. Campus Pride will continue to offer in-person programs and services when it makes sense to do so financially and safely, the organization shared. However, until then, the organization plans to “leverage its existing online resources and programs like the Campus Pride Index, Historically Black College & University LGBTQ Database, Trans Policy Clearinghouse and Campus Pride Sports Index.” In addition, the organization has online expansion plans for new digital trainings and programs to respond to the present challenges faced by LGBTQ and ally youth. “This year has changed all of us. We decided to listen and allow it to change us for the better,” said Windmeyer. “When faced with a challenge, you adapt and create new opportunities.” info: campuspride.org. — Compiled by Lainey Millen
Oct. 2-15, 2020
qnotes
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life
The 1953 Gay Raid in Waco LGBTQ History Month Retrospectives from the LGBT History Project BY Brandon Wolf | Guest Contributor
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n Saturday, April 11, 1953, nearly 70 gay men packed into a small four-room house at 2117 S. 19th St. in Waco, Texas, about 10 blocks from Baylor University. David Owen, a ministerial student at the Baptist school, had invited the men to attend the gathering, which was billed as an “interstate convention” that would culminate in a mock wedding ceremony for two men, one of whom would dress in drag as the bride. The guests were watching a floor show while sipping on beer, wine and champagne. The bride was dressed for the event, and an ordained minister waited to officiate. Suddenly, the doors opened, the windows were blocked and Waco police officers, assisted by a state trooper, arrested everyone. The men were booked into the city jail for “vagrancy” violations, and each posted a $25 bond to be released. But the real damage was done during the coming week when the men’s names and addresses were printed on the front pages of Waco’s two newspapers. This story had mostly been lost from LGBTQ history until 2015, when Houston LGBTQ historian JD Doyle discovered it in a 1988 issue of the gay magazine This Week in Texas. At the time, Doyle was putting together a collection of history articles written by the late Phil Johnson of Dallas (whose LGBTQ archives are now a part of the University of North Texas Library). One of Johnson’s articles focused on the 35th anniversary of the Waco raid. Doyle went on to find various bits of information about the raid in the Waco News-Tribune, the Waco Citizen, This Week in Texas, People Weekly, Dare magazine and the Berkeley Barb. Piecing together Doyle’s research, LGBTQ publications can now present the sobering story of the raid’s aftermath for two of the Waco party guests whose resiliency helped them rebuild their lives.
sidered to be “a person who wanders from place to place without a fixed home or livelihood and makes a living by begging or stealing; a tramp; a vagabond.” The men arrested did not fit this description, but none of them wished to fight the charge in court. In a front-page story on April 13, 1953, Stem told the Waco News Tribune that it was “regrettable” more serious charges than vagrancy couldn’t be filed, but the city was now $1,500 richer from the bonds which all the men forfeited so as not to have to appear in court. The story was later sent out over the Associated Press newswire and reported on by several tabloids. The Tribune also reported that “law enforcement officers have known for some time that a small cell of homosexuals has been active in Waco,” but indicated the Saturday “convention” was the first of its kind ever held in the city. One veteran police officer said that in 30 years of policing, he had “never seen anything like this.” Included on the front page was a picture of Tommy Gene Brown of Dallas, a gay man in his early 20s, fully attired as the “bride.” The story garnered so much attention that a second front-page story was run in the Waco Citizen on April 16, 1953. The newspapers, which published the names and addresses of the arrested men, noted that the men came from all walks of life, and that most of them had prominent jobs and college degrees. It also noted that many of the guests would now be looking for new employment.
Waco’s Gay Life in 1953
Phil Johnson described the Waco gay life of 1953 as small groups of closeted gay men. The bathrooms at Waco’s two train stations and the bus depot were active cruising locations. The basement bar at the Raleigh Hotel was where “eager Air Force men came to be picked up.” Baylor students usually went to Dallas to cruise at the 1313 Club (later named Villa Fontana), hoping to avoid running into anyone they knew. Johnson notes that big gay parties were rare in the early 1950s, so David Owen’s party invitation was eagerly accepted by gay men in Waco, across Texas, out of state and in the military. On the day of the party, the men, who were mostly in their 20s, were having a wonderful time partying into the early evening. Acting on a tip (which Johnson reveals likely came from military police at the local James Connally Air Force Base), nearly 20 members of law enforcement descended on the 1,000-squarefoot residence. The officers on foot and in patrol cars struck so swiftly that some of the arrests were made in the automobiles of men who were just arriving at the party. Some of the guests resisted, but were soon restrained. Several of the men hauled to the police station were wearing formal women’s apparel complete with spring hats and high-heel shoes. As the men posted bond on Sunday morning, a red wig, a Press clippings from newspapers during the time of the Waco Raid. blonde wig, several women’s dresses and falsies were stacked on a table in the police detective’s office. Detective captain Wiley Stem had even found a men, so they used the common excuse in those days of love letter written by one man to another. “vagrancy.” Johnson explains that vagrancy meant that a Police had no specific law under which to arrest the person did not have more than $25 in cash, and was con-
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One Man’s Luck
In 1983, This Week in Texas published an article noting the 30th anniversary of the raid. One man, who asked to remain unnamed, then wrote a letter to the magazine, recounting how he had been one of those arrested at the party. The man was at the time a ministerial student at Baylor in his final year, and due to graduate in August. He was in love with a medical student from Baylor Medical School in Houston who came to Waco for the party. But the ministerial student was afraid to join the party, for fear of being outed. He did, however, agree to drive his boyfriend to the party and then pick him up at a specified time. When he arrived back at the house, the music was so loud that no one answered the doorbell, so he went inside. As he was leaving with his boyfriend, he opened the front door and came face-to-face with a Texas Ranger. “We were treated like the scum of the earth,” the man recalled. The young man was abandoned by his boyfriend, who did not even offer to pay his bail even though the boyfriend was from a rather wealthy family. So the student see Waco Raid on 14
Rosedale Health and Wellness Launches COVID-19 Trial The Research Location is One of 100 Worldwide Sites for a Medical Treatment Study By Chris Rudisill | QNotes Contributor
Steven Haynes, director of clinical research, and Tuyana Matthews, a research assistant, at Rosedale Health and Wellness. (Photo Credit: Rosedale Health and Wellness)
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he novel coronavirus has changed nearly every aspect of our lives. As of Sept. 23, there were over 31 million global cases and nearly 7 million in the United States. During the week of Sept. 20, we also saw the number of deaths in the United States surpass the grim benchmark of 200,000. It has been eight months since the first reported case of a Washington traveler. The U.S. leads the world in coronavirus deaths and has the most reported cases. Research for potential vaccines, treatments and improved testing have rapidly increased. Gilead Sciences ramped up production of its remdesivir treatment months ago, and now Rosedale Health and Wellness in Huntersville, N.C. is part of a new outpatient study. According to an open letter from Gilead Chief Executive Officer Daniel O’Day, it is the first antiviral to have demonstrated patient improvement in clinical trials for COVID-19. Based in California, the pharmaceutical company has been at the center of HIV antiretrovirals and wellknown HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP) medications Truvada and Descovy. Currently, there are no antiviral medicines to treat COVID-19 and no licensed vaccines to prevent infection. Like other treatments currently being tested, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to remdesivir for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. The drug is currently listed in 59 separate studies around the globe with 30 currently recruiting. Only nine of those are active in North Carolina. “During this pandemic, I am glad we can offer treatment options to our community and at the same time have a broader impact
in the world during the pandemic,” said Dr. Frederick Cruickshank in a recent statement by Rosedale. Dr. Cruickshank is an infectious disease specialist who started Rosedale as a private practice in 2006. Rosedale will partner with Gilead Pharmaceutical on the treatment trial through December. It is one of 100 worldwide sites for the medical trial to treat patients with mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19. It includes a three-day intravenous (IV) treatment with one month of follow-up, according to Rosedale’s Director of Clinical Research Steven Haynes. There is no cost to patients, and participants in the study will receive a small stipend. Earlier studies have been focused on hospitalized settings and severe cases. “If we can take this into the outpatient clinic, and we can catch those patients before they get to that moderate/
severe stage, we can keep them from getting into the hospital system,” says Haynes. According to ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the trial’s primary objective is to evaluate the efficacy of remdesivir in reducing the rate of hospitalization or death in non-hospitalized participants with early stage COVID-19. This reduces the burden on hospitals. The study will also evaluate the safety of administering the drug in an outpatient setting. Five other locations in the U.S. (three in Florida, one in Maryland, and one in Mississippi) are taking part in the Gilead-funded trial. “We continue to explore its potential to help in this pandemic in various ways, such as evaluating treatment earlier in the course of the disease, in outpatient settings, with an inhaled formulation, in additional patient groups and in combination with other therapies,” said O’Day in an earlier statement. Participants must be over the age of 18 and have at least one pre-existing condition unless they are over the age of 60 years old, which automatically qualifies them. The treatment needs to start four days after receiving a positive result, so only recently diagnosed people with one or more symptom can take part in the study. Testing can be done at Rosedale for current or new patients or at other certified testing centers. “With this study and potential for care we can get our patients treated and know they are being taken care of, as opposed to sending them home and letting them fight this on their own,” says Haynes. There is still limited knowledge about COVID-19 and its long-term effects. Haynes points out that the study will hopefully make the disease a little more manageable and less dangerous for people. Earlier trials have shown that remdesivir shortened time to recovery by an average of four days. After an initial screening following that positive result, there is a multi-day
treatment regimen. According to Haynes, the “Day 1 visit” is where they start the IV treatment, which takes between 30 and 45 minutes. Patients will see providers and have labs done for three consecutive days. Return visits occur on Day 7, Day 14 and Day 28, where they formally complete the study. Haynes points to the limited intrusion that this study causes but understands that some people are still skeptical about any medical research. “I will not conduct any research study here that I would not put myself or a family member in,” he says. Rosedale is known for research projects working with HIV patients. It currently has active studies on Dovato, Biktarvy, a six-month injection trial with Gilead, and a two-month injection by ViiV Healthcare. In addition to the research department, the clinic offers primary and specialty care, an on-site Walgreens pharmacy, nutritionist, mental health support and Dudley’s Place, a nonprofit focused on HIV care and prevention. Haynes has wanted to venture into other areas of internal medicine and sees this as a step for the organization to that next level as a medical research facility. To participate in the study, interested parties can contact Rosedale at 704659-7799, or email Haynes directly at shaynes@myrosedalehealth.com. : : qnotes is part of six major media companies and other local institutions reporting on and engaging the community around the problems and solutions as they relate to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a project of the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative, which is supported by the Local Media Project, an initiative launched by the Solutions Journalism Network with support from the Knight Foundation to strengthen and reinvigorate local media ecosystems. See all of our reporting at charlottejournalism.org.
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Reality TV Goes Drag
‘Queens of the Queen City’ Goes Behind the Scenes of Charlotte’s Drag Scene By Mykah Buff | QNotes Staff Writer
Onya Mann, AKA Brandon Hilton, created ‘Queens of the Queen City’ as a reality show. (Photo Credit: Carolina Cameraman; Retouching, Tania Novikova)
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eleased July 17 on Instagram Original TV (IGTV), the fresh new reality show “Queens of the Queen City” portrays the lives of five Charlotte drag queens uncovering what life is like as a drag queen in Charlotte, N.C. both on and off the stage. Season 1 was scheduled to air 13 episodes, but production halted in March due to setbacks related to COVID-19. The show has resumed production and is nearly halfway through filming for Season 2. The cast includes the show’s Executive Producer Brandon Hilton aka Onya Mann (Hilton’s stage name) along with Erica Chanel, Vegas Van Dank, Crystal Brooks and Tallulah Van Dank. Hilton’s vision of the show came about five years prior to it becoming a reality and was something he said he had just kept in the back of his mind. After his initial move to Charlotte in 2015, Hilton said he had the idea shortly after he had begun revamping his drag career. One day while sitting around with some of his fellow drag queens, he said the idea for the show and its name came to him. It stemmed from a simple thought he shared with his counterparts about the need for a show whose premise would be somewhat similar to that of reality TV show franchise “The Real Housewives,” except the cast wouldn’t be housewives they would be drag queens. “One day I was just thinking out loud and said, hey, wouldn’t it be cool if there was a reality type show that followed our lives called Queens of the Queen City?,” said Hilton. “From there, it just sat in the back of my mind for like five years until it manifested,” he added.
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The show is produced by Hilton’s drag venture Mann Entertainment and was originally designed to be shot and produced for IGTV, which at the time provided only 15 minutes of airtime. While there hadn’t been any plans of trying to have the show picked up by any networks, right after the show’s premiere and airing of Episode 1, Hilton said he began receiving a swarm of emails from different networks showing interest in carrying the show. “Literally, the night the first episode came out I started getting emails from people who worked for networks, people that were networks, all wanting to carry the show” said Hilton. “Even Pluto TV reached out.” he added. Interestingly, the content for the show started out being filmed with an iPhone X, which Hilton said actually “shoots fairly good video quality.” After all the network offers were considered, the decision was made for the show to be carried by OUTtv. According to the network’s website (outtv.ca), “it’s the world’s first LGBTQ+ television network and the leading LGBTQ+ streaming service.” In addition to the show being carried by OUTtv, episodes are now also available on a number of streaming platforms including Roku, Google Play Movies & TV and Amazon Prime Video. Drama seems to be a fairly common element of reality TV, and while stage theatrics may be the show’s main source of drama, it’s not the only source. The show’s cast originally had six drag queens; although you’ll only see the sixth queen on the show’s first episode. But approaching
the show’s big premiere, Hilton said the sixth queen had a mental breakdown of sorts. “Basically, she had a breakdown,” said Hilton. “She even had to go to rehab, and then just out of nowhere she started being aggressive and attacking myself and the other cast members. Eventually, all the other queens threatened to leave the show if we didn’t kick her off the show, so we had to can her.” In keeping to the show’s premise of showing what life is like as a Charlotte drag queen, the production of each episode begins in no certain order. Hilton said “we shoot, we edit and we put it out.” “We just start shooting everything.” said Hilton. “We shoot our home lives and all the queens at their actual houses living their actual lives and all the things that they do. We also shoot all of us coming together for drag shows and events.” Something else that the show covers is an animal rescue charity drag tour called Queens to the Rescue. “We team up with local animal rescues in different cities and put on drag shows, and all the money we raise goes to all the animal rescues,” said Hilton. One of the show’s production team members Kevin Smith answers some questions about what it’s like working on the show. see next page u
What’s it like being part of the team that helps make Charlotte’s newest LGBTQ reality TV show a reality? It’s a lot of fun. The cast and crew all have a long history together. Filming has just been a natural progression to our friendship. What is your job, and how does it help make the show a success? As a producer and show director, my job entails helping with filming and planning and coordinating drag events with local businesses. Can you briefly describe the production process? We follow the daily lives of our local drag queens as they get ready for the big night, including BTS [behind the scenes] as they kiki with the girls to show-stopping performances on stage. Cast member Van Dank, one of the drag queens shown in the series, answered some questions about her role as one of the five queens in the show and what it’s been like so far. Of the episodes that have already aired, which one is your favorite?
My favorite episode so far is from Season 1, when the queens perform at Zen benefiting “Queens to the Rescue” animal rescue organization. What’s it like being a drag queen in Charlotte, N.C.? Being visibly queer in the South is certainly not easy, and going out in drag is about as visibly queer as you can possibly get, so it’s certainly challenging at times. But Charlotte has a few queer spaces where we can perform, have fun and find meaningful community, and I’m really grateful for the different places that this city has to offer us as queer entertainers. I was born and raised in Charlotte, so getting to truly be myself and find new communities in a city where I have so much history is amazing. How did your being cast on “Queens of the Queen City” come about? The group of us on the show have been working together for about two years with an organization called Queens to the Rescue, which uses drag shows as fundraisers for local animal rescues. When Onya decided to select the cast for this show, I think it made sense to have all of us together because we have already worked together so much and have a good rapport. What’s it like being on a reality TV show in terms of the transparency it requires and lack of privacy? I was definitely really nervous at first because I was hyperaware of the editing process and how your words can be twisted around and decontextualized. I didn’t want to accidentally say something that could be manipulated to hurt someone or portray me to be someone that I’m not. But after a while of filming and confessionals, I realized that it was more important for me to just be honest and be myself on camera, instead of projecting a controlled persona.
‘The Queens of the Queen City’ have taken on the backdrop of southern culture. (Photo Credit: Carolina Cameraman; Retouching, Tania Novikova)
What do you like most about being on the show? I love having a different platform to showcase my drag. I am definitely not a “standard” drag queen like you would see on “Drag Race” or in most popular media portrayals of drag queens: I’m a lesbian, I’m alternative, I do a lot of conceptual work. Being able to fully embody all of that on a show that’s easily accessible to the broader public is a wonderful opportunity. : : For more on the show, visit thehouseofmann. com/qotqc.
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Our History and Our Present Legal Eagles: Pauli Murray’s Impact on LGBTQ+ Law BY Connie J. Vetter, attorney | guest WRITER
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[NOTE: It is difficult to write about e owe an enormous debt of gratitude Murray in 21st century terms because to the late Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, who, she did not use those terms for herself, in 21st century terms, was a gender nonincluding he/they, transgender, or gender conforming attorney, activist, scholar, writer, non-conforming. This piece is written professor and priest. There is a direct line using she/her pronouns because that is from Murray’s groundbreaking scholarship the language that was available to her and leadership on race and sex discriminaduring her life.] tion to the Supreme Court’s recent deciOn a personal level, though Murray sion in Bostock v. Clayton County. Bostock had relationships with women, she did says employers can no longer discriminate not identify as lesbian or homosexual. against LGBTQ+ people for being who we She termed herself as having an are. We are protected under the law at work “inverted sex instinct” and saw herself the same as protections based on race, as a man in a relationship with a color, religion, sex or national origin. As the woman. She preferred men’s clothing Supreme Court stated: “An employer who and activities and referred to herself fires an individual merely for being gay or as a man trapped in a woman’s body. transgender defies the law.” In her letters to her aunt, she called From Bostock, we can also thank Murray herself a boy-girl. She sought horfor last month’s Fourth Circuit Court of mone treatment (and was denied it) Appeals decision in Grimm v. Gloucester and surgery to see if she had male sex County School Board which relied, in part, organs that were somehow internal on Bostock, to say that students can use the instead of external. school bathroom that matches their gender Murray was always ahead of her identity and have their name and gender time. We are slowing catching up. We marker correctly stated on school docuhave a lot for which to thank her. ments. [Editor’s Note: Shout-out to Dr. Lisa The iconic and multi-talented Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray at work at the University of North Carolina. Murray’s life story is fascinating Griffin, Ph.D., who used to live in Charlotte and (Photo Credit: Carolina Digital Library and Archives. CC BY_SA 2.0 Generic license) and has been hidden for far too long. who is mentioned in the Grimm decision] Learn more about her at the Pauli Murray (1910-1985) grew up in Durham, Murray Project (paulimurrayproject. N.C., in a family of ancestors who were both At the same time, Murray understood that prohibitorg), visit her homeplace in Durham people who had been enslaved and people ing discrimination based on race ultimately left women and read her writings (“Proud Shoes: The Story of an who were slaveholders, and people who were Irish, behind. Laws that banned discrimination based on race American Family,” “Dark Testament and Other Poems,” Native American and free Blacks. She faced discriminabut left discrimination based on sex untouched meant that “Song in a Weary Throat: An American Pilgrimage”), and tion based on her race and sex throughout her life. She women would still be discriminated against unless they one of the several books about her such as “Jane Crow: was denied admission to the University of North Carolina could somehow show it was based on their race and not The Life of Pauli Murray.” for being Black and denied entrance to Columbia their sex — an almost impossible task. University and Harvard University for being a woman. And so, she advocated for true equality for women. The Present She was forced to sit in the back of the bus because She took on the white male establishment and Black male On Aug. 26, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which she was Black and struggled to find work because she establishment. When the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title includes North Carolina, said that students who are was seen as a woman. She saw the connection between VII) was being debated in Congress, she was tasked with transgender must be allowed to use the restroom that discrimination based race and sex in a way that no one getting votes to pass it with “sex” included as one of the matches their gender identity, and that school records else had. She worked to desegegrate lunch counters and classes of discrimination that would be prohibited. Some must correctly identify them by name and gender identity. busses long before the dates we were taught (if we were thought that by including “sex,” the bill would never pass. The case is Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board. This is actually taught that history). Pauli Murray was persuasive and because of that, “sex’ is a wonderful step forward. As an attorney who does name Murray used her unique understanding and her inincluded in Title VII and “sex” is what the Supreme Court in changes and gender marker changes, I can tell you that novative mind and developed new legal arguments on Bostock just used to include sexual orientation and gender this will make a huge difference for students to no longer race and sex. She argued against racial “equality” that was identity in employment protections. be identified by their dead name and incorrect gender. For “separate but equal” and advocated for equality that was As a testament for how amazing and accomplished students going to college or needing school transcripts for true equality. Her view was ultimately adopted in Brown v. Murray was (and a primer for how white women can a job, the information being correct is a game-changer. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that center Black women), Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who recently Thank you, Pauli Murray, for the years of work and harddetermined “separate but equal” was not, in fact, equal, died and was a Supreme Court Justice, gave Pauli Murray ship and sacrifice that got us here today. : : and led to the desegregation of schools. Sadly, she was credit in Reed v. Reed for the groundwork Murray had laid never publicly given the credit she was due for this (probin defining “sex” in sex discrimination cases. Connie J. Vetter is an attorney in private practice in Charlotte, N.C. ably because she was seen as a woman).
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continued from page 8 had to call a friend in his hometown who wired him the money. He never saw his boyfriend again. When his name appeared in Waco newspapers, the student was called into the dean’s office and asked to withdraw from Baylor. The same fate awaited the student who threw the party and a couple of other students who attended. “This was one of the darkest days in my life, even to this day. Here I had to go home and tell my pastor and my mom that I was asked to withdraw from the university because I was in a homosexual raid at school. “But somehow, God used that incident to give me the courage to go forward. Another Baptist school accepted me. I graduated, going on to a Baptist seminary to earn two degrees and receive an honorary degree. “Today I am a pastor at a Metropolitan Community Church in Texas, and have been blessed with the work of the Lord that I am doing in the church — which I possibly would never have done if that Waco Police Department witch hunt had not occurred.”
The Bride’s Story
In another 1988 article in This Week in Texas, Phil Johnson told the story of Tommy Gene Brown, the hapless Waco bride. Brown was born in Salina, Texas, around 1930. As a young man, he had quite a reputation as a hairstylist and party person, but he achieved his greatest notoriety as the Waco bride. In an August 1953 issue of the tabloid Dare, a picture of Brown with the arresting officer was used with this caption: “Shown here is one of the season’s unhappiest brides. A Dallas homosexual was about to be married when police broke in, hauled bride to Waco city jail along with 66 wedding guests. The bride, who looked ravishing in a faultless satin wedding ensemble pegged at $350,
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was about to pledge troth to an older degenerate. Real minister presided. The raid netted the largest number of self-admitted sex deviants in Texas history.” In a September 1953 issue of People Today, a different picture of the bride was published with this caption: “This man in a pearl-embroidered wedding dress identified himself as Tommy Gene Brown, a Dallas window designer. He was arrested at a homosexuals’ ‘convention’ in Waco, Texas, which drew 125 participants (including GIs) from as far as N.Y. Police raid stopped Brown’s ‘wedding.’” After the raid, Brown returned to his home in Dallas and still held his head high, going on to live a productive and colorful life. In 1956, Brown met a man named Fred and fell in love. In 1959, they moved to the more gay-friendly San Francisco. Fred worked, and Brown kept up the home. Brown became involved in one of America’s first gay organizations, the Society of Individual Rights (SIR), where he helped with the dances and costumes for gay productions of “The Boyfriend,” “Pal Joey,” “Hello Dolly” and “The Wizard of Oz.” As a child, Brown fantasized about being like Shirley Temple, so his friends called him Shirley and the name stuck. In 1968, Brown won the title of Empress III Shirley of the Imperial Court of San Francisco. He was the first person to campaign for the title. That year, Shirley Temple Black, who had been a child actress, was running for Congress. Brown went to one of her campaign rallies and brought back buttons and matchbooks that read “Shirley” so he could use them in his empress campaign. Brown and his partner, Fred, were together almost 25 years. Fred died in the late 1970s, and Brown died in May 1988. : : JD Doyle and his Houston LGBT History website provided invaluable research material for this story. Visit houstonlgbthistory.org/ to learn more.
a&e
‘My Own Words’ Out in Print
BY terri schlichenmeyer | CONTRIBUTING WRITER “My Own Words” by Ruth Bader Ginsburg with Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams ©2016, Simon & Schuster $30.00 374 pages
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lease and Thank You. Those were The Magic Words you learned at your mother’s knee, the ones that opened doors and gained favors. That was also when you learned something important, as you’ll see in “My Own Words” by Ruth Bader Ginsburg (with Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams) letters, when properly collected, can move mountains. Born in working-class Brooklyn in 1933, Joan Ruth Bader was her parents’ second daughter; sadly, their eldest died of meningitis just 14 months later. Theirs was a close-knit neighborhood, and the family had many of the luxuries of the day. Bader attended public school a block from her home; there, because of other girls in her class who shared her first name, she started using her middle name “for more official purposes.” She was
raised to be independent and was an avid reader, a notably talented storyteller and she loved gymnastics but “was not… especially fond of math.” And since she grew up in the shadow of World War II and was Jewish, she was fully aware of anti-Semitism. Even as a child, in fact, young Bader chafed at inequality and “hypocritical rules.” She was also eloquent in her writing and was first published (in a Jewish Center newsletter) at age 13. Her leadership skills apparent, she entered Cornell University the fall after graduating from high school; there, she was greatly influenced by two teachers, novelist and European lit professor Vladimir Nabokov, and constitutional scholar Robert E. Cushman. The latter man “encouraged Ruth to go to law school.” In mid-2003, co-authors Williams and Hartnett approached Bader Ginsburg and pointed out that it was time for her to tell her story, before someone else did. She had known both Williams and Hartnett
for years through mutual interests and similar work, so “Without hesitation, I said yes to their proposal.” In her preface, author and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says that “My Own Words” was meant to be written after a planned biography, but her co-authors “thought it best” to wait on the biography until her “Court years neared completion.” They “flipped the projected publication order.” You might wish they hadn’t. You’ll hang onto every word of Ginsburg’s life story. It’s everything you’d expect from her, and it surely won’t disappoint readers. What will, though, is that “My Own Words” aren’t always her own words. Yes, you’ll read transcripts of speeches by Ginsburg, legal briefs, bench announcements, introductions and wisdom inside law review articles. Yes, you’ll see her fierce strength in that which she firmly believed. But a good amount of this book consists of various-length essays, speeches and articles written by others about Ginsburg, including things written by her co-authors. That could be a disappointment; the written speeches and judgments are okay, but a biography...? Wait for it. This is not a bad book. It’s just not what you might expect, so be warned. If you want more biography, fewer essays, be patient; it’s likely to be coming. In the meantime, “My Own Words” will please you. : :
‘Gatecrasher: How I Helped the Rich Become Famous and Ruin the World’ Out in Print
BY terri schlichenmeyer | CONTRIBUTING WRITER “Gatecrasher: How I Helped the Rich Become Famous and Ruin the World” by Ben Widdicombe ©2020, Simon & Schuster $27.00 / $36.00 Canada 305 pages
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ave you heard about....? It’s true. You learned it from your best friend’s husband’s boss’ wife at a neighborhood get-together last month, and it was confirmed last weekend. You don’t like to spread stories but, well, actually you do because who doesn’t love a little gossip in their life? Who doesn’t crave knowing the skinny about the fat cats? You, nah, you love it, and in “Gatecrasher” by Ben Widdicombe, you’ll get an eyeful. The very idea of living in New York City was exciting. When Widdicombe and his “handsome and naughty boyfriend Horacio” told friends they were moving from Australia to the Big Apple, most were supportive. One, a conman who insinuated that he was of aristocratic descent, even offered them a flat in The Dakota which, of course, never materialized. This perhaps should’ve been a good indication of what was to come for Widdicombe. A few minor pays-the-bills jobs and several different apartments later, after exploring their new hometown, getting their bearings and enjoying the thrill of celeb-spotting, Widdicombe and his boyfriend accidentally moved into a building across the street from the founder of Hintmag.com, one of the Internet’s first online-only fashion mags. “... by watching and listening,” Widdicombe says, “I
picked up a few things,” which led him and Horatio to suggest a fashion-industry gossip column for the e-zine. They called it “Chic Happens.” That was fun while it lasted, and it pointed Widdicombe in the direction of what became a career in society-watching, storytelling and dirt-dishing. It also gave him a front row seat in an ultimate cultural shift. Back in the mid-to-late 1990s, many of this country’s celebrities were “high-net-worth individuals” in the process of “becoming embraced as a sub-culture,” he says. When the new millennium arrived, wealth began to be perceived not as something one was born into or worked hard to get, but as a “bold lifestyle choice” which could be enhanced by outrageous behavior and plenty of publicity. And ultimately, says Widdicombe, this shift in celebrity attitude got us where we are, politically. Between deliciously dishy tales and cleverly analogous turns of word, “Gatecrasher” is one hundred percent delightful to read. Separate from the fun, it’s also informative. From its first page, there’s very little holding back in this book, which is gleefully wonderful; even when author and New York Times columnist Widdicombe can’t name names, he offers precise-enough hints that most readers will know to whom he’s referring. In that, we’re whisperedto here, but not pandered-to; pleasantly scandalized but not insulted. Even better, unlike so many memoirs of this ilk, the life of a gossip columnist isn’t presented as all diamonds-andchampagne: Widdicombe also writes of the frustrations of
the industry, the everything-faux realities and the let-down of clearly seeing both. You shake your head at the latest in tabloid TV. You sigh at Washington politics. You scan the tabs at the supermarket check-out line, and so this is a book for you. Indeed, “Gatecrasher” may be the summer’s most fun book you’ve heard about. : :
Author Ben Widdicombe.
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What Science, Religion and History Say About Sexuality Tell Trinity
BY Trinity | CONTRIBUTING WRITER Hey Trinity, I’ve often wondered what your answer would be if asked, “Why are some people gay and some not?” Yours, In Question, Orlando, FL Hey In Question, Science sort of says, “it’s the hypothalamus.” Religion sort of says, “it’s Divine (or Undivine).” History says, “it’s been this way since the beginning of time.” And I say, it’s simply normal, healthy and imperative to have diversity. And gay folks were divinely created for the well-being and survival of population and human culture. I also think most of us are born bisexual with strong or weak tendencies toward one preference or the other. Some find one, some find the other and some find both. But, pumpkin, no matter what… Respect, Rejoice and Read as many books on sexuality as you can. Love, Trinity
things to do. Help? Yours, Not Giving Up, Fire Island, NY Hello NGU, Now let me get this right. You’ve doing everything you can and still he’s “not interested!” Well guess what? He’s not interested! Let me say that again just in case you missed it the first few times, “HE’S NOT INTERESTED” which means, he’s not interested! And, sweetie, this also means… you need to move
Hello Trinity, I’ve been trying for months to get the one I love to love me back. I know that I’ve found my soul mate. I send flowers, visit his work and even offer to pay off some of his debts, but still I get, “Not interested!” I’m out of
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Dearest Trinity, I went on a first dinner date where everything went wrong, the food, the service and the way I reacted. What should I do next time? Yours, Dining Disaster, Albuquerque, NM Dearest Disaster, Just when you think you’ve picked the perfect night, perfect restaurant and perfect menu, a full moon rises and disaster strikes. So, darling, when going on a date with someone new, at least for the first few dates go to places you’ve been to before, with guarantee good atmosphere, great food and with a waitperson you know. Save unfamiliar dining adventures
for close friends and political enemies. Better luck next time, Trinity Dear Trinity, I recently moved to a new town, and am trying to make new friends. I’ve made a few good friends, but I keep losing them for one reason or another. Maybe I’m doing something wrong. What does it take to keep new friends? Yours, Friendless, Flint, MI Dear Friendless, It’s really not easy finding new friends, and I applaud you for taking on this arduous task. Making and keeping friends is mostly trial and error. So, honey, before you end up on trial for being a big error, here’s:
Trinity’s Powerful Tips for Keeping a Good Friend
1. INVITE each other to parties, openings, events and family gatherings. 2. HELP each other through troubles, traumas and triumphs. But don’t be too helpful to the point of caretaking. This can destroy a friendship. 3. LEND each other money if you like, but friends also pay that money back timely and fast. 4. NEVER steal or mistreat each other’s girlfriends, boyfriends or MAC make-up! 5. SHARE and be kind to each other’s girlfriends, boyfriends or MAC make-up. 6. Drinking, drugging, clubbing and late-night adventures are wonderful reasons to keep a good friend nearby UNLESS they’re the reason you’re doing it. 7. KEEP in contact with each other. Even when you finally get hitched, because one day you may be unhitched. 8. BEFORE saying, “I can’t deal with you anymore” because your friend takes drugs and alcohol too far… you must get them help! 9. TEACH each other to be generous, adventurous and impractical as these are the main reasons people are friends. 10. L astly, to MAKE strong, intense and long-lasting friends there must be fighting, arguing, disagreeing and taking time away from each other as well. : : With a Masters of Divinity, Reverend Trinity hosted “Spiritually Speaking,” a weekly radio drama performed globally, and is now minister of sponsor, WIG: Wild Inspirational Gatherings, wigministries.org, Gay Spirituality for the Next Generation! Learn more at telltrinity.com. Send emails to: trinity@telltrinity.com.
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on! (Check out my cartoon for vital tips.)
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The 49 Professions of Joy Health & Wellness: Creativity During COVID-19 BY Jack Kirven | qnotes contributor
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omething that has had a negative impact on many people during the pandemic is boredom. A funny meme I saw reads, “Welp, it’s good to know that being too busy wasn’t what kept me from cleaning my house.” It makes an interesting point: There really isn’t time to be bored, especially not during lockdowns or self-isolation. Creativity is essential to wellness. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the type of creativity that involves arts, crafts or artisanal skills. It can be reorganizing your drawers, painting a wall with a refreshing or invigorating accent color or even rearranging your current stuff. Problem solving keeps the brain healthy, and is a good outlet for excess energy (especially if you are already exercising). In addition to the gratification you can gain from a sense of accomplishment, being aesthetically productive is also a welcome reprieve from binging television or falling into black holes of political headlines, social media arguments and conspiracy theories. I just got back 150 copies of the book I have been working on for 18 months. Refining it with my graphic designer and working through the production elements with my publisher kept me way too busy to be bored. It is intensely satisfying to finally hold it in my hands. It’s a beautiful book, one that was a labor of love. Should you ever get a copy, I hope you will get some of the joy in reading it that I got from writing it. I love nuance and detail, so something else that allowed me to fall headlong into this book project was the fact that I made it multi-layered. There were so many details to polish and perfect, and in many ways it was as if I were writing, carving, painting, choreographing and cooking all at once. And now I have a fantastic little gem to show for it. I can honestly say that having it as an intense point of focus helped me pass hundreds of hours that might have otherwise been spent fretting. When I encountered challenges during this project, it was much better in retrospect to be sleepless with corrections, rather than from whatever nonsense was happening in the news. I recognize that it was a privilege to be able to distract myself in this way; however, even if you cannot remove yourself so completely from current events as I did, it would still benefit your sense of wellbeing to have an outlet for your feelings. Physical activity is an essential part of maintaining healthy mood, but the mind and spirit need exercise, too. I found that reviewing my work umpteen times — hunting for mistakes of any kind — was rather like a form of meditation. Perhaps it was also an exercise in projection? I cannot fix the errors I see happening all around me due to forces
beyond my control, but I can stomp out every glitch I could suss out in my own little world. For many years it has been an effective form of therapy for people of all ages to use creativity as a form of self care. Children who have survived trauma are widely known to vent their fears into drawings and dances, and over time those images transform into expressions of happiness and recovery. I personally have watched my dance students stay in school specifically to take my class, because what I offered them was a structured, nurturing place and opportunity for beauty. You can do that for yourself, if you find you cannot connect online or in person with likeminded folks.
I suggest that when you feel bored or stir crazy, you look around at what you have been neglecting. Use the time to be productive, yes, but also to be emotive. Write your book. Learn to watercolor. Use your phone to peck out that melody you have had in your mind. If none of that appeals to you, consider looking for ways to help others accomplish their creativity in place of your own. Perhaps enabling others is the creative project that speaks most to you. You can practice the art of empowering artists to practice. This is also a time for reflection. In my book, I wrote out 49 reminders to myself that ask me to remember gratitude. All the reasons I have to be happy
and the ways I can enact that optimism. It isn’t a self-help book or guru guide to the meaning of life. It’s rather like a journal I use to remind myself of the life lessons I often forget. Perhaps it would help or encourage you, too? If you’re interested, you can learn more about and buy copies of “The 49 Professions of Joy” at 49haiku.com/product/book-the49-professions-of-joy/. : : Jack Kirven completed the MFA in Dance at UCLA, and earned certification as a personal trainer through NASM. His wellness philosophy is founded upon integrated lifestyles as opposed to isolated workouts. Visit him at jackkirven.com and INTEGRE8Twellness.com.
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Our People: Dee Murray Career Nurse, Wife, Mom, and Grandmother By Mykah Buff | QNOTES Staff Writer
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ee Murray was born and raised in Kings Mountain, N.C. She relocated to Charlotte at a young age and has worked as a healthcare provider since her mid teens. Murray worked as a nurse’s aide while raising children until obtaining her nursing degree around the age of 40. She is currently an RN for Novant Health in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) where she has worked for the last 10 years. What is it like being a nurse in the PACU at Novant Health? It is very much a team atmosphere. We work very hard, but we also have fun. I love my co-workers! What do you like most about your job? Helping people and my co-workers. Have you ever worked in other departments or specialty fields? I have worked with the National Bone Marrow Registry and also as a nurse recruiter. But I have always worked in healthcare since I was 16 years old. Although all medical professionals may not be considered frontline healthcare workers, one may gather that healthcare care providers in general, such as nurses like yourself, might be more at risk of COVID-19 exposure. Can you describe what it was like for you during the earlier days of COVID-19 with respect to your being a nurse? Scary and challenging. There were just so many unknowns.
Are there any additional areas of nursing or the medical field you would like to explore? I cannot imagine being anywhere else. But if I had an opportunity to teach nursing, I would love to. In your interview, you mentioned beginning your nursing career around age 40. What did you do before that? I have raised four children and worked in healthcare since the age of 16. What was it like for you living through an era when being openly gay was considered unsafe? I remember feeling really isolated and lonely as a teen girl growing up in a small southern town. I felt if anyone knew the real me, they would not love me. I can recall being afraid to hold hands with my girlfriend in the car. Choosing only one, what medical instrument within the scope of your current position would you say is most essential to your job? The monitor, but I think my senses are my best instrument. What sorts of things do you enjoy doing outside of work? My wife Riley and I are busy raising our four-year-old granddaughter and enjoying our other 11 grandkids. Riley and I also like to travel when we can. Just last year we traveled to Greece. We also enjoyed a Caribbean cruise for our 15th anniversary. You mentioned a number of LGBTQ organizations in your interview. What organizations have you been a
part of or participated in, and in what ways were you able to contribute? I have volunteered for Charlotte Pride. I also am active in my church, Caldwell Presbyterian, that is very active in many social justice issues. What is your favorite food? Crab legs. What is your favorite color? Purple. What is your favorite book or movie? Ohhh, that is tough. Right now, Riley and I are bingewatching the show “Ratched” on Netflix. When it comes to book-to-movie adaptations, would you say that the book or the movie is better, or does it vary? The book always! Can you describe your domestic situation or home life? Have children? My wife Riley, and I have been married for 15 years. We have four children and 12 grandchildren! I love my wife dearly and cannot imagine life without her. We are crazy busy but incredibly blessed! : :
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