QNotes, Nov. 6-19, 2015

Nov. 6-19 . 2015

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Nov. 6-19 . 2015

inside

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in this issue

qnotes news & features

arts. entertainment. news. views.

14 News Notes: Regional Briefs 16 News Notes: U.S./World Briefs

a&e / life&style 5 5 11 12 13 18 21 22 23

Trans community recognized Perfect ‘Trans-Storm’ Holiday Gift Guide Trans Forward Trans hopes for the future Health & Wellness Tell Trinity Q Events Calendar Our People: Tim Hamilton & Ron Wooten

opinions & views 4 Letters to the Editor 4 Guest Commentary

Annual Holiday Gift Guide We’ve got some great tips for your holiday shopping.

Everything online from children’s gifts, electronics, reading material for the bookworm and a host of local options for your family and friends.

Honoring our fallen brothers & sisters November is Transgender Awareness Month and Nov. 21 is the Transgender Day of Remembrance.

It’s time to recognize the trans community’s great accomplishments, honor those whose lives were cut short way too early and shares hopes for the future. pp. 5, 12, 13

p. 11

Health & Wellness Settle in for the winter with a great workout routine.

Transgender Day of Remembrance Nov. 21

p. 18

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qnotes connect Nov. 6-19, 2015 Vol 30 No 14

arts. entertainment. news. views. goqnotes.com twitter.com/qnotescarolinas facebook.com/qnotescarolinas

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letters to the editor 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.

Dear Editor, I was happy to see Jeff Taylor’s article exploring breast cancer risk and the transgender community [goqnotes.com/37781/]. He makes an important point that we all, cis- and trans- men and women, have breast tissue which extends to the clavicles (collar bones) and into the axillae (underarms) and is retained after mastectomies in cis-women and chest reconstructions in trans-men.

During ten years as a general surgeon, I coordinated the surgeries and oncological care for cis-women with breast cancer, as well as 3 cis-men with the disease. Now, as a cosmetic surgeon performing “Top Surgeries” for trans-men and women, I am often the first physician who discusses this issue with my clients. Likely because, as Mr. Taylor notes, there are no guidelines for their primary care physicians to follow.

Given the current lack of research, I give my patients the following recommendations based on my own experience and our current knowledge of this disease:

• T rans-men who have not had chest reconstruction, and trans-women on HRT should follow the same guidelines for breast cancer screening as cis-women. These guidelines are evolving; but basically get your first mammogram at 40-50 years old and then annually. This may be continued annually, or reduced to every other year, after the age of 55.

• T rans-women on HRT whose anatomy makes mammograms difficult should follow the guidelines above substituting MRIs for mammograms.

• T rans-men who have had chest reconstruction, cis-men, and transwomen who are not on HRT, should have an annual physical exam by a medical professional which includes palpation (careful feeling) of the chest and underarms beginning at 40-50 years old. A CT or MRI should be obtained if, on self-exam or professional physical exam, any lumps, tenderness, nipple discharge or other abnormalities are found. If there is a lump on palpation, CT, or MRI it should be further investigated by a needle or excisional biopsy.

Hope Sherie, MD, FACS, Charlotte, N.C.

contributors this issue

Rea Carey, Stan Kimer, Jack Kirven, Lainey Millen, Mauricio Rezende, San Diego LGBT Weekly, Hope Sherie, Jeff Taylor, Chris Tittel, Trinity

guest commentary

front page

New GOP embraces gays

Graphic Design by Lainey Millen Photography: Paulista via Dollar Photo Club

As a dedicated reader of GLBT online newspapers, including yours [qnotes], I’m amazed by how endlessly hateful and intolerant the reporting is on the Republican Party [in some papers].

There is a new day for gay people in the GOP. Consider this: The Republican National Committee has removed all anti-gay planks from their 2016 national platform.

The lead attorney, who won the California and USSC [United States Supreme Court] cases that declared bans on same-sex marriages unconstitutional, was George W. Bush’s former evangelical right-wing solicitor general, Ted Olsen. Yet, Mr. Olsen’s name is never mentioned in the gay press.

GOP senators from Illinois, West Virginia, Ohio and New Hampshire, as well as the Koch Brothers, signed amicus briefs to the USSC in support of gay marriage. So did over 300 other influential conservative Republicans, former cabinet members and senior staffers to GOP senators and U.S. representatives, as well as those serving powerful Republican state legislators, according to TIME Magazine.

GOP Govs. Rick Snyder (Michigan) and Chris Christie (New Jersey) dropped their opposition to gay marriage. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman supported legal same-sex marriage. Tennessee Gov. and Chair of the Republican Governors Association Bill Haslam now supports marriage for us and so does Gov. John Kasich of Ohio.

Sen. Rand Paul has advocated for estate rights for gay couples.

Tammy Bruce, an avowed lesbian and top ranked conservative talk show host for Los Angeles KABC-AM, is also the deputy editor of the conservative Washington Times, as well as a regular panel host for women of the televised Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

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, editor@goqnotes.com Assoc. Editor: Lainey Millen, specialassignments@goqnotes.com Social Media Editor: Jeff Taylor, socialmedia@goqnotes.com Production: Lainey Millen, x205 production@goqnotes.com Printed on recycled paper.

Material in qnotes is copyrighted by Pride Publishing & Typesetting © 2015 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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The focus of QNotes is to serve the LGBT and straight ally communities of the Charlotte region, North Carolina and beyond, by featuring arts, entertainment, news and views content in print and online that directly enlightens, informs and engages the readers about LGBT life and social justice issues.

by Mauricio Rezende, Orlando Fla. :: guest contributor

No GOP Congress has ever cut AIDS funding.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott selected an openly gay man as his chief economic development adviser. Mr. Scott also appointed the president of the Log Cabin Republicans of Miami to the Florida Commission on the Status of Women.

And Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner joined New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in banning conversion therapy.

When the Light is shining in, the gay press should not keep their readers in the dark. : :

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life

Transgender Awareness Month

Task Force recognizes trans community Strides made, but more work left to do

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s we mark Transgender Awareness Month, there is much to celebrate in terms of awareness for the transgender community, but there are urgent issues that must be addressed that directly affect transgender lives.

For the first time, and with activist and actor Laverne Cox blazing the trail, we have two popular television shows with transgender characters in lead roles — “Transparent” and “Sense8” — in addition to the reality shows “I am Cait” and “I am Jazz.” The former has broken new ground by not only featuring Caitlyn Jenner, but also transgender activists such as Angelica Ross who have spoken to the experiences of trans women of color and low-income trans people.

This has literally “introduced” millions of Americans to transgender people for the first time and is a success indicator for the years of work to highlight the transgender community and the issues that they face. President Barack Obama made history this year by being the first president to mention transgender people in a State of the Union Address.

Indeed, the Obama Administration has continued to show strong support for the transgender community — from coming out against conversion therapy after the suicide of Leelah Alcorn, to speaking out against the violence against transgender women of color during a White House reception, to defending transgender teen Gavin Grimm’s right to use the

school bathroom that corresponds with his gender identity under Title IX. But with all the awareness, there has been too little attention paid to the murders of transgender women, and particularly transgender women of color, across the nation and the shocking rates of unemployment, homelessness and poverty that are way above those faced by the rest of the LGBQ community and the general public. The solution to these problems are as diverse as employers hiring more transgender people to every level of government passing strong non-discrimination laws, from passing federal legislation that effectively tackles police profiling to not criminalizing people engaged in sex work. While progress has been made through groundbreaking EEOC rulings, we are still waiting for Congress to pass a strong, explicit and comprehensive federal non-discrimination law. We also know that the Obama Administration’s ICE memo that came out this year will only continue to put transgender detainees in harms way — the only way to stop violence against LGBTQ detainees is to end detention altogether.

As we mark this very special month, we all must work harder for a world where transgender people and all LGBQ people can bring their whole selves to life without the fear of discrimination, persecution and violence. : : — Last year, the National LGBTQ Task Force, works to secure full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people, launched the public education campaign #StopTransMurders. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the murder rate of transgender women of color across the country and to stimulate discussion about how to solve the national tragedy. To learn more about the campaign, visit thetaskforce.org/stoptrans-murders/.

The Perfect “Trans-storm” Diversity key in fight for equality

by Stan Kimer, Total Engagement Consulting by Kimer :: guest contributor

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any people are familiar with the term, “the perfect storm” that describes an event where a rare combination of circumstances will impact a situation drastically. I truly believe we are now in “a perfect storm” for the fight for equality including workplace and health benefits for transgender people. Many positive recent happenings have now all aligned so that there is a tremendous focus on understanding and appreciating this misunderstood and often maligned segment of our population.

As a diversity consultant with a deep expertise in LGBT diversity, when I have presented an LGBT diversity workshops to human resources professionals throughout 2015 (see totalengagementconsulting.com/blog/2015/05/lgbt-pride-month-2015-year-t/), a vast majority of questions during the Q and A time are about the transgender segment. In early September, I delivered a workshop titled “Corporate and Organizational Support for Transgender People: The Whys and Hows” at the monthly meeting of the HR Management Association of Greensboro (North Carolina) to a sold out crowd of over 150 engaged HR practitioners. Yes — we are not talking New York City nor San Francisco, but here in North Carolina!

Here are the five items in chronological order which I believe have contributed to what I have termed this “perfect trans-storm:” 1. The 2009 “coming out” of high profile celebrity Chas Bono, the child of pop singers Sonny and Cher.

2. The growing popularity of transgender television star Laverne Cox on the hit television show “Orange is the New Black” which premiered in 2013 and is still running. And this was followed in 2014 with a photo of

Laverne Cox on the cover of TIME Magazine with the story titled “The Transgender Tipping Point – America’s Next Civil Rights Frontier.”

3. The executive order signed by U.S. President [Barack] Obama on July 21, 2014, making it illegal to fire or harass employees of federal contractors based on their sexual orientation or gender identity and explicitly adding discrimination against transgender employees within the federal government (see totalengagementconsulting.com/blog/2014/07/op-edpresident-obamas-latest-executive-order-protecting-lgbt-americanstrue-american-do/).

4. The much publicized gender transition of Olympic champion Bruce Jenner to Caitlyn in July of this year.

5. On Aug. 19, 2015, The White house announcing the hiring of its first openly transgender staff member, Raffi Freedman-Gurspan, outreach and recruiter director for Presidential Personnel.

Coincidentally, the day I presented my workshop at the Greensboro Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) chapter meeting, the September issue of the SHRM monthly HR Magazine was delivered to my home. And the cover story? “The New Face of Diversity — Transgender Employee Policies Are Gaining Support — Are You Ready?” : : — Stan Kimer is the owner of TotalEngagement Consulting by Kimer and has published “A 2015 More Comprehensive Outline on Human Resources Support for Transgender Employees” which can be found online at workforcediversitynetwork.com/res_articles_ComprehensiveOutline HumanResourcesSupportTransgenderEmployees_kimer.aspx.

He can be reached at stan@totalengagementconsulting.com.

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Nov. 6-19 . 2015

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life

Annual Holiday Gift Guide

Shopping for someone on your list just got easier Idea starters and options from both local and online outlets

by Jeff Taylor :: qnotes staff

Online

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hopping out in the real world is a hassle of cluttered aisles, lines, hideous lighting and crowds. Avoid all that by doing your buying online. Whether you are shopping for the kids in your life or for adults, you can get everything you need without stepping out into the headache waiting to happen that is retail stores during the holiday season.

For the kids: hottest toys Fisher-Price Bright Beats Dance & Move BeatBo $35-$45 Available from amazon.com.

An interactive toy for babies and toddlers with a large multi-color, interactive LED grid tummy with “dancing” body. Introduces babies to colors, ABCs and counting with simple games.

Journey Girls 2015 Italy Holiday Doll — Giovanna $50-$65 Available from toysrus.com and amazon.com.

One of the best selling dolls, the Journey Girls Italy Doll is dressed in a ball gown, with accessories. For three years and up.

Star Wars Bladebuilders Jedi Master Lightsaber $55-$65 Available from toysrus.com and amazon.com For the Star Wars lovers, this kit takes the toy lightsaber to the next level. Perfect for playtime and for costumes or cosplay.

Electronics Amazon Echo $180 Available from amazon.com.

Amazon Echo is a voice-controlled device that can hear you from across the room, even with music playing.

It is a speaker, but so much more than just that, as you can get sports scores, the traffic and weather reports, listen to audio books, shop, control light switches and answer common questions. For those techies who seem to have everything, the Amazon Echo may be the perfect gift solution.

Flux Capacitor USB Car Charger $25 Available from thinkgeek.com.

Not your average USB car charger. For fans of the “Back to the Future” films, or anyone who owns a DeLorean. Can charge two devices at once. Lights up in the famous Flux Capacitor light pattern, with a switch to turn it off if the lightshow gets annoying. Although, really, how could it?

Light Show Fountain Speakers $20 Available from thinkgeek.com.

A lights and water show to go along with your music. Compatible with all USB-friendly devices. Add extra flare to your listening experiences.

Book club “This Book is Gay”

by James Dawson $8-$12 Available from amazon.com.

A book for young adults who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or curious. An uncensored look at what it is like to grow up as an LGBT person from people across the gender and sexual spectrums.

“And Then I Danced: Traveling the Road to LGBT Equality”

by Mark Segal $12-$30 Available from amazon.com and powells.com.

Lifelong gay rights activist Mark Segal tells his fascinating life story. Segal, who publishes the Philadelphia Gay News, was present at the Stonewall riots and was influential in popularizing new protest tactics, such as “zaps.”

“Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic”

by Alison Bechdel (former qnotes contributor) $9-$20 Available from amazon.com and powells.com.

The groundbreaking graphic novel “Fun Home” tells the story of Bechdel’s lesbianism and her difficult relationship with her late father.

It was recently in the news again as a number of Duke University freshmen recently refused to read the book because of its frank depiction of gay sex. The book has been commended for its honesty and Bechdel’s expert writing.

Local

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he holiday season is a time when many not only give gifts to friends and family, but also choose to show support for organizations and causes they believe in. That is often done through charitable donations. Not everyone can afford to cover everyone on their list and also donate, but it is still possible to show support for your local community through your purchasing power. Instead of giving your money to giant corporations that may not align with your beliefs, consider patronizing a local LGBT- or LGBT-friendly business. Here are some to consider.

CLTCH 1512 Central Ave., Charlotte 704-375-2444 facebook.com/cltch.

CLTCH opened this summer in Plaza-Midwood

by Lesa Kastanas, social media strategist for Soul Gastrolounge and The Diamond, stylist Linda Martinez and musician, event planner and makeup artist Scott Weaver, previously featured in “Our People” in June. The boutique offers accessories, jewelry and collaborations with local labels. Again, that offers a double chance to support your community.

or at the Charlotte vintage clothing store Frock Shop, located at 901 Central Ave. Their offerings range in price, meaning you can pick up something small for an acquaintance or a stocking stuffer item, like their Choir Tea Lights ($35). Or you can get that special someone something more elaborate, like their Mother Ship Pendant Light ($300).

Silverfly 1111 Metropolitan Ave. #150, Charlotte 980-819-7216 silverflybrands.com.

Silverfly is a speciality men’s store located just outside of Uptown Charlotte. If you’re looking for something for the fashion-conscious man in your life, Silverfly will likely have what you are looking for. It was named “Best LGBT-Friendly Locally Owned Clothing Store” in this year’s QList Awards. Owner Fidel Montoya opened Silverfly in 2012 and just opened a second store called Silverfly Sport in the South End district of Charlotte.

Sleepy Poet 4450 South Blvd., Charlotte 704-529-6369 CLTCH sleepypoetstuff.com.

Portable shot glass from Trixie & With 55,000 square feet Milo (so stealthy that it collapses and 250 booths, Sleepy Poet into a keychain) and the last of the is perfect for anyone on your popular Permanent Vacation limited list with an eye for items edition Panthers tees. with some history. You will be sure to find what you are looking for among Paper Skyscraper the seemingly endless options. They offer 330 East Blvd., Charlotte antique furniture, vintage clothing and home 704-333-7130 décor of various styles. Sleepy Poet won the paperskyscraper.com.

“Best LGBT-Friendly Locally Owned Antique Voted the “Best LGBT-Friendly Locally Shop” in this year’s QList Awards.

Owned Retail Store” in this year’s QList Awards, Paper Skyscraper, owned by couple White Rabbit Ron Wootten and Tim Hamilton, who happen 704-377-4067 to be the featured “Our People” Q&A for this whiterabbitbooks.com. issue. It has been one of Charlotte’s favorite White Rabbit has proudly served the North gift stores since it opened back in 1989. Their Carolina LGBT community for over 30 years eclectic inventory makes it an ideal place as the premier shopping destination for at which to stop when you are looking for those seeking LGBT-themed books, clothing, something for a hard-to-buy-for person on your Pridewear and more. With its brightly-painted list or if you need stocking stuffers, be they gag building on Central Ave., you can’t miss this gifts or practical items. They also sell local art, store. Stop in to peruse through its massive giving you the chance to support both a local selection of stylish underwear from brands like business and an artist at the same time.

Andrew Christian, Greg Homme, Pistol Pete, Nasty Pig, Junk Jeans and more. If you have a Powder Studio movie lover on your 980-202-1690 list, check out the powder-studio.com. store’s selection of Engaged couple unique LGBT-themed Nathan Tucker and DVDs. RainbowStephen James create inspired gifts and handmade porcelain other odds and ends creations, from lightround out the store’s ing fixtures to vases to products. jewelry trees. You can purchase their work Powder Studio through their website Choir Tea Lights

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Transgender Awareness Month

Transgender Forward Timeline showcases key milestones in trans history, equality

by San Diego LGBT Weekly

[qnotes, as a part of the LGBT History Project sponsored by the Philadelphia Gay News, brings you this history article, as well as many more online at goqnotes.com.

Enjoy the insightful, entertaining and enlightening features.]

As the gay and lesbian community celebrates marriage equality across the United States, the transgender members of the LGBT community continue to work diligently to place their civil rights front and center, as we move into the next chapter of LGBT equality.

To many, it seems as if the transgender movement has come from nowhere in the last decade, but the reality is that transgender Americans have been fighting for civil rights right along with the lesbian, gay and bisexual members of our community for decades. Here are a few key highlights of transgender people within the tableau of American LGBT civil-rights history: c. 1800: “Woman Chief” Barcheeampe A leader of the Crow nation, the “woman chief” was known for her war exploits and had several wives.

1871:We’Wha Two-spirit Zuni Native American who was born male but lived as a woman. An accomplished weaver and potter, in 1886 the six-foot Zuni maiden met President Grover Cleveland, who was unaware that she was two-spirit.

1952: Christine Jorgensen A trailblazer who was the first person in America to receive sexual-reassignment surgery, Jorgensen, a former GI, became a household name and put the issue of gender identity in the American conscience.

1957: Billy Tipton jazz album released Renowned Jazz musician lived his life as a man and “married” several women. He was discovered to be biologically female upon his death.

1965: Dewey’s Coffee Shop Protest One hundred and fifty “non-conforming” people protested Dewey’s Coffee Shop in Philadelphia because it refused service to young people who were dressing in clothing that did not conform to their gender. The protest led to an end of the discriminatory policy.

1966: “Transsexual Phenomenon” published Dr. Harry Benjamin published a seminal work that described the medical transition for transgender people. Benjamin helped Jorgensen in her transition and acknowledged her in the preface of the book: “Without Christine Jorgensen and the unsought publicity of her ‘conversion,’ this book could hardly have been conceived.”

1969: Stonewall Riots The legendary seminal event of the LGBT civil-rights movement included members of the transgender community. The LGBT community resisted police abuse on the night after Judy Garland’s funeral, which many attribute for the frayed nerves.

1970: Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) Started by transgender legends Sylvia Rivera and Marsha Johnson, STAR was an advocacy group for transgender people.

Both Rivera and Johnson were rioters at the Stonewall Inn

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and helped usher in the tepid acknowledgment of transgender Americans as part of the gay civil-rights movement.

1975: Minneapolis passes transgender legislation Minneapolis becomes the first city to pass an anti-discrimination law protecting transgender people. That’s right, Minneapolis, in 1975.

1977: Renée Richards The next transgender icon who pierced the American consciousness, Renée Richards was an eye doctor who became a professional tennis player and challenged a ban that prevented her from playing in the U.S. Open as a woman. The New York Supreme Court overruled the ban, making Richards the catalyst for a landmark decision concerning transgender rights.

1986: FTM newsletter Lou Sullivan published the FTM newsletter, which was later transformed by Jamison Green into FTM International, the world’s largest information and networking group for female-to-male transgender people and transsexual men. Sullivan is credited with bringing female-to-male transgenderism to the forefront.

1991: Rift with Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival Nancy Burkholder was removed from the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival when she was discovered to be transgender. The removal led to an annual protest by the transgender community, which continued through this year, when the festival ceased.

1993: Brandon Teena Teena, a transgender man, was murdered in Nebraska. The story of his journey and death was later chronicled in the Oscarwinning film “Boys Don’t Cry.” 1995: GenderPac formed Transgender activist RiKi Wilchins formed the first advocacy group dedicated to gender identity and expression. The organization ushered in the period where the national transgender movement took hold.

1999: First Transgender Day of Remembrance The first Transgender Day of Remembrance honored those who have died due to anti-transgender violence. The commemoration was a direct result of the murder of Rita Hester in Massachusetts.

1999: Transgender Pride flag created Monica Helms created the transgender flag, saying, “The stripes at the top and bottom are light blue, the traditional color for baby boys. The stripes next to them are pink, the traditional color for baby girls. The stripe in the middle is white, for those who are intersex, transitioning or consider themselves having a neutral or undefined gender. The pattern is such that no matter which way you fly it, it is always correct, signifying us finding correctness in our lives.”

2002: Transgender legal-aid organizations established The Sylvia Rivera Law Project in New York and the Transgender Law Cen ter in San Francisco were created to advance transgender civil rights using the legal system.

2003: National Center for Transgender Equality established Activist Mara Keisling, with the support of other transgender activists, founded the organization dedicated to advancing the civil rights of transgender people.

2003: Expansion of San Diego anti-bias law The San Diego City Council added gender identity to the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance, the Human Dignity Ordinance, with a unanimous 7-0 vote.

2006: California’s Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act AB 1160 passed into law and prohibits the use of so-called “panic strategies” in criminal defenses. The legislation was named in the memory of a transgender teenager from Newark, Calif., who was attacked and killed in 2002. The law proved ineffective when tested during the murder trial for Larry King’s killer.

2006: First transgender person elected to statewide office Kim Coco Iwamoto was elected to statewide office in Hawaii as a member of the Board of Education.

2008: First transgender mayor in America Stu Rasmussen became the first openly transgender mayor in America in Silverton, Ore. Rasmussen previously had served as the mayor prior to coming out as transgender. He prefers male pronouns, but dresses as a woman.

2009: Chaz Bono transition Child of celebrities Sonny and Cher, Chastity Bono, transitioned to become a man. He chronicled his transition in a documentary, then went on to become a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars,” as well as a transgender activist and spokesperson.

2010: First transgender presidential appointees President Barack Obama appointed the first two transgender people in history. Amanda Simpson was appointed as senior technical adviser in the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, and Dylan Orr was appointed as special assistant to the Department of Labor Assistant Secretary.

2010: First transgender judge in America Victoria Kolakowski became the first openly transgender judge in America, elected by the voters of Alameda County in the Bay Area.

2010: New passport policy The U.S. State Department announced a new policy eliminating the requirement for surgery to update gender markers on passports.

2011: First NCAA trans athlete Kye Allums became the first openly transgender athlete to play in the National Collegiate Athletic Associate.

2011: California’s Gender Nondiscrimination Act AB 887 passed into law, expanding the state’s non-discrimination laws to protect transgender people by including discrimination based on “gender identity and expression” as a type of “gender” discrimination.

see Transgender on 19

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Transgender Awareness Month

Hopes shared by local trans individuals Looking toward the future

by Jeff Taylor :: qnotes staff

S

ome have said that this is the transgender community’s time. More than ever, it seems, the general public is becoming more aware of transgender people and the issues surrounding trans needs. There is still much work to be done to see that transgender brothers and sisters reach full equality. qnotes reached out to local transgender individuals to find out where they see the transgender community headed and what their hopes are for its future.

[Ed. Note: The following quotes have not been edited for content and reflect the opinions of each person who contributed.

However, they have been edited for grammar and punctuation.]

The transgender community is diverse and beyond beautiful.

I think this diversity can serve to tear us apart or bring us together. My vote is for the latter, and my hope is that we move forward as a united front and approach one another with love and curiosity as we embrace the very real notion that there is not a “right way” of being trans.

Let’s love first, especially within our community that experiences enough misunderstanding and hate from the outside.

I also hope for better healthcare coverage for the transgender community, not only for surgeries and hormones, but for better mentalhealth awareness and overall support for the community. 41 percent of transgender folks attempt suicide and 57 percent of them experience friends and or family not wanting to see or talk to them anymore — those stats are from Williams Institute. This is not OK and something needs to be done to address this issue.

— Charlie Comero Hopefully the recent increase in the trans community’s visibility will ultimately result in the decrease of our marginalization. Things are moving in the right direction in a lot of states right now with the passage of inclusive anti-discrimination legislation, but this is something we’re still struggling for here. I’m looking forward to the day when the law is on our side.

— Nix Becher

I have several hopes and dreams for the trans community.

First, I would like to see some form of true community form for transgender people. On the outside looking in, people who are not transgender see us as a cohesive group. That, however, is far from the truth. There are some who feel that you aren’t trans enough if you don’t pass, or if you don’t ascribe to a gender binary, as an example.

Something else I would like to see is the LGB community putting in more of an effort to understand the issues that transgender people struggle with. The fallout from the failed non-discrimination ordinance vote in Charlotte earlier this year showed that many LGB folks didn’t understand how critical the public accommodations piece was for transgender people.

Lastly, I would like to see better support for trans people of color. This subset of the trans population is by far the most marginalized and in need of help. We have no fewer than four trans support groups in the Charlotte area and not one is doing a good job of reaching this population, including the group I founded last year, Genderlines.

— Paige Dula I would like to see the following occur in Charlotte: 1. More community support.

Some organizations are out and supportive, providing services for the trans community, but not many are open about it. Trans people are treated harshly if they, unknowingly, do business with an organization or business that is not affirming. A published list of businesses that are trans friendly in qnotes would be very helpful.

2. More gender neutral or trans restrooms. There are very few in Charlotte. True transgender people are good, law abiding citizens. Everyone deserves to have a safe place to go to the bathroom. The most offended transgender segment is the maleto-female. There is no reason why a transgender male-to-female should not be able to use any woman’s restroom as women’s bathrooms all have closed stalls and are private.

3. A list of trans affirming places of worship published in qnotes.

There are short lists in various places and through word-ofmouth, but a complete list would be very helpful, along with the

names and phone numbers of the churches in those places of worship. Many trans people suffer greatly. Having the name of a trusted spiritual leader to call may avert a suicide.

— Rev. Dawn Flynn When you talk about “the needs of the trans community,” you talk about this greater need for really like a semi societal, cultural, ideological shift. And hearing that back out loud, that sounds like a pretty big — you know, like I’m asking for a lot.

But I think if you look at practice versus theory, I’m not asking for someone to understand every part of my gender identity, the struggle I face with gender dysphoria or the various ways it occurs and manifests and interacts with other diagnoses, but I think people need to be relatively aware of the amount of people who die as a result of hate crimes, like victims of homicide simply for being trans.

On top of that, cis people need to stop having these expectations for trans people. When I say expectations I mean, I think the greater narrative as of now, the contemporary idea of what a trans woman is, is basically a kind of sad, misunderstood, rich, white “transsexual” “woman” who lived her life largely as a man, and succeeded as a man, yadda yadda yadda, vis-à-vis Caitlyn Jenner, when that’s not most trans women. Some of us are sex workers, a lot of us are poor.

A lot of us face a lot more sexual assault and intimate partner abuse than other members of the LGBT community, and there’s this whole entire conversation that needs to be had. And that sounds incredibly lofty, but I think, you can Google it! So many people over think this shit.

Fundamentally I’m misunderstood every day as a person, that’s what I want to change, and that’s not going to change.

Having cisgender people deconstruct their notion of what makes up men and women is asking way too much, and typically I just tell people to fucking Google how to talk to me.

I can preach all day about how we need to destroy the notion that women look, act, be, exist in one certain kind of way — same goes for men — but at the end of the day, I’m just spewing hot air. What I really want people to do is to maybe not gender someone in public. If you see someone who is pretty feminine and you can’t really tell, and you don’t know, don’t gender them. Ask them their pronouns. And that’s tokenizing, but still it’s not as bad as you straight up assuming I’m a dude.

— Justine Matlock

Nov. 6-19 . 2015

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news notes: carolinas compiled by Lainey Millen

Charlotte CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Transgender Day of Remembrance commemoration will be held on Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m., at the CharlotteMecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. 4th St. Speakers include Alexandrea Rose, Parker Petruicick, Lara Americo and trans activist Jacob Tobia.

Social time will precede the formal portion of the evening’s program. Pizza and hot chocolate will be provided.

At 7:45 p.m., organizers will read the names of those who died because of anti-transgender violence. Attendees will be able to light a candle in memory of them during this time.

Closing remarks will end the vigil.

More information about the history of the day is available online. info: onebodyperlifetime@gmail.com. tdor.info.

Different Roads Home will present two awards during the evening’s program. Blogger and Pastor John Pavlovitz will receive the Humanitarian of the Year Award and country gospel music’s David L. Cook will be presented with the Making Miracles Happen Award.

Jeanne White Ginder has also accepted an invitation to appear. Ginder is the mother of Ryan White who captured public attention as a teen when he, at 13, fought for the right to attend school after he was diagnosed with AIDS. Proceeds of the event go to benefit the Jeanne White Ginder Food Pantry housed at Different Roads Home.

Tickets are $25/gallery and $35/orchestra.

VIP package is $125 and includes reserved seating in the first five rows, private pre-party reception with Herndon and other guests, photo and autograph opportunities, swag bag, one cocktail ticket and appetizer buffet. info/tickets: differentroadshome.org.

Herndon hits stage

Pump affair announced

Trans in memoriam slated

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Out country performer Ty Herndon will be the headline performer at the 6th Annual Evening of Hope and Inspiration on Nov. 21, 7 p.m., at the Booth Playhouse at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, 130 N. Tryon St. Others taking the stage for the annual event are Charlotte’s One Voice Chorus and New York multi-dimensional singer/songwriter Addison Moon.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The 7th Annual Red Pump/Red Tie Affair will be held on Dec. 5, 7 p.m., at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Center City, 320 E. 9th St., in commemoration of World AIDS Day. This event is being held as a part of The Red Pump Project which raises awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls,

see next page u

Guild changes name, rebrands itself CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After a quarter-century serving the LGBT business community, the Charlotte Business Guild (CBG) Board of Directors has announced that it is changing its name to the Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce and rebranding itself to comply with today’s world.

In a release, the organization said that “coming out of the closet is good for business.” To that end, its new operational model has shifted from a more closeted and guarded association to one that gives “Charlotte professionals and the business community a chance to see what The Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce President they are all about.”

Chad Turner shares news about the name change at a press Under the leadership conference at the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 22. of its current president, Photo Credit: staff photo Chad Turner, the CBG became an affiliate of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and renewed its relationship as a Diversity Partner of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.

The name change will align the organization with the other five minority chambers of commerce that make up the Diversity Council for the Charlotte Chamber.

A press conference to announce the change was held on Oct. 22 at the Charlotte Chamber, 330 S. Tryon St. The naming was done in memory of long-time advocate and ally Barbara Green, owner of Sensibly Chic, who died unexpectedly during the week of the announcement. As the organization transitions into the newly branded face, the formal announcement is expected to coincide with the Dec. 9 CLGBTCC annual meeting and holiday party. qnotes will provide updates to the announcement as they become available.

Read the entire story online at goqnotes.com/38169. info: clgbtcc.org.

goqnotes.com/to/news

14, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., at saying that “awareness is always Wake Forest School in style.” It fuses fashion and of Divinity, 1834 Wake philanthropy. Women are asked to Forest Rd. Creech will wear red pumps to the event, while lecture in the Wait men are asked to don a red tie.

Chapel at 4:30 p.m.

During the evening, attendCreech’s address is ees will enjoy a cocktail recepfree and open to tion, runway show and awards the public. ceremony where one woman will The conference be presented with the Red Pump will include sessions Award. exploring religious Other past honorees include freedom; the interRev. Deborah C. Warren, Tarsha’ sectionality of race, Hamilton, Geneva Galloway, gender, and sexuality; Joanne Stevenson Jenkins, Dee and ministry in comDee Richardson and DeVondia munity.

Roseborough.

Rev. Jimmy Creech Creech is a coCo-hosts are Hip Hop legend founder and execuEdward “Special Ed” Archer and tive director of Faith in America, a non-profit model/media personality Amanda G. organization working to “end religion-derived Tickets are $40/level 1 general, $50/level 2 derogation’s unique and immense harm to general, $75/VIP and drink tickets are $6 and LGBT youth and their families,” the organizaavailable online. Contributions and sponsortion said. He has been recognized as a leading ships are always welcomed. Hors d’oeuvres voice for commitment to LGBT individuals’ will be served. struggles while maintaining their honor and info/tickets: bit.ly/1KQ8LAl. redpump.org. dignity. Creech was defrocked in 1999 by the Long-time ally passes away United Methodist Church after he defied the CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Barbara Knapp Green, church’s ban on LGBT marriage and officiated 52, died unexpectedly on Oct. 20 at her place at the holy union of two men. of business, Sensibly Chic Designs for Life, 830 Early registration for the conference is Lamar Ave. $25 ($15 for students) until Nov. 11 and rises to A community memorial, “Celebration of $35 for all attendees afterward. Registration is Barbara,” was held on Oct. 28 at Holy Trinity available online at interfaithvoice.weebly.com/ Lutheran Church, 1900 The Plaza. conference.html.

Green was a member of the Charlotte Interfaith Voice is hosting the event. Event LGBT Chamber of Commerce and served on sponsors include the Adam Foundation, Wake the board of directors for the organization from Forest’s LGBTQ Center and the Wake Forest February 2014 until her death.

School of Divinity.

Green was born on June 10, 1963. She reinfo: interfaithvoice.weebly.com. sided in Cornelius, N.C., at the time of her death. faithinamerica.org.

She graduated from Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., with a BA in Music.

Foundation grants revealed A private service was held on Oct. 26.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Guilford Green The family has requested In lieu of flowers Foundation held its annual granting ceremony and cards, that contributions be made to 41 on Oct. 22 at the International Civil Rights Percent, a non-profit organization that pairs Center & Museum, 134 S. Elm St. transgender mentors with a mentee in order to Receiving funds to support organizareduce the possibility of suicide among transtions and their work were: Alamance Pride gender individuals. Green became involved Wellness & Education Community Action Health with the organization and others that champiNetwork, $2,000; Bayard Rustin Conference, oned the LGBT community after she learned $2,500; Community Theatre of Greensboro, that her daughter was transgender. $3,900; Equality NC, $5,000; Faith Action, Read the entire story online at goqnotes. $2,500; Interactive Resource Center, $4,000; com/38343.

Kaleidoscope, $2,500; NC Trans Pride, $1,350; info: clgbtcc.org. 41percent.causevox.com.

National Conference for Community and Justice Anytown, $5,000; PFLAG Leadership, $2,100; Triad ‘Kinky’ return to the QC Friends, $2,500; Triad Health Project, $4,000; Triad CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Back by popular Pride Men’s Chorus, $3,500; University of North demand, “Kinky Boots” will return to the Belk Carolina Queer Student Union, $5,000; University Theatre at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, of North Carolina Speech and Hearing, $3,662; 130 N. Tryon St., from Dec. 29, 2015-Jan. 3, 2016. and Youth Safe, $5,000.

J. Harrison Ghee will reprise his roll as Lola. info: ggfnc.org.

He is a native of Fayetteville, N.C. The musical was developed by Tony AwardTriangle winning actor Harvey Fierstein and Grammy Award-winning rocker Cyndi Lauper who won Fest makes awards Best Score for the production at the Tony’s.

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Crape Myrtle Festival Inspired by true events, “Kinky Boots” takes (CMF) will bestow $83,000 in grants on Nov. 8, viewers from a gentlemen’s shoe factory in 5 p.m., at the ORO Restaurant and Lounge, 18 E Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan.

Martin St. Tickets are on sale now and are available The awards are given to agencies that proonline. vide services for those who are living with HIV/ info/tickets: blumenthalarts.org.

AIDS. The grants will help fight food insecurity among people living with HIV/AIDS in rural areas; transport patients to medical appointments; Triad expand HIV testing; increase awareness around Creech to keynote conference HIV/AIDS issues in the community; and advocate WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Rev. Jimmy for the interests of those living with HIV/AIDS in Creech will be the keynote speaker at the third the General Assembly among other efforts. The annual Out of the Wilderness Conference, Nov. money to fund the grants was raised by a group

of 30 volunteers over the past year.

Statewide awardees include: Asheville — Western North Carolina AIDS Project; Charlotte — Carolinas CARE Partnership and Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN); Durham — El Centro Hispano, Healing with CAARE and Health Justice Law Clinic at the Duke University School of Law; Raleigh — Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina, Equality North Carolina Foundation, LGBT Center of Raleigh, GLBT Center at N.C. State University and North Carolina AIDS Action Network; and Siler City — Wellness and Education Community Action Health Network (WECAHN).

The ceremony is open to the public.

Admission is $10. info: crapemyrtlefest.org.

Dems to hold convention

RALEIGH, N.C. — The LGBT Democrats of NC will hold their fifth annual convention on Nov. 21, 12:30 p.m., at North Carolina State University, Talley Student Center, Room 4280, 2610 Cates Ave. The election of all state officers and congressional district chairs and vice chairs will take place at the convention.

Special guests include Sen. Josh Stein, Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan, Sen. Mike Woodard, Rep. Cecil Brockman, North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Patsy Keever, Raleigh City Councilwoman Mary Ann Baldwin, Wake County Commissioners Matt Calabria and John Burns.

More information is available online. info: lgbtdemocrats.org.

Advocacy org names new board

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina AIDS Action Network (NCAAN) elected three new members to its board of directors.

Joining the board are Cindy Snyder, director of community government relations for ViiV Healthcare; Adam Linker, co-director of the North Carolina Justice Center’s Health Access Coalition; and North Carolina business owner, Tony Franco.

The HIV advocacy organization’s Executive Director Lee Storrow shared, “We are thrilled to have these long-time health policy advocates and HIV/AIDS activists bring their diverse array of experiences and expertise to our work of improving the lives of individuals living with HIV/AIDS in our state.”

Snyder’s company focuses solely on HIV research and products, as well as working with lawmakers and patient advocates with regard to healthcare policy.

Linker’s work deals with state and federal policies as it relates to the needs of those living with HIV/AIDS. HIV-positive Franco has dedicated himself to fighting for those affected by HIV/AIDS. info: ncaan.org.

Western Survivor’s exhibit approaches

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The 14th Annual Survivor’s Art Show will be held on Nov. 12 at the YMI Cultural Center, 39 S. Market St. Public viewing is slated for 5:30 p.m., with performance art following at 7 p.m.

The exhibit is part of the Our VOICE Heart Works’ initiative which features creative

news

endeavors from the organization’s clients and others throughout the community who have been affected by sexual violence. The works are part of the healing process for many while they share their experiences.

Statistics shared by Our VOICE say that during a lifetime, one in eight lesbian women experiences sexual assault, one in two bisexual women experiences rape and 64 percent of transgender people have experienced sexual assault. One in two bisexual men and one in 10 gay men experiences sexual violence.

Wine and snacks will be served. Admission is free.

Other events that the agency holds during the year include: Walk-A-Mile Asheville in April as part of the International Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence; W.E.A.R Asheville (We Each Are Responsible) benefit held in the winter where attendees can purchase a ticket and then pick out a piece of handmade jewelry to take home; and Nourish the Soul postcard project where women create handmade works of art in the form of postcards that are placed in hospital bags and given to victims of rape and sexual assault in a local hospital emergency room.

Our VOICE is located at 44 Merrimon Ave., Suite 1. info: ourvoicenc.org.

Funders meet in High Country

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The Southeastern Council of Foundations’ 46th Annual Meeting, “Bridging the Gap — Finding Common Ground to Create Uncommon Opportunity,” will be held from Nov. 11-13 at the Omni Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave. A variety of educational and social programs are slated for the three-day conference.

The organization strives to support members and grantmakers with access to education, resources and networking by serving as a convener and facilitator, offering a diverse range of voices and perspectives.

During the event, Funders for LGBTQ Issues will hold its Second Annual Out in the South reception in conjunction with thr conference on Nov. 12, 6 p.m., in the Vanderbilt Gallery.

Network members and meeting attendees will gather with one another and receive the just released “Out in the South” report. The communique is comprised of a series of short four-page resources outlining how LGBT communities are connected to various issues and priorities that impassion funders, such as education, health, poverty, youth development, social justice, HIV/AIDS, policy change and the arts.

On Nov. 13, the Out in the South Network lunch will be held at 12:30 p.m. in the Eisenhower Room.

Participants will take time to learn from colleagues throughout the region who are building community-driven funding initiatives and honing grantmaking strategies to make a positive impact on the lives of LGBT Southerners.

Conference attendees and Funders’ members can attend the reception freely. The lunch requires an RSVP to Chantelle Fisher-Bourne at chantelle@lgbtfunders.org.

Hotel and conference registration, including cost, is available online, as well as full agenda details, speaker bios and more. info/registration: secf.org. lgbtfunders.org.

Nov. 6-19 . 2015

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news news notes: u.s./world. goqnotes.com/to/news

compiled by Chris Tittel, qnotes contributor

Transgender bear comes out of the cave

When her father, Tina, came out as trans about three-and-one-half years ago, Australian author Jessica Walton was inspired to write “Introducing Teddy,” a new children’s book that tackles the unique challenges faced by transgender people.

It’s already received massive amounts of praise.

“When we were growing up, Tina was so much fun,” Walton says. “She was such an involved, happy, really down-to-earth dad.”

The story focuses on the shifting dynamics of Tilly’s relationships as she begins coming out to her pals.

Walton wrote the book for her son, Errol, noticing the lack of children’s books that look at transgender issues. Illustrated by Dougal MacPherson, it’s Walton’s first effort, selfpublished through crowd funding. (Walton and MacPherson raised $20,000 on Kickstarter.)

Following loads of positive press about the story, independent publishing house Bloomsbury will publish the book globally in June 2016.

Walton was scared of showing Tina the book for the first time. Tina, of course, loved it.

Estate rejects new film based on famed actor’s screenplay

A pornographic gay film based on an original screenplay by the late actor Sir John Gielgud has wrapped production, but it still faces tremendous opposition from his estate.

Set in a men’s clothing store where an orgy takes place, “Trouser Bar“ stars Nigel Havers and Julian Clary as passersby who spy the proceedings fondly.

In the late 1970s, the screenplay was written in secret by the celebrated stage actor, hailed for his performances in “Julius Caesar” and “Arthur,” and intended for Peter de Rome, who’s considered the grandfather of gay pornography. de Rome never used the script, but it fell into the hands of David McGillivray, who recently produced a documentary about the pornographer.

Now, McGillivray has turned the script into a feature, much to the chagrin of The Sir John Gielgud Charitable Trust.

“Earlier this year, the trustees decided [to] not give their permission for it to be produced because they didn’t think it was appropriate,” trust member Ian Bradshaw told the Daily Mail.

“They didn’t have to go into detail because they own the copyright.”

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The film has entered the editing stage, and McGillivray staunchly defends his decision.

“Pornography is still a stigma in this country, but Sir John loved porn and, in his letters, he talks about visiting gay cinemas,” he says. “I was shocked when the trust didn’t give me permission. We stuck to Sir John’s script very tightly when we made the film a couple of weeks ago. He was very specific about the clothes he wanted the actors to wear.”

“They have come down heavily on me,” McGillivray says. “They are using intellectual copyright as an excuse.”

‘Whoremonger’ fails to remember making gay porn

Former professional boxer Yusaf “Mack Attack” Mack, 35, was caught in compromising same-sex positions and has an excuse for it.

After someone connected the dots and discovered his hardcore gay porn threesome on the Internet, Mack began to tell the world a hard-to-believe tale of twisted deceit.

The self-professed, female-loving, straight father of 10 manage to be duped into performing sex acts with men in front of a camera.

Mack, who is engaged to a woman, was in need of money and says he agreed to star in a porn film to make ends meet. But he insists he planned on making a straight porn film.

He claims that after answering an anonymous ad on Facebook, Mack traveled to an address in the Bronx, where he says there were naked women roaming about the building.

He told Philly.com that he wanted something to drink and they gave him a pill and a shot of vodka. After that the scene (his memory) faded to black.

When he came to, he was on a train at 30th street with $4,500 cash stuffed into his pocket.

Well, that’s when Mack performed a hardcore threesome with two other men. He took his money and went home and did not investigate in incident. But now that he’s been outed as having participated in the shoot, he’s vowed to track down those responsible.

However, he claims he can’t remember his Facebook password, so can’t get in touch with them.

— stories from LGBTQ Nation (lgbtqnation.com), a qnotes media partner

Nov. 6-19 . 2015

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health and wellness

by Jack Kirven :: personal trainer, qnotes contributor

Progressive Calisthenics: Your body is a gym Cost effective fitness that you can do anywhere and without equipment There are many distractions in our busy lives, and all of them are competing for our time, effort and attention. All of them become excuses to not exercise. Many people now travel extensively for work, and hotel fitness centers can be hilariously inadequate. Commuting to and from the gym, especially during rush hour, can be a major discouragement. So is trying to find parking and waiting to use equipment. Some people forgo all those impediments and choose to exercise outside. Of course, the outdoors are beautiful… weather permitting.

What do you do when work, traffic, crowds, weather and other obstacles block your workout mojo?

One of the most effective forms of exercise is the broad category known as calisthenics. Also referred to as bodyweight exercises, these are activities that use your own weight as the source of load and/or tension.

Ashtanga yoga and dance are excellent for developing flexibility, agility, endurance and focus. They are weight bearing, so they are also good for improving bone density. They develop tensile strength that promotes tone without adding size. However, if your goal is to add muscle mass, yoga and dance alone will generally not suffice. There are videos you can use in your private space to do these activities, but doing them in a studio class presents many of the same potential challenges as staying motivated enough to go to a gym.

But here is where all your excuses get thrown out the window: Your body is with you everywhere you go. You can hone extremely effective programs without having to rely on equipment availability, without contending with commuting, without being undermined by weather and without paying for classes and/or memberships that you might not use. Also, the compound movements that form the basis of classical calisthenics can be made progressively more difficult. By honing the number of reps, the number of sets and the amount of rest between activities, you can choose to buildendurance, strength and/or mass in whatever way is best

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aligned to your personal goals. You can continuously level up while also combining many of the benefits of yoga or dance with the benefits of weight lifting.

Progressive calisthenics is a process of gradually performing fewer reps and sets of harder variations on an exercise. Be sure to look for programs that include push-ups, pullPhoto Credit: Aleksandar Mijatovic via ups, squats, bridges, Dollar Photo Club inversions and core stabilization. Start with the variations of these exercises that are easiest, focus on developing perfect form and move on to the next level only when you are able to properly complete the current level.

Advancing through the levels of your chosen regimen will be a long, slow, grueling process, which is exactly what you want from exercise. It could take you months or years to get through all the steps, so not only is progressive calisthenics convenient, affordable and effective, it is also appropriate for long-term fitness goals.

An example of a year-long push-up progression might look something like this: Level 1: Perform 3 sets of 50 reps against a wall, performing the push-up motion while standing.

Level 2: Perform 3 sets of 40 reps with your hands on a chair/desk/bed and your feet on the floor.

Level 3: Perform 3 sets of 30 push-ups on the floor, but with your knees touching the ground.

Level 4: Perform 2 sets of 25 half push-ups with your knees off the floor, but doing only the top half of the range of motion.

Level 5: Perform 2 sets of 20 full push-ups with your hands below your shoulders.

Level 6: Perform 2 sets of 15 full push-ups with your hands together below your chest.

Level 7: Perform 2 sets of 12 push-ups on each side, putting one hand on a block/step/suitcase and the other on the floor (switch the block back and forth after each set of 12 reps).

Level 8: Perform 2 sets of 10 on each side of one-arm half-push-ups, but doing only the top half of the range of motion.

Level 9: Perform 2 sets of 8 on each side of one-arm, push-ups with one hand on a ball and the other on the floor, allowing the ball to roll in and out as you lever up and down.

Level 10: Perform 1 set of 6 on each side of unassisted, one-arm pushups. : : info: 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.

goqnotes.com/to/life

life

Transgender Forward continued from page 12 Illustration Credit: ParaDox via Wikipedia.

Creative Commons license.

2011: New veterans policy Veterans Health Administration (VHA) establishes a policy of respectful delivery of healthcare to transgender and intersex veterans.

2012: ‘Matrix’ director transitions Lana Wachowski came out as transgender while promoting her new movie “Cloud Atlas.”

She is most noted for the “Matrix” trilogy created with her brother.

2013: Official debut of ‘gender dysphoria’ The American Psychiatric Association debuted the term gender to describe those who deem themselves transgender.

2014: Laverne Cox covers TIME The “Orange is the New Black” star made headlines as the first transgender person to be featured on the cover of TIME. 2014: Women’s colleges open doors Mills College and Mount Holyoke allowed transgender women to enroll at their femaleonly institutions.

2014: Gender identity protected in federal employment The Department of Labor issued a rule banning discrimination based on gender identity in federal employment.

2014: Surgery covered by Medicare The Obama administration lifted a decades-old ban on using Medicare coverage for genderreassignment surgery.

2015: Caitlyn Jenner debuts The former Olympic athlete and reality star came out as transgender, going on to be featured on the cover of Vanity Fair.

2015: First trans national anthem singer Breanna Sinclairé became the first transgender person to sing the national anthem at a professional sporting event at the Oakland Coliseum before the A’s game with the San Diego Padres.

2015: Pennsylvania gets transgender physician general Pennsylvania made U.S. history with the appointment and confirmation of Dr. Rachel Levine as the nation’s first openly transgender state physician general.

2015: White House appointment President Barack Obama appointed transgender attorney Shannon Price Minter to the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships. Minter was the lead attorney arguing before the California Supreme Court to overturn Proposition 8.

Nov. 6-24 . 2015

qnotes

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goqnotes.com/to/arts

tell trinity

by Trinity :: qnotes contributor :: trinity@telltrinity.com

Daily dating affirmation…really?

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

Sick O’Dating, Palo Alto, CA Hey Sick O’Dating, Dating is always challenging. That’s life, sweetie. But to survive those draining, difficult dates, it’s best to start every morning with a dating affirmation. Really. It’ll keep you positive-minded and open-hearted. It goes like this, “Dating is healthy, adventurous and educational. With each date, I attract interesting, healthy and supportive people who treat me with respect and kindness. Being single and dating will bring me to a higher place. I also forgive all bad dates and trust they’ll lose their teeth someday.”

There, don’t you feel better? And if affirmations don’t help, Absolute vodka comes in many flavors. That will definitely help! Good luck.

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

Dirty Dating, New Orleans, LA

Hello Dirty Dating, No, you’re not wrong for wanting out. Dating him will eventually mean cleaning up after him, which may be just the start of many other issues. But, pumpkin, it wouldn’t “mess him up” if you told him the truth before ending it.

Better luck next time. (Check out my cartoon for some sage advice and a how-to for dating.)

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

Wedding OUTings, Amarillo, TX Dear OUTings, Being gay means being proud, out and ready for no one to really care about your sexuality, especially in 2015. Today, gay couples are part of everyday life. In other words, they’ll deal with it in their own way! And anyway, honey, when gay couples go to straight weddings, straight folks almost always assume that they’re brothers, unless they slow dance together, and then they just think one is blind.

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

Smoked Out, Montreal, QC

a&e

Dearest Smoked Out, It’s hell, I know, baby. But there are a few lessons I’ve learned. So, here are: Trinity’s Puffy Tips For Dating a Smoker 1. L earn to sit downwind, as far away from or on the floor when your date is smoking.

2. L earn to light incense and carry breath mints.

3. L earn to calmly and nonconfrontationally ask, “Can you move your cigarette, darling, to your other hand, away from me (so that the smoke blows into someone else’s face)!

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

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

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

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

8. L earn to control your nervous twitch, snappy temper and dissatisfaction for dating a smoker as the weeks, months and cigarette burns go by!

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

10. A nd lastly, learn to finally break up with your date before killing him, her or yourself for the torturous months of stink, disgust and disrespect which has now driven you…to smoking! info: With a Masters of Divinity, Reverend Trinity hosted “Spiritually Speaking,” a weekly radio drama performed globally, and is now minister of sponsor, WIG: Wild Inspirational Gatherings, wigministries.org. Learn more at telltrinity.com.

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EVENTS November 2015 Continues through Nov. 14 ‘Birds of a Feather’ Regional Debut Duke Energy Theatre at Spirit Square 345 N. College St., Charlotte 8 p.m.

SEP NOV MO

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Queen City Theatre Company presents the regional debut of “Birds of a Feather,” based on the true story of two male chinstrap penguins, Roy and Silo, who partner, adopt an egg and raise the chick once it hatches in New York City.

The pair were featured in the controversial and oft banned children’s book “And Tango Makes Three.” Four actors play over 30 roles to bring this comedic yet heartfelt play to life. Recommended for those 13 and above. Tickets are $23$25, with senior and student discounts available. Tickets and more information are available online. queencitytheatre.com.

Continues through April 3 SEP NOV MO ‘Viva Moschino’ Mint Museum Uptown 500 S. Tryon St. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Selected works from internationally renowned gay fashion designer Franco Moschino are on display at the Mint Museum Uptown in the exhibit “Viva Moschino!” Taken primarily from two private collections out of the Chicago area, institutional loans and the Mint’s own collection, the show focuses on Moschino’s work between 1983 and 1994. The Italian born designer began his career as an illustrator for Gianni Versace and went on to work for Karl Lagerfeld. His creations were worn by rock stars, actors and Princess Diana. A portion of the proceeds will go to support the Moschino Foundation, a charity founded to assist HIV-positive children. Ticket prices and more information are available online. mintmuseum.org.

–––––––––––––––––––– Charlotte Pride Band’s ‘Reflections’ Park Road Baptist Church 3900 Park Rd., Charlotte 5-7 p.m.

Charlotte Pride Band opens its sixth season with “Reflections.” The concert will feature a musical journey through the band’s five-year history, with selections by Bernstein, Holst, Copland and Ticheli. Tickets are $13. Tickets and more information are available online. charlotteprideband.org.

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Submit your event to our calendar!

You can submit your event to our comprehensive community calendar presented by qnotes, the Charlotte Business Guild and Visit Gay Charlotte. Submit your event at goqnotes.com/eventsubmit/ and get a three-for-one entry. All Charlotte-area events will appear on each of the three calendars at qnotes (goqnotes.com), Charlotte Business Guild (charlottebusinessguild.org) and Visit Gay Charlotte (visitgaycharlotte.com).

7th Annual Project Shimmy SEP NOV MO Starr Theater 520 S. Elm St., Greensboro 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Twisted Dance Collective presents the 7th Annual Project Shimmy, a world dance showcase to benefit Triad Health Project, the area’s HIV/AIDs service organization. Project Shimmy began in 2008, with the thinking being that, “bellydance is a style of dance that is often misunderstood by the public, and, unfortunately, so is HIV/AIDs.” A variety of dance styles will be showcased. Tickets are $20/general public, $15/students with ID and $10/children 12 and under. Advance tickets are available through EventBrite.

Email twistedcollectivenc@gmail.com for more information.

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Adam Festival: ‘A Sure Bet!’ The Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, 251 Spruce St. N., Winston-Salem, 7-11 p.m.

The Adam Foundation presents its 26th Annual Adam Festival, “A Sure Bet!” Enjoy an evening of casino games, hors d’oeuvres, music, dancing and a silent auction. Dress is semi-formal. Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the door, which includes two drink tickets and two chips for casino play. More information and tickets are available online. adamfoundation.org.

To see more upcoming events, visit goqnotes.com/calendar/

SEP NOV MO

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SC Equality Presents ‘ SEP NOV MO An Evening with Hillary’ Columbia Marriott 1200 Hampton St., Columbia 6 p.m.

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will speak at SC Equality’s “An Evening with Hillary” event, addressing the struggle for full LGBT equality in South Carolina and beyond. The event is being held as an alternative to their gala, which has been postponed due to the recent floods.

Clinton will address grassroots leaders, SCE’s board of directors, staff, volunteers and supporters of the organization.

Tickets are $85, with $500 VIP tickets also available, which will include a meet and greet with Clinton. Proceeds to benefit the organization’s work. Tickets and more information are available online. scequality.org.

–––––––––––––––––––– PFLAG Concord/Kannapolis Fall Community Soirée McGill Baptist Church 5300 Poplar Tent Rd., Concord 6:30 p.m.

PFLAG Concord/Kannapolis welcomes special guest former Methodist minister Jimmy Creech. Creech was a founding member of the North Carolina Religious Coalition for Marriage Equality and has advocated for marriage equality. He authored the memoir “Adam’s Gift,” which details his defiance of the church’s stand on same sex marriage. The Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte will also be on hand to perform a special selection of songs during the event, which is open to the public. Contributory proceeds go to benefit the chapter’s work. ckpflag@gmail.com.

Equality Gala Raleigh Marriott City Center 500 Fayetteville St., Raleigh 6 p.m.

Equality NC will hold its 9th Annual Equality Gala and bills itself as “North Carolina’s premiere gathering of leading LGBT and allied communities.”

The fundraiser helps the organization to continue to fight for full LGBT equality in North Carolina and serves as a way to celebrate past victories and look forward together to a better future. Awards are presented to prominent leaders helping to work toward this more equal future.

More information is available online, as well as hotel accommodations. equalityncfoundation.org/gala.

–––––––––––––––––––– LGBT Democrats of NC Convention NC State University, Talley Student Center, Room 4280, 2610 Cates Ave., Raleigh 12:30-2:30 p.m.

The LGBT Democrats of NC will hold their fifth annual convention, held the same weekend as Equality NC’s annual gala. The election of all state officers and congressional district chairs and vice chairs will take place at the convention. Special guests include Sen. Josh Stein, Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan, Sen. Mike Woodard, Rep. Cecil Brockman, North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Patsy Keever, Raleigh City Councilwoman Mary Ann Baldwin, Wake County Commissioners Matt Calabria and John Burns. More information is available online. lgbtdemocrats.org.

SEP NOV MO

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Submit your event at goqnotes.com/eventsubmit/

SEP NOV MO LGBT Democrats of NC Convention NC State University, Talley Student Center, Room 4280 2610 Cates Ave., Raleigh 12:30-2:30 p.m.

The LGBT Democrats of NC will hold their fifth annual convention, held the same weekend as Equality NC’s annual gala. The election of all state officers and congressional district chairs and vice chairs will take place at the convention.

Special guests include Sen. Josh Stein, Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan, Sen. Mike Woodard, Rep. Cecil Brockman, North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Patsy Keever, Raleigh City Councilwoman Mary Ann Baldwin, Wake County Commissioners Matt Calabria and John Burns. More information is available online. lgbtdemocrats.org.

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Nov. 6-19 . 2015

goqnotes.com/to/life

life

OUR PEOPLE:

Q&A with Tim Hamilton and Ron Wootten Owners of Paper Skyscraper

by Jeff Taylor :: qnotes staff

(left to right) Tim Hamilton and Ron Wooten with Patsy.

Tim Hamilton and Ron Wootten are partners in business and life. Together they own the gift shop Paper Skyscraper, which was voted “Best LGBT-Friendly Locally-Owned Retail Store” in this year’s QList — Best of LGBT Charlotte Awards. It has long been one of Charlotte’s favorite places to find the perfect item for even the hard-to-shopfor friends and family on your holiday list.

Where are you guys from?

Tim Hamilton: Grew up in Hickory, N.C., went to University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Moved here in 1985; my family lived here.

Ron Wootten: Grew up in Delaware. Worked for the DuPont Co. Was transferred from New York City to the Charlotte Marketing office in 1985.

How long have you guys known each other?

How’d you meet, and when and how did you decide to open Paper Skyscraper?

TH: We have been together for 30 years. We met at Scorpio. Yes, the bar. We’ve been together ever since. We decided to open Paper Skyscraper in 1989. We each wanted to have our own business. Ron had a lot of retail experience from a high school and college job.

RW: And Tim’s background as an architect was the basis for the initial focus of the store and a bookstore on Architecture & Design.

How do you go about finding cool new items to sell in the store?

TH/RW: We are always researching, shopping and looking for new items or categories. We search online, through catalogs, at the New York gift show and stores in other cities. That’s a fun part of what we do. It’s really a treasure hunt.

What are some of the best and worst parts of owning a gift store?

TH/RW: The best part is our customers. We are fortunate to have made a lot of friends who we met as shoppers in our store. The most challenging part of retail is the hours. For most of the first 10 years in business, we worked seven days a week, whenever the store was open.

And in the holiday season, we were at the store 12-15 hours every day.

What do you like to do in your free time?

TH/RW: We like to spend our off time at the beach with Patsy, our beloved Labradoodle, who is also the store mascot.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

TH: Ron gave me tickets to “Phantom of the Opera” when it first arrived on Broadway.

RW: Tim got Patsy, our Laradoodle puppy, for us, at Valentines.

What’s the worst?

TH: A gift card to Chili’s.

RH: A sea foam color Snuggie.

What general advice would you give for people this holiday season who perhaps aren’t great at gift giving or have a hard-to-buy-for person on their list?

TH/RW: Avoid the obvious. Choose something you would like for them to have, not just something you guess that they would like. It is not a guessing game. We recommend new and innovative gifts that might surprise, delight or entertain. Or even bring a laugh. : :

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Nov. 6-19 . 2015