01/07/22, Vol. 12 Issue 20

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VOLUME 12•ISSUE 20

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4 Editorial January 7, 2022

EDITORIAL

Sticking to the Resolution of Feeling Good If you are one for resolutions, this year I implore you to step away from the ego — the projected social self who isn’t skinny, intelligent, healthy, or successful enough, whose identity is in relation to others — and toward the inward somatic self, the primary filter through which being alive is experienced. Instead of seeking to improve yourself as defined by society, try to improve your quality of life as defined by you.

Katie Burkholder January is understood as the time for self-improvement, and year after year many of us fall into the same trap.

We proclaim that this is the year when we become better, healthier versions of ourselves for good before promptly letting our goals slip away.

Why are resolutions so notoriously easy to break? Is it because the goals we set are unrealistic and lofty? Or because being healthy is harder than being unhealthy?

Maybe both. However, I believe that the true barrier to self-improvement is in the way we see ourselves and our health.

I was sitting in the Old Fourth Ward skate park on January 1 when I overheard a conversation between two men who were running on the BeltLine in which one said to the other, “I see you’re punishing yourself today.” The conversation went on to detail the copious New Year’s Eve drinking they had done, and the “punishment” in question was the run they were now on.

This sentiment is the heart of the problem with resolutions and health culture in general. Food and movement feel good.

It feels good to be energized after eating a filling meal. It feels good to eat something with nutritional value that doesn’t upset your stomach or make you crash later in the day. It feels good to stretch, run, lift heavy things, play sports, bike, or do physical activity that is within one’s ability. Typically, however, new year’s resolutions and diet culture don’t focus on feeling good in one’s body. They focus instead on losing weight, punishing “bad” behavior like eating junk food or lying in bed all day (both of which also feel good), or becoming a “better” person, the object of others’ admiration and envy.

PHOTO BY PEXELS.COM / JULIA AVAMOTIVE

Da’Shaun L. Harrison echoes this in their book “Belly of the Beast” (about which you can learn more on page 12): “Of people who diet, 95 to 97 percent ‘fail.’ Not because they aren’t committed, not because they’re following them incorrectly, but because dieting demands that you do whatever it takes to shed pounds — even if what it takes requires you to harm yourself — instead of encouraging one to do what makes them feel good.”

Life is primarily a somatic experience; the foundation of our consciousness is feeling.

We experience the world through our senses before interpreting it with our minds. The way we feel physically — sick, energized, comfortable, tired, etc. — impacts our mood, thinking patterns, ego, and sense of self. Our healthiest self, therefore, is the one that feels good. This doesn’t necessarily mean we devolve into hedonism; aligning your behavior with your morals, being a good and loyal friend, giving back to your community, or getting good sleep can feel just as good as having sex, partying late into the night, doing drugs, staying in bed all day, or eating fast food does.

The best way to improve our personal experience of being alive is to first be mindful of how our habits make us really feel. Maybe you want to cut down on drinking, not because it’s bad to drink, but because your hangovers feel worse than being drunk feels good. Maybe you want to be more active, not because it’s better to be thinner, but because it makes you feel good, capable, and strong. This requires us to be present in our bodies, which can be difficult, but when our goals are oriented toward feeling as opposed to being, it’s easier to stick with them because feeling good, well, feels good!

This year, my resolution is to stop shaming myself for not being enough and to instead reconnect with what it feels like to be alive.

I know my personal experience of life feels worse when I have low energy — I engage more with passive activities like social media that can negatively impact my mental health, I am less socially confident, and I am more prone to feelings of depression. So, I’m going to try to eat fewer processed foods (but not stopping entirely!) and regulate my sleep schedule so I have more energy throughout the day to invest in activities that make me feel good, like yoga, reading, writing, and engaging with my community.

For me, 2022 will be the year I design my life around my desires, needs, abilities, and feelings, because nobody gets to experience my life but me. If you haven’t yet, I hope you do the same. Happy New Year!

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

NEWS BRIEFS Staff reports Gay Art Dealer Bill Lowe Dies of Hodgkin Lymphoma Bill Lowe, a prominent gay art dealer in Atlanta, has died at the age of 68.

Lowe, the owner and president of Bill Lowe Gallery in Buckhead, passed on December 29 in the Hospice unit at Emory Hospital after a months-long fight with Hodgkin Lymphoma, according to a statement issued by Donovan Johnson, the executive director of the gallery.

“As we all know in our respective ways, Bill is now in a better place, free from the pain and suffering he has endured these recent months” Johnson said. “It was his wish and our commitment to him to continue his legacy and vision for the gallery in the years ahead. Rest assured we will, with the team he put in place before his passing, do everything in our power to honor that commitment to the fullest.”

“We understand that over the past three decades, Bill has been a friend, a mentor, a confidant, and a true beacon of light for many,” he continued. “We assure you that he never forgot a single soul he met.”

COURTESY PHOTO

Lowe founded Bill Lowe Gallery in 1989.

Over the past three decades, the gallery has become a cultural institution in the South.

my public service,” the thread continues.

“But the former teacher and school board member in me has been thinking about our students who have ever struggled to accept themselves for who they are. And, frankly, has found inspiration in our students who allow their authentic selves to shine brightly for all to see.”

Matt Westmoreland Comes Out as Gay Atlanta City Councilmember Matt Westmoreland came out as gay just before being sworn in for his second term in office.

Westmoreland, who holds the Post 2 atlarge seat on the Council, posted the announcement in a Twitter thread on Sunday night (January 2).

“In the end, I wanted I wanted to be true to myself – and to you… For the last eight years, I’ve worked hard each and every day to help build an equitable, inclusive, and diverse Atlanta for all who call this incredible city home. I am excited to recommit myself to that fight tomorrow,” the post concluded.

“And I’m proud that I will do it as I also fully embrace who I truly am.”

“Tomorrow afternoon, I’ll swear an oath for the third time to serve the City of Atlanta and all her residents,” he said. “And I’ll do it as a proud member of our LGBTQ+ community.”

While the thread did not clarify, Westmoreland told SaportaReport that he is gay. With his coming out, there are now four openly LGBTQ members of the Atlanta City Council: him, Liliana Bakhtiari, Alex Wan, and Keisha Sen Waites.

“I wrestled with the decision to post this note: The fact that the content is so personal. The desire to live in a world where such pronouncements aren’t necessary.

The fear that who I choose to be with would change how people view me or 6 News Briefs January 7, 2022

Bill Lowe, a prominent gay art dealer in Atlanta, has died at the age of 68.

Before first winning the council seat in 2017, Westmoreland served a term on the Atlanta Baord of Education. He was reelected to the City Council back in November with 65 percent of the vote.

Atlanta Pride Announces Year-End Grant Recipients The Atlanta Pride Committee (APC) has announced their list of 2021 year-end grant recipients.

The APC’s Community Reinvestment Grants (CRG) provide funding and resources to fellow community organizations that align with their mission and strategic goals. This program went into hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but has returned this year with a focus on organizations whose services were significantly impacted by the ongoing pandemic.

This year’s grant recipients are: • Acceptance Recovery Center • AID Atlanta • American Foundation For Suicide Prevention • Charis Circle • CommunityScape Services, Inc. • Compassionate Atlanta • I Am Human Foundation • Out Front Theatre Company • Out on Film • Pets Are Loving Support, Inc. • SOJOURN • Trans Housing Atlanta Inc. • ZAMI NOBLA- National Organization of Black Lesbians on Aging TheGeorgiaVoice.com

from

Cheers to 2022 and the possibilities of a fresh start.

New Year’s resolutions?

No problem.

We’ve got low calorie and non-alcoholic options to help you meet your goals without having to compromise too much fun!

NEWS

Inside the Prison Walls Victoria A. Brownworth Unless otherwise noted, names have been altered to protect the privacy of formerly incarcerated persons.

Evie Litwok’s mother was a Holocaust survivor. While Litwok was doing time in two different federal prisons in West Virginia and Florida — including 42 days in solitary confinement — she frequently thought about the parallels to mass incarceration in America.

According to the Sentencing Project, “a quarter of women who are behind bars have not yet had a trial. Moreover, 60% of women in jails under local control have not been convicted of a crime and are awaiting trial.”

Litwok believes strongly that there has to be a coalescing of formerly incarcerated people in the U.S. to end the staggering numbers of people in prisons and jails in the country.

“The formerly incarcerated must lead the revolution [against mass incarceration],” Litwok said. “Change comes from changing people’s minds. If the 70 or 80 million people who have been in prison would come out…”

But they can’t come out. Once someone leaves jail or prison in the U.S., their entire motivation in most cases is to bury that past and keep anyone from discovering it. Getting a job — even getting a place to live — as a formerly incarcerated person in the U.S. is a constant struggle. The situation most people are in when they leave jail or prison means they will often be forced back into actions that can put them back in prison, like sex work or theft.

That struggle is endemic among women and LGBTQ people who have been incarcerated, 8 News January 7, 2022

which is why Litwok — who had spent years as a lesbian activist prior to going to prison — continued her activism on release.

Litwok is the founder and executive director of Witness to Mass Incarceration (WMI). WMI’s mission is to “end mass incarceration by placing formerly incarcerated women and LGBTQIA+ experiences at the center of the fight for alternatives to mass incarceration.” Litwok says that the organization “works to change the narrative from invisibility and victimization to empowerment through documentation, leadership training, organizing and advocacy.”

According to the ACLU, there are “more than one million women behind bars or under the control of the criminal justice system; women are the fastest growing segment of the incarcerated population increasing at nearly double the rate of men since 1985.”

Among those women, 42.1 percent of women in prison and 35.7 percent of women in jail self-identified as lesbian, bisexual or queer.

Contrary to the compelling comedy of Netflix’s popular series “Orange Is the New Black,” Litwok says that “being an open lesbian in prison is one of the most dangerous things you can be.”

Litwok herself was threatened by a much larger inmate who told her “I hate homos.”

But as she explained, if you tell the guards you are in fear for your life, you get put in solitary instead of the perpetrator.

Despite the Prison Rape Elimination Act — a law enacted to provide for the analysis of the incidence and effects of prison rape in federal, state and local institutions and to provide information, resources, recommendations and funding to protect

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / NITO

individuals from prison rape — Litwok says sexual assault and rape are rampant in women’s prisons.

Part of the reason for this, as the Sentencing Project details, is that more than 60% of women in state prisons have a child under the age of 18. And, as Litwok said, women will do anything to maintain their visitation rights — which means guards will force them to do sex acts and they have little recourse when the punishment for noncompliance is having one’s visitation revoked.

“Guards tell women they have to give blow jobs to maintain their visitation rights,” Litwok said. “All women are forced to do this, women of all ages. I had two guards sniffing my panties, and I was a 60-yearold woman.”

lupus and Addison’s disease, Montgomery had been on disability for several years prior to being incarcerated for a DUI and driving with a suspended license.

Montgomery’s health care advocate, Iris Lopez, said that Montgomery should have gotten probation, but she missed a court date because she wasn’t notified in time and the judge gave her six months for that alone to “send a message.”

Montgomery said that she was sickened by the fluorescent lights and was unable to sleep due to the noise. She also did not receive her medications as prescribed, nor did she get the mental health help that was ordered by the court.

There are also no doctors at most prisons, Litwok explained, which is why prison is hardest on women who are older — as she was — and disabled in any way.

Both Lopez and Montgomery believe that Montgomery was treated so harshly because she is a poor, disabled lesbian. “You don’t put people in jail for a DUI where there wasn’t even an accident,” Lopez said. “Carrie should have gotten a few months [of ] probation or community service. Instead, she was warehoused, made sicker and brutalized for being an older lesbian. How she was treated was itself criminal.”

That’s what Carrie Montgomery discovered when she was sent to the Arizona State Prison Complex in Perryville. Over 60, with

For more information on Witness to Mass Incarceration’s work, visit witnesstomassincarceration.org/.

“There’s no #MeToo movement behind bars,” she added. “Sexual violence is off the charts and there’s no one working on it.”

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

YOUR VOICE

Carrying a Grudge PHOTO BY PEXELS.COM / LIZA SUMMER

Michael Dubin, M.A., Counselor at Living Skills One of my favorite refrigerator magnets depicts a well-dressed woman in evening clothes saying, “I would say my biggest strength is my ability to hold a grudge until the day I die.” It makes me think of my maternal grandmother, whom I worshipped.

She was famous for carrying grudges forever.

Both of my parents were only children, so any close family went back to aunts and uncles of my grandparents’ generation. I know very little about any of them because we didn’t talk to them for decades. Why? Because my grandmother had a grudge against them that was carried like a badge of honor.

We have all been guilty of holding a grudge at some point in our lives. Often, we carry them because we believe that if we forgive the infraction that precipitated the grievance, that makes it all right.

Forgiveness, however, doesn’t mean that whatever happened is now okay. Holding onto resentment or animosity because of something that happened in the past just keeps us locked in that past, constantly TheGeorgiaVoice.com

reminded of what happened and how it made us feel. It is almost as if we are punishing ourselves by making ourselves feel those bad feelings once again.

Now, I am not talking about serious experiences like abuse. I mean the more venal sins rather than the mortal ones: Someone says something untoward that you don’t like or agree with or that hurts your feelings. Someone blames you or a loved one for something that you had nothing to do with. They refuse to take responsibility for something they clearly need to. Someone tries to manipulate you. Someone betrays a secret confidence or gossips about you behind your back.

Depending on the severity of the impact of the misdeed, the consequences may never be OK. But forgiveness begins to let you off the hook. Think about it this way: The person who spends the most time in jail is the warden. Prisoners come and go over time, but the warden is always there. Forgiving lets you out of the prison.

You don’t have to forgive the what, but to let yourself out of prison, you have to forgive the why. You may know exactly why they did

what they did: they’re looking for someone else to blame. They like to feel sorry for themselves and try to manipulate others into feeling sorry for them as well. They never take responsibility for themselves.

They have a compulsive need to always be right. Or maybe, if they admit they have made a mistake, in their own mind, they are admitting that they are a mistake, and that is too hurtful for them to process.

Or you may never know exactly why they did what they did. Nevertheless, you can forgive the why.

Now the what. You don’t have to forgive what happened, but you don’t have to keep reminding yourself of it either. That doesn’t mean you are going to kiss and make up or go back to being besties. You can still walk away from them. The glory is that by forgiving the why, you get to stop reliving it, walk away from it and be free of it.

Think about a grievance you’ve been holding on to that is well past its expiration date.

Take some time with this. How do you feel about it? Angry? Hurt? Scared? Self-blame? A sense of loneliness or betrayal? These feelings

could impede the forgiveness process if not recognized and acknowledged, processed and released. Listen to the parts of you that don’t want to forgive. There may be a part of you that feels forgiveness is weak. There may be a part of you that tells you that you don’t need to forgive. Pay attention to this process. The goal is to understand what you think and feel.

The next step is to look at what you can learn from this. Besides the reason of wanting to let yourself out of prison, what can you learn about yourself in this process? What lesson(s) can you take from this? Finally, forgive the why. Once the why is forgiven, you don’t have to have those feelings of anger or hurt or fear or self-blame around this issue any longer.

You can now reclaim some of your power and strength and love that were lost by not forgiving. Above all, you can finally be free.

Living Skills offers positive psychology counseling, spiritual counseling and life coaching services in Atlanta focused on, but not exclusively for, the LGBTQ community.

Sessions are available by Skype. If you have questions, comments or want to find out about our services, please email us at livingskillsinc@gmail.com.

January 7, 2022 Your Voice 9

HEALTH

Psilocybin Could Be Next Frontier for Depression and Anxiety Treatment Olivia Martin Treatments for clinical depression and anxiety range from medication to psychotherapy, but there is a new, experimental treatment in consideration by researchers as of late: magic mushrooms.

A study published November 4, 2020,

by Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center researchers from the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research in Baltimore, Maryland found that psilocybin (more commonly known as “magic mushrooms”), when given in conjunction with psychotherapy, decreased depressive symptoms in participants.

This study, conducted in 2017 and 2019 at Johns Hopkins, consisted of 24 participants who had long-term histories of depression.

They received doses of psilocybin and followed up with researchers one week and four weeks after receiving the treatment. Most participants showed improvement and half ended up “achieving remission” — essentially depression-free or at least symptomless — when followed up with four weeks after receiving the experimental treatment.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have also conducted studies over the years that have found psilocybin decreases cancer-related anxiety in cancer patients and may lead to helping smokers quit and treatments for alcohol abuse.

But Johns Hopkins is not the only place where psilocybin research is being centered when it comes to treating various psychological disorders.

Compass Pathways, which is an organization that is “dedicated to accelerating patient access to evidence-based innovation in mental health,” ran a study this year with over 200 participants that also showed marked 10 Health January 7, 2022

Psilocybin mushrooms PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / ANITRAM improvement in the symptoms of people receiving psilocybin treatment as opposed to a control group that received a placebo.

Some states are legalizing psilocybin for therapeutic use. In 2020, following the release of the results from the Hopkins study, the state of Oregon legalized it and laid out plans for its therapeutic use. On a federal level, though, psilocybin continues to be considered a Schedule I drug, meaning it is a drug “with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse,” according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Other examples of these include marijuana, peyote, and heroin.

Furthermore, these treatments are new and still in the process of being researched, in

spite of their success in studies like the one at Hopkins. They are not yet readily accessible, and experts warn about potential adverse effects and lack of in-depth research, saying not to try psilocybin as a means of treating depression just yet.

In a blog post, Psych Atlanta’s medical director Dr. Michael Banov pointed out the risks and unknowns associated with psilocybin as a treatment for mental health problems. He mentions many reasons, including the fact that the substance is currently illegal — you could not receive a prescription for it — and the complexity of using treatments we do not yet know much about the side effects of or whether there are interactions with other medications, etc.

“It’s too risky now,” Dr. Banov writes. “We don’t know if it could make certain patients’ mental health worse or be dangerous with some medications, medical conditions, or supplements you are taking. If you’re looking for treatment alternatives, stick with those with a longer track record and are legal, such as medication combination therapies, off-label medicines that have been shown to be helpful, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), ketamine or Spravato, or natural supplements.”

Symptoms of clinical depression or major depressive disorder (MDD) include persistent feelings of sadness or emptiness, feelings of worthlessness or pessimism, fatigue, trouble concentrating, loss of interest, and crankiness, among many other behavioral and emotional responses.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

HEALTH

Hormone Therapy Linked to Lower Rates of Depression Among Trans Youth “This study emphasizes the potential benefits of genderaffirming hormone therapy as a mechanism to reduce feelings of gender dysphoria and minority stress among transgender and nonbinary youth — thereby working to improve mental health outcomes and prevent suicide.”

Fletcher Varnson The Trevor Project found gender-affirming hormone therapy is related to lower rates of suicide and depression among transgender and nonbinary youth in the first large-scale study on the issue.

The peer-reviewed report, titled “Association of Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy with Depression, Thoughts of Suicide, and Attempted Suicide Among Transgender and Nonbinary Youth” and published in The Journal of Adolescent Health, was conducted using an online, cross-sectional survey that collected data from 34,759 LGBTQ youths between the ages 13 and 24, including 9,019 transgender youths who shared information on gender-affirming hormone therapy. The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth, ran this survey from October 12, 2020, to December 21, 2020.

The report found that transgender and nonbinary young people receiving genderaffirming hormone treatment were less at risk of experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts compared to those not receiving treatment. People 18 and younger saw especially lower risks when receiving genderaffirming hormone treatment, with a 40 percent lower rate of depression and suicide attempts within the past year.

According to another Trevor Project research study published in 2021, “National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 2021,” more than half of transgender nonbinary youth seriously considered suicide in the past year, and one out of five reported attempting suicide. Additionally, the Trevor Project’s 2020 study, “Understanding the Mental Health of Transgender and Nonbinary Youth” found that transgender and nonbinary youth were two to 2.5 times more likely to experience depressive symptoms, seriously TheGeorgiaVoice.com

— Dr. Amy Green, the Vice President of Research at The Trevor Project

Dr. Amy Green, the Vice President of Research at The Trevor Project COURTESY PHOTO consider suicide, and attempt suicide than their cisgender LGBQ peers.

Dr. Amy Green, the Vice President of Research at The Trevor Project, said she hopes that the findings will encourage lawmakers and constituents to recognize the importance of gender-affirming hormone therapy for transgender and nonbinary youth. With over half of the transgender respondents to the organization’s survey stating that they are not receiving hormone treatment but are not actively choosing to abstain from it, the report shows the impetus behind making such treatment readily accessible.

“This study emphasizes the potential benefits of gender-affirming hormone therapy as a mechanism to reduce feelings of gender dysphoria and minority stress among transgender and nonbinary youth — thereby working to improve mental health outcomes and prevent suicide,” Dr. Green said. “These data should serve as a call to action to resist blanket bans on gender-affirming medical care

and to invest in more research on this topic so that youth and their families can make evidence-informed decisions regarding care.”

Despite this research, this past year saw a record number of anti-transgender bills, with over 100 introduced by the midpoint of 2021, many of which prohibit transgender and nonbinary youth from accessing genderaffirming hormone treatment. Tennessee and Arkansas are the two states that passed such bills, with Arkansas denying transgender youth access to all gender-affirming health care. The law has since been blocked, but Tennessee’s ban on doctors from administrating genderaffirming health care still stands.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) emphasizes the benefits and destigmatization of gender-affirming treatments like puberty blockers on its transgender youth resource page: “Puberty blockers are not ‘experimental’ treatments, but FDA approved medications that have been used to treat precocious puberty in non-transgender children for

several decades. Scientific studies demonstrate that access to puberty blockers reduces suicidal ideation and that parents’ affirmation of their child’s gender identity reduces rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide to levels consistent with their cisgender peers.”

Parental support also serves an important role in transgender and nonbinary youth receiving gender-affirming hormone treatment, which may also lead to improved mental health. The average age of respondents to the Trevor Project’s survey was 17-and-ahalf years old, meaning they would still need parental consent for treatment, according to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s recommendations to doctors. The Trevor Project’s report reconfirms the importance of parental support, as 80 percent of youth receiving gender-affirming hormone treatment had assistance from at least one parent.

The Trevor Project’s report shines a light on the importance of supporting the gender identities of transgender and nonbinary youth. By combating the rise of antiLGBTQ legislation and garnering parental support, transgender and nonbinary youth can gain access to gender-affirming hormone treatment that is significantly linked to better mental health.

January 7, 2022 Health 11

HEALTH

‘Belly of the Beast’ Explores Intersections Between Fatness, Blackness, and Queerness Samuel DuBose, Alton Sterling, and George Floyd were all Black men killed by police. In the aftermath of their murders, each of their bodies was used as justification for why they died; either their preexisting conditions like diabetes or asthma were to blame for their deaths or their large stature was to blame for why the officers felt threatened and forced to defend themselves.

Katie Burkholder In recent years, the body positivity movement has exploded in popularity. Championed mainly by fat women online, the movement aims to counteract anti-fatness in the mainstream by encouraging others to embrace and love their bodies regardless of size or shape.

While the promotion of fat-inclusive self-love is obviously a positive thing, the realities of anti-fatness are nuanced and harmful in a way that self-love can’t fix, as local Black fat trans organizer Da’Shaun Harrison details in their book, “Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness.” In it, Harrison explores the racist history behind anti-fatness and how anti-fatness intersects with race and gender. While anti-fatness does manifest through fat-shaming, bullying, and discrimination via romantic, sexual, and platonic relationships, anti-fatness extends far beyond the interpersonal. As Harrison argues, anti-fatness is a systemic issue, inherently rooted in anti-Blackness, that threatens the very lives of those labeled “fat.”

One in three Americans falls under the category of obese, but this group is disproportionately made up of Black Americans; despite being only 13 percent of the American population, they make up 51 percent of America’s obese population. This is no coincidence, as the history of anti-fatness and the advent of body mass index (BMI) — the system behind the categorization of obesity — are deeply racist.

Prior to slavery in America, fatness was seen as a signifier of wealth and therefore status. This shifted, however, when race was constructed as a means of justifying slavery, to separate the “slave” from the “human,” as Harrison puts it.

“When Europeans saw Africans for the first time and saw that their bodies looked like them but their skin did not, it was then that anti-fatness was established as a coherent 12 Health January 7, 2022

Anti-fatness doesn’t only manifest extremes. It permeates everyday life.

Black fat trans organizer Da’Shaun Harrison. Inset: “Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness.” PHOTOS VIA INSTAGRAM ideology,” they write. “… As the Slave represented capital and forced labor, fatness could no longer be about status and power, so it became about greed and ungodliness.”

BMI was then invented in the 1830s

by Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet.

Quetelet, who was a mathematician, not a physician, sought to chart the average body type on a bell curve graph. Not only are there many physiological issues with the BMI formula he produced from the data he collected — for instance, there is no allowance for the relative proportions of bone, muscle, and fat — Quetelet placed arbitrary value judgments on the data, labeling the top of the bell curve, which is what’s average or typical, as the “ideal.”

Furthermore, he collected data primarily from French and Scottish men, thus making the “ideal” body that of the average white man.

BMI is still used in the medical field today and has serious consequences for those deemed “overweight” or “obese.” In a study examining how the weight of a patient affects physician attitudes and prescribed treatments, doctors reported that seeing patients who were heavier was a greater waste of time, that they would like their jobs less as their patients increased in size, and that they felt less patience the heavier the patient was.

Further research shows that doctors may also spend less time with obese patients or fail to refer them for diagnostic tests with the insistence that whatever is wrong with them can be cured by losing weight.

Anti-fatness doesn’t only threaten lives medically; as Harrison points out, when fatness is combined with Blackness in masculine-presenting individuals, it can be used as justification for murder. Eric Garner, Mike Brown, Tamir Rice, Walter Scott,

in

“Statistics show us that fat people are less likely to be hired for a job,” Harrison writes, “that fat people in America can legally be fired from a job in forty-nine states for being fat, that fat people are more likely to be homeless, [and] that fat women are more likely to be sexually assaulted.” For transgender and nonbinary people, antifatness can also exacerbate gender dysphoria.

According to Bearboi, a transmasculine person Harrison interviewed for their book, top surgery can cost almost twice as much for bigger people. Jupiter, another nonbinary trans person Harrison interviewed, said it’s also difficult to find binders that work for fat bodies.

The reality of anti-fatness is one that is as systemically interwoven into our society as racism, sexism, and classism and relies on each to survive. Because of this, as Harrison concludes, even the most radical self-love won’t save fat people from the systemic oppression they face — only radical change to or eradication of systems like health care, policing, and housing can.

“Belly of the Beast” cements itself as an apt and necessary piece of cultural criticism that poignantly and concisely deconstructs antifatness and requires readers to rethink their own biases and assumptions of how the world is meant to work. You can purchase “Belly of the Beast” at Charis Books in person or online at charisbooksandmore.com.

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HEALTH

Nutritious is Delicious!

Sydney Norman The colloquial definition of “healthy” constantly evolves with the ebb and flow of food and fitness fads. What may be ideal for one person’s diet could be detrimental to another’s health or fitness goals. Media’s portrayal of the ever-shifting “perfect” body, combined with an onslaught of misinformation, can lead to the destruction of people’s relationships with food. If your New Year’s resolutions include eating healthier, we’ve got some recipes that may be helpful. But health is not a onesize-fits-all definition. When searching for “healthy” recipes, it’s important to keep in mind your own goals and dietary restrictions.

TOASTED PINE NUT HERB JAM PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Homemade Beef Jerky

If you’re looking to put on or preserve some muscle or you simply want a quick, delicious way to pack in some extra protein, beef jerky is a great on-the-go snack to keep your macros on track without taking in a lot of extraneous calories. Big-name, store-bought jerky contains ingredients like hydrolyzed corn protein and sodium nitrite. While demonizing specific ingredients can be a slippery slope, making jerky at home allows you to be in control of exactly what’s in your food.

One important point to keep in mind with homemade jerky is that you need to keep it refrigerated, unlike the store-bought snack.

Ingredients: • 1.5 pounds flank steak (can be substituted with skirt steak or flat iron steak) • 2 tablespoons kosher salt Suggested marinade ingredients: • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, or to taste • 1 tablespoon honey, or more to taste • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper • 1 teaspoon chili powder • 1 teaspoon garlic powder • 1 teaspoon onion powder Instructions: 1. Pat down your slab of beef with a paper 14 Health January 7, 2022

BEEF JERKY PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / FABIO BALBI

towel and cover all sides liberally with kosher salt. Place the meat on a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and put in the freezer until partially frozen.

2. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice against the grain into 1/8 inch wide strips.

Allow the pieces to rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes to allow them to thaw out a bit more and become more pliable.

Then place on a cutting board between two pieces of plastic wrap and use a mallet or the side of a can to flatten out the strips.

3. In a bowl, add your marinade ingredients to about 1/2 cup water. Feel free to swap out spices for others in order to create your own signature blend. After creating your marinade, add the beef strips to the bowl and mix to ensure each piece is coated.

Cover in plastic wrap, place in the fridge,

and let marinate for 8 hours or overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 225 F. 5. Place the strips flat on a rimmed baking sheet with at least half an inch between each piece and bake until leathery and dry, about 4 to 6 hours, rotating every 45 minutes. (Meat thickness will determine bake time.)

6. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a month.

Toasted Pine Nut Herb Jam

Leafy greens are often rich in micronutrients and overall promote wellness. In a world riddled with food waste, an herb jam inspired by old Mediterranean cuisine is a great way to use up herbs and greens that are on their way out. It’s good for the planet and good for you.

Ingredients: • 1 pound clean leafy greens (i.e. baby spinach, broccoli rabe, arugula) • 1 cup green herbs (i.e. cilantro, celery leaves, fennel fronds, mint leaves) • 6 large roughly chopped garlic cloves • 10–12 sliced and pitted kalamata olives • 1/4 cup pine nuts • 2 teaspoons garlic powder • 11/4 smoked paprika • 1/4 teaspoon cumin • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread the pine nuts out on a baking sheet and toast until golden and fragrant (about 5 minutes). Be sure to keep an eye on the pine nuts in the oven as they can burn very quickly. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and chop into small pieces.

2. In a large pot over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil followed by the garlic cloves. Layer both the leafy greens and green herbs over the garlic and pour 1 cup of water over it all. Bring the water to a simmer, cover, CONTINUES ON PAGE 15 TheGeorgiaVoice.com

HEALTH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 reduce the heat to medium–low, and allow the water to steam the greens until they are wilted and the garlic is soft.

3. Take the greens out and chop them up.

Take a fork and smash the garlic into a paste.

4. Using paper towels, squeeze the excess moisture out of the greens.

5. Add 1/2 cup of oil to a skillet over medium– low heat and add the chopped greens. Move regularly to expose as much of the greens’ surface area to the heat as possible. Once most of the moisture has cooked out of the greens, reincorporate the garlic paste into the greens. Stir to combine and remove from heat once well combined.

6. Transfer the greens to a bowl. Add the spices, olives, and the toasted pine nuts and fold to combine.

7. Serve with ricotta cheese, whole grain bread, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Heart Healthy Bean Salad

Beans are a great source of fiber, and this delicious recipe manages to squeeze a rainbow of them into your diet alongside a few other wonderful, nutrient-rich ingredients. This is an adapted version of HappilyUnprocessed.com’s recipe.

Ingredients: For the salad: • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans • 1 (15 ounce) can great northern beans • 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans • 1 (15 ounce) can navy beans • 1 cup red bell pepper, diced small • 1/4 cup pepperoncini peppers, diced • 1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced in half • 1/3 cup shallot, diced • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered For the dressing: • 1/2 cup olive oil • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard • 1 teaspoon garlic powder • ½ teaspoon celery salt • ½ teaspoon sea salt • Freshly ground black pepper to taste TheGeorgiaVoice.com

BEAN SALAD PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / MONYAKOVA

Root Vegetable Salad

One-pan roasted vegetables have been a staple in healthy weeknight dinners for years.

These vegetables provide micronutrients without processing or artificial coloring or flavors. This dish can be treated as either a main or a side, making it a versatile and low maintenance go-to for busy home cooks.

CORNISH GAME HEN PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / ZORYANCHIK

2. Put all dressing ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine, keeping an eye out for clumps of seasoning.

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary • 1 teaspoon dried thyme • 1 teaspoon garlic powder • 1 teaspoon onion powder • ½ teaspoon celery salt • 1/4 teaspoon paprika • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and toss to coat in dressing.

Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 450 F.

4. Place in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

2. Put herbs and seasoning with olive oil in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Avoid clumps of seasoning.

Instructions: 1. Combine and rinse off all beans in a colander. If serving to a party, remove all halved and mushed beans at this time.

Cornish Game Hen

While it sounds fancy, a Cornish game hen is essentially a small chicken perfect for one or two people. Chicken is known to be one of the healthiest animal-based proteins, and a Cornish game hen is a great way to impress guests while maintaining a diet filled with lean protein. While you may initially think Cornish game hens would be hard to find, they can typically be found at your local supermarket.

Ingredients: • 2 Cornish hens • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 1 teaspoon dill

3. Arrange the hens in a large oven-safe dish. Twist wings under the body of the birds (optionally: You can tie them together with twine).

4. Pour the oil and seasoning mixture over the herbs. Using your hands or a brush, evenly distribute the mixture.

5. Bake the birds for about 60 minutes or until they register at least 165 F at their thickest part.

6. Allow the birds to rest and cool slightly before serving.

Ingredients: • 1–2 potatoes • 4 carrots • 7 whole garlic cloves • 4 parsnips • 1 onion • 1 small knob of fresh ginger • Olive oil • 1 teaspoon garlic powder • 1 teaspoon onion powder • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 2. Peel and cut the parsnips, carrots, potatoes, and onions into small pieces.

3. Combine the olive oil and seasonings in a small bowl. Grate the ginger to taste into the mixture. Stir to combine. Be sure to avoid clumps of seasoning.

4. Add the chopped veggies to the bowl and toss to cover.

5. Spread out all veggies evenly on a baking sheet.

6. Bake until tender and crispy, rotating at around 15 minutes if necessary (about 20– 30 minutes).

January 7, 2022 Health 15

MARÍA HELENA DOLAN REELING IN THE YEARS

Greeting the New Year with Medical and Political Realities “Some trans people have abortions. Some trans people need access to birth control. Some trans people use clinic access to get hormone replacement therapy.”

María Helena Dolan Let’s rev up the new year with ruminations on how the War on Women inextricably links with and directly impacts the War on Queers.

First, here’s a folkloric outline of an eggy female interior process for the squeamish.

— Nonbinary trans activist Jack Qu’emi

Years ago, I attended a locally (in)famous Halloween party in East Atlanta, resplendent in my vintage vampire regalia. At a groaningly capacious table, I conversed with a cute young man, entubed all in white with a braided string attached. My guess as to his costumed identity? “Obviously, a Tampax. I’m quite familiar here; in fact, I’m wearing one now.”

For me, it’s even more personal. At 15 years old, I’d been a bleeder for three terrible years.

Each month, horrific pains announced “past time” via a merciless five-day onslaught of menstrual cramps.

His mouth twists in disgust, and he storms off. Now, really. Are we not all adults, apprised of the facts of life? And how does this bear on queerness?

Let’s review: various hormones work to create a monthly appointed “waiting room” lining the uterine cavity. Other hormones cause an engorged “pouch” to send an egg outward.

The egg travels down a tube to the uterine cavity, hanging out while a “public cervix announcement” lets one sperm outswim its fellows and boom! it penetrates the ovum.

The now “egglet” floats around until eventually finding the “room” and thence claws and drills its way in to prepare for the nine-month, vigorously motile, hormonally uterine nap.

No egglet to puncture uterine walls or one that fails to overcome an unexpectedly hostile environs? Then the lining materials slough off and out. Thus, the need for Tampax-y absorptive products, as we’ve 16 Columnist January 7, 2022

Nonbinary trans activist Jack Qu’emi PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK done away with menstrual moon huts.

not the person themself?

Should the woman choose not to host a parasitic creature (which, yes, might become a fetus), there are methods that put “do not enter” blocks up to invading sperm swarms.

I am old enough to recall what not having access to safe birth control and abortion costs. One example is my Catholic great aunt, forbidden birth control by state law and the pope, had a kitchen table abortion and almost died from blood loss and uterine infection. Another is Rosie Jimenez, dead from a literal coat hanger abortion, her naked corpse found on a trash-strewn floor, still slumped over where she’d presented herself to the prepaid butcher. And now, there are plenty of women terrified each time there is a rape or a partner who demands no protection while she can’t find an open clinic or a crossable picket line.

Further, hormones can post “not welcome” signs, like from introduced products, a la Plan B. And should all such prove insufficient, a (hopefully) smooth surgical scraping of the penetrated lining can be done — i.e., an abortion.

The point is that all of this takes place within a person’s body. So, who should have the power to determine what happens there, if

What to do? Hormone regulation via “the pill.” Yet the gynecologist my mother took me to said he could not prescribe birth control to a minor. Fortunately, the local Planned Parenthood clinic would prescribe it to me. I wish I had a wildly successful outcome to report. Years later, massive doses of new antiinflammatory meds helped, but without whole-woman clinic care, I’d have had no recourse at all.

Nonbinary trans activist Jack Qu’emi writes about the vituperative legal and physical challenges against access to women’s health centers, so-called “abortion clinics,” places that also provide whole health care, not just hormones and reproductive freedom products and procedures.

“Some trans people have abortions,” Qu’emi says. “Some trans people need access to birth control. Some trans people use clinic access to get hormone replacement therapy.”

Therefore, queers cannot ignore that the War on Women is the war on us, too.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

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January 7, 2022 Ads 17

BUCK JONES THE FRENCH CONNECTION

Fitness À La France

pursuits such as badminton, handball, or even the traditional Mediterranean game of pétanque. At my gym in Paris, the overhead television screens are set to the French sports channel L’Équipe where, on any given day, they might be broadcasting a bike race (of which the annual Tour de France is the most famous), a pétanque championship somewhere in the South, or a volleyball match between two regional championship teams.

Buck Jones

Recently the Paris Olympic committee for the 2024 Games published a statement announcing that the opening ceremony for the next Summer Olympics will take place along the Seine and not in a stadium as is the tradition. There will be a flotilla of the nations, with each country’s athletes floating on a boat while hundreds of thousands line the river and cheer them on. It’s a marvelous idea and typical of the French flair for making a grand spectacle.

Of course, this is not the first time Paris has hosted the Olympics, but it is the first since 1924, so this upcoming centennial promises to spur the greater Paris region, much like the start of the new year pushes us all off the sofa and into the gym. There is a frenetic network of development throughout the periphery of the City of Light with extensions of various subway lines, new infrastructure, and housing development.

Most of the Olympic Village and sporting venues will be in a revitalized suburb that has long been synonymous with poverty and neglect. Whether this burst of investment will permanently transform Saint-Denis into a functioning, rejuvenated neighborhood

18 Columnist January 7, 2022

The Peloton climbing the road at Col de Iseran, France during the stage 19 of Le Tour de France 2019. PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / RADU RAZVAN remains to be seen, but the effort is there to transform it into something better.

When considering the similarities and differences between the American and French approaches to fitness, and indeed beauty, perhaps the most significant distinction is where each begins. Speaking in gross generalities, the French understand the difference between diet and exercise. From the earliest age their meals are smaller, healthier, and their dietary habits are reinforced by a culture that emphasizes eating as a pleasurable, communal experience. Building

on this foundation, the French have a more active daily life of what one could call “passive fitness.” Getting one’s 10,000 steps in is fairly easy when living and working in a city like Paris, as is climbing a few flights of stairs on a regular basis.

Additionally, the French are encouraged to pursue sports that don’t necessarily lead to lucrative multimillion-dollar contracts. Yes, there are plenty of young would-be football stars who play and train to land that alluring career in the professional football leagues, but far more enjoy competing in various amateur

As for the complex relationship between fitness and beauty, I will leave it to sociologists to determine the links. But I will say that the French have always had a sensuality that celebrates the human form — lingerie is a French word for a reason. For the aesthete there are few places more rewarding than sitting at a sidewalk café idly enjoying the parade of Parisians as they walk by on their way home or to join friends for a drink.

Even on a working-class salary one can put together “un look” that is unique.

Perhaps this phenomenon of “café culture” inspired the Paris Olympic committee to re-imagine the opening ceremony, with the athletes replacing the street passers-by and the quais along the river becoming our café seating. In any case, in 2024 I plan on bringing a bottle or two of something chilled and festive as I “ooh” and “aah” while the celebration of athleticism floats along.

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January 7, 2022 Ads 19

JIM FARMER ACTING OUT

‘Wild About Harry’ Explores Gay Relationship in 1973 Cape Cod Jim Farmer Tate Donovan has worked on hundreds of projects over the years, but he never dreamed that a movie he filmed over a decade ago now would suddenly re-emerge on a streaming platform. His LGBTQ-themed “Wild About Harry” is now available.

The film — directed by Gwen Wynne and based on her own upbringing — met some acclaim upon its festival run and now has a distributor, Global Digital Releasing. The film is set in 1973. Donovan stars as Harry, an English widower who moves to Cape Cod with his teenage daughters. One night, as one daughter visits Provincetown with high school friends, she sees their dad dancing with another man, his business partner Mr. Gibbs (Adam Pascal). Soon, the daughters discover the two men are in a romantic relationship, and not everyone in the family takes the news well.

Donovan was pleasantly surprised to hear earlier this year that the film was getting a release and would be available to a wider audience.

“The beautiful thing about streaming is that things that might have been overlooked for no fault of their own can get a second chance,” he said. “When I heard they were going to stream it again on a big platform I thought, ‘This is great.’ It’s fun to see it so many years later and see how it is still relevant even though big changes have happened.”

According to the actor, the real-life character of Harry started a furniture company and was a pioneer in American folk art. He was from England, but came to America, went to school here and fell in love with Wynne’s mother. Donovan said that he doesn’t feel he specifically kept the relationship a secret 20 Columnist January 7, 2022

Tate Donovan (l) and Adam Pascal star in “Wild About Harry” PUBLICITY PHOTO from his daughters.

“They were teenagers who had lost their mom. This was the ‘70s, and it wasn’t cool in society,” he said. “Gay marriage was not legal, and even when we filmed this gay marriage was not legal. It’s funny talking to young people because they did not know gay marriage was ever illegal. Thank God that there’s a whole group of people, my son included, that cannot imagine a world where you can’t marry whoever you love.”

When he re-watched the film recently, he initially thought that with gay marriage legal and people accepting of it, it might make the film feel less important. He was heartened to see, though, that the themes were still relevant.

“One of the reasons is that it is seen through the teenagers,” Donovan said. “When I was

filming it I thought it should be about Harry and Mr. Gibbs, but looking back on it I am so glad it’s about these teenagers. It’s a universal story of children looking at their parents and realizing they are human too.

They make mistakes or have secrets or have a different life than they imagined. It’s also about coming into your own sexuality and what that is about. It is such a dramatic and beautiful time, and I love how Harry and Mr. Gibbs react.”

The film is autobiographical for director Wynne. “I think it was hard for her,” Donovan said. “What I liked and respected about her is that after casting these roles, she gave us room to be different than her dad and her or her sister. She divvied up the responsibilities of the story amongst us and let go. That was also her first film and she had to get all the financing.”

Donovan did not meet Pascal until they were on set together, but had been a fan since he had seen the actor in “Rent.” Both actors have played gay before.

While Donovan is known for high-profile projects such as TV’s “Damages” and films such as “Argo” and 2021’s “Respect,” he has also done his share of independent projects.

Those projects are different beasts, however.

“It’s really tough for independent films to get a place to be seen. It’s hard. This was a real act of love. Even while we were shooting it we ran out of money and we had to go home.

We were heartbroken and devastated. We are used to this. Money is hard to come by in independent films.”

“Wild About Harry” is now available on digital/on demand.

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January 7, 2022 Ads 21

MELISSA CARTER THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID

Forest Bathing Melissa Carter

I recently celebrated the 19th anniversary of my kidney transplant. This important achievement comes not only from my commitment to myself and to the cousin who generously gave part of her body to save my life, but also from the team of people who was there to support and guide me through the process.

Having a transplant requires frequent doctor visits and lab work to monitor not only how well the kidney is functioning, but also its ability to play hide-and-seek with my immune system. I take immunosuppressants to mask the fact that someone else’s organ is in my body. Without that effort, my white blood cells would declare war against the transplant and do everything they could to kill it. People like me are part of the group that would greatly benefit if everyone would keep wearing their masks, since I’d rather not have my immune response triggered by anything for fear of the aforementioned.

by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles.

In it, the two outline how Japanese culture encouraged a connection with nature long before science caught up. It has only been in recent years that scientists have proved the benefits not only of being outdoors but also walking within a forest setting, surrounded by trees and birdsong. These benefits include lower stress levels as well as a better immunity to diseases such as cancer.

During my last routine visit, I noticed my doctor was probing my mental health as well as my physical health. I responded that I was holding up pretty well despite being a shut-in for nearly two years. Then I reflected on the many losses I’ve suffered during the pandemic: my mother, a cat, a dog, my vet, and my agent. None passed from COVID-19, but all their lives ended in a matter of 18 months.

It was a quick read for me, and quite frankly common sense. We are part of this Earth, not simply observers, and we have isolated ourselves not only from one another but from the natural world itself; of course reconnecting with it heals us both mentally and physically! Since reading the book, I’ve been forest bathing and have felt like a little girl, lying in the grass staring up at the clouds.

Writing notes on a notepad and handing me the instructions is common for my physician, but I was surprised when she suggested I research the practice of Shinrin Yoku. I had heard of it by its American name, forest bathing, and I admit I had rolled my eyes at the term in the past.

I consider myself liberal-leaning, but never quite as far as a tree-hugger. However, since my physician was recommending the practice, I decided to discard previous criticisms and learn more about it.

When telling yourself that this is the year you’re going to get healthy and throw down a credit card to purchase that gym membership, consider going about it another way. When was the last time you simply took a walk for pleasure? Looked up at the trees to find a nest or study the branches? Why is this type of behavior only reserved for children?

The best practice for physical and mental health isn’t miles down the road, it’s right outside your door. And after what we’ve all been through, it’ll be good just to go outside and get some fresh air.

The book I picked up was “Forest Bathing” 22 Columnist January 7, 2022

PHOTO BY PEXELS.COM / RON LACH

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