02/20/15, Vol. 5 Issue 25

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M u S IC A L

$ 35

Enter a young boy’s wild and surreal world of magic and adventure in this jazzy Broadwaystyle musical by Tony-nominated music and lyricists Pasek and Paul (A Christmas Story).

March 21 is the Alliance Theatre’s annual FAMILIES Centerstage Festival.

For more information, visit alliancetheatre.org/FAMILIEScenterstage

By Timothy Allen McDonald Music & Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul Based on the book by Roald Dahl Directed by Rosemary Newcott

March 14–29 Tickets @ 404.733.5000 With additional support provided by

alliancetheatre.org/giantpeach | Groups 404.733.4690 | School day performances available

Family Series on the Alliance Stage Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

20 Celebrating

Years of Service to our Patients

404.355.3788 | 3280 Howell Mill Road NW | Suite 326 | Atlanta | www.PrideMedical.com

EDITORIAL

Editor: Dyana Bagby dbagby@thegavoice.com

IN THIS ISSUE OF GA VOICE

02.20.15

THE GEORGIA VOICE

PO Box 77401 | Atlanta, GA 30357 404-815-6941 | www.thegavoice.com

Deputy Editor: Patrick Saunders psaunders@thegavoice.com

NEWS

6 | News briefs 8 | LGBT protections bills filed under Gold Dome 9 | ‘Religious freedom’ bills likely to be used in Georgia to deny same-sex marriage licenses

Art Director: Rob Boeger rboeger@thegavoice.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Jim Farmer, Vandy Beth Glenn, Cliff Bostock, Shannon Hames, Bill Kaelin, Ryan Lee, Steve Warren, Simon Williamson

BUSINESS

PINK DOLLAR

Publisher: Tim Boyd tboyd@thegavoice.com

10 | Stone Mountain becoming unlikely LGBT business mecca 12 | How, what to file in Georgia where same-sex marriage is still prohibited 13 | Atlanta Gay Chamber teams up with federal Small Business Administration

Managing Partner: Christina Cash ccash@thegavoice.com Sales Executive: Anne Clarke aclarke@thegavoice.com Business Advisor: Lynn Pasqualetti Financial Firm of Record: HLM Financial Group

Lesbian State Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) has reintroduced her Fair Employment Practice Act into the General Assembly. Page 8

A&E

In loving memory of Mike Ritter, 1965-2014

FINE PRINT

Join us online: facebook.com/thegavoice twitter.com/thegavoice

“She was a wonderful human being — caring, giving, a great feminist, great woman, great human being, great humanitarian.”

—Lois Sasson, long-time partner of singer/songwriter Lesley Gore (“It’s My Party”) who passed away Feb. 16 of cancer (LGBTQ Nation, Feb. 16)

18 | Theater: ‘C.A. Lyon’s Project’ tells story of black dance troupe’s loss 20 | Food: Shake Shack burgers ooze juicy goodness 22-23 | Best Bets calendar

COLUMNISTS “You have fucked yourselves with your own statute. Or as I hope it becomes to be know — Brownbacking.”

—Jon Stewart on Kansas Governor Sam Brownback rescinding a previous executive order that forbade the state government from discriminating against employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

(The Daily Show, Feb. 11)

24 | Out In The Wild: Simon Williamson on how bigotry and Bible may lead to more same-sex marriage battles 25 | The Iconoclast: Charles Stephens on black gay men and crystal meth 26 | That’s What She Said: Melissa Carter clears up the surrogacy confusion 27 | Sometimes ‘Y’: Ryan Lee says there’s hope for homos in the heart of Dixie

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“The change in people’s attitudes on that issue has been enormous. In recent years, people have said, ‘This is the way I am.’ And others looked around, and we discovered it’s our next-door neighbor — we’re very fond of them. Or it’s our child’s best friend, or even our child. I think that as more and more people came out and said that ‘this is who I am,’ the rest of us recognized that they are one of us.”

—U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on how America is ready to accept marriage equality. (Bloomberg Business, Feb. 12)

Ticketass as low

MIERE E R P D L WOR

When Lyons can no longer hide his sexuality or illness, his fledgling dance company is threatened, and the women who love him must come together to decide the best way to carry on his legacy.

$25 February 13–March 8

Tickets @ 404.733.5000

Series on the Hertz Stage

alliancetheatre.org/calyons | Groups 404.733.4690

Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

By Tsehaye Geralyn Hébert Directed by Kent Gash

GA VOICE | 6

NEWS

02.20.15

www.theGAVoice.com

NEWSIN BRIEF ATLANTA’S CEO RESIGNS AFTER ONE YEAR

Jose Diaz has resigned as CEO of AID Atlanta due to health reasons, according to a statement from the organization’s board of directors.

AID Atlanta Board Chair Chip Newton told the Georgia Voice that Diaz’s last official day was Feb. 15. James Hughey of Arizona took the reins on Monday, Feb. 16, as interim CEO. Diaz was announced as the new CEO of AID Atlanta last January.

Hughey, a health care executive with his own consulting business, has held positions with Humana, Tenet and San Mateo Health Systems.

The resignation may seem sudden, but has actually been in the works for a couple of months, Newton said.

“Dr. Diaz has had some health issues over the last couple months...and given his prognosis we started talking about a transition. We talked it through so we could have a meaningful transition,” Newton said.

Diaz told Project Q Atlanta he has liver cancer and needs a liver transplant.

When the AID Atlanta board put out feelers for an interim CEO, Hughey came up as a replacement because he knows many people in Atlanta and has a network here, Newton said.

After an interview process that included the board and a cross section of senior and regular staff members, Hughey was selected. The transition to a new CEO is expected to take about six months, and at that time the board will revisit what to do about naming a full-time CEO. Newton indicated Hughey would likely get the full-time job.

Last year, AID Atlanta’s facility underwent a major expansion and renovation to provide more services to its clients with HIV/AIDS after developing a “medical home model” with Deloitte, a global private financial consulting firm.

GEORGIA U.S. HOUSE REPS WANT FORMER ATLANTA FIRE CHIEF REINSTATED

Former Atlanta fire chief Kelvin Cochran has some new friends in the form of six Republican U.S. congressmen from Georgia. The group fired off a letter to Mayor Kasim Reed on Feb. 17 asking for Cochran to be reinstated.

The letter says that Cochran’s self-published book, in which he compared homosexuality to pedophilia and bestiality, as well as made anti-Semitic and misogynistic remarks, was about “proper sexual ethics.” The letter was signed by Rep. Barry Loudermilk, Rep. Buddy Carter, Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, Rep. Tom Price, Rep. Austin Scott, and Rep. Jody Hice.

“Your action against Chief Cochran appears to violate fundamental principles of free speech and religious freedom. Chief Cochran relied upon religious text from the Bible to express his opinions in his personal writings,” the letter states. “The only way Chief Cochran could avoid his views would be to disown his religion. Indeed, in termi-

Jose Diaz resigned as AID Atlanta CEO Feb. 15, after just over one year on the job. (File photo)

nating him, the City of Atlanta itself engaged in an act of discrimination, and worse, did so on the basis of his religious beliefs.”

Hice, who was elected to the U.S. House over I.K. Kenneth Dious last November, wrote in his 2012 book, “It’s Now or Never: A Call to Reclaim America,” that “the homosexual movement is also destroying America by aggressively seeking to destroy traditional families, religion and marriages for the purpose of removing all societal moral boundaries.”

The Alliance Defending Freedom filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint against the city of Atlanta last month on Cochran’s behalf. Meanwhile, conservative evangelical leaders have appeared to be distancing themselves from Cochran and from drawing distinct parallels between his firing and the “religious freedom” bills being considered in the state legislature.

Reed has repeatedly said Cochran was fired for violating city policy, including giving copies of his book to subordinates.

GEORGIA RANKS NO. 1 IN SYPHILIS INFECTIONS

A new report by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) states syphilis infections have increased a whopping 10 percent in 2013, with Georgia ranking No. 1 for syphilis infections in the U.S. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease, and symptoms include sores around the genitals and rashes on the palms of hands and soles of feet.

There were 1,017 cases reported in Georgia in 2013, the year for which the most recent data is available. Most of Georgia’s syphilis cases are concentrated in metro Atlanta in Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Clayton, and Gwinnett counties, as well as Savannah in Chatham County, but cases are reported throughout the state.

“This national rate increase was only among men, particularly gay and bisexual men,” according to a CDC fact sheet.

“Trend data show men who have sex with

men (MSM) account for three-quarters (75 percent) of all primary and secondary syphilis cases. Primary and secondary syphilis are the most infectious stages of the disease, and if not adequately treated, can lead to long-term infection which can cause visual impairment and stroke,” according to the report. “Syphilis infection can also place a person at increased risk for acquiring or transmitting HIV infection. Available surveillance data indicate that an average of half of MSM with syphilis are also infected with HIV.”

MILITARY MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE TRANS SOLDIERS

While the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” stopped discharges of gays, lesbians and bisexuals from the military, the policy on transgender military personnel hasn’t changed.

According to a story in USA Today, a new Army policy makes removing transgender troops more difficult. The decision to discharge transgender people must now be made by a top civilian official—the assistant secretary of the Army for personnel.

When transgender people in the military are identified, they are usually given an automatic medical discharge.

According to the Palm Center, which has done research on sexual minorities in the military, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James endorsed such a change in policy in December.

In another small change of policy, the Army agreed to allow Chelsea Manning to begin hormone therapy. Manning is serving a 35-year prison sentence for divulging national security secrets to WikiLeaks.

The new change in discharge policy is similar to one that happened under DADT that was supposed to slow the discharges of gays and lesbians and require greater proof.

Discharges by top-level personnel, however, continued at a rapid pace until the law was finally repealed.

— by David Taffet/Dallas Voice

www.theGAVoice.com

02.20.15

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NEWS

02.20.15

www.theGAVoice.com

Employment discrimination, hate crimes and HIV/AIDS bills filed under Gold Dome Focus widens beyond religious freedom as legislators consider new LGBT protections

gia Sheriffs Association) only supports legalizing cannabis oil for children with seizure disorders. Unfortunately, AIDS is not currently included as a diagnosis in HB 1.”

WAITES PROPOSES ANTI-BULLYING, HIV TESTING BILL

By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com Religious freedom isn’t the only issue affecting the LGBT community during this year’s legislative session. Employment discrimination, bullying, hate crimes and HIV/ AIDS are just some of the subjects covered in several bills under consideration.

DRENNER REINTRODUCES BILL BANNING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST LGBT STATE EMPLOYEES

Lesbian State Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) hopes the third time’s the charm with the reintroduction of her Fair Employment Practices Act, which would prohibit discrimination against state employees on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Fifty-eight cities and counties in Georgia already have similar protections in place, and HB 323 would expand that coverage statewide.

HB 323 has 77 co-sponsors, including one independent and 17 Republicans, including the powerful Republican co-sponsor Rep. Wendell Willard of Sandy Springs, who is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

When Drenner introduced the bill in 2012 and 2013, it was granted a hearing but not a vote. Regardless, she hasn’t changed the wording of the bill this year, but she says there are other factors in her favor this time around.

“There may be a couple things different this time and that is, first, the timing is better,” she says. “Second, the overall culture of the General Assembly feels a little bit different. There are more co-sponsors and Republican support. It almost seems like the world is finally catching up to the bill.”

Drenner says the bill does not include protections for private employees. Experts believe if it did, it would have little to no chance of passing in the Republican-controlled legislature. But it does affect state colleges and universities.

“I would offer that [a bill covering private employment discrimination] would be characterized as government overreach,” she says. “I would think that the 200-plus corporations that already have these policies in place set precedent, and that independent companies can have their own policies.”

HB 323 has been assigned to Willard’s House Judiciary Committee, so Drenner will be busy lobbying members of the committee in advance of a yet-to-be scheduled hearing.

esbian state Rep. Karla Drenner thinks the timing and the climate is right for her Fair Employment Practices Act to pass.

(File photo)

BELL’S BILL WOULD KEEP DISCRIMINATORY SCHOOLS FROM RECEIVING SCHOLARSHIP MONEY

Lesbian State Rep. Simone Bell (D-Atlanta) has introduced a bill that would ensure that schools receiving funding from student scholarship organizations do not discriminate based on race, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Bell was moved to file HB 142 after seeing a report released by the Southern Education Foundation that revealed at least 115 Georgia private schools that received funds from student scholarship organizations had explicit anti-gay policies or belonged to private school associations that promote anti-gay policies, says Carolyn Monden, finance director of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus, who spoke on Bell’s behalf.

“Educational opportunities should be available to all Georgia students, and this legislation ensures that no child is turned away from a school based on discriminatory considerations,” Monden says.

cil and the Georgia Sheriffs Association, and more importantly Gov. Nathan Deal, came out strongly against such a bill. A legislative aide of Peake’s confirmed to the GA Voice that AIDS has been removed from the bill.

“HB 1 currently includes eight diagnoses. They are cancer, ALS, seizures, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s Disease, mitochondrial disease, fibromyalgia, and Parkinson’s Disease,” says Peake aide Grant Thomas.

“Gov. Deal has endorsed the bill and currently supports including these eight diagnoses in HB 1. However, law enforcement (the Prosecuting Attorneys Council and Geor-

FORT INTRODUCES HATE CRIME BILL INCLUDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY

UNDER PRESSURE FROM DEAL, LAWMAKER REMOVES AIDS FROM MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL

AIDS will no longer be a covered diagnosis under state Rep. Allen Peake’s (R-Macon) medical marijuana bill. Peake’s HB 1 was originally intended to facilitate treatment of children with certain seizure disorders, but a more recent version included an expanded list of diagnoses that included AIDS. However, the Prosecuting Attorneys Coun-

Lesbian state Rep. Keisha Waites (D-Atlanta) has proposed a bill to help curb bullying in schools.

“Right now the legislation that’s on the books doesn’t do anything to address bullying before it happens,” Waites says. “There is a current climate and a culture where this behavior has become acceptable.”

HB 40 would require that local boards of education include bullying incidents in their annual reports to the Department of Education regarding disciplinary and placement actions taken during the prior school year.

The bill would also require enumerated categories outlining why the student was bullied, including sexual orientation or gender identity.

“So if they were bullied based upon being disabled, if they were bullied based upon being morbidly obese, or if they may be LGBT, that would be required in the report,” Waites says.

HB 40 would also require sensitivity training for educators and administrators, which is a requirement in most metro Atlanta counties but not in many rural areas of the state.

Waites has also proposed a bill that would make HIV testing a standard part of a patient’s blood panel. Under HB 53, a patient visiting their doctor would have to opt out of getting tested for HIV infection instead of having to opt in, as things now stand.

“If that person is positive, that allows them to get advanced treatment, to be honest with potential sexual partners, and it can hopefully stop the spread of HIV,” Waites says.

Rep. Waites is also a co-sponsor along with Rep. Drenner on Rep. Pam Dickerson’s (D-Conyers) HB 131, which would amend the current definition of bullying to include cyberbullying.

Lesbian state Rep. Keisha Waites has introduced a bill that would make HIV testing a standard part of a patient’s blood panel. (file photo)

Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) has proposed legislation that would provide for enhanced punishment for crimes involving bias or prejudice, including such crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Georgia is one of five states without a hate crime law on the books.

The bill, SB 47, has been assigned to the Judiciary Non-Civil Committee chaired by Republican Sen. Jesse Stone. Fort was not available as of press time to comment on the bill.

NEWS

www.theGAVoice.com

02.20.15

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Experts: ‘Religious freedom’ bills could provide cover for denying same-sex marriage licenses in Georgia New version of Rep. Sam Teasley’s bill fails to address LGBT discrimination

By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com The ongoing debate in Georgia over the so-called “religious freedom” bills took another interesting turn thanks to the ongoing battle over same-sex marriage in Alabama.

After a U.S. district court judge struck down the state’s same-sex marriage ban last month, Pike County Alabama probate judge Wes Allen announced on Feb. 6 that his county would no longer issue marriage licenses to any couples, gay or straight.

Among his reasons? The Alabama Religious Freedom Amendment to the Alabama state constitution, enacted in 1998.

“I believe that the Alabama Constitution and federal law protect my right to both live my life as a Christian and perform my elected duties,” Allen stated, according to WSFA Channel 12 in Montgomery. “The way that the law

Merritt McAlister (Courtesy photo)

allows me to do that is by giving me the discretion to end the issuance of marriage licenses and that is the legal course I am taking.”

The move led Bryan Long, openly gay executive director of progressive political organization Better Georgia, to call Judge Allen’s move “the end game” for Georgia state Rep. Sam Teasley (R-Marietta) and state Sen. Josh McKoon (R-Columbus), in an

e-blast sent to the group’s followers.

Merritt McAlister, president of the Stonewall Bar Association and a partner at King & Spalding, says bills like Teasley’s House Bill 218 and McKoon’s soon-to-be filed bill could possibly be used as cover for judges and clerks refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Georgia, if and when the state’s 2004 same-sex marriage ban falls.

“The issue under the statute would then be whether there is a ‘compelling governmental interest’ that justifies the intrusion on the individual’s religious freedom,” McAlister tells the Georgia Voice. “If the Supreme Court does what we expect it to do—if it holds that there is either a fundamental right to marry that protects LGBT folks or that excluding LGBT folks from marriage creates equal protection problems—I think it’s likely that a court would conclude that enforcing that constitutional right would be a ‘compelling governmental interest.’

“But I have no doubt that someone would try to litigate the question, even though the act’s drafters purport not to want the act to be ‘used to discriminate or undermine the rights of any person or class of people,’” she says.

NEW VERSION OF TEASLEY’S BILL FAILS TO ALLAY LGBT DISCRIMINATION FEARS

On Feb. 4, Teasley filed a new version of his bill, previously called House Bill 29 and now HB 218, which stripped language that appeared to broaden parental rights. The move was made to appease critics who said the previous bill opened up the door to allow child abuse by parents who cite their religious beliefs.

However, that change still doesn’t address fears about LGBT discrimination, according to Anthony Kreis, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs, who says the bill doesn’t foreclose businesses from raising religious claims and doesn’t expressly remove civil rights laws from potential RFRA challenges.

“While ultimately, I do not believe that a religious objector to nondiscrimination law could successfully challenge it under a state RFRA, I fear that it will embolden anti-gay animus simply because many of the groups backing the bill wrongfully believe that a state RFRA would allow them to circumvent LGBT civil rights protections,” Kreis says.

“We should not craft laws that will spawn frivolous litigation.”

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LGBT

MONEY STATISTICS

A myth exists that many lesbian and gay people make more than their heterosexual counterparts. Some of the stats do show some of us make more than others: n Among same-sex couples with both partners

in the labor force, median household income is approximately $94,000 compared to heterosexual couples making about $86,000. n Around 46 percent of people in same-sex couples have college degrees, compared to less than one-third of people in heterosexual couples. n Women in same-sex relationships and working make a median of $38,000 each, compared to women in heterosexual couples who make about $30,000.

But then there’s this:

n Men in same-sex relationships make about

$47,000 a year compared to a heterosexuals’ $48,000 salary.

Source: The Williams Institute, from a report based on U.S. Census data from 2005-2011

LGBT families make less The truth is, most LGBT people, especially women and transgender people, make much less, especially when it comes to same-sex couples raising children.

$59,600 the median household income of married opposite-sex couples

$46,200 the median household income of a same-sex couple raising children DIFFERENCE OF

$13,400 $74,700 average income for opposite-sex couple raising children

$59,270 average income for same-sex couple raising children DIFFERENCE OF

$15,507 Source: 2011 report by Center for American Progress, the Family Equality Council and the Movement Advancement Project based on Census Bureau data from 2000

LGBT-owned and operated businesses have flooded Stone Mountain Village in recent years, creating an unlikely mecca for the community. (Creative Commons photo)

STONE MOUNTAIN becoming unlikely LGBT mecca

LGBT residents, business owners drawn by housing prices, familiar faces

By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com It was 1986 and David Thomas was enjoying living in Midtown Atlanta with his partner, Michael Hidalgo. His job as associate director of the Georgia Council for the Arts took him all over the state, and one day it took him into a meeting in Stone Mountain Village. That’s when he noticed an old trolley car station.

“I saw this building and I just got chills,” he says.

The then-mayor gave him a tour of the building and, despite its state of poor repair, Thomas and Hidalgo talked it over and made a decision. Thomas quit his job with the state, the couple moved to Stone Mountain and Thomas founded ART Station. The nonprofit now includes a professional equity theater company, a cabaret theater, five art galleries and an art school.

The couple was an exception to the rule at that time, in a land of laser shows and 10-story tall carvings of Confederate leaders of the Civil War. But they were also two of the LGBT

pioneers who helped start a trend that’s led to Stone Mountain Village becoming an unlikely LGBT mecca in Georgia, with members of the community owning or running several businesses and serving on various city boards.

The trend has picked up in the last five to 10 years in particular, with members of the LGBT community flocking to Stone Mountain Village for its more affordable housing, small town feel, access to Stone Mountain Park and, not least, seeing some friendly faces. And now the city’s Downtown Development Authority has even made recruitment of LGBT residents and businesses a peg in the city’s five-year plan.

MAYOR’S LATE BROTHER-IN-LAW OPENED HER EYES

Accepting and embracing the LGBT community and making it part of the city’s longterm planning is personal for Stone Mountain Mayor Pat Wheeler, who has lived in the city with her husband for 50 years. Her late brother-in-law was gay.

“We saw how he was treated,” she says.

“People shouldn’t be treated that way. It’s different having a personal relationship with someone in your family and seeing how they’re shunned by society.”

Last year, Wheeler signed on for the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry campaign in support of marriage equality, joining 400 other mayors across the country, including Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.

You can find Mayor Wheeler grabbing a cup of coffee at Cafe JAYA most mornings.

Rory Webb owns the coffeehouse with his partner of 25 years, Jeff Carey.

The couple always dreamed of moving to a small-town type of community that was also welcoming to them, and they didn’t think they would find it in Georgia until meeting Thomas and Hidalgo on a cruise.

“They really sold us on taking a look at Stone Mountain and ensuring us it was really diverse and open and affirming,” Webb says.

After checking it out for themselves, they bought Cafe JAYA last February and moved from Lithonia in July.

“We immediately fell in love with the

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community and the people have embraced us,” he says.

Webb was elected by the city council to serve on the Downtown Development Authority, and is also a board member of the Stone Mountain Village Business Association (SMVBA). Of the six members on the board of the SMVBA, four are LGBT.

‘BEING AN OUT GAY BUSINESS OWNER IS ACTUALLY REALLY A GOOD THING FOR THE CITY’

Susan Leisure and her partner Brooke Martin loved the more affordable housing but had concerns about living openly as a couple when they first moved to Stone Mountain in 2004.

“We didn’t lie to anybody, but we were hesitant about letting people know we were a couple,” Leisure says. “That lasted about three months, then we started being more open. It became clear very quickly that that’s not an issue.”

Leisure is the director and Martin is the director of operations of AARF Pet Central, a pet supply store, adoption center and training center in Stone Mountain Village. Leisure, who is president of the SMVBA, doesn’t think it’s a coincidence that there are so many LGBT-owned and/or operated businesses concentrated in Stone Mountain Village and that many LGBT community members serve in leadership positions.

“We all live in the village,” she says. “Do all the gay business owners live in Midtown? Or in Decatur? We all live here so it’s really critical to us how the city develops and not just that people come spend money in our stores.

The city has done a great job making it clear to us that being an out gay business owner is actually really a good thing for the city.”

‘GAY PEOPLE STARTED MOVING IN AND WE’RE BRINGING NEW LIFE TO IT’

Chiropractor David Feschuk was living with his partner in a house in Buckhead in 2003 when they were looking to make a move, but the prices in Atlanta were too high.

“You could spend $250,000 and get a two-bedroom, one-bath in Atlanta and in Stone Mountain, the houses were a fraction of that,” he says.

He was familiar with the area from biking, hiking and running in Stone Mountain Park, but had what he calls “major concerns” about moving there.

“I did not want to live outside the Perimeter,” he says.

But he and his partner made the move and have never looked back. He moved his chiropractic office, The Back Shack, from Buckhead into Stone Mountain Village in 2008. He expanded into a bigger location in 2013 and now offers additional services in what is now called The Healing Center.

“It’s really surprising and I don’t know if it’s Stone Mountain Village itself or if it’s just the way it is now with people being more open,” he says. “There’s still some people here who are not open to gay people living in the village, but just like any other area Stone Mountain Village was a dead area, then gay people start-

LGBT Owned and/or Operated Businesses in Stone Mountain Village ART Station Contemporary Arts Center and Theatre Company

Owners/Managers: David Thomas and Michael Hidalgo Year Opened: 1986 Description of Services: Professional theater productions, galleries, cabaret and arts instruction.

Specialty/customer favorite/claim to fame: Received awards from National Endowment for the Arts, Georgia Council for the Arts, Georgia Trend Magazine, an ABBY Award from the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and many more. www.artstation.org

New Orleans Snoball Cafe

Owners: Vicki Sanders & Jared Scanlon Year opened: 2010 Description of services: New Orleans style “snowballs” (snow cones) and popcorn Specialty/customer favorite/claim to fame: Big Easy Paradise—fresh lemonade, strawberry and mango flavors with homemade coconut ice cream, condensed milk and strawberry purée. www.NewOrleansSnoballCafe.com

AARF Pet Central / Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends

Co-directors: Susan Leisure and Brooke Martin.

Year opened: The rescue group has been in business since 2002 and AARF Pet Central opened in 2011.

Description of services: Supply retail pet store and pet adoption center.

Specialty/customer favorite/claim to fame: Nutritional advice and top quality foods for any budget.

One of the most extensive selections of raw foods in the metro Atlanta area. www.aarfpetcentral.com

The Healing Center

Owner: David Feschuk Year Opened: 2013 Description of Services: Activator chiropractic, energy healing, massage, reflexology, and counseling.

Specialty/customer favorite/claim to fame: Reducing neck and back pain, increasing energy and strength through holistic approach. www.thebackshack.com

Pop Up Parties, LLC

Owner: Michele King Year opened: 2014 Description of services: Party and event design, planning, consultations, window display services, “party in a box” and party supplies Specialty/customer favorite/claim to fame: Design of themed parties and handmade party décor www.popuppartyatlanta.com

Cafe JAYA

Owners: Jeff Carey and Rory Webb Year opened: 2014 Description of services: Nonprofit community coffeehouse and tearoom Specialty/customer favorite/claim to fame: Salted caramel latte and music concerts www.facebook.com/Cafejaya ed moving in and we’re bringing new life to it.”

Feschuk’s best friend J.R. Scott lived on Piedmont Park and liked it, but began to tire of the traffic and high property values.

The openly gay realtor at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers knew the area from visiting Feschuk, and he loves rock-climbing, so, well, you get the drift. One more LGBT businessperson joined the rest of the population in Stone Mountain.

“A lot of people move to Decatur and the houses there have gotten more expensive. Then the next step out is Stone Mountain,” says Scott, who is also an SMVBA board member.

ART Station’s Thomas points to a pact he

made with his partner Hidalgo when they got together 32 years ago that might help explain what Stone Mountain Village has turned into today.

“When we first got together, we knew we were going to be together a long time. So we wrote our personal mission statements,” says Thomas, who also sits on the board of the SMVBA and the Downtown Development Authority.

“One of the things was that we wanted to be an example of a gay couple in a mainstream community and show we’re not weirdos.”

“Michael and I have planted a lot of seeds over the years and they’re finally beginning to sprout.”

02.20.15

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Earn more, have less debt?

In 2012, financial firm Prudential conducted a survey showing gay people earn more money and have less debt: n Annual income of gay people average $61,500

compared to national median of $50,054 n Gay people are $4,000 less in debt than

straight counterparts n Gay people build up more equity in their homes: a median of $77,000 compared to the national median of $62,000

Discrimination and financial equality Because LGBT people still face much discrimination, especially in the work force, it can be hard to earn a solid income. For example: n 20.7 percent of LGBT people make less than $12,000 a year compared to only 17 percent of non-LGBT people. n 15 percent of transgender people make less

than $10,000 a year compared to 4 percent of the general population. . n 29 percent of LGBT adults in the U.S. report they are thriving financially compared to 39 percent of non-LGBT adults. n Women in same-sex couples are more likely

to live in poverty (7.6 percent) than women in opposite-sex married couples (5.7 percent). n Single LGBT adults raising children are three times more likely to have incomes near the poverty line compared to single, non-LGBT adults. n Adults in poverty: 4.3 percent of male same-sex couples; 7.6 percent of female same-sex couples; and 5.7 percent of married opposite-sex couples. n $123,211 average household income of opposite-sex couples raising children in a state where same-sex marriage is legal n $122,522 average household income of same-sex couples raising children in a state where same-sex marriage is legal n $98,386 average household income for married opposite-sex couples raising a family where same-sex marriage is prohibited n $89,474 average household income of same-

sex couples raising a family in a state where same-sex marriage is prohibited Source: Movement Advancement Project

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PINK DOLLAR

02.20.15

www.theGAVoice.com

Q&A: Lynn Pasqualetti

Tax time for LGBT couples How, what to file in Georgia where same-sex marriage is still prohibited

By DYANA BAGBY dbagby@thegavoice.com Tax time can be confusing for anyone, but for same-sex couples who legally marry in another state only to come home to Georgia where their marriage currently counts for nothing, that confusion may lead to a pile of forms and serious uncertainty.

Lesbian-owned HLM Financial Group has been around for 28 years and is well-versed in the tax matters for LGBT people and same-sex couples. We asked Lynn Pasqualetti, president and managing partner of HLM, several questions to help those seeking answers.

What do legally married same-sex couples need to know when filing taxes this year?

If the couple was married in any state or any country legally, they will need to determine what their filing status will be for the 2014 tax year. If they married any time between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2014, they have to file a federal return as “married filing joint” or “married filing separately,” unless they lived separately the entire year—this means not one night together. If that was the case, they could be considered “single” or “head of household” if they meet the requirements.

By filing a joint return, each person agrees to be equally and solely responsible for the data reported on a joint return. If there are any concerns or either party does not know the financial situation of their spouse, they may want to think about the risks before filing a joint tax return.

All joint tax information would need to be used for both individuals and that would be reported on one federal tax return if they select married filing joint.

Of course in Georgia, same-sex marriage is not yet legal. So while being legally married in, say, New York, couples in Georgia must file separate state taxes as well—is that correct?

Yes, this is correct. If they reside in Georgia or any state that does not recognize same-sex marriages, they will need to start by preparing their federal and state return as though they were single or head of house-

hold. Once those returns are prepared, they will not file the federal return but rather attach it to the Georgia or other state return and include a statement that the federal return is not being filed as they are filing a joint return under DOMA [Defense of Marriage] but it is used strictly to be able to file their state returns since their marriage is not recognized under state law.

After they get their individual returns for the states prepared, they would merge their federal data in order to file a married filing joint tax return. Most tax software is now equipped to handle DOMA returns. They can be a little tricky because the software is not intuitive so there should be a thorough review of the married filing joint return to be sure both spouses information transferred over correctly.

Just recently I had a same-sex couple that prepared their own returns using Turbo Tax for 2013 and Turbo Tax filed them married filing joint for both federal and Georgia. Now they need us to help them amend their 2013 Georgia returns to correct the erroneous filings.

What about same-sex couples with children? What issues do they face when filing taxes?

With many LGBT clients having children, that too can become an issue because the laws have changed in the past few years to prevent the lower income taxpayer from claiming the children to get the earned income credit and the child tax credits because

now if two people live together and share children, the highest earner is the one who has to claim the children.

It used to be that two same-sex people living in the same house could both claim head of household using the same qualifying children but now the rules have changed on this as well so the preparer really has to ask many questions to be sure the returns are being filed accurately.

What happens if Georgia gets samesex marriage legalized this summer [after the Supreme Court ruling] and perhaps some couples have asked for an extension on their taxes—can they legally file state and federal taxes as legally married couples?

Knowing Georgia, they will not make this retroactive unless they are forced to do so. If I were married in 2014, I would probably file the extension just to preserve my position but they can always refile after the ruling.

Remember, if you owe money, the extension is only an extension of time to file the return, not pay the taxes so a payment should be sent in with the extension April 15.

What are some of the most common problems you see with LGBT clients—both single and married—when it comes to filing taxes?

Co-ownership of property can be a problem. Let’s say I own the property and the mortgage is in my name but after I got the

loan, I quit claimed the property to my partner. Now the partner owns part of the house but the mortgage is in my name. We both pay half the mortgage but only I can deduct the mortgage interest because my partner does not have any liability to the loan. What we do at HLM is we have the person whose name the loan is in take the mortgage interest deduction and the partner that does not have any liability to the loan take the property taxes. This way in the event of an audit there is no adjustment.

Another issue is that with the joint returns under DOMA, a lot of our clients do not share finances, even after marriage, so filing a joint return requires disclosure of all income and expenses—that has triggered a few fights in my office.

What are the three things you wish all same-sex couples, married or not, would understand when it comes to filing taxes? n It is not as easy as it seems to file under DOMA in a state that does not recognize same-sex marriages. n Tax planning should be part of the decision making process before getting married. n Transfering assets to a partner or spouse should not be done without proper knowledge of the ramifications. n Documentation for all expenses is crucial; do not claim a deduction unless you can support it with a receipt and proof of payment.

Read the entire Q&A at www.thegavoice.com.

PINK DOLLAR

www.theGAVoice.com

02.20.15

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Merging of forces to benefit Georgia’s LGBT-owned businesses Atlanta Gay Chamber teams up with federal Small Business Administration in first-of-its-kind coalition

By DYANA BAGBY dbagby@thegavoice.com When President Barack Obama took office, he sent a memo to all his department heads telling them to make sure LGBT inclusion is part of their everyday mission.

One of those departments is the Small Business Administration, which made history last month when the Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce signed an agreement with the Georgia district office of the SBA to work together to boost LGBT-owned businesses in the state—the first time the SBA has teamed up with an LGBT chamber.

“This agreement is part of an initiative from President Obama to have the federal government be more inclusive with LGBT businesses,” says Andria (A.T.) Towne, president of the AGLCC. “This agreement will help us grow and support LGBT businesses here in Georgia.

Right now, we’re still formulating the details of the relationship,” she says.

While the federal government has a long history of working with minority businesses, this is the first time LGBT businesses have been part of the equation, Towne explains.

The AGLCC boasts 275 member businesses, from sole proprietors to global corporations such as the Coca-Cola Company.

In the U.S., there are more than 1.4 million LGBT-owned small businesses, according to the SBA. “And small businesses are the engines of our economy,” says Mark Gibson, the national LGBT communications director for the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Gibson, based in Atlanta, says working with the AGLCC will provide opportunities for the SBA to make its resources available to LGBT-owned businesses in ways it hasn’t in the past.

This includes loans, mentoring programs, lunch-and-learn sessions, and even Google hangouts, where those with questions can connect with those who have answers.

“We’re getting ready to launch an economic empowerment series. We’re planning lunch-and-learns from the Georgia district office for entrepreneurs,” says Gibson.

“The spirit of inclusion brought an intersection of equality and equity,” he adds. And that’s what the SBA wants to do as part of its relationship with the AGLCC.

Andria Towne, president of the Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, signed a historic agreement with the Georgia district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration on Jan. 23.

The agreement, the first of its kind in the nation, is the first formalized agreement between an LGBT chamber of commerce and an SBA district office. (File photo)

MORE DETAILS Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce atlantagaychamber.org

National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce www.nglcc.org

Small Business Administration www.sba.gov

‘Cannot separate fight for civil rights from the fight for market rights’ As part of its mission to embrace diversity, the SBA has also just launched an “LGBT Business Builder” initiative with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, focused on LGBT business owners. This is the first of its kind as well.

The Washington, D.C.-based NGLCC is an official third-party organization that verifies businesses are majority-owned by LGBT individuals, granting those businesses an “LGBT Business Enterprise” designation. With this

designation, these businesses receive a hand up when it comes to partnering with NGLCC corporate sponsors, for example.

The initiative will bring together expertise and resources from staff at SBA district and regional offices, NGLCC’s 38 U.S.-based affiliate chambers, and other resource partners.

The “LGBT Business Builder” will include day-long training sessions over the next two years for LGBT business owners in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco.

“Businesses will learn how to leverage NGLCC’s LGBT-owned business certification and explore opportunities through SBA’s suite of services around government contracting, exporting, and other SBA initiatives,” according to a statement from SBA. SBA Administrator Maria ContrerasSweet says the agreement will help LGBT entrepreneurs in all 50 states have the support needed to ensure success.

“I’m here because we cannot separate the fight for civil rights from the fight for mar-

ket rights and economic power,” she says.

Justin Nelson, president and co-founder of NGLCC, says the partnership ensures LGBT people will have a seat at the table.

‘Reinvesting in our community’ For Towne of the AGLCC, fighting for LGBT businesses is just as important as the fight for marriage equality and employment nondiscrimination, or even against bullying in schools.

“The passion I have for this organization is because one of the strongest voices we have is how we spend our money,” she says.

“We are trying to educate people that it’s not only about making money for yourselves but also about growing your business and hiring employees from your community and investing in your community.”

“The chamber is on an incredible growth track. Membership is up. I think people are realizing it is important to do business with each other and provide employment to our community and reinvest in our community,” she adds.

COMPLERA is a prescription medicine for adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before and who have no more than 100,000 copies/mL of virus in their blood.

COMPLERA can also replace current HIV-1 medicines for some adults who have an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) and whose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements.

COMPLERA combines 3 medicines into 1 pill to be taken once a day with food. COMPLERA should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines.

Just the

one

for me

COMPLERA is a complete HIV-1 treatment in only 1 pill a day.

Ask your healthcare provider if COMPLERA may be the one for you.

Pill shown is not actual size.

COMPLERA does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS.

To control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses you must keep taking COMPLERA. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids.

Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.

It is not known if COMPLERA is safe and effective in children under 18 years old.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about COMPLERA?

COMPLERA can cause serious side effects: • Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious medical emergency. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include feeling very weak or tired, unusual (not normal) muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold especially in your arms and legs, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat.

• Serious liver problems. The liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and fatty (steatosis). Symptoms of liver problems include your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice), dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored bowel movements (stools), loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, and/or stomach pain.

• You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or serious liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking COMPLERA for a long time. In some cases, these serious conditions have led to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of these conditions.

• Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you also have HBV and stop taking COMPLERA, your hepatitis may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking COMPLERA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health. COMPLERA is not approved for the treatment of HBV.

Who should not take COMPLERA?

Do not take COMPLERA if you: • Take a medicine that contains: adefovir (Hepsera), lamivudine (Epivir-HBV), carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol-XR, Teril, Epitol), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), phenobarbital (Luminal), phenytoin (Dilantin, Dilantin-125, Phenytek), rifampin (Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane, Rifadin), rifapentine (Priftin), dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), esomeprazole (Nexium, Vimovo), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid), pantoprazole sodium (Protonix), rabeprazole (Aciphex), more than 1 dose of the steroid medicine dexamethasone or dexamethasone sodium phosphate, or the herbal supplement St. John’s wort.

• Take any other medicines to treat HIV-1 infection, unless recommended by your healthcare provider.

What are the other possible side effects of COMPLERA?

Serious side effects of COMPLERA may also include: • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests to check your kidneys before starting treatment with COMPLERA. If you have had kidney problems, or take other medicines that may cause kidney problems, your healthcare provider may also check your kidneys during treatment with COMPLERA. • Depression or mood changes. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms: feeling sad or hopeless, feeling anxious or restless, have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself.

Changes in liver enzymes: People who have had hepatitis B or C, or who have had changes in their liver function tests in the past may have an increased risk for liver problems while taking COMPLERA. Some people without prior liver disease may also be at risk. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with COMPLERA. • Bone problems, including bone pain or bones getting soft or thin, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones.

• Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicines.

• Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking COMPLERA. •

The most common side effects of COMPLERA include trouble sleeping (insomnia), abnormal dreams, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, rash, tiredness, and depression. Other common side effects include vomiting, stomach pain or discomfort, skin discoloration (small spots or freckles), and pain. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking COMPLERA? All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or had any kidney, mental health, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection.

• All the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. COMPLERA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how COMPLERA works.

Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Do not start any new medicines while taking COMPLERA without first talking with your healthcare provider.

• If you take rifabutin (Mycobutin). Talk to your healthcare provider about the right amount of rilpivirine (Edurant) you should take.

• If you take antacids. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. • If you take stomach acid blockers. Take acid blockers at least 12 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. Ask your healthcare provider if your acid blocker is okay to take, as some acid blockers should never be taken with COMPLERA. • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if COMPLERA can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking COMPLERA. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Also, some medicines in COMPLERA can pass into breast milk, and it is not known if this can harm the baby.

•

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see Brief Summary of full Prescribing Information with important warnings on the following pages.

Brief Summary of full Prescribing Information COMPLERA® (kom-PLEH-rah) (emtricitabine 200 mg, rilpivirine 25 mg, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg) tablets Brief summary of full Prescribing Information. For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information.

What is COMPLERA? • COMPLERA is a prescription medicine used as a complete HIV-1 treatment in one pill a day. COMPLERA is for adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before and who have no more than 100,000 copies/mL of virus in their blood (this is called ‘viral load’). Complera can also replace current HIV-1 medicines for some adults who have an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) and whose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements.

• COMPLERA is a complete regimen and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines.

HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. When used properly, COMPLERA may reduce the amount of HIV-1 virus in your blood and increase the amount of CD4 T-cells, which may help improve your immune system. This may reduce your risk of death or getting infections that can happen when your immune system is weak.

• COMPLERA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. You must stay on continuous HIV-1 therapy to control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses.

• Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others.

Do not share or reuse needles, injection equipment, or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them. Do not have sex without protection. Always practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood.

What is the most important information I should know about COMPLERA? COMPLERA can cause serious side effects, including: • Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis can happen in some people who take COMPLERA or similar (nucleoside analogs) medicines. Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Lactic acidosis can be hard to identify early, because the symptoms could seem like symptoms of other health problems. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms which could be signs of lactic acidosis: – feel very weak or tired – have unusual (not normal) muscle pain – have trouble breathing – having stomach pain with nausea or vomiting – feel cold, especially in your arms and legs – feel dizzy or lightheaded – have a fast or irregular heartbeat • Severe liver problems. Severe liver problems can happen in people who take COMPLERA. In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death. Your liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and you may develop fat in your liver (steatosis). Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms of liver problems: – your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice) – dark “tea-colored” urine – light-colored bowel movements (stools) – loss of appetite for several days or longer – nausea – stomach pain • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking COMPLERA for a long time.

• Worsening of Hepatitis B infection. If you have hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and take COMPLERA, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking COMPLERA. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before.

COMPLERA is not approved for the treatment of HBV, so you must discuss your HBV with your healthcare provider.

– Do not run out of COMPLERA. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your COMPLERA is all gone.

– Do not stop taking COMPLERA without first talking to your healthcare provider.

– If you stop taking COMPLERA, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly to check your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking COMPLERA. Who should not take COMPLERA? Do not take COMPLERA if you also take any of the following medicines: • Medicines used for seizures: carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol-XR, Teril, Epitol); oxcarbazepine (Trileptal); phenobarbital (Luminal); phenytoin (Dilantin, Dilantin-125, Phenytek) • Medicines used for tuberculosis: rifampin (Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane, Rifadin); rifapentine (Priftin) • Certain medicines used to block stomach acid called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs): dexlansoprazole (Dexilant); esomeprazole (Nexium, Vimovo); lansoprazole (Prevacid); omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid); pantoprazole sodium (Protonix); rabeprazole (Aciphex) • Certain steroid medicines: More than 1 dose of dexamethasone or dexamethasone sodium phosphate • Certain herbal supplements: St. John’s wort • Certain hepatitis medicines: adefovir (Hepsera), lamivudine (Epivir-HBV) Do not take COMPLERA if you also take any other HIV-1 medicines, including: • Other medicines that contain tenofovir (ATRIPLA, STRIBILD, TRUVADA, VIREAD) • Other medicines that contain emtricitabine or lamivudine (ATRIPLA, Combivir, EMTRIVA, Epivir, Epzicom, STRIBILD, Trizivir, TRUVADA) • rilpivirine (Edurant), unless you are taking rifabutin (Mycobutin) COMPLERA is not for use in people who are less than 18 years old.

What are the possible side effects of COMPLERA? COMPLERA may cause the following serious side effects: • See “What is the most important information I should know about COMPLERA?” • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking COMPLERA. If you have had kidney problems in the past or need to take another medicine that can cause kidney problems, your healthcare provider may need to do blood tests to check your kidneys during your treatment with COMPLERA. • Depression or mood changes. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms: – feeling sad or hopeless – feeling anxious or restless – have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself • Change in liver enzymes. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus infection or who have certain liver enzyme changes may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening liver problems during treatment with COMPLERA. Liver problems can also happen during treatment with COMPLERA in people without a history of liver disease. Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with COMPLERA.

• Bone problems can happen in some people who take COMPLERA. Bone problems include bone pain, softening or thinning (which may lead to fractures). Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bones.

• Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicine. These changes may include increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), breast, and around the main part of your body (trunk). Loss of fat from the legs, arms and face may also happen. The cause and long term health effect of these conditions are not known.

• Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider if you start having any new symptoms after starting your HIV-1 medicine.

The most common side effects of COMPLERA include: • Trouble sleeping (insomnia), abnormal dreams, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, rash, tiredness, depression Additional common side effects include: • Vomiting, stomach pain or discomfort, skin discoloration (small spots or freckles), pain Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

• These are not all the possible side effects of COMPLERA. For more information, ask your healthcare provider.

• Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking COMPLERA? Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including: • If you have or had any kidney, mental health, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis B or C infection.

• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if COMPLERA can harm your unborn child.

– There is a pregnancy registry for women who take antiviral medicines during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider about how you can take part in this registry.

• If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take COMPLERA. – You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby.

– Two of the medicines in COMPLERA can pass to your baby in your breast milk.

It is not known if this could harm your baby.

– Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements: • COMPLERA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how COMPLERA works.

• If you take certain medicines with COMPLERA, the amount of COMPLERA in your body may be too low and it may not work to help control your HIV-1 infection.

The HIV-1 virus in your body may become resistant to COMPLERA or other HIV-1 medicines that are like it.

• Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you take any of the following medicines: – Rifabutin (Mycobutin), a medicine to treat some bacterial infections. Talk to

your healthcare provider about the right amount of rilpivirine (Edurant) you should take.

– Antacid medicines that contain aluminum, magnesium hydroxide, or calcium carbonate. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. – Certain medicines to block the acid in your stomach, including cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Pepcid), nizatidine (Axid), or ranitidine hydrochloride (Zantac). Take the acid blocker at least 12 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. Some acid blocking medicines should never be taken with COMPLERA (see “Who should not take COMPLERA?” for a list of these medicines).

– Medicines that can affect how your kidneys work, including acyclovir (Zovirax), cidofovir (Vistide), ganciclovir (Cytovene IV, Vitrasert), valacyclovir (Valtrex), and valganciclovir (Valcyte).

– clarithromycin (Biaxin) – erythromycin (E-Mycin, Eryc, Ery-Tab, PCE, Pediazole, Ilosone) – fluconazole (Diflucan) – itraconazole (Sporanox) – ketoconazole (Nizoral) – methadone (Dolophine) – posaconazole (Noxafil) – telithromycin (Ketek) – voriconazole (Vfend) Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. Do not start any new medicines while you are taking COMPLERA without first talking with your healthcare provider.

How should I take COMPLERA? • Stay under the care of your healthcare provider during treatment with COMPLERA. • Take COMPLERA exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it.

• Always take COMPLERA with food. Taking COMPLERA with food is important to help get the right amount of medicine in your body. A protein drink is not a substitute for food. If your healthcare provider decides to stop COMPLERA and you are switched to new medicines to treat HIV-1 that includes rilpivirine tablets, the rilpivirine tablets should be taken only with a meal.

Keep COMPLERA and all medicines out of reach of children.

This Brief Summary summarizes the most important information about COMPLERA. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can also ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about COMPLERA that is written for health professionals, or call 1-800-445-3235 or go to www.COMPLERA.com.

Issued: September 2014

COMPLERA, the COMPLERA Logo, EMTRIVA, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, HEPSERA, STRIBILD, TRUVADA, VIREAD, and VISTIDE are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. ATRIPLA is a trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb & Gilead Sciences, LLC. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. ©2014 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. CPAC0131 10/14

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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THEATER BY JIM FARMER

‘C.A. Lyons Project’ tells story of black dance troupe’s loss Black dance troupe deals with loss of gay founder to AIDS The Alliance Theatre’s “C.A. Lyons Project” takes place in the 1980s, telling the story of the founder of an African-American dance troupe who gets sick with a mysterious virus called GRID and his three lead dancers must summon the courage to carry on and continue his legacy. We spoke to out director Kent Gash, the former associate artistic director with the Alliance, and playwright Tsehaye Geralyn Hébert, the winner of this year’s Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, about the world premiere production.

GV: Tsehaye, this is a personal project for you. It’s based on a friend, correct?

TH: It is. My friend was an amazing dancer and choreographer, who just lit up the stage. He really returned to many of us the notion of dance and transformation, the notion of how it transforms us as individuals but also as a society.

GV: When did you first start working on this?

TH: I first started writing this just af-

DETAILS ‘The C.A. Lyons Project’

Alliance Theatre 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30309 Through March 8 www.alliancetheatre.com

ter my friend passed away. I was so griefstricken and I began jotting down ideas. I did not want him to be erased, to have him disappear. He had such an effect on my life and others. So I carried this box around for years with scrapbook information, posters, everything. When I started grad school, I looked at projects I could work on. I wasn’t mature enough to write back when he passed but I wanted to in grad school. It’s a much difference piece now than what I envisioned. And it has a lot of dance in it.

The ‘C.A. Lyons Project’ is the story of a black dance troupe’s reactions to the news the founder is sick with AIDS. (Courtesy Alliance Theatre)

GV: Kent, why did you want to direct this?

KG: It’s been very much a labor of love.

It’s about that period of time in the ’80s when we were all finding out about the epidemic that would be AIDS. And it’s a play about that within the African-American community and African-American gay life.

It’s very much about that period, which I lived through in New York. I can’t tell you how many people personally I lost. This is an opportunity to honor those men, to honor the great African-American dance tradition of choreographers like Billy Wilson and Alvin Ailey, both of whom we lost

to the AIDS epidemic. It also celebrates family and the families we discover later in life, and shows African-American life we never see on stage. There have been some great plays that have dealt with the subject but never from the unique perspective of our community.

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Eating my words BY CLIFF BOSTOCK

Shake Shack shimmy In search of nostalgia, and the perfect burger I spent my teen years in Sandy Springs.

There was one shopping center on Roswell Road when we first moved there, along with two restaurants and a bowling alley.

That was it. The area, populated by white people, was commonly referred to as the “Golden Ghetto.” But it wasn’t as golden as Buckhead, where you went to do serious shopping. The big attraction was Lenox Square—then an open-air mall decorated, incredibly, with concrete figures from the Uncle Remus stories. Yes, that’s how oppressively white it was.

When a MARTA station opened at Lenox, it became a citywide destination. That meant black people began appearing at Lenox and they later dared to party in Buckhead Village.

But don’t you worry. Racism survives and if you want a little taste, check out the website for the new Buckhead Atlanta (buckheadatl.com) at 3035 Peachtree Road. So far, two black faces appear amid the website’s many

pictures of mainly young white women living, shopping, and preening. In my two visits there, the only black faces I saw were staffers at two restaurants.

Sorry, but it’s generally the kind of place that makes me shudder. Maybe things will get better. Maybe I went on White Pride days.

Please don’t tell me that this is a “luxury” residential, retail and restaurant development and the reality is that blah blah blah.

All of this makes me almost ashamed to admit that I had two fun meals there. The best was at the Shake Shack (www.shakeshack.com, 470-809-9201), a national chain that receives raves everywhere, making many cities’ best burger lists. What’s the big deal? Several things.

First is the recycled décor. You gotta love table tops made from old bowling alley lanes.

The walls and seating are made of reclaimed pine and otherwise pedigreed wood.

The food is eco-friendly as well. The Angus beef is free of antibiotics and hormones.

Ditto for the hot dogs. Frozen custards contain no corn syrup—sugar only—and the milk is hormone-free.

All that may relieve your eco-friendly guilt but the tastes will inflame your inner

The Shake Shack in Buckhead serves up some of the city’s best burgers. (Courtesy photo)

glutton. The four hamburgers are made of a blend of several cuts of beef and all are topped with the famous and mysterious ShackSauce, a seasoned mayo that many have tried to duplicate at home. The only extravagant, calorie-laden addition is the smoked bacon in the SmokeShack.

What I’m going to recommend shocks me. The ‘Shroom Burger is the best vegetarian burger I’ve ever tasted. It’s not low-calorie. Nor is it dairy free. But OMG. The kitchen makes a patty out of chopped Portobello mushrooms and stuffs it with

cheddar and muenster cheeses. It’s fried until crisp and then stacked with lettuce and tomato. It’s not as messy as it sounds.

The cheese filling oozes only slightly. If you’re absolutely determined not to have a vegetarian meal, you can combine the ‘shroom patty with a beef one. In fact, any burger can be bought in a double-patty version. Honestly they are kind of small and, if you’re not doing any sides or ice cream, definitely go for it.

I didn’t try one of the split hotdogs. The menu says they are grilled until crispy. Crinkle-cut fries, the only side, are super-crisp but pretty pedestrian. You have to try the insanely rich custard. I ordered a concrete— vanilla custard blended with a slice of pecan pie from H&F Bread Co. There’s also one that riffs on s’mores and features intense chocolate chunks from Cacao Atlanta. Milkshakes vary from week to week.

I also visited American Food and Beverage (678-705-0454). It’s pricier, but the corned short rib Reuben was worth its $13 cost. I’m going back for the duck pot pie and the fried chicken, and I’ll report more in a few weeks. Maybe my next trip will not be an entirely white safari.

Cliff Bostock, PhD, is a long-time Atlanta food critic and former psychotherapist who now specializes in collaborative life coaching (404-518-4415).

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Event spotlight

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bout Tell us aBT event your LGays to submit your

ow There are tw inclusion in our online r fo t n event ve e T LGB ubmit your S . rs a d n le ail and print ca eGAVoice.com or e-m h .t w . w info to w AVoice.com ditor@theG details to e

FRIDAY, FEB. 20

Film Love presents “Fall-Apart Things,” the centerpiece of which is “Meet Marlon Brando,” 7 p.m., Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, 535 Means St. NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30318

SATURDAY, FEB. 21 Join the cast and crew of Shakespeare Follies tonight to celebrate their five-year anniversary. The evening takes a bawdy romp through the bard’s most famous (and infamous) plays, 8 p.m. at the Arts Exchange, www.ShakespeareFollies.com (Photo by Emily Butler Photography)

The Third Friday Film Series presents “The Good Lie,” a feature film detailing an intimate account of how a band of Sudanese orphans survived a bloody civil war and managed to forge a fresh start in America years later. The event is sponsored by the Social Justice Guild at First Existentialist and co-sponsored by Wells For Hope, Inc. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the film starts at 7:30 p.m. sharp.

Popcorn and refreshments are available. Donations from a $1 to $10 sliding scale are accepted, but no one is turned away. First Existentialist Congregation, www.firsexistentialist.org Freddie Ashley’s “Bad Jews” has an 8 p.m. curtain time before closing on Feb. 22, Actor’s Express, www.actorsexpress.com

SATURDAY, FEB. 21

From gay filmmakers (and couple) Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glazer comes “Still Alice,” an Alzheimer’s drama likely to win an Oscar for Julianne Moore, now playing at the Midtown Art Cinema, www.landmarktheatres.com

SATURDAY, FEB. 21 First the Armorettes perform from 8 – 10 p.m. then DJ Escape takes over at the Heretic. No cover before 11 p.m., www.hereticatlanta.com (Photo via Facebook)

Atlanta Team Tennis Association (ATTA) hosts a free cookout and open play today, 1 p.m., Glenlake Tennis Center, www.atta.org The world premiere musical “Tuck Everlasting,” directed by out Tony winner Casey Nicholaw and running through Feb. 22, has a performance today at 7:30 p.m., Alliance Theatre, www.alliancetheatre.com

SUNDAY, FEB. 22

DJ Lydia Prim keeps the late night/early morning crowd going with a 3 a.m. set at Xion Atlanta, www.cariocaproductions.com Directed by out Heidi Howard and written by out playwright Sarah Gubbins, the drama “fml: how Carson McCullers saved my life” closes today, with a 5 p.m. performance, 7 Stages, www.7stages.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 3 The fabulous Miss Coco Peru headlines Lips Atlanta for a benefit for Jerusalem House and Lost-N-Found Youth, with Regina Cartier appearing as well, 8 p.m., www.lipsatl.com (Photo by Peter Palladino)

Chaka Idris hosts the Comedy Improv night at My Sister’s Room, 7 p.m., www.mysistersroom.com Team “Boyhood” or Team “Birdman”? Neil Patrick Harris hosts the Academy Awards tonight at 8 p.m, with the gay-themed “The Imitation Game” up for several awards.

FRIDAY, FEB. 20

Eddie’s Attic and Terminal West present LGBT favorite Michelle Malone live, 9 p.m., Terminal West, 887 West Marietta St. Studio C, Atlanta, GA 30318, www.terminalwestatl.com (Photo by Dina Regine)

SOMETHING GAY EVERY DAY!

Bookmark www.thegavoice.com to get your daily dose of local LGBT events.

Every Sunday is Tossed Salad drag show with host Brigitte Bidet and fresh queens mixed weekly, 8 p.m., Burkhart’s, www.facebook.com/burkharts

MONDAY, FEB. 23

Monday Mingle at Blake’s is an opportunity to network, with a free buffet and prizes, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., www.blakesonthepark.com Writing With Intent is a monthly writing class led

by Charis Circle Executive Director Elizabeth Anderson. The focus shifts from month to month but the specific goal is to provide artistic accountability in a busy world and offer some academic insight outside the academy. All are welcome to

attend. This is a Charis Circle From Margin to Center Literary Program and the suggested donation is $10. 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com Being an introvert in a world that glorifies cool isn’t easy. But when Issa Rae, the creator of the Shorty Award-winning hit web series “The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl,” is that introvert, whether she’s navigating love, work, friendships, or rapping, it sure is entertaining. Come meet Rae and hear her read.

This event is free and open to the public, 7 p.m., Rich Theatre at the Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. NE., Atlanta, GA 30309

BEST BETS

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TUESDAY, FEB. 24

Tenth & Piedmont hosts a fundraising event for Southerners on New Ground (SONG). 20 percent of tonight’s proceeds will go to the organization, 5 – 10 p.m., southernersonnewground.org Join Charis Books for Kidliterate Book Club, a wide-ranging conversation in a new kind of book club. One book a month (children’s or young adult fiction) will be read. Preference will be given to stories that some might call “edgy” or “controversial.” February’s book pick is “Code Name Verity”

by Elizabeth Wein. This is a Charis Circle Whole Children, Strong Families Program. The suggested donation is $5, from 7 – 9 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25

Come dance all night at the Pig Dance Blackout Party at the Heretic, with DJ Stan Jackson, 10 p.m., Heretic, www.hereticatlanta.com

THURSDAY, FEB. 26

Meak Productions presents the re-scheduled annual GLBT Career Fair & Technology Center Expo. The Expo is created to address the needs of LGBT American citizens who are seeking equality and justice in the workplace and adequate employment in environments that welcome their identity and individuality, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Hyatt Atlanta Midtown, 125 10th St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, meakproductions.com SAGE Atlanta hosts its social hour with games and socializing at 10 a.m. and then holds its general meeting/potluck luncheon at 11 a.m., Phillip Rush Center, www.rushcenteratl.org Dear Games co-organizer Sarah Schoemann will discuss “Gamergate,” Wikipedia purges, and how feminist media activists, scholars, and gamers are fighting back. Schoemann is the founder of Different Games, an annual conference on inclusivity in games, as well as a doctoral student in Digital Media at Georgia Tech. This is a Charis Circle Founding the Future of Feminism Program.

The suggested donation is $5, from 7:30 – 9 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25

The witches of Oz sing “Defying Gravity” and more in the musical “Wicked,” running through March 8, with a performance tonight at 7:30, Fox Theatre, www.foxtheatre.org (Photo via Fox Theatre) Glitz & Glam hosted by Mr. Charlie Brown is every Friday and Saturday at Lips Atlanta, with shows at 7:45 p.m. and 10:15 p.m., www.lipsatl.com Edie Cheezburger presents the most unique drag show in Atlanta, and the Other Girls will leave you gasping with laughter and surprise. Admission is $5, Jungle, 10 p.m., www.jungleatl.com The Boys Room Video Dance Party with videos and DJ Headmaster kicks the weekend into gear tonight at Mary’s, www.marysatlanta.com

people questioning their own gender, and aspiring allies. Whether silently or aloud, please come ready to consider your own gender in a transient world.

This is a project of the Feminist Outlawz. This event is co-sponsored by Charis Circle’s Strong Families, Whole Children Program. There is no suggested donation for youth participants of this program but adults and allies may make a donation in support of this program by clicking here. 7 – 8:30 p.m., Charis Books, www.charisbooksandmore.com

“Feed me, Seymour!” Barry West directs “Little Shop of Horrors” at Onstage Atlanta, through March 28, at 8 p.m., www.onstageatlanta.com

Joining Hearts and members of the national touring company of “Wicked” will host “Witches’ Night Off,” an evening of song and dance including a very special guest performance by Tony and Grammy award winner Jennifer Holliday. Produced by company members of “Wicked,” the evening is an opportunity for them to step out of their roles in the musical and kick up their heels performing some of their favorite non-Ozian material. The event, featuring a silent auction, benefits Joining Hearts and Broadway Cares, 7:30 p.m., Ferst Center for the Arts of the Georgia Institute of Technology, 349 Ferst Drive NW, Atlanta, GA 30332, joininghearts.org

The King of Thrones Drag Show is tonight at My Sister’s Room, with a $5 cover all night, $5 Smirnoff drinks, $5.99 wing baskets and $2 tacos, www.mysistersroom.com

Genre hosts Glitter Bomb, 75 minutes of high energy illusion, every Saturday at 11 p.m. at Blake’s, www.blakesonthepark.com

The Atlanta chapter of PFLAG meets tonight, from 7:30 – 9 p.m., at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, www.uuca.org

FRIDAY, FEB. 27

SUNDAY, MARCH 1

Wake up and make joyful noise at Gospel Brunch, with the Sisters of Sequin, hosted by Bubba D. Licious and Justice Counce, with brunch seating at 12:30 p.m. and the show at 1:30 p.m., Lips Atlanta, www.lipsatl.com

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4

Out director Kent Gash directs the world premiere “The C.A. Lyons Project,” about a dance troupe whose founder is struggling with AIDS, through March 8, with a performance tonight at 7:30, Alliance Theatre, www.alliancetheatre.com

The lesbian-themed “She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry” opens at the Midtown Art Cinema today, various show times, www.landmarktheatres.com The Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (AGLCC) holds its Fourth Friday networking event at the Corbel Group, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., www.atlantagaychamber.com

Friday night is Papi’s South Beach night, featuring monster margaritas, mojitos and twisters, 10 p.m., www.lasmargaritasmidtown.com

SATURDAY, FEB. 28

Play “Let’s Make a Deal” with host Ken from 6 – 10 p.m., Friends on Ponce, www.friendsonponce-atl.com

MONDAY, MARCH 2

Trans and Friends: a Project of the Feminist Outlawz is a youth focused group for trans people,

A – 18! Ruby Redd hosts Birdcage Bingo at 8:30, and it’s free to play, The Hideaway, www.atlantahideaway.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 5

Atlanta Pride holds a Faith and Family Discussion.

It’s a chance to convene with local interfaith leaders to discuss the intersection of faith and family, a follow-up to last year’s successful “Theologically

Incorrect: Finding Your Voice” event, 7 – 9 p.m., Phillip Rush Center, www.rushcenteratl.org Thirsty Thursday Karaoke goes from 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. at The Hideaway, www.atlantahideaway.com Phoenix of “Rupaul’s Drag Race” hosts Dancefloor Divas at Burkharts at 11:30 p.m., www.burkharts.com

UPCOMING FRIDAY, MARCH 6

Join Charis Books for a literary reading and Q & A by Lori Horvitz, author of the just released book of memoir-essays, “The Girls of Usually,” 7:30 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 7

The Ain’t Sisters, Claire Campbell of Hope For Agoldensummer and Hollin Gammage perform at Kavarna in Decatur, 7:30 p.m., www.facebook. com/theaintsisters

FRIDAY, MARCH 13

“Lucy, I’m home!” The stage version of “I Love Lucy” hits the Cobb Energy Center, running through March 15, with an 8 p.m. curtain tonight, www.cobbenergycentre.com John Mellencamp will sing “Jack & Diane” and many more of his classics at the Fox Theatre tonight, 7:30 p.m., www.foxtheatre.org

SATURDAY, MARCH 28

Out actress and Emmy winner Jane Lynch performs at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, 8 p.m., www.atlantasymphony.org

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COLUMNISTS

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OUTINTHEWILD The rural fight Bigotry and Bible may lead to more same-sex marriage battles Thank you, Alabama, for proving that winning legal battles is not enough in the face of religious extremism.

It isn’t a great surprise that the fight for same-sex marriage has boiled down to civil rights against the repressive invasiveness of domestic zealous religion, a power so coercive that even in this day and age we’re having fights about evolution, mandated prayer in public schools, and whether the president was actually correct in his assertion that the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition were really all that bad.

Our LGBT+ family remains under the cosh of powerful people’s interpretation of

the Bible. People like Alabama’s Chief Justice Roy Moore, who forbade probate judges from handing out marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Alabama after the Supreme Court gave the go-ahead.

While Moore found a legal loophole to, in the short term, butt-vomit his bigotry over the court-affirmed rights of LGBT people in his state, he will lose, and same-sex marriage will come to Alabamans in the very near future—at the time of this writing the Supreme Court ruling was still being regarded as optional. Moore’s quest is utterly in vain.

But that does nothing for the people who are being screwed over now. That does ab-

Simon Williamson lives with his federally-recognized spouse in the wild yonder of Newton County. You can follow him on Twitter: @simonwillo.

solutely shit-all for couples wherein one of the partners dies before Moore’s “qui-toxic” crusade comes to an end, whose possessions will be assessed completely differently from a married person’s, in the manner of a cisgender straight couple. It does nothing for poor spouses who can’t get on each other’s employer-provided health insurance, and then become injured or sick and go bankrupt before that error can be remedied (not helped by Alabama’s Medicaid program, one of the stingiest in the nation). It does noth-

DIRECTORY LISTINGS

ing for same-sex parents who could face parental-rights fights if only one member of the couple shares genes with a child; and don’t even start with taxes and the deductions not permitted (indeed, you pay more taxes to be a gay couple, and derive fewer benefits therefrom).

This list goes on and on and on, and is populated solely due to the reluctance of a fanatical government cabal to provide civil rights to a small segment of the population. When marriage does indeed go ahead, these civil rights will have NOTHING to do with anyone’s religion. People will be just as free to promote their ideas of family values, rancid and free of fact though they may be, while same-sex couples finally receive equal Social Security benefits.

Why is it important for us rural folks to take note of this? Because in Alabama, only some marriage licenses are being handed out, and that correlates largely with major cities, to the extent that Alabama has them: Montgomery and surrounding cities, Birmingham, and Huntsville. The marriage fight is a proxy for all LGBT rights— although you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s the only rights quest our people has—and now we know, as proved by Alabama, that the great resistance will come from rural areas, even after the courts have completely ruled in our favor.

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THEICONOCLAST Meth mayhem Black gay men must face enemy in their midst If you were paying attention, a few years back, about 2006 and 2007, you could already see a rising problem for black gay men on the horizon. No one talks about it, but it’s true. Even then the conversations, scattered and infrequent though they may have been, were just beginning to take shape: black gay men in New York City were talking about developing a crystal meth awareness campaign.

A few HIV service providers here and there raising raised the issue among their colleagues. Brief discussions here and there were held at AIDS conferences.

Mostly these episodes were brief, informal, fleeting and not sustained. So now, in 2015, as I hear more and more about meth addiction among black gay men, I have to wonder if an opportunity was missed, because too many of us were not paying attention early on then.

As these things happen, a much earlier response by us would have been the more effective response. However, there was reluctance. There was hesitation. There was a pause. Time passed. But why did this happen? Shouldn’t the response have been swift and urgent? The lack of attention around this issue reflects how black gay men in this culture are perceived.

For one thing, we are subjected to such pervasive scientific objectification by society that a consideration of our interior lives, is often unthinkable. To talk about meth addiction and black gay men forces a conversation about our sexual practices and our sexual pleasures. It forces a conversation about how we seek intimacy and connection. It forces a conversation about how we struggle to cope with racism and homophobia and also struggle to transcend them. It forces a conversation about how black gay men have inherited the collective trauma faced by our ancestors and elders.

So here we are now, in 2015. Over the past few months—really over the past year—more and more black gay and bisexual men in my life have shared stories of sexual partners addicted to crystal meth.

Charles Stephens is a writer and organizer. He is the founder of Counter Narrative and co-editor of the anthology “Black Gay Genius: Answering Joseph Beam’s Call.” Follow him on twitter: @CharlesStephen2

I’ve even had a few friends and acquaintances share that they have used it themselves. And yet, meth addiction among black gay men has not reached to a level of concern, let alone emergency.

When I speak to folks in the professional HIV realm about this, many of them still claim to know very little about it. They don’t see meth addiction as something black gay men deal with. But when you talk to black gay and bisexual men, particularly those connected to more transgressive sexual cultures, they tell a different story.

Taking all of this into consideration, despite whatever reluctance existed before, it’s imperative that we respond now. From a broader advocacy perspective we must continue to fight for the decriminalization of sex and drugs in all forms among consenting adults. Drug laws will do nothing to lessen the impact of crystal meth in our communities. We must also fight for mental health services that are culturally relevant, particularly for vulnerable populations like black gay men. This might be an opportunity for behavioral scientists and practitioners to claim greater relevance in an increasingly biomedical HIV prevention landscape. Finally, the harm reduction wing of the HIV movement is uniquely positioned to take leadership, but must do so in a culturally sensitive way.

The work of advocates is to develop a lens and an approach that recognizes the complex ways we all navigate the world.

Such an approach has to be sex positive, restorative, culturally tailored, and insistent upon saving our lives. Most critically, such an approach would recognize that although we as black gay men may inherit the collective trauma faced by our ancestors and elders, we also inherit their resilience.

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THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID Pregnant proxy Clearing up surrogacy confusion Confused. That’s how I would describe the facial expression of the woman at the Social Security office. I was there to apply for my new son’s Social Security number. Normally, hospitals handle that application for new parents, but since he was born via surrogate, the burden of his federal identification falls on my girlfriend and me. Upon seeing this employee’s reaction when I explained we had another woman carry our child, I realized she, like so many people, was ignorant of the process of surrogacy.

I reached out to Carey Flamer-Powell, the director and founder of All Families Surrogacy, LLC, a gestational surrogacy agency based in Portland, Oregon. Her primary clientele are gay and lesbian intended parents, so I asked her to share and answer the Top 5 questions she gets about surrogacy.

IS THE SURROGATE RELATED TO THE BABY?

Flamer-Powell says it depends on which type of surrogacy you’re talking about. “Gestational surrogacy means a surrogate only carries the pregnancy. There is no biological relation between the child and the surrogate,” she says. “Using IVF [in-vitro fertilization], the embryo that was created by the intended parents is transferred to the surrogate, resulting in pregnancy. Traditional surrogacy, where the surrogate is also the egg donor, is much less common.”

Meet your future with confidence.

LESLIE A. COOK, JD, CFP®, CDFA™ Financial Advisor 825 Juniper Street Atlanta, GA 30303 404.564.4265 leslie.a.cook@ampf.com ameripriseadvisors.com/leslie.a.cook

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WON’T THE SURROGATE WANT TO KEEP THE BABY?

“Surrogates undergo intensive screening,” says Flamer-Powell, “including a psychological evaluation, to be sure they are emotionally and mentally prepared to carry someone else’s child. Surrogates sign legal documents before becoming pregnant, affirming that the biological parents have all rights to the child.

Women who become surrogates genuinely desire to help another person or couple have a child and view themselves as a caretaker of someone else’s child for 9 months—essentially a ‘prenatal nanny.’”

Melissa Carter is one of the Morning Show hosts on B98.5. In addition, she is a writer for the Huffington Post. She is recognized as one of the first out radio personalities in Atlanta and one of the few in the country.

Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCarter

WHY WOULD SOMEONE NEED A SURROGATE? WHY NOT JUST ADOPT?

According to Flamer-Powell, most people seek a surrogate because of infertility issues.

“Sometimes women may not be able to safely carry a pregnancy due to medical conditions. Many gay males also seek out surrogacy in order to become parents. In most cases, the parents choose surrogacy because they desire a biological tie to the child and/or want to be involved the pregnancy process,” she says.

ISN’T SURROGACY EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE?

“There is no question that surrogacy can be very costly,” says Flamer-Powell, “due to the extensive process both the parents and surrogates must undergo with IVF and related screenings, medications, etc. There is also a great deal of legal work that must be done by lawyers on both sides.

“However, most couples who pursue surrogacy are just regular people who find creative ways to make it work for them. Some choose to forgo an agency and pursue an independent surrogacy (it’s a good idea to shop around first, as agency fees vary widely); some have a family member or friend serve as their surrogate at a reduced fee or free, and some just simply save until they have enough to start the process.

ISN’T SURROGACY ILLEGAL?

“Surrogacy is actually legal in most states in the U.S. Each state has its own specific statutes, and laws are constantly evolving,” she says.

“There are some states, such as Oregon and California, where surrogacy laws make it very easy for parents to have children via surrogacy.

“Unfortunately, surrogacy does remain illegal in many other countries, which is why many couples from all over the world seek out surrogacy agencies and top fertility clinics in America to help them build their families.”

COLUMNISTS

www.theGAVoice.com

02.20.15

GA VOICE

|

SOMETIMES'Y' War equal Hope for homos in the heart of Dixie I saw a hazy figure approaching, and even as he came into focus it was hard to believe that he was in my kitchen with me, wearing a wide grin and not a thread of clothing. It felt like I had found heaven in southeast Alabama.

I became familiar with Atlanta during college, when I made the 90-minute trip from Auburn to party here on many a weekend. One Saturday I was supposed to visit a guy in Atlanta that I was smitten with, but I didn’t get off work until after the last shuttle ran from Auburn to Atlanta.

When I called my crush to deliver the news, he offered to come to Alabama instead. My roommate was out of town, so a couple of hours later my Atlanta dream boy and I were in my on-campus apartment, which I had filled with candles to create a sensuous ambiance.

We were getting started in my bedroom when the CD player, which was in the kitchen, started skipping. I hurried through the darkened apartment to change discs and was standing at a countertop when, through the dimness, I saw him approaching me, both of us completely naked.

A warm mix of bliss and anxiety erupted inside me, filling my head with a dizzy euphoria as we started dancing in the kitchen.

As our bodies were grinding against each other, I was confused by what seemed to be another blurry figure emerging through the candlelight.

In fact, my roommate had not gone out of town, but instead was returning from the bar at 3 a.m. when he unwittingly walked into the kitchen. We had exchanged no more than a dozen words in the four months we’d lived together, and none of those were related to my sexual orientation.

Believing there was no other way to ex-

Ryan Lee is an Atlanta writer.

plain the scene that my roommate stumbled upon, I blurted out, nakedly, “Oh my god—I’m gay.”

My roommate winced, and I braced for his reaction.

“Mannnnn,” he began, with a pained expression on his weary, drunken face, “this is your apartment, too, and you don’t have to be embarrassed about anything you wanna do in it.”

Tears began to run down his still distressed face as he tried to assure me that he in no way judged me.

“I’m not like these other motherfuckers down here,” he said, with desperation in his voice. He needed me to give him the benefit of the doubt, and to believe that not everyone in Alabama was a bigot.

I’ve recently thought about the sincerity of my roommate’s compassion as Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore wages his holy rebellion against the feds and the marrying fairies. I’ve also reflected on how I had disclosed my sexual orientation to only one person prior to arriving in Alabama, but by the time I graduated, my coming-out process was complete: I would never meet another person to whom my sexual orientation, or rather my sense of self, would be hidden or misrepresented.

Whether I came out to a belle from Monroeville, Ala., or an offensive lineman for the Auburn football team, or to the chapter of my historically black fraternity, my memories of growing into a gay identity in Alabama are far more affirming than the caricature the state has endured in recent weeks.

Undoubtedly, there are many people from my time in Auburn who love and adore me, and genuinely wish the best for me, but who fundamentally agree with Moore’s vicious interpretation of God’s word. But there are also many candles in Alabama, and my hope is that their light will continue to make the state’s vision of fairness less hazy.

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