03/19/21, Vol. 12 Issue 1

voice

georgia VOL.12 • ISSUE 1

GUEST EDITORIAL

ABOUT THE COVER: Photo by Shutterstock / Christopher V Jones

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PO Box 77401 • Atlanta, GA 30357 P: 404-815-6941; F: 404-963-6365

BUSINESS

Principal/Publisher: Tim Boyd tboyd@thegavoice.com

EDITORIAL

Deputy Editor: Katie Burkholder

kburkholder@thegavoice.com

Editorial Contributors: Conswella Bennett, Melissa Carter, Jim Farmer, Dave Hayward, Buck Jones, Bill Kaelin, Ryan Lee, Sydney Norman, Bennett Schnyder

PRODUCTION

Art Director: Rob Boeger rboeger@thegavoice.com

SALES

Sales Executive: Dixon Taylor dtaylor@thegavoice.com

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK / CHRISTOPHER V JONES

Sales Executive: Jim Brams jbrams@thegavoice.com

Business Advisor: Lynn Pasqualetti Financial Firm of Record: HLM Financial Group National Advertising: Rivendell Media 908-232-2021 sales@rivendellmedia.com

Publisher Emeritus: Chris Cash

FINE PRINT

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Atlanta Real Estate is Red Hot! Kevin Pelkey, Realtor with The Providence Group The Atlanta real estate market is on fire, staying red-hot coming out of 2020, where homeowners saw median sales price increases, despite the pandemic, of upwards of 15% year over year. With current inventory in the Atlanta housing market at a month or less of supply, this trend seems to be continuing out of the gate in 2021.

This is, of course, great news for sellers needing or looking to sell their main residence or an investment property, with it probably being one of the strongest markets seen in quite some time. This, of course, is fueled by the limited inventory on the market, which has sellers often seeing multiple offers and bidding wars to purchase their homes. With the “spring market” coming, this can only lead to what I would assume to be an even stronger sellers’ market as pent-up demand collides with an inventory shortage.

So, what if you are a buyer? I am sure this leads you to the question of, “should you buy a piece of Atlanta to call home right now?”

The short answer is absolutely, YES! The reason behind this answer contains many different factors. First is the strong housing market, followed by current financing options, low interest rates and the ability to build your own net worth. Let’s explore these a little, but first, let’s squash the idea that this a bubble and we are headed to the same fate we saw with foreclosures and people being upside down in the housing crisis of 2008. While nobody has a crystal ball, most indicators are against this happening, especially in the Atlanta market. While the pandemic has played a role in some people’s finances, people still have equity for the most part in their homes, which is an indicator that foreclosures will be less likely.

Now, with that aside, why should you buy in Atlanta, and why now? When it comes to thriving metropolitan areas with reasonably priced real estate, Atlanta and its suburbs still rank among the top contenders in the United States. Then we also must look at its bustling economy, the movie industry presence, continued population growth — according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution, over the last nine years metropolitan Atlanta added 730,000 new residents — our vibrant culture, and walkability. All of which round

out Atlanta as one of the top choices not only to purchase, but for having a higher resale value in the future. Top all that off with the fact that the growth of home prices in Atlanta is projected to outpace national home prices this year, and this means that your buying ability in 2022 may be less than what you have today as home values increase.

So you want to buy a piece of Atlanta to call home — now what? As for having money to purchase, each person has a unique situation that would need to be looked at by a qualified mortgage specialist. However, financing today is not what it was years ago. The days of needing 20% down are long past, and today there are conventional loan options requiring as little as 3% down and FHA loan options that can be had for 3.5% down. In fact, some may even qualify for down payment assistance programs that allow for less than 3% down!

So, home buying today is even more readily available to a larger segment of the population than in the past.

In addition, interest rates remain at some of the lowest right now in recent history, which means that in some instances your mortgage may be close to, if not the same as, what you currently pay in rent.

March 19, 2021 Editorial 3

CELEBRITY CLOSE-UP!

Celebrity Briefs

Home is where the heart is! Well-known LGBTQ figures talk about their love for their homes and interior design.

“I’ve too many homes, probably, but I love them. It’s a matter of creature comforts.”

—Elton John (The Telegraph)

“[I]t turned out when you live in Los Angeles for a long enough time, you start to realize: ‘Wait, you mean I can figure out a rug, and a bedspread, and a painting that I love?!’

And all of a sudden those things were starting to become things I was aware of in terms of my own personal tastes.”

“A good interior designer is like a slimming mirror: you need to know your clients well and show them the best side of what they want to see.”

—Interior designer Jonathan Adler (Elle Decor)

—Sarah Paulson (Architectural Digest)

—Bobby Berk (CNN)

4 Celebrity Close-Up! March 19, 2021

(PHOTOS VIA FACEBOOK)

“One of the many reasons why a spa will often feel quite calm and Zen is because there’s nothing that’s visually cluttering your mind. When you walk in, your brain is subconsciously using bandwidth to look at every single thing in the room. So, in spas, for the most part, they’re minimalist because they want you to be able to turn your brain off. So, creating a Zen space in your home, to me, is decluttering it.”

NEWS BRIEFS Staff Reports Atlanta Billboard Campaign Demands End to Violence Against Black Trans People An Atlanta advocacy group has created a billboard campaign that demands an end to violence against Black transgender people.

The I Am Human Foundation campaign debuted in January, and features billboards with the slogan “Black trans lives matter” against the backdrop of the trans Pride flag.

The billboards also contain the hashtag “stop the violence.”

Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers

Alex Santiago, the executive director of the I Am Human Foundation, said the idea behind the campaign emerged last summer after he attended marches in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

An I Am Human Foundation billboard along Atlanta’s Downtown Connector expressway on February 22.

Market and on Moreland Avenue near the Starlight Drive-In Theatre.

colleges and universities to support the wellbeing of all student-athletes.”

“There was a lot of conversation back in the summer with the Black Lives Matter (protests) and there was even a divide in the LGBTQ community where they were saying, okay, well are we included in that because, you know, when it comes to cisgender Black people, they don’t include us,” said Santiago, who is also the co-chair of FLUX Atlanta, an AIDS Healthcare Foundation project that serves trans and gender non-conforming people. “A lot of them don’t feel like we even fit with them, so with the Black Lives Matter campaign there were huge debates about that.”

The campaign was only scheduled to run for four weeks, but Santiago said the PR agency has allowed the billboards to remain in place as long as nobody else wants to buy the space.

That’s a step back from where the NCAA was just last year in response to Idaho’s then newly enacted law barring transgender girls from school sports. At the time, the association explicitly condemned the law as “harmful to transgender student-athletes and conflicts with the NCAA’s core values of inclusivity, respect and the equitable treatment of all individuals.”

Santiago said he brought posters in support of Black trans people to the Black Lives Matter protests he attended. Santiago said participants’ reaction to them “was amazing,” but he added some LGBTQ people did question why he decided to participate.

Santiago said there is “very little trans support” in Atlanta, so he thought about ways to make the city’s trans community more visible.

“I was like, okay, I got to bring awareness to Atlanta that we’re here and that we matter,” said Santiago.

One of the billboards is located adjacent to the University Avenue exit of the Downtown Connector, which is one of Atlanta’s main expressways. The other three are located on Ponce de Leon Avenue near the Ponce City 6 News Briefs March 19, 2021

Major Athletic Leagues Absent in Fight Against Anti-trans Sports Bills As state legislatures advance measures seeking to bar transgender kids from participating in school sports, key voices in athletics competition who had previously spoken out against anti-LGBTQ measures — notably the NCAA — are now absent from the fight against them.

Gail Dent, an NCAA spokesperson, essentially had a hands-off approach to the anti-transgender bills in response to a Washington Blade inquiry on the NCAA’s position on the legislation and what it’s doing to help in the fight against the legislation.

“The NCAA continues to closely monitor state bills that impact transgender studentathlete participation,” Dent said. “The NCAA believes in fair and respectful student-athlete participation at all levels of sport. The Association’s transgender studentathlete participation policy and other diversity policies are designed to facilitate and support inclusion. The NCAA believes diversity and inclusion improve the learning environment and it encourages its member

But at the same time, amid a campaign spearheaded by lesbian athletes Billie Jean King and Megan Rapinoe urging the NCAA to nix holding the 2021 Men’s Basketball Championship in the state over the law, the NCAA announced no changes to its programming. The NCAA as of now still intends to hold the first and second rounds of the championship at Boise State University next week.

NCAA, however, isn’t alone in its reticence.

The NFL and NBA didn’t respond to repeated requests from the Blade to comment on the anti-transgender sports bills in state legislatures.

The reluctance to speak out may be a reflection of polls. A Politico/Morning Consult poll on Wednesday found broad support to ban transgender kids from athletics. Overall, 53 percent of registered voters support banning transgender athletes, as well as a 59 percent majority of men and a plurality of 46 percent of women.

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March 19, 2021 Ads 7

APPRECIATION

Willis Bivins: A Veteran of the Stonewall Era Dave Hayward

Representatives passed a resolution honoring Willis “for his commitment to social justice causes and his work toward seeking justice for the rights of all people.”

Often we don’t realize how close lifechanging events are to us.

I’ve known Willis so long that I don’t recall when I met him. Always I’ve experienced his ferocity; he’s “an activist’s activist” as Barbara Joye of the Atlanta Democratic Socialists Alliance calls him.

Case in point: the Stonewall riot on June 28, 1969, and the commemoration of Stonewall via the first Pride March in New York City in June 1970.

A veteran of that era lives among us. Willis Bivins, 79 as of January 22, frequented the Stonewall Inn before and after the riot.

Moreover, he marched in that first Pride in 1970, jumping into the growing throng as it paraded up Fifth Avenue.

Currently Willis resides in long-term care at the A.G. Rhodes facility off Boulevard Avenue. While it’s hard to go see him, his scrapbooks do live at Emory University’s

8 Appreciation March 19, 2021

Willis Bivins COURTESY PHOTO

Special Archives and Collections in Emory’s Woodruff Library. It’s amazing to see how the first Pride came together, and that the participants wondered whether only a handful of folks would show up.

In gratitude in February 2020, the LGBTQ Caucus of the Georgia House of

Although muted now, Willis still wears rainbow colors and espouses our rights and our freedoms, even within the confines of a nursing home, in concert with the support of a lesbian staff person there.

Teased by his friends for being “antibourgeoise,” Willis says he loved going to the Stonewall in the late ’60s for its Bohemian atmosphere and customers. Although the

Mafia crime family operated the Stonewall, Willis ignored the Mafiosi in favor of being able to slow dance with men. The Mafia looked the other way, although it was illegal to “serve drinks to homosexuals” in New York City, let alone let them canoodle on the dance floor.

Even so, Willis was never entrapped in a gay bar raid and was surprised to hear about Stonewall. That fateful night he was overseas conducting one of his many international tours, and he came back to discover that, whereas before “almost no one was out, now everyone was out.”

Whenever I see him I appreciate him, even as he shrugs off my schmoozing. Locally, Willis helped start Atlanta Black and White Men Together, Atlanta Men of All Cultures and the Atlanta SAGE chapter. On his shoulders we stand, even if we never heard of him.

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MEMORIAM

Remembering Judy Colbs and Stanley Clarke Dave Hayward

There’s no replacing her. All we can do is invoke her. Our champion. Rest now.

This year, we lost two important members of Atlanta’s LGBTQ community.

Gay leader Stanley Clarke passed suddenly on February 26, 2021.

Our ally extraordinaire Judy Colbs passed away on January 5, 2021 at 89 years young.

I always enjoyed hearing her harangue me: “Don’t say I started Atlanta PFLAG, because I didn’t!” What she did do was put PFLAG on the gaydar, massing at our events with us.

PFLAG served as my sanctuary, because my parents never went anywhere near PFLAG, despite my brother also being gay. One night when I was in crisis, Judy called up folks to come counsel me, and I’m thankful for her keeping me sane.

For 20 years I attended PFLAG and often felt that Judy would lead us onto the streets

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Judy Colbs COURTESY PHOTOS

Stanley Clarke

(pictured with his granddaughter Dakota)

hollering for LGBTQ rights, so adamant was she that our cause is right and just. We did seize her spirit for our subsequent actions.

Thanks, Mom.

Joann Medley that she wouldn’t be on TV because there were so many of us. Thus, we laughed heartily when Joann appeared on all three TV networks from the demo.

Judy had great humor about showing up. In February 1986 we encircled the First Baptist Church (now ground into dust) at 5th and Peachtree, decrying Reverend Charles Stanley preaching “AIDS is God’s judgment against sinners.” Judy assured fellow PFLAG mother

Above all, Judy was tart and sharp and strict, no meandering allowed. She counseled one PFLAG man with AIDS who told her there’s a reason his family was 1,000 miles away (like mine). Uh huh, that’s right, she said. We deal with it. We are here for you. Your authentic family.

Clarke was one of the founders of the Atlanta SAGE chapter, hosting hospitality at all SAGE events. He also served as administrative assistant to Touching Up Our Roots, Georgia’s LGBTQ Story Project, and volunteered for groups like AARP. His bright spirit welcomed everyone.

A Black man who was a native of Atlanta, Stanley also had a long career teaching in the Atlanta schools. His three adult children survive him, as well as an extended biological and chosen family.

He will be much missed.

March 19, 2021 Memoriam 9

FEATURE

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK / CHRISTOPHER V JONES

Atlanta Real Estate, Post-COVID Rodney Hinote Associate Broker with Ansley Real Estate As we all know, COVID-19 has done more to our world than just infect us with a virus. Our entire way of living has changed, and many of the changes are going to be permanent. Many can be seen as positive — we’ve learned how to successfully work from home, balance a Zoom meeting with kids and pets that may make an appearance in the background, and we’ve also learned to somehow turn our homes simultaneously into personal gyms, office spaces, schools, living areas, and restaurants. When the pandemic forced us to shelter in place, many of us came to realize that our homes weren’t designed to provide adequate space for multiple family members working and learning from home, causing quite a few people to say, “I need to find a new home!”

Mid-2020, we saw the real estate market start to explode because of this epiphany.

The current real estate market is busier than we have seen in decades, but not all segments of the market are currently in record-setting territory.

The intown condo market is slow in comparison to the suburban single-family home market, due largely to the fact that 10 Feature March 19, 2021

congested urban areas are not as desirable in the world of COVID-19 as they were even just a year ago. Students aren’t looking for a condo to be near their classes anymore, and people are not purchasing condos in the city so they can avoid traffic to and from the office. However, we this expect to change once much of the country is vaccinated and people start going back to their offices in the urban centers. The intown lifestyle will be more appealing to people in the future, since it is more than just a condo: it’s a lifestyle that many people seek out.

Second-home markets in and around the mountain, lake, and coastal areas are busier than suburban markets! During the pandemic, many people discovered they wanted an escape and sought out a convenient getaway or weekend home where they could still be connected, but feel far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Even with interest rates staying at historically low levels, they are beginning to tick up just slightly, which is making more buyers who may have been on the fence feel the pressure to go ahead and enter the market. Even with slightly higher rates in our future, the housing market in Atlanta will continue to thrive and provide buyers with a sound investment in their future.

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FEATURE

The Importance of Interior Design Katie Burkholder For husbands Michael Peters and Jason Dunn, interior design is a labor of love.

The two make up the creative force behind 2 Gays and a Design, the Atlanta-based residential and commercial interior design company they’ve run for about a decade.

While the primary focus of their business is interior design focused in metro Atlanta, they’ve recently branched off into doing remodels and new construction in the Blue Ridge area. With their business, the couple is using their passion for design to give clients the home of their dreams.

had a say in it, like they had a part in the project. Most of our job is just being able to connect with and understand one another.”

“Being able to create and design is a huge passion of mine,” Dunn told Georgia Voice.

“To have been able to turn that into a business with my husband is just a bonus.”

“We find our design style different with each client we meet,” he continued. “It’s a living and breathing entity. I don’t think we stick to one style, it’s very eclectic. We like to listen, we like to create, and we have open minds.

We want to give you a beautiful space, but we also want you to have a say in your home.”

About 90 percent of the business 2 Gays and a Design receives is through referrals, something Dunn said is “amazing because we were able to make an impact on our clients.” However, if you’re interested in hiring the couple, you can also contact them through their website, 2gaysdesign.com. If hiring an interior designer isn’t something you can afford now, the couple emphasized the transformational power of some simple tidying.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of having a comfortable home is paramount. Dunn says the extra time indoors has moved more people than ever to consider a refresh.

“With the pandemic and more people working from home, our business has been booming,” he said. “People are going stir crazy, so they’re looking around their house and thinking, ‘Should I completely gut it?

Should I sell the house?’ We’re in a good market right now, so it’s a win-win situation for us. We couldn’t be busier.”

However, as with all businesses, the pandemic has created some issues for the couple.

“On the construction side of everything, everybody is busy, and everybody has delays,” Peters said. “[The pandemic has] been good for our business, but with COVID and factories shutting down, it’s definitely hurt us as far as timelines go.”

The pandemic hasn’t stopped the couple from working with their clients to transform their homes into something timeless. Dunn describes their design style as “transitional,” adamant that they aren’t interested in following trends, but instead creating 12 Feature March 19, 2021

Courtesy photos

Top: Jason Dunn and Michael Peters, owners of 2 Gays and a Design.

Clockwise from top right: A historic remodel; a modern country house remade to elegance; and a cityburb haven facelift.

something that will last. More important to them than their personal style, though, is listening to what the client wants.

“The first thing on the agenda, for any design project, is to listen to the client,” Dunn said.

“Nine times out of ten, they don’t really know what they want, which is why they hire

us. We start to figure out the commonalities we have, and once we get over that hump, we start focusing on the home or business.

You don’t want to overwhelm the client with the jargon that comes with the industry; it’s more so, ‘Hey, what would you like to see? How would you like to make this your home?’ We want our clients to feel like they

“To make your space feel more comfortable, decluttering is probably the biggest thing we try to get our clients to do,” Peters said.

“Many think the more furniture, the better.

That’s not always the case; maybe if you’re not home a lot, you want your space to feel cozier.

But if you’re there all day, every day, and not leaving a lot, you want it to feel like a bigger space. That’s what we try to recommend for clients, especially those working from home.”

“It’s important to make our clients feel like they have that space where they can go and retreat,” Dunn added, “even if they’ve been there for the past year.”

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Find Your Way Home!

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March 19, 2021 The Pink Page 13

FEATURE

Your Home Shopping Guide Conswella Bennett

A

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A. Lady GaGa or RuPaul Cambro Tray Perfect item to display as decoration or to use as a serving tray. It is a great addition for Lady GaGa or RuPaul fans. The fiberglass trays are 5” x 7” and dishwasher-safe. $19.99, Intaglia Home Collection B. Nashville Chair and Ottoman The modern version of the wingback chair.

It’s covered in a woven ivory fabric and tapered legs with a natural beech finish. $550 for chair, $250 for ottoman, Kudzu Antiques

C

D

E

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C. Craftsman Built Cabinet by North Georgia Furniture This is an original, a one-of-a-kind piece that could easily be the centerpiece of a formal dining space or bar area. $2,295, Kudzu Antiques D. Intaglia Home Collection Sandstone Chest The chest provides the ideal storage space for clothes or extra linens. It will make the perfect addition to any bedroom. The chest’s four drawers and stylish round thin legs gives a contrast to the block style craftsmanship. The top of the chest provides enough space for accessories, books or flowers. $799, Intaglia Home Collection E. Intaglia Coffee Table This round table is a must-have piece for any space. The tabletop allows space for your favorite books, boxes or flowers to display. $499, Intaglia Home Collection F. Luciene Stool This edgy, modern ceramic stool is sure to make the perfect addition to any space. $210, Kudzu Antiques G. Marc Jacobs: Unseen 1994–2012 This coffee table book is the first book on 14 Feature March 19, 2021

designer Marc Jacobs. It gives an inside look into his most revered collections, including 280 inspiring and never-before-seen images

by Vogue photographer Robert Fairer and essays on Jacobs’ work. $90, Intaglia Home Collection H. Intaglia Globe Frost This gold and frost colored globe will make

the perfect decorative piece for an office space or living room area. $68, Intaglia Home Collection MORE INFO:

Intaglia Home Collection 1544 Piedmont Avenue NE, Ste. #105, Atlanta, GA 30324 404-607-9050

Wednesday–Saturday: 11am–5pm Sunday: Noon–5pm Kudzu Antiques + Modern 2928 E Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030 404-373-6498 Tuesday–Saturday: 10am–6pm Sunday: Noon–6pm

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FEATURE

Lost-n-Found Youth Works to Assist Unsheltered LGBTQ Youth During Pandemic “Surviving a pandemic, experiencing homelessness, or enduring an unsafe or unaffirming living situation is difficult enough, but going through all three simultaneously has a negative effect on mental health.

LNFY’s hotline for referrals has seen an increase in call volume, and one of the main requests coming from clients has been for more mental health resources.”

Sydney Norman As we near the anniversary of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that if we can all agree on one thing, it’s that this year has been fraught with challenges. One group this crisis has been particularly difficult on is unsheltered LGBTQ youth.

Many shelters and programs have had to reduce or halt operations completely due to financial struggles and growing concerns surrounding health and safety, leaving unsheltered LGBTQ young people without the resources that were once available.

Combined with school closures and high rates of unemployment, many people are forced to spend more time than ever in unsafe or unaffirming living situations, and their choices for help seem slimmer than ever before.

One organization that has managed to remain open despite the many adversities the past year has thrown their way is Lost-nFound Youth (LNFY).

LNFY’s mission is “to end homelessness for all LGBTQ youth by providing them with the skills and support needed to live independently.” Their multifaceted approach includes a day shelter, transitional and emergency housing, a street outreach program, and a thrift store to help fund it all. They also traditionally offer HIV testing and education, although these services have been halted as a result of the pandemic.

LNFY director Nasheedah Muhammad has said that the last year has “been a challenge” as the organization has worked to adjust to the new normal and continue to help those in need. They’ve reduced the number of beds in their transitional housing and 16 Feature March 19, 2021

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / CREATISTA

are completely full. One notable challenge they’ve faced is the need to quarantine new additions to their transitional housing. Once new clients come in, they’re forced to remain isolated for ten days in order to prevent potential COVID-19 spread.

site are required to wear a mask, Muhammad says people are still wary of coming in. Some of the services the program used to feed clients have also slowed in participation as well, as the pandemic has kept people in their homes.

“I just can’t imagine coming in off the streets, finally finding a place I can go to escape homelessness, and finding myself isolated for ten days, but we have to do it,” Muhammad told Georgia Voice. “We’ve put people in hotel rooms when our quarantine rooms were full, and we’re doing everything we can, but it’s not easy.”

Surviving a pandemic, experiencing homelessness, or enduring an unsafe or unaffirming living situation is difficult enough, but going through all three simultaneously has a negative effect on mental health. LNFY’s hotline for referrals has seen an increase in call volume, and one of the main requests coming from clients has been for more mental health resources.

Another challenge LNFY has had to overcome over the last year is a stark decrease in the number of volunteers willing to work onsite. While all staff members and volunteers are required to agree to temperature checks, PPE is readily available and all persons on-

While their hotline and requests for beds have seen an increase over the course of the pandemic, they have seen an overall decrease in the number of people coming into their day shelter. Muhammad theorizes that

this may be because people are hunkering down and avoiding movement during the pandemic, and that many people may have thought that Lost-n-Found had closed. Their outreach program has been an important part of helping get food and assistance to those who need it when they aren’t going into the shelter.

Muhammad says that an important and easy way to help LNFY is to follow them on all their social media platforms and engage with and share their posts. Information on how to donate through simple channels like Venmo, PayPal, or Cash App or by setting up a monthly donation or peer fundraiser is on their website. By bringing clothes to or shopping at their thrift store, you can also help financially support their programs.

“We have the resources in our community to end the problem of LGBT youth homelessness today,” Muhammad said.

“We just have to mobilize and pool those resources, and we can do it.”

To view LNFY’s strategic plan, find information about their thrift store, or see how you can get involved, visit lnfy.org.

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BILL KAELIN ONE-ON-ONE

One On One with

Grant Henry Bill Kaelin bill@billkaelin.com

This month I had the honor of sitting down with Grant Henry, aka Sister Louisa, the owner and creator of the world famous Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room & Ping Pong Emporium on Edgewood. I realized how little I really knew about the man behind the legend and how his alter ego has saved himself and so many others. Read the full interview at thegavoice.com.

One thing I have learned over the years, especially being a business owner, is the only thing that is consistent is that nothing is consistent at all. Life is a constant ebb and flow and taking things day by day is my biggest challenge. I am continuously trying to live my life by going with the flow and modeling my existence after “Fuck Fear,” a quote that you and the Church have made famous by placing it on all your merchandise. If I could truly live my life without fear I would be the ultimate Zen Master.

Taking things day by day and continuing to get out of bed and do the work is the only choice we have. We are always in the middle of our story. The only way I have made it and continue to make it is simply by not giving up. I just keep getting up and going.

The only way to get through today is to keep on moving until tomorrow. Tomorrow is always a new day.

I find it interesting that you unconsciously quote some of your most popular pieces of art with the advice that you are giving yourself. The one piece of work I own from you that I love so much is a vintage mirror that I have by my door that says “Grieve It and Go!” I look TheGeorgiaVoice.com

“Taking things day by day and continuing to get out of bed and do the work is the only choice we have. We are always in the middle of our story. The only way I have made it and continue to make it is simply by not giving up. I just keep getting up and going. The only way to get through today is to keep on moving until tomorrow. Tomorrow is always a new day.” at myself in that mirror every day and am reminded to grieve whatever trauma or hardship I have had in the past or present day and to move forward and let it all go before I head out into the world.

I don’t grieve very long. I might lay in bed for a day. I think growing up in an unstable family has prepared me for this. I had to take care of myself as a kid. I am 65 fucking years old; I am dying as we speak. I don’t have the time, I gotta live.

When I hear you speak you are consistently saying things like “Life will take care of you,” “Everything will play out the way it is supposed to,” and “Trust in the Journey,” which all sound to me like you have faith. You are constantly challenging the hypocrisy of religion and Christianity with your artwork and within the walls of the Church. It makes me wonder if you believe in God — are you spiritual?

Well, I used to be in the seminary to become a Presbyterian preacher, so that obviously plays a big part of my story and what I choose to explore in my work. I left because they were forcing me to say that the only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ, and I refused. Jesus might be one of the avenues to find happiness, but it’s not the only way. If you notice, most of my artwork asks questions.

There are usually no answers. Do I believe

Grant Henry COURTESY PHOTO

that Jesus pushed the rock out and escaped the tomb? No. But I do believe that our stories as humans parallel the stories of all religions. One of my pieces I love the most and that reflects my beliefs the most says, “Religious people fear hell, spiritual people have been there.” I don’t think hell is a place that you go to and burn up. I think heaven and hell can be how you live your life today, how you wake up, and the decisions that you make every day while you are alive. I’m not scared of dying. I think I am possibly going to die every day. I am always prepared because I am finally living an authentic life. I didn’t always; there was a day when I finally said, I’m gonna do me now.

So, living your truth is what keeps the fear away?

Yes, but I have to be careful because I can attract people who aren’t fulfilled in their own lives and who want to be happy because I am happy. I attract people who want to live authentic lives because I live authentically and then what happens is I have to keep giving to them so they can be happy, and they keep taking from me in order to make themselves whole.

Ultimately, you have to take care of you. It goes right along with the quote that RuPaul uses to end Drag Race: “If you can’t love yourself how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else? Can I get an Amen?”

Amen!

Speaking of love: what do you love about Atlanta? Our city is going through so many challenges these days.

Our city’s government is not taking care of its own, and it couldn’t be more evident than what all is happening on Edgewood Avenue. I know we are in transition and I have faith in our city and I still love Atlanta.

Atlanta is a cow town. Maybe it’s because I’m 100, but I know people everywhere. There is some scary shit going on out there right now, but you have to get involved. You have to reach out to your city council, you have to speak out, you have to vote or else you can’t complain. If you work hard, then all that scary shit will go away.

So, in other words, fuck fear!

Hell yes! Fuck fear!

March 19, 2021 Columnist 17

ZACK BENNETT SCHNYDER THE GAYLY DOSE

Living My Best COVID Life Zack Bennett Schnyder, Co-Host, The Gayly Dose Like many of us, I’ve been following the COVID oneyear anniversary stories and discussing with friends the awe of this milestone, whether to vaccinate or not, and the hope that we are reaching its end with anticipation.

In the spirit of sharing, here’s my COVID story.

Growing up, I watched HGTV religiously, and like my mom, I dreamed about houses and their infinite possibilities. From layouts, designs, fixtures, furnishings — you name it — I thought about all of the wonderful ways to create a beautiful, livable space. It was definitely one of the reasons my mom knew I was gay before I told her a decade later, but that’s another story for another issue. My house dreams were an outlet for my mind to wander and wonder. I wonder what a home might look like if I were to design and maybe even build it myself?

Fast forward more years than I’d like to disclose to 2020 when COVID hits, and I suddenly find myself with a lot more down time. One month passes, and I’m still in denial. This will pass quickly, right? Two months pass and boredom really starts to set in. Three months pass, and I feel like I’m wasting my life away. After four months, I make a resolution to myself.

This will not be a waste of a year of your life, Bennett.

This summer with zero experience, I start playing around with the idea of buying and flipping an investment property. In the shadow of COVID, self-doubt was becoming my best friend and my confidence was lacking. Mind you, I do consider myself somewhat handy.

I can put together IKEA furniture, paint a wall, hang curtains/blinds, and fix a running 18 Columnist March 19, 2021

God Dante was there to be a calming force.

He grounded and helped me get the ball rolling. First task: scrape the popcorn off the ceiling. First lesson: hire someone for the popcorn scraping unless you want a headache and breathing issues.

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK / ROBERT KNESCHKE

toilet. But the idea of a purchase for resale was a whole new level including the threat of risk.

I knew in this moment that if I didn’t at least try, I’d regret it.

I worked with a realtor and submitted an offer on a property in Hilton Head.

Unfortunately, it was purchased out from under me from someone paying cash. Damn.

My agent explained that because of the super-hot market, we needed to pounce on a property before others had the opportunity.

At the time, I honestly felt like I was getting the hard sale, but I had just enough trust in my agent to heed her advice.

I found a clean but dated beachfront property. Right before I put in a bid, another wave of doubt hit. Did I, a gay corporate event planner, really have the skills needed to bring a 1980s condo into the 21st century?

My close friends call my “Lumber Zack,” but I know full well that wearing flannel

and boots doesn’t make me automatically knowledgeable about even construction, let alone real estate, design, and permitting. Yes, I was completely lacking the experience, but I dug deep, breathed in an air of confidence, and took a leap of faith.

I started to run the numbers. I figured the worst scenario would be to break even. And I would have gained both the skill and the experience. It would also satisfy a curiosity after years of dreaming and wondering. Head first and chest out, I signed and submitted the paperwork after only seeing a video of the condo. The offer was accepted, and I was now under contract for a fixer-upper … a fixer upper I had not yet stepped foot in.

On closing day, my friend and The Gayly Dose co-host Dante came with me to start the renovation. I remember walking through the front door and feeling simultaneously excited and utterly overwhelmed. Thank

Weeks progressed and some things I knew how to do, and others were a learn-as-I-goon-the-job. Thank you, YouTube! It was a whirlwind of painting walls, adding laminate floors, swapping light fixtures and outlets, treating mold, adding tile backsplash, building a kitchen island, hanging wallpaper, and choosing appliances and countertops.

Plenty of long days and longer nights.

Finally ready, I listed my condo and accepted an offer within 10 days. It was an offer that was thousands of dollars more than the price of any unit that had sold in the building.

From start to finish, I bought, renovated, and sold under 90 days flat. While all of that anxiety and worry washed away, I also realized how critical it was to my journey.

I want COVID to go away, but my newly discovered side hustle is here to stay.

Bennett is the Founding Chief Sound Editor and Co-Host of The Gayly Dose, an Atlanta based podcast hosted by an all-gay cast. Purposefully candid and brutally honest, the cast speaks on a range of topics including monogamy, body issues, coming out, dating apps and growing up gay in the church. Listen at thegaylydose.com TheGeorgiaVoice.com

BUCK JONES THE FRENCH CONNECTION

Newsworthy Buck Jones Call me old fashioned. I honestly don’t know who most of the guest judges are on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” even after an explanation that he or she has a YouTube channel or is a hip-hop star. I use Southernisms such as “yes, ma’am” and “no, sir” in everyday conversation despite the nonbinary gender future which is inevitably coming. A suit and tie to dress up for travel or going to church is still de rigeur, and I look askance at anyone who isn’t similarly attired while I wait for my train or get seated in my pew. One of my most prized possessions is a 1940s vintage Bakelite black phone I bought in Milan, something that Bette Davis would’ve used, slamming down the receiver in a fit of spite.

I reflexively write in cursive and keep my notes in an actual Moleskine notebook. Finally, I get my news from reputable sources, reported by professionally trained journalists who seek to find the truth using facts and attributed quotes. In practical terms, this means that I subscribe to the local newspaper Le Monde and get the weekend paper editions delivered TheGeorgiaVoice.com

on Fridays and Saturdays.

So, yes, I am an anachronism. Of course, I have my modern indulgences. Highspeed Internet, with Wi-Fi easily available everywhere, is something that is no longer just a “nice-to-have” but a vital necessity for this impatient, easily distracted bitch.

Cultural garbage that makes me feel dirty after watching — I’m recalling how I felt after binge watching the first season of “Are You The One?”— I am not immune to, either. So I don’t judge too harshly the increasingly peculiar manifestations of civilization’s gradual descent into cognitive decay I see around me. References to obscure gay historical figures such as Bayard Rustin met with a blank stare don’t bother me — just don’t expect me to know who Jeffree Star is. The two are not even remotely in the same category of importance.

And yet one of my most trusted sources of “real news” has started including analyses and reports about the “Drama Wars” on YouTube. Now, I watch RuPaul, so I know what “the tea” means, but I had no idea that there was a whole subculture of tea channels where influencers gossip, throw shade, and

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK / RAWPIXEL.COM

otherwise stir trouble online for their millions of viewers. Incidentally, I could have easily worn out the quote key on my keyboard writing that last sentence, because I find this entire phenomenon to be so completely ridiculous, but I am not sure if others actually take it all seriously or watch it in the kind of riveted disgust I had for the sexy bachelors and bachelorettes of “Are You The One?” I suppose it is possible to include these types of stories as a nod to what is happening out there in the virtual world. It just seems perilously close to giving an imprimatur of approval, or a whiff of authenticity to all of it, as if any of it matters in the slightest.

The danger for Generation Z watching comes if they ever give credence to anything claimed by these media personalities. Apparently even their makeup advice is untrustworthy, so if they start pronouncing their opinions on serious subjects such as global climate change, politics, or which season of RuPaul was the best (reasonable people can disagree whether it was nine or five), gurl you need to walk away.

There is a similar threat for folks of my parents’ generation, what used to be called

the baby-boom generation but is now dying out, otherwise known as a Fox News viewer.

For them, as well as those who are younger and get their news from personalities instead of professional journalists, objective reality disappeared from their life’s rearview mirror a while ago. Instead, because of a steady intellectual diet of Trump-y “alternative facts” and the Big Lie of election fraud, they operate in a completely different world from the rest of us, full of conspiracy theories and subjective claims of truth based on the feelings.

Again, there is a part of me that enjoys a good conspiracy or weird alternative theory (full disclosure, my guilty pleasure is “Ancient Aliens”). I recently came across a podcast with an expert on the Nephilim (if you don’t know what they are, go ask your Sunday School teacher) who claims these half-angel, half-human giants live among us.

He was dead serious about it and had spent the better part of the past 40 years in pursuit of them, trying to document their existence.

I mean, God bless. But then he began talking passionately about the stolen election and the ballot stuffing in the middle of the night and the Dominion voting machines and … gurl you gotta run away.

March 19, 2021 Columnist 19

JIM FARMER ACTING OUT

New LGBTQ Films to Check Out:

“Wojnarowicz,” “Cowboys,” “Rain Beau’s End” Jim Farmer

MORE INFO Wojnarowicz: F**k You F*ggot F**ker opens March 19 through Kino Marquee virtual cinemas.

As COVID-19 vaccines become more readily available, the return to full capacity for movie theaters may actually be a reality in the near future. Until then, there are plenty of new streaming LGBTQ titles available covering an eclectic array of topics.

“Cowboys” is now available on PVOD “Rain Beau’s End” is now available on Lesflicks

platform, which features a slate of lesbian and bisexual feature films and shorts, stars Janelle Snow and Amanda Powell as a lesbian couple, circa the ’90s, who adopt a young boy. Hannah Driver (Snow) is a lawyer in Chicago who makes a run for mayor while Jules Paradise (Powell) owns a coffee shop.

Their decision to start a family faces some hurdles, as their new son is mislabeled with a genetic predisposition for violence.

Some people may not know his name, but David Wojnarowicz was a New York-based photographer, artist, author and filmmaker — and later an AIDS activist. Director Chris McKim has made “Wojnarowicz: F**k You F*ggot F**ker,” a stirring new documentary on the subject. Having gained access to Wojnarowicz’s work, including paintings, journals, Super 8 films and even answering machine messages, McKim has crafted a stirring look at the artist’s life that has its own unique vibe and voice.

Sean Young (as a lawyer friend) and Ed Asner (as the father of one of the women, who mouths off some homophobic statements) are big name presences. Of the central twosome, the character of Hannah seems a lot more developed than Jules. It’s rather unbalanced.

The film charts Wojnarowicz’s early years until his prominence in the East Village avant-garde scene. When his parents divorced, he lived with his mother before running away and hustling on the streets of New York. After a brief stint in Paris, he returned to New York and became an artist, best known for his graffiti and street art as well as the titular slogan — a painting based on a homophobic cartoon he found. The subject’s own HIV diagnosis — along with the death of a lover and mentor — amped up his activist side. Wojnarowicz ultimately passed away of AIDS in 1992 at the young age of 37. McKim has made a documentary on his life that is both compelling and informative, showing just how vital a presence he was.

Troy (Steve Zahn) and his wife Sandy (Jillian Bell) have broken up, but Troy still spends time with his son Joe. Joe (played by trans performer Sasha Knight) identifies as trans, and Sandy has a much harder time with the situation than Troy does. Eventually, the father abducts his son, and they take off together. The scenes with Troy allowing Joe to be his authentic self are often touching.

The drama, “Cowboys,” played some festivals last fall before bowing online in February. It’s especially topical now, as trans children are at the heart of so many battles.

As directed by Anna Kerrigan, “Cowboys” benefits from a well-chosen cast. Emmy Award-winner Ann Dowd brings her usual dignity to the small role of a police detective

20 Columnist March 19, 2021

Publicity photos

Clockwise from top: Steve Zahn and Sasha Kinght star in “Cowboys,” “Wojnarowicz” director Chris McKim, and Janelle Snow and Amanda Powell star in “Rain Beau’s End.”

on the trail of Troy and Joe, while Knight handles a difficult role quite effectively.

What holds the film together in many ways is Zahn’s performance. He’s a manic force, something of a loose cannon, but his love for Joe is never questioned. Things threaten to get a little too heavy at times before something of a Hallmark ending, but those moments don’t negate the charm and warmth that has come before it.

Finally, the new lesbian drama, “Rain Beau’s End,” has a lot on its plate. This original film, part of the Lesflicks video on demand

The film covers more than a dozen years, and during that time the son becomes violent and disorderly, yet “Rain Beau’s End” never actually shows the kid. Only his voice is present at the end. It’s an odd decision made by writers Jennifer Cooney and Joe Orlandino, as we only hear about the chaos the character is causing. As directed by Tracy Wren, “Rain Beau’s End” can feel a little mechanical, with scene after scene of Hannah getting a call at work about some damage their son has done.

It’s hard to knock a film that means well and covers so much ground, but “Rain Beau’s End” never really connects. It gamely explores aspects of parenting that are rarely seen, but overall it feels like something of a missed opportunity.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

Restaurant GUIDE

YOUR GUIDE TO LOCAL EATERIES

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March 19, 2021 Restaurant Guide 21

MELISSA CARTER THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID

Honoring Women’s History Month Melissa Carter I had the surprise and honor of being celebrated by the City of Atlanta and ATL 26 as part of Women’s History Month. In reflecting on that inclusion of the city’s history, I realized that lesbians aren’t usually a big part in celebrating this month.

So, I’d like to take the time to highlight some lesbian, bisexual and transgender women who you may or may not know about, as every woman should be celebrated during the month of March.

Sappho Let’s begin with where the term lesbian came from. Born on the Greek island of Lesbos around 630 B.C., this poet wrote about her yearning for women. Because of her, the terms sapphic and lesbian have become synonymous with women who love women.

Gladys Bentley An American blues entertainer during the Harlem Renaissance, she dressed in men’s clothes when she performed, flirted with women in the audience, and even had a chorus line of drag queens to back her up.

She married a woman publicly in 1931.

22 Columnist March 19, 2021

Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena “Hick” Hickok PHOTO VIA WIKICOMMONS

recognition. This affair was the inspiration for HBO’s “Gentleman Jack” TV series.

Eleanor Roosevelt Eleanor Roosevelt had an affair with Lorena “Hick” Hickok. Following Eleanor’s death, a series of letters was unearthed, though most were destroyed by the Roosevelt family. One of the surviving correspondences read, “I want to put my arms around you and kiss you at the corner of your mouth.” In another letter Eleanor wrote, she said “I want to put my arms around you. I ache to hold you close … Your ring is a great comfort to me.

I look at it and think she does love me, or I wouldn’t be wearing it.”

Angela Morley She was a classical composer who was nominated for two Academy Awards and won several Emmys for her work on popular TV shows like “Dallas” and “Dynasty.”

Patricia Highsmith If you saw the movie “Carol” with Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, then you are already familiar with Ms. Highsmith. The film is based on the novel “The Price of Salt,” written by her. She also wrote “Strangers on a Train” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley.”

Mercedes de Acosta Mercedes de Acosta was an American poet, playwright and novelist who was more famous for her many lesbian affairs with Hollywood stars. Best-known for her long-term romance with Greta Garbo, she was also involved with Russian ballerina Tamara Karsavina.

Anne Lister Landowner, mountaineer and traveler who kept diaries which chronicled her lesbian relationships in code, derived from a combination of algebra and Ancient Greek.

She had an affair with wealthy heiress Ann Walker, who she later married without legal

Of course, this is a tiny sample of women who have framed our society, including names and faces of those we’ll never publicly know. However, it’s important for us to keep these ladies in mind when the nation fills Women’s History Month with our straight counterparts.

TheGeorgiaVoice.com

RYAN LEE SOMETIMES ‘Y’

A Ride with Global Catfish Ryan Lee It wasn’t until we made eye contact that I realized he was naked.

I was riding my bicycle in small circles when he pulled into the parking lot where the group ride was amassing, and during one of my loops I noticed him changing clothes behind his car door.

Rather than getting a clear look at him, I noted the type of bike strapped to his vehicle so I knew who to stalk along the ride.

We were 10 miles into the route and at our second pit stop when I scanned the 30 riders and saw his BMX and then him standing next to it, making me wish for a gay friend on the ride with whom to commiserate.

The only two folks I knew there were straight men, and I doubted one of them was interested in hearing about homosexual lust. I figured the other, however, who had playboy tendencies, might appreciate my hormonal dilemma.

“Imagine spotting a cute lady at the beginning of a group ride and making a note to look out for her,” I said as my friend nodded with curiosity. “And when you finally see her — BAM — she’s in a skin-toned bodysuit!”

My friend laughed because he knew the source of my horniness. While men in tight clothing is a tertiary benefit of being a gay cyclist, the sexy guy on the BMX was not wearing a standard kit, but rather a gym rat or stripper’s interpretation of cycling attire.

His muscles, penis and ass stretched the fabric in every direction, and the bulges were so distracting it took several glances before my eyes made it up to his face. My peeping turned into a full-blown stare when I realized I was looking at one of the global faces of catfishing.

Every other day, I am contacted on a gay dating app by a different profile using the muscled cyclist’s pictures. I block the profiles because they seem to be written by foreign TheGeorgiaVoice.com

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / SFIO CRACHO

bots, with stilted offers of massages or “hot group action,” and I’ve pitied the guys whose photos are endlessly recycled by scammers.

Just a few days earlier someone in Texas posted his photo to Twitter inquiring if he was a legit masseur, and guys from around the country affirmed it was a fake profile similar to ones they’ve seen in their areas. I’ve long wanted to meet this guy and ask about how his life is impacted by every gay man on the internet believing he either desires them or is a stunt queen.

Such a conversation is difficult to initiate with a stranger on a group bike ride, so instead I tried to stabilize my swirling thoughts by confiding in my straight friend. He was captivated by the unfolding storyline, including when the BMX rider and I exchanged names, and later when I reached out to one of the fake profiles using his photo.

“Bro, I truly appreciate you letting me get this shit off my chest,” I wrote in a text to my friend.

“It’s all good,” he replied. “I know I’ve vented to you before so it’s all good.”

I often worry the acceptance LGBTQ Americans have acquired in the past two decades remains superficial. Our friends and family have accepted the theory of us not being outcasts, but we must live our lives with a candor that destroys any squeamishness they feel when we get into the nitty-gritty of how we experience this world.

March 19, 2021 Columnist 23