06/22/18, Vol. 9 Issue 9

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT (…BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE TAKE A DIGITAL DETOX.) Here at Georgia Voice, we understand. Believe us, we do.

We understand that a lot of times, being very online is nearly too much. Fortunately, Georgia Voice has got your back. You can see the rest of these stories, and others, at TheGaVoice.com.

TRUMPED!

A federally appointed judge just put a kibosh on the President’s military transgender ban. A United States District Judge, Seattle’s Marsha Pechman, struck down the ruling on June 15. Pechman soundly rejected the administration’s request to block transgender people from military service.

Pechman had previously struck down the original ban in April.

CAPTURING THE FLAG

A suggested redesign of the famous LGBTQ Pride flag is drawing fanfare and Kickstarter funds in equal measure. The new Pride Flag, if adopted, would celebrate “inclusion and progression” according to the artist, Daniel Quasar. Quasar’s flag adds a right-facing trans triangle, and also employs brown and black stripes in the composition, to symbolize the important role of people of color in the community.

WRESTLING UP SUPPORT

Fergal Devitt, professionally known in the WWE as Finn Bálor, raised eyebrows and awareness during his premiere at WrestleMania, when he took the floor with members of the New Orleans LGBTQ community. Devitt said he wanted to help gay wrestling fans feel included.

KICKIN’ OFF PRIDE

The Atlanta Pride Committee just announced its Official Kickoff Party. The 2018 event will be held at the Georgia Aquarium on October 12. The soiree marks the starting point for the Southeast Region’s premiere Pride event. The celebration of LGBTQ culture will run October 13–14.

BYE, SAAVEDRA

SEARCH & RESIST

Google has committed a million dollars to help commemorate the Stonewall Rebellion. The money will go to the LGBT Community Center. The Center plans to “develop oral histories and other narratives related to the Stonewall Rebellion of 1969 that can be preserved and disseminated in digital formats.”

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

In May, she became famous for harassing a trans woman in an L.A. Denny’s and livestreaming it on Facebook. In June, Jazmina Saavedra found herself in the middle of another public humiliation: her own. A vocal Trump supporter, Saavedra ran in California’s 44th House primary, in an attempt to remove incumbent Nanette Barragan, a Democrat. In the end, Barragan scored the nomination, nabbing 66 percent of the vote. Saavedra scored ten percent, landing in third place.

June 22, 2018 News 3

GEORGIA NEWS

In The Interim LOST-N-FOUND’S NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AUDREY KRUMBACH, GIVES US THE SCOOP ON HER NEW APPOINTMENT Berlin Sylvestre bsylvestre@thegavoice.com Two weeks after Rick Westbrook, co-founder and executive director of Lost-n-Found Youth, resigned, an interim was announced.

The nonprofit has named Audrey Krumbach as his replacement, serving until a more permanent member is found. We caught up with Audrey to chat about her new appointment and the future of one of our most beloved institutions.

“I feel so honored to get to be part of Lostn-Found’s mission, and so many people have reached out to express support,” she tells Georgia Voice. “It’s clear how passionate Atlanta is about caring for our young people, and ensuring that LGBTQIA young adults and teens have a place to be safe, healthy, and to access the resources they need!”

Audrey grew up in the faith, the daughter of a Methodist preacher, and attributes her upbringing when she talks about early charity work. “As a young teen, I was part of several work trips — the kind where kids paint houses — and I learned on a few very hot summer afternoons that my faith could inform a way to be useful in the world.”

After college, she attended seminary at Garrett-Evangelical, a United Methodist school. “I did not end up pursuing ordination, but mostly because I am more passionate about working in the community.”

After grad school, Audrey worked for several years with Chicago-based Reconciling Ministries Network. “It’s the LGBTQ advocacy organization working to help the United Methodist Church be more inclusive of everyone,” she says.

She then worked with women’s leadership initiatives, spending the last three years at 4 News June 22, 2018

Anytime an “organization has

such a strong founder, an interim is a powerful way to follow that leadership. It tells everyone, we are not simply moving on, but building on the good work which has been done.

”

Living Room. “Living Room is an awesome organization too few people know about.”

Living Room provides housing resources for people with HIV and serves more than 1,700 clients annually with seven programs that creatively help connect people living with HIV with the stability they need to get healthy. “It’s also where I learned about Atlanta’s housing situation, the lack of affordable housing … and so much about the amazing community of people in Atlanta working in so many ways to make our community better.”

So why the interim?

“Actually, the board leaders and myself had a very serious discussion about why an interim.

I recommended it strongly for two reasons.

First, Rick Westbrook is such an admirable person and leader. He and his co-founders of Lost-n-Found Youth did something that

very, very few people could do.”

She adds, “Anytime an organization has such a strong founder, an interim is a powerful way to follow that leadership. It tells everyone, “We are not simply moving on, but building on the good work which has been done.’”

“The other reason is that Lost-N-Found is working in an area where we want to grow and build sustainably, and to be honest, an interim has the opportunity to help put processes and procedures into place, to build

up and honor the professional staff, and maybe make any needed tweaks — small ones — that help the organization grow.”

On her agenda first? Audrey wants to “meet with as many clients, board members, staff, and supporters as [she] can squeeze into [her] days.” She also wants to meet with other partners in her line of work and listen to the stories, passions, and opportunities that drive the community — especially if it calls for getting her hands dirty.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 6 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

In adults with HIV on ART who have diarrhea not caused by an infection IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION This is only a summary. See complete Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com or by calling 1-844-722-8256. This does not take the place of talking with your doctor about your medical condition or treatment.

What Is Mytesi?

Mytesi is a prescription medicine used to improve symptoms of noninfectious diarrhea (diarrhea not caused by a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on ART. Do Not Take Mytesi if you have diarrhea caused by an infection. Before you start Mytesi, your doctor and you should make sure your diarrhea is not caused by an infection (such as bacteria, virus, or parasite).

Possible Side Effects of Mytesi Include:

Tired of planning your life around diarrhea?

Enough is Enough Get relief. Pure and simple. Ask your doctor about Mytesi.

Mytesi (crofelemer): • Is the only medicine FDA-approved to relieve diarrhea in people with HIV • Treats diarrhea differently by normalizing the flow of water in the GI tract • Has the same or fewer side effects as placebo in clinical studies • Comes from a tree sustainably harvested in the Amazon Rainforest What is Mytesi?

Mytesi is a prescription medicine that helps relieve symptoms of diarrhea not caused by an infection (noninfectious) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Important Safety Information Mytesi is not approved to treat infectious diarrhea (diarrhea caused by bacteria, a virus, or a parasite). Before starting you on Mytesi, your healthcare provider will first be sure that you do not have infectious diarrhea. Otherwise, there is a risk you would not receive the right medicine and your infection could get worse. In clinical studies, the most common side effects that occurred more often than with placebo were upper respiratory tract (sinus, nose, and throat) infection (5.7%), bronchitis (3.9%), cough (3.5%), flatulence (3.1%), and increased bilirubin (3.1%).

Should I Take Mytesi If I Am: Pregnant or Planning to Become Pregnant?

• Studies in animals show that Mytesi could harm an unborn baby or affect the ability to become pregnant • There are no studies in pregnant women taking Mytesi • This drug should only be used during pregnancy if clearly needed A Nursing Mother?

• It is not known whether Mytesi is passed through human breast milk • If you are nursing, you should tell your doctor before starting Mytesi • Your doctor will help you to decide whether to stop nursing or to stop taking Mytesi Under 18 or Over 65 Years of Age? • Mytesi has not been studied in children under 18 years of age • Mytesi studies did not include many people over the age of 65. So it is not clear if this age group will respond differently. Talk to your doctor to find out if Mytesi is right for you

What Should I Know About Taking Mytesi With Other Medicines?

If you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicine, herbal supplements, or vitamins, tell your doctor before starting Mytesi.

What If I Have More Questions About Mytesi?

For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com or speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

To report side effects or make a product complaint or for additional information, call 1-844-722-8256.

Rx Only Manufactured by Patheon, Inc. for Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. San Francisco, CA 94105 Copyright © Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

For Copay Savings Card and Patient Assistance, see Mytesi.com

Mytesi comes from the Croton lechleri tree harvested in South America.

Please see complete Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com.

NP-390-14

• Upper respiratory tract infection (sinus, nose, and throat infection) • Bronchitis (swelling in the tubes that carry air to and from your lungs) • Cough • Flatulence (gas) • Increased bilirubin (a waste product when red blood cells break down) For a full list of side effects, please talk to your doctor. Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.

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.

RELIEF, PURE AND SIMPLE

GEORGIA NEWS

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 “Whether it’s cleaning the store, meeting with clients, reconciling bank statements, or pounding the pavement, I plan to do everything I can for the time being to fulfill the mission. No LGBTQ young person needs to be homeless and without options.”

When asked about a dream project for which she’d like to partner up with another nonprofit, Audrey says she doesn’t want to single any organizations out. She does, however, have something in mind for Lostn-Found, and that’s “working hand in hand with the housing, HIV, LGBTQ advocacy, workforce, education, and other human services organizations throughout the city, to truly connect young people to the resources they know they need.”

She strives to make the organization one that “can be trusted by anyone to do the right thing, and to provide that support in a way which honors the incredible resilience and strength in young people — especially young people who are excluded because of their sexual orientation, because of their gender identity, or their race, or a development question.”

I ask her if she feels the pressure yet.

Start your journey by contacting

AtlantaEvents@CityWinery.com or call 404-WINERY1 6 News June 22, 2018

“It’s my first executive director role — that should scare me, but I am surrounded by a very strong board of directors, and have been tremendously impressed with the staff I’ve met so far,” she responds. “So, pressure?

Sure. But this mission matters so much ... what better way could I use my life than

to be useful to a great organization?” She admits, though, that she’ll miss her team at Living Room.

“Before working at Living Room, I worked for the United Methodist General Commission on Women, the denominational agency which supports women’s leadership initiatives and monitors the UMC for equity questions,” she says, after being asked if womanhood steers her focus or informs her in any way. “To be honest, I’m aware simultaneously of my cisprivilege and the ways in which unintentional and implicit gender bias make leadership a complex issue for every leader. I consider myself extremely lucky to have worked with some incredible people of all genders, who have helped me approach questions of sexism, gender, and transphobia with a gentle but firm approach.”

At home, she’s doing some surface-level housing projects, but when she actually gets a chance to relax, she loves to take walks while listening to audiobooks. “It’s a completely relaxing way to zone out.”

She also loves cooking. “Feeding people is probably my most visceral joy in the world.”

For the most part, you get the impression that relaxation isn’t what she wants to focus on — she’s already hard at work, making sure to be rid of any dust before it tries to settle around her.

“I’m a nerd, so I will be working to make Lost-n-Found not only great to clients, but one of the most transparent, trustworthy, clean-and-tidy-paperwork kind of nonprofits in the city. It’s already a great organization and we’re going to keep getting better.” www.thegeorgiavoice.com

TOGETHER, SMALL STEPS BECOME GREAT STRIDES. When was the last time your budget gave you butterflies? Or a paycheck made your heart skip a beat? At the end of the day, it’s our relationships that matter most. That’s why Regions takes pride in supporting the LGBTQ community and all those committed to building a better future together.

For financial tips, tools and personalized banking solutions, drop by a branch or visit regions.com/LGBT.

© 2018 Regions Bank. Regions and the Regions logo are registered trademarks of Regions Bank. The LifeGreen color is a trademark of Regions Bank.

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Grammarians Are Often Bullies, Too PO Box 77401 • Atlanta, GA 30357 P: 404-815-6941; F: 404-963-6365

EDITORIAL

Editor: Berlin Sylvestre bsylvestre@thegavoice.com Deputy Editor: Jason Rhode jrhode@thegavoice.com Editorial Contributors: Cliff Bostock, Melissa Carter, Lamarana Diallo, Dallas A. Duncan, Aidan Ivory Edwards, Conner Emery, Jim Farmer, Morgan Nicole Fletcher, Elizabeth Hazzard, Ryan Lee, Joseph Miller, Jamie Roberts, Catharine Romero

PRODUCTION

Art Director: Rob Boeger rboeger@thegavoice.com

BUSINESS

Managing Partner/Publisher: Tim Boyd tboyd@thegavoice.com

SALES

Sales Executive: Dixon Taylor dtaylor@thegavoice.com 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

FINE PRINT

All material in Georgia Voice is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of Georgia Voice. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor implied.

The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons.

We also do not accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers.

Unsolicited editorial material is accepted by Georgia Voice, but we do not take responsibility for its return. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject, or edit any submission. Guidelines for freelance contributors are available upon request.

A single copy of Georgia Voice is available from authorized distribution points. Multiple copies are available from Georgia Voice office only. Call for rates. If you are unable to reach a convenient free distribution point, you may receive a 26-issue mailed subscription for $60 per year. Checks or credit card orders can be sent to Tim Boyd, tboyd@thegavoice.com Postmaster: Send address changes to Georgia Voice, PO Box 77401, Atlanta, GA 30357. Georgia Voice is published every other Friday by The Georgia Voice, LLC. Individual subscriptions are $60 per year for 26 issues. Postage paid at Atlanta, GA, and additional mailing offices.

The editorial positions of Georgia Voice are expressed in editorials and in editor’s notes. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Georgia Voice and its staff.

To submit a letter or commentary: Letters should be fewer than 400 words and commentary, for web or print, should be fewer than 750 words. Submissions may be edited for content and length, and must include a name, address, and phone number for verification. Email submissions to editor@thegavoice. com or mail to the address above.

Join us online: facebook.com/thegavoice twitter.com/thegavoice instagram.com/thegeorgiavoice youtube.com/user/GAVoice

8 Editorial June 22, 2018

Berlin Sylvestre bsylvestre@thegavoice.com Melvin has a speech impediment to go along with his barely interpretable Southern accent, and he always comes over in the tattered, claystained clothes of a blue-collar Southern man who’d rather you paid attention to his truck tires than his overall being. He’s somewhat short, his glasses were probably made by Hubble himself, and he’s got a less-toothy smile than most. The man can’t be more than 40, but when he speaks to me, it’s always, “Hah yew doin’, Miss Buh-leeyun?” (“How you doing, Mrs. Berlin?”)

And every single time I see him, I think, “Melvin is a frickin’ genius.” That’s because if there’s anything — anything — you need fixed around the house, he gets it done fast, done right, and done so that he never has to come back about the same issue. Folks, that’s a Neighborhood Newton.

One cool, early afternoon this spring, I said something like, “Melvin, you’re a really good guy to know.” He was on his side near the stove, chiseling some woodwork from around an old counter, and he did his usual boyish grin and added, “Thankee, Miss Buh-leeyun.”

I continued watching him tick away at the wood. “You’re pretty amazing — you know how to do everything, even if you’ve never done it before.”

He said something to the effect that things just kind of … work, and if you study them just a bit, you can see how they do. I told him that not everyone has that brain, so he should feel good about that. He made a face that seemed like he might not have heard that before.

It’s just that Melvin always looks down, and when he smiles, he’s sure to do so without showing his teeth. He’s insecure as all getout, and I only recently found out his eye color — blue-grey — as he’s refused to look me square in the peepers for the longest time!

Instead, he’ll pull his hat-brim down over his eyes when I compliment his handiwork while what’s exposed of his face turns red.

He’s an incredibly talented handiman —

no, that’s a sorry word for what he is. Let’s go with engineer, because he’s created some amazing things both beneath our house and deep into the walls of it — things he built from perfectly good scraps of wood, metal, and random gadgetry around our tool shed.

And his work lasts; it’s solid. He’s gone behind professionals we used to pay damn good money for and went, “Why’s this done so bay-udd?!” (That last word being a twosyllable “bad.”)

Alas, he came in one day very recently when the plumbing to our century-old Colonial was acting up and I told him, as he was leaving, “Melvin? I really think you’re a genius. I mean that.”

And it happened. He actually stopped and faced me, the rubble of what parts he’d replaced still firmly in his hands. I won’t write it in his accent, but imagine a thick, slow drawl of a man whose speech impediment stems from being partially deaf — something I only recently learned.

“That means a lot to me,” he told me. And to paraphrase: “All my life, people called me stupid on account of how I talk and how I can’t read very well.”

And if he weren’t covered in … plumbing stuff and sweat, I might’ve just hugged him. Melvin may sound like what people would consider some “Trump-supporting, illiterate, idiot redneck!”, but to me, he just sounds like Melvin, the guy whose brain is far superior (and far more useful) than that of my own, grammar and the ability to read and write well be damned.

me (in so many ways), “I feel like my writing has to be PERFECT before I hit send when I text or email you, because I don’t want to look like an idiot in front of you.” The same goes for people who say, “I bet you can’t STAND when people mistake ‘your’ for ‘you’re!’ It’s the WORST, right?”

Honestly, no. I don’t care. I’ve seen some real butchery (if it can be called that) of this democracy we call language — and yes: it’s a democracy — so nothing really surprises me anymore. Additionally, some of the smartest people I’ve ever met couldn’t string a cohesive sentence together on paper, but could break down the damn-finest issues of today (and yesterday) while chattin’ it up on the front porch.

Equating spelling, grammar, structure, and the likes with intellect is so classist that it kills me. Not everyone’s had the upbringing these pedantic finger-wagging scoffers have had, neither may they possess the cognition to hold onto the “rules” of writing. Intellect takes many forms, so to sit there and judge someone because their English isn’t amazing is so elitist and arrogant, that THAT is what makes them look like an idiot. Well, in my eyes, at least.

So to all those out there who lord your “superior English skills” over those who can, let’s say, rewire your entire house while you struggle to get a birdhouse assembled, I say: Try rewiring your brain to recognize talent and wit in other ways. In the meantime, don’t drown in this all this rain … what with that upturned nose and all.

Three cheers to the Melvins of the world, and a giant “boo-hiss” to their bullies.

This brings me to my point.

I can’t say how many times people have told

Sinserelee, bErLin sYlVesTrE, tha editer www.thegeorgiavoice.com

“

A playful relationship can make routine tasks fun. From doing laundry to testing for HIV, we do it together.

”

— Ben and Andrew

WE’RE

DOING IT

Testing for HIV

#DoingIt Testing is Fast, Free, and Confidential cdc.gov/DoingIt

GUEST EDITORIAL

SGL Cruise: A Family Affair Craig Washington

Four years ago, I received a community service award from the organizers of Indigenous House, one of the city’s biggest outdoor house music parties. I am grateful to have been given my roses while I breathe, a rarity among black gay men of my generation or older and no less deserving. In addition to a lovely crystal trophy, I was given free admission to the first SGL (Same Gender Loving) Family Cruise. As an underpaid AIDS field dinosaur, I immediately assessed the monetary value of the ticket for an excursion that I could not have afforded. It would take years to appreciate the gift’s real worth.

recalls. There was no internet. You had to talk to someone. It was real old school.” Mark came up with the name. “I thought SGL would fit in for everybody,” he says. “It was also a way of not having to use the word ‘gay’ or ‘homosexual.’

‘Same gender loving’ is an identifier adopted by same sex attracted black men who desired a self-determined term and regarded ‘gay’ and ‘queer’ as Eurocentric and incompatible with their cultural locations.”

From the onset, the pair invited those who were not cisgender black gay men. They regarded black LGBTQ friends who include heterosexual, other people of color, and white people in their closest circles. Keith pointed out, “There are straight and other people who love us. As long as you come with an open heart and mind, you are welcome.”

Life partners Keith Sibley and Mark Elliott are the founding organizers for SGLFC. In 2011, they started joining friends for restorative getaways in Ellijay, GA. They wanted to extend the intimacy to others through a cruise. “We With over 30 years’ experience as a professional AF_ATL_Ad_GeorgiaVoice_HalfPageHor_10x5_Male_FINALOUTLINES_Print.pdf 2 9/26/2017 5:32:53host.

PM got 85 folks all by word-of-mouth,” Keith entertainer, Keith is a natural He emcees

10 Editorial June 22, 2018

most of the activities and performs in and out of drag. Not quite the extrovert, Mark is a meticulous planner who covers logistics and pre-event communication. Every year, the pair take the 10-hour drive to Miami “loaded like the Clampetts” to lay the setting for countless memories.

From the cruise port hotel dinner to the closing wrap-up session, they are constantly on.

Evening activities after port stops or a laidback day at sea keep members connected outside of their cliques. A unforced camaraderie grows through the in-between moments on deck or some serene shore. First timers are shown the ropes by recurring members. There is a shared sense of responsibility for everyone’s experience.

Mainstays include a very festive Family Feud, a dance party featuring DJ Ron Pullman, and the “Keith and Friends” showcase hosted by luminaries Miss Sophia McIntosh

and Neisha Dupree. Performers donate their cash tips to designated nonprofits like Southern Unity Movement (organizers of the Rustin-Lorde Breakfast).

On that last night at sea the “Let’s Talk About It” discussion solicits spoken feedback while the experience is still fresh. A procession of cheers, recommendations, and complaints flows. At one such debrief, a performer thanked the group for the affection she and other trans women received.

She noted that she rarely felt such warmth in Atlanta unless she was on stage. Another member spoke about the friends she lost in the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, expressing gratitude for the new friends she met on the ship.

Keith and Mark recognize the measure of what they created. “This is a missionary,” Mark concluded. “We’ve had people tell us, if it wasn’t for us, they probably wouldn’t be here. When we get frustrated, we think about them.”

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June 22, 2018 Ads 11

ASK THE DOCTOR

HIV med doses, preventing Hep-C With the new medicines for HIV, is it really necessary to take all of them or is it okay to miss doses?

The easy and quick answer is: “Do not miss doses of your medications! Take them every day, just as they are prescribed.” As one patient said when I had answered this question (for what seemed like hundredth time, both to him and to me), “Come up with a new line, doc.” I guess the answer does come across like a reflex that I haven’t rethought since 1987.

The medication AZT was licensed by the FDA in 1987. Patients were instructed to take the pill every four hours, around the clock. I know, crazy.

Those were the “Dark Ages” compared to 2018.

HIV infection had become the most common cause of death for people aged 25–45 in the US. After 1996–1997, however, the number of deaths due to HIV dropped by almost half and have continued to drift downward. But that number has not reached zero.

So why am I still advising “Don’t miss doses!” in my sleep? The new medicines, now often one pill a day, are very good at stopping HIV from making more HIV. But HIV can overcome even these most powerful of medicines, especially if given the chance, such as missed doses of medicines. So, do yourself a favor and DO NOT miss doses.

In the meantime, I’ll try to come up with a new line that doesn’t sound so 1987.

Hepatitis C is a viral illness that causes liver inflammation. Approximately 3.5 million people in the U.S. are infected with it, and half the people infected don’t know that they have it. Hep C usually causes very few symptoms.

Baby Boomers have the highest risk for contracting chronic Hep C. Risk factors for the illness include current or former injection drug users, snorting cocaine, recipients of blood transfusions or blood products before 1992, chronic hemodialysis patients, receiving tattoos from unsterile needles, children born to Hep C-positive mothers, sex with a Hep C-infected person (especially men who have sex with men), and sharing personal items that have infected blood.

(Think shaving razors or toothbrushes.)

After becoming infected with Hep C, 70–85 percent of sufferers develop a long-term chronic infection if left untreated. Only 15–25 percent of Hep C infections clear spontaneously without treatment. Untreated Hep C infection can lead to liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death. Hep C-related deaths in the US have exceeded the number of deaths associated with HIV and 59 other infectious diseases combined since 2013.

Dennis Melton, MD Board Certified in Infectious Diseases & Internal Medicine AbsoluteCARE Medical Center & Pharmacy

There is no vaccine against Hepatitis C. However, new oral Hepatitis C medications have a cure rate of 95 percent after 2–3 months of therapy. Therefore, anyone with chronic Hepatitis C infection should be treated.

My doctor has always told me not to worry about my Hepatitis C infection, but I hear there are new drugs available.

What may have caused my Hep C and what should I do?

Michael Brown, MD Board Certified in Infectious Diseases & Internal Medicine Certified by the AAHIVM AbsoluteCARE Medical Center & Pharmacy

Ask The Doctor is a monthly health column where the experts at AbsoluteCARE answer your pressing medical questions. Have a question you want answered? Email it to askthedoctor@thegavoice.com!

12 Health June 22, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

WORLD PRIDE

Pride Felt ’Round the World O’Brian Gunn June is here in all its rainbow-hued glory, which means it’s the start of another vibrant Pride Month. While you’re getting ready to celebrate your identity and your community, it’s the perfect time to check in with our brothers, sisters, and non-identifying family members scattered across the globe to see what Pride Month means to them and the historical background that brought them where they are today.

AUSTRALIA From 1788 to 1944, sodomy laws existed in Australia, and it wasn’t until roughly 1949 that the punishment for sodomy was reduced from execution to 20 years in prison. Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1976 by the Australian Capital Territory, albeit reluctantly. While ACT passed samesex marriage legalization in 2013, the High Court blocked it.

Late last year, same-sex marriage became legal in Australia, making this year’s Midsumma Pride March all the more reason to celebrate.

The festivities will engulf St. Kilda’s Fitzroy Street, and there’s even a wedding on the schedule this year in Catani Gardens.

NEW ZEALAND New Zealand decriminalized sex between men in 1986, and since then, the island country has developed a reputation of being accepting of the LGBTQ community. This is evidenced by the fact that members of the community are part of the country’s Parliament, and the New Zealand Human Rights Act safeguards gay rights.

Something unique about Pride in New Zealand’s Auckland is that they have a gala, an event where attendees have the opportunity to dress up in their Pride Sunday best. From cabaret and burlesque performers, dance-theatre, and comedians www.thegeorgiavoice.com

to musical performances and vocalists, there’s truly something for every color of the rainbow. Oh, and did I mention that Pride lasts two weeks in New Zealand?

AFRICA It’s an unfortunate fact that Africa doesn’t have a great reputation when it comes to LGBTQ rights. As of 2015, homosexuality is outlawed in 30 African countries. There are even places such as Sudan and northern Nigeria where a person can be killed for being gay. Thankfully, it’s a much different story in South Africa, where homosexuality has been decriminalized and same-sex marriage is legal.

OUTReach Africa hosts Cape Town Pride Festival, and the event recognizes not just the LGBTQ community, but also those who are non-binary, queer, asexual, and polysexual, as well as those who are disabled and ablebodied.

JAPAN In 2015, same-sex marriages were legally recognized in Shibuya, and roughly half the adults in Japan, especially those in their 20s and 30s, support gay marriage, as of 2015. In regard to being part of the LGBTQ community in Japan, it’s a mixed bag. There’s a reported lack of awareness that other sexualities exist, and some remark that their parents are more accepting of other queer people than they are of their own queer daughters or sons.

This year’s Tokyo Rainbow Pride was held in Yoyogi Park over the Golden Week weekend.

The parade swept over Harajuku and Shibuya, where attendees lit up the streets dressed in colorful, creative attire and flair.

SPAIN After the riots at Stonewall Inn, Spain was left out of the swath of demonstrations dusting up around the world due to the Franco

QUEER PARADE SEYÐISFJÖRÐUR regime at the time blocking the spread of the news in the country. It wasn’t until 1977 that Spain organized a demonstration of its own. Since then, the country has become known as one of the most welcoming of the LGBTQ community.

Time your visit to Spain right and you’ll have no shortage of Pride events to indulge in, from Gay Pride in Madrid and Barcelona to the women-only festivities at Ibiza’s Velvet and ARN Culture Pride in Tenerife.

ANTARCTICA Those who’d rather celebrate Pride in cooler temperatures might consider heading to Antarctica. This year, the frigid research hub will celebrate its very first Pride at McMurdo Station. The juxtaposition of chromatic rainbow flags with icebergs, snow, and penguins should be quite a sight to behold. One can’t help but wonder what the costumes will look like.

GUYANA Guyana held the nation’s first Pride parade ever last weekend. The event went peacefully, but it’s worth reflecting how special Guyana Pride is. After all, Guyana is the only remaining country in South America to keep homosexuality a criminal act. That ban is dependent on laws that stretch back to the antiquated Colonial era. No wonder sources say gay people in the South American country still face rampant discrimination.

That’s why the June 2 demonstration is seen as such a message of hope. In a dazzling display of courage and openness, hundreds of Guyana LGBTQ citizens marched through Georgetown, protesting for an end to discrimination.

FIJI On May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, the nation-state of Fiji had its first ever Pride parade. The country, situated in the south region of the Pacific Ocean, consists of 900,000 people. Homosexuality is currently legal under the constitution; the country became the second nation in the world to formally allow it, after South Africa legalized it in 1994. But discrimination is still widespread within the larger island community. Law enforcement provided a 50-strong escort for the parade marchers.

According to reports, public reception to the marchers was largely positive as well.

ICELAND Iceland is a particularly tolerant country, where the LGBTQ community is concerned.

So it’s no surprise that the capital city of Reykjavik has a standout Pride every year — it attracts a third of the country’s 350,000 people. But even the smaller sections of the island country are doing their part to promote acceptance. The eastern Iceland town of Seyðisfjörður has received positive media attention for their recently debuted path of rainbow bricks. Queer Parade Seyðisfjörður was born, and area businesses joined in, helping town members to paint the collection of bricks. (The event this year takes place on August 12. ) There can never be an exhaustive list of Pride events. Even in cities where Pride cannot go public, there are countless people privately commemorating Stonewall, and all that came from it. This year, as you celebrate, remember your neighbors in the good fight — both here, and abroad.

June 22, 2018 World Pride 13

NATIONAL PRIDE

Raising Iron & Money: The Fantastic Beasts Conswella Bennett An LGBTQ powerlifting club has been formed to help teach our community to be strong.

The Fantastic Beasts LGBT Powerlifting Club was the idea of two Atlanta friends and lifting partners who realized that while there are a number of LGBTQ sporting clubs in the city, there was not a powerlifting one.

Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three lifts: squat, bench, and deadlift.

So, David Holland and Reed Gilbert went about starting the powerlifting club last year. Reed says the goal of Fantastic Beasts is to not only teach all levels of powerlifting but to also “promote an atmosphere that is supportive to all lifters.”

As the two mulled over the idea of starting the club, David already had the perfect coach in mind — Lis Saunders, a strength coach and powerlifter, who just happened to be training him.

It was just the opportunity that Saunders, an LGBTQ ally, was looking for at this time in her career. She didn’t hesitate to lend her expertise.

David notes that while there are many paths to fitness, not everyone feels comfortable in gyms, and even those who are may get lost on what to do. For trans athletes, going to a gym may be even more difficult. This is where the Fantastic Beasts club that currently meets two times a month on Sunday at CrossFit Downtown Atlanta or AK CrossFit come in to play — to provide a welcoming place.

Both have generously donated their spaces for training sessions and/or other activities.

“We wanted to offer an option for people whose primary aim is to get strong without worrying so much about aesthetics, and we wanted to do it in a group environment that is supportive of all the members regardless

of sexual orientation, gender, or gender expression,” David says.

Reed, who has consistently worked out for about three years, has been powerlifting for about a year. For Reed, helping members of the Fantastic Beasts has done more than help him to get physically stronger but also helps with his overall wellbeing.

“Working with the FB allows me to get outside of my own problems and worries by helping people,” Reed says. “When I am at our lifting sessions, and I am helping someone with their lifts, I forget about all the silliness of my problems. Seeing the look on someone’s face after they nail a lift makes me forget about all my troubles and smile.”

Lis recalled that when she began powerlifting six year ago, it was a sport dominated by cisgender, heterosexual males. “I met a lot of people with very conservative beliefs which turned me off right away,” says Lis. “It’s important to me to introduce everyone I can to strength training, to make it more accessible and less intimidating, and to help people feel comfortable in the gym, whether or not they feel like a typical ‘athlete’ or ‘jock.’ I want to change the gym culture, and create more positive environments for people to learn good technique and reap the benefits of strength training.”

For Stan Fong, when he heard about the powerlifting group from friends, he jumped at the chance to join. Stan had done strength training in high school but prior to joining the Fantastic Beasts, his strength training consisted of lifting bears with hugs.

“Working out with the FB has improved my technique and ability in lifting heavier weights,” Stan says.

For anyone who may be a little hesitant about strength training or trying out a session with the Fantastic Beasts, he adds, “There is an instant gratification in lifting heavy

weight and everyone starts somewhere. The Fantastic Beasts are welcoming of anybody of any strength and skill level, and the sessions are a no-judgment zone.”

been a lifesaver,” she says. “It’s important to me to be a part of this community to give back to the sport and help more people enjoy getting stronger.”

Reed agrees. “Along with facing social stigma and discrimination, people who identify as LGBTQIA also are at increased risk to experience depression, anxiety, and mental health instability, and I really think that [powerlifting] could help gay individuals build the strength they need to stand strong in the face of adversity,” Reed notes.

“It is my hope that through teaching and promoting the sport of powerlifting among the LGBTQIA community I will be able to instill a new sense of strength and courage for future LGBTQIA individuals to push the envelope and never be afraid to be who they are and love who they love.”

The group participated in their first fundraiser Saturday, June 16.

As a coach, Lis says her primary goal is to teach safe lifting and good technique. But, she knows first-hand the benefits of strength training. “I struggle with depression and anxiety and for me, strength training has

Lis heard about the Women’s Strength Coalition, based in NYC, and the Pull for Pride events they held last year. She felt it would be the perfect event for the club.

Atlanta was one of seven cities that hosted the event this year. So far, over $75,000 was raised nationwide to benefit homeless LGBTQ youth. The Atlanta event raised over $7,000.

“We’ll be fundraising through the end of June, and I hope we will end up raising between $8-10,000 for Lost-N-Found Youth,” Lis says.

For anyone who would like more information on the Fantastic Beasts, contact Saunders at teamlissmash@gmail.com or on instagram. com/teamlissmash.

14 National Pride June 22, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

ADOPTABLE PETS

Zippity Doo Da

Zippity is a 3.5-year-old sweetheart who has been waiting on her forever home for several months, and we’re not sure why! She has a lot of energy, and she’s ultra-affectionate, loves (and we mean LOVES) other dogs, and never meets a stranger! She’s available for adoption at our Howell Mill Campus in west Midtown.

Jolly

Jolly is a 7-year-old Siamese mix, and he would make the perfect cuddle buddy!

He’s ultra chill and does well with other respectful cats. He would do best in a home without dogs or kids, and this cutie is available for adoption at our Mansell Campus in Alpharetta!

HOW TO ADOPT ME Email adoptions@dekalbanimalservices.com for more info!

Alert! During the month of June, you can take advantage of our “Pick Your Price” promotion and pay whatever you’d like for one of our lovely buddies.

The price will include a spay/neuter, microchip, and vaccinations!

Boreas

Ever wanted to live with a rock star? Our DeKalb County Animal Services Pet of the Week is just that! Meet Boreas, a boy with great manners who has received the "rock star" designation after playing with many dogs at once during shelter playgroups.

Playgroup rock stars are confident and calm leaders who are not easily startled, often diffuse aggression between other dogs, know which dogs want to be left alone, and play with appropriate dogs of either sex. In addition to being a rock star, Boreas is a pro on the leash, knows his basic commands, and is smart! We also think he is a very handsome and loving guy who anyone will be lucky to have. Come meet this fabulous boy today by dropping by the shelter at 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, emailing adoptions@ dekalbanimalservices.com, or calling (404) 294-2165.

Tanni

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? (Is it a rabbit?) No, it's Tanni, our DeKalb County Pet of the Week! This little girl is short, sweet, and just as loving as she is adorable. Tanni weighs 30lbs and has wonderful manners. She also gets along great with other dogs and likes kids too. And since Tanni has a strong desire to please people, she learns quickly. Plus, she has about the cutest bunny ears we've ever seen! Ready for Tanni to hop into your heart? Come meet her today at the shelter! Just drop by 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, email adoptions@ dekalbanimalservices.com, or call (404) 294-2165.

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

June 22, 2018 Adoptable Pets 15

DRAG

Stonewall, Drag, and the Influence of

“Paris Is Burning” FX’S “POSE” Cemberli Grant, Intern It’s been 49 years since Marsha P. Johnson allegedly threw the first brick at Stonewall, yet pop culture tells us we live in a world that accepts all members of the LGBTQ community.

The year was 1969. Tensions between the NYPD and local LGBTQ folks, many of them sex workers and people of color, were high — especially considering that cops were performing unnecessary raids on a known gay bar, Stonewall — finally coming to a head in which the Stonewall Riots were the result.

Leaders like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera rose to prominence as they began demonstrating and demanding changes to the treatment of the LGBTQ community and becoming surrogate mothers to countless displaced young people in search of family in the late 60s.

16 Drag June 22, 2018

Twenty years later, Jennie Livingston’s controversial and illuminating “Paris is Burning” is released. The documentary gives the world its first peek into the exclusive “ball” culture and gives drag queens, trans men and women, femmes, and gay individuals a spotlight unlike any they’d had before.

Almost 30 years later, we await the arrival of FX’s new series “Pose,” which will explore the rise of many social communities in 1980s New York, including the ball culture scene.

who dreamed of marriage and suburban life won over the hearts of the audience, but was murdered in 1988 before the film’s release.

The AIDS epidemic ravaged the gay community in the 80s and 90s and though the immediate dangers of the disease have subsided somewhat, the gay and trans communities are not exempt from violence.

The last few years of pop culture have been rife with examples of LGBTQ life and history, but the question of how far our society has come since Stonewall is still relevant.

Trans women, especially trans women of color, are disproportionately affected by violence, most of which comes at the hands of partners and acquaintances. 2017 saw the murders of at least 28 trans people, the most ever recorded, and so far in 2018, 11 trans people have been murdered.*

Just three years after the release of “Paris is Burning” in 1990, several of the cast members had perished, many of them due to AIDS-related illnesses. Venus Xtravaganza, the frail, soft-spoken Puerto Rican trans girl

This kind of violence often goes unreported and sometimes, even if reported, little to no action is taken by the police to protect this vulnerable community. The continued silence around the violence trans women of color face

is why we are still asking questions about the deaths of Marsha and Venus decades later.

The juxtaposition between LGBTQ representation in pop culture and the everyday realities of the community is uncomfortably poignant. As more members of the LGBTQ community shift into spaces like film and television, we are slowly learning more about the community and humanizing the experiences that have been warped into something negative by centuries of indoctrinated homophobia.

The arrival of FX’s “Pose” promises audiences an honest glimpse into the world of young trans men and women, femmes, and drag queens.

One can only hope that the series doesn’t water down the realities of the experiences, inherently upholding the narratives that the community is seeking to erase. *At the time of print for this issue www.thegeorgiavoice.com

HIV

TREATMENT

WORKS

“ Hear this, HIV: I’m going to take care of me so I can take care of those I love.”

Angie - Loganville, GA Living with HIV since 1995.

I break into dance whenever the mood and music move me. I won’t let my HIV rob me of anything in life. I know that staying in care and on treatment helps me to be the best mother, wife, and HIV prevention educator I can be. I tell other HIV-positive women: All the fear that you have can be overcome. Every day I wash down my pills with a prayer. I’ll continue to do so until my dying day—and HIV will not be the cause of it.

Get in care. Stay in care. Live well. cdc.gov/HIVTreatmentWorks

DRAG

Trans and Drag Communities

TRACEE MCDANIEL PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK

Overlap, Diverge, and Sometimes Conflict Jamie Roberts Within the rainbow of the lgbtqi2 (let’s not forget the queers, intersex, and two-spirit people) community, there are occasionally fault lines among the various identities lumped together due to similarities in sexual and gender variance (and to huddle together in solidarity against our common enemies).

So what, in particular, are the nuances between and within the drag scene, the trans community, and folks who identify as gender non-binary or gender non-conforming?

Where are the boundaries drawn and what are the fault lines that frequently erupt? What are some of the ways people move within and across these subsections of community?

First, let’s start this discussion by acknowledging the role that RuPaul and his show “Drag Race” — in itself a tremendous success and achievement in its 10th season — has in this discussion. It’s undeniable that the show has moved drag from a space of more or less underground nightclubs and bars to the living rooms of the masses. The success of the show eventually proved too much to bear for many trans activists, who accuse the show of increasing the burden of stereotype on the community because the average heterosexual, cisgender viewer can’t distinguish between a drag queen and a transgender woman. Their fear is that the masses, through this show, are acquiring the belief that everyday transgender people are as shocking and outrageous as the performers they see on “Drag Race.”

This tension came to a head in 2014 during an infamous segment of the show called “Female, or SheMale” that encouraged viewers to participate in the activity of distinguishing between individuals assigned 18 Drag June 22, 2018

female at birth and individuals assigned male at birth, what many in the trans community call “clocking,” the moment where an observer can determine that the feminine individual appearing before them was assigned the sex of male at birth.

Around the same time, RuPaul stirred another controversy regarding the word “t****y,” a word RuPaul claimed the right to use casually that many trans activists regard as a slur.

Historically, the drag scene is a place where the performative nature of gender is celebrated, lampooned, milked for camp, and experimented on in countless and fabulous ways. Many clubs and revues established clear boundaries between drag and trans for the purposes of reinforcing the “female impersonation” aspect of the performance.

For example, the Miss Gay America pageant forbids trans performers, forbids participants from taking hormone therapy, and/or having any plastic surgery below the neck.

Indeed, when RuPaul made comments earlier this year that suggested contestants on “Drag Race” were not welcome if they were taking estrogen therapy, it reignited many of the tensions that boiled over in 2014. This, despite there being openly transgender individuals who were contestants on the show such as Peppermint. The difference in RuPaul’s mind was that the line was crossed at the point that the individual begins a physical transition of gender, not just a social one.

Courtney Act, another past contestant of the show, and perhaps had the last word in the matter, wrote that, “The revolution is intersectional and so is drag.” The statement acknowledges that many individuals who would later come out as trans or gender variant began their journey of self-discovery

through drag and earned the money to finance their physical transformation from hours and hours of blood, sweat, and tears shed onstage. Yet many others are involved in the scene for other reasons. Asha Leong, who performs drag locally as Al Schlong (search “Al Schlong” on Facebook) says, “The drag and the transgender community operate in synergy and yet are very separate.

Obviously there are both transgender and cisgender performers in the drag community.

Yet we cannot make the assumption that all performers are transgender identified.”

Tracee McDaniel, a transsexual woman and leader in the local trans community as executive director of Juxtaposed Center for Transformation, began her career performing in drag shows in the 1980s, often portraying Diana Ross, Jody Watley, Sade, Vanessa Williams, and Eartha Kitt. Tracee says, “I believe that the trans and drag community are intertwined and one couldn’t exist without the other.” When she performed, she always referred to herself as a performance artist, rather than a drag queen. “I think that it’s ridiculous to judge others based upon their transition, choices of pronouns, and chosen

umbrella terminology. It’s only human nature that there be conflict within communities.

However, there comes a time in cases, such as our current situation we’re experiencing under this current administration, that requires our full attention.” Tracee, who performs on YouTube under Tracee McDaniel Alter-Ego Destiny (Your Mistress of Illusions), adds, “Moving forward, we’re all beautifully diverse human beings and wouldn’t be complete without each other — trans or drag queen.”

Asha, who identifies as gender nonconforming, says, “When I think about the drag community and the transgender community in Atlanta, I think there are a lot of points of magical connection and also some real conflict. I think of one well-known drag queen who was actually a trans man in real life. However, he always packed while doing drag because drag queens would do ‘dick checks’ on him to make sure he was really a ‘man.’” Asha, who is a shamanic reiki practitioner by day, feels that “… my drag is very much a part of my gender expression.

When I am genderbending as Al Schlong, I am expressing myself just as authentically as when I’m a queer femme Asha Leong.” www.thegeorgiavoice.com

FOREVER

PROUD OCTOBER12-14,2018 atlantapride.org

How do you speak to the LGBT community?

Through the publications they know and trust.

Representing the “best of the best� in LGBT media, with over a million readers weekly in print and online.

212-242-6863 info@nationallgbtmediaassociation.com www.nationallgbtmediaassociation.com

Atlanta | Boston | Chicago | Dallas/ Ft Worth | Detroit | Los Angeles | Miami/ Ft Lauderdale | New York | Orlando/Tampa Bay | Philadelphia | San Francisco | Washington DC

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

June 22, 2018 Ads 19

DRAG

King for a Night: My Lessons in Drag Allison Radomski When I decided to become a drag king, I thought I was supposed to actually pass as a man. I imagined my drag foray as a day without catcalls, unsolicited body commentary, and mansplaining. Being a drag king seemed like a disguise, an escape from the social baggage that our culture attaches to female bodies. I had big plans: I would adjust my junk in public. I would spit on sidewalks. I would ignore the distinct, patriarchal pressure placed upon women to be polite, pretty, small, and nice.

However, after some conversation and internet research, I quickly realized that being a drag king isn’t about passing as male. It’s about performing masculinity.

For both kings and queens, drag is a gender performance, an exaggeration of traditional binary stereotypes, and a deconstruction of their perceived permanence. Drag destabilizes our monolithic gender standards and challenges us to redefine our assumptions about masculine and feminine norms.

I considered fashioning myself into a modern incarnation of Detective Philip Marlowe or indulging my love of the Western genre by channeling John Wayne. I walked into my local Goodwill with an open mind, and at the end, I emerged as Tank, an unshaven, bluecollar mechanic with a backwoods lineage and an insatiable thirst for domestic beer.

After setting a new personal record for makeup expenditures and getting into costume, I went to a fairly empty gay bar where I played pool, gnawed on a toothpick, and nursed a PBR. Afterward, a friend suggested we take pictures in a 24-hour Kroger so Tank could pose next to the cases of beer and kielbasa.

I loved every minute of it, from deliberating

into my “localI walked Goodwill with

an open mind, and at the end, I emerged as Tank, an unshaven, blue-collar mechanic with a backwoods lineage and an insatiable thirst for domestic beer.

”

over the perfect sunglasses and accent for Tank, to making tough-guy facial expressions while holding an eggplant next to my sockstuffed crotch.

I was born with what would be typically classified as a female body, and I identify with the female gender. While I understand that the traditional gender binary does not represent all forms of gender expression, I personally have never felt at odds with my socially assigned gender.

Drag didn’t change how I choose to identify, but it did help me recognize the performativity that is so deeply ingrained in my own identity.

After my night in drag, I returned to my familiar gender presentation. As I dressed in my ostensibly normal clothing, I felt keenly aware that my female gender assignment, the one that has always felt so natural to me, was just as performative as Tank’s.

I’ve read several theories about why the drag king community doesn’t receive as much attention as drag queens. One is that our patriarchal culture presumes that femaleness

is inherently performative, while maleness is perceived as natural, neutral, and objective.

These assumptions fail to recognize that maleness is equally performative, that it’s a role like any other that comes with its own insecurities, assumptions, and projections.

The result is a patriarchal double bind that takes female performance for granted, while presuming that men do not experience the limitations of gender norms.

Tank has forced me to ask: How much of our identity is a performance, one that is so deeply ingrained and so normalized that we fail to recognize it as such? How much of who we are is taught to us, a lesson so

effective that its results are instinctual and automatic? It’s a question that each of us can answer, but only for ourselves.

My highest compliment of the night was a male coworker’s wide-eyed, slack-jawed response to my drag appearance. I wonder what was more shocking: My ability to actually look like a man, or my ability to present a gender norm as a costume performance. Was he shocked by the ruse itself, or by the fact that such a ruse was even possible?

Whether I’m in drag or not, I hope to always view myself with that same measure of surprise.

20 Drag June 22, 2018 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

DRAG

Keep Your Hands To Yourself!

AnonymousATL A friend of mine shared a viral video with me the other night and asked if I identified with what was happening to the drag performer. In the video, taken at Disney this month, performer Lee Novak (Nocturna Lee Mission) is crotch-grabbed by an unknown woman as he begins a routine put together as Disney/Lion King villain, Scar. He spins to address his assailant, putting a finger in her face and giving her hell while she stumbles in place looking suddenly afraid. Oh, she’s no victim. But yes: I know that feeling too well.

Although I’m choosing to remain anonymous for the time being, I want everyone to hear what I’m saying and make absolutely certain that I get a message across. In fact, if you know anyone who needs this advice, go ahead and tear this page out of the publication, fold it up, and put it in their hand with the shadiest face you can pull on my behalf. Don’t let them ever forget these words, for as long as they live, because one day … they could save their drunken life.

DO. NOT. TOUCH. ME. Don’t put your damn hands (or anything else) on me.

Simple as that. We clear? Thank you.

Now, I apologize if that comes across as rude, but it’s important to know that I, along with my other friends in the business, get this across in plain English. So again: Keep.

Your. Hands. To. Yourself. Do not touch me (or anyone out here) unless you’ve got permission. We’re pretty, honey, and I get it.

But we’re also like a fine exhibit at the High: Look — don’t touch.

When I was younger, I thought it was embarrassing, but ultimately cute for a sloppy, confused straight boy to try and put the moves on me. As I got a little older and more settled www.thegeorgiavoice.com

NOCTURNA LEE MISSION

PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK

in what’s most often charity work performed in women’s clothing, it simply came with the territory and didn’t strike me as a positive or a negative. Now, however, I’m at the end of my rope with being put upon in a way that makes me feel like a cheap piece of meat, and I’m far from alone.

Let’s be honest: If a woman is wearing a sexy outfit and dancing her ass off out on the floor, is that what you do to her? Does her hair, makeup, and clothing give you carte blanche to sexually assault her in the darkness of a packed club? If so, you’re the nasty one — not her. And it’s not just men: Plenty of women are guilty of seeing a man pull off stilettos and wondering if the giant, juicy bubble-butt he’s dropping like a hot potato is real. (Here’s your hint: It’s a fantasy.) In any other setting, what you’re doing would get you a free ride to jail. Although I have never seen anyone get arrested for groping a drag performer, that’s only due to our generous nature which prohibits most of us

CAPTION AND PHOTO VIA SCREENGRAB

from calling the law. It might not stay that way, if some folks don’t learn to behave.

For all those wondering where we’ve got our junk tucked, keep it at a wonder! What is it about being a man in a gay club that makes you think I’ll be fine with your hands in places that I haven’t even let a casual hookup touch? How dare you, sir/madame?

Here’s a story: I was working in Nashville recently when a woman did something similar to what happened in the video. I was sauntering across the club when a hand, seemingly out of nowhere, slid up my thigh and onto my privates. I instinctively balled up a fist, only to be met with the face of a drunken woman, which uncurled my hand instantly. (Reflexes.) It was too late. Her boyfriend was on me like white on toast, and the only thing I could say over and over was, “She grabbed me! She grabbed me!” Still, he wanted to fight, but naturally, it never came to that, as I’m more of a lover than a fighter. The

couple ended up leaving with nothing short of her making an ass of herself screaming that I almost hit a woman and that we’d see her on social media, she was going to file a lawsuit, blah blah blah. No offense to the club, but I wanted her to show herself on social media.

I wanted this to become a jumping point wherein we talk about this issue on a larger scale. She never showed.

I’m grateful that the Disney video has gone viral, however. I feel so reassured when I read the comments — a first! Like most people in the bars/clubs, common sense isn’t that far away. It’s the few bad apples that try their best to ruin this for us.

Just try and remember that most of us are out here working for the betterment of the community. We’ve got a “9 to 5” that we’re taking a break from and have spent more money that’s sane providing entertainment for the city and a few extra dollars toward charity. Don’t mess that up, ok?

June 22, 2018 Drag 21

A&E

A Night at Midtown Moon Aidan Ivory Edwards, Intern The closing of Burkhart’s in February was an abrupt farewell to the establishment of 28 years. The reasons for its departure made it even more disappointing. Burkhart’s former owner’s offensive racial remarks opposed everything that the LGBTQ community represents. All of the entertainers quit.

Burkhart’s attempted to continue, but it was short-lived. It was the end of an era. But with the opening of Midtown Moon, a new one is on the horizon.

The neighboring bar Oscar’s operator, Marco Penna, and owner, Chris McDonald, took the initiative to start from scratch by opening Midtown Moon. The venue resides in the same space that Burkhart’s previously occupied, a cozy two-story nook in Ansley Square off Piedmont Avenue.

I had the pleasure of making a stop at Midtown Moon on a sweltering Saturday evening. Arriving, it’s a multi-faceted gala where you’re friends with everyone. Entering 22 A&E June 22, 2018

the venue, I was entranced by the spinning moon that glistened over the epicenter of the dance floor, reflecting an array of strobe lights and textural movements throughout the deceivingly large venue.

The central bar is accessible from the spacious dancefloor, a sidebar across from it provides a more intimate setting. Upstairs, a DJ spins, a small bar is tucked in the opposite corner, and two large billiards tables lounge right by the outside entrance.

The second tier provides a convenient view to the ground level.

Around 11pm, a crowd pours in like rainwater on 14th street, welcoming the vibe the space used to represent. It’s the second homecoming. Guests shout for their long lost friends over the celebratory dance music.

Upon every corner, there are exchanges of group hugs and copious amounts of kisses, rejoicing in being reunited with their old friends in a renewed fashion.

The summer evening beckons the majority

of guests out to the well-kempt patio. A six-foot crescent moon smiles along the back wall. A gazebo occupies the center of the courtyard, allowing everyone to gather around and seek a bit of tranquility from the indoor festivities.

Friends gather on the wooden benches, clearly delighted, exchanging stories and exposing their smiles. The trim of the seats has subtle fluorescent lights that give off a sense of serenity, complimenting the rest of the ambiance. And in the opposite back corner, a more sequestered and personal collection of tables rests against the fence.

The outdoors is where I begin to make friends.

I had the chance to speak with Kevin, a former frequenter of Burkhart’s before its closing. “[Marco Penne & Chris McDonald] cater so much to the community with Oscar’s and now this,” he says. “I’m really happy that they came back to save it.”

In the midst of conversation, I noticed that the music came to an abrupt halt — time

for the performers to take the stage.

As I am heading out for the evening, I have the pleasure of running into Marco Penna. He politely introduces himself. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. We’re glad to have you. Welcome,” Marco earnestly says to me. The pleasure was all mine. Earlier in the evening, I saw Marco making rounds with his guests, taking photos, and sharing his appreciation for their decision to spend their evening with them.

Midtown Moon flourishes by carrying on the tradition of unconditional love and acceptance no matter your identity, and making progress for the celebration of pride in the city of Atlanta. Marco and Chris have set their sights on striving to demonstrate the positivity that the community embodies rather than dwelling on the past mistakes of others. Their efforts have been a monumental success. No matter the occasion, Midtown Moon is a place that can cater to anyone’s needs, and it has made its landing in Atlanta. www.thegeorgiavoice.com

ACTING OUT

“Hearts Beat Loud” misses the plot in the best way Jim Farmer With only a handful of feature films behind him, Brett Haley has become a director known for his warmth and compassion toward his characters. His new “Hearts Beat Loud” – complete with a terrific lesbian relationship — is no exception.

In the film, opening in Atlanta this weekend, Nick Offerman stars as Frank Fisher, who owns a record store that’s perilously close to shutting down. His daughter Sam (Kiersey Clemons), who lost her mother at a young age, is about to go off to college and has started to date Rose (Sasha Lane). Frank’s dream has been for him and Sam to be in a band together one day and they unexpectedly become a songwriting duo before Sam heads off to college.

Lane came out recently and joins Clemons as two out, prominent women of color in the www.thegeorgiavoice.com

DETAILS

“Hearts Beat Loud” Opens June 22 Landmark Midtown Art Cinema and AMC Phipps Plaza Landmarktheatres.com

industry. Both Haley and Clemons were at the recent Atlanta Film Festival to screen the film. Haley admits he has made it a point as a director to focus on character.

“I think I am character over plot,” he admits.

“Plot is pointless a lot of the time. It’s really about what your characters are doing, how they are feeling and what is going on with them, and how you make the audience care about them. You want to like them or understand or see their struggles.”

One thing that drew Clemons to the role is the convincing father-daughter bond. “Sam

is in this place where, once you get to the age she’s at, you don’t blame your parents for how you are, but you look at your childhood and parents and see how they had an effect on you,” she says. “Her dad is going through the same thing. She is about to leave him and go off to college. He is in that same headspace. He has leaned on her a lot more than he thinks he has. They have raised each other. They are a great reflection of each other.”

Haley feels the two women — the older Rose, who is an artist and living in a grey area, and Sam, younger yet more stable and structured — balance each other out.

“Kiersey and Sasha, their performances are so genuine,” he says. “I think people love their story. They are so connected. It’s not an issue, a plot point. It’s not meant to be. It just is. There is power in that.”

The relationship is presented matter of factly.

Refreshingly, Frank doesn’t make a big deal out of the daughter’s girlfriend. “In general, we are moving into a world where sexuality and gender and race need to be less of a concern to people,” says Haley. “We should not have a concern about what someone does in their bedroom as long as it’s consensual and safe. We should not have concern about what color someone’s skin color is, what gender they identify as. It doesn’t harm anybody.

It’s such an issue in this country – and in the world for so long. We are all different and weird and screwed up.”

To make Sam’s sexuality something that would separate her from her father would be ridiculous, says Clemons. “Their whole life has been this way,” she says. “I’ve read YouTube comments (about the father and daughter) that say, ‘This doesn’t make sense.

She’s black and he’s white.’ And I say, ‘That’s insulting.’ Are you saying my own life is ridiculous?”

June 22, 2018 A&E 23

EATING MY WORDS

LOTTAFRUTTA

RIP Anthony Bourdain: Eat Cheap, Be Strange Cliff Bostock Anthony Bourdain shocked the world when he hung himself a few weeks back. But fame, money, and brilliance — nothing, in fact — is a match for the curse of clinical depression.

When it carries you to its darkest spaces, reason is extinguished. There is nothing but pain, which is as real as any crippling pain that can affect the body. You want to end the pain. Dying isn’t the point.

Bourdain was a strange character and had a sense of humor, so I don’t think he’d mind my saying that we both took the only antidepressant that works: Popeyes fried chicken. I have loved it for most of the 30 years I’ve reviewed food. I confess I enjoyed annoying foodies by frequently chronicling my experience at the Popeyes on Boulevard in Midtown, where the service is comically awful.

The super-crunchy, spicy fried chicken is best accompanied with red beans and rice that are seriously as good as you’ll find at any “real” Cajun restaurant. The biscuits are fat, flaky, buttery, and love to be swabbed with honey.

Try the mac and cheese. Bourdain loved

it, but I find it pretty meh. You abdicate all rights to complain if you do not follow one rule: You must check your order before you leave, even if people are honking at you in the drive-through lane. They fuck up my order easily 25 percent of the time.

Bourdain’s thing was exploring the link between food and culture and he knew that epic taste doesn’t have to be expensive.

Cheap eateries have always been my thing.

Here are a few other recommendations: EL REY DEL TACO This place is great fun and is open really late. I won’t lie: Despite the name — “king of the taco” — there are better tacos in the city, but El Rey has a huge menu that is great for people in the mood to experiment with authentic Mexican fare. Be careful with the grilled jalapenos. Merely licking one caused my friend Frank so much psychosomatic trauma that he has yet to heal after three years.

5258 Buford Hwy ElReyDelTacoAtl.com EATS Eats makes everyone’s list. The jerk chicken

is better than you’ll find at many Jamaican restaurants, and you get to pair it with yo’ mama’s veggies. I get the collards, blackeyed peas, and the whole sweet potato.

There’s also pasta.

600 Ponce de Leon EatsOnPonce.net LOTTAFRUTTA This tiny Latin café is, duh, all about fruit – mixed in large cups, blended into smoothies, and tossed in salads. There are also fantastic sandwiches, including the city’s best grilledcheese. The owner is the descendant of Mexican orchard owners and a graphic designer. No, your fruit is not psychedelic.

The place just really looks that way.

590 Auburn Ave LottaFrutta.com MASTERPIECE Chef Liu Ri’s restaurant is worth a drive,

wherever you live. He was quite famous in China and his sublime cuisine spans three regional styles, including spicy Sichuan. I have rarely tasted food — especially not at this low price — with so many layers of startling flavor. It’s been over a year since I’ve visited, but I still yearn for that perfectly knifed block of pork belly in a dark sauce based on an earthy wine. Go! 3940 Buford Hwy And, please, if you are suffering depression, find help. Talk to a therapist. Talk to a friend. Talk to a pastor. Call a hotline. If substance abuse is involved, go to AA or NA. (I’ll convene a meeting at Popeyes.) If you are depressed and own a gun, I beg you: Give it to a friend for safekeeping.

Cliff Bostock is a former psychotherapist now specializing in life coaching. Contact him at 404-518-4415 or CliffBostock@gmail.com.

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24 Columnists June 22, 2018

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

Be prepared.

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BEST BETS Our Guide to the Best LGBTQ Events in Atlanta for June 22-July 5 FRIDAY, JUNE 22

Chronicling the life of fashion editor Andre Leon Talley, the documentary “The Gospel According to Andre” opens at the UA Tara Cinema 4 today.

Various showtimes RegMovies.com

FRIDAY, JUNE 22

The terrific, lesbian-themed “Hearts Beat Loud” opens at the Midtown Art Cinema today.

Various showtimes LandmarkTheatres.com Chronicling the life of fashion editor Andre Leon Talley, the documentary “The Gospel According to Andre” opens at the UA Tara Cinema 4 today.

Various showtimes RegMovies.com The Rise of the Rainbow Economy: 2018 AGLCC LGBT Business Summit is today, sponsored by the Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. The summit is a day-long seminar exploring the intersectionality of personal, professional, and social responsibility and advocacy through micro-networking, interactive panel discussions with local and national business leaders, and an overview of the state of today’s LGBTQ economy.

1–8pm Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta

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AtlantaGayChamber.org The Atlanta Dream hosts the Connecticut Sun. 7pm Dream.wnba.com

SATURDAY, JUNE 23

What’s better than a queer-inclusive thrift shop where you can find affirming clothing, interesting knick-knacks, and cool finds?

Come out to Queer Threads, a pop-up thrift shop today. A wide selection of items will be available.

1–6pm The Bakery Atlanta Don’t miss an Atlanta Rollergirls double-header — the Glamma Rays v.

Apocalypstic, and Jukes of Hazzard vs. a TBD opponent.

5pm Yaarab Shrine Center AtlantaRollerGirls.com Join ZAMI NOBLA and Charis Circle in welcoming Leona Beasley who is

a writer and self-described “Southern lesbo warrior king.” Beasley writes about eccentric, funny, and often queer characters from the South. Her debut book “Something Better than Home” is a 2018 Lambda Literary award finalist, depicting the life of a young lesbian coming of age and coming out in the 1970s South. The event will feature a reading, refreshments, and a book signing.

This is a Charis Circle From Margin to Center Literary event and the suggested donation is $5.

7:30–9pm Charis Books and More The divine diva of drag, Misti Shores, is back with a new night of interactive drag game show fun, with this Midtown Smackdown taking on the classic “Win, Lose or Draw.” Come cheer for your favorite teams, and you may find yourself competing on stage.

8pm Out Front Theatre Company OutFrontTheatre.com

LovHer and T A S T E and Rotten Peaches and For All Humans and WUSSY have come together to throw the Unity Ball, a unifying dance party tonight with DJ Ree De La Vega.

10pm–3am Deep End

SUNDAY, JUNE 24

DJs Neon the Glowgobear and Ron Pullman headline Drench pool party. Register at GagaPac.com for free admission.

1pm W Atlanta - Downtown Come get some sun, fresh air, and community at Frolic, a queer picnic and day party put on for Southern Fried Queer Pride 2018. Bring a blanket, snacks, and a friend.

SFQP will have field games for folks to play.

Come early to get pops by King of Pops.

There will be swimming pools, board games, barbecue, a community mural painting going on all day, and music.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 27 www.thegeorgiavoice.com

BEST BETS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27

Catch Actor’s Express’ version of the lesbian-themed “The Color Purple,” the musical based on Alice Walker’s book running through July 29.

8pm ActorsExpress.com

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26 2–8pm The Bakery Atlanta Atlanta United is holding an LGBTthemed Unity Night during its match against Portland today. The event includes a pregame tailgate party and rainbow flags with ticket purchase. The tailgating begins at noon and the game at Mercedes 4pm Benz Stadium AllStripesATL.com/2018Unity

MONDAY, JUNE 25

The Panther Levi/Leather meeting is tonight.

7–10pm Atlanta Eagle AtlantaEagle.com

TUESDAY, JUNE 26

Have a drink and check out the new Midtown Moon bar — in the home of the former Burkhart’s — tonight. See their Facebook page for more details.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27

In recognition of Pride Month, the Auburn Avenue Research Library, in collaboration with the Hope Clinic at the Emory School of Medicine, will screen the independent documentary “parTy boi: Black Diamonds in Ice Castles.” This film focuses on methamphetamine addiction

www.thegeorgiavoice.com

within the LGBTQ community of color, and explores a drug epidemic that is affecting the lives of Black and Latino gay millennials at an alarming rate. Directed by filmmaker Micheal Rice, “parTy boi” is deftly crafted to spark debate and educate LGBTQ youth around the world about crystal meth and drug addiction.

This event will include a post-screening discussion and is free and open to the public.

6pm afpls.org/aarl Catch Actor’s Express’ version of the lesbian-themed “The Color Purple,” the musical based on Alice Walker’s book running through July 29.

8pm ActorsExpress.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 28

SAGE Atlanta’s bi-monthly meetings occur from 10:30am–1pm on the second and fourth Thursday of each month.

RushCenterAtl.org In partnership with Atlanta Contemporary’s signature program Contemporary Cocktails night, WUSSY will be releasing Volume 4 of its boutique, quarterly queer arts magazine, featuring exclusives with Amanda Lepore, Big Dipper, Lucy Stoole, Miz Cracker, Asia O’Hara from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Will Sheridan, ATL’s own Bitch Puddin’ of The Boulet Brothers Dragula, and more. Get your photo taken for the annual WUSSY yearbook and come dressed in

your best queer high-school fantasy attire.

Sexy teachers, band geeks, lunch ladies, varsity cheerleaders, all welcome. This event is free and open to the public. See their Facebook event for more deets.

6–9pm Out On Film and the Atlanta Pride Committee present “The Wound” for Stonewall Month. “The Wound” is an exploration of tradition and sexuality set amid South Africa’s Xhosa culture. Every year, the tribe’s young men are brought to the mountains of the Eastern Cape to participate in an ancient coming-of-age ritual. Xolani, a quiet and sensitive factory worker (played by openly gay musician Nakhane Touré), is assigned to guide Kwanda, a city boy from Johannesburg sent by his father to be toughened up, through this rite of passage into manhood.

See their Facebook event for more details.

7pm Do you want to read books by amazing Black women writers? Do you want to discuss works from a Black feminist perspective in a feminist bookstore? Then the Black Feminist Book Club is for you. This month’s book is “Welcome to Lagos” by Chibundu Onuzo.

7–9pm Charis Books and More CharisBooksandMore.com

CONTINUES ON PAGE 28 June 22, 2018 Best Bets 27

BEST BETS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

FRIDAY, JUNE 29 – SATURDAY, JUNE 30

The Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus brings Broadway back to the stage with “Broadway and Peachtree,” featuring favorite songs from Broadway revivals like “Hairspray” and “Falsettos” to the greatest hits from current shows, including “Something Rotten,” “Hamilton,” “Kinky Boots,” and “ Dear Evan Hansen.”

8pm Out Front Theatre Company VoicesOfNote.org

FRIDAY, JUNE 29

3-Legged Cowboy presents Friday Night Country, with free dance lessons from 8 – 9 p.m. and an open dance at 9 p.m.

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Actors and musicians Lea Michelle and Darren Criss and have embarked on their first ever co-headlining tour, LM/DC. The duo will hit the stage tonight together and solo, performing songs from Broadway, “Glee” and original songs from their recent solo albums.

8pm Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre CobbEnergyCentre.com

SATURDAY, JUNE 30

The High Museum of Art has just opened the major touring exhibition “Outliers and American Vanguard Art.” The show brings together more than 250 diverse works by more than 80 trained and untrained artists, and includes sections and featured works by artists including Greer Lankton, Zoe Leonard, Forrest Bessand, and Henry Darger that examine sexuality and gender.

Together, the works on view offer an unprecedented overview of the profound impact of American self-taught artists on the evolution of modern and contemporary art over the past 100 years. They also reveal how these artists galvanized the mainstream art world to embrace difference and diversity across race, region, class, age, and gender. Running through Sept. 30.

12–5pm High.org

SUNDAY, JULY 1

Don’t miss Tossed Salad, hosted by Brigitte Bidet and featuring new queens weekly.

10pm My Sister’s Room MySistersRoom.com

MONDAY, JULY 2

Trans and Friends is a youth-focused group for trans people, people questioning their own gender and aspiring allies, providing a facilitated space to discuss gender, relevant resources and activism around social issues.

7–8:30pm Charis Books and More The PFLAG support group for parents and families of LGBTQ children meets today, with a featured speaker, from 7:30–9pm.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta uuca.org

TUESDAY, JULY 3

DeWayne Morgan hosts Trivia Tuesdays at the Hideaway Atlanta.

8:30pm AtlantaHideaway.com

WEDNESDAY, JULY 4

Come enjoy the Fourth of July at Hump Night with Regina.

8pm Friends Neighborhood Bar FriendsOnPonce-ATL.com

THURSDAY, JULY 5

Building on the activist tradition of consciousness-raising groups each month, Charis Books and More invites community members to join The Personal is Political: Feminist Vent, to talk about personal issues or societal issues they are trying to deconstruct. The group will use intersectional feminist strategies as tools to talk through these issues.

7:30–9pm CharisBooksAndMore.com

UPCOMING SATURDAY, JULY 7

Atlanta Prime Timers meets today at 3pm.

Phillip Rush Center Annex RushCenterATL.org

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The Goodness in Being Naive Melissa Carter

were broadcast nationwide.

I know Mr. Carter’s uncle didn’t mean to upset him. However, in my son’s mind he was certain he was heading into the abyss.

I was too young to really understand all that was going on, so he pointed to the television and let me know that the country was celebrating his birthday. Believing that to be true I went and cried to my mother, asking why America didn’t care about my birthday in March and how unfair it was I didn’t get the same accolades that Mike was receiving. Pleased with his accomplishment, my brother left it to Millie Pete to reassure me I was not being left out.

My 3 year old is very practical. This is not a kid who relies on imagination to create unknown worlds. He uses his playtime to recreate things he has seen or heard, and when you tell him something, that is exactly what he expects to happen.

So when Katie’s mother and brother were bringing Mr. Carter home from an errand, his uncle caught wind from Grandma that little man was afraid of car washes. Being a guy who assumed it was cool to rib another guy about such a fear, Uncle suggested to my son they’d be going to one before getting back to MiMi’s house. That sent my son into a panic that lasted over an hour. Try as his uncle might to reassure him he was only teasing, Mr. Carter understood his first mention of going to a car wash to be true and it wasn’t until I picked him up later in the day that he finally realized he would indeed not be traveling through the tunnel of wet terror.

July 4th reminds me of a similar reaction I had to my brother and his teasing. I am 8 years younger than he is, so when I was in elementary school he was old enough to manipulate his naive younger sister. The year of America’s bicentennial, the television was covered with firework celebrations, and July 4th fell on a Sunday. My brother’s birthday is on the 3rd and since it was on Saturday, many of the events occurred that day and 30 Columnists June 22, 2018

Trust comes so naturally to all of us when we first arrive in this world. I assume it’s because without it we wouldn’t survive, since an immobile newborn has to rely on its guardian to feed and shelter it. At what age do we lose the assumption people will take care of us, and flip it to the belief no one will? As I watch my son, it makes me realize how guarded I’ve become and am nowhere near the level of openness to and confidence in others he has. I do believe in self-reliance as an adult, but I also now realize that shouldn’t be shrouded in fear and distrust.

Next week, my brother will inevitably look at me and point to the television during a fireworks broadcast, as he does every year, to remind me of my once-blind trust in him.

Instead of rolling my eyes in irritation, I will instead embrace that quality I once possessed and figure out a way to recapture it.

One of the first out radio personalities in Atlanta, Melissa’s worked for B98.5 and Q100. Catch her daily on theProgressive Voices podcast “She Persisted.” Tweet her! @MelissaCarter www.thegeorgiavoice.com

SOMETIMES ‘Y’

Riding My Better Half Ryan Lee

I’ve had one pet and no children in my life, so I have little practice and even less success with naming things. I adopted a kitty the week Barack Obama was elected president and dubbed him Obi, then spent seven of my cat’s nine lives explaining to people his name was not a “Star Wars” reference.

Establishing an identity for my new bicycle has been challenging, both creatively and emotionally. The first moniker to pop in my mind was “Dank,” but as a chronic stoner it felt a little generic, like calling my firstborn son Junior.

“I was also thinking about ‘The Mister,’” I told my friend over the weekend. “But that would imply we’re married, and I’m just not sure —” “If your commitment issues also apply to your bike?” my friend asked.

“No, not that.”

“You’re not sure if you should treat your bike like a human?” my friend continued.

“What? No!” I said incredulously. “I’m not sure if my bike is gay, and I don’t want it to feel like it has to be gay just because it’s my bike. What if that’s not its nature, and I’ve already made it my big gay husband?”

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been sliding down the slippery slope evangelicals warned America about when they were rallying www.thegeorgiavoice.com

against marriage equality. I’m awaiting the completion of a custom-built bike, and the nerves and giddiness I’ve had are the closest I’ll ever get to wedding-day anticipation, turning me into a Ridezilla.

We could have had a formal, well-catered ceremony for the amount I paid for my biketo-be, but will instead exchange vows in the company of my cycling crew, who have been getting glimpses of the bike’s progress and hyping up the big day. I’ve already booked one of my friends to take our wedding photos, but haven’t decided whether there will be any cake.

All of this is fancier and more serious than anything I’ve ever experienced. As a matter of practicality and frugality, most of my bikes have come from cycling co-ops or Craigslist, so, as you can probably guess, they did not inspire any long-term commitment or even require a name.

I settled on calling my new bike “PeeWee,” as its candy red and crisp white color scheme is reminiscent of the bicycle in “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” the original dream ride for me and so many other 80s babies. In the movie, Pee-wee Herman goes on a cross-country hunt for his stolen bike, and in real life, I’ve never been more expectant of being robbed.

There’s always a chance that walk down the aisle won’t end in happily ever after, but I can’t let my fear of bolt cutters and buzzsaws deny the pleasure and possibilities that a new relationship brings. Neither life nor love come with any promises, except for adventure.

June 22, 2018 Columnists 31

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