Peach Magazine V4-28 - Life Is a Beach Swimwear Issue

Life is a

B E AC H Perfect for a Dip Swimwear That Celebrate the Male Form

Crazy Sexy Time with Dan Stevens Eurovison star talks gay, gay, gay roles

Black Lives Matter 2.0 How to Combat Activist Fatigue

Mayor’s Virtual LGBTQ Opportunity Fair RSVP REQUIRED | ATLGBTQ.ATLANTAGA.GOV/OPPORTUNITY

THURSDAY JULY 30 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM The Mayorʼs Virtual LGBTQ Opportunity Fair is a historic initiative by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to leverage the combined power of government, the corporate sector and local non-profits to ensure that LGBTQ Atlantans are prepared and ready to thrive in the workforce.

This virtual Opportunity Fair will feature live video interviews with some of Atlantaʼs foremost employers, as well as complimentary resume building services and resources specific to the needs of the LGBTQ community.

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Contents JULY 22, 2020

V4-28

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MANAGING PARTNER Brian Sawyer brian@peachatl.com

OPERATIONS Jeff Anderson Sales and Development Director

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EDITORIAL

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Mikkel Hyldebrandt Editorial Director mikkel@peachatl.com Brian Sawyer

From the Editor

Graphics

Welcome to another swimwear issue of Peach! This is one of those issues that hasn’t changed due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, and honestly, we thought that you could use yet another feast for your eyes. This time, we feature Australian swimwear brand 2Eros, who has graciously provided us with a gorgeous photoshoot from the beaches down under.

Our celebrity interview is with Eurovision star, Dan Stevens, who talks campy gay role, an early-career gay character, and being a Dan Savage stan (page 20). I also asked Jamie Kirk to give his perspective on how things stand with the fight to end racial injustice, and he has written a compelling case for how we keep up the steam in his article “Black Lives Matter 2.0” (page 32).

And that is of course not, so enjoy this issue of Peach!

SALES | DISTRIBUTION Andrea Dwyer andrea@peachatl.com

CONTRIBUTORS Chris Azzopardi Jamie Kirk

ON THE COVER Photod courtesy of 2Eros

NATIONAL AD REP Rivendell Media | 908.232.2021

Black Lives Matter

Mikkel Hyldebrandt | Editorial Director IG @hyldebrandt ONLINE

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The content of Peach ATL Media is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice. The opinions expressed by any writer, advertiser, or other person appearing in the Peach ATL Media are not necessarily those of this publication, its management or staff. The information and materials appearing in the magazine are not guaranteed or warranted as to accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness, or suitability of the information and materials found or offered for a particular purpose. It shall be your responsibility to ensure that any products, services, or information available through Peach ATL Media meets your specific requirements. Peach ATL Media is not responsible for claims made by advertisers, content of information, changes, events, and schedules. The magazine contains information and material which is owned by or licensed to Peach ATL Media, including but not limited to articles, advertisements, design, layout, graphics, and logos. No part or portion of Peach ATL Media may be reproduced in any way without the prior written consent of the publisher. Unauthorized use of Peach ATL Media may give rise to claims for damages and or criminal offenses. Your use of the information or materials in Peach ATL Media is strictly at your own risk.

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OPPORTUNiTiES OUT OF OBSTACLES

By Mikkel Hyldebrandt

Even when facing the obstacles of a global pandemic, Positive Impact Health Centers has continued their work of ultimately ending the HIV epidemic. With their new At-Home HIV Testing Program, they provide a new option to conduct an HIV test in the privacy and safety of your own home. Peach spoke to Jordan Chappell, Prevention Specialist Team Lead at Positive Impact Health Centers (PIHC), about the new initiative. ith the ongoing CO VID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic added an extra obstaW how has it impacted your work? And cle to meeting our goal due to recommenhow do you see the work of Positive Impact dations to be socially distant and our desire Health Centers changing in the future?

Since the beginning of the fight against HIV/ AIDS advocates strategically adapted to societal needs by creating tests that gave faster results, providing housing, mental health, and substance abuse services to HIV+ individuals, and so on to meet the demands of the people during an epidemic and save lives. COVID-19 has presented another opportunity in history to adapt and create new innovations that allow us to remain attentive before a still present HIV epidemic. The 8 | follow us @ peachatlmag

to protect the well-being of our patrons and staff. We at Positive Impact Health Centers quickly began to adapt our operations due to the pandemic by transitioning many of our face-to-face interactions to telehealth, providing delivery and curbside pharmacy pick up, and greatly reducing the amount of foot traffic in our buildings. The At-Home HIV Testing Program is our new addition and possibly an indicator to show how our services will be conducted in the near future. www.peachatl.com

Tells us about the new at-home testing op- Test. By following the instructions included tion and how it impacts your work? with the test, one could know their status within 20 minutes. Following the result, Our new At-Home HIV Testing Program individuals are encouraged to share their seeks to overcome the obstacle created by overall experience and results with PIHC COVID-19 through an approach that allows via our Post Survey so that we may provide an individual to request and conduct an additional support, whether it may be linkHIV test without leaving the privacy of their age to PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) or home. With this program, we also hope to clinical care. Individuals who observe a negreach those who have discomfort in being ative result will be able to request another testing through conventional means and At-Home HIV test every 90 days. eliminate many of the other barriers to getting tested, such as transportation and fear How do you proceed if you get a positive of stigma. result?

How do you conduct an at-home HIV test? Testing positive with the Oraquick HIV test What do you do before and after? indicates that there is a possibility that you’ve been exposed to HIV. Individuals who Our team has worked very hard to make the test positive are encouraged to schedule a testing process quick and easy to do. Anyone telehealth appointment with the post-survey interested can start the process by first vis- or give us a call at 678-365-4300 so that iting PIHCGA.org/athometesting where they one of our experienced specialists can procan learn about our organization and the vide needed support by interpreting results, program itself. Once ready, they will be di- conducting post-test counseling, and disrected towards a 5-minute survey, and once cussing next steps. Positive Impact Health complete, their free At-Home HIV Test kit Centers provides HIV medical care to indiwill be mailed via priority shipping. The kit viduals who are insured and uninsured at will include a safer sex kit (condoms/lube), multiple locations in the Metro Atlanta area information regarding our other programs (Decatur, Duluth, and Marietta). and services, and one Oraquick Oral HIV

Available HIV testing is just one of the things you offer. Can you tell us about some of your other initiatives?

PIHC provides an array of additional services that include: * Free Same Day PrEP linkages for those who are either insured or uninsured * STD testing * Behavior Health Counseling * IMPACT (Substance Abuse Counseling) * Our free “Condoms from Home” Program where individuals request selected assortment of condoms to be mailed to their homes * Our GED program specifically for individuals of Trans experience If you want to learn more about At-Home Testing or any other service, please visit PIHCGA.org or call at 678-365-4300

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BLACK LIVES MATTER

SWiMWEAR ISSUE

Life is a

B E AC H

2EROS KNOWS HOW iMPORTANT iT iS TO MAKE GOOD DECiSiONS WHEN iT COMES TO SWiMWEAR, SO THEY’VE JAM-PACKED THEiR DESiGNS WiTH FEATURES THAT MATTER TO YOU. EACH PiECE iS SPECiALLY CRAFTED TO ACCENTUATE CERTAiN CONTOURS OF YOUR BODY. THEiR FOCUS iS ON STYLE, COMFORT, AND QUALiTY WORKMANSHiP. AND iT ALL SHOWS!

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Images provided by 2Eros. All styles available on 2eros.com

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Images provided by 2Eros. All styles available on 2eros.com

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Images provided by 2Eros. All styles available on 2eros.com | 17

Crazy Sexy Time with Dan Stevens

By Chris Azzopardi Photos: Netflix

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As closeted Russian pop prince Alexander Lemtov, actor Dan Stevens shows up in the Netflix comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga bejeweled in rhinestones, with a moppy head of Wham!-era George Michael hair. He gives double-cheek kisses. He gives invites to his “very crazy sexy” parties.

Alexander’s extraness, and that he doesn’t see what other far-less-opulent people do, is the joke. He’s beyond out of touch with the ordinary person, like Lars (Will Ferrell) and Sigrit (Rachel McAdams), small-town Icelandic best friends who become accidental Eurovision contestants and enter into a sing-off against Lemtov.

Co-written by Ferrell, the campy musical is an outrageous love letter to the Eurovision Song Contest, an inescapable UK phenom. Alexander is certainly worlds apart from Stevens’s starmaking turn in Downton Abbey and his breadth of chameleonic work, which includes the liveaction remake of Beauty and the Beast, as the beast; the thriller The Guest; as a mutant with mind powers in the trippy FX series Legion, and, recently, in the Dave Franco-directed horror film The Rental.

As for Lemtov, this isn’t Stevens’s first time taking on a queer role. One of Stevens’s earliest roles, as Nick Guest in the The Line of Beauty, featured the actor as a gay man living in 1980s Britain during the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 2006 BBC miniseries adaptation of the Alan Hollinghurst novel of the same name.

For our recent interview, Stevens lost the Lemtov wig to reflect on portraying Nick Guest, and also talked about the safe place Eurovision provides contestants from anti-LGBTQ countries and, just for good measure, his favorite Cher songs.

During what might be the gayest scene in Eurovision, you, along with the cast and former Eurovision contestant and drag queen Conchita Wurst, sing an epic medley of Madonna, Cher and ABBA. Can you name anything gayer that you’ve done in your life?

(Laughs.) It’s certainly up there! I don’t know if we can start ranking those, but most of those people coming out of the crowd were previous Eurovision contestants – and not all of them drag queens, it should be said. But yeah, amazing to have Conchita Wurst, Bilal (Hassani) and Jamala. It was an amazing list of former contestants, all of them incredible singers.

And yeah, to duke it out with those guys, and also with Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams, was pretty surreal. I think for pretty much everyone involved in that sequence it was – I don’t know about the gayest moment of their life, but it was certainly one of the most surreal. And I’ve shown that sequence to a couple of, shall we say, Eurovision superfans who absolutely lost their minds at that sequence.

Is “Believe” your go-to Cher song?

I suppose it would be. I’m trying to think what else I would go for now. “Strong Enough.”

“Fernando.” “Chiquitita.” “If I Could Turn Back Time.” I probably would do a medley! (Laughs.)

How did you navigate Alexander Lemtov’s campy-gay sexuality?

First and foremost, I went at it from that Euromillionaire thing, which I’ve always found very, very funny. There’s a certain kind of campiness to those sort of mysteriously wealthy Europeans, particularly the Russians with the philosophy that if something is gold it must be best. Lemtov definitely has that kind of attitude.

It was very much inspired by a bizarre meeting I had once at a thing with Irina Shayk, the model. I met her in Manhattan and she asked me where I live, and at the time I was living in Brooklyn. She went (in a Russian accent), “Brooklyn. Too far.” And I said, “Well, OK, so where do you live?” And she just said, in one phrase, “West Village best place.” And I was like, “All right. OK.” (Laughs.) That sort of told me everything I needed to know about her outlook and just that sense of, when you just have that much money it shapes how you see the world, and also how that kind of warps your taste as well. And Lemtov has some pretty warped taste – both in the wardrobe and the homedecoration department.

George Michael’s name comes up at one point during the film. Did you tap into LGBTQ pop artists to get Alexander’s queer sensibility down?

I mean, the wig was very much inspired by George Michael. And there was a lot of trolling of hundreds of hours of Eurovision acts on YouTube. Just sort of the way that they work the camera is very interesting. There’s always the flying camera, and they kind of embrace it flying around them. If you know Eurovision, there’s always at least one country that submits an oversexualized, erotically choreographed number with fire and leather, so Lemtov is definitely from that school. There’s also a Russian crossover singer, a sort of opera-pop act called Philipp Kirkorov, who if you’re not aware of him a quick Google search will tell you all you need to know about him. He’s a really, really sweet man who’s a real sort of feature of Eurovision.

He’s written a number of songs for Eurovision. I think he’s performed there at least once and he is a Russian superstar. Very, very friendly with Putin and apparently married with kids. But his wardrobe choice and his style might surprise you.

The film points out the dangerous living conditions that LGBTQ people face in Russia, and you recently talked about this with Attitude magazine. Did the country’s conservative views on queerness surprise you?

I think the way it was phrased in Attitude was like I had never even heard of these issues before and suddenly I was like, “Oh, wow, guess it’s really dangerous for them.” I was very aware of that.

And I guess what I meant to say is, I wanted to be sensitive to that. You couldn’t really do a movie about Eurovision without touching on that subject; 22 | follow us @ peachatlmag

it’s famously a safe haven and a great champion of the LGBTQ+ community, and it has a huge fan base around the world for that very reason. One of the first trans performers in Israel winning a few years back. Conchita winning. Netta has a huge LGBTQ following. It really embraces that, and it’s a delight for that reason. And yet some of these performers come from countries where it’s dangerous to openly acknowledge their sexuality, and however silly our film is and however ridiculous Eurovision is, I think it’s really important to remember that.

When it came to the campiness of the character, was avoiding queer caricature a concern?

I guess. I think historically there have been issues with that and with caricaturing, but you know, as we all know, there are as many different shapes and sizes of a queer person as there are of a straight person, so I think in the context of Eurovision, obviously Lemtov is a particular kind of performer.

Whether he’s straight or gay, it’s sort of immaterial; he’s just that kind of guy, who’s just sitting on that much money with that kind of taste and is maybe not able to acknowledge fully who he is back home.

I think his need for Sigrit is a little different than we might expect. He’s not just the sleazy Lothario coming in to just kind of save Sigrit and break up (their band) Fire Saga. He’s got slightly more nuanced and complicated reasons for wanting her by his side.

How does he compare to other gay or queer characters that you have played in your career?

I mean, he certainly has a more interesting wardrobe than say Nick Guest in Line of Beauty. I don’t think Nick ever graduated to old-glamour camp. But to be honest, it never really occurred to me. I never sort of think, “I have had a quota of gay roles so I can’t take on another one.”

Same with Line of Beauty. It was just an absolutely beautiful book and a beautiful adaptation, so it never really was an issue for me.

I believe I read that your first sex scene was in The Line of Beauty.

It was one of the first things I ever did, to be honest.

But quite possibly. I haven’t been keeping count.

That’s what I’m here for.

(Laughs.) Yeah, right. You’ve got the league table there. You know, to be honest, when it comes to onscreen love scenes, they’re all fantasy scenes.

They’re all made up. Me and whoever the other person is are not really together in real life, so you’re always entering into a fantasy scenario. The very nature of what I do is just sort of jumping into someone else’s life and exploring the world through their eyes, so it feels very much the same for me.

I think obviously gay actors have been playing straight roles for a very, very long time, and maybe not able to openly acknowledge their sexuality in the countries that they come from. I hope I’m not taking www.peachatl.com

away roles from gay actors by playing gay roles. I think it’s just the nature of acting, really, that I don’t think we should necessarily have looked for a gay Russian actor to play Alexander Lemtov. You could still sort of leap into a role as an actor, within the realms of possibility.

Would you say that with The Line of Beauty you first became aware that you had LGBTQ fans?

I suppose that’s where it must’ve started. I mean, it is a really beautiful book and I think a very, very beautiful and sensitive adaptation as well.

What was your introduction to the LGBTQ community?

I think it would’ve been in the National Youth Theatre in London. Growing up, I didn’t have many friends who were openly gay, and so I would’ve been about 15 when I first went to study – study is a strong word – but I got to go play with the National Youth Theatre and that’s the first time that, for many people involved, you’re meeting people from different backgrounds from all over the country, and all of them have this one thing in common: they love performing. And people from different ethnic backgrounds and different sexualities as well. It was a really, really eye-opening experience, and really fascinating. Some of those people are still my friends today. But yeah, it was a really valuable experience.

between myself and Brian but Brian and his circle of friends – have had in the years running up to that movie. Just about relationships in general, not just LGBTQ, but about life partners and sexuality.

I thought it was a really interesting film in terms of how nuanced the discussion was and the questions raised in it. It wasn’t clear cut. And it’s not clear cut. I think that’s the thing. I think everyone wants sexuality to be black and white and it’s just not. And everyone wants marriage to be that as well and it’s just not. And I think Brian is particularly sensitive to that. He introduced me to Dan Savage and the Savage Love podcast many, many years ago and I’ve been a very, very long-time listener. I’ve never called in, not yet.

What would you ask Dan Savage?

Oh god, the list is so long. But I’m a huge, huge fan of Dan Savage and what he has done, not just for the LGBTQ community but actually just for people in general in their relationships. And particularly in the early days. It’s gotten a little less out there, I would say, the call-ins. Or maybe it’s that I’ve gotten less sensitive to some of these things!

And about those dance-offs on your show Legion: What problems would you solve right now if problems could be solved by psychic dance-offs?

(Laughs.) I mean, that is a great question. Psychic dance-offs could solve all sorts of things right now.

Which moment in your career helped court a bigger gay audience: you as a hairy beast or the scene when you come out of the shower in The Guest?

(Laughs.) I mean, you’d have to look at your league table for that one. I don’t have the stats on that.

And actually I’ve seen in the streets, during some of the protests that have been going on all over the place, that some people have taken to sort of collective dancing and I think that that might actually be a way forward.

A film you starred in, Permission, took a hard look at monogamy and prominently featured a gay couple.

Is LGBTQ representation important to you when you’re considering a project?

Yeah. I mean, that one was particularly interesting because an old friend of mine, Brian Crano, who is himself a married gay writer and director, and David Craig, who is in the film, is his husband and that film very much came out of conversations that – not just

As editor of Q Syndicate, the LGBTQ wire service, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard.

Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.

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He lives with his amazing husband, Michael aka Big Daddy, and they are the proud grandpas of their first grandchild, Charlotte. He loves the community in Atlanta but also feels that is our chance and time to prove that love over everything else can win. So, Kenan’s message is simple but powerful: Love one another and protect each other.

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Black Lives Matter 2.0 S

o this is where it gets tricky. We have not had many One of the most frustrating components of the BLM organized protests in weeks. We have not had a movement is that phase 2.0 is being filled with distracracially charged incident in the country in weeks. tions. WE are allowing divisive language to muddy the We have not heard the first NFL gameplay the Black Na- waters of what is unequivocally “bad behavior.” Asking tional Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing, before kick- the Dukes of Hazard Car to paint over the Confederate off. And there have been no notable retail stores having flag, painting BLM in front of Trump Tower in NYC, detheir place of business destroyed from frustrated folks fining or trying to explain “white privilege,” focusing on rioting. This is not to say that “stuff” is not still happen- what defund the police actually means, straight actors ing - that is categorically wrong - it’s just not getting the not taking on an LGBTQ role, trying to understand why amount of press in the last 30 days or so. And therein a person would not want to wear a mask, or seeking to lies the problem: the assumption that no “recent” inci- understand how an 8-year-girl could be innocently shot dents equal no issues. WRONG. in the streets of Atlanta, are all essential conversations that support equality. Still, they should not interfere The reason we are in the shape we are in is because with the BLM movement. We have to incorporate these we all (the big WE) became immune to what was hap- tenets into the movement. We have to incorporate these pening. We (the big WE) began to have negative self- conversations as supportive instances as to why the doubts, like “that’s just the South” or “you can’t con- movement cannot cease. Until WE understand without trol what happens after you have broken the law” or question, and more importantly, without hesitation, that “not all police officers are bad.” unless we learn from our racist, bigThese conversations in our heads oted, and judgmental history, that have been going on for too long. history is sure to continue repeating But one of the primary reasons itself. is because Black Lives Matter, the #metoo movement, gender Black Lives DO matter. But we have equality, Trans Lives Matter, etc., to continue the conversations and tend to fall by the wayside when the peaceful actions to ensure this there is no media coverage or critical component of our freedom perhaps a leaked videotape of and our society does not wither an “unfortunate” incident. We away like when you don’t water a (again, the big WE) have very plant. We owe it to each other to short attention spans. In the keep watering the plant. Honestly, days following an “incident,” the debate that ALL lives matter is we almost immediately voice stupid. We all know that, especially our frustrations on social media, if you are Christian or you were not write a letter to the editor of our raised in a barn. Folks that refuse local newspaper, and perhaps to say Black Lives Matter or have have a candid conversation with the need to question why “they” our kids. But what about keeping feel the need to make everything those activities up when there is about race are simply missing the no situation to reference or use point, that Black Lives Matter for the example of the moment. The the same exact reason that everyconversations and passion have one’s life matters; yet we are comto be front and center at all times. piled to affirm that Black lives matter precisely because institutions, our justice systems, everyday business The Black Lives Matter movement is a great example of practices, our judicial system, and societal behaviors an initiative that we can’t allow to let lose its steam. We have so long denied it. have to continue to make our voices heard. We have to push back on folks that believe that “Black Lives Matter We have to keep going. We have to keep up the fight for has no place in sports”. Or that “Black Lives Matter is social justice. We have to band together and allow our divisive”. We have to continually have peaceful protests voices to be heard, even if not loud. Heard by the voiceand ask for the change that we seek. Black Lives Matter less. Heard by our actions. Heard by our friends and cannot be the flavor of 2020. It can’t be the soapbox family. Heard by the faint at heart. Heard by interracial moment for Hollywood A-listers, just because they can’t couples. Heard by biracial children. Heard by CEOs. be on set making movies right now. We have to fill back Heard by Human Resources Departments. Heard by up the tank with gas and continue the emphasis and im- Police Chiefs. Heard my Mayors. Heard my Governors. portance of the mission (for those that don’t know) that And yes, heard by our POTUS. We owe it to each other. “by combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and center- Let’s all rejoice together. Now is still the time. ing on Black joy, the outcome will be winning scenarios and improvements in ALL of our lives.” BLM needs to be a way of life, always, and in all ways.

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JULY 22 - AUG 5

Due to the ongoing pandemic, please keep yourself updated on the status of an event!

The Grand Transsexual Draweth Nigh Out Front Theatre presents a unique performance written

by Sloka Krishnan that follows a young gay trans man of color and three of his friends on the night when they once and for all become the devourers, not the devoured.

Friday, July 24, 8 – 10 pm Livestream via Out Front’s Facebook Page Make Them Hear You - A Queerantine Cabaret Join Drunk Drag Broadway and hosts Princess and Brent Star for a fierce musical drag show that amplifies Black voices. 100% of proceeds from ticket sales go directly to support The Atlanta Solidarity Fund and BLM. Tickets via Eventbrite.

Sunday, July 26, 6 – 8 pm Online Event

As You Like It Coast to Coast: Atlanta As You Like It and the Fault Radio Coast to Coast residency shines a light on the new South that is Atlanta. Experience Ash Lauryn, Kai Alce, Vicki Powell, Stefan Ringer, and Polyglamorous’ BEYA on the decks for a unique virtual event. All tips and contributions go directly to the artists.

Sunday, July 26, 5 – 10 pm (EST) Faultradio.com

TV-Dinner Drag Show Cozy up at home for a serving of Mary’s signature dumpster-diving drag for you to enjoy from the comforts of your quarantine. EAV Mom Ella /saurus/ REX will be hosting LIVE from Mary’s and serve Drag To-GO from some of your favorite village queens and kings.

Sunday, July 26, 8 – 11 pm twitch.tv/wussymag

Mayor’s Virtual LGBTQ Opportunity Fair The virtual opportunity fair will feature live video interviews with some of Atlanta’s foremost employers and complimentary resume building services and resources specific to the needs of the LGBTQ community. The event is free, but RSVP is required ay atlgbtq.atlantaga.gov.

Thursday, July 30, 10 am – 1 pm Online Event

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BARS 1 2 3 4

Amsterdam Blake's Bulldogs Friends

6 My Sister’s Room 7 Ten Atlanta

Dining 502 Amsterdam Ave NE 227 10th St NE 893 Peachtree St NE 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE 66 12th St NE 990 Piedmont Ave NE

991 Piedmont Ave NE 980 Piedmont Ave NE 1077 Juniper St NE 931 Monroe Cir NE

clubs 13 Atlanta Eagle

306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

fitness

retail 8 BarkingLeather

9 10 th & Piedmont 10 Campagnolo 11 Einstein's 12 F.R.O.G.S

306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

14 Urban Body Fitness 500 Amsterdam Ave NE

spa/bath 15 Flex Spa

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76 4th St. NW

16 G’s Midtown 17 Henry’s 18 Joe's on Juniper 19 La Hacienda

219 10th St NE 132 10th St NE 1049 Juniper St NE 900 Monroe Dr NE

billards/Darts drag dancers leather non-smoking area Patio

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When the world throws you Let be your savedandgay.com

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Piedmont Park BARS 2043 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1086 Alco St NE 1931 Piedmont Cir NE

1842 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1824 Cheshire Bridge Rd

32 Midtown Moon 33 Felix's 34 The Hideaway 35 Mixx 36 Oscar's

1510 Piedmont Ave Suite A 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd 2069 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1739 Cheshire Bridge Rd

Fitness 2201 Faulkner Rd NE

Spa / bath 2135 Liddell Drive NE

1492 Piedmont Ave NE 1510 Piedmont Ave NE 1544 Piedmont Ave NE 1492 Piedmont Ave NE 1510 Piedmont Ave NE

Dining 38 Eclectic Bistro

clubs

30 Gravitee Fitness

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28 Heretic 29 Tokyo Valentino

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26 Barking Leather 27 Southern Nights

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1600 Piedmont Ave NE 1425 Piedmont Ave NE

Retail 39 Boy Next Door 1447 Piedmont Ave NE 40 Brushstrokes/Pleasures 1510 Piedmont Ave NE

Fitness 41 Equilibrium Fitness

1529 Piedmont Ave, Suite L

NOT SHOWN

Mary's Sister Louisa’s Church Swinging Richards Lips Atlanta The T Woof's

1287 Glenwood Ave SE 466 Edgewood Ave SE 1400 Northside Dr NW 3011 Buford Hwy NE 465 Boulevard SE 494 Plasters Ave NE

A snapshot of Gay Atlanta’s favorite destinations. View their ads in Peach ATL & visit their websites for weekly event listings.

BARS & CLUBS

ANSLEY

MIDTOWN MOON MIDTOWN 1492 Piedmont Ave AMSTERDAM amsterdamatlanta.com NE 502 Amsterdam Ave. FELIX’S NE 1510 Piedmont Ave NE ATLANTA EAGLE atlantaeagle.com THE HIDEAWAY 306 Ponce De Leon 1544 Piedmont Ave Ave NE NE BLAKE’S ON THE PARK blakesontheparkatlan- MIXX mixxatlanta.com ta.com 1492 Piedmont Ave 227 10th St NE NE BULLDOGS 893 Peachtree St NE OSCAR’S oscarsatlanta.com FRIENDS NEIGHBOR1510 Piedmont Ave HOOD BAR NE friendsonponce-atl. com WOOFS 736 Ponce De Leon woofsatlanta.com Ave NE 494 Plasters Ave NE MY SISTER’S ROOM mysistersroom.com EAST ATLANTA, 66 12th St NE GRANT PARK & EDGEWOOD TEN ATLANTA tenatlanta.com 990 Piedmont Ave NE MARY’S marysatlanta.com 1287 Glenwood Ave THE T SE modeltatlanta.com 465 Boulevard SE SISTER LOUISA’S CHURCH CHESHIRE sisterlouisaschurch. com HERETIC 466 Edgewood Ave hereticatlanta.com 2069 Cheshire Bridge SE Road SWINGING RICHARDS swingingrichards.

BJ ROOSTERS com bjroosters.com 2043 Cheshire Bridge 1400 Northside Dr Road NE NW

DINING

RETAIL

MIDTOWN

MIDTOWN BARKING LEATHER AFTER DARK barkingleather.com 306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

SEQUEL 1086 Alco St NE TRIPPS 1931 Piedmont Circle N

LIPS ATLANTA atldragshow.com 3011 Buford Hwy NE

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10TH & PIEDMONT 10thandpiedmont. com 991 Piedmont Ave NE EINSTEIN’S einsteinsatlanta. com 1077 Juniper St NE FROGS CANTINA frogsmidtown.com 931 Monroe Dr G’S gsmidtown.com 219 10th St NE

CHESHIRE SOUTHERN NIGHTS VIDEO 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE ANSLEY BOY NEXT DOOR MENSWEAR boynextdoormenswear.com 1447 Piedmont Ave NE

HENRY’S henrysatl.com 132 10th St NE

GCB & PLEASURES brushstrokesatlanta. com 1510 Piedmont Ave. NE

JOE’S ON JUNIPER joesonjuniper.com 1049 Juniper St NE

BARKING LEATHER barkingleather.com 1510 Piedmont Ave Suite A

LA HACIENDA lahaciendamidtown. com 900 Monroe Dr NE

MIDTOWN

CHESHIRE LAS MARGARITAS lasmargaritasmidtown.com 1842 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE ROXX 1824 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE DEKALB

FITNESS URBAN BODY FITNESS urbanbodyfitness.com 500 Amsterdam Ave N

CHESHIRE

GRAVITEE FITNESS graviteeatl.com 2201 Faulkner Rd NE

SPAS/BATHS ADULT FLEX SPA flexspas.com 76 4th St NW CHESHIRE THE DEN thedenatlanta.com 2135 Liddell Drive NE

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| 39

10 THiNGS THAT KEEP UP THE BLACK LiVES MATTER MOMENTUM

There are fewer protests and media interest is becoming more infrequent, so now that the dust has settled, how do you keep up the fight for racial equality and to end police brutality? Now is the time to continue to raise your voice, but also plan for long-term impact that affects change.

1.

Keep protes�ng Even though protests and demonstra�ons are more infrequent, they are s�ll happening

6.

2.

Nurture mentorship Is there a person in your life that you can educate and mentor? Maybe watch a documentary together, and have a discussion a�erwards

Have those uncomfortable conversa�ons Discuss your own biases openly and invite others to join even if they are a racist family member or friend

7.

Follow up on pe��ons Lots of pe��ons have launched and gained trac�on. Check to see if they’re progressing, and consider dona�ng or sharing the pe��on that you signed

Post Wisely Pos�ng on social media is a great way to spread informa�on and show ongoing support but be cri�cal in what you post. Some content is trauma�zing and triggering.

8.

Support Black businesses It doesn’t just have to be takeout, but research what brands across fashion and beauty are Black-owned too

9.

Keep up the educa�onal process Spend some �me crea�ng a list of resources that can further educate you – it can be books, docus, blogs, et cetera – just stay informed!

3.

4.

Consider recurring dona�ons Now that you have seen the work being done, you also know what organiza�ons appeal the most to you. Consider upping your dona�on game

5.

Keep figh�ng unconscious bias The work of uncovering and unlearning your own implicit biases is very hard work.

Remember it is a privilege to learn about racism instead of having lived it

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10. Think big picture Keep the focus on systemic and societal change. Now is not the �me for your personal experiences but rather for how me foster posi�ve change for us all.

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| 41

You’re all dressed, can we go now?

E-mail your Peach Pits to mikkel@PeachATL.com

I’m going to work on being less condescending. Condescending means to talk down to people.

No, I need the last piece to my outfit By cutting off the sleeves Your outfit looks immaculate of all your t-shirts?

I need pick what Yes, I’mtomaking tankface tops mask goes with it! and crop tops.

Can’t you just wear a black one?

During these times, I get dizzy from how much I’m rolling my f**king eyes!

ARE YOU KIDDING? WHERE’S YOUR FASHION SENSE?

Just So You Know …

A global pandemic is not a good excuse to text your trash ex

Asking for a friend Are the bears still doing that smirk under the mask?

I’m so single that if I win a trip for two, I’m going twice

Due to COVID-19 I will no longer shake hands or hug.

You may kneel or bow to me.

People refuse to wear a mask but then still wear cargo shorts Please find a cure for the Karenavirus.

It’s spreading too fast.

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CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19) One of the important lessons for you is to remember that emotions are powerful things to recognize and honor. Don’t discount your feelings that may seem unfamiliar during this strange time. In fact, it’s important that you embrace them with your whole being. You are on the verge of a massive breakthrough – and things will get better.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18) Work is picking back up, and there’s lots to be done this week, but there’s no shame in a little mental health procrastination. Take a little time to yourself, and the results of your tasks will be even better. Someone may call you out on certain behaviors. It could be that your aggressive nature rubs someone the wrong way and they simply don’t have thick enough skin to take it.

LEO (JUL. 23 - AUG. 22)

PISCES (FEB. 19 - MAR. 20)

You have spent the past couple of months being verbal about current issues – and that has made you popular. Don’t take everything you have for granted this week. People are there in support of you, but they also recognize that your voice is also raised to bring awareness to… yourself.

Own up to it - your bed is made, lie in it. Fall asleep for a while. Spoon the pillows. Yes, that’s it. Relax. Being king of the jungle is hard work for an Atlanta Leo.

After a while of feeling a little lost and confused during the global pandemic, your ego and brain are finally working together again. This is a time for you to strike a better balance between these two elements of your psyche much more easily than usual.

VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEP. 22)

ARIES (MAR. 21 - APR. 19)

Find your strength in conversations in which you display your keen insight into the issues at hand.

Communication skills may falter this week, and you’ll have difficulties proving your many valid points – try to be more complex by wearing hats that are clearly too small for your head.

You have been more serious than usual for the past months, but now you feel more playful at heart, and you’ll reap the reward of having more friends under the age of 30. Like an infant, your needs are pretty basic this week, and you have a simple way of articulating them: screaming at the top of your lungs.

LIBRA (SEP. 23 - OCT. 22)

TAURUS (APR. 20 - MAY 20)

You may have spent weeks advocating your points, but, it’s OK to be wrong, Libra. If you find you’ve made a mistake, feel free to admit it.

Don’t let your ego stand in the way of progress.

The future holds many fantastic and wonderful things. However, many of them, if not all, exclude you in their plans.

When in danger, you have a tendency to run away quickly, but for now, you are still locked down at home. Harness that ability, as you’ll need it sometime during the weekend. Don’t let the little stuff grab you by the horns and yank you around, but also try not charging at every red scarf waved in your general direction.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21)

GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN. 20)

In times of information overload, now is a good time to listen and receive as opposed to deliver information. Let things stew in your head for a while before you make any major decisions.

Overall you just need to slow down and back off a bit. Atlanta is not reopened, and people are still drawn to your intensity…just let it happen naturally.

You have discovered a whole new array of yearnings during your time in isolation, and they will all find explosive release. Indulge a little but harness the urge to go all in. Find something where you can use your excellent interpersonal skills, and you’ll be communicating all the way to the bank.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21)

CANCER (JUN. 21 - JUL. 22)

The weight of the world is on your shoulders right now, so your mental ability could be rather sluggish and lazy. It could be that you aren’t feeling as sharp as you’d like. Something will stir your memory and it may take a few days for you to resolve your sense of deja vu.

Morale boosts are for needy geeks - you’re as hard as nails and neither require nor deserve any praise. Be mindful that not every innocent comment is not a back-handed remark. Loosen up and come out of your shell, Cancer!

Trouble in the love department? With sex? Or just people in general? Send us your queries, questions, and problems, and you’ll get answers served straight up and with a little ice.

M

y husband and I have been together for 10+ years, we are both in our forties, and we have a great relationship overall. But during this lockdown, one problem has been gotten bigger – literally. My darling husband has over time gained some weight, but during these past few months, it has become much more significant. Now we’re at a point where his body simply doesn’t turn me on anymore. We have talked about this before, and we promised each other that we would take good care of ourselves for our own and each other’s sake. When we have sex, I prefer to be in a position where I don’t see him, and I feel myself recoil if I feel the full weight of him on me. I feel absolutely horrible about this, and I don’t want to jeopardize our relationship, but I do want a better sex life with him. Despite my encouragement and support, he does nothing to lose weight, and I am getting more and more frustrated and fearful of what will happen to us. Any advice?

Sincerely Battling the Bulk Dear Battling the Bulk During these pandemic times, it is pretty clear that a lot of people have gained a few pounds during their lockdown or isolation. The uncertainty and stress of these unprecedented times are more than enough reason why some overindulge a little, and it is also quite understandable. Another thing that is understandable is that your desire decreases as your husband’s body changes. Sex is a lot about connecting through touch, and if you don’t like the way his added weight gain feels, there is a problem.

You say, you talked about this before, but maybe it is time for one more conversation. Tell him that you don’t want a divorce, that you love him and your relationship, but that you want a better sex life with him. Let him know that it is his body and his choice, but that you struggle with the way he looks right now.

It sounds awfully harsh, but maybe he needs a wakeup call, and, furthermore, you have had many years of conversations, so the way you phrase it depends on years and years of sensitivity and communication.

I

am seeing a guy, and although he is great, there is one thing that is starting to raise a red flag. You see, I have never seen him interact with my dog or acknowledge she is in the room even when she comes to greet him at the door. One time, I also saw him pushing the dog out of the way when he thought I wasn’t looking. It wasn’t violent or cruel, just more of a ‘get away from me’ kind of move. When I asked him about it, he told me he wasn’t a dog person at all, and that he didn’t know how to go about canines. I gave him a few pointers, but nothing has changed – he acts as if the dog doesn’t exist. Should I take this a warning sign?

Sincerely Give Me A Woof Dear Give Me A Woof Yes, that is a huge red flag. You have a pet, and you are seeing someone who doesn’t even acknowledge that part of you and actively acts as if your dog isn’t even there.

And the fact that he pushed the dog when he thought you weren’t looking only has me thinking about what he could potentially do to the dog if you weren’t there at all!

Speaking from experience, I had a boyfriend for a brief time, who acted similarly to the guy you are seeing now.

He wouldn’t interact with my dog at all, and he would be visibly annoyed if it got too close (he was annoyed about just about anything anyways, but still, you get the picture). It turned out that he was a violent, manipulative sociopath, and I wish to this day that I had taken that first warning sign seriously, so I could have spared myself the physical abuse and the misery of dealing with his worthless being. Him not being a dog person is one thing, but the fact that he doesn’t want even to try to engage with such a huge part of your life should be taken very seriously. You know you can – and will – do better than this guy! You and your dog deserve better.

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