re-fresh for fall
Jessie Ware’s Queer Utopia The Disco Queen and Her Moment In Pop
The New Look of Yoga Amador Yoga Makes Lovers of Us All
Wils Getting Down to Basic And Taking On Toxic Masculinity
From e Editor
It may not feel like it, but we are coming up on the Fall season. Even though it isn’t time to break out a sweater and a heavy jacket, it is time for you to start thinking about what it will be like not just to wear shorts and a t-shirt.
We spoke to Malik Khalid, whose gender-neutral yoga wear brand, Amador Yoga, is launching its new Matador Collection – a collection that will inspire you to become a lover rather than a fighter. We also got a hold of the latest campaign from Addicted – the brand has launched a sexy party wear collection because even though the clubs aren’t jumping right now, it shouldn’t keep us from having fun with how we dress, right?
Chris Azzopardi spoke to the quite fashionably current Jessie Ware, whose disco-inspired latest album is a disco ball amid the dreariness of our times. That, and so much more in this fashion-friendly issue of Peach.
BLACK LIVES STILL MATTER
Picture the dream: the story of the civil rights movement through children’s books
Jerry Pinkney, Illustration for A Place to Land by Barry Wittenstein (Holiday House, 2019). Collection of the artist. © 2019 Jerry Pinkney.
Raúl Colón (American, born 1952), “So Mama and Daddy packed up their three little girls—,” from Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Young Shelton (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2010), wash, colored pencil, lithograph pencil, and graphite on watercolor paper, courtesy of R. Michelson Galleries, Northampton, Massachusetts. (c) 2010 Raúl Colón.
Organized in collaboration with The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, the presentation will include more than 80 artworks, ranging from paintings and prints to collages and drawings, that evoke the power and continuing relevance of the era that shaped American history and continues to reverberate today.
This exhibition is the first of its kind to delve into the events, people and themes of the civil rights movement, both celebrated and forgotten, through one of the most compelling forms of visual expression, the children’s picture book.
Ekua Holmes (American, born 1955), “They put us in separate cells and made other prisoners beat us,” from Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford (Candlewick Press, 2015), collage on paper, collection of the artist. (c) 2015 Ekua Holmes.
The year 2020 marks the anniversary of several key events from the civil rights movement. Sixty-five years ago, in 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Five years later, Ruby Bridges integrated her New Orleans elementary school, and four black students catalyzed the sit-in movement at the segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. These actions and more are explored in the exhibition with titles by beloved children’s book authors and artists as well as talented newcomers. Picture the Dream will emphasize children’s roles as activists and tell important stories about the movement’s icons, including Parks, Bridges, Congressman John Lewis, Ambassador Andrew Young, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
WHAT
Picture the Dream: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement through Children’s Books
WHEN August 15 - November 8, 2020
WHERE
High Museum of Art
Reserve your timed ticket at high.org
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Inside Jessie Ware’s Queer Utopia
By Chris Azzopardi
Photos; Carlijn Jacobs
Jessie Ware sees all the fan-sent rainbow emojis on her Twitter feed, and “definitely a lot of Spanish writing and I don’t know what they’re saying to me but I love it,” gushes the British balladeer turned disco queen. For the first time since releasing her debut Devotion in 2012, Ware feels a major shift, one her glorious soulescape album, What’s Your Pleasure? , has afforded her. She says all this crazy queer love (rightly so; the album is, right now, the closest thing we have to a COVID cure) has been helping her ride out this miserable pandemic: “We’ve gone global, baby. We’re not just America. We’re not just UK anymore. We are global and I am loving it.”
I connected with Ware recently to talk about a lot of things that were not things I planned on talking about with her. As we near the end of our scheduled time together, Ware says, apologetically, “I feel like I answered nothing,” right after she asked me, randomly, unprompted, without any smooth transition, what I had for breakfast.
For Ware, finding time to prepare a meal with her two children around, I discover, has been a challenge. “This is what I do: I kind of go, ‘Why don’t you go up the hill and go get your hot chocolate, darling, so I can shove a bloody banana bread into my mouth?’”
Recently, Ware managed to steal a few uninterrupted moments to talk about What’s Your Pleasure? , which is drenched in the kind of sensuality that has made at least one gay man stop in the middle of sex to ask what song was playing (for inquiring minds, it was the title song). Even though Ware says she was “knackered” from trying to figure out how to promote an album during lockdown, she mustered plenty of energy to talk about that Grindr encounter, and whatever else came up.
Take me back to the day when you told yourself that you’d give the gays everything they want with this album.
I finished my last show of the last record and I could see my gay fans in the audience. I thought, “You need more energy, and you need more sex, and that is what I’m going to give you.” I think it was always in the back of the mind. My gay following has grown, particularly now with this record. But the gay community has always been loyal, so I felt I had to give something back. I wanted to combine fashion, art, dance and music all together in one kind of big melting pot and feel confident and fun and sophisticated and flirtatious. It was really empowering.
I feel like this wouldn’t be a proper gay interview with you if I didn’t bring up your gay brother, who seems to come up every time we chat. Did he have anything to do with how gay this album is? Nope. He absolutely didn’t have any involvement in
this. I played him a few songs, demos, and he was obsessed with “The Kill.” But yeah, he was not my soundboard. I guess my kids were.
How so?
I think when you get a 3-year-old dancing, then you’re doing a good job. And then if you get a 3-year-old singing the words, then you’re doing an even better job. When she sang “Ooo la la, open up the door, you know I like it,” I was like, “Oh, Jesus, girl. Good thing she doesn’t know what she’s fucking talking about.”
“Remember Where You Are” keeps me in the day, and in the moment. Honestly, it’s exactly what I need right now.
“Save a Kiss” has a different kind of poignancy during this lockdown, and I know it’s bloody hard for you at the moment and it’s a mess, and yeah, that absolutely is about the world going to shit and remembering where you are and who you’re with. And remembering what matters. So yeah, I appreciate that, doll. I’m glad it’s helping you a little bit.
Just hearing you talk about it is getting me teary-eyed. Get a fucking grip. OK, yeah, it is good to cry.
And I don’t even have a question about this song, but I know I want to know more about it. What can you say about that song?
I had finished writing with Danny Parker, who is very available and wonderful and also goes by the name Model Child, and we were just having fun and in that relaxed state. We just slowed the vibe and took a different direction. It’s very much a nod to Earth, Wind & Fire and Minnie Riperton and Hair , the musical. I think Trump had just been over (to the UK) and (UK Prime Minister) Boris Johnson had just got back in power, and we were feeling miserable about it. “The heart of the city is on fire” and this shit is going on and it’s quite a dystopian image of the world. We never could have predicted that we were going to have a global pandemic. This song was kind of a reaction to that. It’s the nearest to a political song I’ve done. I imagined it at the end of an episode of The Handmaid’s Tale .
My boyfriend tells me that he heard that gays are bickering about whether this is a full-on disco album or disco lite. Can you settle this controversial gay debate right here, right now?
Jesus Christ. It’s a nod to a wonderful era, but I could never say that I’ve done a disco record because I don’t think it’s right to. It’s an homage and it’s a dance record that’s got many different facets to it. I’m lucky for people to even say it’s a disco record, but I think I have to earn my stripes.
While doing a deep dive into disco for this album, was there something about disco music’s relevance to the LGBTQ community that surprised you?
I took for granted the genre of disco and the movement around that. I learned how important it was to the queer community. The significance of a song like Fern Kinney’s “Love Me Tonight” during the AIDS epidemic put a whole different meaning on that song. So I was just kind of absorbing, respecting, and acknowledging it. And also I was watching a lot of Pose
While making the album?
I watched the first series. The second series came out when I finished the record, or I watched it when I finished the record. But I love it. I met Billy Porter during New York Fashion Week and I did that really unattractive squeal.
I bet it was adorable and he loved it. Mm, not sure. It was slightly overzealous on my part.
I could see him in one of your big wigs. I think that’s the thing: What I love about Billy Porter is that he comes from musicaltheater and on this record there were nods to musical-theater and melodrama and all of it. I mean, never trust anyone who doesn’t love a musical, that’s what I say. You know what I mean? I just think, who are you that you don’t want someone to break into song and dance?
You, along with Lady Gaga and Dua Lipa, have been doing your part to save the gays from COVID with disco-esque albums. And Kylie has one on the way. Any theories on this disco moment pop music is having right now? I have no idea what happened and why we all did the same thing at the same time. I mean, they’re all different. They’re all totally different. But it’s really lovely to be among those names. And if it’s giving the gays what they want, that is the most important thing. If only I could sell as many as them though, right? I’m just this little kept secret that I do quite like. Still the best kept secret.
really gratifying because I felt so in control and so empowered and confident. A 35-year-old woman, making music, feeling like I knew who my fans were, and this is really a credit to my fans that I felt I was making the record mostly for them.
You’ve peaked.
And the reviews have been amazing, and that’s very nice of them, but to be honest, I cared more that my fans were going mad for it. And apart from a few #JusticeForOvertime hashtags –which is like, come on, get over it – it’s been amazing. It’s been exciting. I feel like a new artist.
What kind of reactions are you seeing from the queer community on your social media? There’s some good stuff out there.
I mean, the teaser for the “What’s Your Pleasure?” video – it’s big hair! And all my gay fans were commenting, being like, “The bigger the hair, the closer to God.” I don’t know.
That’s what Dolly Parton says. Oh, well then, there. That’s it. I’m done. Ha!
Well, that could change. Getting you a Grammy could and should be the next major gay movement. Can you also do everything in your power to fix my brother up with somebody?
He’s still single? The last time we talked he was single. It’s just like … I don’t understand. He’s a doctor. He works hard. He saves lives. God, what a nightmare for a young gay man.
OK, so honestly, this is my thing with your brother... I love that you’ve got a thing about my brother. Go on.
He just needs to get on Grindr and tell everyone he’s Jessie Ware’s brother.
I definitely think my brother has dropped my number into a Grindr message or two. But who knows. He’ll never tell me. But there was this fan on Instagram who messaged me saying, “Look who I bumped into.” And they messaged me again and said, “A guy was having sex with me last night and I had your record on and he stopped to ask what song this was.” I said, “I’m so sorry, but out of curiosity, which song was it?”
I’m fucking done . But I think it’s so fun, and I’m very much giving the gays what they want. There was one that made me laugh so much. Somebody wrote, “You, Jessica, need to go to your room and have a think about what you’ve done!” Ha!
Now that the album has been out since June, how do you sense it’s been received compared to your past albums?
It’s been overwhelmingly amazing. I wish somebody would’ve told me that they wanted me to make a disco record a little earlier – maybe I would’ve bloody done it! But it’s been amazing. And it’s just been
I saw one message that said, “Who is Jessie Ware and why have all the gays adopted her this summer?”
Excuse me. I was always adopted by the gays, thank you very much. Welcome to our club.
Things are so sad and shitty. These comments must be giving you so much life. The humor and the sass and the fact that we have so much fun together, they’re just really egging me on now. Like, I don’t know how big I can get my next hair, but I’d say that was about 12 hairpieces in there, so I’m gonna have to work out what I do on the next bloody thing. I’ve done latex, I’ve done massive hair. I need to think about what I’m going to do next.
I believe in you. Whatever you want, I will do. I am at your mercy. ** 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.
Where’s the Party?
By Connor Davenport
Photography Courtesy of AddictedUSA.com
Photographer: Tarek del Moreno
Models: Enrico Lauritano, Allen King, Ruslan Angelo, and Hugo Daniel Silva
Clubs doors may be closed, but that isn’t stopping Addicted from getting the party started.
“This fall’s clubwear collection is all about fun,” says Chris Lynch of Addicted USA. The brand’s new “Party” collection features crop tops, fetish shorts, mesh tanks, and feathers (yes, feathers!) in bold black, white, silver, and gold colors. There is also metal and fur, and more.
“We played with new technologies and fabrics to create the best standing out party outfits for all those of you who are not afraid to be in the spotlight!” Lynch continues. “It’s a collection to go out for a night to be remembered, shining like a star in the night sky!“
Addicted has always been intended for guys who are comfortable with their bodies and are daring enough to be overtly racy. Addicted’s artisan team in Barcelona finely and meticulously crafts all garments in the Party collection. “As a men’s fashion label, materials and craftsmanship are top priority,” designer Carmen Monforte confirms. “More time is put into the sewing of each garment so that they are built to last through the roughest play. They are tailored to fit every body type perfectly.”
Addicted is the sister line from ES Collection, the popular men’s athletic wear company. Since 2009, the brand has been dedicated to the design, manufacturing, and sale of men’s underwear, swimwear, and sportswear. It was founded by Eduardo Suner, also the founder of ES Collection, and has distinguished itself by setting trends and pushing the envelope in stylish, sexy, and very wearable men’s fashion.
Addicted’s “Party” collection is sold directly at AddictedUSA.com.
Where’s the Party?
e New Look of Yoga
By Mikkel Hyldebrandt
Models: Jennifer & Tobias
Amador Yoga is a gender-neutral activewear brand founded and operated in Atlanta, GA, by yoga and meditation teacher, Malik Khalid. Driven by the mantra “push past perfection,” Malik’s mission with Amador Yoga has been to help create positive images of POC in yoga and wellness to ensure we remove the stigma that yoga and wellness is only for privileged white people.
“I wanted my consumers to feel powerful in my designs, and gender often adds restrictions for consumers when shopping. I don’t think fashion should be attached to gender, because clothes should express how you feel and not identify your gender,” Malik says about his decision to make Amador Yoga not only gender-neutral but queer-positive and actively remolding stigmas about yoga by creating positive images of POC in yoga and wellness.
The sport of bullfighting inspires the Matador collection pictured on these pages. The concept surrounds the underlying human drama of facing your fears and overcoming them. The Matador has to face his fears and live through his personal drama. By accepting conflict, you stay in the Matador role, but if we confront and overcome our fears, we become the Amador (lover in Spanish, ed.) instead, and the need and purpose of killing the bull subsides.
The Matador Collection is available now at amador-yoga.com.
Photos by Snow
Photos by Snow
Photos by Snow
OPINION
Wils may be all stud, but in his new single, “Basic Betch,” he takes on the persona of party girl Boozybetch, a chick who lives for the nightlife.
“We have all met that girl who sleeps all week, parties all weekend, and is out to stir drama that she is sure only she can solve,” Wils laughs. “I’ve met so many of these fierce girls since moving to Los Angeles and this song is for them!”
The song is campy and bubble-gum fun with an ohso-delicious beat, but there is a serious side to it too. Wils uses it to make an important statement against the toxically masculine Asian culture he experienced, growing up in Singapore.
“For so many years, I was afraid to do anything that might be perceived as effeminate,” he explains. “But when I came out, I made the decision that I was going to embrace every part of me, including my feminine side. I’m owning it and like Boozybetch, I’m doing it unapologetically.”
Wils came out publicly to fans last year with his hit single, “Open Up Babe.” Its music video featured him running through flower fields, hand-in-hand, with a man. At the time, Wils promised it was only the beginning. “Basic Betch” takes his coming out to the next level.
What is the biggest challenge you have had to overcome?
Coming out publicly. In Asia, LGBTQ culture is seen as taboo and wrong and anything with LGBTQ content is censored from the media. So, it was really scary for me to come out as gay.
Where did you draw the strength to do it?
I had no choice. I needed people to know who I was. I was tired of wearing a mask, constantly hiding my identity. I felt like I was living a lie every day of my life and every morning, I was in constant fear that today would be the day I was found out. In order to live a purposeful life, one that might help others, I had to face my fear and do it.
They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Absolutely! Initially, it was quite devastating to read all the nasty comments I received from those who felt I was an abomination. I lost thousands of fans and even my record label and for a while, I was so down
Getting Down to “Basic”
on myself. But in time I came to realize that trying to please everyone was detrimental to my own happiness, artistry and purpose. It doesn’t matter what naysayers do or say because at the end of the day, I’m living my truth and that’s something to be proud of.
You call Los Angeles home now. Moving to Los Angeles was quite a culture shock! Growing up in Singapore, we would only hear pop songs on the radio. So Top 40 was all I knew! Living in Los Angeles has expanded my knowledge of music tremendously. Suddenly, I have access to all new records and genres! It has changed the way I look at music, the way I write, record and view my artistry.
Chinese word for transgender, “Ren Yao,” translated to English, means human demon? That’s how trans people are viewed in Asia! My aim with taking on voicing Boozy Betch in “Basic Betch” was to disavow everything I’ve been taught and fully take hold of my femininity.
Is it true that you have received some criticism from women?
What is it like to be a gay artist in America today?
The cool thing is that audiences here are so much more open to gay artists. The biggest hurdle, however, is being put into the gay box. Many industry people believe that because I’m out, I can only write lyrics or stories about love between two men.
You certainly don’t do that in your new single, “Basic Betch.”
(Laughing) I wanted to do a comedic track because pop culture, especially in Asia, is too serious! It needs a kick of fun!
You take on a female role in the song, voicing the role of Boozy Betch.
For so many years, because of the toxic masculine culture that I grew up with in Singapore, I was careful about how I walked, how I spoke. Do you know the
I have heard from some women who believe the track is offensive and that Boozy Betch is an unfair representation of girls who party. It’s disappointing because they’re missing the point. The song is about a girl who is strong, unapologetic and sex positive. She is the momma who owns the night, celebrates fun, and lifts her friends up to do the same. Boozy is intended to empower queer individuals who, like her, identity comfortably as femme.
Why was it important to release “Basic Betch” now? Between the pandemic, the upcoming election and the slowing economy, it’s easy for our minds to grasp onto unhealthy thoughts. A lot of us are struggling with the limited social interaction. We’re trying to find security, love; even compassion for ourselves. This song was made to break the habitual thinking and give people what matters most - smiles and laughter. Be kind to yourself, nurture your soul, encourage inner peace.
“Basic Betch” is available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, and all other major retailers, as well as for streaming on Spotify. For more information, follow Wils on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @heywils.
AUG 12 - 19
Due to the ongoing pandemic, please keep yourself updated on the status of an event!
OUT Georgia Virtual Business Builder Lunch
The virtual Business Builder Lunch (BBL) series brings Georgia’s LGBTQ+ and allied business owners, nonprofit leaders, and professionals together for a concentrated networking session centered on referrals and connections. Attendance is free. Zoom info provided upon registration at outgeorgia.org.
Thursday, August 20, 12 pm Online Event (Zoom)
Short Circuit
Revisit the 90s and 00s with DJ Eric James who will spine the hottest circuit dance remixes by legendary DJ’s including Thunderpuss, Barry Harris, Chris Cox, Hex Hector, Victor Calderone, Junior Vasquez, and more. Mask required, social distancing enforced, and limited capacity.
Friday, August 21, 10 pm – 3 am
The Heretic
Nuns LIVE
Sunday, August 23, 7 -8 pm Online Event (Facebook)
Join the Atlanta Sister of Perpetual Indulgence Online for some online SheNUNagans, where you can have a conversation with the Nuns and Guards to discuss current events. For more information about The Sisters, check out atlsisters.org.
Brew & Bark: Queer Day at ParkGrounds!
Who doesn’t love coffee, dogs, and supporting Southern queer artists? Come out to Brew & Bark, a queer day at ParkGrounds, to support the fundraiser for a Black queer-owned communityspace. Bring a friend and a dog and a mask! More info at parkgroundsatl.com.
Saturday, August 22, 8 am – 8 pm ParkGrounds
SummerHeat Launch Party
Meak Productions presents its Annual SummerHeat Agency Campaign. Special appearance by the new Mr. SummeHeat, Sammie III, plus other special guests, and a summer fashion show presented by Toolbox Menswear. Free general admission with RSVP and $25 VIP access. Masks are required for entry. More info at meakproductions.com.
Saturday, August 22, 5 – 10 pm Meak Productions, Inc.
B AR S
1 A ms ter dam 502 Amsterdam Ave NE
2 Blake's 227 10 th S t NE
3 Bulldog s 893 Peachtree S t NE
4 Fr iends 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
6 My Sister’s Room 66 12th S t NE
7 Ten At lan t a 990 Piedmont Ave NE
Dini
n g
10 th & Piedmon t 991 Piedmont Ave NE
Campag nolo 980 Piedmont Ave NE
Eins tein's 1077 Juniper S t NE
B AR S
20 B J Roo s ter s 20 43 Cheshire Bridge Rd
21 Sequel 1086 Alco S t NE
22 Tr ipp s 1931 Piedmont Cir NE
Dini n g
24 L as M ar g ar i t as 18 42 Cheshire Bridge Rd
25 Rox x 1824 Cheshire Bridge Rd Re tai l
26 B ar k ing L ea t her 1510 Piedmont Ave Suite A
27 S ou t her n Nig h t s 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd c l u bs
28 Her e t ic 2069 Cheshire Bridge Rd
29 Tok yo Valen t ino 1739 Cheshire Bridge Rd Fitne ss
30 Gr avi tee Fi t ne s s 2201 Faulkner Rd NE Spa / b ath
42 T he Den 2135 Liddell Drive NE
B AR S
32 Mid tow n Moon 1492 Piedmont Ave NE
33 Felix 's 1510 Piedmont Ave NE
34 T he Hideaw ay 15 4 4 Piedmont Ave NE
35 Mi x x 1492 Piedmont Ave NE
36 O scar 's 1510 Piedmont Ave NE
Dini n g 1600 Piedmont Ave NE
38 Eclec t ic Bis tr o 1425 Piedmont Ave NE Re tai l
39 Boy Nex t Door 14 47 Piedmont Ave NE
40 Brushstrokes / Pleasures 1510 Piedmont Ave NE Fitne ss
41 E quilibr ium Fi t ne s s 1529 Piedmont Ave, Suite L
N OT S H OW N
M ar y 's 1287 Glenwood Ave SE
S is ter L ouis a’s Chur ch 466 Edgewood Ave SE
S w ing ing Richar ds 1400 Nor thside Dr N W
L ip s At lan t a 3011 Buford Hw y NE The T 465 Boulevard SE 494 Plasters Ave NE Woo f 's
BARS & CLUBS
MIDTOWN
AMSTERDAM amsterdamatlanta.com 502 Amsterdam Ave. NE
ATLANTA EAGLE atlantaeagle.com 306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
BLAKE’S ON THE PARK blakesontheparkatlanta.com 227 10th St NE
BULLDOGS 893 Peachtree St NE
FRIENDS NEIGHBORHOOD BAR friendsonponce-atl. com 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
MY SISTER’S ROOM mysistersroom.com 66 12th St NE
TEN ATLANTA tenatlanta.com 990 Piedmont Ave NE
THE T modeltatlanta.com 465 Boulevard SE
CHESHIRE
HERETIC hereticatlanta.com 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road
BJ ROOSTERS bjroosters.com 2043 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
SEQUEL 1086 Alco St NE TRIPPS 1931 Piedmont Circle N
DINING
MIDTOWN
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
HENRY’S henrysatl.com 132 10th St NE
JOE’S ON JUNIPER joesonjuniper.com 1049 Juniper St NE
LA HACIENDA lahaciendamidtown. com 900 Monroe Dr NE
CHESHIRE
LAS MARGARITAS lasmargaritasmidtown.com 1842 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE
ROXX 1824 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE
DEKALB
LIPS ATLANTA atldragshow.com 3011 Buford Hwy NE
RETAIL
MIDTOWN
BARKING LEATHER AFTER DARK barkingleather.com 306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
CHESHIRE
SOUTHERN NIGHTS
VIDEO 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE
ANSLEY
BOY NEXT DOOR MENSWEAR boynextdoormenswear.com 1447 Piedmont Ave NE
GCB & PLEASURES brushstrokesatlanta. com 1510 Piedmont Ave. NE
BARKING LEATHER barkingleather.com 1510 Piedmont Ave Suite A
URBAN BODY FITNESS urbanbodyfitness.com
Months have passed since the first protests for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery started in late May. It’s time to check in with yourself and others to see where we are.
Things to Check In On After the BLM Protests Started 10
1. Black Lives S�ll Ma�er … and the fight for libera�on and equity for Black folks started long before the protests
2. What perspec�ves have shi�ed for you? Have you listened? Have you learned?
3. What ac�ons are you taking to be�er the lives of marginalized people? Have you made changes in your life? Have you taken on another role?
4. Have you engaged in difficult conversa�ons?
Ongoing communica�on is key even though it is very uncomfortable – we all have to get through them
5. How are you dealing with your discomfort? Many of the issues are hard to deal with, but if you iden�fy where you feel discomfort, and why, you can work through it
6. Why are you choosing to con�nue this work? Like chan�ng the names of the vic�ms of police brutality, repea�ng the reasons why you are engaging in this fight can give you new perspec�ve
7. Do you give yourself �me for ac�on? Ac�vism takes �me, so make sure you focus your efforts and take the �me to learn
8. Do you give yourself �me for healing? What is happening right now is a lot to take in. Adapt a few wellness prac�ces so your commitment to healing can help you work through trauma
9. Have you go�en be�er at confron�ng yourself?
Social jus�ce work is not just recognizing your biases but doing something to eradicate them too
10. We are in this for the long run
Make sure you do self-check-ins and recommit to the goal of ending police brutality and systemic racism
E-mail your Peach Pits to mikkel@PeachATL.com
I’ve been hearing a lot about Karen these days, but what ever happened to Felicia? Did she finally leave?
Gay culture is leaving your Grindr open during road trips with no intent of stopping
I like my conversations like I like my clothes. Short and easy to get out of.
His new boyfriend is nice …
So is a Camry. Practical, buttons in all the right places Yes, nice but doesn’t stand out
By cutting off the sleeves of all your t-shirts?
Are we talking about his boyfriend?
Ooh yes, of course we are
Anyone know when the stupidity curve is supposed to flatten?
Daddy Joke Alert
What is a large group of Karens called? A homeowner’s association
Relationship status after covid: Table for one but drinks for two
I love masks! I can’t believe I let y’all just breathe on me before A Camry? The car?
AQUARIUS
(JAN. 20 - FEB. 18)
Despite your best laid plans, today will be one disaster after another. You won’t be able to figure out why that is, but don’t try to fight it. Go with the flow and you’ll get through this difficult day, but expect frustration and a headache that will feel like your brain is caught in a vice. Time for some self-care and self-reflection!
PISCES
(FEB. 19 - MAR. 20)
VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEP. 22)
The flirting game can be played anywhere, even from the comfort and safety of your own home. Fix your eyes on anything from coworkers to that adamant commenter on your post, and they may be looking back at you. Hopefully, once this global pandemic lifts, you’ll get a chance to pursue those who have caught your gaze.
LIBRA (SEP. 23 - OCT. 22)
You may feel like you strike out in your love life lately, and it has you feeling down ‘bout it. But a new dawn is in sight and it is the beginning of new things for you. You attract what you put out there, so don’t be a desperately seeking jerk but rather that man who is worthy of love and devotion.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21)
Quarantine has sparked your creative nerve, and the boss will be in a good mood today, so seize the moment to sell him some of your ideas. You’ll be amazed at how easily he’ll green-light both this and that. Hopefully it wasn’t the Xanax speaking, and he remembers it tomorrow.
SAGITTARIUS
(NOV. 22 - DEC. 21)
Recent overspending may have left your finances in a weakened and pitiful state now that the reality of unemployment benefits kick in. Tighten that belt strap and get frugal! You may have to return some favors if you want people to help you out, and hopefully some of them won’t involve taking off your pants.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19)
Summer is peaking, and the high energy with which you’ll greet the day will be countered by slow-moving coworkers. You won’t have the patience for their sluggishness, and you’ll tell them so. This won’t make them work any faster, and will likely cast you as the office pariah for the remainder of the day, if not the week.
You may have to rely on favors from friends in high places today. Being beholden to others is not a comfortable place for you, because there’s no telling what they’ll expect in return. To keep your integrity intact, make sure you negotiate terms up front, so you don’t end up doing something out of your comfort zone.
ARIES
(MAR. 21 - APR. 19)
Working from home presents its own set of challenges, and you’ll need to come up with unique ways to approach a hectic workday. Drinking plenty of coffee is one solution, as is taking time to exercise during the day. But your best tactic could be staying in bed making work from home a work form the bed situation.
TAURUS (APR. 20 - MAY 20)
Your best scenario is to start your day turtle-like, slow moving and meticulous. Too bad most days start in overdrive and only get faster from there. You’ll have to ramp up as quickly as possible. You know what happens when the turtle tries to move into the fast lane.
GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN. 20)
Curb your enthusiasm if a friend approaches you with an interesting business proposition today. Look at his plans from all angles, but remember that business can be like dating. You may find someone who looks attractive, but you’ll only wind up getting screwed, and not in a way you’d like.
CANCER
(JUN. 21 - JUL. 22)
Difficulties will arise at work today, but you’ll handle them with the poise of a miracle worker. It’ll be like you have a magic wand and those problems will instantly disappear. Now where was that wand when you needed it last week?
LEO (JUL. 23 - AUG. 22)
You try to make a good impression and share your views with the world. But your massive ego has people running the other way as your opinions sway into raving rants. Toning it down a bit could have you figuring out how to actually get your point across, and learn why it is you have so few real friends.
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.
During all of this quarantining, I have been on lockdown sexually too. I recently met this guy online, and since we have both been extremely safe and isolated during this pandemic, we have met up a few times. We never had sex, only kissed and made out, and the conversations and the connection were absolutely fantastic. I am definitely smitten! But last time we met up, our talk took a turn when he started to disclose that he had experienced severe mental issues due to drug use in the past. That was all fine, but then he told me how he had gotten himself off his meds and that he was now engaging in recreational drug use because that was better for his mental health, and that he had started conversations with his inner spirit to heal himself. Of course, this is a major red flag to me, but I really like this guy, so how do I proceed to engage with him and perhaps even help him with his issues. He is an extraordinary guy, and I would hate to see him go.
Sincerely Beautiful Mind
Dear Beautiful Mind
Great that you are careful and safe during this pandemic, because engaging with someone new is not ideal right now. Another thing that is not ideal is that this guy has disclosed his mental issues to you, and perhaps even started to spin out of control again. I know that you have been on a ‘love lockdown’ these past months, but even though this guy seems like an apparent catch, he is not in good working order at the moment, and you shouldn’t engage with him because of that. What you can do is support him and perhaps talk to him about the path he could be on his way down. Ask him if he is seeing a therapist and let him know that what he is disclosing to you concerns you as it should him. Maybe down the line, when the pandemic is behind us, and he is back on proper treatment, you can re-engage with him, but for now, hold off.
I have always struggled with having a smaller-thanaverage penis and a lack of confidence because of it. In relationships, the amount of sex has always decreased, and although I have suspected it was because of my penis size, only one has told me directly that it was because of it that there was an issue. I have also struggled for many years with my weight, but now I’ve lost a lot of weight, and for the first time, I feel great about my body – except for my penis. How do I move past this?
Sincerely A Small Issue
Dear A Small Issue
First off, great that you have taken steps to accept your body and feel good about it. Next, it seems like your penis is likely not the reason why sex decreases in your relationships but rather your lack of confidence in your penis and the sex. It is quite normal that the frequency of sex decreases, and the connection deepens so that intimacy can be achieved on so many other levels. When it comes to sex, maybe you should get better at focusing on what else you can do with your body instead of focusing on your penis. Your fingers, lips, and tongue are amazing to stimulate someone else sexually with. Despite what you might think, size really isn’t that important if the intimacy is there. If you want to feel more comfortable, you can perhaps bring it up once the conversation turns to sex. Say that you are aware of and sensitive to your size before you even get to take off your clothes. Find where you feel comfortable, and a lot of the pressure and anxiety about your size will diminish.
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