Jan. 16-29 . 2015
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Jan. 16-29 . 2015
inside
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qnotes news & features
arts. 6 entertainment. News Notes: Regional news. views. Briefs 8 Homelessness hits hard 9 News Notes: U.S./World Briefs 11 Greensboro’s new protections
a&e / life&style 11 13 16 16 17 18
Wedding Celebrations Travel and events for 2015 Jane’s World Tell Trinity Dishing with Buff Faye Q Events Calendar
opinions & views 4 4 5 5
Guest Commentary: Leelah’s Law Guest Commentary: Allies must stand Editor’s Note Spiritual Reflections
❝ The City of Greensboro prides itself on being open and inclusive for all residents and the changes … are designed to further strengthen the City’s efforts to prohibit discrimination. ❞ — Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan on Greensboro’s new LGBT-inclusive city ordinances, including a fair housing ordinance, passed on Jan. 6.
Read the full story on page 10.
Jan. 16-29 . 2015
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qnotes connect Jan. 16-29, 2015 Vol 29 No 19
arts. entertainment. news. views. goqnotes.com twitter.com/qnotescarolinas facebook.com/qnotescarolinas
contributors this issue
Jennifer M. Barge, Paige Braddock, Matt Comer, Isai Efuru, Buff Faye, Victoria Lemay, Lainey Millen, Trinity
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guest commentary by Jennifer M. Barge :: guest contributor
It is time to pass ‘Leelah’s Law’ As we ring in the New Year, it is with a sadness that, though we are in 2015, ignorance and fear still run amuck in regard to transgender/gender non-conforming issues and the people who strive to live in truth. As an out and proud transgender educator and HIV/AIDS activist, it was alarming and sad to have read the letter that Leelah Alcorn left to her friends and family on Dec. 28 before stepping in front of a semi-truck. It is well known that trying to delegitimize or force a person into a false gender identity can severely harm the individual and ultimately lead to death. Leelah was subjected to a life-threatening practice by her parents that combined with erasure and suppression of her gender identity ultimately caused her death. At no time should a transgender person ever be subjected to psychological brainwashing tactics based on religious beliefs. The utilization of religious-based “transgender conversion therapy” is an atrocity against our youth and needs to be banned in all 50 states. In honor of Leelah Alcorn, we call for the immediate creation of a national effort to bring about Leelah’s Law, in order to ban “conversion therapy” against transgender, gay, lesbian and bisexual youth. Leelah’s tragedy is not an isolated case. Just two weeks before Leelah’s suicide we lost another member of our family to suicide. On Dec. 14, 24-year-old Andi Woodhouse died by suicide near the 10th St. Bridge in Pittsburgh. Andi was from Lebanon, Penn. He was in Pittsburgh temporarily for some services and he worked at a local McDonald’s. Here in Asheville and the Western Carolinas, several organizations are collaborating to bring attention to Leelah and her sad, and yet brave cry for help, and the way she begged to not allow her death to go in vain. TransHealth Coordinators has set up a local project called “Live Your Queer Life.” The word “queer” is used as in the Latin “torquere,” meaning to turn or twist, hence becoming different. Torque produces torsion, rotation, a force of change and motion. Queer embodies power. The new project has both a social media presence and a website, launching the third week of January, that will offer essays, real life experiences and a linked YouTube channel where local LGBTQ people can share their stories. The goal of which is to allow local and even national youth feel the power of community, knowing no one is alone in our community. Though Asheville is considered a “small” city we have a huge transgender/gender non-conforming & genderqueer community and support including the first all-inclusive and oldest support group in the country, the Phoenix Transgender Support Group which was founded by Holly Boswell and Jessica Britton over 25 years ago. Plus, over the past 15 years, new groups and organizations have formed here. We have TranzMissions
that offers support, outreach and education, Asheville Transformers, the LGBTQA women of Asheville and Youth OutRight. Each of these groups offers support, community and education. Nationally-active TransHealth Coordinators is based here in Asheville and offers resources for primary care, HRT, free HIV and STD screenings, supports a needle exchange and offers several workshops across the country for medical providers and support staff each year. Religious-based rejection from families causes thousands of transgender youth to end up on the street across the country and even right here in Asheville. We are fortunate to have Be Loved House as the only shelter that will host LGB “T” specific folks in their shelter. The religious based shelters refuse us regardless of what the weather condition might be outside. One in five transgender people are refused housing and one in 10 are evicted due to lack of federal and state protections in regard to gender identity and/or gender expression. Other statistics show dangerous levels of rejection and discrimination. Fifty-eight percent of transgender people face family rejection. Forty-one percent of transgender people are at risk of suicide. Taken together with other barriers and disparities in regard to employment and healthcare and we see a real need for attention and focus on these issues in our community. Right now is the time for the conversation to be brought to the table — where do we go from here and how do fix this? We need to rally, yes. But we also need to step up with ideas of solutions so that in 2015 we have fewer (if not zero) trans and queer youth feeling the isolation, the persecution of church and family that can lead to suicide being an option. Plus we must offer education to parents, schools and those lacking understanding in our mainstream society. To start this off, Gender Benders of Greenville, S.C., and TransHealth Coordinators are collaborating with Victoria Lemay, the organizer and founder of a vigil and rally called “Fix Ourselves, Fix Society,” a candelight vigil for Leelah Alcorn and other victims of conversion therapy. The name of the vigil is inspired by Leelah’s suicide note, in which she wrote, “I want someone to look at that number and say ‘that’s f*cked up’ and fix it. Fix society. Please.” The event will be held on Jan. 17, 5:15 p.m. at Liberty Bridge at Falls Park on the Reedy in Greenville. We hope you’ll join us there and in other future actions, along with supporting our ongoing campaign. : : — Jennifer Barge is the director of TransHealth Coordinators , a HIV/AIDS activist and transgender educators. She is based in Asheville, N.C., but can be found all over the country with her work with the CDC.
Editor: Matt Comer, x202 editor@goqnotes.com Production: Lainey Millen, x205 production@goqnotes.com Printed on recycled paper. Material in qnotes is copyrighted by Pride Publishing & Typesetting © 2015 and may not be reproduced in any manner without written consent of the editor or publisher. Advertisers assume full responsibility — and therefore, all liability — for securing reprint permission for copyrighted text, photographs and illustrations or trademarks published in their ads. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers, cartoonists we publish is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or photographs does not indicate the subject’s sexual orientation. qnotes nor its publisher assumes liability for typographical error or omission, beyond offering to run a correction. Official editorial positions are expressed in staff editorials and editorial notations and are determined by editorial staff. The opinions of contributing writers and guest columnists do not necessarily represent the opinions of qnotes or its staff. qnotes accepts unsolicited editorial, but cannot take responsibility for its return. Editor reserves the right to accept and reject material as well as edit for clarity, brevity.
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guest commentary by Victoria Lemay :: guest contributor
Allies must stand for trans teens In my early teens, I started meeting and befriending LGBT teens. I saw firsthand how painful their parents and families reactions were and how much impact they had in the lives of these people. I knew they were wonderful people, and it hurt me to see them treated inhumanely. I had a friend who was treated exactly as Leelah was — forced isolation and sessions with Christian therapists and pastors — when he came out as gay and seeing him come back a shell of himself was very painful for me. Thankfully, his story ultimately had a happy ending, but it could have easily gone the other way. Simply put, I was tired of seeing an injustice committed against people who were doing nothing wrong, who were simply living as their hearts told them to live. We must memorialize and grieve for those who have been the victim of abuse and discrimination due to their true identities. We must show other potential Leelahs that they are not alone. I want us to remember those who have fallen victim, while also stating our intent to come out of the dark corners that transgender, non-binary people and their families and allies have been driven into. Had Leelah been permitted to have a community of support, she may still be alive today. Too many have already been lost. It is time to do something, time to try to be part of the solution. Her suicide note angered me and broke my heart, and I wanted to hear her. She said to “Fix Society.” Well, that starts with ourselves — non-binary, transgender, gay, lesbian,
gender-fluid, cisgender, straight, whoever we are. We can change the experience of someone who is young and struggling with something that seems so much bigger than themselves. Don’t assume that because you’re not LGBT, that this is not your problem. When our youth are harassed and abused to suicide, it’s all of our problem. Leelah’s message was to all of us. I often thought that as a straight, cisgender woman, maybe activism “wasn’t my place” and certainly didn’t want to fall into the trap of “cisplaining,” if you get my meaning. I believe in the ability of the trans community to stand strong for themselves. But Leelah immediately made me think of the teenagers I’ve read postings from in the internet group, and my heart hurt. I was angry and tired of feeling impotent. I remembered something my late father had said to me a long time ago, “If you’re standing around thinking ‘somebody should, somebody should’ maybe you should.” I decided I could no longer stand silent while people died. And here I am. It’s been incredibly gratifying to be involved and to hear people’s stories. If I can have a tiny part in making someone’s life more bearable, I’m happy. : : — Victoria Lemay is an organizer of a Jan. 17 vigil for Leelah Alcorn in Greenville, S.C.
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LGBT issues on the table as N.C. legislature returns The North Carolina General Assembly opened for its new year of business on Jan. 14. With the opening of its new session comes a new opportunity to make progress on further LGBT equality initiatives. That opportunity will be severely limited — Republicans, whose leadership remains staunchly in support of the state’s overturned LGBT marriage ban, still control both chambers of the legislature. There are real threats the GOP could push ahead with a so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Similar legislation was considered and killed in Arizona and Kansas. Such legislation has been derided as a “license to discriminate” by LGBT advocates. North Carolina State Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger sent the first salvo in a potential anti-gay legislative fight in October, following federal judges’ overturning of the state’s anti-gay marriage amendment. At a political rally in Rockingham County on Oct. 21, Berger promised to introduce a bill that would exempt magistrates, registers of deeds and other government employees from serving LGBT citizens if doing so “would violate their core religious beliefs.” LGBT advocates have rightly countered Berger’s position, arguing that government officials tasked with providing services to citizens shouldn’t be allowed to pick and choose which citizens they will serve. There’s no reason to doubt Berger’s priorities here. Expect him to follow through on his threat. He’s been among the most outspoken and extremist anti-LGBT voice in the legislature. It’ll be up to statewide advocates, like those at Equality North Carolina, and local groups across the state to counter the effort as strategically as possible. In the meantime, though, there are several
other actions advocates could take in helping to shepherd in expanded protections for LGBT residents. Getting the conversation started will take a variety of actions, but among them is the introduction of several bills, either individually or in one omnibus package, that would include a variety of new measures intended to protect LGBT youth, homeowners and renters and workers:
Employment protections
Equality North Carolina has several times in the past attempted to pass statewide legislation that would prohibit discrimination against state government employees. At least one version has also included teachers. These efforts should be expanded to protect all workers, private or public.
Public accommodations and housing
No person should ever fear losing their housing or being denied service or access open to members of the public simply due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Some municipalities, including Greensboro and Charlotte, are attempting to at least address public accommodations at a local level, but general statewide protections are needed. But until such a time as the legislature takes this matter up, it’s best for municipalities to push ahead as best they can. A patchwork of protections across the state could eventually force the state’s hand.
Conversion therapy ban
Dangerous so-called “ex-gay” and conversation therapies have dangerous consequences. The story of one youth, 17-year-old Ohio transgender teen Leelah Alcorn, has pushed this issue to the forefront. Alcorn had been the victim of “Christian” conversion-
style therapy, forced to see the therapist by her parents. In December, Alcorn died by suicide after years of harassment and rejection from her parents and family. Only three jurisdictions — California, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. — have outlawed these dangerous therapeutic practices on minors. Medical and other professional associations, including the American Psychological Association and National Association of Social Workers, have come out against reparative “ex-gay” therapy.
Education protections
Despite the passage of LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying measures in the state’s 2009 School Violence Prevention Act, young people across the state continue to face bullying, harassment and discrimination in a variety of school settings. Chiefly, LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying and non-discrimination protections should be expanded to cover all charter schools, in addition to any private school receiving taxpayer funds through the Opportunity Scholarship program, the GOP’s private-school voucher scheme. Many schools receiving taxpayer-funded assistance for student tuition often openly and unapologetically discriminate against students who are LGBT or who have LGBT parents, siblings or other relatives. Near Charlotte, Huntersville’s SouthLake Christian Academy’s policy is so far-reaching that students, regardless of their own sexual orientation, could potentially be expelled simply for having a distant LGBT relative whom they or their parents refuse to openly condemn or by sharing an LGBT-affirming or LGBT-inclusive thought on their personal social media. Educational institutions unwilling to serve all citizens equally and without malice or bias shouldn’t be in line to receive taxpayer funds. : :
spiritual reflections by Isai Efuru :: guest contributor
Tragedy to Triumph When I first entered my creative writing Master’s program at Full Sail University, I wanted to tell the story of how power is used to take advantage of the weak. I was determined to expose social and cultural ills; I was ready to show no mercy. At the heart of my thesis project was my own desire to be free of the childhood trauma that tortured me, and to help free someone else. I wanted to tell a tragic story. As I began to learn more about my protagonist, I noticed that I was focusing so much attention on those responsible for her doom that I was losing the essence of who she was trying to become. My professors encouraged me to focus on her and then decide if the rest of the story was worth telling. There are moments where our human condition colors our perspective of God and the world around us. We want desperately to show the world where it hurts and who should pay for it. In that process, we lose valuable time and energy and possibly lose the opportunity to really become free. I told myself that I was healed from my years of sexual trauma, but the words in my thesis said something different. How many of our thoughts, words and actions reveal the truth about how we really feel about the world and the God that placed us in it? I realized that the story that God needed me to tell was strikingly different from the one I wanted to share. If I’d kept the tragic story, all who encountered it would be left with anger and resentment. Where is the growth and healing in that? When considering your life’s journey, can you see how you have
grown from tragedy to triumph? How are you telling your life stories? No matter what your initial responses are to the tragedies in your life, you have a greater story to tell in your triumph. You survived; you are the victor! Someone needs you to show how you won, so that they can find the courage to believe that they are on the winning side. As you embrace this new year, reflect on your experiences and how God won the battles for and with you. Grab a pen and write the new revelation; then go and share it. You can be sure that the story you remember at the top of the mountain is the one to share and that others’ lives will be as enriched as yours will be through the process of reliving it. : :
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news notes: carolinas compiled by Lainey Millen
Charlotte Aging group meeting upcoming
CHARLOTTE — The LGBT Aging Solutions Network will hold its first 2015 meeting on Jan. 19, 7 p.m., at Pace of the Southern Piedmont, 6133 The Plaza. Attendees will engage in coffee and conversation regarding updated activities of the Housing Interest Group, as well as plan the activities and programs for the year. AARP will supply coffee. RSVP is requested by Jan. 16. If afterward, contact the coordinators to inquire about a place at the meeting. info/reservations: clt.lgbt.elders@gmail.com. — L.M.
Program searching for leaders
CHARLOTTE — Time Out Youth Center, 2320 North Davidson St., is partnering with the Human Rights Campaign and Equality North Carolina to find candidates for its 2015 Emerging Leaders program. This year-long initiative, which was recently redesigned, focuses on training LGBT young adult leaders across the Carolinas. Young adults who are 18-25 from either North Carolina or South Carolina may apply. The program starts on Feb. 20 in conjunction with the HRC North Carolina Gala. Participants will take part in an initial two-day seminar focused on identifying key competencies of leadership and will meet local, state and national LGBT leaders, volunteer with gala preparations and receive a complimentary ticket to the dinner event. The seminar will be held at the center. Twenty leaders will be selected to participate in the 2015 class. Curriculum and supervision of the project will be shared by HRC, Equality NC and Time Out Youth Center. This 12-month program will provide ongoing leadership opportunities and training throughout the year. To apply, download and complete the application at drive.google.com/file/d/0B_ ySkRsU8i6dRlVSOHRGdDFweHc/view and return it by Jan. 31 to Rodney Tucker at rtucker@ TimeOutYouth.org. Individuals selected for the program will be notified no later than Feb. 10. In other news, the GSA Regional Network meeting will be held on Jan. 28, 6:30 p.m., at the center. Topic of discussion is building coalitions with other area GSAs, school clubs, and community groups. In addition, Time Out Youth has been invited to develop a Southern Queer Youth Pride Day by the national GSA Network. Participants will develop a plan for a social network-based event that brings together LGBT youth and GSAs from throughout the Southeastern U.S. Dinner, drinks, and snacks will be provided for all attendees. Contact Todd Rosendahl at trosendahl@timeoutyouth.org to learn more. info: timeoutyouth.org. — L.M.
Affirming church open to diversity
CHARLOTTE — St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 1510 E. 7th St., is having a welcome class on Jan. 25, continuing on successive Sundays on Feb. 1 and 8, at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The class is designed to offer an opportu-
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nity for church members and guests to get to know one another. St. Martin’s considers itself to be a thriving and diverse community of faith. It hopes to share more about congregational life, mission and outreach and more. An RSVP is appreciated in order for the class hosts, Terry and Richard Ertel, to have sufficient coffee for everyone. info: ertels@bellsouth.net. — L.M.
HRC Carolinas seeks co-chairs
CHARLOTTE — The Human Rights Campaign North Carolina Board of Directors and its Board of Governors are on the search for 2016 gala co-chairs. Responsibilities include: raising critical funds for HRC, through the state’s gala dinner; cultivating, educating, leading and motivating dinner committee members; building and nurturing new and existing relationships with other organizations in the community; and building an overall stronger and inclusive community. Next year’s event will be held on Feb. 20, 2016. Interested individuals must be available that weekend to serve as one of the co-chairs, as well as maintain a flexible schedule while meeting key deadlines to the gala. Additionally, selected individuals will be encouraged to attend the 2015 HRC Spring Equality Convention in Washington, D.C., for gala training from March 5-7. Applications are available by emailing Dan Mauney at danmauney@gmail.com. Once completed, they should be returned to Mauney. Deadline is Feb. 3 for submission and candidates will be notified on or before Feb. 18. info: hrccarolina.org. — L.M.
Triad
Camp registration open
GREENSBORO — The A Safer Place for Youth to Reach for Excellence (ASPYRE) Youth Leadership Camp will be held March 6-8 at Camp Weaver, 4924 Tapawingo Tr. Participants have the opportunity experience ASPYRE’s mission and become empowered youth members of the LGBT community, along with their allies, to achieve personal growth through advocacy and activism while making a positive impact in their communities. The camp focuses on ways that middle and high school students can make a difference in their schools or community. Each participant will leave the program with their own project to create change with a written action plan. Youth will build connections with the experienced youth counselors and volunteers along with meeting other young LGBT-aspiring activists, organizers said. The youth will gain an understanding of the diversity and fluidity of the LGBT community with an emphasis on policy and problems that specifically affect youth. Additionally, ASPYRE
Advocacy group names new leader RALEIGH— Jack Register has been appointed as the new executive director at the National Alliance on Mental Illness North Carolina (NAMI NC), the association reported. He replaces Deby Dihoffwho after eight years retired in December. The non-profit group has been active in the debate over improving mental health treatment in the state. A former government relations director for North Carolina’s chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, Register has also been a former board member for NAMI NC. “Jack will bring leadership and creativity to NAMI NC’s programs and a deep sense of commitment to our mission,” said Mike Mayer, president of the organization’s board. “He has extensive experience in nonprofit management and program development, in addition to his work as a social worker.” Register has wide experience in the direct care of those with mental illness and understands the public service sector. At the NC chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, he advocated and organized with those who work with NAMI and many partner organizations on system reform. At the University of North CarolinaGreensboro, he won awards in teaching community organizing and public policy. In 2007, Social Work Today Magazine named Register “One of Today’s Most Influential Social Workers.” “I am humbled and deeply honored to be joining the NAMI NC team at this critical time in our state,” said Register. “I have the privilege of working with a dedicated team to expand on our legacy of advocacy for the citizens of our state.” aims to help each youth leader to identify their personal values, strengths and areas for improvement. Through discussions on team building and conflict management, the youth will be able to more effectively lead movements to create change. Guest speakers will give presentations on their experiences in activism, which will allow attendees to enhance their own action plans based on lessons learned, organizers added. Total cost is approximately $210 per youth for the full weekend, but generous funding secured from multiple center resources enables campers a substantial savings. Registration for attendees is only $25. Contributions are always welcome. Registration, available online, is required and is open until Feb. 7 or when capacity is reached. Scholarships may also be available for those with financial restrictions. The YMCA run camp provides dietary needs options for those who are restricted. The event is sponsored by the LGBT Center of Raleigh, 324 S. Harrington St. info: lgbtcenterofraleigh.com/youth-programs/ aspyre-camp-registration.html — L.M.
Triangle ‘Kinky’ Two, movie time
RALEIGH — The LGBT Center of Raleigh, 324 S. Harrington St., will screen “Kinky Boots” on Jan. 23, 7:30 p.m., as part of its SAGE group’s programming. Seating is limited to 20, and will be shown at
Register has a rich work history and has served most recently as academic professional assistant professor with the Department of Social Work with the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Guilford College with concentrations in peace and conflict studies and women’s studies. He was also the co-founder of the a.i.d.s. about AIDS student organization. He was awarded his Master of Social Work at North Carolina A&T State University and UNCG and is now working on his Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies at Union Institute & University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a licensed clinical social worker and certified advanced alcohol and drug counselor. Register has been a presenter across the U.S. on a variety of subjects, as well as a contributing writer to a number of professional publications. In 2012, he was a panelist at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s School of Social Work at its LGBTQ caucus discussion which focused on identity in practice and support for LGBT colleagues. info: naminc.org. — L.M. and releases a private residential theatre. Call for directions and to make reservations. On Jan. 29, join SAGE for its monthly lunch out event at Rockford, 320 Glenwood Ave., second floor, at 12:15 p.m. Those who wish to carpool should meet at the center at 11:30 a.m. Capping off the activities will be SAGE’s Valentine’s Day Dance, “Love Wins Out,” on Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m., at the center. This year the dance acknowledges the historic fact that same-sex marriage is now legal in North Carolina. Organizers encourage those who have legally tied the knot to join in the evening’s festivities. DJ Robert will be on hand to spin tunes. Finger food, soft drinks, beer and wine will be furnished. The event is free, but organizers encourage a contribution of $10 per person to help defray costs. They are also looking for volunteers to help set up, tend bar and take down the event. Word also has it that SAGE is in the planning stage for a three-day trip to Washington, D.C., later on in the spring. Details are forthcoming. info: lgbtcenterofraleigh.com. — L.M.
Youth group hosts retreat
DURHAM — iNSIDEoUT will holds its Fabufest from Jan. 30-Feb. 1 and the Jan. 20 registration deadline is fast approaching. The event provides participants with the
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opportunity to hang out, build friendships and connections and collaborate about and initiate new ideas, all in a stress-free environment. The retreat begins at 7 p.m. on Jan. 30 at a local church. Registrants will receive the location once the registration and requisite release form have been processed. The weekend will be chocked full of workshops and activities run by GSA/QSA volunteers and various volunteer and non-profit organizations. Food is provided. Participants should bring a sleeping bag. Cost is free for all participants, however, a $10 cancellation fee will be accessed for who cancel at the last-minute to defray costs incurred. Also, $20 donations are welcome and appreciated. Registration is available online, along with release forms that can be downloaded. On March 7, 8 p.m., an adult ally bar night will take place at The Bar, 711 Rigsbee Ave. A $5 cover goes directly to iNSIDEoUT programming. It is open to those 18 and older, though one must be 21 in order to consume alcohol. In December the organization raised nearly $3,000 through contributions. Because of this, Fabufest’s cost are covered. Upsidedown, the group for younger youth, has announced that is expanding its outreach with the creation of Team Awesome. This group is for those 11-13 who wish to be part of the planning and organization of events. info: insideout180.org — L.M.
Out! Raleigh set for May
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RALEIGH — The Out! Raleigh Festival will be held on May 2 along Fayetteville St. and organizers have opened up sponsorship opportunities, as well as vendor space reservations. Last year, over 25,000 attended the event. Workplace Options has signed on as the Naming Sponsor. In addition to sponsorships and vendor space securement, advertising space is available in the Out! Guide. Vendor applications are due by April 1. No others will be accepted beyond that date. Food vendors will be only invited in order to prevent duplication and ensure a successful business day. Details are available online for both sponsorship and advertising options.
This year there will be a KidsZone, a variety of events and performers and ways to engage in the festival both as a visitor and volunteer. In its fifth year, the festival is a project of the LGBT Center of Raleigh, 324 S. Harrington St. info: outraleigh.com. lgbtcenterofraleigh.com. — L.M.
Crum conference slated
DURHAM — On April 18, 9 a.m., the Jack Crum Conference on Prophetic Ministry - Love Your Neighbor will be held at Epworth United Methodist Church, 3002 Hope Valley Rd. It is presented by the Methodist Federation for Social Action, North Carolina Chapter. One of the key focuses of the event is in welcoming LGBT “brothers and sisters into the full life and ministry of The United Methodist Church.” The keynote speaker will be Rev. Frank Schaefer, pictured right. He was defrocked for performing a same-sex marriage for his son. He has since been reinstated as a minister through the United Methodist Church. Clergy set to preach at the day’s proceedings will be Rev. Gil Caldwell. He is a retired AfricanAmerican Methodist minister who marched along side Martin Luther King, Jr. during the 1960s and has been an outspoken supporter of the LGBT community and same-sex marriage. Jimmy Creech will lead a theological workshop along with Caldwell. Creech is a cofounder of Faith in America and was previously an ordained Methodist minister but was also defrocked for performing same-sex marriages. Workshops will also help to prepare those who will attend the General Conference, as well as how to become a reconciling congregation. Panel discussion will include Rev. Joe Cobb, senior pastor with Metropolitan Community Church of the Blue Ridge in Roanoke, Va.; Martha Buie Tyson, a lesbian who hailed from a long line of United Methodist ministers and subsequently came out at 17 to her parents and to those at a youth leadership conference; and Billy Kluttz, a former gay seminary student and new media coordinator at Seabury Resources for Aging in Washington, D.C. Registration is $25/advance, $30/door, $10/ students. It includes light breakfast and lunch. info/registration: mfsancc.org. — L.M.
news
Western Tree celebration planned
ASHEVILLE — The Asheville Jewish Community Center, 236 Charlotte St., will be holding a Tu B’Shevat seder and potluck on Jan 28, 7 p.m., in the Zimerman Room. Tu B’Shevat is a holiday that celebrates the New Year of Trees. This is a time of reflection, eating special fruits and more. Attendees are asked to bring a dish to share. The JCC’s Rachel Pearlstein also said there was a planning meeting on Jan. 13 for the LGBTQJew/Young Adult Jews of Asheville Purim Party and Drag Show that will be held on Feb. 28, 8 p.m., at the center’s gym. Those who wish to help with the event should contact Pearlstein at rachel@jccasheville.org. LGBTQJew is the center’s outreach to the LGBT community. Programming is gear toward safety and includes such things as dialogues around race, sexuality and heteronormativity, trips to Israel, pool parties and more. The center also has its Gay & Lesbian+ of Western North Carolina (GLOW) initiative which further supports the LGBT community. Email neil@jcc-asheville.org to find out about its activities. YAJA will hold a discussion session on feminism and gender roles on Jan. 29, 7:30 p.m., at the center. On Feb. 6, the LGBTQJew group will hold a Shabbat potluck at 7:30 p.m., at a private home. Enjoy a meal with friends, sing Shabbat songs and engage in camaraderie. Email Pearlstein to learn more. info: jcc-asheville.org. — L.M.
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SPECIAL COVERAGE
NO HOME
LGBT community in Charlotte, elsewhere faces paramount challenge in tackling homelessness and poverty by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com
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helsea White’s voice cracks. Her passion is palpable. “It can be disheartening as a service provider,” she says. She rattles off examples of housing and income hardships faced by her clients at the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN), an AIDS service organization in Charlotte. There, White sees HIV-positive community members struggling to make ends meet for even the simplest of needs — a home to keep them warm and dry, a safe place to rest their heads at night. One client, White shares, once found themselves sleeping in a Charlotte laundromat. “This girl worked hard,” White shares, but it just wasn’t enough to help her find permanent housing of her own. “She would keep her clothes and medicine in a dryer when she left to go to work, so she’d have somewhere to store it. She would come home late at night and all her clothes would be scattered everywhere and her medicine would be opened.” This particular client was transgender — one of the communities hardest hit by joblessness and, thus, most at risk for income loss and homelessness. Transgender people face an unemployment rate double that of the general population and experience extreme poverty — with annual incomes less than $10,000 — at nearly four times the general rate, according to a 2011 study by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National LGBTQ Task Force. The lack of housing or significant income can wreak havoc on a person’s health and wellbeing, especially if they are HIV-positive or facing some other medical condition. Gay and bisexual men, transgender women and other men who have sex with men remain at among the most elevated risks for HIV infection. When they face sudden or chronic homelessness, basic medical necessities and regimens can take a back seat to more immediate needs for shelter. Luckily, White’s client did eventually find housing. “Once you see them get housed, you see a lot of these problems go away,” White says. But the client still struggles. She didn’t get into an affordable housing program and is paying higher market rates for rent. Still, it’s certainly better than nothing. LGBT community hit hard These financial and housing hardships are shared across the LGBT spectrum, though sometimes to varying degrees, according to a November 2014 study, “Paying an Unfair Price: The Financial Penalty of Being LGBT in America,” by the Movement Advancement Project. Same-gender families with children are at higher risks of poverty than their married straight counterparts. Black same-gender couples experience poverty at more than double the rate of black opposite-sex couples. LGBT youth are among the hardest hit, too.
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Some national studies suggest that as many as 40 percent of the nation’s homeless young people identify as LGBT — with most youth running away from or being kicked out of their homes by parents who have rejected their sexual orientation or gender identity. Homelessness and poverty are paramount issues for the LGBT community, made even more challenging by a lack of resources and an historic dearth of care, interest or simple awareness by government and social services agencies. Actionable data is often hard to come by. National and local governments often don’t assess needs specific to an LGBT population. LGBT clients don’t always disclose their identities to service providers. And even a basic, working definition of what it means “to be homeless” often undercounts (and discounts the needs and experiences of) LGBT people without stable, safe and affordable housing. Counting the need Varying classifications and definitions for homelessness — used by a range of government departments, private agencies or program funders — make it hard for local service providers to guarantee assistance for their clients. “To qualify for some programs, you have to demonstrate chronic homelessness,” says Jaysen Foreman, RAIN’s Empowering Positive Youth peer navigator and senior Affordable Care Act advisor. If a person is living almost anywhere with four walls and a door, they won’t always count. “We’ve seen people renting a storage room in storage facilities,” he says. “That’s not meant for human existence. But that would not be considered homeless.” “It makes absolutely no sense to me,” Foreman adds. The counting of need is exacerbated among youth, who often find themselves couch-surfing or doubling or tripling up in one or two bedroom apartments. They aren’t always considered homeless, either — even if their housing is temporary, often offered on a night-by-night basis. “At any moment, whoever’s couch or bed they’re sleeping on can put them on the streets. It happens more often than not,” says Foreman. Sudden loss of housing poses a particular problem for HIV-positive LGBT people. Some HIV/AIDS medications require refrigeration, says Shannon Warren, program director at Carolinas CARE Partnership, another Charlotte AIDS service organization. When someone’s kicked out or simply locked out of their temporary housing, the medicine in the refrigerator or any stored in bags now out of their reach might not be taken with them. “Being [permanently or safely] housed sees a phenomenal increase in health,” Warren says. “A person’s viral load goes down. They’re
❝ At any moment, whoever’s couch or bed they’re sleeping on can put them out on the street. It happens more often than not. ❞ — Jaysen Foreman more able to stay on their medications.” Rodney Tucker is executive director of Charlotte’s Time Out Youth Center (TOY), a private agency serving LGBT youth ages 11-20, with some housing and assistance programs serving young people up to age 23. Tucker’s youth clients aren’t always counted among the government’s homelessness definition, either. Like others, he sees young people calling a couch a bed and a living room their home. Tucker and others want to change the standard definition for homelessness. They also want local agencies and governments to begin to count LGBT people in their assessments and surveys. “One of the biggest barriers to creating the right kind of solution, and scaling that solution to solve the problem, is that we don’t know how many youths we’re talking about,” says Jama Shelton, director of Forty to None, a national project of the True Colors Fund aiming to end LGBT youth homelessness. Some national statistics are based on
older surveys and local surveys don’t always count youth. They certainly don’t count LGBT identification. That’s the case in Charlotte, where city and county officials admit their annual count of the homeless population doesn’t include questions on sexual orientation, reliant on federal guidelines from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It’s called the “Point in Time Count,” held annually one night a year. It’s a model used nationally and provides government a snapshot of homelessness and a benchmark for measuring the need year over year. The survey questions, all of which are optional and self-reported, do ask individuals if they are transgender. Mary Gaertner, of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Coalition for Housing, says those specific questions will be expanded further in 2015, asking transgender individuals if they are male-to-female or female-to-male. But the annual count is limited. In 2014, it
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ACLU: Bill would create ‘Jim Crow’-era laws for LGBT Virginians
Virginia Del. Bob Marshall at a 2012 Liberty Political Action Conference in Chantilly, Va. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed CC.
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia lawmaker who co-authored the state’s 2006 constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage that was struck down last year, is introducing new legislation that would allow widespread discrimination against the LGBTQ community. The bill, authored by Del. Bob Marshall (R-Manassas, Va.), states a person would not be required to “perform, assist, consent to, or participate in any action” as a condition of “obtaining or renewing a government-issued license, registration, or certificate” if such actions would “violate the religious or moral convictions of such person with respect to same-sex marriage or homosexual behavior.” Claire Guthrie Gastañaga, executive director for the ACLU of Virginia, says Marshall’s bill would give “every individual, business, professional who gets any kind of license, registration, or certificate from the state, the locality, or any other agency or authority, board or department which would include every college and university” a license to discriminate. “It’s licensing it [discrimination], authorizing it, and saying it’s okay.” said Guthrie Gastañaga. “It’s like Jim Crow. It’s like a state law that says it’s okay to discriminate against black people and have two different kinds of water fountains.” Greg Nevins, Lambda Legal Counsel who fought Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage
last year, said the bill is so broadly written that it would allow a doctor to refuse to prescribe HIV medication to a gay man, or a therapist to refuse counseling to an individual in a samesex relationship. “This legislation threatens the mental and physical health of Virginia residents, is horrible policy, and is unconstitutional.” said Nevins. He called the bill “unethical, abusive and dangerous.” Marshall is the General Assembly’s most outspoken social conservative. In addition to co-authoring the marriage ban that was struck down by a federal judge last year, Marshall has staunchly opposed any attempts to expand LGBT equality related bills in the General Assembly. With a Republican-dominated House and Senate, the bill could pass both legislative bodies, but Del. Mark Sickles, Virginia’s only openly gay member of the House of Delegates, said he believes Democratic governor Terry McAuliffe would veto the measure. “After all Governor McAuliffe has done to reposition the Commonwealth as a welcoming state for business, this is the very last thing we need in our effort to diversify our economy,” Sickles said in a statement. : : — Victoria Zawitkowski, GayRVA.com, via LGBTQ Nation (lgbtqnation.com), qnotes media partners.
QUICK HITS —————————————————————————————— A new TLC series, “My Husband’s Not Gay,” has sparked controversy for its “ex-gay” themes. Some are wanting TLC to pull the show. more: bit.ly/1At6pp7 The mayor of Atlanta has terminated the city’s fire chief who compared homosexuality to bestiality in a religiously-themed book he wrote. more:bit.ly/17jyQME
A city in central India has elected that nation’s first transgender mayor. more:bit.ly/1xSCXrw Europe is home to two new nations recognizing same-gender marriages, Scotland and Luxembourg. more: bit.ly/1DyIeqc, bit.ly/1AsZRcy
queer insight. pure politics. qnotes is your source for the best progressive and LGBT politics. news and commentary. Read us daily online at goqnotes.com
Jan. 16-29 . 2015
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HISTORIC FIRST FOR STATE
Greensboro passes LGBT protections Charlotte also considering new ordinances by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com
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ity Council members in Greensboro, N.C., unanimously passed several new ordinance changes at their Jan. 6 meeting, making it the first city in the state to prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination in housing, among other protections. The city’s move toward more inclusive local policies follows similar proposals and discussion in Charlotte, the state’s largest city, though it has not yet scheduled a vote. “It says we’re inclusive and welcoming,” Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan said of the changes, according to The News & Record. “That’s what we want people to think of when they think of Greensboro.” The changes in Greensboro include adding sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to a list of enumerated categories in three ordinances — fair housing, city employment and city services. “The City of Greensboro prides itself on being open and inclusive for all residents and the changes proposed for Council consideration are designed to further strengthen the City’s efforts to prohibit discrimination,” Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan said in a
statement to qnotes before the vote. “I believe these changes not only continue to protect our current and future employees, but also take the extra step of acknowledging and protecting the civil rights of our residents and business owners who participate in City programs and receive City services.” The state’s leading LGBT advocacy group
Wedding Celebrations
Photo Credit: Ron Tencati Photography
Haffner & Quillin
Currin & Duke Rodney Currin, 54, and Patrick Duke, 53, of Mount Holly, N.C., were married on Nov. 15, 2014, in a sunset wedding ceremony on the Kissing Bridge at the Carolina Renaissance Festival. Mr. Currin, a native of Oxford, N.C., and Mr. Duke, a native of Apex, N.C., met 30 years ago through a mutual friend, but waited until their marriage was legally recognized in their home state before tying the knot. The couple has called the Charlotte area their home, which they share with three beloved cats, for three decades. They thank the Carolina Renaissance Festival and officiant Tony Miller for making the special occasion an absolutely incredible experience.
Richard L. Haffner and John C. Quillin were united in marriage on Dec. 21, 2014, at 10:30 in the morning at beautiful Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, N.C. The ceremony was officiated by the Rev. Murdock Smith, Ph.D.; Marguerite Tucker and Leland Wykoff served as honor attendants. Rick’s father, Robert Haffner, escorted the grooms. Rick’s mother, Patricia, and John’s parents, Katherine and Grady, are deceased. John and Rick wish to thank the many people who extended their best wishes and who, in lieu of gifts, generously contributed to the Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte in their honor.
has worked with city leaders and said before the vote that they were hopeful for a positive outcome. “Equality NC has been working with members of Greensboro City Council, the Mayor, and local activists for some time now on these important updates to the city’s protections, specifically for LGBT Greensboro residents,” Equality NC Executive Director Chris Sgro said in a statement before the vote. “We are hopeful for broad support on council tomorrow evening, and believe that the City of Greensboro will stand with a supermajority of North Carolinians in supporting protections for LGBT citizens.” Following the vote, Sgro stressed the importance of equal protections. “There’s massive public support for protections in housing, protections in employment and protections in public accommodations,” Sgro said, according to The News & Record. “Most North Carolinians believe the protections already exist, but they exist in a surprisingly small number of municipalities across the state, and Greensboro becomes the first in the state to add those protections in terms of housing.”
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Greensboro ordinances continued from page 11 Greensboro’s new protections The first of the three new ordinance changes prohibit discrimination in the offering of city programs, services or activities. According to a memo to Council from City Attorney Thomas Carruthers, the proposal also directs the city manager to “conduct a review of all City facilities that contain restrooms, lockers, and changing rooms to evaluate the creation of a Privacy Restroom, Locker or Changing room that will be available for both individuals and families on a gender neutral basis.” New private facilities would not change existing men’s and women’s facilities. The use of restroom facilities by transgender people has often provoked backlash against LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination measures, though most advocates say fears of abuse are unfounded and are often used as a scare tactic to delay or prevent votes. The News & Record reports that Councilmember Tony Wilkins expressed concern over the cost of new restrooms and other accommodations. Vaughan said it won’t be difficult. “A lot of our buildings already have family rest rooms or changing rooms,” Vaughan said. “This would just designate these spaces as gender neutral.” The second change codifies LGBT-inclusive protections for city employees in the city’s ordinances. By policy, Greensboro already prohibits public employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The final change alters the city’s fair housing ordinance, adding LGBT-inclusive protections to those meant to prohibit discrimination in the “buying, renting, selling, or advertising of real estate.” The city attorney’s memo says the fair housing changes are consistent with new regulations suggested by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “The City receives federal grant funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to enforce the City’s Fair Housing Ordinance and this amendment is supported by this agency,” Carruthers’ memo reads. “If approved by Council, HUD will review this amendments. HUD approval is expected; given these amendments align with HUD suggestions.” Charlotte considering similar changes The changes in Greensboro come as the state’s largest city, Charlotte, considers its own ordinance updates and revisions. A coalition of organizations has requested changes to several Charlotte ordinances.
Scott Bishop, chair of the Mecklenburg LGBT Political Action Committee (MeckPAC), presented Charlotte’s proposal in November. The local coalition is still waiting on city staff to schedule its briefing with Council leaders before moving forward with a final vote. In addition to MeckPAC, other coalition members include Equality North Carolina, the Charlotte Business Guild, Genderlines, LGBT Democrats of Mecklenburg County, the ACLU-Charlotte and the Human Rights Campaign. (Learn more about the Charlotte proposals at charlotteequality.strikingly.com.) Charlotte’s and Greensboro’s planned ordinance changes differ in some ways. Unlike Greensboro, Charlotte won’t be tackling fair housing rules, and, unlike Charlotte, Greensboro won’t be changing their public accommodations ordinance, which offers protections in public spaces like restaurants and hotels. “In Charlotte’s case, the fair housing ordinance is governed by the city charter, and that made it more difficult to change the ordinance without first going through the General Assembly,” Bishop said. Equality NC says movement on local ordinances is just one step in a still-evolving set of goals following the legalization of same-gender marriage in North Carolina last fall. Couples, they have said, can be married, but are still liable to unfair discrimination in employment, housing and other areas. “In the wake of marriage equality, there remains much work to be done to achieve full lived and legal equality for LGBT residents of the Tar Heel State,” Sgro said. “Protections in housing, access to public accommodations, and employment are among the most important pieces of that work. ENC is committed to working with other municipalities across North Carolina, as well as with the General Assembly, to protect LGBT folks from potential discrimination. Discrimination is plain wrong, and people across the state know it.” “I’m proud,” Sgro, himself a resident of Greensboro, added, “that the City of Greensboro is considering protecting its residents against discrimination.” A series of local ordinance changes could create an uneven patchwork of protections across the state — some cities offering protections in some areas and denying them in others. Ultimately, only statewide action will create equal protections across the board. “I think this is just a starting point,” Bishop said. “If Charlotte has its updates and then Greensboro and then another city does it, that might be the driver for the state to say it’s time to do something on the state level.” : :
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2015’s Top 10: LGBT events, travels and more Exciting places to see and things to do this year in the LGBT Carolinas by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com
Photo Credit: © Chad McDermott / Dollar Photo Club
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t’s a brand new year. Time for new adventures and outings. There are innumerable new experiences waiting for you across the region — new sights to see, new places you might not have ever visited, events you might not have ever attended. Here are 10 ideas for LGBT travel and fun in this beautiful new 2015… Spring In March, Charlotte’s One Voice Chorus, the area’s first LGBT choral group, celebrates its 25th anniversary with two special performances of its anniversary concert, “Wish: Dreams into Reality” on March 20 and March 21. Learn more at onevoicechorus.com. In April, Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte returns with the third installment of their “Big Gay Sing,” a community-wide sing-along celebration. This year, the group highlights the “soundtrack that accompanied the LGBT rights movement since Stonewall,” with music from the likes of Jimmy Somerville and Erasure, Sylvester, k.d. lang, Madonna, Lady Gaga and more. Learn more at gmccharlotte.org In May, two large-scale events, one in Charlotte and the other in Raleigh, will bring together the community for awareness, action and fellowship. In Charlotte, the Regional AIDS
Interfaith Network will take to Uptown streets for their AIDS Walk Charlotte. Visit carolinarain. org for more. In Raleigh, the LGBT Center of Raleigh will present its annual Out! Raleigh festival on May 2. If you’re looking for a new, somewhat different Pride festival-style event, be sure to learn more at outraleigh.org. Summer In June, travel south to Augusta for its annual Pride festival. It’s one of the few Pride festivals across the region to actually hold their event during National LGBT Pride Month, this year slated for June 26-27 — the same weekend we all celebrate the iconic Stonewall Riots. Learn more at augustapride.org. In August, head to Durham’s Carolina Theatre for the North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, the South’s second-largest LGBT film festival. Going strong since 1995, the festival celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2015. Events are slated Aug. 14-22. Learn more at carolinatheatre.org/films/festivals/ncglff. Also in August, don’t miss out on the evergrowing Charlotte Pride, this year slated for Aug. 15-16. What was once a small festival tucked away in Uptown’s Marshall Park has grown into the region’s largest LGBT Pride festival and parade. Organizers said they had
more than 100,000 visitors in 2014. Learn more at charlottepride.org. Last but not least, don’t miss out on the waning days of summer at the beach. Outer Banks Pride offers a smaller, unique Pride festival experience. Lounge around on a sandy beach while watching performances or take evening cruises into the Atlantic sunset. Final dates have yet to be announced, but the event is usually held in September. Learn more at obxpridefest.com. Fall As the weather cools and the year comes to an end, take a weekend trip to the beautiful North Carolina mountains for Asheville’s Blue Ridge Pride. Spend the day visiting Pride merchants and the evenings strolling through some of Asheville’s art galleries, shops and more. The 2015 event is slated for Oct. 3. Learn more at blueridgepride.org. Also in October, take a break for learning and enlightenment and attend the University of North Carolina-Charlotte’s annual OUTspoken speakers series. Each year, the university brings in engaging, nationally-known voices to discuss issues of importance to the LGBT community. Past speakers have included transgender activist Kate Bornstein, former Human
Rights Campaign Executive Director Elizabeth Birch and slam-poet and author Staceyann Chin. A speaker for 2015 hasn’t yet been announced, but stay up-to-date with the details at outspoken.uncc.edu. : :
Travel resources Thinking of turning your LGBT day or weekend trips into full-blown vacations? Check out these resources making the best of your planning. Chapel Hill visitchapelhill.org/itineraries/tour/gay-lesbiantravel-in-the-triangle Charlotte charlottesgotalot.com/lgbt-travel-charlotte Raleigh visitraleigh.com/visitors/glbt/ Asheville gayashevillenc.com romanticasheville.com/gayandlesbian.html General resources: Outer Banks: outerbanks.org North Carolina: visitnc.com South Carolina: discoversouthcarolina.com
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Homelessness survey doesn’t count all LGBT people, youth continued from page 8 found only one homeless person who selfidentified as transgender, despite other data and local agencies’ experiences that suggest that number should be higher. The Point in Time Count also doesn’t currently include youth. Youth face unique needs Tucker’s agency sees a need that far outstrips what the current data suggests. In 2014, TOY had 60 inquiries for housing, a 50 percent increase over the year prior. Similarly, access to TOY’s emergency financial assistance also rose 50 percent in 2014, used to help supplement youth’s incomes, buy groceries or assist with down payments for rent or power bills. Tucker estimates that as many as threefourths of TOY’s drop-in center clients are low-income. Some face challenges with housing, but many also find themselves with a lack of reliable transportation, support for school needs and sometimes food or clothing. Youths’ needs are often varied and complicated by a variety of other social factors, like racial or socioeconomic discrimination. Youth from more prosperous schools or neighborhoods served by TOY’s gay-straight alliance network aren’t necessarily the same youth needing emergency assistance. “The youth who tend to come in the center are the ones with the highest levels of need,” Tucker says. “The majority of clients right at the
moment are African-American males.” James Miller, executive director of the LGBT Center of Raleigh, sees similar needs formed among racial and wealth gaps in his part of the state. In Raleigh, the divide is geographic. “It’s interesting to note this is a statebased problem,” Miller says. “When we do see people, they are almost exclusively not from Raleigh or Durham. They’re as far out as Tyrell County, coming essentially from the Outer Banks. We do see a high percentage of poverty, especially coming from outside the Raleigh beltline. It’s a pretty clear delineation between the haves and the have-nots.” Miller’s agency lacks many of the resources of others. The Raleigh center provides youth programming, but doesn’t offer a host home program. Instead, it works directly with Haven House, with a variety of programs offering housing for homeless or runaway youth as young as 10 years old. TOY is working with the Forty to None project to better address the issues in Charlotte. He says local officials have been receptive to the idea of adding sexual orientation questions to the annual Point in Time Count and creating a youth-targeted counting event, in advance of HUD guidelines that youth be included in the annual counts by 2016. Early models have already been tested. In 2013, the True Colors Fund provided funding for an Urban Institute study of youth homelessness counting techniques in nine communities across the country. Winston-Salem was one of them and LGBT-inclusive measures were tested. Counters left their definition of homelessness intentionally vague, so as to capture couch-surfing young people. They also held a youth-targeted event, with games and food. Volunteers and counters wore visibly LGBTfriendly stickers provided by the True Colors Fund and visited places where LGBT youth were known to congregate. “It wasn’t meant to actually get a count, but it was meant to figure out how best to count young people,” Shelton says. “One thing we know is that adult homelessness is often different than youth homelessness.” In addition to working toward better youthtargeted data, TOY says it’s also embarking on a six-month needs assessment. Past board members, staffers and funders of the agency have long dreamed of opening an LGBT-inclusive youth shelter or other housing program. “We’ll take the data from the needs assessment and look at program models and see if the need matches or if there is a need there,” Tucker says. Right now, youth in need of housing are taken in by volunteer host homes. TOY counts 11 host homes now, but not all youth are eligible for the program — those with prior criminal records or those who were once housed in mental health facilities aren’t placed. The limitations aren’t necessarily self-imposed. One of TOY’s past insurance providers recently dropped the entire organization, citing the host home program, despite its limited scope, as “too much liability.” An expanded housing program would solve some of those issues and could assist more at-risk youth falling through a current gap in services.
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tell trinity by Trinity :: qnotes contributor :: trinity@telltrinity.com
“Good sex is like good Bridge. If you don’t have a good partner, you’d better have a good hand.” — May West Dearest Trinity, I have difficulty keeping an erection without Viagara. My urologist and friends both say, “It’s only stage freight when having to perform.” Because of this problem, I feel more comfortable having one-night stands on Viagara. Yes, one night stands get lonely, but telling a stranger about my problem is also too difficult. Help! Rocket Man, South Beach, FL Dearest Rocket Man, Yes, getting it up on Viagara just to come down to erection problems can get lonely, as lonely as one-night stands. But, sweetie, you know this already, which means you’re smarter than
most men or men with problems (now that’s an oxymoron)! So, it’s time to rise to the occasion, and just for fun, try telling your mates that you need Viagara and see if they care. When you find out that nobody cares, then you won’t care. Remember, mental stress is the #1 cause of erectile dysfunction! So relax, I mean, get excited, I mean, relax about getting excited! Dear Trinity, I’ve tried everything to get a boyfriend. I’m not giving up, but I’m at the end of my rope. Any ideas? Roped, Albany, NY Dear Roped, When hunting for a boyfriend, never give
up, yet never beat a dead horse. Try changing your image, your hunting grounds and your look! This, honey, is the first and foremost trick in the dating game! (Put on your most fab date drag and head on out to meet your “charming” mate. My cartoon shows you how I do it!) Hello Trinity, I was seeing a bartender for a month until one day, with no reason or explanation, he just ended it. Now, he completely avoids me! I just want him to know that ending it like this is wrong! Are all bartenders the same? Angry, Detroit, MI Hello Angry, All bartenders are not the same. However, all month-long affairs that actually are just stretched-out, short flings are. Someone gets laid, someone falls in love, someone gets hurt and someone writes to Trinity! Yet, you have every right to corner him and tell him, “People are not sex toys to be used, then tossed away. Children throw away their toys. Grown-ups allow for closure.” But newsflash, darling, most men are children. So, just release him, move on and next time, don’t get attached so damn fast! Dear Trinity, I met this great guy in Ft. Lauderdale and he’s coming to visit me in Boston for a week. What should I do to insure our week will be successful? One Week Date, Boston, MA Dear One Week, Throughout my life, I have played host to many visiting dates and, pumpkin, after many disastrous and miraculous times I compiled: Trinity’s Invaluable Tips For Hosting A Visiting (Romantic) Date 1. Visiting someone else’s environment is uncomfortable, so be more understanding than you normally would be. 2. Only have visiting dates if you have time.
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Allow for mornings and/or nights free from work. 3. Ten days or even one week is way too long for a first time visiting date. Three to five days is enough to start with. 4. Clean everything, i.e. bedroom, bed sheets, bathroom, etc. “Sorry, I didn’t have time to clean!” is unacceptable! 5. Preplan your activities: biking by day, theater at night and plenty of time for romantic interludes. 6. P repare for sex! Preset contraceptives, hand towels and flaming candles. And any other fetish supplies. 7. Offer your guest unlimited amounts of sleep, food and hot water. Everyone deserves this! 8. F ind time to be apart, even if it’s just one hour a day. 9. Expecting every minute to be perfect is like expecting a white knight on a white horse. Everyone has his or her ups and downs. Deal with it! 10. L astly, hide the wedding ring and cake (or the arsenic and hatchet) until the last day. : : info: With a Masters of Divinity, Reverend Trinity hosted “Spiritually Speaking,” a weekly radio drama performed globally, and is now minister of sponsor, WIG: Wild Inspirational Gatherings, wigministries.org. Learn more at telltrinity.com.
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dishing with buff faye by Buff Faye :: qnotes contributor :: info@bufffaye.com
Queen of Nice: Cierra Desiree Nichole Some queens are just nice. Don’t tell anyone, but behind the make-up and glitter, there is a heart (sometimes). Cierra Desiree Nichole is one of those nice queens. Seemingly everyone loves her and, like Switzerland, you can find her remaining neutral in most any conflict. We sat down at my gayborhood favorite spot, Plaza Midwood’s Dish, for some food and girl talk. Cierra defines herself as a drag entertainer and her male persona Tony Land is a sharp contrast to her female impersonation. She was 21 when she started drag in 2000. It was a joke with friends who wanted to go out in drag one night. It wasn’t even Halloween, she recalls: “My friend OJ begged me to do it. So we both got some stuff from Fifi Mahony’s, got two little outfits, and went out. One night turned into doing a talent show. I was the only one suckered into doing it.” Cierra went on to compete in Scorpio’s monthly talent shows where she won and then began getting bookings. Before she knew it, she did her first pageant and won her first title as Miss Forsyth County America in Winston-Salem, later competing in Miss North Carolina America. “I have a thing for being in the spotlight,” Cierra says. “I was a drum major in high school — the feathers, sequin cape, that was always there. Doing drag gave me an outlet to explore in a different way. Front center, spotlight on me, feathers, doing my salute… drag gives me that moment too.” Cierra was still living with family when she began drag. One day, her mom came into
her room, where Cierra had 10 wig heads, and asked, “You don’t want to be a woman do you?” Cierra respectfully said no. Her mom’s always been supportive, though. She’s never seen a live performance, but has seen videos and compares Cierra to her sister, “top heavy and all.” Cierra laughs: “My mom said I will do anything for money — well not quite.” Originally from Salisbury, Cierra is quite proud of the growing Salisbury Pride celebration. Becoming Miss Charlotte Pride in 2010 was one of her greatest accomplishments in drag. “I got to do a lot of work in the community with that title. The step down was emotional too, a line of people waiting to tip you. I had to go through my number three times,” Cierra says. “If people come up to me and say I love your number, you touched me in some way — and if whatever you have going on in the outside world, if I can make you forget that for the three to four minutes I am on stage than I have done my job.” Cierra currently holds the title of Miss Don’t H8 Diva East Coast and Miss Hide-a-Way At-Large. She performs regularly at The Scorpio and Hide-A-Way. Cierra’s drag mother is Elaine Davis. She’s done a lot for Cierra, namely teaching her make-up skills and forcing her to know her words for lip-syncing — an art some drag queens have forgotten these days, I might add. She also has two other role models that inspire her — Ivey White and the deceased Whitney Paige from Dallas, Texas. Cierra shares this sage advice for drag queens today: “You got to have tough skin. People are going to judge you. Take in what they are saying without making it personal. Remember any feedback helps
you grow as an individual.” As we wrap-up our girl talk, I asked Cierra what the future holds. She says her drop-dead date for drag is at the age of 40. I gasp. That means I only have 20 years left. She laughs and reiterates: “I might get an extra year or two, but I have told my husband that is when I retire.” Shame. The drag AARP will be disappointed. I love you “Queen of Nice.” DRAG TIP: “Blend, blend, blend,” Cierra quips. Maybe she’s not so nice. I think she was directing that towards me. — Buff Faye calls the Queen City her home and performs to post kitten memes on Facebook (and to raise money for charities). Find her at your favorite bars and hot spots. Plus don’t forget her monthly Sunday drag brunch and regular Friday night party bus. Learn more at AllBuff.com. Follow on Twitter @BuffFaye
SHOUT OUTS: It’s a New Year with new drag
happenings. Starting at Bar at 316 this Sunday, Jan. 18 is the first weekly Showtune Sundays from 4-8 p.m. followed by Karaoke. Plus the foxy “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Joslyn Fox comes to town on Jan. 24 weekend. Sunday, Jan. 25 is the annual Miss Scorpios pageant at The Scorpio. And don’t forget Snug Harbor for Lip Gloss on Thursday, Jan. 29!
Photo Credit: After Six Photography
Jan. 16-29 . 2015
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EVENTS
January-February 2015 SEP JAN MO
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MLK Day Parade Uptown Charlotte 11 a.m., assembly at 8 a.m.
LGBT Wedding Expo SEP JAN MO Solas 419 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh 12:30-3:30 p.m. You are invited to the second annual “Same Love, Same Rights” LGBT Wedding Expo in Raleigh. Dozens of gay-friendly exhibitors will participate, eager to help you and your fiancee plan the ceremony of your dreams! Photographers, DJs, officiants, wedding planners, venues, jewelers, invitations and more. Free raffle giveaways, LGBT wedding planning tips and trends. samelovesamerights.com
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Affirming Faith Forum LGBT Center of Raleigh 324 S. Harrington St., Raleigh 6:30-8:30 p.m. Join thousands for the annual Martin LGBT Center of Raleigh hosts its usual Luther King, Jr. Day Parade in Uptown fourth Friday Affirming Faith Forum. The Charlotte. The Human Rights Campaign and other organizations will march in the open discussion program is a “safe place of radical hospitality.” parade, in addition to dozens of other lgbtcenterofraleigh.com marching contingents. Join the LGBT community marching team at 8 a.m. with complimentary bagels and coffee. ‘Hidden Colors’ SEP JAN MO Organizations are invited to wear their dupp&swat own group T-shirts or bring their own 2424 N. Davidson St., Suite marching materials. The parade staging 112B, Charlotte, 6 p.m. area will be around N. Tryon St. and 10th A screening of the first St. For more parade information, visit installment of the mlk.charlottevibe.com. The following documentary “Hidden Monday, don’t take a day off. Make it a Colors,” featuring day of service instead! Be sure to join discussion of African local HRC chapter members for an MLK history and intersecDay of Service project, volunteering tions with religion. A all day at the Regional AIDS Interfaith panel discussion will Network and Time Out Youth Center on follow. Admission is $3 for the screening Monday, Jan. 19. For more information and discussion or $5 including dinner. on HRC’s parade contingent, its day of Tickets can be purchased online at service projects and other events, visit eventbrite.com/e/hidden-colors-part1facebook.com/events/848339821852974/. tickets-15021110546.
SEP JAN MO
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Submit your event to our calendar!
You can submit your event to our comprehensive community calendar presented by qnotes, the LGBT Community Center of Charlotte and Visit Gay Charlotte. Submit your event at goqnotes.com/eventsubmit/ and get a three-for-one entry. All Charlotte-area events will appear on each of the three calendars at qnotes (goqnotes.com), the LGBT Center (lgbtcharlotte.org) and Visit Gay Charlotte (visitgaycharlotte.com). Town Hall SEP JAN MO North Star LGBT Community Center 704 Brookstown Ave., Winston-Salem 6-8 p.m. Hosted by El Cambio, a topical discussion of current events affecting the local LGBT community. El Cambio is a Yadkin County-based social justice organization focused on immigrant and minority rights. elcambio.webs.com
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‘Jesus and Justice’ Alvarez College Union, Smith 900 Room Davidson College, Davidson 7:30 p.m. Doug Ottati, Craig Family Distinguished Professor of Reformed Theology and Justice Ministry at Davidson College, will discuss “Love Your Enemies: The Teaching of Jesus & Dynamics of Reactionary Violence.” The event is free. For information email ammacintyre @davidson.edu.
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Jan. 16-29 . 2015
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HRC North Carolina Gala Charlotte Convention Center, 501 S. College St., Charlotte 5:30-11 p.m. The Human Rights Campaign presents their annual North Carolina Gala. The group expects more than 1,500 attendees at their signature local fundraising event. Information and tickets are available online. hrccarolina.org
SEP FEB MO
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Statewide Community Centers LGBT Community Center of Charlotte
Moral March SEP FEB MO 2 E. South St., Raleigh Thousands attend the Moral March on Raleigh during the annual Historic Thousands on Jones Street march, sponsored by the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP. Come together with likeminded North Carolinians on labor rights, education, health care, equality and voting rights. Gather at 9 a.m. and march to the North Carolina Capitol. hkonj.com
To see more upcoming events, visit goqnotes.com/calendar/
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LGBT Wedding Expo SEP FEB MO Sheraton Charlotte Hotel 555 S. McDowell St., Charlotte 12:30-3:30 p.m. You are invited to the inaugural Charlotte “Same Love, Same Rights” LGBT Wedding Expo. Dozens of gay-friendly exhibitors will participate, eager to help you and your fiancee plan the ceremony of your dreams! Photographers, DJs, officiants, wedding planners, venues, jewelers, invitations and more. Free raffle giveaways, LGBT wedding planning tips and trends. samelovesamerights.com
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Temporary Offices: Sensibly Chic, 830 Lamar Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204 704-333-0144 lgbtcharlotte.org
LGBT Center of Raleigh
324 S. Harrington St., Raleigh, NC 27603, 919-832-4484 lgbtcenterofraleigh.com
North Star LGBT Community Center
704 Brookstown Ave., Winston-Salem, NC 27101, 336-893-9053 northstarlgbtcc.com
LGBTQ Center of Durham (virtual until facility is secured) Meeting Place: The Back Room, Mercury Studio 401 W. Geer Street, Durham NC 27701 lgbtqcenterofdurham.org
Submit your event at goqnotes.com/eventsubmit/
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news
Poverty affects significant portion of community continued from page 14 Struggle affects many City and county officials, along with a coalition of private agencies, businesses and other funders, recently announced an ambitious project they hope will end chronic homelessness in two years. Local government counts as many as 4,000 homeless people in the area, of which 10 percent are the most vulnerable. That smaller number, though, eats at nearly 50 percent of the resources devoted to homelessness. The coalition wants to raise $11 million to take them off the street. Their answer is a mix of permanent housing and accompanying supportive services, to help treat some of the factors contributing to longterm homelessness, mental illness and drug addiction among them. The new project has received praise for its vision, but it won’t be one that adequately serves the temporarily homeless or those struggling financially in other ways. The numbers of those sometimes adversely affected are larger than one might imagine, with the threat of homelessness or financial struggle never far away for a great many families or households in Charlotte. A federal study released late last year found that just $400 in an unexpected expense could throw the average family into financial hardship, forcing them to borrow money, sell something to cover the cost or simply opt not to pay at all. Daniel Valdez, advocacy program manager for Charlotte’s Crisis Assistance Ministry, calls it asset poverty, and he points to a 2012 study that found 36 percent of Charlotte households, and more than 50 percent for those under the age of 35, lack solid financial security. “People might have plenty of income, but they can lose that income and don’t always have enough savings to weather a job loss,” Valdez says. “Clients a lot of times have very little safety net when an emergency happens.” Those emergencies take on various forms. People without sick days, vacation time or who don’t have the ability to work remotely lose income when they are sick. An unexpected auto repair for someone who depends on their own transportation to get to work or care for family. An unexpected trip to the emergency room or the added burden of
should understand that there are people in the LGBT community affected by the same issues [they work on]; they need to ask how we engage in getting trained to be sensitive to the needs and being culturally aware of the nuances and unique aspects of the community — like a transgender person or kids being kicked out.” RAIN’s Foreman believes in collaboration, too. He just wishes there were more of it and he wants government and others to put their money where their mouth is. “I think it’s saving face in the public’s eyes,” Foreman says of recent project announcements from local government. “The county has been leading us on since the Democratic National Convention about ending homelessness and I have yet to see it. We have a huge — Daniel Valdez epidemic of need in this county and yet we are more worried about the Charlotte Hornets or the Carolina Panthers than its own citizens to community to come together for change. some extent.” “One of the things I’ve always talked Foreman says our community has the about when I’m asked to do a talk is that as a resources, but needs a more committed will. community and as non-profits, we can’t work “We have the nation’s second-largest in silos,” Valdez says. “The LGBT community banking capital, a lot of influence and the has an interest in making sure that Charlotte ability to make good measurable change,” as a whole is a community that provides Foreman adds, “but because of politics or economic mobility and opportunity for people, whatever, we always refuse to do what’s right and community organizations that don’t for the people who need it.” : : traditionally serve LGBT community members new prescription medicines. Each of these emergencies could eat into money already set aside for power bills or rent. “The average amount of assistance given to families isn’t very high,” Valdez says. “Most families have some money for rent or utilities. They just need some extra to help them get through one month.” The struggle cuts across the board, affecting LGBT community members as much as non-LGBT community members, Valdez says. In that way, it’s important for the entire
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❝ Most families have some money for rent or utilities. They just need some extra help to get through one month. ❞
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Jan. 16-29 . 2015
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Jan. 16-29 . 2015