Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
qnotes
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Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
inside
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qnotes news & features
Surviving the fallout of HB2!
news. views. Briefs arts. 6 entertainment. News Notes: Regional 9 News Notes: U.S./World Briefs
a&e / life&style 4 4 5 10 12 12 13 14 16 19 20 21 22 23
McCrory denies HB2 fallout Is there HB2 overreach Surviving HB2 mentally Navigating Social Security WHO reevaluations Time to make changes Gay image study Viewing gay porn Ira Sachs Q&A Dishing with Buff Faye Tell Trinity Mental health resources Q Events Calendar Our People: Mel Hartsell
opinions & views
The LGB and trans communities have had a bear of a time dealing with the aftermath of HB2. And, the mental health issues that are left in the storm’s swath have presented challenges. page 5
more news & features
Social Security sets out new rules post same-sex marriage Looking at name changes and more. page 10
Q&A with Ira Sachs Writer, director shares details on his latest film, “Little Men.” page 16
4 Editor’s Note
Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
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HB2 Update
McCrory administration denies economic repercussions of HB2 Governor’s budget director downplays law’s impact by Maria Dominguez :: qnotes contributor RALEIGH, N.C. — “Folks like to think the sky is falling because a sporting event is moved out of state,” joked Andrew Heath, Gov. McCrory’s budget director, on Aug. 15 at a presentation to the John Locke Foundation. The comment alludes to the 2017 NBA All-Star Game, which was moved out of Charlotte in protest of House Bill 2 (HB2), a law that discriminates against transgender people. If Heath were to be believed, the event was merely that — a few days’ worth of entertainment, no big deal. Unfortunately, what this budget “expert” failed to mention was the enormous economic impact of the event — and the other revenue lost to North Carolina because of HB2. The NBA All-Star Game would have meant $100 million added to the Charlotte economy, according to The Charlotte Observer. The week-long event would have been the biggest attraction in the city since the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Heath’s comment amounts to not only denial, but comedic dismissal of the huge impact this law has had on the North Carolina economy. More than tourist dollars, HB2 has also cost the state job opportunities, as companies like PayPal have canceled their plans to expand into North Carolina due to the law. Attorney General Roy Cooper, McCrory’s opponent in the gubernatorial race, did not hesitate to comment. “How can we expect Governor McCrory to stop the job losses if he won’t event admit it’s a problem?” read a statement by Cooper campaign spokesperson Jamal Little. “McCrory may try to pretend nothing is wrong, but the truth is HB2 has cost our state thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars.” Although Little’s estimate sounds extreme, it is actually conservative. According to the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, the risk of losing federal funding means that HB2 could cost North Carolina up to $5 billion per year. Federal money for the state is on tenuous ground, given the lawsuits between McCrory’s administration and the Justice Department. Early in August, federal Judge Thomas Schroeder heard arguments regarding an injunction to halt the most harmful effects of HB2, the dictate that public bathrooms be entered according to a person’s gender at birth. As of press time, Schroeder has not yet made a decision in the case. The more comprehensive court date for HB2 lawsuits is set for mid-November. : :
HB2 Update
Explaining HB2 supporters’ claim of DOJ overreach An analysis of the branches of government and their powers by Maria Dominguez :: qnotes contributor
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RALEIGH, N.C. — As the Nov. 14 federal trial that will decide the fate of House Bill 2 (HB2) creeps slowly closer, it has become increasingly difficult to find an objective source that will fairly represent both sides of the argument. It seems that everyone in North Carolina, and very many out-of-state corporations, politicians and citizens, all have their own opinions on HB2. Although qnotes
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clearly has a certain slant, this writer will attempt to demonstrate a fair summary of both conservative and progressive arguments going into the trial. A recent press release from the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) sheds some light on the conservative, proHB2 side of the debate. NCPPR argues that the Department of Justice (DOJ) attempting
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Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
to overturn the law constitutes overreach of the executive branch. We’ve all heard the term “overreach” bandied about, but the center’s rhetoric is particularly persuasive because it speaks to the very nature of the United States government. As we all learned in civics class, the government has three distinct bodies: legislative, judicial and executive. The NCPPR and other conservative critics of the DOJ’s lawsuit claim that, as a part of the executive branch, the Obama administration is attempting to rewrite the meaning of “sex discrimination” without consent of the legislative branch, which is supposed to be responsible for writing the law. “It is important to continue the U.S. Constitution’s separation of powers doctrine, whereby the legislative branch passes laws and the executive branch enforces them,” the center’s press release argues. Any objective analysis of this argument must acknowledge that it is indeed the job of the legislature, and not the executive branch, to write the law; but this is not the end of the argument. What the NCPPR does not acknowledge is the third branch of the government — the judicial. This is the branch that truly holds the power in this case, as the burden falls upon a
federal judge to hear and resolve arguments from the DOJ and proponents of HB2. So, if the judge were to rule in favor of the DOJ, it would be the judicial and executive branches outvoting the legislative. That would certainly not be unprecedented in history. How many court cases over our country’s 240-year history have influenced the law of the nation and even led to changes in the law or how it is interpreted? U.S. v. Windsor. Texas v. Johnson. Roe v. Wade. Brown v. Board of Education. These are just a few. Although the center’s and other conservatives’ arguments about executive overreach have merit, the very existence of a federal court case ensures that overreach is impossible. No matter how badly the executive administration hopes to change the law, it is ultimately up to the judicial branch to determine the future of HB2. The federal judge who is to decide the case, Thomas Schroeder, has a conservative history that includes upholding N.C.’s strict voter ID law (later overturned). If anything, it is LGBT advocates who should be nervous about the upcoming trial. Whatever the results, readers may rest easy knowing that qnotes will do its best to offer comprehensive coverage of HB2 developments. : :
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Mental Health & Wellness
LGBT North Carolinians struggle in a post-HB2 world Discriminatory law may lead to depression and anxiety by Maria Dominguez :: qnotes contributor
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any sources, including qnotes, have documented the economic and political impacts of House Bill 2 (HB2), also known as the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act. But setting aside the games of money and power, the mental and emotional impact of such controversial legislation is also considerable. Members of the LGBT community in North Carolina, particularly trans* North Carolinians, may be especially vulnerable while this law remains on the books. HB2, signed into law in March, dictates that people use the bathrooms and changing rooms for the gender designated on their birth certificates. Critics far and wide have pointed out that this discriminates against trans* citizens, who now face a difficult choice: follow the law, or follow their hearts. This choice is made more painful by the rhetoric promoted by supporters of the law, who claim that it is a “commonsense” measure to ensure that sexual predators stay out of bathrooms. The alignment of trans* people with bathroom creepers is one that has enraged many LGBT advocates. Among these were a group of more than 150 mental health professionals who called for a repeal of HB2 in an April letter to Gov. Pat McCrory. “The only real threat is to the safety of transgender people who can’t use appropriate bathrooms,” the group wrote. Community members agree: “I am not a sex offender, a pedophile or sexual predator, but my governor and my state says that I am,” wrote local transgender woman Janice Covington Allison on justaskandtell.com. Allison’s website names over 100 Charlotte-area businesses with gender-inclusive restrooms. Although some local businesses have shown solidarity with the LGBT community, the sense of conflict still has significant effect. “Many trans* people struggle with isolation,” social worker Mel Hartsell told qnotes upon founding the group Trans* in the City in August of 2013. Hartsell is a social worker, therapist and community activist who identifies as genderqueer or gender-fluid. “Living under oppression legally, experiencing microaggressions, and living with direct
violence takes its toll,” Hartsell said in a recent interview. “Being told continuously by the state and country in which you live that you aren’t worth protection under the law and, worse, are a danger to the public, is detrimental to a community that is already under so much distress. That distress is compiled when you add aspects of intersectionality such as being trans and especially trans people of color.” Since the advent of HB2, the isolation that trans* individuals face has deteriorated into a
Photo Credit: Artem Furman via Adobe Stock
public vilification that exacerbates the mental distress already too common in members of the LGBT community. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) cites just this type of mental distress. The organization’s North Carolina office released a statement shortly after HB2 was signed into law, pointing out that LGBT people show “significantly higher rates of suicide attempts, largely due to societal discrimination and stigma. NAMI North Carolina opposes HB2 and any legislation that further alienates or discriminates against any person.” More and more mental health professionals are condemning HB2 for creating a hostile environment for North Carolina’s LGBT citizens. Octavio N. Martinez, Jr, psychiatrist and board member of Grantmakers in Health, wrote a blog defending the organization’s choice to move their annual conference out of North Carolina: “There is no definition of ‘mental wellness’ that can abide the psychosocial harm of the
kind of discrimination that the HB2 law enshrines,” Martinez explains. “Stigma, whether perpetuated by family or ratified by a legislature, encroaches on emotional well-being and the ability of people to live whole and happy lives.” The facts speak for themselves. As reported by The Trevor Project, “Nearly half of young transgender people have seriously thought about taking their lives, and one quarter report having made a suicide attempt.” The trans* population is already at risk due to generations of hate and ignorance. HB2, in a modern day that should be relatively more enlightened than past ages, is just another conservative attempt to return the state to the stone age. Luckily, LGBT advocates are fighting back in more ways than one. Not only have countless businesses, organizations and individuals lodged protests, but still more organizations have formed to provide support to LGBT citizens who may struggle with mental health. Although there are many resources to help, ultimately the fight against mental health issues begins with the individual. “I think it’s important, as LGBTQ people, that we recognize the pressure we are constantly under from all angles and work to protect ourselves,” Hartsell pointed out. “So, be aware of the underlying cause of a lot of the mental health issues in our community: minority stress.” Being self-aware is the first step to recovery. Learn to recognize the signs of depression and anxiety, in self and others. Once recognized, there are many resources available to address these issues. “We must be aware of our community members, especially those who are most vulnerable,” Hartsell said. “Check in on your friends and be there for them.” [Ed. Note: If you or someone you know may be struggling, please reach out. Reach out to Time Out Youth Center. Reach out to Transcend Charlotte, or the Charlotte Transgender Healthcare Group. Reach out to the Trevor Project’s hotline (1-866-488-7386). Despite the hateful rhetoric spewed by supporters of HB2, even more people are on your side. Never lose hope. Reach out.] : :
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qnotes connect Aug. 26-Sept. 8, 2016 Vol 31 No 09
arts. entertainment. news. views. goqnotes.com twitter.com/qnotescarolinas facebook.com/qnotescarolinas
contributors this issue
Bill Allen, Paul Berge, Jeff Berry, Maria Dominguez, Rev. Wanda Floyd, Lainey Millen, Gregg, Shapiro, Jeff Taylor, Trinity, Connie Vetter, Lisa Wallace
front page
Graphic Design by Lainey Millen Photography: Diego Cervo via Adobe Stock Mission:
The focus of QNotes is to serve the LGBT and straight ally communities of the Charlotte region, North Carolina and beyond, by featuring arts, entertainment, news and views content in print and online that directly enlightens, informs and engages the readers about LGBT life and social justice issues. Pride Publishing & Typesetting, Inc., dba QNotes P.O. Box 221841, Charlotte, NC 28222 ph 704.531.9988 fx 704.531.1361 Publisher: Jim Yarbrough Sales: x201 adsales@goqnotes.com Nat’l Sales: Rivendell Media, ph 212.242.6863 Managing Editor: Jim Yarbrough, editor@goqnotes.com Assoc. Editor: Lainey Millen, specialassignments@goqnotes.com Social Media Editor: Jeff Taylor, jeff@goqnotes.com Production: Lainey Millen, x205 production@goqnotes.com Printed on recycled paper.
Material in qnotes is copyrighted by Pride Publishing & Typesetting © 2016 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.
letters to the editor Send your letters (please keep to 200 words or less) or guest commentaries (600 words or less) to letters@goqnotes.com. All letters must be signed with your first and last name and your city/state. We do not accept unsigned letters or commentaries. qnotes recently published a story about transgender name changes (“Avoiding a name change nightmare” Vol. 31, No. 7). I have represented the LGBT community for over 20 years, and I regularly obtain name changes for my transgender clients. I have done trans name changes in Mecklenburg County and the surrounding counties. I have also obtained name changes in the more rural counties from Burke County to Wilkes County. I have never had any difficulty. In fact, I have found that without fail, the court officials are respectful and professional. They grant the name change without any problem.
charlotteobserver.com/1166/
Are there bigots who end up in some official capacity in the legal system? Yes, and that’s what happened in the Georgia case referred to in the article. Is it the norm? No, not in my experience. Again, the court officials I have dealt with on behalf of my trans clients do their jobs professionally and without prejudice. I hope anyone wanting a name change will know it is something that can be done. Connie Vetter, Attorney at Law Charlotte, N.C.
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Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
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news notes: carolinas compiled by Lainey Millen :: qnotes staff
Youth receives surprise scholarship CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Aug. 5 Frankie Israel came to work as usual, but the day was far from that as when he entered West Elm, located at 1100 Metropolitan Ave., #160, he was welcomed with a celebration and surprise announcement that he had received a Dream Big full tuition scholarship to the University of Phoenix. Israel was one of 20 recipients nationwide who obtained one of the scholarships. The Dream Big program awards retail industry professionals who want to advance their retail careers through higher education. It is a collaborative effort between the National Retail Federation and the University of Phoenix School of Business. The collaborators’ mission is to highlight the diverse career paths that are available within the industry. More than 60 scholarships have been awarded to retail professionals over the past four years. A former participant at the Time Out Youth Center, Israel was kicked out of his home in Stanley County by his homophobic mother and step-father when he was 19. He wound up in Charlotte at the center and was placed in the Home Host Program. Through hard work he was able to get a job at West Elm, purchased a car and obtained independent living status. After more than two years, he was promoted to management. Even though Israel has finished some college courses, he now will be able to secure a full college education without worry. Annual tuition costs net out at $12,000. West Elm is a subsidiary of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. info: nrf.com. williams-sonoma.com. westelm.com.
Charlotte Church fights bias
‘Cat’ play open
CONCORD, N.C. — Trinity United Church of Christ, 38 Church St. N., has stepped into the arena of combatting bias and prejudice by welcoming its Racists Anonymous 12-Step group. Held on Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall, the group works to end racism in America. It is facilitated by Dr. Carol Stanley. “It does cover all types of racism. It doesn’t address specific issues of the LGBT community, but certainly when sharing our LGBT people attending can share parallels. We … hope that by looking at ourselves and our internal racist qualities and working on them, we can change ourselves in order to change the world, one person at a time. It is based on the belief that God hasn’t finished with us and will support our growth in this area,” Stanley shared. info: commachurch.com.
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Queen City Theatre Company has begun its run of “P.S. Your Cat Is Dead” which is being held at the Duke Energy Theatre, 345 N. College St., through Sept. 3. This production is the regional premiere of the play by Pulitzer Prize winning author James Kirkwood. It tells the story of life in New York City’s West Village during New Year’s Eve where the protagonist has been robbed twice, is undergoing his girlfriend leaving him and has lost his job. To add insult to injury, he’s left to talk to a gay burglar whom he has tied up in the kitchen and who tried to seduce him. The pièce de résistance for the chap is that his cat is dead. The comedy stars Joe Rux, Iesha Nyree, Berry Newkirk and Dan Grogan. It is directed by Glenn T. Griffin. “P.S. Your Cat Is Dead” is part of the company’s 10th season. Queen City Theatre Company was founded by Griffin and Kristian
Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
Wedolowski and is a resident company at the Duke Energy Theatre at Spirit Square. Show times are Aug. 26-27 and Sept. 2-3 at 8 p.m., Aug. 28, 7 p.m., and Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $23-$25 and are available online. Other productions in the 10th season are “An Act of God” (Feb. 2-11, 2017), “The Pride” (April 27-May 6, 2017) and “The Nance” (Aug. 3-12, 2017). Season sponsor passes for all four plays are $110 (opening night) and $135 (anytime) are available on a limited basis. info: queencitytheatre.com.
Musicians stand up against HB2
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Sept. 24, 12 p.m., North Carolina musicians will stand against HB2, as well as unite for Equality North Carolina at the Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 36th St. Organizers said, “We need you. To attend. To speak. To cheer. To protest. And to spread the word. The time is now, while this issue is front and center!” Opening remarks will be followed by musical acts. The proceeds from this event will go toward Equality North Carolina in its fight against the harmful and hateful law, organizers shared. The event is presented by MaxxMusic. Artists who will perform will be announced shortly. Tickets are $15/advance and $20/day of sale. info: neighborhoodtheatre.com.
Local actor cast for ‘Fun Home’
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The first national tour of “Fun Home” will kick off with its premiere at Knight Theatre at Levine Center for the Arts, 430 S. Tryon St., on June 27, 2017 and will continue through July 2. The play will feature Charlotte’s Abby Corrigan as Medium Alison. Corrigan attended the Northwest School of the Arts and was named Best Actress at the 2014 High School Musical Theatre Awards at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Corrigan will be joined by Alessandra Baldacchino (Small Alison - veteran of “Fun Home” Broadway production), Karen Eilbacher (Joan), Robert Hager (Roy), Lennon Nate Hammond (John), Pierson Salavdor (Christian), Anthony Fortino, Amanda Naughton, Sofia Trimarchi and Michael Winther. Carly Gold will play Small Alison at selected performances. “Fun Home” won five 2015 Tony Awards and was hailed as a huge success. It was the first show written exclusively by women to win theatre’s highest achievement. Its author, Allison Bechdel, was a previous qnotes cartoon contributor.
Tickets are now on sale beginning at $25 for those with a 2016-17 PNC Broadway Lights Series ticket and are available online. info: blumenthalarts.org. funhomebroadway.com.
Eastern Social justice symposium slated
PEMBROKE, N.C. — The 9th Annual Social Justice Symposium will be held on Sept. 1, 6:30 p.m., at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s UC Annex Assembly Room, 1 University Dr. Topic will be “Beyond the Bathroom: Understanding HB2 and Its Impact on North Carolina.” The event is sponsored by the Office for Diversity and Inclusion and its Social Justice Symposium Committee. It is free and open to the public. info: robert.canida@uncp.edu.
Triad Young to discuss current issues
GREENSBORO, N.C.— A Collective Conversation on Social Justice & Economic Matters from Future Global Leaders will be held on Aug. 29, 7-9 p.m., at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd. Among those who will attend are millennialaged CEOs, entrepreneurs, ministers, community organizers, college students and a plethora of other young professionals and young minds throughout the state who will discuss core issues surrounding social justice and economic matters. At the center is contemporary rights action where youth and young adults have found themselves and their livelihood and the core of these matters. Future global leaders will lend their voices to this phenomenon during the Let Us Speak event. The general public is invited and urged to attend as the listening audience. Dignitaries scheduled to appear are Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughn and Police Chief Wayne Scott, as well as a cadre of other council members, representatives and panelists who will discuss issues pertaining to youth empowerment, law enforcement, LGBT matters, voter rights, health, wellness, and education.
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Rev. Gregory Drumwright, a clergyman and community organizer from Greensboro, serves as the organizer of this event along with various college students and young business professionals. This event is free and open to the public. More information along with a one-minute video is available online. info: let-us-speak.org.
Conference announces award winners
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — North Carolina AIDS Action Network will present its inaugural Advocate of the Year awards at its upcoming Stronger Together: HIV/AIDS Advocacy Conference on Sept. 10. Esther Ross and Addison Ore will receive their awards during a welcome reception. Ross has been a dedicated leader of the Women’s Empowerment of the East program and annually organizes a van load of advocates to bring to HIV/AIDS Advocacy Day. Ore was a founding board member of the NC AIDS Action Network and is a long-time advocate for the LGBT community in North Carolina, as well as individuals living with HIV. For more information on the conference, see goqnotes.com/46501/. info: ncaan.org.
Folk fest hits Triad
GREENSBORO, N.C. — The 76th National Folk Festival will be held Sept. 9-11 along with the 17DAYS Arts and Cultural Festival which runs from Sept. 9-25. The two events carry the theme of “Fabric of Freedom” and will celebrate Greensboro’s history as a “crucible for freedom and social
justice,” organizers shared. It is presented by ArtsGreensboro and funded by a National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant, with major support from the AJ Fletcher Foundation and Lincoln Financial Foundation. Some 300 artists, including musicians, dancers, storytellers and craftspeople, will take part in the National Folk Festival, with more than 30 different musical groups performing on seven outdoor performance venues throughout downtown Greensboro. This free LGBT-friendly and inclusive event “celebrates all forms of diversity that make up this nation,” said event consultant and folk music “giant” Art Menius. It is the nation’s longest-running festival of traditional arts. info: 17daysgreensboro.org. nationalfolkfestival.org.
‘Better Half’ screening upcoming
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Out at the Movies Winston-Salem will screen “Better Half” on Sept. 10, 7 p.m., at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts ACE Theatre Complex, 1533 S. Main St. Tony and Leo have been a happy couple for years and had spoken about having a child. When a sickly infant is abandoned at a local hospital, Tony sees it as a sign. Director, writer and producer, Michelle Clay, and Jamie Fauth (Leo) and Grant Landry (Tony) will participate in a Skype Q & A immediately following the screening. Tickets are $7/general and $6/seniors and are available in the lobby beginning at 6:15 p.m. Cash, checks and credit/debit cards are accepted for payment.
In other news, the Third Annual Out at the Movies International LGBT Film Festival will return from Oct. 6-9 at a number of venues across the city. The first screening is the eastern U.S. premiere of Byrum Geisler’s “Before the Fall.” The following two days will be filled with showings and a celebrity reception/awards party will take place at Jeffrey Adams on Fourth on Sunday evening. The kickoff will include a sponsor and celebrity reception at the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel. The organization continues to accept sponsorships which begin at $100. Packages include tickets and/or festival passes, preferred seating, sponsors’ party, celebrity receptions and more. All-access passes are now on sale for $60. More information will be made available in an upcoming issue of qnotes. For sponsorships and/or passes, call Rex Welton at 336-918-0902 or email outatthemoviesfest@gmail.com. info: outatthemovieswinstonston.org.
Triangle Chorus auditions arrive
DURHAM, N.C. — Vox Virorum Men’s Chorus will be holding open auditions for its 5th anniversary season on Aug. 30, 6-8 p.m., and Sept. 6, 6-7 p.m., at First Presbyterian Church, 305 E. Main St. Men 18-years-old and up are invited. No prepared selection is necessary. All male voice parts and experience levels are welcome. With a focus on a traditional men’s glee club repertoire, musical excellence and camaraderie, and ideal for guys who “sang in high school
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and college,” the chorus is a welcoming outlet for one’s talents. Rehearsals are on Tuesday evenings from 7-8:30 p.m., September to May, at the church. For more information, email Jeremy Nabors, musical director, at voxvirorum@gmail.com. info: facebook.com/voxvirorumtrianglemenschoir.
Reunion planned for Power Company
DURHAM, N.C. — The Power Company Relive and Remember Reunion, slated for Dec. 10 at The Cotton Room, 807 E. Main St., is now being planned. Organizers shared, “For many of us, The Power Company was a place of freedom in which we could be ourselves, and find ourselves. It was a place of love and acceptance in the midst of an otherwise misunderstanding world. Walking through the doors into the magic that was The Power Company was monumental for us. The endless sea of mirror balls accompanied by the sounds of Madonna, Whitney, Sylvester, The Village People and Irene Cara combined to create life-changing moments.” They added, “It was a home for us, where dancing and laughter were required and our worries were to be checked at the door. The memories and the friends that were made during those amazing years will be cherished forever. But the time has come to Relive and Remember together! We ask you to join in nostalgic bliss as we celebrate the very first Power Company reunion.” The MC for the evening will be Jamie Monroe and an original house cast including
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news notes: u.s./world compiled by Lainey Millen :: qnotes staff
Orgs applaud affirming bathroom rights for trans workers ruling
the same laws that prohibit discrimination based on sex. “The federal government has torn down another wall of bigotry by rejecting discrimination against employees based on their gender identity,” AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr. said. “Every person should be able to go to the bathroom that corresponds to their gender — and it’s up to each person to make that determination.” The new regulation applies to all facilities that GSA owns, leases or manages on behalf of federal agencies. GSA currently owns and leases nearly 400 million square feet of space in 9,600 buildings nationwide, including office buildings, courthouses, post offices and laboratories. Joining the federation in their response is the National LGBTQ Task Force. “We welcome this enormous step forward on the part of the GSA. The new rule, which serves as a model for state and local governments, and to private entities, brings federal government facilities and spaces in line with already existing sex discrimination law. According to preliminary data from the U.S. Trans Survey, 59 percent of trans people have avoided bathrooms in the last year because they feared confrontations in public restrooms, at work, school, or in other places. In fact, 31 percent have even avoided eating or drinking out of fear of using the bathroom.
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Because of this rule, more trans people will be treated with dignity and will be less likely to be victims of violence,” said task force Trans/Gender Nonconforming Justice Project Director Victoria M. Rodríguez-Roldán. info: afge.org. thetaskforce.org.
Research Roundup LGBT healthcare Jillian Scheer, M.A., a doctoral candidate at Boston College, is searching for participants for a study on healthcare provided to the LGBT community with the goal of improving services to that demographic. The purpose of this study is to better understand the experiences and health of LGBT individuals, as well as the quality of services received by the LGBT community. Participants will be entered into a raffle for one of 15 $10, 10 $20, or three $50 online gift cards if they wish to participate. The study has been approved by the Boston College Institutional Review Board. A free online research editorial outlining major findings from the study, as well as future research directions, is available to interested parties. info: bit.ly/2bJhcGl.
QUICK HITS —————————————————————————————— WASHINGTON, D.C. — The largest union of federal government employees has applauded the federal government’s announcement that transgender federal workers must be able to use restrooms that correspond to their gender identity.
The American Federation of Government Employees said the Aug. 18 memo from the General Services Administration affirms recent decisions by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and other agencies that discrimination based on gender identity is illegal under
The Institute for Diversity Certification has created credentialing that enables those who secure them to use it as leverage in their careers. Applications close on Sept. 2 for the November-December 2016 exam. info: diversitycertification.org.
A first-ever CDC study released in early August shows that lesbian, gay, and bisexual high school students in the U.S. experience substantially higher levels of physical and sexual violence and bullying than their heterosexual peers. info: cdc.gov.
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spiritual reflections by Rev. Wanda Floyd :: Transitional Pastor, MCC Charlotte :: guest contributor
Mental health and wellness is good for us all Several years ago, I mentioned to my brother my desire to go to therapy. His response was “What’s wrong with you?” Needless to say, upon asking others, the basic assumption was that something was wrong with me. I began to realize the idea of mental health and wellness is very foreign to people and is so broad that the assumption is something is wrong with you if you just want to deal with the mental stresses of the day. Mental health and wellness is a broad subject and can take many forms. I want to come from the perspective of “health and wellness” in connection to our mental state of being. As a clergy person within the LGBTQA community, mental health and wellness is often on the forefront of many challenges that come to light in our community. There are many who are unable to handle the stress of coming out to family, friends and co-workers and will often result to suicide or substance abuse. Mental health may not be an option for many due to the stigma of needing assistance to deal with challenges. However, it is the ability to talk to someone you can trust that can save your life or the life of someone else. Somehow, we need to move from the place of “handling it ourselves” to a place where we seek others to help us in the journey. It is my belief, there are people created to be the caregivers of those of us who need help to maintain good mental health and wellness. I serve a congregation that is Christian with an intentional outreach to the LGBTQA community as well as allies. As a pastor, I have seen firsthand the trauma of keeping “secrets” from those around us and the anxiety it can cause. I have had friends commit suicide due to the inability to come to terms with their sexual orientation and not having someone to talk to. For me, any loss of life is a loss to the world around us.
When we talk about mental health and wellness it comes down to how do we, mentally, deal with the world around us. Some of us handle things very well and some of us may result to self-destruction and/or substance abuse and may fall into deep depression. The pain becomes so hard some feel there is no way out of the pain other than trying to deaden it for a while. In my years as a pastor, I have learned ways to deal with mental health and wellness. Coming from the African-American culture, many of us heard “All you need is Jesus” and on some levels, I do believe the essence of the statement. I do believe God is able to help us deal with the challenges in this society. When we can believe God sent Jesus as our advocate because God loves everyone, it takes away the sting of people telling us God does not love us. For me, and for others, recognizing who we are as a child of God, made in God’s image, is enough to get us through all of the hatred thrown at us by society. However, what about those who are not there yet? Those that are not able to, currently, grasp the thought that God loves everyone unconditionally or have rejected the idea. There are ways, and I will name a few here. You can do talk therapy with a trusted pastor or a therapist. In some cases, there may be a need for medication. Other options are to journal and write down all the things that are bothering you or creating a daily gratitude list of things you are grateful for. When you are able to write out the things troubling you, it has the ability to clear your mind. Other ideas include meditation and labyrinth walks to become quiet in your spirits. There need not be stigma or shame associated in trying to maintain good mental health and wellness. Of course from a spiritual perspective, it can be challenging to have people talk about what is going on in their lives. Many
have succumbed to the idea that seeking help outside of praying is not welcomed by society. It is important to remember, for me, God created everything including doctors and therapists who can help with our mental health and wellness. If we can seek out the help we need, we will be able to handle society on a day-today basis. Finally, what about mental health and wellness in connection to the shooting at Pulse back in June? Many in the congregation in which I serve, have been affected by the shooting and many ask the question of why. As a person of faith, I do not have the “right” answer. Evil happens in our world and no one can explain why. Being affected by what happened this far away and without any personal connection is called “secondary trauma” and can be discounted by many as not real. However, I believe it is very real and an area which is connected to our mental health and wellness and should not be discounted. Talking and reflecting is important to our wellness and not rationalizing it away by saying you did not know anyone. The victims were part of our community and the larger community and we are all affected and effected by the shooting. Seeking a healthy outlet is in the best interest of our community. Coming together to talk with each other is important to wellness. Holding each other and crying with each other are ways to deal with the trauma that occurs in our lives and all of it has a direct connection to our mental health. As we move forward in our world with so many challenges around us, it is important to take care of ourselves. To remember taking care of our mental health and our well-being is as important as taking our next breath. Regardless of what people want to believe, it does get better! : :
Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
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Health Watch
Social Security set for a new era Agency now able to handle name changes, same-sex couple demands and more by Lisa Wallace :: Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Charlotte, N.C. :: guest contributor
Evolving to serve customers Governmental agency sets sights on future
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ocial Security is at the forefront of adapting and meeting the ever-changing needs of our customers. Technology plays an important role in helping us provide the world-class customer service America expects and deserves. And we’re changing to keep current with new laws and judicial rulings as well. One way we’ve evolved is by developing the my Social Security account. Once you enroll for a free account at socialsecurity.gov/myaccount, Social Security can help you estimate your future retirement or disability benefits, or manage them if you are already receiving benefits. You can do all of this easily and securely from the comfort of your home or office. Social Security listens to your needs as we improve the technologies that enhance the customer experience. We continue to look for new services to add to my Social Security to make it an even more powerful resource for you and your family. Another way we’re evolving is by adapting to legal and social changes. In 1935, when Social Security was created, the definition of “family” was different than it is today. On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Obergefell v.
Hodges, holding that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry in all states. As a result, more same-sex couples will be recognized as married for purposes of determining entitlement to Social Security benefits or eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. Not only have we adapted to provide benefits for same-sex spouses, but transgender people can now change the gender marker on their Social Security records based on identity, with no requirement for reassignment surgery. Our mission at Social Security is to deliver services that meet the changing needs of the public. By keeping the public informed of their benefit estimates with my Social Security and adapting to our changing society, we will continue to achieve our goals and help you achieve yours. No matter who you are, you deserve the benefits of Social Security. Find out more at socialsecurity.gov. : :
The Social Security Administration has evolved in the post Obergefell v. Hodges era. Photo Credit: Lisa F. Young via Adobe Stock
Getting married soon? Give Social Security your new name
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very year, June marks the beginning of two busy seasons: summer and “wedding season.” With joyful expectation, many of us have already marked our calendars and started wrapping up our plans for the vacations, ceremonies and honeymoons. While the betrothed work out the details, Social Security wants to remind them about one detail that’s extremely important: the “record” Social Security keeps of your life’s earnings. For many people, a wedding often means a name change is in order. If you are legally changing your name, you need to apply for a replacement Social Security card reflecting your new name. If you’re working, also tell your employer. That way, Social Security can keep track of your
earnings history as you go about living your wonderful new life. If you have reported income under your former or maiden name, and didn’t inform us of a change, we might not have received an accurate W-2 and your earnings may have been recorded incorrectly. This is easier to fix now — when you first change your name — than years from now when you retire, when it may cause delays in receiving your benefits. This is important because we base your future benefits on your earnings record. So, visit our website at socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber, or call us at 1-800772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), to find out what specific documents you need to change your name and to apply for a replacement card. Last year, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, holding that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to
marry regardless of where they live within the United States. As a result, Social Security recognizes more same-sex couples as married for purposes of determining entitlement to Social Security benefits or eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. We recently updated instructions for employees to process claims and appeals when a determination of marital status is necessary. With these changing rules, we encourage anyone who believes they may be eligible for benefits to apply now. You can learn more about our policies for same-sex couples at ssa.gov/people/same-sexcouples. After the honeymoon, you can focus on your career or starting a family, moving to a new home and securing a well-deserved retirement. Now, you’re all set. Let the celebrations begin! : :
If couples are getting married soon, don’t forget to get in touch with the Social Security Administration to name changes. Photo Credit: Michael Ireland via Adobe Stock
Navigating Social Security for same-sex couples Instructions available to make processing easier
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ast year, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, holding that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry in all states. As a result, Social Security recognizes more same-sex couples as married for purposes of determining entitlement to Social Security benefits or eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. We recently updated instructions for employees to process claims and appeals when a determination of marital status is necessary. As part of the new instructions, we have: • Removed from our policy any mention or consideration of the dates when states first recognized same-sex marriages from other states. These dates are no longer relevant.
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•A dded the dates when some foreign jurisdictions allowed same-sex marriage, thereby eliminating the need for a case-specific legal review in many foreign same sex marriage claims. •U pdated and simplified our procedures for processing claims involving a transgendered or intersex person, allowing these individuals to self-identify as members of a same or opposite-sex marriage. •S treamlined and clarified the policy instructions, addressing questions raised by advocates and employees. We encourage anyone who believes they may be eligible for benefits to apply now. Learn more at socialsecurity.gov/same-sexcouples. : :
Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
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Mental Health & Wellness
WHO reevaluating classification of transgender identity as a mental disorder Follows revision in DSM-5 by Jeff Taylor :: qnotes staff
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t took until 1990 for the World Health Organization (WHO) to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder — following the lead of the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association, in 1973 and 1975 respectively. The WHO still officially considers being transgender a mental disorder, but that may soon change. The organization is preparing its new edition of their global code book, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). It helps inform national disease diagnostics manuals throughout the world. The ICD-11 will be the first update since 1990, and is expected to be approved in 2018. Proposals to declassify transgender identity as a mental disorder have been approved by each committee that has considered it so far, reports the Chicago Tribune. A study published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal last month seems to show that it was the distress caused by discrimination and rejection by friends and family that have caused the epidemic of transgender suicides and depression, not simply being transgender itself.
As the co-author of the study, Geoffrey Reed, a professor of psychology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, as well as a consultant on the ICD-11, told the Washington Post, a condition is only considered a mental illness when the very fact of having it causes distress and dysfunction. The study argues that this is not the case with transgender identity. The American Psychiatry Association revised its classification in the DSM-5 in how it speaks of transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. It currently diagnoses transgender people as having “Gender Dysphoria,” instead of the previous designation of “Gender Identity Disorder,” which the WHO still uses. Gender dysphoria is described as the emotional distress that can result from “a marked incongruence between one’s experience/expressed gender and assigned gender.” The American Psychological Association has a page on its website called “Answers to Your Questions About Transgender People, Gender Identity and Gender Expression,” which includes the question, “Is being transgender a mental disorder?”
“A psychological state is considered a mental disorder only if it causes significant distress or disability,” it reads. “Many transgender people do not experience their gender as distressing or disabling, which implies that identifying as transgender does not constitute a mental disorder. For these individuals, the significant problem is finding affordable resources, such as counseling, hormone therapy,
medical procedures and the social support necessary to freely express their gender identity and minimize discrimination. Many other obstacles may lead to distress, including a lack of acceptance within society, direct or indirect experiences with discrimination, or assault. These experiences may lead many transgender people to suffer with anxiety, depression or
related disorders at higher rates than nontransgender persons. “According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), people who experience intense, persistent gender incongruence can be given the diagnosis of ‘gender dysphoria.’ Some contend that the diagnosis inappropriately pathologizes gender noncongruence and should be eliminated. Others argue that it is essential to retain the diagnosis to ensure access to care. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is under revision and there may be changes to its current classification of intense persistent gender incongruence as ‘gender identity disorder.’” Much progress is still needed in the field of transgender and gender nonconforming rights, as the battles in North Carolina over HB2 makes clear. An important step, just like in the fight for LGB rights, is to stop thinking of transgender people as mentally ill and stop inflicting them with the psychological violence that this discrimination has brought into their lives. : :
Positive Thoughts
Changes
Creating a plan for better health and wellness
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by Jeff Berry :: QSyndicate contributor
his past January I awoke to the news that David Bowie had just died. My partner Stephen told me as I walked into the kitchen. I thought it had to be a mistake, some kind of horrible, twisted hoax. When you are 57 years old, as I am, 69 seems way too young to die. When I graduated from high school in 1976, my parents gave me an all-in-one stereo system that I would play my vinyl records on (it even had a built in 8-track player!). I would listen to Bowie’s album “Young Americans” over and over on the turntable, and was spellbound by Bowie — his music, lyrics, the androgynous look. Everything about him spoke to me, and as Photo Credit: Monkey Business a slightly effeminate, via Adobe Stock young, gay man who was still in the process of coming out, he gave me confidence that everything was going to work out, and that I would eventually come into my own someday. He gave me, and others like me, hope, and made it cool to be different. After testing positive for HIV in 1989 at the age of 30, I wasn’t sure I would live to see 35, as there were still no effective treatments for HIV. When those treatments did finally arrive they were often difficult to take, and some had
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debilitating side effects. While recent treatment advances have made HIV therapy much simpler and safer, there can often be underlying issues such as mental health, substance abuse and financial instability that need to be addressed in order to be successful in treating HIV. Take it upon yourself to create your own plan and path to wellness. If you’re depressed or feel isolated, talk to someone at a support group or even an online community (there are many on Facebook such as the “International place for people with HIV/ AIDS, and the people who love us” or “HIV Long Term Survivors”). If you are using, there are resources to help you get and stay sober (AA, NA or CMA) or at the very least play safely and sanely (such as tweaker.org). If you’re HIV-positive, seek out an HIV case manager at the nearest AIDS service organization in your area who can help you see if there are financial resources available to you to help ease some of the stresses of day-to-day living. Consult with a provider who is knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS, and come prepared with a list of questions about potential side effects and drug interactions that you might
be concerned about. If you want to simplify your treatment or help make it easier for you to take it every day as prescribed, see if there is something available that will work for you. If you are HIV-negative, PrEP, or preexposure prophylaxis, is a daily pill you can take to prevent HIV. Truvada is currently the only approved medication for PrEP. While any doctor can prescribe PrEP, you can find a list of providers who are knowledgeable and familiar with PrEP at greaterthan.org/get-prep. If you are HIV-positive, and are on effective HIV treatment, your virus will be suppressed to a level so low (undetectable) that it is virtually impossible for you to transmit the virus to others. Much has changed in 20 years: the dawn of the internet, smart phones, social media, even treatment and prevention for HIV. But one constant remains. Treating and preventing HIV is as much an art as it is a science. Change is inevitable, but by embracing it we “turn and face the strange,” as Bowie said, and become the architect of our own future, and master of our destiny. : : — Jeff Berry is the editor of Positively Aware magazine. This column is a project of Plus, Positively Aware, POZ, TheBody.com and Q Syndicate, the LGBT wire service. Visit their websites at hivplusmag.com, positivelyaware.com, poz.com and thebody. com for the latest updates on HIV/AIDS.
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Mental Health & Wellness
Study finds college men with antigay views more interested in gay imagery What to make of these findings? by Jeff Taylor :: qnotes staff
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However, they caution against coming to the conclusion that all homophobic men are closet cases. Lead author Boris Cheval, of the University of Geneva in Switzerland, told PsyPost it is currently hard to tell how big of a role suppressed gay attraction plays in the formation of antigay attitudes. These findings echo results found in previous studies. A 1996 study had heterosexual men state whether or not they had antigay feelings before being shown pornographic imagery featuring straight, lesbian and gay couples. While all of the men were aroused during the straight and lesbian stimuli, only those professing to be homophobic were aroused during the gay stimuli. Another study conducted in 2012 found similar results. Study subjects were asked to categorize words and pictures into “gay” and “straight” groups as they flashed on a computer screen. Words such as “gay,” “straight,” “homosexual,” and “heterosexual” appeared, along with pictures Photo Credit: danedwards via Adobe Stock
new study, published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, found that college-aged men with negative attitudes towards gay men showed more apparent interest in gay imagery than their non-homophobic counterparts. Heterosexual men from the University of Geneva first completed a survey to determine their feelings towards gay men. They then performed a computerized test to determine their unconscious, impulsive tendencies toward homosexual imagery. The men were asked to move a small image of a human figure either towards or away from a specific stimuli, while tracking what they were looking at on the screen. The homophobic men spent more time looking at the gay couples than the straight ones. “Findings on the viewing time allow understanding why some (but not all) men high in homophobia have a sexual interest in samesex individuals,” the researchers concluded. “This study provides a better understanding of the psychological processes involved in the processing of erotic gay material among men high in homophobia, and provides a fine-grained prediction of sexual related behaviors.”
of gay and straight couples. Subjects were first primed with the word “me” or “others” flashed momentarily on the screen. The researchers said quicker reaction time for “me” and “gay,” and a slower reaction for “me” and “straight” would suggest an implicit homosexual orientation. They also had them choose to browse same-sex or opposite sex couples and asked them to self-identify their own level of homophobia, as well as inquiring about the attitudes of their parents. While they found enough evidence to suggest a link between homophobia and same-sex desires, however hidden to the self they may be, they too said this should not be considered the only cause of antigay sentiment. “This study shows that if you are feeling that kind of visceral reaction to an out-group, ask yourself, ‘Why?’” co-author Richard Ryan, a professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, said in a statement at the time. “Those intense emotions should serve as a call to self-reflection.” The study also found that those with more authoritarian parents were less likely to be in touch with their implicit sexual orientation. Better understanding homophobia can be a benefit to all concerned. “We laugh at or make fun of such blatant hypocrisy, but in a real way, these people may often themselves be victims of repression and experience exaggerated feelings of threat,” Ryan said. “Homophobia is not a laughing matter. It can sometimes have tragic consequences.” : :
Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
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On the net
North Carolina: First in flight, first in gay porn? Research has shed light on subject by Bill Allen :: qnotes contributor
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othing could be finer than to watch porn in Carolina in the morning. And the afternoon. And the evening. Especially if it is gay porn. According to a recent PornHub survey, North Carolina and Mississippi are among the top five gay porn-consuming states in the country. These are also the two states whose legislatures have recently enacted the most sweeping anti-gay laws in the U.S. Oh, yes. And Tar Heels and Mississippians don’t just like gay porn: their top preference is for porn showing well-endowed black men. This is ironic considering the tradition of racial prejudice against African-Americans in both states. The more Republican and religious the state is, the more their residents love porn. So except for District of Columbia and New York, all of the Southern red states are the leaders in watching gay porn. And lots of it. So gay porn sites around the country are thankful for Gov. Pat McCrory and the Republican state legislators who continue to promote HB2 and keep cities and towns from enacting anti-discrimination ordinances to protect LGBT people. The more they hate on gays, the more North Carolinians want to watch man-on-man porn. It was confirmed during the Republican National Convention. The numbers of people watching gay porn in the Cleveland area dramatically increased, as well as those posting ads on Craigslist and social media apps like Grindr. And hustlers did a booming business at the convention. But it isn’t just closeted conservative Republican single and married guys who are jacking off in private watching porn clips. More than 37 percent of gay male porn viewers nationwide are (drumroll, please)….women. And
Pornhub reports that women aged 18-25 are 83 percent more likely to watch gay porn than their male counterparts, though as they get older it’s more likely the men are watching the hot action in the privacy of their homes. It needs to be noted that straight porn consumption in the Tar Heel State is also way above the natural average. So what is going on here? First is the fact that abstinence education was the only sexual education permitted in North Carolina for 15 years and is still the focus for school districts. The Religious Right still promotes this, which in turn causes people to hunt for sexual information. A study by Cara MacInnis and Gordon Hodson in Archives of Sexual Behavior showed that the red states like North Carolina had higher percentages of Google searches for “sex.” Secondly, the more the religious right and the Republicans promote a culture of secrecy and fear around human sexuality, the more people are likely to try to find out more and check out porn sites. The Republican Convention platform this year opposed all gay rights, opposed pornography in all its forms and backed abstinence education, even as some of their delegates were watching gay porn in their hotel rooms and hooking up with men. Perhaps McCrory and other conservative leaders in North Carolina should pay attention to the 2009 Harvard study which found that people who agreed with statements like “I have old-fashioned values about family and marriage,” and “AIDS might be God’s punishment for immoral sexual behavior,” were the ones who most looked up sex-related topics on Google. And watched more porn. So the more shame and opposition, the more North Carolinians love their forbidden fruit: gay porn. : :
North Carolina has one of the highest levels of gay porm consumption in the nation. Photo Credit: pololia via Adobe Stock
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news
News Notes continued from page 7 Leona Summers, Kelly Ray and Melody Kane. Darleen Duncan will perform. Music will be supplied by original Power Company DJs who will be showcasing music from their respective eras . A cash bar will be available all evening. A VIP cocktail hour with special performances by Jamie Monroe and Purina Chow is planned. In order for the event to be successful, organizers are seeking crowdfunding contributions through their Go Fund Me page of $100 or more which entitle the holder to two tickets to the reunion, a VIP cocktail party at 8 p.m., VIP private lounge and cash bar from 9 p.m.-2 p.m. and sponsorship recognition. The goal is to raise enough funds to defray the costs of the event, in addition to using the balance to benefit the University of North Carolina Hope Fund and the LGBT Center of Raleigh. Budget items for the event total $7,675 and their breakdown are as follows: Sound/lighting/ stage, $5,975; security, $600; day-of insurance, $250; linens, $150; floral arrangements, $100; entertainers, $300; miscellaneous expenses, $300. info: gofundme.com/powercoreunion.
Activists battle HB2
RALEIGH, N.C. — Flush McCrory & the GOP yard signs are being spread across the Triangle. The idea for them came from social worker Chris Weedy and retired minister Jimmy Creech who has been in the news ever since he was defrocked for performing same-sex marriages prior to same-sex marriage being made legal.
They simply were exhausted with the rhetoric in the aftermath of HB2 from Gov. Pat McCrory and his allies. So, Weedy and Creech helped to establish an initiative to challenge the right wing. They just want to Flush McCrory & the GOP Independent Expenditure Political
Action Committee and are encouraging voters to vote against all Republican candidates on election day, Nov. 8. The HB2 legislation is considered to be some of the most discriminating in the nation. Not only did it slug the LGBT community, it also provides tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations, suppresses voters, restricts women’s healthcare, as well as strikes out at education, the environment, immigrants, while loosening weapon access and more. Signs, designed by David Kerley, are available through contributions which can be paid online and are subject to availability. Pickup is in Raleigh, N.C. For those who wish to pay by check, supply individual names, addresses, phone number, occupation, employer and email address. Check are payable to Flush McCrory and the GOP IE PAC and should be mailed to Flush McCrory, 412 S. Boylan Ave., Raleigh, NC 27603. All monies generated will go to producing more signs which are produced by volunteers. info: flushmccrory.org.
Western Org gets ‘uncorked’
HICKORY, N.C. — AIDS Leadership Foothills-Area Alliance (ALFA) will hold “ALFA Uncorked Stems & Stilettos,” a wine tasting fundraiser, on Sept. 30, 7 p.m., at 74 South @ Moretz Mills, 74 8th St. S.E. Proceeds will benefit ALFA’s work throughout the region. Attendees will be able to enjoy craft beer, artisanal bites, silent auction, travel packages and music by Jessica Washburn. Tickets are $25 and are available online. The organization is also seeking sponsorships. Call 828322-1447, ext. 224, to learn more. In other news, on Sept. 16, 7 p.m., the Not Your Mama’s Bingo!’s #crossdressingforacause will be held at La Rumba De Cache, 534 U.S. Hwy. 70 S.W. Ticket are $20/ individual and $160/table of eight and are available online. info: alfainfo.org.
Burke celebrates Pride
MORGANTON, N.C. — The LGBT community will gather together for Burke Pride’s first annual LGBT Pride Festival on Sept. 3, 11 a.m., at the Historic Burke County Courthouse, 102 E. Union St.
The event is being hosted by LGBT Burke. Entertainment will be supplied by Melody Cox, In Flight and Redleg Husky. Special guest speaker is Rev. Darlene Strickland. Also planned are a kids corner, raffle, local art and crafts, food vendors, expressions wall and “lots of love,” organizers shared. Burke Pride is currently accepting sponsors. Any contribution is welcome, however, for those who contribute $50, their business logo will be placed on the celebratory banner. The organization will have a booth at the Burke County Fair from Aug. 30-Sept. 3., 5-11 p.m. Ribbons are available at the booth for $1 and a donation box will be on hand to accept funds to support their work. info: facebook.com/lgbtburke. bit.ly/2bucsqM.
South Carolina Pride seeks vendors, volunteers
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The 2016 Upstate Pride March and Festival organizers have issued a call for vendors for its event held at Barnet Park, 248 E. St. John St. Interested parties should visit the organization’s website for more details and registration. Also, volunteer recruitment is underway. Sign up is available online for short shifts throughout the festival day. “We strive to make the festival very familyfriendly with plenty of activities throughout the day,” Keith Keppley, president of Upstate Pride SC, said. “That means we need a lot of enthusiastic volunteers to help us make it all happen.” Volunteer shifts are one-hour long, beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at 7 p.m., and volunteers may sign up for multiple shifts. Numerous jobs are available, including filling balloons with helium, assisting with stage security, supervising the Kids Zone, leading the march and setting up or taking down vendor tents. Assignments are given based upon skill sets and experience. Each volunteer is given a lanyard and a free 2016 March & Festival T-shirt and is recognized from the stage during the festival. “Everyone says that their organization couldn’t survive without volunteers, but it really means a lot to us,” Keppley said. “As a grassroots organization ran entirely by a volunteer board of directors, we seriously understand what a good group of volunteers is worth. We know what they can do.” info: upstatepride.org.
Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
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Reel to Reel
The man behind ‘Little Men’ An interview with gay filmmaker Ira Sachs by Gregg Shapiro :: guest contributor
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we really did get to collaborate. We built a character together, hen all is said and done, 2016 may be remembered as and I think a very authentic one. a year of some of the best independent films in recent memory. Movies such as “Indignation,” “Captain GS: There is a scene in which Tony gets into a fight at his school Fantastic,” “The Lobster” and “Love & Friendship” are garnering while sticking up for Jake, who one of the boys rave reviews from audirefers to as “Katy Perry” in an earlier scene. ences and critics alike. Later in the film, Tony asks Jake what he thinks The same holds true for about one of the girls in their acting class and “Little Men” (Magnolia), he says he “never thought about that.” the latest from gay filmIS: It’s a boy who is very much still figuring out maker Ira Sachs (“Love Is who he is. When I cast Theo Taplitz, the wonderful Strange,” “Keep the Lights young actor who plays Jake, it was clear to me On”). The third installment that I couldn’t impose upon him my own sexuality in Sachs’ New York trilogy, and experience. This was a kid who was not at the titular “Little Men” are that point yet. His future, in terms of his choices, Jake (Theo Taplitz) and feels undecided. I respected that. If I had asked Tony (Michael Barbieri), a him to play a gay kid, he would have done it. But pair of pre-high-schoolers I’m often not asking people to do things differently who become close friends than who they are. He was a kid who is still very under stressful circumyoung in that realm. stances in Brooklyn. As the strained relationship GS: Do you think that Jake is in love with Tony? between Theo’s parents IS: [Long pause] No, I don’t. I feel that they have Brian (Greg Kinnear) and a very romantic friendship which reflects, in Kathy (Jennifer Ehle) and many ways, my own adolescent friendships, Tony’s mother Leonor which were passionate and joyous, but they (Paulina Garcia) edges were not charged physically. My experiences, in closer to the brink, we terms of discovering sexuality, were outside the observe the impact that it realm of my school and my friends. has on the boys. I spoke with Sachs about the film Filmmaker Ira Sachs wrote and directed ‘Little Men.’ GS: Speaking of the boys, as with “Love Is and more in early August. Photo Credit: Magnolia Pictures Strange,” you are again working with young actors, in this case Taplitz and Barbieri, both of whom are making Gregg Shapiro: The last time we spoke, in 2014 when I intertheir full-length feature debuts in “Little Men.” viewed you for “Love Is Strange,” you mentioned that you and IS: They’re two of the best actors I’ve ever worked with [laughs], your co-writer Mauricio Zacharias had started working on the to be honest. And easiest, as well, because it felt very free on set. third in your New York movie trilogy, which is “Little Men.” Do For the two of them, I think it felt like “Film Camp 101.” They had so you feel like you achieved what you set out to accomplish with much fun jumping into the world of the film and the world of movie“Keep The Lights On,” “Love Is Strange” and “Little Men?” making. Michael just came off of seven weeks on “Spiderman;” Ira Sachs: I do. They’re a trilogy of male relationships, in our time, he’s got a lead in the new “Spiderman” film. He’s had quite a year. from the perspective of different generations. GS: A number of the characters in “Little Men” are creative people — Jake (Theo Taplitz) is a visual artist, Brian (Greg Kinnear) is an actor, Tony (Michael Barbieri) wants to be an actor, Leonor (Paulina Garcia) is a dressmaker. Is this a reflection of your own life and the creative people in it? IS: It is. I try to write what I know. I’m a filmmaker. My husband is a painter, a visual artist. I moved here (to New York) to be a part of a creative community and those are the experiences that I have observed. GS: I first saw Paulina, who plays Leonor, in the movie “Gloria.” IS: Yeah, me too. GS: I was so moved by her performance. How did you know she would be right to play Leonor and what was it like to work with her? IS: It was instinct, based on a viewing of “Gloria” and loving her and finding her so fascinating to watch and so emotional to connect with on the screen. I loved her performance. Mauricio and I wrote the part with her in mind, and luckily she liked it. It was a risk we took which has paid off in a lovely way. GS: Alfred Molina, who played George in “Love Is Strange,” returns in “Little Men” as Leonora’s friend Hernan. What was it about Alfred that made you want to work with him again? IS: We had a wonderful time on “Love Is Strange.” We also had a great creative collaboration. I feel like we’re interested in similar kinds of movies and art-making. He told me that he would take any role that I offered him in this film. I had this part that felt right and we had a great time working together again. What was interesting was that even though he only worked for a couple of days,
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GS: The scenes in the boys’ acting class, as well as Brian’s rehearsals for and performance in “The Seagull” made me wonder if you were making a comment on actors and acting with this movie. IS: It probably comes more from experience. I grew up in Memphis, Tenn., and I was involved in a children’s theater there. I was a theater kid. That community of children was probably the most diverse and integrated that I’ve ever experienced. There was a sort of utopian possibility at that children’s theater that I feel is very connected to being young. When you’re a kid, you don’t notice differences in the way that you begin to as you get older. I think that may be one of the tragedies of the film is that suddenly there are divides. GS: One of the central themes of the movie is communication which comes up in a variety of ways, including the passive/aggressive way that Brian and his sister Audrey deal with Leonor, the bilingual interactions with Leonor and Tony, as well as when Jake and Tony refuse to talk to their respective parents. As a filmmaker and a writer, please say something about the significance of communication. IS: I will say that there’s mid-career retrospective of my films at the Museum of Modern Art here (in New York), right now. They’ve titled it “Thank You for Being Honest,” which is a line from “Little Men.” The boy (Tony) says it to the girl on the dance-floor.
GS: When she rebuffs him. IS: Yes. To me, honesty and the difficulty of honest communication are at the heart of both my life and my movies. You look at “Keep The Lights On” and I think it’s an entire film about two men who can’t say the truth to each other, and the world of which they are a part. The difficulty of being yourself. That is very much the conflict that Greg Kinnear’s character, Brian, experiences in this movie. He wants to be the good guy, he wants to be a good father, he wants to be a good neighbor, and he’s in conflict around all these things. GS: You have a history of making serious films. Do you think you have a comedy in you? IS: I actually feel that all drama has an element of comedy in it. I feel that more with these recent films certainly than with my earlier work. I think there’s a lot of comedy in “Love Is Strange” and “Little Men.” A great deal of that I learned from writers like Chekhov who called his plays his comedy even when they touch on tragedy. GS: Finally, this is my fourth time interviewing you, and as I always ask you at the end of our interviews, have you started thinking about or working on your next film project? IS: I’m actually deep in the process of writing a script with Mauricio about Montgomery Clift for HBO. We’re writing a film for the actor Matt Bomer about the life of Montgomery Clift. Our next project is a limited series that we’re writing for Paramount based on a book that just got published, which I highly recommend, that I think your readers would like, called Christodora by Tim Murphy. GS: What a small world! I’m currently reading that book. I’m going to be on a panel with Tim Murphy at the OutWrite DC literary festival on August 6. IS: That’s great! That’s so funny. I’m adapting Christodora for a miniseries. Tim and I have lived in the same New York for 25 years. It’s a book that I relate to intimately, about this city, specifically the East Village from the eighties to the near-future. That’s the same journey I’ve shared in New York. It’s another New York story. : : — “Little Men” opened on Aug. 26 at Chelsea Theatre, Timberlyne Shopping Center, 1129 Weaver Dairy Rd., in Chapel Hill, N.C., and at Apeture Cinema, 311 W. 4th St., In WinstonSalem, N.C. Check the theatres for showtimes.
Actors (left to right) Michael Barbieri and Theo Taplitz from a scene in ‘Little Men.’ Photo Credit: Magnolia Pictures
Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
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— Sponsored Content —
Walking the Good Road Together by Dale J. Pierce, President and CEO of Different Roads Home
What sustains us? I was writing this article and thinking of what sustains us. When I think of what sustains me, it is probably a lot different in some way then many of the clients that walk through the doors at Different Roads Home. For me, my spiritual life, family and friends, and social outlets sustain and help me to flourish. Many of you may be the same way. But what if we asked this question on a simpler level to people that are either battling HIV or are a part of a marginalized community? They might tell you the basics sustain them, — food, shelter, clothing, and medicine. Wow! It makes sense, but also really slaps people like me into reality. I am lucky that I have a roof over my head, clothes on my back, a great support system at my doctor, good insurance that pays for medicines, and food on my table. However, it humbles me to think that this is not the case for everyone. When we started Different Roads Home, we wanted to make sure we filled these gaps. Currently, we have a food
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Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
pantry on site that helps those battling chronic illness, like HIV. Every Tuesday a client can come by our NoDa location and pick up two big bags of groceries that also includes personal care items as well. Many pantries around town do not offer the personal care items, but we felt it was important. You can donate by calling our office and see just what we are in need of to fill the bags each week and help the most people. Mother Teresa said, “There is hunger for ordinary bread, and there is hunger for love, for kindness, for thoughtfulness; and this is the great poverty that makes people suffer so much.” For those without support, we offer that as well. We have support groups that are like no other in the area. One client said recently, “My group is my family. I wouldn’t know what to do without them.” That makes us all feel good. We don’t want to sit and spew information or judgment to the masses; we really want the people that come to group to connect on a personal level with the staff and other group members. We can all use support, no matter where we are on our road home. We also offer services like deposits for housing for people with HIV and AIDS, as well as a mentorship program, and other community education outreach events. We try to help people move in the right direction.
Helpfulness seems to be a dying commodity in this world. A great writer, Robert Fulghum, once said, “The grass is not, in fact, always greener on the other side of the fence. Fences have nothing to do with it. The grass is greenest where it is watered.” Whose grass are you watering? How can you help make the garden of human condition flourish? We can use you as a volunteer in our office in many different roles, all of which make a more collective and larger different impact on the community as whole. I have found that giving is the best way for me to express how grateful I am to the larger divine. I would like to think that it is as simple as “do unto others,” but we all know that in today’s society that is not always the case. What road are you on, and where can you take a break and stop and help someone else? These are the things that fill our spirit and feed our souls. People don’t usually forget kindness and thoughtfulness. I know I don’t. I think back to the times when I was struggling, and people lifted me up and surrounded me with positive support. I could never have made it through some of the hardest times in my life without having friends and family along the way. In the times that we are living, it is hard to turn on the news and not see hatred abound. At Different Roads Home, we want to help people with tangibles, but we also work diligently to create an environment of caring and understanding that can transcend all boundaries. We look forward to you reaching out to us, following us on social media, and being a part of our family. Visit us at www.differentroadshome.org or call the office at 704-2378793 and schedule a visit.
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dishing with buff faye by Buff Faye :: qnotes contributor :: info@bufffaye.com
Contracts: Get it in writing gurrrl!?! bar willing to give you each month? The biggest problem are girls that don’t know they’re worth in negotiating a contract. There’s nothing wrong with having a contract for single bookings or for regular bookings. Make it work for you. Exclusivity: Some bars expect you not to work elsewhere (even if you get one booking a month) and if that’s the case, then you for sure need to have a contract, so you get paid what you’re worth. It is likely not a good exclusive contract if they’re only gonna book you once a month for $50 or even $100 because you can probably get two or three bookings at different clubs for more. So always keep that in mind and don’t sell yourself short. Remember: Verbal contracts don’t mean crap. Get it in writing. You want to know all this and have it agreed upon, before you go to the bar to work! Extra Extra: When you have a contract or booking, be sure to include extra perks. For instance, do you get into the club free when you’re not working? Do you get a free drink every once in a while? How many? When? Do you get a dresser to come with you when you perform and does that person get in free? If you’re from out of town, do you get a hotel or stipend to pay for your travel? Does the bar pay you with check or cash? If you’re just coming to perform for one time, be sure to get this in writing before you arrive. These are all important questions to add into your contract and negotiations. And remember “Never ASSUME.” It makes an “ASS out of “U” and “ME.” To help you out, there is a sample weblink from LawDepot online at lawdepot.com/contracts/ performance-contract/. Please read any contract before you sign and always try to consult somebody who has a legal background to look over the contract. Always make sure you have something in writing and do not accept a verbal contract agreement. Oftentimes a bar will try to hold you accountable to a verbal agreement without having anything signed on paper. Don’t play that game. A contract is there to help protect you as much as it is to protect the bar that you work with. A good contract will lead to a good relationship that will allow the bar and you to attract customers. It should keep both the bar and you happy. Photo Credit: Tyvola Design
Having done drag now for eight years, it makes me wonder: How are things changing? One thing that never changes is the business side of drag. It is not cheap to look fabulous and everything has a price. I decided to devote this column to figuring out what you’re worth. Most queens typically get offers from bars to come perform and for some they have established relationships with different show directors. Others are just trying to get a booking for the first time. It’s important to understand what you are worth when it comes to your time, your talent and your energy. One of the things to keep in mind is whether or not you should have a contract with a bar. I say “yes.” A contract can keep you out of trouble and it can clearly define what you will do and what you won’t do as a drag entertainer. Here are some tips and suggestions on what to include in that contract. What’s your price? So the first and most important thing is how much you’ll get paid for each booking. How much money will it take to get you on the stage? The pay scale can range based on the entertainer — your background/ experience (possibly what pageant title you hold), what type of crowd you’ll draw to the venue, your performance quality, etc. Some typical booking fees for nighttime shows in the Charlotte area range from $50-$125. This can be for performing two to three numbers. One-Night Stand or Long-Term Relationship: The next thing to figure out is whether this is a one time gig or if you’re going to be on the house cast or get regular bookings at the same bar. If it is a one time gig or just every so often, be sure the expectations do not limit you performing elsewhere. It is always in your best interest to have an agreement that allows you flexibility to get more coins. But if the bar expects you to be on house cast, it is important to understand what that means to them and have a contract to back that up. The Deal: The contract should outline what is expected of each party — you and the bar. A contract is a set of expectations and an agreement for everyone. The contract agreement should list what is expected of you. What time are you expected to be there? Are you going to be doing two numbers or three numbers? Will you be expected to host on the microphone? Will there be a game, giveaway or something where you have to interact with the crowd? Always understand what the bar wants to achieve as part of the drag show, so you can always be your very best. If you work at the bar regularly, it is sometimes important for the bar to ask the drag queen not to do the same costume repeatedly or the same songs. They expect you to bring something new to the stage. Of course, the contract deal should also address the payment arrangement. How many bookings is the
DRAG TIP: Never tell a show director that you’ll come and work and do a gig and then find out that your contract will not allow you to do it! If you’re going to cancel, at least give a week’s or two week’s notice so the bar knows to book someone else. — Buff Faye calls the Queen City her home and performs to shake her boobs (and to raise money for charities). Find her at your favorite bars and hot spots. Plus don’t forget her weekly Saturday night show with Patti O’Furniture, monthly Sunday drag brunch and regular Friday night party bus. Learn more at AllBuff.com. Follow on Twitter @BuffFaye
SHOUT OUT: If you’re still looking to celebrate pride, don’t forget Cathode Azure has an “After Party” Saturday night featuring Top New York City DJ Luis Perez! Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
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tell trinity by Trinity :: qnotes contributor :: trinity@telltrinity.com
My boyfriend and I got caught in bed by his military father Dear Trinity, Recently, my 18-year-old boyfriend and I (21 years old) were in bed together when his narrow-minded, ex-marine father, who he lives with him, caught us in his bed and threatened to kill me. Now, I have not heard from my boyfriend for days. I’m going insane! What can I do? Traumatized, Winston-Salem, NC
Hello Concerned, If truth were told, politics makes my mascara run. Though I may not often write my political views, darling, I do invest my money in those who fight for my rights and you should too! (Dealing with bigots and other people who are simply narrow-minded is not my cup of tea. Check out my cartoon to see how this manifests itself in my day-to-day life.)
Dear Traumatized, Believe it or not, in a few years this will be one of your favorite stories, but for now you’re very shaken up. You should be! In the old days his father could have legally burned, hanged or impaled you with a spear, but today he’s got to learn to deal with it. So get some sleep! Your boyfriend will find you ASAP. Give him time to deal with his father. Pumpkin, for now, try to spend time with friends who can keep your mind occupied and let this experience settle in for you, him and his father. Big hugs!
Dearest Trinity, I’m a 37-year-old woman, happily committed to my lover. I would not change a thing about my life. But once in a while I find myself fantasizing about being single and such. Should I feel guilty? Guilty Dreams, Trenton, NJ
Hello Trinity, You so often write about life, liberty and the pursuit of beauty and beautiful men, but when are you going to express your views on the politics that affect our community? Politically Concerned, Dayton, OH
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Dearest Guilty, Take your head out of your lap and put on a happy face! It’s absolutely normal and healthy to fantasize about everything, even being single, especially when you both have been long-time lovers. Denying your thoughts is a big no-no! It can cause physical and mental anguish! So, sweetie, be guilt free and dream on! But make sure dinner’s ready on time and the house is clean and the dog is fed and… .
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a&e
Hey Trinity, I love the photos of you on your last CD, “The Exciting Life.” You look gorgeous! Now, if Oprah and Ellen can have their own diet tips, why don’t you have yours? Fit For Trinity, Ottawa, Canada Hey Fit, Being in the limelight means staying fit for the camera. Every queen from England to Broadway knows that, honey! So in between binges of Ben and Jerry’s, a few hints have always kept me camera ready. And they are: Trinity’s Hearty, Healthy And Easy Tips For Dieting And Staying Fit 1. When you must have that triplechocolate-mouse cake, sharing half the dessert equals half the fat. 2. Parking at the end of the parking lot means walking off a few extra calories! 3. Light beers or simple alcoholic drinks have a hell of lot less fat than those fancy fruit drinks or flavorful liquors. 4. D r. Atkins says, “When you feel hungry, you’re often thirsty. So drink a big glass of water instead!” 5. G rabbing some fruits and nuts is not just for fruits and nuts! 6. G etting a massage is equal to a seven-mile brisk walk and works wonders! 7. Taking the stairs leaves plenty of elevator space for those less fortunate (or wearing stilettos)!
8. Diet sodas are fine if you’re in a Clinical Cancer Research Study but eight glasses of spring water a day will keep you at your very best! 9. Getting a good night sleep guarantees physical endurance and mental self-assurance. 10. Lastly, pulling, pushing, lifting, throwing, bending and stretching are things I do all day long. So, cook-ercise, clean-ercise and work-ercise! 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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Mental Health & Wellness
Getting help can alleviate woes, blues and more… Resources available to combat mental health concerns by Lainey Millen :: qnotes staff
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ot the blues? Need someone to talk to? Assistance is available to help get the LGBT community out of the muck. One does not have to be isolated, overwhelmed, fearful or any of a number of feelings one might have when confronted with life’s challenges. It’s normal to feel stress and anxiety sometimes, but it should not be a normal way of life. Help is near. Contact one of the following resources to make life more enjoyable and livable.
iNSIDEoUT/upsidedown Durham, N.C. 919-923-7884 insideout180.org.
Youth OUTright Asheville, N.C. 866-881-3721 youthoutright.org.
mental healthcare professionals who are LGBT-affirming in their practices.
Harm reduction resources, including free overdose prevention training/ naloxone access.
OUTright Youth of Catawba Valley Hickory, N.C. 828-320-1937 outrightyouthcv.org.
Statewide
National
Gay Asheville NC gayashevillenc.com. Resource listings for local providers.
LGBT Center of Raleigh lgbtcenterofraleigh.com. Resource list of Triangle mental healthcare professionals who are LGBTaffirming in their practices.
LGBTQ Center of Durham lgbtcenterofdurham.org. Resource list of Triangle
North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition nchrc.org.
Time Out Youth Center Charlotte, N.C. 704-344-8335 timeoutyouth.org.
Gays and Lesbians in Alcoholics Anonymous gal-aa.org. Database for finding meetings locally. GLBT National Help Center
glbthotline.org. Provides free and confidential peer support. It Gets Better Project itgetsbetter.org. Inspires LGBT youth with the changes needed to make it better for them. National Alliance on Mental Illness nami.org/Find-Support/ LGBTQ. Resources for locating
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a mental health provider and other resources. Safe Schools Coalition safeschoolscoalition.org. Resources for LGBTQ youth. The Trevor Project 866-488-7386 thetrevorproject.org. Suicide prevention and support provided 24/7 via Trevor Lifeline.
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EVENTS
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August-September 2016 We Are Family Feud SC Pride 2016 SEP SEP MO Theatre Charlotte Main St., Columbia 501 Queens Rd., Charlotte The SC Pride 2016 festival 5:30 p.m. and parade continues Different Roads Home the legacy of the longest and Carolinas Care Partnership running and largest bring another edition of “We Are Pride event in South Family Feud,” with an appearance Carolina. The parade by “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season six will take place at star Trinity K. Bonet. Lana Cane and noon down Main St. Mink Shoals will bring their campy Performers at this drag hosting abilities to round out this year’s SC Pride include fun, laugh-filled event. VIP tickets Jordin Sparks, Jessica Sutta, Erika cost $50 and include a meet and greet Jayne, Stacey Q and “RuPaul’s Drag with Bonet starting at 5:30 p.m., which Race” stars Phoenix, Raven, Naysha comes with an autographed photoLopez and Yara Sofia. More information graph. The after party will take place is available online. at Bar at 316. More information and scpride.org. tickets are available online. differentroadshome.org. Continues through Sept. 11 SEP SEP MO South Carolina Pride in Leather Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Columbia-Airport 110 McSwain Dr., West Columbia South Carolina Pride in Leather holds its three-day event full of activities for members of the LGBTQ community and their allies. The group was formed as a non-profit last year. In addition PFLAG Concord/Kannapolis SEP AUG MO to socializing, attendees can view the Cookout main event, The South Carolina Leather Member’s home Contest. A full weekend pass costs $75, 4 p.m. with reduced cost tickets available for Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Concord/ those only wishing to attend the contest Kannapolis will hold its annual cook- and formal dinner, just the contest or just the Saturday night party. More inforout and celebration at a member’s mation and tickets are available online. home. Those wishing to attend are encouraged to email ckp-flag@gmail. scprideinleather.com. com for further details and to sign up to bring a dish. More information is available online. pflag.org/chapter/pflag-concord kannapolis.
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You can submit your event to our comprehensive community calendar presented by qnotes, the Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce and Visit Gay Charlotte. Submit your event at goqnotes.com/eventsubmit/ and get a threefor-one entry. All Charlotte-area events will appear on each of the three calendars at qnotes (goqnotes.com), Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce (clgbtcc.org) and Visit Gay Charlotte (visitgaycharlotte.com).
Continues through Sept. 11 SEP SEP MO OBX Pridefest Various locations and times OBX Pridefest is a threeday event full of activities and events in the Outer Banks region, including Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills. There will be beach time at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head on Friday afternoon, a sunset cruise and Pridefest kickoff party, a Friday night concert featuring Steve Grand at Pamlico Jack’s, in Nags Head, the Saturday afternoon Pride Festival at First Colony Inn in Nags Head, a Sunday morning drag brunch at Pamlico Jack’s and more. Tickets and more information are available online. obxpridefest.com.
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Upstate Pride Barnet Park 248 E. St. John St., Spartanburg 11 a.m.-6p.m.
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Catawba Valley Pride SALT Block 243 3rd Ave. NE, Hickory 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Catawba Valley Pride will celebrate the LGBT community and its allies in the region. The festivities will happen on the lawn of the SALT Block and will include a variety of vendors. There will also be a short pride march. So short, in fact, that they call it the World’s Shortest Pride Parade. More information is available online. catawbavalleypride.org.
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Continues through Oct. 9 SEP SEP MO ‘Mothers and Sons’ Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre 301 Pogue St., Raleigh Greensboro Pride SEP SEP MO Dates and times vary S. Elm St., Greensboro Raleigh Little Theatre presents “Mothers 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sons,” a powerful contemporary A full day of fun and entertainment will make up drama. It centers around a woman Greensboro Pride, which will feature vendors, food, entertainment and a kid’s who pays an unexarea. The organizers have promised that pected visit to the this year’s event will be bigger and bet- partner of her late ter than ever before. More information is son, who is now married and has a son of available online. his own. She is chalgreensboropride.org. lenged to face how society has changed in recent years and to imagine the life her son might have led. More information and tickets are available online. raleighlittletheatre.org.
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Upstate Pride is a full day of familyfriendly activities, with more than a dozen performers ranging from drag queens to comedians to magicians. The day will also include vendors, food, street performers, a photo booth and a children’s area. There will also be a one-mile march through Downtown Spartanburg. More information is available online. upstatepridesc.org.
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2016 Stronger Together: HIV/ SEP SEP MO AIDS Advocacy Conference Winston-Salem State University FL Atkins Health Sciences Building 601 Martin Luther King Dr., Winston-Salem 8:45 a.m.-4 p.m. NC Aids Action Network and the NC Harm Reduction Coalition (NCHRC) present a conference to discuss the challenges of fighting and living with HIV/AIDS. Attendees can participate in breakout sessions where topics involving how to improve lives and fight for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS and how to reduce harm will be discussed. NCHRC will also provide technical assistance on starting a legal syringe exchange program. Registration is available online at bit.ly/2aYpnQg. More information is available online. ncaan.org. nchrc.org.
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Our People:
Q&A with Mel Hartsell Community organizer shares their decade of activism by Maria Dominguez :: qnotes contributor
The LGBT community of the Carolinas has many passionate advocates, but one stands out for both education and eloquence. Mel Hartsell, at age 28, has a Master’s degree in social work and has been involved in activism for over a decade. Hartsell, who identifies as genderqueer or gender-fluid, has held a variety of professional positions, from foster care case manager to their current post as an organizer for Democracy North Carolina. Hartsell’s passion for social justice is matched only by their kind and giving nature — an observation proven by their willingness to interview during a vacation. How did you first become involved with the LGBTQ community and advocacy? I’ve been an advocate for social justice since high school. The thing that really kicked off my work in the LGBTQ community was when my home church, McGill Baptist in Concord, was removed from several associations, including the Southern Baptist Convention, for baptizing two gay men. Operation Save America protested at our church one Sunday when I was almost 15. It was loud and scary and ended up with a protester being arrested and the police using a Taser on him. At the time, I thought it was only the very extreme who hated LGBT people, until I went to GardnerWebb University . . . as some of my classmates started coming out, the school removed them from leadership in extracurricular activities (which were all under the campus ministries umbrella). Our campus minister, who was a primary leader on campus, sent a cruel email to students during the summer of 2008 warning them that we were coming out, saying things like, “The devil is at work on campus” . . . We tried to start a Gay-Straight Alliance in my third (and final) year there and were denied by the student government. I moved to Charlotte and
transferred to UNCC in 2009. I dipped my toes in as a Partner in Peace at Pride and doing volunteer lobbying with Equality NC, and I’ve been very involved ever since! How did your time with Time Out Youth Center influence your career path? I did my undergraduate internship for social work at Time Out Youth from the fall of 2011 to the spring of 2012 . . . I met so many amazing, talented youth, including the late Blake Brockington and Kaitlin Laffitte who pushed me to do more and be better. They didn’t need me to hold their hands as much as they needed me to change the conditions in which they had to live . . . they taught me I have a powerful voice and can use it to shine a light on people and stories that are often unseen and unheard. Time Out Youth is a unique organization doing powerful work, and I was incredibly lucky to have had that experience. What type of work did you do with the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network? I was a medical case manager at RAIN. I worked with adults living with HIV, connecting them to medical care and helping them with medication adherence while working to help meet other needs, such as housing and employment. How would you describe your current job with Democracy NC? My current job with Democracy North Carolina is a dream come true! I am the organizer across an eight-county region for the premier voting rights organization in North Carolina . . . Together, we fight for fair early voting plans and work to bring people into the political process who have often been disenfranchised, particularly people of color and young people. We are currently fighting to end the 2013 “Monster Voting Law” once and for all, implement independent redistricting, and get money out of politics. It is a wonderful job that is fast paced and both policy and community-oriented. I work with the most talented team anywhere (I may be biased!). My coworkers are caring and kind and have their minds constantly set on justice. Right now, it is the absolute perfect job for me. What other LGBTQ community organizations are you or have you been involved with? Over the years, I’ve founded and helped coordinate a few different support groups in town for adults and trans people. I am currently in leadership of Trans Pride and volunteer across the community as much as I can, whether it’s working a table or protesting at the North Carolina General Assembly with Southerners on New Ground, leading a workshop for an Equality NC conference, talking strategy with MeckPAC, phone banking, lobbying, or doing administrative work, I try to lend a hand wherever I can. How would you describe your “happy place?” With work and community involvement, I’m always on the go and busy, but I’m actually pretty introverted. I love being outside, preferably in the country with very few people around, when I can have a getaway. I love big open fields, the ocean, and the mountains. Put me in a kayak with a great view and no one in sight, except for a friend or two, and I’m happy as a clam. If I’m in the city, anytime I can have a calm night and deep conversation or bellylaughs with my queer family, I’m happy. : :
Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016
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Aug. 26-Sept. 8 . 2016