Connect • April-May 2022

april-may 2022 • weconnect.lgbt

melissa etheridge Rocker discusses new

album, her career and her upcoming performance at The Ryman

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH MIRANDA/SUPPLIED

Inspire. Empower. Change.

inside: CONNECTING YOU TO H E A LT H & WELLNESS

SELENA HAYNES | LAUREN MEANS PUBLISHERS/FOUNDERS Connect Magazine is a product of Connect Media Group, an S&L Companies venture.

Lauren Means CONTENT EDITOR Sarah Calise, Selena Haynes, Lauren Means, Joe Woolley, Joey Amato, LaDiah Marche, Joshua Rigsby, Christian Bumpous, Dr. Benjamin Bashline CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brian Goins GRAPHIC DESIGNER Elizabeth Miranda COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Selena Haynes ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE SUBSCRIPTIONS | LOCATIONS To subscribe, visit weconnect.lgbt or call 615.603.6169 or email us at info@weconnect.lgbt.

WRITING OPPORTUNITIES We are always willing to consider freelance or story ideas. Send queries or story suggestions to editor@weconnect.lgbt.

WECONNECT.LGBT Visit us online for information about our latest events, or to read all of our latest content and see our latest photo galleries.

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@weconnect.lgbt Volume 2 | Issue 2 Connect Magazine Murfreesboro, TN 37128 weconnect.lgbt

A member of

Page 4 | weconnect.lgbt | April-May 2022

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Welcome to our most jam-packed issue ever One of my most favorite artists ever is the rock icon and legend, Melissa Etheridge. Talk about representation! She chose to live her life authentically making no apologies.

Being the young, naive person I was, seeing someone like Etheridge live authentically helped a lot of light bulbs click on. I remember coming out and feeling like I had finally found where I fit and the music of Etheridge was truly a huge part of that. Etheridge has always had a way of connecting with her audience through her music and her new album, “One Way Out,” brings us back to classic Etheridge. It’s badass. It’s soulful. It frees you. It makes you want to go out and get a tattoo and a motorcycle. (Well, at least that’s what it does for me.) On another note and coming back to how easy it is to connect with Etheridge, when Lauren and I interviewed her, it was like having a conversation with an old friend. This was truly a cool experience. Thank you Melissa for the interview.

This issue is rocking, not only with Melissa Etheridge, but with a ton of articles on the importance of taking care of yourself. We have experts such as Dr. Benjamin Bashline of Harpeth Valley Dermatology providing tips on how to care for your skin and why you should. Do you like to garden or would like to learn? Check out the article by Master Gardener, Joshua Rigsby. We also bring you the story of Orlando Andrews. At 12 years sober, he now helps others pave a new path and reach emotional sobriety.

We’re also keeping you apprised of the Slate of Hate. It’s not a happy topic, but an important one. There are many elections coming up this year beginning in May for some. Be sure that you are registered to vote in the district you live in and get out there and vote! Many of these legislators simply need to go. They’ve been in their positions way too long and apparently don’t have any new legislative ideas because they keep pushing the same or very similar anti-LGBT+ bills every year. Let’s vote them out and be the state we should be by now in 2022! #TakeOurStateBack I could keep going because, like I said, this is a jam packed issue of good stuff. We hope to see you at our inaugural Connect Community Health Fair, sponsored by Medicopy, on April 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit the event website for more information: https://healthfair.weconnect.lgbt/ Get Connected and Keep Rocking!

Co-founder and Publisher

n Read our virtual issue online at weconnect.lgbt/issues.

COMMUNITY EVENTS Ask about our sponsorship packages, which include opportunities for our print and in-person experiences. We host live events each year, including LGBTQ+ Holiday Marketplace and LGBTQ+ Community Health Fair.

Call Selena Haynes today to find out more!

615.603.6169 April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 5

contents

CONTENT 5 Letter from the publisher 8 BUSINESS Connect to LGBT Chamber at Brewing Up Business 10 COMMUNITY Brian Marshall speaks on his advocacy in the community 12 PETS National Adopt A Shelter Pet Day is the perfect time to add to your family

14 in this issue

14 COVER STORY Melissa Etheridge returns to her roots with “One Way Out” 20 SPORTS Annual Preds Pride Night is back, with an exciting event for the community 24 TRAVEL Travel blogger Joey Amato finds adventure in magical Iceland 28 LIFE Anne-Marie Zanzal Coming Out & Beyond LGBTQIA+ Coaching works with cis-gender, transgender women

24

32 LIFE Everyone can garden: How to make any thumb green

10

36 SOCIAL JUSTICE Judge Rachel Bell runs for re-election 38 SOCIAL JUSTICE Slate of Hate: Keep track of every bill running through state legislature that can have an effect on the LGBTQ+ community

FEATURED: HEALTH 42 HEALTH Healing the Core: A journey to sobriety and emotional well being 44 HEALTH Dr. Dorsha N. James offers myURGENCYMD

28

44

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46 HEALTH Awareness around skin cancer and sun damage prevention 48 HEALTH Tips for maintaining mental health and anxiety

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 7

business

PHOTO COURTESY OF NASHVILLE LGBT CHAMBER

Chamber Connect

T

he Nashville LGBT Chamber works to advance common business interests, economic growth, and equality in the workplace and society for its LGBT members, businesses and allies. We accomplish this by providing educational, networking, and community-building opportunities. Advocating, educating and connecting our members to the LGBTQ+ and allied community is a top priority.

Be a Member and Find our Members We proudly added many new businesses and individuals to our membership in 2021 and look forward to more growth in 2022! A great way to support the LGBTQ+ community

Page 8 | weconnect.lgbt | April-May 2022

is by frequenting chamber member businesses — just look for our OPEN and EQUAL membership sticker on windows and next to cash registers when you’re out shopping. A complete list of members and certified LGBT-owned businesses

can be found on our website directory. Not a member?!

We’d love to have you join and take advantage of our many member benefits!

We have so many members focused on health and wellness in a variety of different ways. It’s impossible

to highlight every deserving company and member, but here’s a list of a few from several different industries: • Fitness: Orangetheory Melrose, Old Hickory CrossFit, Shakti Power Yoga, TNB Fitness • Medical: Music City PrEP Clinic, Chiro Nash, Riverside Village Clinic, Rager Adolescent Health, • Nutrition: Clean Eatz If your business fits this category and you’re not listed, please consider joining our chamber and taking advantage of membership perks. We want to help you promote and grow your business!

Advocate.

We’re carefully monitoring and actively engaged in stopping discriminatory legislation. We have a target bill list of the top priority bills we’re working to stop.

We’ll focus the business community on pushing back against these bills and keeping Tennessee a welcoming and inclusive place to live and work. To stay up to date on these issues join our mailing list.

Educate.

Get connected to Classroom Connect! We’re excited to offer all new educational programming in 2022. We’re teaming up with Grow with Google to bring our members and the community a series of training, tools and resources to help grow their skills, career or business. Members of the LGBT Chamber will help facilitate a curriculum focused on websites, marketing and more.

Corporate Connect is a bi-monthly round table discussion for leaders of LGBT Employee Resource Groups.

The national award-winning program has helped more than five companies start LGBT Employee Resource Groups.

Email us to get involved!

Connect.

Have you attended Brewing Up Business yet? Make 2022 your year! This monthly networking event highlights member spaces and allows guests to connect with the best in our community. This is a free event for members and first-time guests. Check our schedule for your next opportunity to join us!

The Nashville LGBT Chamber will present its annual business awards at a high-profile event on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Music City Center. Support the Nashville LGBT Chamber Foundation at our annual Pride in Business Awards, which includes a Who’s Who of Corporate leaders, small business owners, civic leaders, and professionals. This highenergy event will bring a powerful audience, emotional acceptance speeches, and optimism among those committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Check our website for details on sponsorship, tickets, and more.

ADVERTISE WITH

We offer opportunities to connect you to audiences through print, online, social media and events!

Call Selena Haynes today to find out more!

615.603.6169 nect 21 • wecon summer 20

.lgbt

Joe Woolley Nashville LGBT Chamber CEO

L @NashLGBTCC E TO YOUR GUID E’S TENNESSE IONS CELEBRAT

community

Walk boldly

By Lauren Means @LaurenInMidTenn

B

rian Marshall, who recently earned his doctorate of education, also has an extensive resume. He’s a social and behavioral health educator and researcher, community organizer, and civic leader. He’s served on a multitude of community health initiatives such as the Community Advisory Board for Vanderbilt Vaccine Trials, the Coordinating Committee and Leadership Team for Ending the HIV Epidemic Equity Workgroup, Neighborhood Health’s Board of Directors Quality Committee, Community Health Ambassador for the Meharry Department of Family and Community Medicine, and the Needs Assessment Committee Chair for the Regional Ryan White Planning Council.

He’s the portrait of a true community leader. He gives more than he takes and his purpose in life is serving his community. He has a passion for people but that’s not where his story began.

Although he has an extensive background in nonprofit leadership and education, Marshall started out his career in the mass communications field.

“Initially when I went to college as an undergraduate student, my dream was to become a news anchor or tv personality. I actually made history at Clark Atlanta University being one of the first students to start the first-ever student-produced news program for the campus cable TV channel, CAU-TV,” he recalled.

From there, he went on to work as a production assistant for WBBJ-TV in Jackson, Tennessee.

However, he wasn’t able to reach his goals in this field so he returned to Nashville to do some purpose searching.

A career pivot Marshall has always had a desire to help people. This desire led

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PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIAN MARSHALL

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him to be a volunteer for different organizations.

Volunteering actually opened the door to his first job as a case manager at the First Response Center in Nashville. It was here that Marshall worked on a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) grant. He said, “My purpose in life was literally birthed at First Response Center because I was able to see firsthand the array of complex challenges minority LBGTQ youth and young adults faced on a daily basis.”

This was when he changed course in his education focus.

He knew if he was going to have a greater impact on his community, he needed to further his education to match the scope of his work.

He started by earning his Master in Civic Leadership which equipped him with the skills to effectively lead and serve his community. “From that program, I was able to implement a job readiness and training initiative with my clients who were homeless and unemployed,” stated Marshall. He continued, “The skills and tools I learned during my master’s program also prepared me to successfully launch my nonprofit organization, MashUp! Nashville.”

As he progressed in his career, he became interested in research to learn best practices for addressing the needs of vulnerable populations. He also started to toss around the idea of possibly teaching on a

collegiate level. “This led me to pursue my Doctorate in Education in Leadership and Professional Practice. I am now a course instructor for students at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, teaching them about health equity,” said Marshall. And his bachelor’s degree in mass media still came in handy for the educational component of his nonprofit organization known as MashUp! TV.

Making education a family affair Education is something that was important to both Marshall and his grandmother. While he was the first in his family to earn a doctorate he gives credit to his “Big Momma” as his biggest inspiration for obtaining his doctorate. “She started her doctoral journey in education at Tennessee State University but was not able to complete it.”

He kept his “Big Momma” close by throughout the program. “When I defended my dissertation, I had a picture of her right beside me. I believe I completed the journey she started! That was my gift back to her for being my chief inspiration and biggest cheerleader.”

But humble as he is, Marshall said he’s the same person he’s always been.

He isn’t really used to the title and people referring to him as Dr. Marshall. His hesitation with accepting that designation stems from how titles can unintentionally divide and separate people who have had opportunities and access in life from those who have not.

“Titles can stifle making

valuable connections with different groups of people.

I don’t ever want people to feel like I am any better than them because of a mere title I have acquired,” explained Marshall.

Ultimately, he wants the focus of his doctorate degree to inspire others — that is what brings him happiness.

“I will say the joy I do have from obtaining my doctorate is that I am now an example to people who share my same hue, that they too can accomplish this goal. I was never the smartest in school.

I never made over a 17 on the ACT, but I was always the person who saw a dream and went after it.”

Marshall’s seen countless achievements professionally, personally, and academically, however, those aren’t the accomplishments that spring to his mind first when asked of which he is most proud. It’s not the awards or accolades, but the moments that occur in private when a previous client or mentee shares their success stories with him that validate his work. “When I’ve made a positive influence on someone’s life,” he said, “that’s when I know my purpose has been fulfilled.”

Nashville and the LGBTQ+ community With his involvement and influence within the Nashville LGBTQ+ community, Marshall is able to give perspective on the changes he’s seen within the LGBTQ+ community, and more specifically the Black LGBTQ+ community.

Some of the positive changes include more open dialogue about PrEP and U=U (undetectable

= untransmittable) and individuals from the Black LGBTQ+ community taking ownership of their health.

“I am encouraged when I see billboard signs and commercials using Black LGBTQ+ individuals to promote sexual health,” said Marshall.

With the good, there’s still work to be done. One of the things Marshall cites as needing improvement is homeless LGBTQ+ youth.

An important step he sees to help overcome this is an LGBTQ+ center that could provide holistic services. He does credit current programs with trying to bridge the gap.

“I am encouraged that we have amazing organizations like LaunchPad that are leading the way to ensure our youth are not sleeping in the cold and dangerous streets of Nashville,” he remarked.

He also encourages leaders in the community to take a health equity approach to health disparities, in addition to creating equality spaces. Health equity ensures all people have the same resources and opportunities.

Health equity also recognizes that different groups of people — specifically LGBTQ+ youth of color — have different circumstances that require group-specific resources and opportunities to reach an equal health outcome as privileged groups. “I do have hope that Nashville will continue to strive upward,” Marshall declared.

“I want to encourage current and future leads in the field of LGBTQ+ health to walk boldly in their purpose and to not give up until we see complete victory for all minoritized groups.” n

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 11

pets

Adopt love this April

D

By LaDiah Marche @Sunrayzz94

L

o you remember your first pet? For most people, it’s a very fond recollection filled with memories of bringing them home, naming them, and playing with them. Having a pet just boosts your spirit. Whether it’s a dog, cat, rabbit, hamster or even a fish and no matter if you got your newest addition when you were five or 35, everyone deserves a cuddly friend — and every animal deserves a loving home.

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pets

appreciation. They just want to feel loved and accepted into a nice home.

Adopting from a humane shelter also guarantees you aren’t contributing to the horrible antics of puppy mills. Animals from puppy mills are housed in shockingly poor conditions with improper medical care and are often very sick and behaviorally troubled as a result. The moms of these puppies are kept in cages to be bred over and over for years, without human companionship and with little hope of ever joining a family. Most of these animals are found in pet stores, online sellers or flea

markets.

Adopting makes room for other animals to enter the shelter instead of being left out on the streets. Shelters take in millions of strays and abused animals a year, so adopting from a humane shelter helps give another animal a second chance at life.

Shelter animals just all around make great, loving pets. They just need that one loving home where they can be treated very well and be loved as they deserve. If one person adopts one animal from a shelter, maybe it will start a cycle of shelter adoptions instead of animal buying. One drop can make an ocean. n

About LaDiah

RCHE

If you’re considering adding a new pet to your family any time soon, consider adopting them from a shelter. April 30 is National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day. The Humane Society of America says adopting a pet from a shelter is one of the best and most humane ways to get a pet. There are quite a few reasons to adopt.

Adopting a pet from a shelter reduces the chance of euthanization as a result of overcrowding. “Each year, it is estimated that more than one million adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized in the United States,” according to the Humane Society of America. That’s a large number of animals missing out on good homes and good lives. It’s a number that could be dramatically lessened if more people adopted from shelters.

Many animals in shelters are housebroken, familyfriendly and great around children. Of course, they need time to adjust, especially if they are coming from an abusive household or unknown situations. Once they get comfortable, they’ll definitely show their love and

Y OF LADIAH MA PHOTO COURTES

»

Adopting makes room for other animals to enter the shelter instead of being left out on the streets.

LaDiah Marche has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from MTSU. She loves writing, reading and playing video games.

She currently lives in Murfreesboro.

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 13

cover story

»

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IMAGES COURTESY OF ELIZABETH MIRANDA/SUPPLIED

cover story

MELISSA ETHERIDGE

rocker, advocate entrepreneur &

By Selena Haynes & Lauren Means @sjhaynes321 | @LaurenInMidTenn

L

L

L

egendary rock icon Melissa Etheridge is coming to Nashville right off the heels of her latest album, “One Way Out,” which was released in September 2021. Etheridge will be making a stop at the Ryman Auditorium as a part of her “One Way Out” Tour with her full band and guests can expect to hear both old and new songs.

“One Way Out” is a collection of songs Etheridge wrote in the late ’80s and early ’90s that never made it to the final album cuts. With this album, fans will get a deeper view of who Melissa was in her earlier years that formed the rockstar we have today. »

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 15

cover story

STREAM IT

Stream or purchase Etheridge’s latest album, “One Way Out,” wherever you listen to music.

Click here for a link to Apple Music.

Click here for a link to Amazon Music.

Click here for Spotify.

Click here for Pandora.

Page 16 | weconnect.lgbt | April-May 2022

cover story

CRUSHING IT Etheridge burst onto the rock scene in the late 1980s with her self-titled debut album which led to her first Grammy nod for the single “Bring Me Some Water.”

From there, she went on to release 16 more albums, garner 14 additional Grammy nominations, earn two Grammy wins for “Ain’t It Heavy” and “Come to My Window,” and amass a slew of other nominations and awards for her work.

Etheridge has always been unabashedly true to herself and the celebrity didn’t change this. While she came out to the media in January 1993 at the Triangle Ball — an LGBTQ-focused celebration of President Bill Clinton’s inauguration — she says her fans and followers have always known she was a lesbian. “They discovered me in lesbian bars. Everyone knew that I was gay.”

She says her “coming out” just came into being. “When I was wanting to be a rockstar in my teenage years and early adulthood, coming out wasn’t something you did. You could be out in your community and at the club but there were no ‘out’ people. It wasn’t an option. It wasn’t something to think about.”

Because there wasn’t a

platform for LGBTQ+ artists at that time, she just did what she knew was best for her. She said she asked herself, “How am I going to walk through this and be as truthful as I can?” For about four years Etheridge said she was herself but people would make assumptions about her and her private life. “I would be misquoted and people would say ‘Oh she said this about her boyfriend’ and I was like no I didn’t — I didn’t say that!” laughed Etheridge.

“It was for my own sanity,” Etheridge says with respect to being open about her sexuality. She said, “If people stop listening to me that’s just weird and weird for them.” Her success actually grew after this. “I can’t say it hurt me at all,” noted Etheridge.

In fact, her highestcharting album, “Your Little Secret,” was released in 1995 — two years after her public acknowledgment of her sexual orientation.

ADVOCATE Putting her celebrity to use, Etheridge has never shied away from standing up for LGBTQ+ equality. In 1993, she boycotted playing shows in Colorado after the passage of Amendment 2. Amendment 2

was a ballot initiative passed

by Colorado voters in 1992 that prohibited the state from enacting antidiscrimination protections for gays, lesbians and bisexuals.

She performed at benefit shows along with other performers, including k.d.

Lang, for HIV organizations like Lifebeat out of New York and L.A. Shanti out of California. She was even honored by VH-1 in 1994 for her work with L.A. Shanti.

In November 2008, in response to California’s passage of Proposition 8, which banned samesex marriage in the state, Etheridge announced that she would not pay her state taxes in protest. She told the Daily Beast that since she is being treated as a second-class citizen, she should not have to pay the same taxes as a citizen who has the right to marry. “I mean that would just be wrong, to make someone pay taxes and not give them the same rights, sounds sort of like that taxation without representation thing from the history books,” Etheridge said in the interview. “Gay people are born every day.

You will never legislate that away,” she noted.

Etheridge is also a strong proponent of environmental

“

[As] women, we often just put others as our priority. We tend to keep putting [others] first and put our mental health, our own health and wellness aside and then it breaks down.”

»

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 17

cover story

and conservation issues. She wrote “I Need to Wake Up” for the film documentary “An Inconvenient Truth,” which told the story of former Vice President Al Gore’s campaign to educate people about global warming. This song won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2006. Also in 2006, Etheridge toured the United States and Canada using biodiesel.

Etheridge has rolled out is Etheridge Island. These destination ventures started with cruises a few years ago but the ecological impact was too much and she wanted to pivot to a more environmentally aware setup.

This first-ever resort festival boasts six days filled with incredible music and endless fun in the sun.

Taking place in Playa Mujeres, Mexico from August 30 through September 5, ENTREPRENEUR As a way to stay close to fans there will be three unique sets from Ethridge and many during the COVID pandemic, Etheridge launched Etheridge guest performances including Wynonna, Ani DiFranco, TV in June 2020. This live streaming subscription allows and Larkin Poe just to name a few. “It’s known for listeners access to concerts great musicians and all are and shows in the comfort of welcome,” said Etheridge. their homes. She plays five Festival-goers will also unique shows each week. In 2020, she completed over 200 find health-forward activities like yoga and sound baths live streams. “It was birthed available. “My wife and I are out of necessity and it just became this big thing to reach both more into health and wellness now,” she stated. our fans,” she said.

“If you don’t have that, you Another new venture

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have nothing.” Her goal for the event is simple, “You go and when you come back you just feel better.”

Part of the reason she has taken on a more healthy life is due to her battle with breast cancer, which was diagnosed in October 2004.

“Going through that really focused in on how important it is to take care of myself,” she emphasized. “[As] women, we often just put others as our priority. We tend to keep putting [others] first and put our mental health, our own health and wellness aside and then it breaks down.” Something she really had to put in her head was taking care of herself and making sure she was happy. “If you’re not happy, if you’re not finding joy, it’s all going to crumble.

Stress will kill you. The best thing I can do for everyone I love is to take care of myself and put myself first,” Etheridge said.

While she was receiving chemotherapy for her breast cancer, she also began using medical marijuana. She discussed this in a 2005 interview with Dateline NBC’s Stone Phillips where she said, “I decided instead of signing up for the drugs that— well, there’s the drug that you take for the pain. But that constipates you. So, you have to take the constipation drug.

But then that actually gives you diarrhea. So, you need a little diarrhea drug. Instead of taking five or six of the prescriptions, I decided to go a natural route and smoke marijuana.”

In 2014 she partnered with a California medical marijuana dispensary to

make cannabis-infused wine.

Etheridge now has her own line of herbal hemp liquid extracts called Etheridge Organics.

INSPIRATION In everything she does, she does it with love. That is also the advice she gives to anyone looking to break into the music industry — especially LGBTQ+ artists. “The most absolute important thing is to do what you love. Do what you love. Whatever anyone else’s opinion is, if it doesn’t make you feel good, go the other way,” advised Etheridge. She says it’s all about how you feel and you aren’t going to make good art if you aren’t happy.

As for Etheridge, while her life plan was to be a rockstar, she didn’t imagine it being what it is today. “I always wanted to do this all my life [but] what a rockstar looked like in 1978 is different than what a rockstar looks like now. I love this new future. I love this world of being able to reach my fans directly. I love being out and open. I love the world now. I could never imagine what it was going to be, but I love this, I really do.” n

CONNECT

If you are going to the show, know her whole intention is for you to feel better than when you came and to lift you up and just make you feel good. You can expect to hear the songs you know and love along with some new content. Learn more about Melissa Etheridge and her many ventures at melissaetheridge.com.

Get your tickets for her show at the Ryman: CLICK HERE.

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 19

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NASHVILLE LGBT CHAMBER

sports

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sports

Smashville

is for everyone

By Sarah Calise @SarahCalise

Q L

ueer activists in the United States have made great strides in advancing LGBTQ+ rights, but men’s professional sports continue to be a largely oppressive sector of society, where players still feel safest staying in the closet. In recent years, the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL) have worked to create an inclusive environment where marginalized people — whether they be players, staff, or fans — feel accepted and welcomed, which is particularly crucial in a conservative state like Tennessee.

Since 2016, the Predators have held Pride Night in partnership with Nashville’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

This year’s celebration will take place on April 12, and will feature a festival on the plaza in front of Bridgestone Arena, so all fans can participate in the fun and learn about local LGBTQ+ businesses and organizations.

“In every respect, we want hockey to be inclusive,” Rebecca King, Vice President of Community Relations for the Predators, said in a recent interview with Connect. “Until a night is

not needed, we’re going to keep doing Preds Pride Night and keep highlighting our great partners that are members of the LGBT Chamber of Commerce.”

Some queer sports fans wonder if pride nights matter at all. “It’s tempting to be cynical about ‘Pride Nights’ and dub them as just another way for multibillion-dollar pro sports teams to draw fans to their games,” writes Alex Reimer for Outsports.

It is a fair critique to make, especially with the NHL’s “Hockey is for Everyone” initiative that

often seems baseless as the league continues to struggle in dealing with racist incidents toward Black players across all levels of the game. Building long-term investment in local organizations is one way teams can show their advocacy goes beyond a single game.

“We don’t want to be disingenuous. We don’t want to do an awareness night just to draw people. We want it to be all-encompassing and touch all the different areas of our game,” King told Connect. “It’s not just a front, or a thing to do »

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 21

because the NHL tells us to do it. We really do believe in what we’re advocating.”

While Tennessee’s state legislature has spent years filing anti-gay and anti-trans laws affecting the area’s LGBTQ+ youth, the Predators have developed a partnership and financial investment with Nashville’s Oasis Center and its Just Us program, which provides programming for the city’s queer teens and middle schoolers.

The Predators organization is also in a unique position.

In July 2021, Predators prospect Luke Prokop became the first active player under an NHL contract to come out as gay. The team posted a public statement in support of Prokop and has donated money to some of the charities he has been involved with during his minor league stint.

If and when Prokop makes it to the NHL level, King says the Predators are ready to give him a platform.

In the meantime, current player Mark Borowiecki has been a passionate ally to the LGBTQ+ community in both his native Ontario and Nashville. He has walked in Pride parades, met with Oasis Center staff, and showed support on his social media platforms.

“I’ve been a pretty vocal

RUSSELL PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN

sports

supporter of Pride in the NHL. I’m not shy to wear that on my sleeve. I do have a lot of privilege as a white male who is well-off financially and plays the game of ice hockey,” said Borowiecki on an episode of The Broadscast.

Whether you are a frequent resident of Smashville or a newcomer, Predators Pride Night is always a good time.

It gets bigger and better each year because Predators staff work alongside the LGBT Chamber of Commerce to grow the event, double attendance from previous

years, and ultimately drown out the bigotry.

Their strategy seems to be working, too. According to Predators CEO Sean Henry, the number of negative emails about the team’s LGBTQ+ community advocacy has lessened over time, while more people have chimed in with things they’d like to see at upcoming Preds Pride Nights.“That just shows you how important it is to show support for each other because the more we do that, it’s harder for more people to be so ugly about it.” n

CONNECT

The Nashville Predators in partnership with the Nashville LGBT Chamber and Nashville Pride will host the Seventh Annual Predators Pride Night presented by SmileDirectClub during the game on April 12 at 7 p.m. against the San Jose Sharks.

To get tickets to Preds Pride Night, CLICK HERE.

Y OF SARAH CAL PHOTO COURTES

ISE

About Sarah

Page 22 | weconnect.lgbt | April-May 2022

Sarah Calise (she/they) is a public historian and archivist dedicated to connecting people with their past and preserving important records through digital, written, and verbal storytelling. She currently cares for political and regional collections at MTSU’s Albert Gore Research Center.

In 2021, she founded the organization and digital portal called Nashville Queer History, whose mission is to research and share the LGBTQ+ history of Middle Tennessee in hopes of inspiring local activism, education, and inclusion. Her forthcoming book with Vanderbilt University Press, Y’all Come Out Now Y’Hear, will explore stories from Nashville’s queer past from the 1920s to the modern day.

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 23

travel

iceland exploring

Blogger Joey Amato takes magical adventure

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travel

AMATO PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOEY

By Joey Amato @thatprideguy

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T

he only way to describe Iceland is... magical.

It truly is.

Iceland is like no other place I’ve visited in the world. Its topography, climate, people, culture, history and nightlife blended together to make Iceland a surreal adventure that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. In my case, this is my second visit to the country and probably not my last.

The first time I set foot on the island, I was on a mission to see the elusive northern lights. While they evaded me during that visit, this time was different. I didn’t see Aurora dancing through the sky, but I did see a hint of the lights, enough to make me stop and stare in awe of their beauty.

One of Iceland’s many strengths is its people. I met an incredible group of people who helped make this visit extremely memorable, including openly gay Icelandic pop star Friðrik Ómar, who invited me to his Christmas concert. Although most of the concert was sung in Icelandic, many of the songs were recognizable, including a fabulous version of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas”. Friðrik was a former contestant

on Eurovision, and it was easy to see why. His vocals and stage presence were extraordinary, reminiscent of George Michael.

Book your stay at the Reykjavik Konsulat hotel located in the heart of downtown Reykjavik, just a short walk from all of the city’s main attractions including Harpa concert hall, Sun Voyager and the iconic Hallgrimskirkja Cathedral, the largest church in the country which towers over the center of Reykjavik.

Its 240-foot-high tower provides a wonderful 360° view of the city. Visitors can either walk up the stairs to the top or pay a small fee to use the elevator.

Our spacious room at Reykjavik Konsulat included a walk-in shower, king-size bed with ultra-luxurious linens as well as a seating area. Every day the hotel offers a complimentary happy hour as well as a delicious breakfast buffet, featuring a variety of local specialties like smoked salmon. The hotel also offers a nice fitness center and a bath house complete with a sauna and hot tub.

Don’t get too excited, bath house means something completely different in Iceland than it does in the United States.

Going to Iceland in the winter is an adventure. It definitely isn’t a relaxing trip; more like a journey to the most extraordinary ends of the earth that you’ll ever discover. With that in mind, book a full-day private excursion to the South Coast with Friend In Iceland. Our

»

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travel

wonderful guide Gunnar picked us up from our hotel in a Mercedes minibus and we were off to explore a part of the country I hadn’t been to on my prior visit.

The nearly nine-hour tour took us to Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls where we had the opportunity to stand at the base and feel the power of these natural wonders. Next, we journeyed up to the top of a cliff which provided views of the ocean as well as a rock formation jutting out into the sea which connects to Reynisfjara black sand beach. Words can’t describe how beautiful this moment was. I’m almost in tears again just thinking about it. The waves crashing on the beach coupled with a

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READ THE TRAVEL BLOG Joey Amato is the publisher of Pride Journeys, the premier source for LGBTQ travel. Joey writes destination reviews in addition to lifestyle content that is both insightful and engaging to readers.

Pride Journeys’ content focuses on news, entertainment, food, wine and culture.

For more LGBTQ travel ideas, visit pridejourneys.com.

clear sky and mesmerizing sunrise made for an absolutely majestic view.

Gunnar then brought us to a cute restaurant where we had lunch which consisted of pizza and a sandwich, not typical Icelandic cuisine, but it was delicious nonetheless.

Reykjavik is home to one gay bar called Kiki. Although it was closed during this visit due to COVID-19 restrictions,

we did happen to meet the owner who invited us back to the country this summer for their pride celebration.

2022 marks the 23rd annual Reykjavik Pride, which is held in early August. The festival attracts over 100,000 people to the city for a weeklong celebration including a festival, parade and numerous parties.

Wake up early the next

travel

morning and get ready for your next Icelandic adventure in the Golden Circle. Although this region is easily drivable from Reykjavik in the summer, I wouldn’t recommend venturing on your own during the winter months as many of the roads are icy and the weather can be quite spontaneous. One moment it will be sunny and then 30-minutes later you can find yourself in a winter storm with 40-mile per hour wind gusts.

Begin your Golden Circle tour with a trip to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO heritage site and home to Gullfoss, also known as the ‘Golden Waterfall’, one of the most beautiful and powerful waterfalls in Iceland. I recommend descending the stairs to the lower viewing area to really comprehend the size and scope of this natural treasure. Not too far away is Geysir, Iceland’s version of Old Faithful. The geyser erupts about every seven minutes, so keep your camera ready.

Finally, end your tour with a snowmobile ride on the Langjökull glacier. This is also something I didn’t experience on my first visit, and I can honestly say it was one of the coolest (literally) experiences of my life. We had to jump off our luxurious tour bus and board a souped-up monster trucklooking bus that transports you to the glacier where a team is ready to outfit you with protective gear and teach you how to use the snowmobiles. The hour tour of the glacier will make you

feel like you were on another planet. There are points where the sky and the glacier meet, and you can’t tell them apart. I was fooled by a few optical illusions a few times.

Iceland can be inexpensive to get to, but then very expensive while you are there, so please plan accordingly. Food and alcohol can add up really quickly, so pace yourself when visiting the bars. One of my favorite restaurants we visited in Reykjavik was Noodle Station. Guests can order soup three ways: with chicken, beef, or just vegetables. It is the perfect way to end a long day spent playing in the ice and snow and is quite affordable. Do your research before visiting to find some of the city’s hidden gems and cheap eats.

Icelandair offers direct flights to Reykjavik for relatively low prices from

Boston, New York, Chicago, Raleigh-Durham, and a few other U.S. cities, so check their website regularly to catch a great deal.

Joey

Enjoy the Journey!

n

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNE-MARIE ZANZAL

life

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life

living authentically

By Lauren Means @LaurenInMidTenn

L

“M

y mission is to let everyone know that it is never too late to claim our authentic LGBTQIA+ selves,” Anne-Marie Zanzal, M.Div says of her work within the community. With her professional background as an ordained minister and chaplain, she has a natural talent to listen. With her personal experiences of coming out later in life, getting divorced, and searching for support during her journey, she has knowledge to share with others starting their voyage.

As founder and owner of Anne-Marie Zanzal Coming Out & Beyond LGBTQIA+ Coaching, Anne-Marie works with cis-gender and transgender women coming out to the LGBTQIA+ community. In her program, she utilizes both individual and group coaching models.

She says the individual coaching is for the person just tentatively questioning their sexuality and/or gender. “Together we work through the questioning

and I normalize this process because there’s a typical process when someone is exploring their sexuality,” she explains.

In the group coaching program, participants do all the same work with the added bonus of working with a group of people taking a similar journey.

Zanzal noted, “Finding community is vital in the coming out process and it can make everything less isolating.” She currently has

15 individuals in the group coaching program and says the love and care they provide one another is amazing.

Making memories through memories Anne-Marie recently published her memoir, “Authentic Peace.” She’s wanted to write a memoir for a long time and the pandemic provided her the time needed to complete the yearlong venture.

“In my memoir, I cover my chaotic childhood, »

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNE-MARIE ZANZAL

life

wrestling with faith and my search for the missing piece in my life. I had everything that a woman was supposed to want in this world.

Marriage, children, money and a successful career but I was still restless and looking for something,” recalls Zanzal.

It was only when she acknowledged and embraced her lesbian identity did the restlessness disappear. “I am at peace with myself, hence the title ‘Authentic Peace.’” Anne-Marie wanted to give women who were going through this process the opportunity to see their story in her story.

When she’s not writing about her experiences, others are writing about her.

Anne-Marie was featured

by Oprah Daily (yes, that Oprah!) in September 2021 where she shared her story as part of their feature “Five Women Who Will Inspire You to Discover Your Second Act.” “It was so much fun and I had a professional photoshoot with Nashville photographer Nathan Morgan. Plus I got to meet some editors and writers from Oprah Magazine,” recalls Zanzal.

Anne-Marie truly appreciates the value of

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sharing personal stories.

She knows it’s therapeutic for not only listeners but also the storytellers themselves. So it’s no surprise she also has a podcast where she interviews cisgender and transgender women who have come out.

She started the podcast, “Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories,” because she believes in the power of storytelling. “I am a professional chaplain so I was trained to listen.

People tell me that they like my podcast because I let the guests just talk with little interruption,” states Zanzal.

Season three, which debuted in March, has been expanded to include some practical advice including navigating a divorce, not staying too long in a marriage, children of women who came out later in life, and more. The focus of the podcast is to get queer stories out into the world. Anne-Marie says two notable stories from prior seasons were with Olivia Hill who came out as a transwoman later in life and Judy Wilson who came out in 1970s Nashville.

For the first episode of the third season, Zanzal and her wife, Nashville architectural photographer Tonda Mckay, share their coming-out stories.

A vital part of health Coming out and being able to bring your whole self to all aspects of your life is important to our overall health. “Coming out is vital to our health,” Zanzal says.

“I have anecdotal evidence with the women I work with of diseases like MS and alopecia disappearing [after coming out]. Hiding

or not owning our true identity [can] cause anxiety and depression.”

Many queer people also self-medicate with alcohol or drugs and Zanzal says 30-40% of the women she works with acknowledged their sexuality while they were in recovery. “It is also very difficult to be half-in/ half-out of the closet. It causes so much stress to hide a piece of ourselves from people,” she explains.

If someone is in a relationship, not being out can also cause enormous pressure on both parties in the partnership. Zanzal says, “Many queer relationships fail because of one of the partners not being fully out.

Acknowledging and working with our internalized homophobia is vital to the queer community.” She’s working to normalize the process of questioning sexuality and/or gender at any stage of life. “Remember there is no timetable other than your own. We all deserve to be happy and to be who we were created to be.”

In addition to her coaching programs, she’s also an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and helps queer people deconstruct their faith to fully embrace their sexuality. She’ll spoke at the Religious Trauma Conference on March 27, 2022. For more details on this conference, visit https://www. religioustraumaconference. org/about.

You can learn more about Anne-Marie, AnneMarie Zanzal Coming Out & Beyond LGBTQIA+ Coaching, her podcast and recently published memoir, “Authentic Peace,” by visiting https:// annemariezanzal.com/. n

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 31

life

everyone can

garden

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life

Tips to make any thumb green

By Joshua Rigsby @WeConnect_LGBT

G L

rowing up here in Tennessee, gardening has always been a part of my life — even when I was a little kid. I have so many childhood memories of summer weekends at my grandparent’s farm, and much of those are in some way related to growing something. My grandfather planted a garden every year that was easily two acres in size.

So much of what I know about gardening and growing things I had the privilege of learning from him. I may not have enjoyed helping him with those things as much as I enjoy the memories of helping him now, and I definitely never saw myself growing into someone who gardens constantly, but a lot of what I grow now is grown with purpose.

One of the biggest reasons I think everyone should garden is just to throw some extra variety into their diet, and why not trim some additional savings off of that grocery bill during the warmer months. Gardening can open a doorway to so many options beyond

those found in any local grocery store. Gardening also cultivates patience and can foster a much deeper appreciation for many of those foods you’ve commonly seen in the produce section.

Size matters The first thing to consider before beginning your garden is the physical space with which you have to work. Your space will determine what you actually can grow. If you’re new to gardening, one of the most important things to keep in mind is the size you should expect from the mature adult plant of whatever you’re planting. A common

mistake new gardeners make is overcrowding baby plants that quickly outgrow their space and fail to produce much, if anything at all.

Beyond how much room you have, you also want to consider how many hours of light (direct and shaded/ indirect) your space receives.

Many popular garden veggies need a minimum of four to six hours of sunlight a day if you expect the plant to produce an acceptable harvest. This is entirely dependent upon your location and will be different for everyone, so be sure to observe your planting space throughout the day to get an idea of how much light your garden will get.

Once you have an idea of where you’re going to plant »

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life

and how much room you have, your attention should turn to what you would like to grow. This is one of the most fun and enjoyable aspects of gardening. My advice is to grow things you like to eat and are familiar with, but take a pause to plant a variety of something that you can’t get at the local grocery store.

Tomatoes, for example, come in over 10,000 varieties.

From small cherries in your salad to beefsteaks large enough to overlap sandwich bread, you have a ton of options! This is true for everything. Whether you’re starting from seed or purchasing seedlings, try to pick and plant varieties that can’t be bought off a local store shelf.

I’d also suggest planting popcorn. Yes, popcorn!

Popcorn is its own variety of corn, and while many people may think it’s “just regular corn that’s had something done to it,” you can grow it from a seed just like any other garden vegetable. I recommend Strawberry Popcorn as it’s small and has a beautiful fall color. It pops quite easily in a small covered pot with olive oil and salt!

As you’re deciding what you want to grow, start thinking about where you’re going to plant your different vegetables. Certain root systems of plants don’t do well with other neighboring types of plants and their root systems. Corn does very well near beans or legumes and squash,

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but it doesn’t appreciate being close to tomatoes. And while tomatoes aren’t near as fussy and do well with onions, squash and peppers, they don’t like corn, dill or potatoes. This doesn’t mean that the plants won’t grow at all or that they’ll die off if planted close to one another, but you’ll likely end up with two plants that have managed to stay alive all year but haven’t really given you anything to show for it in terms of a harvest.

If you plant it, it will grow Next comes the planting!

If you’re limited to potted plants this part of the process is easy. If you’ve got a couple of raised beds, this part will require some elbow grease but nothing that most people can’t manage. However, if you’re breaking ground on a traditional plot, this step requires a little more planning and prep. This is especially true if you haven’t broken the ground before, and I’m of course assuming you have access to a garden tiller or a tractor. Regardless, if you haven’t broken ground on this plot before just be prepared for a few days of work over a couple of weeks.

I first break ground on my garden sometime in March with the plan to plant in mid-to-late April.

This is to give the ground plenty of time to dry out between tillings, as well as to interrupt the growth cycle and kill off a lot of the weeds or plants that are already growing over where your garden will be. Giving time

between tilings dries out the soil and makes it easier to till the next time you work on it.

In the end, you will want it to be well broken up and as powdery as possible.

Once you’re completely ready to plant, take care to dig rows or prepare your mounds for whatever you’re planting. Transplanting seedlings right out of a tray will save you a lot of time at this stage of the process, but will likely cost you. Planting seeds directly will save you a lot of money, but you have to be mindful of the extra time that’s inherently involved with starting from just a seed.

While most seed packets have growing and germination instructions, these are often generic guides. If you haven’t started from seeds before, the most important thing to keep in mind is depth. Do your research for what you’re planting and make sure you’re planting seeds at the right depth.

All living things need water and attention As soon as everything is in the ground the real work begins — tending to it regularly and waiting for your first harvest. Make sure to water your garden right away, and you’ll want to make sure to keep it watered while things are taking root and developing underground.

Watering early on is very important as the root systems throughout your garden are very young and still developing. Even if

it’s not very hot out, young seedlings can dry out and die easily if they don’t have enough water. Your garden will struggle to thrive if you water sporadically. The plants will expend too much energy trying to survive and they won’t have enough energy to produce food for you, so make sure to develop a watering schedule.

Your other chore until harvest begins is pulling weeds or any plant that’s growing somewhere in your garden where it’s not meant to grow. Weeds are the enemy of success and no weed is too small to pull!

Even a small weed can stunt the growth of a nearby plant tremendously. To make your work easier, I suggest doing this often! The larger a weed gets the larger its roots get, and the more you risk damaging a neighboring garden plant as you extract it from the soil.

Whatever you decide to

plant, just remember to have fun with it! Gardens are a labor of love. Be patient as you and your garden grow together, but also remember that you get what you give out of it. If you give your garden attention, it’ll give you a plentiful harvest as a reward. If you’ve never gardened before, don’t be afraid to start small and simple and grow from there in the years to come. And if you’re already an experienced gardener then you should stop reading now and go pull some weeds! n

ABOUT JOSHUA RIGSBY

Joshua was born and raised in Sumner County. A self made Master Gardener, he’s also a home-brew hobbyist (wine not beer), amateur wood turner, and loves propagating plants. His oldest plant is over a decade in his care and is now over 7’ tall, and his proudest propagation accomplishment so far is pineapples. Joshua is also passionate about volunteer work, nature conservation, and community activism. Joshua received an AS in Business and Commerce from VSCC, and a BS in Organizational Communication from MTSU. He is currently a Sales Performance Coach at Technology Advice in Nashville Tennessee.

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 35

news

Judge Bell seeks Re-Election Native Nashvillian seeks third term for office with a continued focus on criminal justice reform

J

udge Rachel L. Bell is running for re-election!

Her petition has been qualified and her campaign team is ready.

Early voting is April 13-28 and Election Day is May 3, 2022. Judge Bell shared, “We are in the home stretch of this campaign, and I call it the 4th Quarter. I compare my campaign strategy to playing basketball. It’s in the 4th Quarter you give all you can, play fair and leave it all on the court.

In this case the ballot.”

This is Judge Bell’s third time running for office as she was successfully elected during a special election in 2012 and re-elected in 2014.

Judge Bell has a solid reputation growing up right here in our community and being amongst the people continuously. We know Judge Bell’s character and we know her family. In 10 years, Judge Bell has presided over 191,903 Criminal Cases; 29,415 Civil Cases; 4,836 Mental Health Committals; and 8,971 Traffic Cases. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, she presided over 2,000 cases that paid out over $11 million dollars to landlords for tenants that

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could not pay their rent. This allowed the landlord to be compensated and the tenant to keep a roof over their family’s head. In 2016, Judge Bell commissioned a statue of Justice A.A. Birch to be placed in front of the courthouse. In 2018, her court was one of five courts selected to receive a $200,000.00 grant partnering with the TN Supreme Court to establish the C.A.R.E. Diversionary Court for Ages 18-30 and the Bordeaux North Community Justice Center in zip code 37208.

In addition to serving as General Sessions Court Judge, Judge Bell started the State of Tennessee’s first Music City Community Court and launched three innovative initiatives. First was the RESTORE ReEntry Court for Returning Citizens, where she and her team do trash clean-ups throughout the community

and an Expungement Clinic, Indigency Docket & Resource Fair. The second initiative was the C.A.R.E. Diversionary Court for Ages 18-30. This is a pre-trial judgment deferred court that allows individuals to complete the program and have their case dismissed, never being faced with a criminal record that will be on their background.

The third initiative was the L.E.G.A.C.Y. Housing Resource Diversionary Court which assists landlords and tenants dealing with nonpayment of rent. Judge Bell is meeting people where they are and treating all that come before her bench with dignity, humanity, and compassion.

Judge Bell does have a challenger, in Erin Coleman who has previously lost her bid in 2016 for state senate and 2015 for council at large.

In today’s climate, we need a person like Judge

Bell from our community on the bench that is visible and understands the plight of people that come before the General Sessions Court. It’s the people’s court and Judge Bell is a people person. In an effort to make an equitable court environment she runs her courtroom forwardthinking and uses progressive trends aligning with the rest of the country. Judge Bell shared, “Before I became a judge and while being a judge over the years we keep hearing about defendants going through a conveyor belt type system and just being rushed through, pleading guilty to charges and not really understanding what is

going on. After my first two years sitting on the bench, I decided to do something about that.

There is a General Sessions local Rule 4 [in Davidson County], that was enacted in 2009 that allows a first and second call system, where my court clerk and staff checkin defendants, witnesses, police officers, victims and attorneys into the courtroom and ensure each defendant is assigned a lawyer. During this process, there is a line for each case to meet with the district attorney’s office to see what their plea deal or offer will be for the charges they are faced with. At the second call, I identify those

defendants that have not arrived [in] court and also take up any ready cases that have been acknowledged by my clerk. This system is fair and strictly focuses on all parties involved with the case without any distractions. The district attorney is not being tugged on by other lawyers during cross-examination and the victim and defendant are getting a full and fair hearing.” n — Article and Image submitted

RING THE BELL FOR JUSTICE Judge Bell is asking everyone to Ring the BELL for Justice and keep her on the bench. To learn more about her campaign visit www.judgerachelbell.com.

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 37

social justice

Fighting government sanctioned discrimination The ‘Slate of Hate’ Continues into the 2022 Legislative Session

By Lauren Means @LaurenInMidTenn

L

T

he Tennessee legislature seems to outdo itself with the sheer number of discriminatory bills affecting Tennessee’s LGBTQ+ community put forward each year.

Not surprisingly, 2022 may set a record. There were three bills from 2021 that carried over to the 2022 assembly and 17 new bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community introduced at the beginning of this session.

Thankfully, there are also some positive bills to track this year.

For up-to-date information, the Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) monitors these bills throughout the session and keeps information on their website tnep. org. There you can also find how to contact your representatives to voice your thoughts and also information on how to get involved with TEP.

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Note: The description of each bill comes from the General Assembly’s legislative summary. Bill updates and some summary information comes from the Tennessee Equality Project blog.

New constructive bills in the 2022 session Bill: SB2066/HB2257 Sponsored by Sen. Campbell and Rep. Harris Description: As introduced, authorizes an applicant who files a petition for a name change and who reasonably believes that publication of the petition would result in harassment, embarrassment, or abuse of the applicant to file the petition under seal and use a pseudonym for publication purposes.

Summary: This bill would allow individuals filing for a name change to use a pseudonym and have records sealed. This protects name changes from being public records which could be harmful to transgender and gender non-conforming individuals in addition to those in abusive situations.

Most recent updates: HB2257 - Assigned to Civil Justice Subcommittee as of 02/07/2022. SB2066 - Failed in Senate Judiciary Committee as of 03/22/2022.

Bill: SB2603/HB2691 Sponsored by Sen. Campbell and Rep. G. Johnson Description: As introduced, allows amendments of birth certificates to reflect the individual’s gender identity. Amends TCA Title 29, Chapter 8; Title 37 and Title 68, Chapter 3.

Summary: Tennessee is the only state that has a statute that prevents people from changing the gender marker on their birth certificate. This bill will allow people to correlate their birth certificates to their gender identity.

Most recent updates: HB2691 - Failed for lack of second in Health Subcommittee on 03/22/2022. SB2603 - Passed on Second Consideration, referred to Senate Judiciary Committee on 02/07/2022.

Bills from 2021 that have moved in the 2022 session Bill: SB562/HB233 Sponsored by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Leatherwood Description: As introduced, deletes statutes on marriage licensing and ceremonies; limits the jurisdiction of circuit courts and chancery courts in cases involving the definition of common law marriage to the principles of common law marriage. Amends TCA Title 8; Title 10; Title 16; Title 36; Title 39; Title 67 and Title 68.

Summary: This bill is a thinly veiled attack on marriage equality.

Most recent updates: HB233 - Placed on Children & Family Affairs Subcommittee calendar for 3/23/2022. SB562 - Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 03/22/2022.

social justice

Bill: SB657/HB578 Sponosred by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Ragan Description: As introduced, prohibits the provision of sexual identity change therapy to prepubescent minors; prohibits the provision of sexual identity change therapy to minors who have entered puberty unless a parent or guardian has written recommendations for the therapy from at least three physicians; punishes violations as child abuse; designates violations by healthcare professionals as professional misconduct.

Summary: This bill criminalizes gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

Most recent updates: HN578 - Deferred to Special Calendar to be Published with Final Calendar in Health Committee on 03/09/2022.

SB657 - Passed on Second Consideration, referred to Senate Judiciary Committee on 02/11/2021 with no movement in 2022.

Bill: SB1216/HB800 Sponsored by Sen. Niceley and Rep. Griffey Description: As introduced, prohibits the state textbook and instructional materials quality commission from recommending or listing, the state board of education from approving for local adoption or from granting a waiver for, and LEAs and public charter schools from adopting or using textbooks and instructional materials or supplemental instructional materials that promote, normalize, support, or address lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, or transgender issues or lifestyles. Amends TCA Title 49.

Summary: This bill bans LGBTQ materials in our public schools. It is censorship. It erases LGBTQ people and will result in costly litigation.

This bill erases LGBTQ people in textbooks. LGBTQ people are part of history, civics, literature, the arts, and all subjects. This bill stigmatizes LGBTQ students. The Legislature should send a message that all students belong in our schools. Passing this bill compromises that goal and amounts to censorship.

Most recent updates: HB800 - Re-referred to Education Instruction on 03/17/2022. SB1216 - Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 03/23/2022.

Bill: SB659/HB1535 Sponsored by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Weaver Description: As introduced, prohibits teachers from using supplemental materials that are not approved by the state board.

Summary: Bans the use of supplemental materials not approved by the state board of education. This bill requires teachers to submit and obtain approval for all supplemental materials. This hampers teachers with more restrictions when they could be instructing.

Most recent updates: HB1535 - Recommended for passage; if amended, referred to Calendar & Rules Committee on 04/07/2021 with no movement in 2022. SB659 - Failed in Senate Education Committee on 02/23/2022

New bills in the 2022 session which are directly discriminatory or could have discriminatory implications Bill: SB2696/HB2835 Sponsored by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Ragan Description: As introduced, enacts the “Youth Health Protection Act.” Health Care - As introduced, enacts the “Youth Health Protection Act.” - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 9; Title 14; Title 33; Title 63 and Title 68.

Summary: A far-reaching attack on gender-affirming health care for trans and non-binary youth. This bill bans gender-affirming health care for minors including gender-confirming surgeries and the provision of puberty blockers, testosterone, and estrogen.

There are penalties for health care providers who violate the bill.

Public school employees will be forced to out their students, which will shut down communication with school personnel.

Most recent updates: HB2835 - Taken off notice as of 03/22/2022. SB2696 - Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Health and Welfare Committee on 03/09/2022.

Bill: HB1758 Sponsored by Rep. Ragan Description: As introduced, prohibits healthcare providers from providing medical treatment to minors without parental consent; provides exceptions for minors seeking treatment under certain conditions.

Most recent updates: WITHDRAWN on 02/02/2022.

Bill: SB1861/HB1895 Sponsored by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Ragan Description: As introduced, requires the commissioner of education to withhold a portion of the state education finance funds that an LEA is otherwise eligible to receive if the LEA fails or refuses to determine a student’s gender, for purposes of participation in school sports, by the student’s sex at the time of birth; exempts an LEA that fails or refuses to determine a student’s gender, for purposes of participation in school sports, by the student’s sex at the time of birth if the LEA’s failure or refusal to do so is required by a court or other legally binding order.

Summary: These bills extend the ban on transgender athletes to college students and add to penalties for local school districts that are not in compliance with the ban passed last year by the General Assembly. They direct the TN Commissioner of Education to withhold state funds from school districts that do not discriminate against transgender student-athletes.

Most recent updates: HB1895 - Sent to Senate and Passed on First Consideration as of 04/04/82022. SB1861 - Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/11/2022.

Bill: SB2153/HB2316 Sponsored by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Ragan Description: As introduced, prohibits males from participating in public higher education sports that are designated for females; creates a cause of action for violations that deprive a student of an athletic opportunity or that cause direct or indirect harm to a student at the middle school, high school, or postsecondary level.

Summary: These bills extend the ban on transgender athletes to college students and add to penalties for local school districts that are not in compliance with the ban passed last year by the General Assembly.

Most recent updates: HB2316 - Placed on calendar of Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/13/2022. SB2153 - Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/11/2022.

» April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 39

social justice

Bill: SB1862/HB1894 Sponsored by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Ragan Description: As introduced, prohibits males from participating in public higher education sports that are designated for females; creates a cause of action for violations that deprive a student of an athletic opportunity or that cause direct or indirect harm to a student at the middle school, high school, or postsecondary level.

Summary: This bill prevents transgender and non-binary students from participating in school sports according to their gender identity. It’s wrong to use the law to target transgender and nonbinary students. This bill stigmatizes the transgender community.

This bill opens the way for frivolous lawsuits.

Most recent updates: HB1894 - WITHDRAWN on 01/31/2022. SB1862 - Passed on Second Consideration, referred to Senate Education Committee on 01/26/2022.

Bill: SB2777/HB2633 Sponsored by Sen. Bell and Rep. Cochran Description: As introduced, specifies that a teacher or other employee of a public school or LEA is not required to refer to a student using the student’s preferred pronoun if the pronoun does not align with the student’s biological sex; insulates a teacher or other employee of a public school or LEA from civil liability and adverse employment action for referring to a student using the pronoun aligned with the student’s biological sex instead of the student’s preferred pronoun.

Summary: This bill allows school personnel to disregard the pronouns that correspond to a student’s gender identity. That would give the government a monopoly on saying who students are, which is contrary to basic rights and the principle of individualism. It harms no one to use a student’s pronouns; it harms students when school personnel refuse to use their pronouns. Schools should set a welcoming environment for all students.

Most recent updates: HB2633 - Action deferred in Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/19/2022. SB2777 - Referred to Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee as of 04/07/2022.

Bill: SB2006/HB1723 Sponsored by Sen. Bell and Rep. Casada Description: As introduced, requires an LEA’s policy on the inspection of school instructional materials by parents and legal guardians of students enrolled in the LEA to allow a student’s parent or legal guardian to check out from the student’s school one set of the instructional materials used in the student’s classroom for a period of no less than 48 hours to allow the parent or legal guardian time to inspect the materials.

Summary: This bill could lead to endless challenges on instruction especially targeting materials depicting minority groups.

Most recent updates: HB1723 - Placed on Education Instruction calendar for 03/23/2022. SB2006 - Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Education Committee as of 03/23/2022.

Bill: SJR862 Sponsored by Sen. Bowling Description: Constitutional Amendments - Proposes an amendment to Article I of the Constitution of Tennessee to protect fundamental parental rights.

Summary: Amendment to expand “parental rights” at the expense of infringing on youth rights.

Most recent updates: Passed on Second Consideration, referred to Senate Judiciary Committee on 01/27/2022.

Page 40 | weconnect.lgbt | April-May 2022

Bill: SB1944/HB1944 Sponsored by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Cepicky Description: As introduced, excludes local education agencies, public schools, and employees and private contractors of LEAs or public schools from the exception to certain obscenity offenses if the LEA, public school, employee, or private contractor possesses obscene material that is harmful to minors on public school premises; prohibits an LEA or public school from making obscene materials or materials harmful to minors available to students in the school libraries controlled by the LEA or public school.

Summary: This bill will lead to endless book challenges that will disrupt the educational process and land schools in court for censorship. This bill is also redundant as a harmful to minors obscenity law already exists under TN Code, and school libraries are not in violation of this law. Furthermore, none of the recently challenged books are considered obscene under the Miller Test and are therefore considered illegal acts of censorship. This bill attempts to categorize school library materials as obscenity and pornography. It criminalizes librarians.

Most recent updates: HB1944 - Sent to Senate where it passed on First Consideration on 03/30/2022. SB1944 - Deferred to Summer Study on 04/06/2022.

Bill: SB2407/HB2154 Sponsored by Sen. Johnson and Rep. Lamberth Description: As introduced, enacts the “Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022”; requires each public school to maintain, and post on the school’s website, a list of the materials in the school’s library collection; requires each local board of education and public charter school governing body to adopt a policy to establish procedures for the development and review of school library collections.

Summary: This bill could lead to endless challenges on materials deemed “inappropriate” because they depict minority groups like the LGBTQ+ community.

Most recent updates: HB2154 - Companion Senate bill substituted on 03/14/2022. SB2407 - Signed by Governor and effective as of 03/24/2022.

Bill: SB2360/HB2451 Sponsored

by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Weaver Description: As introduced, enacts the “Parent Bill of Rights Act,” which requires LEAs to permit parents to have access to certain information, including the names of instructors, titles available in the school library, teacher manuals, and curriculum; requires parents to provide written consent before a student can participate in any extracurricular activity, family life lesson, field trip, school assembly, or guest speaker event; prohibits certain healthcare practitioners from providing medical treatment to a minor without parental consent or an appropriate court order.

Summary: This bill claims to be about parent rights but it appears to be an effort to micromanage every aspect of the curriculum and extracurricular activities. It will add significantly to the administrative workload of teachers and administrators.

Parents can already opt their children out of activities. Schools need to be able to educate students without every activity being micromanaged by the provisions of this bill.

social justice

Most recent updates: HB2451 - Failed for lack of second in Health Subcommittee on 03/22/2022. SB2360 - Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Health and Welfare Committee on 03/23/2022.

Bill: SB2292/HB2454 Sponsored by Sen. Bell and Rep. Weaver Description: As introduced, redefines “obscene” to include material that has educational value; makes various changes to the internet acceptable use policy LEAs are required to adopt; requires providers of digital and online resources to ensure that users cannot access certain obscene material; requires a local board of education to establish a mechanism for parents, legal guardians, or students to report failures of the technology selected by the LEA to filter, block, or otherwise prevent access to pornography or obscenity through online resources and to submit an annual report to the state board of education regarding same.

Summary: This bill attempts to categorize some educational materials as obscene and pornographic if deemed “inappropriate”.

Depending on who reviews materials, they could be deemed “obscene” if it mentions gender identity or sexual orientation.

Most recent updates: HB2454 - Placed on Education Administration calendar for 3/23/2022. SB2292 - Recommended for passage with amendments, referred to Senate Calendar Committee on 03/09/2022.

Bill: SB2283/HB2417 Sponsored by Sen. Bell and Rep. Smith Description: As introduced, prohibits employees of, and courses of instruction or units of study at, public institutions of higher education from compelling or addressing certain tenets; creates a cause of action and loss of state funding for violations.

Summary: This bill bans staff of higher education institutions from discussing “public policy” with teachers and students. This is an attempt to censor discussion.

Most recent updates: HB2417 - Taken off notice from Higher Education Subcommittee of Education Administration on 02/22/2022. SB2283 - Passed on Second Consideration, referred to Senate Education Committee on 02/03/2022.

Bill: SB2290/HB2670 Sponsored by Sen. Bell and Rep. C. Sexton Description: As introduced, prohibits a public institution of higher education from taking certain actions with regard to divisive concepts and the ideologies or political viewpoints of students and employees; revises the duties of an institution’s employees whose primary duties include diversity; requires each institution to conduct a survey of its students and employees to assess the campus climate with regard to diversity of thought and the respondents’ comfort level in speaking freely on campus and to publish the results on the institution’s website.

Summary: This bill would prohibit discriminatory teaching, but in effect would make it virtually impossible for teachers to help students understand the continuing impact of slavery and racism in American history. It prohibits the state’s institutes of higher education from engaging in seminars or workshops that contain concepts such as “This state or the United States is fundamentally or irredeemably racist or sexist” and that “an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or another form of psychological distress solely because of the individual’s race or sex.”

Most recent updates: HB2670 - Signed by Governor on 04/08/2022. SB2290 - Companion House Bill substituted on 03/21/2022.

Bill: SB2440/HB2569 Sponsored by Sen. Bell and Rep. Ragan Description: As introduced, prohibits the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, an individual or group based on the individual’s or group’s race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of any aspect of public employment, public education, or public contracting.

Summary: This bill will negatively impact local government programs that support women and minority contracting, as well as pathways to employment for veterans. It limits a city or county’s ability to make its own decisions on who it contracts with. It limits opportunities for women-led and minority-led businesses and hurts veterans trying to enter the public sector. This will directly impact LGBT-owned certified businesses.

Most recent updates: HB2569 - Placed on State Government Committee calendar for 03/22/2022. SB2440 - Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 03/22/2022.

Bill: SB2298/HB2313 Sponosred by Sen. Pody and Rep. Griffey Description: As introduced, prohibits a person from requiring an individual, employee, or applicant for employment to complete or participate in training, orientation, or any other instructional or informational program that promotes certain discriminatory concepts.

Summary: Prohibits mandatory diversity training. This allows individuals to opt-out of diversity and inclusion training which could create hostile work environments for minority groups.

Most recent updates: HB2313 - Deferred to Summer Study in Banking & Consumer Affairs Subcommittee on 2/23/22. SB2298 Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Commerce & Labor Committee on 02/25/2022.

Bill: HB2584 Sponsored by Rep. Leatherwood Description: As introduced, redefines secondary education from including grades seven through 12 to including grades nine through 12. This bill has no Senate sponsor at this time. We are tracking it because of the effect on GSAs in public schools.

Summary: Would legally redefine what grades are included in secondary education. This could limit the availability of GSAs for grades seven through eight.

Most recent updates: HB2584 - Passed on second consideration, caption bill, held on desk - pending amendment as of 02/07/2022.

CONNECT UPDATES ACCURATE AS OF PUBLISH DATE. To stay informed, visit Tennessee Equality Project online and read up-to-date news about how these bills are moving through legislature, as well as new bills that are introduced.

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 41

NDO ANDREWS PHOTO COURTESY OF ORLA

health

SOBRIETY

Healing the core

By Lauren Means @LaurenInMidTenn

L

O

rlando Andrews grew up on a farm in Guthrie, Kentucky.

“A lot of people, based on the way I present, don’t know that,” Andrews said with a chuckle. It was here, during his childhood, where his journey began.

He’s lived all over the country since graduating high school. He earned a scholarship to go to Northwestern University and after college graduation he found himself living in Atlanta. After a decade there, he moved around landing in California, Salt Lake City, Detroit and then back to Atlanta before his move to Tennessee in 2014.

No matter where he was living or what stage of life he

Page 42 | weconnect.lgbt | April-May 2022

was in, alcohol was prominent.

Orlando said growing up on that farm in Kentucky, drinking was the norm. “It was something you saw all the time,” he recalled, “and as long as you didn’t look like a drunk you were ok.”

During college, he participated in the theater scene which led to a stint as a talent agent. He attended many opening night parties and other events that were heavy on the social drinking aspect. He was also a server during this time where he says the culture breeds alcohol and substance abuse.

“It was when I was in my mid-20s, waiting tables and going out to the clubs, that I was introduced to cocaine.

There was coke everywhere!” exclaimed Orlando.

“The party never stopped.

It was the life of being fabulous I guess you could say,” he said. “I was still deep in the closet about being bisexual. It was hard to think of myself as having a problem,” Orlando said.

“I was addicted to the excitement of it all.”

Restless in Atlanta Around 2003, Orlando started to become tired of the game and decided to get sober.

“I was done waiting tables because of the low pay and no benefits,” he recalled.

His first experience with sobriety lasted a few months by attending AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings. “The thing people don’t realize about sobriety is that it’s not easy,” said Andrews.

He didn’t realize the amount of emotional trauma from his past that hadn’t been dealt with and removing alcohol left a really uncomfortable feeling he still wasn’t ready to face. In his experience, some people within AA will tell you, if you don’t think you are an alcoholic or an addict, go out and do some controlled drinking. “So I did. And I was off to the races again,” remembers Andrews.

Instead of dealing with these feelings and traumas, he poured himself into work. He eventually landed in Detroit where he ran the call center at the symphony. That’s when

health

it all started to go off the rails. “Detroit is filled with cocaine,” recalled Orlando. “I started to notice there might be a problem but again, I didn’t want to deal with it.”

To avoid what was bubbling under the surface, he moved back to Atlanta.

On January 6, 2010, he received a call about a friend who passed away after overdosing. That was the wake-up call to get back into recovery. He took this as a sign from God to get sober.

why having a plan for the long term is so important,” said Andrews.

Most people don’t continue on a path to sobriety. They need a treatment plan that is more than just going to an inpatient program. “Look at what it looks like to be sober and what you need to do and what other programs you need to participate in.

If you do go to an inpatient program, you need to do outpatient as well,” said Andrews, “and that’s just the beginning.”

Change of Scenery Because he was well known in the call center sector, Orlando received a call from American Addiction Centers (AAC) asking him if he knew of anyone who might be a good fit to work in their industry.

After learning more about the position, he decided to apply.

Within two weeks, he was relocating to Nashville.

“I didn’t go to treatment to get sober. I went to AA. So I didn’t know much about treatment centers,” he explained. This was a new experience assessing and scheduling people for inpatient treatment but it was a change he embraced.

He now works for Lakeview Health as a treatment navigator. His niche is looking at someone’s treatment issues and needs and then coming up with a treatment plan.

“We focus so much on getting people sober. A 30 day program here, another six week program there. I don’t think people realize the industry standard is that 75% of people going to treatment centers aren’t usually still sober one year later. This is

Emotional sobriety Orlando has been sober for 12 years and is now in another dimension of his recovery.

Growing up in a very racist area, he was taught that presentation and appearance were everything. “I had to be that perfect child,” he said.

“That’s a lot for a kid. Where you are not allowed to be a child and are always worried about what other people are thinking. Looking like you had it all together was a way to hide the abuse in my household to make sure no one knew what was going on and we looked like the perfect family on the outside.”

Andrews was the “hero child.” By high school, he was president of his junior class, student council president his senior year, graduated in the top 10% of his class and was voted Best All-Around. “I was always under so much stress,” he said.

Twelve-step programs like AA or NA (Narcotics Anonymous) are good for the first two to three years but then you have to graduate to emotional sobriety – facing all that “stuff.” You face

it a little during a 12 step program. Orlando thinks everyone should learn the 12 steps because they do help people get sober but, in reality, they have an even lower rate of people staying sober — around 90% relapse at least once. That is because many of them aren’t working towards emotional sobriety.

Orlando said that the Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (ACA) program has helped him the most. “You look at your family system and the dysfunction of your family system and start dealing with all the things you have been running from,” he explained. This is when he looked at his history and saw he used school as a way of “getting out.” Once he graduated high school, he didn’t know what to do because his goal was to get to college. “I spent the rest of my time running from things I didn’t want to look at.”

It takes being sober to get to this point. “It is the emotional sobriety that enables us to thrive in our lives and not just survive.”

“Even though sobriety seems daunting and difficult, it is by far the best thing in the world,” he said. His worst day sober isn’t as bad as any day when he was using. “At least I’m present for it and I know it isn’t going to last forever.” n

If you need help, Orlando wants you to reach out to him. His number is: 408-449-7666.

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 43

DORS TESY OF DR. PHOTO COUR

HA N. JAMES

health

From bedside to business owner Dr. Dorsha N. James offers myURGENCYMD

M

By Lauren Means @LaurenInMidTenn

L

ost of how one feels about America’s healthcare system stems from past experiences and dealings within the system. There’s a lot of distrust, frustration, anger and even hopelessness in our current healthcare model. This can be a result of misdiagnoses, having symptoms and concerns brushed off, financial repercussions and even outright discrimination.

While we have a ways to go before the system is repaired, changes can start with providers who directly interact with patients daily. One of these doctors looking to make changes is Dr. Dorsha N. James. She’s been in the medical field for

Page 44 | weconnect.lgbt | April-May 2022

over a decade and has had experience from both sides of the hospital bed. One of those experiences is what led her to pursue a career in medicine.

“In 1991, my healthy and vibrant grandmother found herself in the ICU on a ventilator battling a

lung disease. She had spent at least three weeks there when her ICU physician had to deliver bad news to our family — the matriarch of our family had a matter of days to weeks to live. As if the news wasn’t bad enough, the delivery was even worse,”

health

recalled Dr. James.

The physician didn’t appear to have any compassion for her family considering that he gave them possibly the worst news of their life. Dr. James told herself that day if she ever became a doctor, she’d make sure her bedside manner was one that gained her patient’s trust. “From that day forward, I did everything in my power to become a physician,” said Dr. James.

Frontline Dr. James has had the opportunity to care for patients across all spectrums — from the poor to the wealthy, the healthy to the ill, different races, creeds, religious beliefs and sexuality. The disparities in public healthcare, especially for black and brown people who fare worse than their white counterparts as it relates to health, healthcare and health equity, is what drove her toward emergency medicine.

“As an ER physician, I’ve had the unique opportunity to diagnose, order and treat patients based on their [clinical] presentation instead of their race, religion, sexual orientation, pronouns, demographics, or socioeconomic status.

As a matter of fact, this is the reason why I chose emergency medicine,” she explained. “It afforded me the opportunity to serve without having to worry about a lot of the disparities that exist in healthcare.”

She remembers when she started her residency, attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community were a lot different than they are now. “I know that we have a LONG way to go, however, I can remember some of my colleagues making statements such as ‘He was born a man, I don’t care what he wants me to call him,

I’m going to say him,’” she recounted. That didn’t sit well with her. Fast forward to 2022 and she’s noticed that people are becoming more sensitive to the use of the proper pronouns for individuals. “I am grateful to see that people, especially those in the medical field, are evolving.”

To make a dent in the inequalities in America’s healthcare, Dr. James believes that, although it may not be a popular opinion, we are going to have to have some form of universal healthcare.

“Disparities will continue to exist when people cannot afford to get care,” she said.

Healthcare disparities are multifactorial, however, addressing the healthcare crisis and the cost of medical care is a good start toward change.

From Bedside to Business Owner Dr. James took on a new role of CEO in March 2019 when she founded her business myURGENCYMD. This journey was different from her path to becoming a physician. She said, “I always say that starting a business has been harder for me than medical school ever was! Ok, maybe not that hard, but definitely up there.” There was a sharp learning curve for her to understand the inner workings of becoming a CEO and knowing medicine does not translate to knowing how to run a business.

“Just when I thought I had things figured out, COVID hit and my business went through the roof. As a telemedicine company, we went from services that a lot of people didn’t know much about to a household name in just a matter of weeks,” she said.

This started a whole new level of learning as her business

was beginning to turn a profit and that brought about more responsibilities — fiscally and administratively. Dr. James said, “We hired a few people to help take some of the load off of us and I enrolled in a course with a cohort of small business owners that helps prepare and sustain business growth. I must say it has been fun and challenging.”

Services like myURGENCYMD help underserved communities and assist in breaking down barriers to healthcare for many populations. The cost of healthcare is often cited as a primary reason people avoid going to the doctor. Going to the ER or even an urgent care clinic for minor illnesses can be very expensive. Despite this, the ER has, in a way, become the primary caregiver to people who otherwise don’t have access to healthcare. Some ERs might be the only place where you can be seen without having to pay prior to your visit.

“When I worked in the ER, I noticed that a lot of the uninsured and underinsured were using the ER as their only alternative to obtaining healthcare. And that’s even if some of those cases could have easily been handled at home or at an urgent care clinic,” stated Dr. James.

That’s what is great about a service like myURGENCYMD — it provides healthcare at a very affordable price. The service is able to provide services for up to seven family members for the same price so a whole household can have healthcare at an affordable cost. Dr. James is grateful to be the one to help, “I am so happy that I have been afforded the opportunity to be able to provide this service for families and individuals. It is something that is desperately needed in this climate.” n April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 45

health

SKIN HEALTH

The skinny on

skin exams

By Dr. Benjamin Bashline @HarpethValDerm

L

A

wareness around skin cancer and sun prevention has increased in recent years. While it’s great that we are becoming more sun-aware, it’s equally important to understand what you need to be monitoring for and when you need to see your dermatologist. Connect had the opportunity to speak with board-certified dermatologist Dr. Benjamin Bashline with Harpeth Valley Dermatology and he gave us tips and guidelines to follow when checking out our moles.

At-home skin checks are very important. You want to check yourself every three to six months and especially monitor for any new or changing spots. Taking photos of lesions can be very helpful, as it’ll be easier to monitor for any changes.

The back is a large surface area, so getting a partner or family member to check your back is extremely helpful.

If anything is noted that is new or changing, seeing your board-certified dermatologist is your next step.

There are many things to look out for on the skin.

The usual rule we apply for things to be watchful of is the ABCDEs of melanoma.

• A is asymmetry, so if

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one half of a mole or spot does not look like the other half, that can be concerning.

• B is for border, which refers to the border of a mole. This normally should be smooth and rounded but often is jagged or irregular in melanoma.

• C stands for color, which refers to a mole with a darker color than your other moles, or if it contains more than one color. Often melanomas will be darker in color or have large color variations within them.

• D is for diameter, which refers to the size of a mole being greater than 6mm or the eraser side of a pencil.

This is likely the least important of the bunch, as

many normal lesions can be larger than that size.

• E stands for evolution.

This is the most important of all the letters. If a mole is noted to be changing, it’s very important to get examined by a boardcertified dermatologist, who can determine if the spot requires a biopsy or if it can be monitored.

Those changes are fairly specific to melanoma.

The more common skin cancers we see are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Those two types of skin cancer can appear as a red to pink papule that often will bleed or scab on its own. Often they can resemble a pimple, but don’t resolve in one to two months and continue to grow. We frequently see these in areas that are chronically sun-exposed (like the face, neck, arms, shoulders and ears), but they can appear anywhere. If you do notice a lesion like this, get in to see your dermatologist so they can examine it.

Intervals for being examined by a dermatologist depend on several factors.

Generally speaking, we

health

ETH TESY OF HARP PHOTO COUR

VALLEY DERM

ATOLOGY

recommend yearly exams for anyone over the age of 50, regardless of personal or family history of skin cancer.

If there’s a strong family history of skin cancer, or if the individual in question has previously had skin cancer, a yearly exam is recommended regardless of age. The most

important rule of thumb is if you notice any lesions you are not comfortable with or have noticed changes to, get in to see your boardcertified dermatologist as soon as possible. We have many tools at our disposal (including dermoscopy, which is the use of a

polarized magnifying scope to examine skin lesions) and years of experience that make us extremely proficient at identifying lesions that could be skin cancer and removing them if needed.

Make sure to wear your sunblock and watch for any new or changing moles! n

ABOUT DR. BASHLINE

Dr. Bashline is a Board Certified Dermatologist who practices general dermatology. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in History from Creighton University in 2008 and received his medical degree from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2013. Dr. Bashline completed his residency in Dermatology at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital System – Michigan State University in 2017.

Dr. Bashline has authored numerous journal articles and presented at several large dermatology conferences around the country. Dr. Bashline has a special interest in complex medical and tropical dermatology. Dr. Bashline is currently a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, the Tennessee Dermatology Society and the Tennessee Medical Association. Dr. Bashline is additionally trained in aesthetic dermatology, including facial rejuvenation with injectable toxins and fillers, as well as laser modalities.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Bashline enjoys traveling, staying fit and active and exploring Tennessee.

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 47

health

MENTAL HEALTH

Life feels out of control?

Don’t panic, these tips will help

W

By Christian Bumpous, MA, LPC, LMFT, CDWF @WeConnect_LGBT

L

hen life feels out of control, it’s easy to panic. Suddenly, the things that used to be so stable feel like they’re crumbling around us. We don’t know what to do and we feel powerless.

As a psychotherapist, I’m used to seeing people at a time in their lives when they feel most vulnerable and in pain. I’m used to sitting with people as they process a difficult loss, the end of a relationship or an overall tumultuous time in their lives. Usually, while those are undoubtedly painful things, it’s not difficult for me to sit with and help people through because it’s not me that it’s happening to. I have a different viewpoint on the situation than the client.

Therapy works best when the therapist isn’t going through the same things their client is going through.

The ethical guidance is to refer someone to a different practitioner if a client’s topic into therapy is hitting too close to home.

Well, all that was upended when March 2020 hit and the world shut down. Suddenly, my clients and I were all in the same boat. Confronted with the same anxiety, worry and uncertainty as we all were glued to our screens watching the news and not leaving our houses.

Referring my client to someone else… Well, were

Page 48 | weconnect.lgbt | April-May 2022

there any therapists that were not going through the world shutting down? Nope — I was going to be as good as any other practitioner.

It became my job to stay grounded amidst all of the chaos. Not just for my own sake and sanity but for my clients.

While March 2022 is certainly not March 2020, we’re still in a time when a lot of things are in flux.

COVID isn’t gone. But now, we have other things to contend with on top of that.

At home, we are confronting inflation and paying more for almost everything. Outside our borders, we are watching what seems like the stable world order that was formed after World War II being

upended in front of our eyes in Europe.

Over the past few years, my clients and I (together) learned how to stay grounded during chaotic times, and I want to share a few tips with you on what to do when things are seemingly falling apart.

First, take a deep breath.

It might sound cliché, but it really does help to calm the nervous system. When we get anxious and worried, it impacts our breath (among other vitals). A shallow breath signals to the brain, “hey, there is danger, time to freak out.” Consciously pausing to take a deep breath can signal the opposite, “hey, we are breathing calmly; everything seems to be going ok.” So focusing on slowing down your breathing can lower your anxiety and worry.

Second, remember that you’re not alone in feeling this way. Whatever you’re going through, know that others feel the same way. You

ABOUT CHRISTIAN BUMPOUS

Christian Bumpous, MA, LPC, LMFT, CDWF is a licensed psychotherapist and owner of Therapie in Nashville, TN. He’s passionate about helping busy professionals get the most out of life, be it with their mental health, work, or their relationships. You can find more information on him and his practice at www.gettherapie.com.

are not alone. You know the saying, “misery loves company?” Well, it’s true. When we feel connected to someone else who is going through something similar, it helps us feel not so alone and isolated.

Third, give yourself permission to have the feelings that you are having. This goes back to the idea of not judging ourselves for how we’re feeling. We can’t help but feel anxious during a pandemic or worried about the future. So rather than judging ourselves for those feelings, give yourself permission to have them and sit with them for a bit.

Fourth, focus on what you can control. When we feel like everything is out of our control, it can be helpful to focus on the things that we actually can control. This is something that I talk about a lot with my clients. For example, you can’t control whether or not COVID ends tomorrow. But you can control how you take care of yourself today. You can control what you eat, whether or not you exercise, how much water you drink, etc. Focusing on those things that we can control can help us feel a sense of empowerment and agency when so much feels out of our hands.

Finally, reach out for support. This could be in the form of professional help (i.e., therapy) or just leaning on your friends and family. We all need support, especially during tough times. So don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help.

When life gets tough, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, worried, and lose your footing. The truth is, I still do sometimes. Practicing the tips in this article will not guarantee smooth sailing from now until eternity. But, if consciously practiced, they can provide a map and anchor to get you through challenging times. They certainly helped me. n April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 49

health

ABOUT THE CONNECT COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR

HEALTH FAIR

Connecting

healthcare to the community

C

onnect Media Group (CMG) along with Presenting Sponsor, MediCopy, will host the Inaugural Connect Community Health Fair on April 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Southwestern Conference Center located at 2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, 37214.

The health fair is a unique opportunity for the LGBTQ+ community to interact with inclusive and affirming health and wellness providers. Over 25 health and wellness providers have committed to participate.

The event is free and attendees can expect several types of providers from mental health to primary care with screenings for basic wellness such as blood pressure, diabetes, etc. provided by Vanderbilt Health.

Additionally, there will be onsite testing for HIV and STIs provided by Nashville CARES and My House. There will also be several giveaways including memberships to Cheekwood, a Champion Sponsor.

Ending LGBTQ+ Health Disparities LGBTQ+ healthcare is comprehensive, complex, and oftentimes, not addressed appropriately.

As discussed on healthypeople. gov, “Research suggests that LGBT individuals face health disparities linked to societal stigma, discrimination, and denial of their civil and human rights. Discrimination against LGBT persons has Page 50 | weconnect.lgbt | April-May 2022

been associated with high rates of psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, and suicide.”

In the simplicity of it all, the need to know who an LGBTQ+ person can go to for their specific healthcare needs is the beginning of breaking down the complexities. This is where the Connect Community Health Fair brings everyone together in an overall patient advocacy environment. n

For more information, visit healthfair.weconnect.lgbt. To become a sponsor or exhibitor, contact Selena Haynes by Email: selena@weconnect.lgbt, Phone: 615-603-6169.

Sponsors – Presenting: MediCopy; Champion: Cheekwood, Music City Prep Clinic; Advocate: MashUp, Vanderbilt Health; Partner: JSR Aesthetics; Friend: Harpeth Valley Dermatology, I Am Well Consulting, Troy Johnson Counseling, Hermitage Direct Primary Care; Venue: Southwestern Travel Group About Connect Media Group: CMG is a community-driven LGBTQ+ media and events company committed to providing information and access to resources for the LGBTQ+ community. CMG is owned by S&L Companies, LLC. About MediCopy: MediCopy is a health information management company that securely delivers protected health information from healthcare partners of all specialties and sizes to their requesting parties. They have proudly served hospitals and physician practices across the United States since 2000, specializing in Release of Information, Patient Form Completion, Audit Submission and Revenue Cycle Support.

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YOUR AD HERE! BUSINESS CARD ADS are a great way to have your business seen in our latest issue.

Call Selena Haynes today to find out more!

615.603.6169

COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR April 30 • 10am to 4pm • Southwestern Conference Center 2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, 37214 presented by

healthfair.weconnect.lgbt Inspire. E mpower. Change.

April-May 2022 / weconnect.lgbt / Page 51

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@weconnect.lgbt /weconnect.lgbt @weconnect_lgbt /weconnectlgbt Be sure and tag us or use #weconnectlgbt so we know you’re there!

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