May 26-June 8 . 2012 qnotes

May 26-June 8 . 2012
qnotes
qnotes
May 26-June 8 . 2012
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May 26-June 8, 2012 Vol 27 No 02
12
8
a&e / life&style
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15
16
18
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22
23
20 Questions
Drag, not just for queens anymore
Playing the field
Drag resurrected
Ready, set, drag!
Tell Trinity
Out in the Stars
On the map
Fabulance
Jane’s World
Q events calendar
opinions & views
  4
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13
  4
14
Editor’s Note
General Gayety
TalkBack
QPoll
news & features
  6 News Notes: Regional Briefs
10 411 on the DNC
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O’Neale Atkinson, Paige Braddock,  
Rosendo Brown, Janice Covington, Jon Hoppel,
Charlene Lichtenstein, Lainey Millen,  
Leslie Robinson, David Stout, Trinity
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May 26-June 8 . 2012
qnotes
by o’neale atkinson
oneale@goqnotes.com
Breaking the habit, sort of
Finding a compromise I can live with
SUBSCRIBE!
I love to smoke. The whole ritual of smoking a cigarette has always been incredible to
me. From packing a fresh pack of cigarettes
and peeling away the cellophane to sparking
the lighter and taking that first glorious inhale;
for years there really has been nothing better
to me. Smoking has been a part of my daily
routine for over a decade and one I literally
thought I would take to the grave.
Sure I know all of the negative side effects of smoking and I still choose to do it
daily. Frankly, I always get annoyed when
people take the time to tell me that smoking
is bad for my health. Anyone with an ounce
of common sense should not need to be told
that lighting something on fire near your face
and inhaling the smoke from it is a bad idea
for your health. We all have vices and they
all have consequences. Like everyone else, I
considered the consequences and chose to
roll the dice.
Despite all of the many reasons I love
smoking, I will admit there is plenty that I don’t
like. The fact that my clothes, my home and
my vehicle always smell like smoke isn’t a
problem so long as you are a smoker and hang
out with people who smoke, but for anyone
with a sense of smell it can be overpowering.
Ashtrays are always annoying to keep cleaned
out and there is always the risk of collateral
damage when a cigarette rolls out of the
ashtray and onto the coffee table (or into the
floorboard of your truck while driving). Not to
mention the fabulous breath most smokers
wake up with no matter how much you brush
your teeth and rinse. Seriously, if you don’t
know what I am talking about, be grateful!
With all of that said, I want to say that I
am so proud of me right now! Actually, I am
proud of my boyfriend, my roommate and
myself. All three of us have recently done
something that I honestly never thought I
would be able to do. We all decided to give
up smoking, well sort of. Smoking in the
traditional sense at least.
For a while I have seen e-cigarettes being
sold in gas stations and I never once gave
them a second glance. Surely the taste would
be inferior or it wouldn’t have the oomph! I
was looking for. Being the tobacco purist that
I thought I was, I simply had no interest in
trying them.
I came home two weeks ago to find my
boyfriend using one of these clunky disposable
e-cigarettes and was surprised to hear him
speaking so favorably of them. Our mutual love
of smoking is one of the many little reasons I
adore him. We had both talked about quitting
smoking for our health when we first started
dating, but neither of us really wanted to so we
had not made much progress. I decided that
the next day when my current pack of cigarettes ran out I would get one myself and see if
I could go all day without a real smoke.
I didn’t even wait for my pack to run out
before I went to the store and picked up a
menthol e-cigarette of my own. It kind of felt
like sucking on a hi-lighter because of the
awkward size of the device, but it completely
did the trick. Not once the entire day did I
consider going for one of my real cigarettes
tucked away in the center console of my
truck. When I got home that night I found that
my roommate also decided to join in on the
e-cigarette experience.
After trying out the disposables for a
few days, we all ended up purchasing real
e-cigarettes that recharge and resemble a
more traditional cigarette in size and weight.
Despite a sizeable initial investment, the
opportunity for financial savings alone in the
long run is reason enough for me to never look
back. Not to mention, I can now enjoy many of
the aspects I love about smoking and not have
to deal with some of the less attractive sides
of being a smoker.
Sure, I am still taking in nicotine, but I
am not ingesting smoke, tar and the carcinogens found in traditional cigarettes. The
smoke I blow out now is a water vapor, so it
doesn’t offend anyone around me nor does
it produce some of the harms caused by
second-hand smoke, although you will get
some funny looks the first time you exhale in
a restaurant or bar.
I just wanted to share this experience to
my fellow smokers out there, not to tell you
what to do or that you should quit. If you are
like me that would just make you smoke twice
as much! I have found a way to have my cake
and eat it too, so to speak, and wanted to
share this alternative. Having smoked roughly
a pack a day for 10 years I have made the
switch and I don’t plan on looking back! : :
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qnotes
May 26-June 8 . 2012
VIEWS
VIEWS
editor’s note
general gayety
by leslie robinson
qnotes contributor
Emotions after a lesbian court battle
News item: When two Canadian lesbians
broke up in 2006 they divided all their assets,
but forgot about the 13 tubes of sperm they
had stored in a sperm bank. Later one of
the women re-partnered and asked to use
the leftover sperm, but her ex wanted it
destroyed.
The first woman went to court to fight for
sperm ownership and recently a judge ruled
the women should divide the sperm, just as
they had everything else.
Let’s listen in as two figures directly
involved in the case react to the decision.
Ernie: Finally.
Harold: Yes, all this waiting around was
getting me down. I think I was even losing my
will to swim.
Ernie: Don’t worry, boy. Soon as they
unfreeze us, you’ll be off like a shot.
Harold: I do hope so. I hope my tail feathers remember which way to go.
Ernie: They will, but I gotta tell you, once
we’re let loose, it’s every gamete for himself.
I’m on a mission.
Harold: Roger that, Rambo. Isn’t it amazing, Ernie, the path we’ve traveled? Why, we
were brought into this world during the last
millennium!
Ernie: By a guy with a dirty magazine.
Harold: Oh, I don’t like to think of it that
way. A nice, sterile environment. A good
cause.
Ernie: A decent check for him.
Harold: Well, it beat landing on his
sheets. Death by Clorox.
Ernie: Yeah.
Harold: We were transported in regal
style, moved from the U.S. to Canada. We’re
world travelers, Ernie!
Ernie: I suppose.
Harold: Set up in lovely Vancouver. Then
the moment of truth. Our brethren got one of
those women pregnant. Two years later, her
partner was pregnant, too. We’re small, but
mighty. And, then…
Ernie: …they forgot us. That’s gratitude
for you. Left us here to freeze our flagella off.
Harold: It is kind of hard to figure out
how they forgot about 13 tubes of us. But,
the whole drama brought us before — metaphorically speaking — a British Columbia
Supreme Court justice, so I feel pretty
special.
Ernie: You won’t feel special if we wind
up with the gal who wants to flush us down
the john.
Harold: I choose to believe we’re going
with the other woman, the one who wants to
get pregnant again. And, for her I promise to
swim like Mark Spitz.
Ernie: She sure as heck went through a
lot to get us back. You know why, don’t you?
Harold: Because we make children
who are smart, beautiful and not allergic to
peanuts?
Ernie: Because she wants the biological
connection to her other child and our guy
isn’t making any more donations.
Harold: He’s retired?
Ernie: If I know him, his hand won’t stop
till his heart does, but he’s not doing it for pay
anymore.
Harold: Wow. We really are special. The
last in a glorious line. At the very least, a
fertile one.
Ernie: Some people, you know, say the
judge is whacky to think of us as property
and divide us. They say there’s a moral issue.
I say I don’t freaking care. Just get me out
of this sperm bank! Get me unfrozen! I have
places to go and people to impregnate!
Harold: Right, Ernie! Absolutely! Get us
out of this vial and into a turkey baster like
nature intended! : :
info:
lesarobinson@gmail.com . generalgayety.com
qpoll
How often do you attend a drag show or event?
See the options and vote: goqnotes.com/to/qpoll
LIFE
20 Questions
Kevin Grooms aka Miss Della, Charlotte
by David Stout :: david@goqnotes.com
If someone calls Kevin Grooms by that
name, the person is probably either checking
his ID at the airport or trying to sell him life
insurance over the phone, because everybody
else knows his real name is Della. Everybody
also knows that the venerable Miss Della
is the Hedda Hopper of Drag and when you
need the crossdressed tea, she’s the queen
bee-yotch. Pageant contestants, fans and
promoters from coast to coast slavishly follow
Della’s long-running qnotes column “The Drag
Rag” to catch up on the latest news — always
delivered with that singular Miss Della flourish. (Droll, party of one!)
20 Questions has been a fan since we
were only half that many queries, and with
this issue’s drag cover story there wasn’t even
a second choice for us. We went all in with
the ole gal and boygirl are we glad we did. OK,
enough introduction for a legend who needs
none. Make like Della herself and sop this one
up with a biscuit. Damn, that’s good!
How old were you when you bought your
first wig?
Bought or wore? Bought was probably not
until my mid-20s. I wore my first as a church
lady for Halloween in fourth grade. Ole girl
was kinda cute!
How would you finish this sentence:
“If I’m going to a church service, it must be
______.”
A wedding, a funeral or a Holy Day as I am an
“unchurched” Roman Catholic.
Is your bed currently dressed with cotton
sheets, flannel sheets or silk sheets?
Cotton from Springmaid — white with winecolored borders. Couldn’t find purple, my
favorite color. Bitter, party of one!
Who would you rather have as your housekeeper: Mr. Belvedere, Mrs. Garrett, Nell
Harper or Florence Johnston?
Probably Mrs. Garrett, although I did love
me some Nell. Nell and Florence would read
your ass and I’m past those days. I do the
reading now.
Do you know how to play tiddlywinks?
I cannot be bothered, but the name is fun at
least. It sounds British to me. I can’t even tell
you the last time I played jacks or hopscotch,
so…
What food are you craving right now?
Watermelon earlier and that was resolved.
Usually it’s ice cream. I also joke that I’m
Southern, where ice cream and ketchup are
separate food groups. Think about it.
Is your ideal man more likely
to wear wing tips, sneakers,
flip flops or Timberlands?
More like work boots, but not
Timberlands. Maybe sneakers is a safer answer and flip
flops on the weekends. Wait,
what am I thinking? Soccer
cleats — Hell-O!
From which musical act do
you own the most albums?
Ms. Billie Holiday, followed by
Sarah Brightman, I’m thinking. Then a big ole collection
of ’80s stuff.
Can you dial your closest
relative’s phone number from
memory?
God yes! My mom lives with
my grandmother and she’s had the same
number since Rover was a pup. Literally,
when they first got that number you only had
to dial 5 digits! We’re talking late ’50s here,
boys and girls.
Regardless of whether the glass is half-full or
half-empty, what do you want in it?
Sweet tea — it is the house wine of the South
(and my dentist is flipping out right now, too).
As for alcohol, I’d say white wine or some
vodka. Brown liquor makes me either giddy or
mean. Take your pick. Really puts a different
perspective on “What’s your poison?”
How do these “men in dresses” films
rank based on the number of times you’ve
seen them: “Big Momma’s House,” “Mrs.
Doubtfire,” “Some Like It Hot,” “Tootsie”?
Well, I am about to have my gay card revoked,
but I have never seen “Some Like It Hot” in
its entirety. Nor have I seen “Big Momma’s
House.” I saw “Tootsie” when I was a little
girl, so I guess “Mrs. Doubtfire” wins. The
salon scene with Fierstein is a holler, ya now?
What was your favorite event on Field Day?
We flew kites in fifth grade and I guess I did a
pretty good job because people are still telling
me to “go fly a kite!”
Is living well really the best revenge?
No doubt. Life is good. I’m still not where I
want to be yet, but just within the last two
years, I’ve experienced so much personal
growth. I can honestly say I’m happy and I
could not have said that a few years ago.
You have to get the negativity out of the way,
appreciate what you have, share when you
can and cherish your family and close friends.
Stop focusing on self! Seriously. (This coming
from someone who enjoyed time on the stage
back in the day!)
Do you own any hats outside of the baseball/
trucker variety?
I do not. But true to form, my baseball cap
says “The Pageant: Continental.” I hope Mr.
Flint is proud of that answer. LOL
On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your
ability to use your non-dominant hand?
I would say at least a 7. I can’t write too well
with the left one but, oh, the other things I can
do with it.
Which is longer, your pinky finger or the highest heel in your drag shoe collection?
Well, my wardrobe is limited these days, but
definitely my cute heels are bigger than my
see 20 Questions on 22
May 26-June 8 . 2012
qnotes
BRIEFS
news notes:
from the carolinas, nation and world
compiled by Lainey Millen :: lainey@goqnotes.com | David Stout :: david@goqnotes.com | O’Neale Atkinson :: oneale@goqnotes.com
A post-mortem on A1
RALEIGH — It was a dark day on May 8
for the LGBT community when over 60 percent of those who voted across the state said
yes to Amendment One, a piece of anti-gay
legislation that now recognizes only marriage
as between one man and one woman.
Reactions have been mixed through the
Tar Heel State and the nation.
The day before the election, Vice
President Joe Biden gave a thumbs-up to gay
marriage. The day afterward, the first-ever
sitting leader of the U.S.,
President Barak Obama,
also came out in support of
gay marriage.
Since then, outcries
from Hollywood and
beyond have come in
lamenting the passage of
Amendment One.
Native son, Clay
Aiken, runner-up on both
“American Idol” and “The
Celebrity Apprentice,” told
Entertainment Weekly that
coming out is not as big
a deal as it was in 2003.
He also stated that being
gay openly has had more
of a positive impact than
negative. Aiken added that
he felt that Obama’s announcement would
not damage his re-election efforts in North
Carolina.“I think that we’d like to see politicians speak out on principle a little bit more
and not just make a political calculation.”
Aiken appeared on CBS’s “Face the Nation”
with anti-gay Family Research Council
President Tony Perkins, Ted Olsen, an attorney
who is leading the charge on the federal case
to strike down California’s Proposition 8, Mark
McKinnon, a G.O.P strategist, Evan Wolfson,
a same-sex marriage activist, and others.
Aiken appeared to be polished and conducted
himself in a statesman-like manner.
Meanwhile New York City Mayor Michael
Bloomberg was present at the commencement exercises at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill on May 13. He was vocal about post-Amendment One voting, telling
AP that it set back civil rights.
Over at the capital, Gov. Beverly Purdue
expressed her disappointment after the vote
was counted. She apologized to Mississippi
Republican Gov. Phil Bryant and his state
for saying that the ban on gay marriage
made North Carolina “look like Mississippi,”
Medialite reported.
To the north on May 9 in Washington,
D.C., the House of Representatives voted on
three anti-gay amendments: two, offered
in the House Armed Services Committee,
amended the National Defense Authorization
Act and the other was an amendment to the
Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations
Act. They all passed.
Freedom to Marry’s Che Ruddell-Tabisola
said that the latter would bar the use of funds
for anything in contravention of the Defense
of Marriage Act. The actions relative to the
first two have to do with the National Defense
qnotes
May 26-June 8 . 2012
Authorization Act of 2012 and the prohibition
of the Defense Department’s facilities being
used for private marriage ceremonies for
same-sex couples, even if state laws permit it.
Additionally, the second item would be used
to discriminate against LGB service members
with regard to religion. This goes contrary
to the provisions brought forth in the First
Amendment and the Military Equal Opportunity
program. The amendment purports to ensure
that DADT repeal and open service does not
infringe upon the free exercise of religion by,
and rights of conscience of, members of the
Armed Forces, including
chaplains, RuddellTabisola added. She
said that Freedom to
Marry looked forward to
working with members
of the Respect for
Marriage Coalition to rid
the three amendments
during conference.
The Charlotte City
Council has put the
brakes on its plans for
providing domestic
partner benefits in view
of the statewide vote.
They have referred
the matter to the state
attorney general “as to
whether that would be
legal after the passage of Amendment One,”
The Charlotte Observer reported. A similar
situation took place in Winston-Salem, the
Winston-Salem Journal said.
The Charlotte Rainbow Action Network
for Equality (CRANE) hung a banner on the
Hawthorne Ln. bridge on May 17 in protest of Amendment One’s passage. It read:
“Equality Will Prevail.” The group plans on
more actions to “raise awareness and agitate
toward positive, LGBTQI-inclusive change in
Charlotte and North Carolina.”
The Huffington Post reported that
musician Ben Folds (“America’s Best Dance
Crew” judge), another North Carolina native,
was embarrassed his home state passed the
amendment. Huffington also said that comedian Seth Rogen, Ellen DeGeneres, model
Brooklyn Decker, Scissor Sisters’ Jake Sears,
actor Neil Patrick Harris, actress Tori Spelling,
actor Russell Brand, legendary actress Mia
Farrow, Rev. Al Sharpton, comedian Kathy
Griffin, actor Alan Cumming, RuPaul, actor
Zach Braff, actress and comedian Sandra
Bernhard, and others were disappointed.
It seems that it’s not illegal to marry one’s
cousin in the state, but it is if they are of the
same sex, some commented. Roseanne
Barr, an actress and activist, tweeted that
there should be a boycott against the North
Carolina counties that “voted for bigotry.” She
has a gay brother and a lesbian sister.
Now, the NAACP has voiced their support
for gay marriage in the wake of President
Obama’s announcement, having passed a
resolution to the same. Politico 44 reported,
“‘Civil marriage is a civil right and a matter of civil law,’ NAACP President and CEO
Benjamin Todd Jealous said in the statement.
‘The NAACP’s support for marriage equality is
deeply rooted in the Fourteenth Amendment
of the United States Constitution and equal
protection of all people.’”
Meanwhile, couples have protested
the marriage ban and headed out to obtain
marriage licenses as part of the Campaign
for Southern Equality’s “We Do” campaign.
They went to eight towns and cities across
North Carolina from May 8-15 which included
Wilson, Durham, Winston-Salem, Bakersville,
Marshall, Asheville, Asheboro and Charlotte.
AP reported that Brent Morin and Gerald
Morin tried to get one in Winston-Salem and
were denied. However, they were married in
Washington, D.C., where the union is recognized. All told, nine couples attempted but
were refused licenses at the Register of Deeds
office in Winston-Salem when they presented
completed forms and identification. Mary
Jamis of Mocksville was arrested when she
blocked the entrance to the marriage license
office and refused to leave when the offices
closed. She said she would not leave until she
could obtain a license for her and her partner
Starr Johnson. Other arrests were made
across the state, including eight in Asheville.
The Daily Tar Heel added that the courts
would probably hear cases on the issue.
Things like dependent partner benefits and
other issues relative to companies could
come under question and would have to be
interpreted. The language of the amendment
has long been questioned.
Meanwhile, since passage of Amendment
One and Obama’s declaration, the
Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling
reported that there is an uptick of black voters
in North Carolina who are now supportive of
gay marriage, TPM Media said. It says that 55
percent of black voters in the state “believe
same-sex couples should either be allowed to
marry or form civil unions.”
On June 5 in Charlotte, attorney and
activist Connie J.Vetter will lead a free legal
presentation at 7 p.m. at the LGBT Community
Center of Charlotte, 820 Hamilton St., Suite
B11. “Leading up to the vote there was a
lot of talk about what would happen if it
passed. Many people are now confused and
scared about what is going to happen now.
I want people to know what Amendment
One really means and how they can protect
themselves,” Vetter said.
So, for now, LGBT and allied Carolinians
may be mourning the loss to Amendment One,
but we will rise from the ashes to continue the
fight for equality.
— L.M.
Western
Kids focus on film
ASHEVILLE — “Allies Matter,” a documentary film produced largely at Clyde A.
Erwin High School, is now available for
viewing on YouTube.
The focus of the 17-minute film short
is one LGBT teens and the school’s
“advanced approach to the controversial
issue,” WLOS-TV reported. The Allied
Club, created by students/teachers, “offers
safety and support” in combatting bullying.
The film’s objective is to help better prepare
administrators and teachers in their effort to
create a healthier environment at their schools.
It is now part of “How to be an Ally” educator
workshops across North Carolina.
Other schools in the region were also involved in the production done by ZealSource
for NC Healthy Schools and the N.C.
Department of Public Health.
Contact Sherry Lehman, school consultant
for youth suicide prevention for the state,
at sherry.lehman@dhhs.nc.gov to attend a
workshop or visit ncshtc.appstate.edu.
To see the video, visit youtube.com/
watch?v=FYGZdfJQ4_g.
— L.M.
National/Global
DOJ tackles trans inmate abuse
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S.
Department of Justice has issued the guideline
National Standards to Prevent, Detect and
Respond to Prison Rape. Building on recommendations provided by the National Center for
Transgender Equality (NCTE) and many allied
advocates, the policy includes critical provisions for the operation of prisons and the treatment of transgender and gender nonconforming inmates, all aimed at ending sexual abuse.
These standards represent nearly a decade of study and effort to comprehensively
address rampant sexual abuse in confinement. They address several problems transgender and intersex people face, including:
• Requiring a case-by-case consideration for
housing in a male or female facility that is
not based on genital status, meaning more
trans women will be housed with other
women.
• Limiting the use of isolating “protective
custody” that can amount to torture.
• Limiting the use of segregated LGBTI units
that are often treated as a quick fix and can
stigmatize individuals.
• Requiring staff training for professional communication with and treatment of transgender
and gender nonconforming inmates and those
with intersex conditions to aid in assessing
inmate vulnerabilities to sexual abuse.
• Banning the search or physical examination of transgender inmates and those with
intersex conditions solely for determining
their genital status.
• Minimizing stigma and the threat of abuse
from staff by disallowing dedicated LGBTQI
units and facilities.
• Requiring facilities to have multiple channels
for reporting abuse without placing a time
limit on when inmates can file grievances.
NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling
said, “We have an obligation as civilized
people to protect the people we incarcerate.
That has always been an American promise,
but one we have barely tried to keep. These
new standards, if fully implemented, have the
potential to help us keep that promise at least
in terms of sexual assault.”
— D.S.
Hate violence against gay men
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — According to a
new study from the Williams Institute, gay
men face higher rates of hate-motivated
physical violence than lesbians, bisexuals
or other federally protected groups with
high rates of hate crimes. This revelation is
especially troubling since prior research has
shown that sexual orientation-motivated hate
crimes tend to be more violent.
Among the research findings, 26 in 100,000
gay men reported being victims of hate-motivated crimes against persons, compared to
10 in 100,000 lesbians, 5 in 100,000 AfricanAmericans and 5 in 100,000 Jewish Americans.
Gay men also face the second highest risk of
being victims of hate-motivated property crime
(9 in 100,000 gay men). Further, reporting of
such hate crimes is likely under-represented
since data reflect only those who report such
crimes to local law enforcement, who then
choose whether to report the data to the FBI.
“These findings suggest that additional
research is needed to explore why gay men
are more likely to experience and/or report
physical victimization and crimes against their
property,” said the study’s author, Rebecca L.
Stotzer, Associate Professor and the Director
of Distance Education at the University of
Hawaii-Mnoa and Visiting Scholar at the
Williams Institute.
— D.S.
House victimizes abuse victims
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a highly partisan
vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed
a bill May 16 reauthorizing its watered down
version of the Violence Against Women Act
(VAWA). Unlike the bipartisan and LGBT-inclusive Senate version, the House bill fails to address discrimination faced by LGBT victims of
domestic violence. The House version passed
222-205, with 216 GOP members in favor and 23
opposed. Among Democrats, only 6 supported
the measure while 182 voted against it.
Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL) wanted to offer
an amendment to the bill that would have
increased protections for LGBT victims, but
the House Republican leadership blocked her
from even offering the amendment.
Studies show that LGBT people face
domestic violence at the same rates as other
communities: 25-33 percent. Yet, a 2011 survey
found that nearly 85 percent of service providers worked with LGBT clients who reported
that they had been turned away or denied
services because of their sexual orientation
or gender identity.
— D.S.
Senate bill for DP benefits
WASHINGTON, D.C. — LGBT leaders hailed the approval of the Domestic
Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act
(DPBO) S.1910 in the U.S. Senate Homeland
Security and Government Affairs Committee.
The bill, sponsored by Sens. Joe Lieberman (ICT) and Susan Collins (R-ME), would provide
benefits for same-sex domestic partners of
federal civilian employees on the same basis
as spousal benefits. These benefits would
include participation in retirement programs,
life and health insurance benefits, and family
and medical leave. Activists are calling for a
full Senate vote.
“DPBO is about the basic concept of fairness in the workplace,” said Human Rights
Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “The
federal government would be wise to follow
the private sector in offering equal pay for
equal work. America’s major corporations
have discovered that equality is not only the
right thing to do, but good for business.”
Currently, 60 percent of Fortune 500
companies provide domestic partner benefits
to their employees. In addition, 24 states, the
District of Columbia and more than 100 local
governments offer their public employees
these benefits.
— D.S.
Study details gays and the law
GENEVA, Switzerland — A new report
reveals that 78 countries out of 193 still have
legislation criminalizing same-sex consensual
acts between adults. Punishments range from
a number of lashes (e.g. Iran) to two months
in prison (e.g. Algeria) to life sentence (e.g.
Bangladesh) or even death (Iran, Mauritania,
Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen). Among the
113 countries where homosexuality is legal,
55 have legislation against discrimination on
grounds of sexual orientation at the workplace, in 10 gays and lesbians enjoy full equal
marriage rights, in 12 they can adopt children.
The findings are contained in the 6th
edition of the State-Sponsored Homophobia
Report presented here May 16 by ILGA, the
International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and
Intersex Association, on the occasion of the 8th
annual celebration of IDAHO, the International
Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.
— D.S.
May 26-June 8 . 2012
qnotes
LIFE
Drag, not just for
queens anymore
A look at the drag king community and Hunter Down
The drag queen community seems
to have reached a new high with its
mainstream media breakthrough,
thanks largely to drag long-time
celebrity figures such as RuPaul and
the attention her Logo shows have
brought to the art form. Their drag
king counterparts are still in the early
stages of breaking into the forefront
of the community. Despite their lack of
mainstream presence, the drag king
community can be found everywhere
with a lot of local talent here in the
Carolinas, as well as a rich history both
abroad and here in the U.S.
Charlotte artist Kit Thomas is known
for both her colorful punk style art, as
well as her alter ego, Hunter Down. The
New York native is an Iroquois of the
St. Regis Mohawk tribe located partly
in upstate New York and Canada. In
the past two years, along with delving
further into her artistic interests, Kit has
also discovered a love of being a drag
king performer.
Thomas had not considered drag
before until she was asked to fill in a
spot for Men of Petra’s, a local annual
amateur drag competition which is
held at Petra’s Piano Bar in Charlotte.
During her initial performance as
Hunter Down, Thomas says she got into the
Photo Credit: Jennifer Hogan
by O’Neale Atkinson :: oneale@goqnotes.com
energy and excitement of performing in front
of crowds and liked getting into the character.
Drag queens seek to emulate the beauty
and grace of the fairer sex while drag kings
draw upon machismo and masculine energy to create their personas. According to
Thomas, Hunter Down is “the dirty, dark, mysterious, ‘sexy-Mexi’, rock lovin’, lady lovin’,
motorcycle ridin’, uber male side” of herself.
When channeling Hunter Down, she draws
inspiration from rock music, especially classic
rockabilly style. “Rock has always crossed
into that boundary of raw sexuality.”
While a new or aspiring drag queen has
a plethora of resources to choose from to get
tips and advice for developing a drag persona
and breaking into the community, there is less
out there for novice drag kings. Unlike many
up and coming queens who find support from
local mentors, Thomas had to do her own
research and create her identity from scratch.
When first looking for guidance, she
searched the internet and watched other drag
king performances online. “I was looking for
something I just couldn’t find,” says Thomas.
“Nothing stuck out and then it hit me; I’m going to just do my own thing. What do I want to
see when I go to a show? I want to be entertained. I want loud rock music, people having
fun, sexuality and to be taken away from the
reality of stereotypes and gender.”
According to Thomas, there are several
performers from the Charlotte, Rock Hill and
Gastonia areas who make up the local drag
king community. “It’s a small community and
sometimes it’s overlooked, but there is some
really great talent out there.”
While Hunter Down typically performs
alone, the drag king collaborated with local
talents Landon Haze, Justin Durango and
Tyson Mack for last year’s Pride Charlotte
festival. The four formed to create the
see Drag on 20
qnotes
May 26-June 8 . 2012
SPORT
Playing the field
Match-ups from across the Carolinas:
Charlotte Royals prep for Bingham Cup, Roller Girls
fight hard and softball begins
by Jon Hoppel :: qnotes contributor
honors after racking up 4 tries and numerous assists. Also with multiple scores for
the backs were Zach Anderson and Thomas
Southerland. Scoring for the forwards were
Coty Webb and J.T. Wentz, who earned man
of the match honors, as well.
These two wins are a good sign that the
Royals might be peaking at just the right time,
because up next for the team is the Bingham
Cup. The international tournament starts
June 3rd in Manchester, England. To show
their gratitude for anyone and everyone who
helped make this trip possible, the Charlotte
Royals Rugby Football Club will be hosting an
Auxiliary Appreciation/Bingham Cup Sendoff
party on May 19 at Sidelines Sports Bar.
Check them out on Facebook at facebook.
com/groups/27609515058 or visit charlotte 
royals.org for more information.
Rugby
All dressed up and someplace to go:
The Charlotte Royals are playing tought on their
way to the Bingham Cup in England in June.
Momentum. That’s what the Charlotte
Royals now have going into the Bingham Cup
during the first weekend of June, by avenging two early season losses. The mid-April
clash between the Royals and the Nashville
Grizzlies was a rematch of the third-place
game from the St. Louis Spring Invitational
Tournament last month, which Nashville won
35-22. This time around, however, the Royals
were able to get out to an early two-try lead
and were able to maintain that advantage
until the final whistle, winning 27-15. Scoring
for Charlotte were backs Thomas Southerland
and BJ Smith and for the forward, David June,
who earned man of the match honors.
On Cinco de Mayo, the Royals took on
the Columbus Coyotes for the second game
of their home series. Earlier this season, the
Royals traveled to Columbus and lost, giving
the Coyotes their first and only win of the
season. Determined to defend their home turf,
Charlotte put the pressure on early, scoring
6 tries in the first half to Columbus’ 1 try. By
forcing turnovers and aggressive tackling, the
Royals’ defense stood out, which limited their
opponents to only the one first-half try and
nothing after. BJ Smith had an outstanding
game at scrum half, earning man of the match
Meeting Date:
Program:
Time:
Cost:
Reservations:
Roller Girls
May 5 was a big sports weekend here
in the Queen City with the Charlotte Roller
Girls All-Stars and B-Dazzlers also taking on
formidable opponents. The evening started
with B-Dazzlers going against Star City out of
Roanoke, Va. Star City was coming off a hard
fought win in Greensboro and they maintained
that determination by holding off a late rally
from Charlotte to win the bout 137-108.
The All-Stars were more fortunate by
getting out to an early, but slim lead over the
Little City Roller Girls from Johnson City, Tenn.
The slender advantage made for a very competitive and tense match with the All-Stars
coming out on top 147-118. Bomb Shelly from
the LCRG had this to say after the bout, “The
entire evening was so exciting! Charlotte
definitely trains their girls to be some of the
best competitors around.” Be sure to come
out and see what she is talking about at
Charlotte’s next home match on June 9 and
check them out on Facebook at facebook.
com/CharlotteRollerGirls or visit carolina 
rollergirls.com for more information.
Softball
The Carolina Softball Alliance’s season
has gotten off to an exciting start with five
teams vying for the league championship.
see Playing on 22
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Scott Bishop’s Path to the DNC Host Committee
LGBT Community Center of Charlotte
Want to maximize your exposure/involvement at the
2012 DNC? Scott Bishop, longtime Charlotte LGBT
activist, HRC NC Board Member/Honoree, and MeckPAC
Chair gives us the inside scoop on the upcoming
Convention as he discusses his journey from bank
employee to Project Management Management.
820 Hamilton St. @ the NC Music Factory
5:30-8 p.m.
$20 admission. Includes appetizer, dinner, dessert, tea.
email businessguild@yahoo.com or reserve/pay in
advance online on www.charlottebusinessguild.org
www.charlottebusinessguild.org
May 26-June 8 . 2012
qnotes
xuu on the DNC
Convention isn’t
going anywhere
Following the passage of Amendment One in North Carolina,
an outpouring of petitions have sprung up online in response to
the decision. The majority of these petitions have one focus, to
move the DNC out of Charlotte as a retaliation measure against
the passage of the anti-LGBT amendment. Within 24 hours of
the primary results on May 8, over 25,000 individuals had already
signed one petition like these. Despite the influx of petitions,
there has been no report that the DNC is considering relocating.
Taking a different approach on the issue, North Carolina mother and ally Shannon
Ritchie has created a petition through change.org asking the DNC to add gay marriage to
the party platform. Her petition went live following President Barak Obama’s public support
of gay marriage and has received as much support as some of the petitions trying to move
the DNC out of Charlotte.
DNC Chair Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has already spoken out in support of adopting
marriage equality to the Democratic platform in 2012, as have many others.
Healthy children, healthy families
A new effort is underway to promote healthy living for young people in Charlotte and
Mecklenburg County, as well as addressing childhood obesity. The Healthy Weight, Healthy
Child initiative is part of a bigger community action plan called The Blueprint for a Healthier
Generation, 2020.
The goal is to promote and encourage active living and healthy eating for all children
and their families. The Host Committee for the 2012 Convention supports this important
issue by including it as one of its Legacy initiatives: Healthy Children; Healthy Families.
On May 20, DVA Charlotte (DVA stands for donors, volunteers and ambassadors) dug
into its third Legacy volunteer project. Green thumbs gathered at Winterfield Elementary
in East Charlotte to work in its community garden. Volunteers helped to weed, plant, paint
garden benches and donate gardening books for the students. This project supports one of
the main Healthy Weight, Healthy Child goals, namely to create edible school gardens that
integrate gardening and nutrition education while providing opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating.
These events come following DVA Charlotte’s inaugural service events held on April
15 when DVA members worked together to refurbish the Amay James Recreation Center
— which will give neighbors and students at Reid Park Academy a place to go for physical
activities — and teamed up with residents at Moore Place to build a community garden.
It’s time you joined DVA Charlotte. Open to all area women, the non-partisan network is
joining together to support the Charlotte in 2012 Host Committee for the Democratic National
Convention. The grassroots effort of Donors, Volunteers and Ambassadors — DVAs — provides opportunities for leadership, service, education, and celebration.
Official BBQ sauces selected
Speaking of healthy eating, the Charlotte in 2012 Convention Host Committee recently
held a contest to pick the Convention’s official BBQ sauces, the winners of which can be
purchased online. The Carolinas boast a proud rivalry in their different approaches to BBQ
sauces and preparation. BBQ in the Carolinas is usually pork and is served pulled, shredded
or chopped. The pork is slow-cooked and smoked, generally for a minimum of 16-18 hours at
a very low temperature.
Eastern Carolina BBQ typically uses the “whole hog,” where the entire pig is cooked and
the meat from all parts of the pig are chopped and mixed together. Eastern Carolina sauce is
a thin, vinegar and pepper-based sauce and is used both as a “mop” (or baste) on the meat
while it is cooking, and then as a finishing sauce at table side.
Western North Carolina BBQ is typically made only from the pork shoulder and uses a
thicker, sweetened tomato-based sauce that is often called “dip.”
South Carolina BBQ is often “whole hog” and typically uses a sauce made from a mix of
yellow mustard, vinegar, sugar and spices.
In February, the Charlotte in 2012 Convention Host
Committee called upon BBQ sauce makers to compete to become the convention’s official mustardvinegar- and tomato-based BBQ sauces to showcase
the different BBQ styles from around the Carolinas
and be sold in Charlotte in 2012’s online merchandise
store. Kathleen Purvis, food dditor for The Charlotte
Observer, served as one of the judges deciding on
the winning sauces.
The sales of the “Flavor of the Carolinas” sauces
are part of a grassroots fundraising effort, the
proceeds of which go toward funding the convention. Charlotte in 2012 is the first Host Committee in modern convention history to not accept
monetary contributions from corporations, lobbyists or political action committees. Instead,
monetary contributions now come from foundations and charitable organizations and individuals like those who purchase these winning sauces online.
10
qnotes
May 26-June 8 . 2012
May 26-June 8 . 2012
qnotes
11
LIFE
Drag resurrected
The queens are back and reigning once more
by David Stout :: david@goqnotes.com
D
rag, i.e, men dressing in women’s clothing for entertainment purposes, is an age-old concept. It’s thought by
some that the word itself dates back to Elizabethan-era
England. At that time women were barred from the stage
— acting was considered an unseemly pursuit for the fairer
sex — so men portrayed all the parts. It’s said that ye olde
playbill used the term “dressed as girl” to credit a male playing
a female role. Over time, dressed as girl simply became “drag.”
In the gay community drag has a long and storied history.
We can’t forget that the fight for LGBT rights began in earnest
in 1969 when drag queens fought back against police during
a raid of New York’s Stonewall Inn. The establishment was a
popular gathering place for black and latin queens, making it
a frequent target of police harassment. In the early morning
hours of June 28, Stonewall’s patrons had had enough and
their physical resistance sparked three days of rioting that officially birthed our equality movement.
The ensuing decades brought us Andy Warhol’s
Factory girls (Holly Woodlawn, Candy Darling and
Jackie Curtis), “La Cage Aux Folles,” the proliferation
of drag pageantry, Divine in a string of seminal John
Waters films, “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen
of the Desert,” Sylvester, Wigstock, Candis Cayne,
ballroom culture, RuPaul (more on her later) and much,
much more.
But, as the saying goes, familiarity breeds contempt.
Over the last decade it felt like we were steadily moving toward the tipping point where, to the post-”Ellen,” post-“Will &
Grace” generation, drag was little more than a relic from the
past — an obsolete antiquity to be dismissed the same way
previous generations rejected the touchstones of their forebears, e.g., “classic” gay films featuring tragic characters, the
obsession with Judy Garland or rainbow colored everything.
What a great surprise, then, to see that drag hasn’t gone
the way of Luke Sissyfag. (Who? Exactly.) In fact, drag has experienced a stunning resurgence over the last few years. Here
in the Carolinas, the comeback appears to have been fueled by
a trio of unique factors.
Chief among these is the unanticipated cultural cachet
of competitive reality show “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” After an
unremarkable few seasons the show turned into must-see TV
in its just-wrapped fourth cycle. The credit for which belongs
to the season’s coterie of contestants, who couldn’t have been
any more compelling if their personalities, quips and catfights
had been scripted by Aaron Sorkin.
When “Drag Race” debuted on little watched gay cable
network Logo, it was an
amusing oddity, but not
much more. Watching
those first contestants
paint their faces, argue,
compete in silly competitions, argue, model clothes
and argue some more was
interesting but nobody was
arranging their schedule
around the show.
However, by the time
RuPaul, one of the most
successful drag queens
ever at this point, named
Pittsburgh’s spooky, kooky
Sharon Needles “America’s
next drag superstar” on
April 30, the program had
morphed into a cult obsession and redefined drag as
edgy and hip — something it
hadn’t been ages.
The full power of “Drag
Race” was on display in
Charlotte a few weeks prior
to the finale when Sharon
Needles performed at Scorpio. Even pre-crowning, the raptur-
12
qnotes
May 26-June 8 . 2012
ous response she received from the standing-room-only crowd
felt more like a Lady Gaga concert than a bar drag show.
Speaking of drag shows, the second key factor in drag’s
big comeback has to be the proliferation of top-drawer talent
in North Carolina. These elite queens kept the standard for
performing here extremely high even when the artform overall
was in decline. This, in turn, has contributed to a recent and unprecedented run of success for our state on the national stage.
In 2011, North Carolina-based performers held
the crowns for both Miss Gay America and Miss
Gay U.S.ofA., Coti Collins of Raleigh and Luscious of
Charlotte respectively. To make the domination complete,
Collins handed the Miss Gay America 2012 title to Kirby Kolby,
another Raleigh resident and Collins’ fellow housecast member
at Legends nightclub.
These outcomes are highly motivational and create a
positive feedback loop. Young queens are inspired to strive for
the success of Collins, Kirby and Luscious the same way those
three were spurred by the national titles won by earlier North
Carolina legends. The newcomers’ successes will, in turn, drive
future performers and on and on it goes.
Here’s a listing of the Tar Heel queens who have captured
a national crown: Miss Gay America: 1986 Lauren Colby,
Wilmington; 1992 Tiffany Bonet, Winston-Salem; 1996 Kerri
Nichols, Charlotte; 2007 Luscious, Charlotte; 2011 Coti Collins,
Raleigh; 2012 Kirby Kolby, Raleigh. Miss Gay U.S.ofA.: 2011
Luscious, Charlotte. Miss Gay U.S.ofA. At Large: 1992 Nancy
Newton, Hickory. Miss Continental Plus: 2003 Victoria (Pork
Chop) Parker, Fayetteville.
These titleholders — indeed all of North Carolina’s extended
drag family — owe a massive debt of gratitude to a pair of
pioneering queens who carved out a glittering trail more than
four decades ago: Boom Boom LaTour (of Charlotte) and Brandy
Alexander (then of Jacksonville, now also living in Charlotte). By
anecdotal evidence at least, they were the state’s first professional drag entertainers. In their impossibly high heels and
glittering sequins they tilled the soil and planted the seeds that,
in the fullness of time, have yielded our current bounty.
Alongside LaTour and Alexander’s pageant divas, a new
breed of star has emerged to complete drag’s resurrection trifecta. These queens aren’t focused on competition or joining a
housecast but are more likely to be found at community events
serving as sparkling hosts, facilitators and fundraisers. They
reach audiences at these events they might never encounter in
a bar setting.
The popularity of gay and AIDS-related bingo fundraisers
in recent years has played a particularly important role in the
ascendance of drag figures like Mary K. Mart, who hosts Drag
Bingo in Raleigh, Big Shirli Stevenz, who hosts Green Queen
Bingo in Greensboro, and Shelita Hamm, who hosted Gay
Bingo in Charlotte during its long run.
With Hamm’s retirement, Roxy C. Moorecox and Buff Faye
have assumed her marabou-feathered mantle as the go-to
drag fundraisers and political/social issue promoters in the
Queen City. Through their respective charitable work with
Pride Charlotte, the annual Drag Race, the Lesbian and Gay
Center, Time Out Youth, Campus Pride and other worthy
causes, the pair have amassed a loyal following and
increased both the standing and understanding of
drag in the community.
As you can see, the
resurgence of drag is a
win for the performers,
a win for the fans and
most certainly a win for
the important causes that
benefit from the support of
both. It will be interesting
to see if the upcoming allstar edition of “RuPaul’s
Drag Race” captures the
queer zeitgeist like the
last season. If it does this
unlikely but most welcome
rebirth of female impersonation could, uhm, drag
on and on. Lady fingers
crossed. : :
(left to right) Drag mama
Boom Boom LaTour, trendy
Sharon Needles and
pageant winner Luscious.
Photo Credit:
Austin Young (Needles)
VIEWS
talkback
Is Drag still a relevant
and vital part of
the LGBT community?
Letters to the editor and comments from
goqnotes.com.
Web comments are not edited for
grammar or punctuation.
We asked qnotes readers to give us their
personal thoughts on the drag community and
its impact on the LGBT community and the gay
pride movement. Below is a response from
Janice Covington:
The art of Drag is a very serious part of the
LGBT community. Being a Drag Queen makes
you a member of a unique family that many
others don’t understand. I hope this article will
enlighten you in a way that will help you understand and give them the respect that many
of them deserve. Drag Queens have been
known worldwide, like the renowned Drag
Company Phenocio’s in San Francisco from
1940 to 1991. Baton’s in downtown Chicago is
also a well-known nightspot since late 1968.
Drag Queens have been known to be
the leaders of and staging protest like the
Compton’s Cafeteria demonstration in 1967
and the Stonewall neighborhood bar in New
York City in 1969. If there is trouble the Drag
Queen is at the forefront of the problem to
make a stand and take action. Drag Queens
patrolled the streets in the tenderloin of San
Francisco as the Lavender Panthers to protect
the gay community from assaults and murder
during 1970 to 1974.
Drag Queens have been out and proud for
many years before the Gay movement started
in Philadelphia or any organized equality
group such as HRC. The first organized Drag
Queen group was the Imperial Court in 1964.
Many Drag Queens’ offer support to the community in many ways, from Bingo’s to pride
festivals and to raise money for both the red
and pink ribbons. I have never seen a pride
event without a Drag Queen riding on a float,
displaying her crown or gracing the makeshift
stage to entertain you during the festival. Drag
Queens will be there when it counts.
What makes a Drag Queen is true grit,
dedication and a strong sense of pride. A
Drag Queen has to be strong to take the
ridicule that many people even from our own
community dish out because of misunderstanding. They must be strong because many
will never have the chance of being a CEO
of a bank or upper management of a large
corporation. Not because Drag Queens are
uneducated, on the contrary they are very
intelligent and can hold a very educational
conversation. Many have college degrees and
also they advance their education through the
community college system. But because of
the fact that most choose to wear their badge
of honor as a Drag Queen can only do. This
outer pride causes many in our community to
feel a drag queen is to flamboyant and only
good for a show on a Saturday night at the
club. I can relate because I am proud to be a
transgender/drag queen myself. I have been
in meetings with some LGBT organizations
that speak of drag queens as a lower part
of our community. How easy they forget the
sacrifices that Drag Queens have made in
recent history. Being a Drag Queen is not just
wearing woman’s clothes but also is a state of
being who they are.
Drag Queens have a sense of loyalty to
each other in the Drag community. Oh sure
there is atamonsity and arguments among
each other but never holding a grudge. I have
see Talkback on 20
May 26-June 8 . 2012
qnotes
13
LIFE
Ready, set, DRAG!
3rd Annual Queen City Drag Race works it out for charities
by O’Neale Atkinson :: oneale@goqnotes.com
Photo Credit: Mike Blizzard
If you’re a NASCAR fan, this may not be the drag race you were
looking for, but, oh what fun it was! Teams of four gathered at Hartigan’s
Irish Pub to take part in the 3rd Annual Queen City Drag Race on May
12. The event is an annual fundraiser that benefits the Cystic Fibrosis
Foundation, as well as other charities selected by the contestants.
Taking a nod from the success of shows like “RuPaul’s Drag Race,”
the Queen City Drag Race puts competing teams against one another,
not for personal glory or fame, but to financially support organizations
14
qnotes
May 26-June 8 . 2012
and causes. Contestants participate in a series of individual competitions and team relay races and are scored on their performances to
determine the winners.
Contests this year were scored on their performance in the Diva
Dash 100, an individual race, and the Pit Crew Challenge team race, as
well as their overall money raised prior to and during the event. Awards
see Drag on 21
A&E
tell trinity
by trinity
qnotes contributor
When the vampire doesn’t
bite hard enough
Hey Trinity
My lover of six years who claimed to be gay
left me a month ago to marry a woman. I
kind of got over him, because he was such
a user. But, I miss him. Help!
Perplexed, Albany, NY
Hey Perplexed,
Let me get this gay problem straight. Your
gay-user-lover of six years left you for a
woman and now you’re perplexed because
you’ve been released from a hex, by your
ex. Haven’t you read any vampire novels
where the blood-sucking vampire surprisingly releases his victim, before killing her?
She joyously leaves Transylvania never to
see the vampire again. So, darling, unless he took your common sense, as well I
suggest you, celebrate your freedom and
catch the next boat out of Transylvania.
Congratulations!
Dearest Trinity,
I have just begun doing drag and I love it.
I have two problems? I don’t know how to
perform drag well and I haven’t told my
mother. It’s also creating tension between
my boyfriend and me. Any suggestions?
A Confused Queen, Kansas City, MO
Dearest Confused Queen,
I have some tips in a cartoon style. Please
read it wisely. You know, pumpkin, most
drag queens do drag a lot, then get tired of
it. Yet, some don’t. So, wait a while before
telling her or him. Give it six months or on
your 25th night in drag let the MAC out of
the bag. (Tips abound in my cartoon. Heed
it’s advice if you are game.)
To Trinity,
Once a month my buddies get together
and hit the bars to meet potential dates.
Throughout the night we hit a preppy
hangout, a mixed nightclub and a leather
bar. Most of the guys I meet are one of
these types. I’m always confused on how
to dress?
Joe The Chameleon, Seattle, WA
To Joe The Chameleon,
By the end of these nights you must look
like an abused collection of Ken and GI Joe
dolls. Hey, that’s it! You need to look like a
mix of Ken and GI Joe. So, think: baseball
hat or a nice hair or buzz cut, a neck chain
and watch is plenty, a butch T-shirt, always
a belt, khakis or nice jeans, a pair of high
tops or casual shoes. Remember, sweetie,
no shiny club clothes, harnesses, oxford
shirts or cigars.
Dearest Trinity,
For the first time in years I went to a sex
club. I was shocked to see so much prehistoric, pre-AIDS activity doing. How does
someone have sex club fun without worrying about receiving any unwanted gifts?
Sex Club Studies, Green Bay, WI
Dearest S.C.S.,
I hear ya, honey! It does seem like everyone’s getting so tired of wearing latex that
more and more are willing to deal with the
affects of acid rain and protease inhibitors.
Unsafe sex is like candy — you know it can
make you sick, but you can’t help packin’
in all that deliciousness. For those times
when your blood sugar is out of control
here are…
Trinity’s Healthy Tips
For Attending A Sex Club
  1. When you meet the “sex club sex machine” rinse him clean, if you know what
I mean.
  2. Before letting yourself slut around, have
do’s and don’ts to keep you safe and
sound.
  3. Assume everyone has something to give,
that you may not want.
  4. Always wash your hands after
playing with yourself  
and/or others.
  5. You may not need a course in
intercourse, but, of course, you
need to understand everything
about risk!
  6. Sometimes, we have to be rude to
a dude who’s forcing an uncomfortable interlude.
  7. Always wash your private parts
so you’re clean and tidy for your
next performing arts.
  8. Use instinct and intuition when on
any adventurous mission.
  9. Sex club is beautiful. Sex club
is fun. Sex club is different for
everyone.
10. Finally, relax or exercise, even
take a steam or a nap, but even
more importantly, don’t leave with
the clap! : :
— With a Masters of Divinity,
Reverend Trinity was host of “Spiritually
Speaking,” a weekly radio drama,
and now performs globally.
info:
www.telltrinity.com
Trinity@telltrinity.com
Sponsored by: Provincetown Business Guild
800-637-8696
www.ptown.org
May 26-June 8 . 2012
qnotes
15
A&E
out in the stars
by charlene lichtenstein
qnotes contributor
May 26 - June 8
June is busting out all over as lucky Jupiter advances into Gemini and all is right with the world.
And, luck bursts out from the most unexpected
places. Keep your options (and your eyes) open
for opportunity.
GEMINI (05.22-06.21) Your are the one to know
and the one to get to know. Pink Twins have a
flash of charisma that outshines all competition.
Plan on maneuvering into the center stage and
wow the crowd with your talent and sheer nerve.
Get going while your personal flame is hot, hot,
hot. And, if a few moths venture too close and
singe their wings, that is their own fault.
CANCER (06.22-07.23) How many secret admirers
do you have gay Crab? There may be too many
to count and you may be totally unaware of some
of them. There are a lot of good vibes emanating
behind the scenes that will guide you to lucky
experiences and life-changing connections. So,
keep your confidence high and allow yourself a
month of flirtations and furtive romances.
LEO (07.24-08.23) Find any excuse to get together
with friends. Seek interesting people and get
involved in new social groups. Proud Leos are
naturally friendly and love to be in the epicenter
of a crowd. This time the crowd may need some
of your TLC, so know when to seek attention and
when you give a warm hug to others. It may be
hard for you, but I know you can do it!
VIRGO (08.24-09.23) How much can you get away
with on the job? Quite a lot now. While hard
working, queer Virgins will be happily surprised
to find that even minimal effort will pay off. So,
16
qnotes
May 26-June 8 . 2012
prioritize and don’t sweat the small stuff this
June. Of course, still you have to schmooze the
big brass a bit and make it appear like you are
making an effort. But, that is part of the fun.
LIBRA (09.24-10.23) Proud Libras may be in a rut,
but it is one that you can easily climb out of this
June. Take a chance and do something totally
new or unexpected. It may pay off in ways that
you do not expect. It is a particularly good month
to travel if you have the bucks and the time. If not,
see what is happening around the corner. You
may be surprised at what (and whom) you find.
SCORPIO (10.24-11.22) Sizzly, queer Scorpios
can turn on the charm and make some lucky and
powerful connections this June. And, these connections will run deep. Some may get downright
intimate and life-changing. See who is on the
menu and get cooking. Your personal zest adds
the spice to any dish. Tuck in and gorge yourself.
Err, how many desserts do you really need?
SAGITTARIUS (11.23-12.22) Relationships take
center stage this June. If you are currently
cultivating a one-on-one, you can discover some
wonderful things about your partner, If you are
on the prowl for the perfect person, this is the
time to scout about. Gay Archers could be lured
into multiple affairs as so many possibilities
cross your path. Sampling is the best way to
decide. Ahem.
CAPRICORN (12.23-01.20) June is bursting out all
over and so are you. So, as you make your entrance, be sure that you feel as good as you look.
Check yourself in the mirror and assess who you
see. You might want to make some adjustments
in your health regime — from diet to exercise to
any form of stress reduction. Yoga? Meditation?
Yawn. Let’s get really creative, pink Cap!
AQUARIUS (01.21-02.19) Fun is highlighted all
through June. Aqueerians will not only be able to
plan, launch and toss a great party, they will also
attract some of the most unusual and artistic folks
around to liven things up. Anything you do will be
A-list level. So, don’t sit on your couch and wait
for the bell to ring. Get out there and schmooze,
booze and carooze…or something like that.
PISCES (02.20-03.20) Puttering around the house
will not only be relaxing for you this June, it will
also spark a range of great new re-decorating
ideas. Focus on your domestic agenda from the
dust under the rug to the back reaches of your
closet. Air it out, sell it at a garage sale and start
fresh. And, while you are at it, you can be a little
fresh yourself. There is no telling where that
might lead you.
ARIES (03.21-04.20) Not only are you especially
clearheaded throughout June, you are also able
to figure out just what to say to get exactly what
you want. You can be incredibly diplomatic. But,
gay Rams want more out of life than just sweetening the air with their sugary bon mots. Resolve
to tackle a long overdue project and enlist a bevy
of helpers. All you have to do is ask.
TAURUS (04.21-05.21) Money comes to you
easily now. And, not just because you have been
working at carefully wrangling your loot. Even if
you have been lax in your budget making, there is
some transom money that seems to just fall into
your lap. Don’t waste this largess on junk. Funnel
it into a safe and secure nest egg. Then you can
enjoy fluffy omelettes in your retirement years. : :
© 2012 Madam Lichtenstein, LLC. All Rights
Reserved. Entertainment.
info: Visit www.TheStarryEye.com for
e-greetings, horoscopes and Pride jewelry. My
book “HerScopes: A Guide To Astrology For
Lesbians” from Simon & Schuster is
available at bookstores and major booksites.
Positive Postings
Responding to Latino health needs
by Dale Pierce ~ Practice Manager/Ryan White Program Director
According to the U.S. Health Resources and
Services Administration (HRSA) and the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
Latinos in the U.S. have been disproportionately affected by HIV since the epidemic began, and today
account for nearly 20 percent of all diagnosed
HIV/AIDS cases. Nearly one-fourth of all Ryan
White HIV/AIDS Program clients are Latino. Here,
at Rosedale I.D., our Ryan White Program strives to
provide the best care possible for Latino patients. It
is important that we, along with other providers in
our area, focus on creating a familial atmosphere
by having culturally competent staff.
In Charlotte, the Latino population is steadily
growing. According to the U.S. Census, the Latino
population has doubled in the past 10 years. Latinos
now account for nearly 13 percent of the Charlotte
population. The Latino population is around 96,000
people which is larger than the entire population of
Asheville, N.C. Living in a city that has such large
minority groups, it is important to embrace cultural
differences. In healthcare specifically, it is important
to consider all cultural components of a population
to offer the best and most appropriate care plan. At
Rosedale ID we work to make a difference in healthcare by doing just that.
Latinos are a diverse population encompassing
many subgroups, each with slightly different risk factors for HIV. Latinos are the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in the United States. Latinos are
also one of the most diverse groups. The subgroups,
that speak a variety of Spanish dialects, include
Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Mexicans, and South
Americans. English is often a second language for
this population. A growing number of U.S. Latinos
from Central and South America are members of
indigenous communities and often speak only their
native languages.
Many Latinos share culture related to religion,
family, gender, and health that can pose significant
barriers to HIV care. For example, Latinos often believe in fatalismo, the idea that God ordains certain
events to occur. HIV infection is often considered
a judgment that only God can heal, a belief that
can complicate treatment adherence. Latinos also
practice curanderismo, the practice of traditional
folk healing carried out by curanderos, or spiritual
healers. Specific groups, including many Cubans
and Puerto Ricans, may practice Santeria, a religion that emphasizes holistic medicine and limpios
(cleansings, where Mexicans often use herbs and
traditional remedies).
Latinos diagnosed with HIV also face stigma
— primarily because of the disease’s association
with homosexuality, which runs counter to notions
of machismo, an exaggerated form of masculinity based on sexual prowess, dominance, and
aggression. One doctor explains, “In the Latino
community, [homosexuality] is not accepted and
HIV has an even worse stigma associated with it.
As a result, clients do not go and get care and they
do not want to be seen getting care.” Machismo
also can undermine the health outcomes of Latina
women, who are expected to live up to the ideal of
marianismo, which dictates that women be submissive to men, particularly to those in their families and
their husbands. Female HIV-positive Latina patients
delay or fall out of care as a result of the demands
of familismo, the tradition of multiple generations
living together, because their family’s needs are put
above their own.
HRSA also reported that Latinos tend to wait, because of cultural stigma, until they are already ill before seeking HIV care, and they are often diagnosed
with AIDS. Many also struggle with other problems
such as substance abuse and mental health issues,
which carry a great deal of stigma as well. Despite
their need for assistance, Latino patients often are
wary of being seen at a clinic, fearful that they may
be spotted by people they know or that clinical
staff will disclose their diagnoses to their family and
friends. Other barriers include the strict appointment
schedules found at many clinics. Latino clients often
miss appointments because they work long hours
and may not be accustomed to scheduling.
Latino programs for HIV/AIDS care is becoming recognized on a national level. Recently,
Dayana Mendoza, former Miss Universe, was a
contender on the “Celebrity Apprentice” fighting
to raise money for her selected charity, The Latino
Commission on AIDS. She said that her goal was
to help the Latino community. She wanted to raise
awareness for a population that increasingly needs
help. Dayana, herself, grew up in a Latino home
and understands the need for specialty care.
At Rosedale ID we strive to make a difference in
healthcare by creating a comfortable environment
for our patients no matter their ethnicity, sexual
orientation, gender, or race. We are educating our
clinical staff to become more culturally competent
and actively discussing how we can overcome barriers to care for our patients. In addition, our providers are trained to work effectively with the Latino
population. If you are a Latino patient or you know
a Latino patient that is looking for care in a comfortable understanding environment, I encourage you
to give us a call at 704-948-8582 or check out our
website at rosedaleid.com.
Information retrieved from: www.hrsa.gov
Don’t forget to visit our website at
rosedaleid.com and friend us on Facebook
for community and clinical updates!
— Sponsored Content —
May 26-June 8 . 2012
qnotes
17
18
qnotes
May 26-June 8 . 2012
on the map
nightlife
Sunday
Barbeque & Bloody Marys, Bar at 316
free BBQ from 3-6 p.m.
Super Sundays with Aiesha Paris, Nickel Bar
starts at 8 p.m.
House Cast Show, The Scorpio
with DJ 4Real. 11:30 p.m.
Woodshed Sundays, The Woodshed
free dinner buffet served at 6:30 p.m.
karaoke, 9 p.m.
Monday
Movie Night, Bar at 316
starts at 9 p.m.
Monday Madness, Chasers
pool tournament at 11:30 p.m. $25 cash prize
and $25 bar tab.
Boxing & Monday Night Football, Sidelines
Free Pool, The Woodshed
all day.
Tuesday
Karaoke with Metro Mike, Bar at 316
starts at 9 p.m.
Pool Tournament, Central Station
Twisted Trivia, Chasers
with Tiffany Storm & Brooklyn Dior.  
Showtime at 12:30 a.m.
Trivia Tuesdays, Marigny
hosted by Roxxy C. Moorecox 7 p.m.
Midwood Madness, Petra’s
half-price bottles of wine
Karaoke, The Woodshed
starts at 9 p.m.
Wednesday
Game Night, Bar at 316
Team Trivia and Line Dancing, Hartigan’s
starts at 8 p.m.
’90s music night, Nickel Bar
Karaoke, Petra’s
hosted by Rachel Houdek. 9 p.m.
Wicked and Wild Wednesdays, The Scorpio
featuring Tiffany Storm with DJ 4Real. 11 p.m.
Pool Tournament, The Woodshed
starts at 10:30 p.m.
Thursday
Thursday Night House Party, Bar at 316
Pool Tournament, Central Station
Rockin’ Well Thursdays, Chasers
with Valerie Rockwell. Show starts at 12:30 a.m.
Free HIV Testing, Connections
the 2nd Thursday of every month. 8-10 p.m.
Karaoke Night, Hartigan’s
hosted by Roxxy C. Moorecox. 9 p.m.
Team Boystown, Marigny
starts at 10 p.m. $10 cover after 11 p.m.  
Drink-n-drown.
Karaoke Night, The Rainbow In
free for members. $5 guests. $6 under 21.
Underwear Night, The Woodshed
Friday
House DJ and Dancing, Bar at 316
Free HIV Testing, Connections
the 4th Friday of every month. 8-10 p.m.
A-List Fridays, Marigny
hosted by SugaWalls Entertainment. 10 p.m.
Live DJ, Nickel Bar
Live Performances, Petra’s
Roxy’s Rainbow Review, The Rainbow In
starts at 11p.m.
Life’s a Drag, The Scorpio
with Tiffany Storm. 11:30 p.m.
New Life MCC
Worship service every Sunday, 7 p.m.
Monthly covered dish dinner and  
coffeehouse-style worship service on the first
Sunday of every month, 6 p.m.
Unity Fellowship Church of Charlotte
Worship service every Sunday, 10:45 a.m.
Bible 101: second and fourth Sunday of every
month, 9 a.m.
Wednesday night Bible study and discussion,
7 p.m.
Saturday
House DJ and Dancing, Bar at 316
The Angela Lopez Show, Chasers
show starts at 12:30 a.m.
Live DJ, Hartigan’s
Krewe Saturdays, Marigny
Soul Music, Nickel Bar
Live Performances, Petra’s
Urban Variety Show, The Scorpio
with Elaine Davis. Midnight showtime.
Congregations
MCC Charlotte
Worship service every Sunday, 10:45 a.m.
Bible study every Tuesday and Wednesday,
7 p.m.
Community
The LGBT Community Center of Charlotte
Promoting the diversity, acceptance and
visibility of the LGBT community through
programming and events.
gaycharlotte.com
White Rabbit
North Carolina’s LGBT everything store.
Complete line of Pride merchandise, plus
books, magazines, DVDs, T-shirts, underwear
and more.
info: Don’t see your bar listed here?
Submit your regularly scheduled events to
editor@goqnotes.com
May 26-June 8 . 2012
qnotes
19
Photo Credit: Jennifer Hogan
20
Drag kings, too!
Talkback
Hartigan’s Harti Dolls and entertained during the festivities.
“Our New Kids on the Block dance steps really wooed the
ladies,” recalls Thomas.
The drag king phenomenon is not as new of one as it may
seem. Instances of women entertaining as male performers in popular culture have been documented since the
1800’s. Annie Hindle was a London native born in 1847 who
adopted a male costume and style as her primary look when
entertaining. She appeared in New York in 1867 as the “first
out-and-out male impersonator New York’s stage had ever
seen.” Vesta Tilley was also a male impersonator in the late
19th century and was British music hall performer.
In the U.S., blues singer Gladys Bentley performed
as a man across the country as early as the 1920s. Storm
DeLarverie was breaking racial and gender boundaries as
early as the 1950’s, performing in the Jewel Box Revue as
their only drag king. The Jewel Box Revue is noted as being
the first racially integrated female impersonation showcase.
DeLarverie was also a veteran of the Stonewall Riots and her
story has been documented in the film “Storme: The Lady of
the Jewel Box.” : :
seen arguments and hard feelings, and then
in the next minute they are helping each other
through a crisis or with getting ready for a show.
Never for one minute think you can get over
on one without the whole lot of them jumping
back on you. Drag Queens’s stick together no
matter what city they travel they have friends off
commonality. Drag Queens are a unique people
and are very family oriented, unlike others of the
LGBT community.
Doing Drag takes a very talented dedicated
person to move from armature to professional
statues. It takes a lot of financial support for
makeup; material to make clothes if you know
how, or like me buy some anywhere you can lol. It
takes a lot of preparation whether just doing one
number or doing a pageant. To a Drag Queen it is
a privilege to entertain on stage, she never makes
back what she spends. So the next time you see a
Drag performer entertaining at the club, show your
support by tipping her. Give her, her honor due. : :
continued from page 8
qnotes
May 26-June 8 . 2012
continued from page 13
Drag event supports charities
continued from page 14
were also given out for Team Spirit, Best-dressed Drag Team,
Best Drag Makeup and the coveted Miss Congeniality.
Spectators arrived early and celebrated in the Hartigan’s
parking lot with music by DJ
Little Betty and performances by
local drag queens including Bella
Dior Jade, Brianna La’Shawn
Davis, Jessica Raynes, Kiana
Layne, Lola Olivia Lovelace,
Starla DaVinci and more.
A representative from
NASCAR Team Lafferty
Motorsports was present for the
annual race and shared a message from their team. During one
of the breaks between competitions, unsuspecting spectators
donned drag for the first time and
worked the crowd to increase the total amount of funds raised.
Each year 50 percent of funds raised go to the support of
the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The remaining money is split
between the top three teams to go to their
selected cause or organization. This year, the
Queen City Drag Race raised over $2,500 to be
split amongst the charities.
At the end of the day first place went
to team Heel’s Angels who chose Regional
AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) as their
beneficiary. RAIN was also selected as
the beneficiary of Team Toxic who came
in second place. Third place went to
returning contestants Team Britney Gears
who were sponsoring Campus Pride.
While the drag race was on May
12, there were events leading up to and
following the big race. Prior to the fun,
Marigny hosted a Pit Crew party on May
10 in the evening and on May 11 a kick-off
party featuring Shangela from season two
(…and three) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” was held at Scorpio.
After the race there was time for a victory lap with an after
party at Marigny. Participants finished off the weekend with a
full-throttle drag brunch hosted by the one
and only Buff Faye.
Buff Faye, the Drag Diva and host of the
race, was grateful for the turnout this year
and is looking forward to an even bigger
drag race next year. “Whew! Congrats to
the teams who won this year. Heels were
smoking! Plus, special thanks to all the
teams who participated! It takes a lot to put
on a wig and heels for the first time. As a
community it is important to celebrate and
have fun raising money for local charities we
all care about. My pit crew and I are proud
of this annual tradition in the Queen City and
look forward to next year raising even more
money. Buy some heels and join the race!”
Will Heel’s Angels return next year to
defend their title against this year’s competitors? Are you man enough to throw on a pair of heels and a wig
and join in the competition? It’s never to early to start practicing
and make sure to come out for next year’s drag race! : :
16/5:653(>6--0*,
3HYY`>1VOUZVU
(;;695,@
7OVUL!
-H_! 76)V_
/PJRVY`5*
31VOUZVU'31VOUZVU3H^6MÄJLJVT
May 26-June 8 . 2012
qnotes
21
20 Questions
Playing the field
continued from page 5
“little sausage” pinky.
Fried squash, fried okra or fried green
tomatoes?
Squash first, then okra, following up with the
tomatoes. All the better if they’re from my
grandma’s kitchen or a Greek-owned eatery.
It’s all about a “meat and two!” Damn, Big
Mama B and I are due a trip to the Landmark
[Diner] after that one.
Would you rather spend an afternoon at a
circus, a carnival, a fine art museum or a zoo?
A carnival, I guess. I don’t like the circus; I
haven’t been to the zoo since third grade,
back in the Stone Ages; and, you have to
take the museums in little by little. I am going
to disclose a fear here that only my closest
continued from page 9
friends know — and don’t laugh at me: I don’t
like the circus because of the little people. No
more on this subject, please.
What’s the last item made of leather
you’ve bought?
I just bought new dress shoes for Miss Della’s
alter ego. ’Nuff said?
Who would make the prettier drag queen:
George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove or
Michele Bachmann?
Well, Karl Rove and Dick “Antichrist” Cheney
would be beasts; Michele would be pretty, but
she doesn’t have a pretty outlook. I’m gonna
go with Dubya and hope he turns out looking
like his sweet mom, Mrs. Barbara Pierce
Bush, the Silver Fox. : :
We want you to be the subject of a future “20 Questions.” If you’re interested, send your name,
city and a few sentences about yourself to editor2@goqnotes.com. You’ll be asked to supply
a photo of yourself suitable for publication later in the process. If you’d like to see a particular
person featured here or have questions for us to use, drop us an email.
22
qnotes
May 26-June 8 . 2012
About halfway through the season, Sidelines
looks like the team to beat, getting out to an
impressive 5-0 start. Pride and Hartigan’s are
battling for second place right now with 3-1
and 2-3 records, respectively. Looking to turn
things around in the second half, the Unity
Conquerers and MCC need to improve on
their 1-win totals. The league plays almost
every Sunday at Veteran’s Park from 2-6 p.m.
The league encourages anyone interested in
softball to check out the league on Sundays
and their Facebook page at facebook.
com/1248909743 or visit carolinasoftball.org
for more information. : :
For more arts. enertainment. news. views. visit goqnotes.com.
The queens got it!
May 29-June 3 • Charlotte
“La Cage Aux Folles”
Winner of three Tony Awards including the award for Best Musical Revival,
this hilarious new production of “La Cage Aux Folles” was the biggest hit of the
2010 Broadway season, leaving audiences in stitches night after night! Starring
George Hamilton and Christopher Sieber, “La Cage” tells the story of Georges
(George Hamilton), the owner of a glitzy nightclub in lovely Saint-Tropez, and his
partner Albin (Christopher Sieber), who moonlights as the glamorous chanteuse
Zaza. When Georges’ son brings his fiancée’s conservative parents home to
meet the flashy pair, the bonds of family are put to the test as the feather boas
fly! “La Cage” is a tuneful and touching tale of one family’s struggle to stay
together, stay fabulous, and above all else, stay true to themselves! Belt Theater
at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, 130 North Tryon St. blumenthalarts.org.
Q
events
qnotes
goqnotes.com/qguide/events
arts. entertainment. news. views.
May 27 • Winston-Salem
2nd/4th Sunday Winston-Salem Tea Dance
A portion of the proceeds will benefit Equality
Winston-Salem. Suggested $3 donation at the
door. Music by DJ Clash featuring a dance off
with cash prizes. 5–9 p.m. Encore, 411 W. 4th
St. 336-918-0902.  
outatthemovieswinston.org.
May 30 • Winston Salem
Wednesday Tea Event
Out at the Movies presents their Wednesday
event which supports a variety of LGBT charities with a portion of the proceeds. There will
be an outside patio bar, tapas and fun times
for everyone. Drink specials and guest picked
music. 6 p.m. Encore, 411 West 4th St.  
outatthemovieswinston.org.
June 1 • Raleigh
First Friday Art and Wine
This month, The LGBT Center of Raleigh  
features the artwork of local resident
Rebecca Chapin. The LGBT Center is proud  
to be the only venue in the Triangle exclusively showcasing emerging and established
LGBT artists. For more information about The
LGBT Center of Raleigh and their events, visit
their website. 6-9 p.m. The LGBT Center of
Raleigh, 411 Hillsborough St.  
lgbtcenterofraleigh.com
June 2 • Rock Hill
Paint for the Cure benefiting RAIN
Join Chi Psi Omega Fraternity as they hold
a unique event benefiting Regional AIDS
Interfaith Network (RAIN). There will be music
to keep you entertained and food/drinks to
keep you energized and hydrated for play.
Prizes to the winning team during tournament
play, and door prize giveaways at random to
players. Come out and help us raise money for
RAIN.For more information and to purchase
tickets, contact Chi Psi Omega Fraternity. 12-6
p.m. Palmetto Hills Paintball Fields,  
1481 Anderson Rd. South.  
chipsiomegafraternity.org.
June 1 • Myrtle Beach
First Friday Happy Hour
First Friday is the after work happy hour
designed for everyone to just have fun when
the work day is over and to meet new friends.
Join in for the gay professionals happy hour
where everyone is welcome! To stay up to
date with each month’s events make sure to
forward your email address to firstfriday@
gamblelivingston.com. This month’s happy
hour will be at King Kong Sushi and will feature half off bottles of wine. King Kong Sushi,
2120 Oakheart Road.  
kingkongsushi.com.
June 5 • Charlotte
What Does Amendment One Mean
Learn what Amendment One really means
and find out how you can protect yourself
and your partner at a free legal presentation
by attorney Connie J. Vetter. Vetter has been
in practice serving the legal needs of LGBT
we want your who/what/where
North Carolinians for
almost 20 years. In
addition to her legal
practice, she is an
activist and volunteer
for LGBT causes. The
event is co-sponsored
by MeckPAC. This
event is free and open
to the public. 7 p.m.
The LGBT Community
Center of Charlotte,
820 Hamilton St., Suite
B11 (located in the
North Carolina Music
Factory).  
gaycharlotte.com
experience in the Midlands this
summer. Proceeds benefit SC
Pride and The Harriet Hancock
Foundation. Trustus Theatre,  
520 Lady St.  
scpride.org/avenueq.
June 14 • Columbia
“Avenue Q” - Pride style
Winner of the Tony “Triple Crown” for Best
Musical, Best Score and Best Book, “Avenue
Q” is part flesh, part felt and packed with
heart. “Avenue Q” is a laugh-out-loud musical
that tells the timeless story of a recent college
grad named Princeton who moves into a
shabby New York apartment all the way out
on Avenue Q. There, he meets Kate (the girl
next door), Rod (the Republican), Trekkie (the
internet sexpert), Lucy the Slut (need we say
more?), and other colorful types who help
Princeton finally discover his purpose in life!
Featuring puppets created by The Columbia
Marionette Theatre! “Avenue Q” will leave
you rolling in the aisles with the most original
June 23 • Charlotte
“Falsettos” — A musical by
William Finn
Queen City Theatre Company
brings a night of music and
theatre to the McGlohon
Theatre for two nights only with
Falsettos, a musical comedy
about life, love, sex and loss.
The characters renegotiate
the definitions of family and
what it means to care for and about someone. The story revolves around Marvin, his
ex-wife Trina, his psychiatrist Mendel, his
son Jason and his gay lover Whizzer Brown.
We also meet Marvin’s lesbian neighbors, Dr.
Charlotte, an internist and Cordelia, a kosher
caterer. Winner of the Tony Award for Best
Book and Best Original Score, and with an
extraordinary cast of local artists, this is a
theatrical event that you will not want to miss!
Any donations and proceeds from this event
is part of the Queen’s Fab Fest and benefit
Campus Pride for LGBT Youth. McGlohon
Theater at Spirit Square, 345 N. College St.
queencitytheatre.com.
Submitting an event for inclusion in our calendar
has never been easier:
visit goqnotes.com/qguide/events/submit
May 26-June 8 . 2012
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qnotes
May 26-June 8 . 2012