Nov. 24-Dec. 7 . 2012 qnotes 1

Nov. 24-Dec. 7 . 2012 qnotes 1

2 qnotes Nov. 24-Dec. 7 . 2012

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Qqnotes 

Nov. 24-Dec. 7, 2012 Vol 27 No 15 

arts. entertainment. news. views. 

twitter.com/qnotescarolinas 

facebook.com/qnotescarolinas 

contributors this issue 

Paige Braddock, Rosendo Brown, 

Matt Comer, Kevin Grooms/Miss 

Della, Charlene Lichtenstein, Lainey 

Millen, David Stout, Trinity, Brett 

Webb-Mitchell 

front page 

Graphic Design by Lainey Millen 

(l-r) Nathan Smith, Rev. Deborah C. 

Warren, Rev. Debra K. Kidd 

news & features 

5 Bruised, not beaten 

6 News Notes: Regional Briefs 

a&e / life&style 

8 RAIN marks 20 years of service 

9 AAS-C under new leadership 

9 CDC fact sheet 

10 New advances in HIV/AIDS care 

11 Rosedale ID fundraiser nets thousands 

12 HIV/AIDS resources 

14 20 Questions 

16 Drag Rag 

18 Out in the Stars 

19 On the map 

21 Tell Trinity 

22 Community Resources 

22 Fabulance 

22 Jane’s World 

23 Q events calendar 

opinions & views 

4 Editor’s Note 

4 On Being a Gay Parent 

16 QPoll 

11 

8 

10 

5 

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mittee in Charlotte, expanding efforts to help 

defeat Jesse Helms. In 1991, Tonda Taylor 

formed Time Out Youth. That same year, 

Charlotte hosted the international conference 

for Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians 

& Gays (PFLAG). 

In 1992, as RAIN and the Guild booted 

up, local activists began working toward the 

adoption of an LGBT-inclusive public accommodations 

ordinance. Though the effort would 

ultimately fail, being voted down by the city 

council in November 1992, it was a significant 

first step toward expanded legal rights 

for local LGBT citizens just four years after 

Charlotte’s first gay advocacy group, First 

Tuesday, was founded. 

Other community achievements would coneditor’s 

note 

by Matt Comer 

matt@goqnotes.com 

Charlotte’s community is growing up 

This year marks platinum anniversaries 

for not one, but two different community organizations 

here in Charlotte. For two decades, 

the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) 

and the Charlotte Business Guild have served 

community members in untold and myriad 

ways. No doubt, qnotes has long covered both 

groups’ events, successes and achievements, 

but no amount of paper and ink will ever accurately 

tell the story of how these groups, and 

others in Charlotte and across the Carolinas, 

affect people in positive, life-changing ways. 

Both RAIN and the Charlotte Business 

Guild were founded in 1992. It was one of 

several landmark years in Charlotte’s LGBT 

history in the early 1990s. In 1990, the Human 

Rights Campaign set up its first field com- 

tinue. In 1994, students at Winthrop University 

in nearby Rock Hill, S.C., formed their LGBT 

student organization. The same year, NC Pride 

brought its festival and parade to the streets of 

the Queen City. 

In the years to follow, Charlotte took a turn 

to the not-so-pleasant. Years of regressive 

politics resulted in controversies over the gaythemed 

play “Angels in America” and local 

arts funding. State Sen. James Forrester from 

nearby Gaston County introduced and then 

successfully passed the state’s Defense of 

Marriage Act. Community empowerment and 

capacity-building took a back seat as LGBT 

citizens put their advocacy into defense mode. 

In the face of such opposition, outcries 

for change were prompting growth again. 

New advocacy groups like the Mecklenburg 

LGBT Political Action Committee were created. 

As the millennium came and went, local 

citizens began to push again for expanded 

civil rights and changes in local law and 

policy. The LGBT Community Center of 

Charlotte was founded. 

Groups like RAIN and the Charlotte 

Business Guild, among others, have been 

views 

goqnotes.com/to/views 

through the thick of both the good times and 

the bad times. Scores of community leaders, 

professionals and volunteers have worked 

with the organizations, striving to keep people 

alive, to keep gay business flourishing and to 

provide support for those most in need. 

Our history and the history of organizations 

like RAIN and the Charlotte Business 

Guild are all intertwined. They tell a story of a 

changing society. They mark the ebb and flow 

of political culture, of discrimination, of loss, 

of challenge. More importantly, however, they 

share the collective experience, knowledge, 

wisdom, passion and commitment of real 

people with real courage working in the face 

of real obstacles toward real, lasting and 

positive change. That’s the real story. That’s 

what really counts. That’s what will shape the 

future. That is what history will remember. 

Charlotte’s LGBT community is growing up. 

Our organizations are becoming long-lasting 

institutions. With reminders of the past and 

remembrance of those who came before, we 

each will continue to move forward with unity 

— for the betterment of ourselves, our city 

and our world. : : 

I woke up on Wednesday morning, Nov. 

7, 2012, almost leaping out of bed with a big 

smile on my face, because I knew who was 

going to be president for the next four years. 

It is President Barak Obama, the nominee I 

volunteered for during the last two months. 

Along with this good news, I was elated to 

see how many other Democratic U.S. senators 

were elected, especially among women, 

and the new Democratic governors. I was 

disheartened about Gov.-elect Pat McCrory’s 

election, but that’s a topic for another column. 

I quickly opened up my computer and got 

onto the various websites that I check daily to 

see how the states where marriage equality 

was on the ballot were fairing. Lo and behold, 

Maryland and Maine voters approved marriage 

equality. Soon, Minnesota would do what we in 

North Carolina did not succeed in doing: they 

voted down an amendment outlawing marriage 

equality. They are now in-line to be a state 

that welcomes marriage equality. A few days 

later, Washington state voters also approved of 

marriage equality. And, with that, the evil spell 

was broken. Voters across the board of both 

political parties and independents voted for 

marriage equality. The National Organization 

for Marriage (NOM), Family Research Council 

and the American Family Association forces 

had lost. The onerous hex was gone! After 33 

states amended their constitutions to deny 

people marriage equality, four states heralded 

a new day in America. And, the last state to 

amend its constitution, perhaps in the history of 

the United States? North Carolina. 

The mastermind who perfected the art of 

amending state constitutions that denied my 

partner and me the right to choose to marry or 

be in a domestic relationship was the nefarious 

Karl Rove, e.g., “Bush’s brain,” “Turd bloson 

being a gay parent 

by Brett Webb-Mitchell :: qnotes contributor 

North Carolina: The last state that 

amended its constitution with the 

purpose of outlawing marriage equality 

and institutionalized hate 

som.” Rove used marriage amendments as a 

“wedge issue,” part of a conservative strategy, 

placing marriage equality on statewide ballots 

during a presidential year. In language that was 

non-offensive, but hate-filled, these amendments 

were meant to be a “get out the vote” 

dog-whistle among conservative voters whom 

he assumed were largely homophobic and of 

the “Christian right” variety, or what columnist/ 

blogger Andrew Sullivan calls “Christianists.” 

My home state of Oregon was one of those 

states who amended their constitution to take 

away marriage equality in 2004. This same 

tactic was taken by the Republicans in the 

N.C. General Assembly as they originally tried 

to get the vote to amend the state constitution 

on Nov. 6, 2012, during the presidential 

election, thus getting more people to vote for 

the Republican nominee from both among the 

African American community, Republicans and 

Christianist party members. However, as a last 

minute agreement to get a veto-proof majority 

in the General Assembly, the legislators 

who drove this amendment without debate, 

compromised and let the vote be taken on 

the day of the primary elections, May 8, 2012. 

Again: North Carolina is the last state to amend 

its constitution, joining with the other states of 

the former Confederacy and beyond in denying 

people rights and privileges others can freely 

participate in and use. 

What does this feel like to live in North 

Carolina now? U.S. Sen. John Kerry, then a 

young soldier, once asked, “How do you ask 

a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam?” 

at the end of the war. As a citizen of North 

Carolina, I find myself living in a place that may 

be the very last state to amend its constitution 

with words of exclusion rather than inclusion, 

with homophobia and anti-“gay marriage” 

being the dying war. As a gay parent in North 

Carolina, I shudder in the knowledge that 

my state — the state that gladly receives my 

taxes without treating me as an equal citizen 

as a straight parent and denies me the right to 

choose to be married or be in at least a domestic 

partnership — is the last state to amend its 

constitution on the issue of marriage. North 

Carolina is not my home state. Those who 

voted to amend the constitution embarrass me, 

but more sadly embarrass themselves, driving 

away new businesses and cultural opportunities, 

let alone revenue from weddings, receptions 

and honeymoon locations. It most likely 

will take another vote of the populace to undo 

this mark of shame in the state constitution. It 

is a dark stain of hate locked in the very fabric, 

the very laws, of the state. : : 

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news 

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Bruised not beaten: 

N.C. gay activists see new roads to equality 

Equality NC wants to focus on local equality initiatives following anti-LGBT amendment and legislative losses 

by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com 

GREENSBORO — Leaders 

with Equality North Carolina, 

the statewide lesbian, gay, 

bisexual and transgender 

(LGBT) advocacy and education 

organization, said at their 

annual conference at the 

University of North Carolina- 

Greensboro on Nov 17, that 

they will begin shifting their 

focus to increase their support 

of equality initiatives on the 

local level in North Carolina. 

Stuart Campbell, executive 

director of Equality North 

Carolina, told a crowd of over 

300 conference attendees that 

his group would begin to work 

on passing employment nondiscrimination 

laws in cities 

and towns across the state. 

“We’re going to have to 

grow the base,” Campbell said 

in his morning address, “by 

creating coalitions and working 

with folks on the local level with 

lots of different communities. 

We’ll be building a movement 

that will ultimately lead to a 

statewide effort.” 

The move comes after a divisive constitutional 

amendment battle and November elections 

handed more control to Republicans. 

In May, 61 percent of Tar Heels voted to 

approve an anti-LGBT state constitutional 

amendment. The campaigns for and against 

the amendment racked up millions of dollars 

in expenditures in a statewide campaign that 

brought newspaper, radio and television advertising 

and on-the-ground outreach to both 

rural and urban parts of the state. 

After the election, Equality North Carolina’s 

prospects for LGBT-inclusive legislation are 

dimmer. Republicans strengthened their 

majority in the General Assembly and former 

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory was elected the 

state’s first Republican governor in 20 years. 

Campbell said the group will be working to 

ensure support from new Republican allies. 

“Republicans in the legislature need 

exactly zero votes to pass anything they 

want,” Campbell said. “If we want to stop 

anything bad we’re going to have to find some 

Republicans to work with us. If we can’t find 

them, we’re going to have to recruit them. 

We’re going to need to find fair-minded candidates 

of any party to support us.” 

With LGBT advances in the legislature 

practically dead-on-arrival for now, the 

statewide group’s local focus will take the 

organization to cities small and large. They 

want to work on local ordinances and policies 

prohibiting anti-LGBT employment discrimination, 

extending domestic partner benefits and 

other measures. 

“We plan to look at between two and four 

cities a year and expand on the ground at the 

local level if the laws are already there or enact 

them where they are missing,” Campbell said. 

Equality NC Communications Director Jen Jones, right, presents Salem College student 

Sammi Kiley, left, with the organization’s inaugural Student Leadership Award at the Equality 

NC Gala on Nov. 17. 

Lessons from a neighbor 

Equality North Carolina’s shift to more 

local issues mirrors the strategy of other 

advocacy groups across the South faced with 

unfriendly legislatures. 

Activists in South Carolina faced their own 

anti-gay amendment in 2006. It passed with 

78 percent approval. Advocates there have 

also been long-accustomed to working with 

Republican lawmakers. 

South Carolina Equality’s focus on local 

equality initiatives has been successful. 

Several cities and counties there include LGBT 

protections for public workers and citizens in 

a variety of employment, housing and public 

accommodations laws, including state capital 

Columbia and beach port city Charleston. 

Ryan Wilson, executive director of SC 

Equality, hopes successes on the local level 

will eventually move statewide legislation. 

“In a state where 50, 60 or 70 percent of 

the state is protected by some of these ordinances,” 

Wilson said, “then you can go back 

to the legislature and say, ‘Look, the world 

has not come to an end. This is what our local 

communities want.’ Then maybe you can pass 

a law statewide.” 

SC Equality’s local work hasn’t come at the 

expense of State House lobbying. 

“Last year, the safe schools bill went all 

the way through one of the houses of the 

State House and was on its way through the 

second one before it encountered the end of 

the session,” he said. 

Like Equality NC, SC Equality has seen the 

importance of identifying allies in Republicanled 

government. 

“Definitely, relationships were built with 

moderate Republicans on things like safe 

schools,” Wilson said. “There are places 

where you can find common ground on bullying 

or workplace discrimination. 

You have 

to sort of work beyond 

the ‘R’ and the ‘D’ 

designations and start 

finding folks regardless 

of party affiliation 

who will care… They 

exist. It is just a matter 

of building those 

relationships and 

empowering people 

from their districts to 

have a voice.” 

Despite recent 

setbacks, North 

Carolina activists see 

a variety of positive 

accomplishments and 

outcomes Campbell 

said his group will use 

to their advantage. 

“We demonstrated 

that we are a 

committed community,” 

Campbell said of 

the amendment fight. 

“We came together. We worked really hard.” 

The amendment loss “awakened a sleeping 

giant,” Campbell said. “We turned out over 

800,000 people who stood with us. We’re not 

as alone as it sometimes feels.” 

That power will come in handy when it is 

time to mobilize supporters again, Campbell 

said. ”We have to find a way to tap into that 

feeling of fairness and equality our friends and 

neighbors have and expand upon that.” 

Barber schools gala 

attendees in social justice 

Following their annual conference, supporters 

of Equality North Carolina gathered 

at downtown Greensboro’s Empire Room 

for a night of fundraising, reverie and calls 

to action. 

The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, president 

of the North Carolina NAACP, was among 

several attendees honored with awards this 

year. He was also the gala’s keynote speaker. 

He called those present to action and unity on 

matters of social justice. 

“We might lose the battle, but 

see ENC on 15 


news notes: 

carolinas. nation. world. 

compiled by Lainey Millen | David Stout | Matt Comer 

Charlotte 

Guild to bestow awards 

CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte Business 

Guild (CBG), a member of the Charlotte 

Chamber Diversity Action Council, is hosting 

its 20th Anniversary Gala on Dec. 1, 6:30-11:30 

p.m. at the Renaissance Charlotte SouthPark 

Hotel, 5501 Carnegie Blvd. 

Long-time activist Don King will be the 

guest speaker. 

The event will feature a cocktail/networking 

cash bar hour, followed by a plated dinner 

with choice of entrée, as well as entertainment, 

dancing and door prizes. 

During the evening, the guild will present 

its annual Community Service Award to unannounced 

recipients in the LGBT community 

leader, LGBT-friendly business and straight 

ally categories. 

Founded in 1992, the guild has managed 

the annual awards since 2004. 

Admission is $65 per person and can be 

obtained online at the guild’s website at 

charlottebusinessguild.org. 

— L.M. 

Leaders honored 

CHARLOTTE — Grassroots Leadership 

will honor two Queen City leaders at a special 

event on Dec. 13, 6-8 p.m., at Unitarian 

Universalist Church of Charlotte, 234 N. 

Sharon Amity Rd. 

Mecklenburg County Commission member 

Jennifer Roberts and Unity Fellowship Church 

pastor Bishop Tonyia Rawls will be given the 

Community Leader Award for their “enduring 

dedication to the common good.” 

Executive Director Bob Libal and founder 

Si Kahn will make the presentations. 

The function will also serve as a fundraiser, 

benefiting the work of Grassroots 

Leadership. 

The organization began in 1980 and helped 

to train and support “leaders, organizers, organizations, 

networks and coalitions that will 

make long-term positive change inevitable.” 

To reserve a spot, call 704-332-3090 or 

email mdorta@grassrootsleadership.org. 

For more information, visit 

grassrootsleadership.org. 

— L.M. 

Chorus brings out reindeers 

CHARLOTTE — One Voice Chorus will 

present “The Reindeer Games” on Dec. 7-8 at 

7:30 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. at the Unitarian 

Universalist Church of Charlotte, 234 N. 

Sharon Amity Rd. 

This holiday concert’s theme is a tribute 

to the London Olympics. Audience members 

can compete for glory or cheer on their 

favorite “OV-lympian, the promoters said. A 

reception follows. 

Tickets are $20, evening shows, and $15 

for adults and $10 for children for the matinee. 

Proceeds go to support One Voice Chorus. 

Other concerts in the 2012-13 season 

are “Telescopic Hearts” on Feb. 17; “Songs 

of Wisdom” on April 5-6; and “Hollywood 

6 qnotes Nov. 24-Dec. 7 . 2012 

Squares: British Invasion” on June 6-8. Details 

will follow in subsequent qnotes’s issues. 

The chorus is also engaged in a challenge 

campaign that ends on Nov. 30. 

Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte Director 

John Quillin and Rick Haffner, said that if 

$2,500 is raised by the deadline date that 

they will match it. No contribution is too 

large or small. 

Outreach programs slated for December 

include performances for residents at the 

Charlotte Men’s Shelter, neighbors visiting 

Urban Ministries Center, foster families in the 

region, and public advocates working with the 

Community Building Initiative. 

For tickets, to make contributions or for 

more information, visit onevoicechorus.org. 

Checks may also be mailed to One Voice 

Chorus, P.O. Box 9241, Charlotte, NC 28299. 

— L.M. 

Triad 

Chorus celebrates 14th season 

WINSTON-SALEM — Triad Pride Men’s 

Chorus (TPMC) will hold a winter concert, 

“Celebrate,” on Dec. 8, 8 p.m., in Greensboro 

at Greensboro Day School, 5401 Lawndale 

Dr., and Dec. 15, 8 p.m., in Winston-Salem at 

Wake Forest University, Wait Chapel, 1834 

Wake Forest Rd., as part of its 14th season, A 

Season of Pride. 

The concert also marks the end of an 

era for the chorus as its conductor, Woodson 

Faulkner II, steps down to pursue other 

ventures. 

TPMC will also be sponsoring a food drive 

for Triad Health Project in Greensboro and 

AIDS Care Services in Winston-Salem. Bring 

extra dried or canned goods when attending 

the concerts. 

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at 

the door. 

For tickets or more information, visit 

triadpridemenschorus.org. 

— L.M. 

Triangle 

Gender-neutral housing approved 

CHAPEL HILL — Members of the 

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Board 

of Trustees approved a proposal on Nov. 15 

that would allow students to choose their 

dormitory roommates regardless of gender. 

The flagship public school becomes the first 

UNC System institution to approve the new 

housing option, which will be available to 

students next fall. 

The proposal was initially denied by 

Chancellor Holden Thorp earlier this year. A 

committee of several trustees unanimously 

backed the plan during the week of Nov. 12. 

Students at the school have been campaigning 

for the change for some time. They 

say being given the option to choose their 

own roommates will increase safety. Many 

LGBT students, they say, have faced bullying 

and harassment living with unfriendly or 

hostile roommates. 

Foundation to launch in December 

CHARLOTTE — Twelve In Twelve 

(twelveintwelve.org), the non-profit 

organization founded by J.D. Lewis 

that took his two sons, Jackson and 

Buck, around the world for 12 months 

doing relief work on all seven continents 

and 12 countries, will launch The 

Twelve In Twelve Foundation at Harvest 

Moon Grille at The Dunhill Hotel, 237 

N. Tryon St., on Dec. 12 from 5:30-7:30 

p.m. Admission is free and the public is 

invited. 

Lewis, an accomplished actor, 

playwright, acting coach and commercial 

talent who moved to Charlotte in 

2007 to open an Actor’s Lab office and 

to raise his children, has established an 

official 501(c)(3) for Twelve In Twelve 

to facilitate other families making such 

international humanitarian trips and to 

continue to raise money and awareness 

for the organizations Lewis and 

his sons helped on their journey. qnotes 

featured the family prior to their journeys 

in its May 28, 2011 issue (goqnotes. 

com/11191/). 

Twelve In Twelve was created because 

J.D.’s 13-year-old son came home 

from school one day and said, “Dad, we have this great life…How come we aren’t doing more 

to make a difference in the world?” That sparked an idea that would change their lives forever. 

They created a not-for-profit organization and held grassroots funding-raising events to 

finance the cause. In July 2011, they headed out on a journey of a lifetime. At the time, they 

did not know that it was a world record, the first family to do humanitarian work on all seven 

continents in one year. 

The family traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia, where they volunteered in an orphanage 

for children with Down Syndrome. In Chiang Mai, Thailand, the father and his boys volunteered 

at The Elephant Nature Park, helping elephants rescued from abuse. The family say 

the Dalai Lama speak for four days and then took up English lessons for Tibeten refugees. In 

Nairobi, Kenya, they volunteered at an HIV clinic. 

The family even traveled to Antarctica, where they volunteered on The Ushuaia Ship 

and assisted scientists and crew. But, they didn’t forget about home. They traveled to the 

Deep South, volunteering with Operation Upward, a food program for inner-city kids in 

Jackson, Miss. 

The Foundation will help raise awareness, donations and supplies for the organizations 

they worked with worldwide. 

J.D. Lewis created an extensive photographic and film library along his journey. The 

13,000 photo images and film footage will be developed into a documentary and will include 

interviews with those the family met along the way. 

The ultimate mission of Lewis’ Twelve In Twelve is to establish a local office, website and 

network of organizations, helping to guide other individuals and/or families interested in volunteering 

to positively impact the global community. Twelve In Twelve also seeks to inspire 

both children and parents to engage in the issues that are impacting the world by promoting 

the efforts of Twelve In Twelve volunteer families. 

For more information, visit twelveintwelve.org. 

— from press releases 

“No one should feel unsafe,” senior 

Zaina Alsous, one of the campaign’s student 

organizers, told The News & Observer. 

“Dorms are rites of passage, and no one 

should miss out.” 

Chapel Hill becomes the first public college 

or university in North Carolina to offer 

a gender-neutral housing choice. Nearly 100 

other schools across the country already 

offer similar housing choices, including 

North Carolina private schools Duke 

University, Guilford College and Warren- 

Wilson College. 

For more on the story and links to further 

coverage from The News & Observer, visit 

goqnotes.com/19182/. 

— M.C. 

Photo Credit: Blyte Spirit Photography 

Western 

ALFA plans AIDS remembrance 

HICKORY — The AIDS Leadership 

Foothills-area Alliance (ALFA) will host a 

World AIDS Day HIV/AIDS awareness event, 

“Universal Access to Care and Human 

Rights,” on Dec. 1 at First United Methodist 

Church, 311 3rd Ave. N.E. During the day’s 

programming, it will commemorate those lost 

and celebrate victories in treatment and prevention 

services. A reception will be held at 3 

p.m., with a service following at 3:30 p.m. 

For more information, call 828-322-1447, 

ext. 224, email alfadirect@alfainfo.org or visit 

alfainfo.org. 

— L.M.

news 


National/Global 

Gay marriage by the numbers 

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — On Election 

Day, the residents of Maine, Maryland and 

Washington affirmed that their states will 

recognize marriages for lesbian and gay 

couples. An analyses of Census 2010 data 

conducted by the Williams Institute suggests 

that approximately 35,000 same-sex couples 

live in these states and that over 17,000 will 

marry in the next three years. Many of these 

couples are raising children, ranging from 14 

percent of same-sex couples living in Maine 

to 20 percent in Maryland. 

After the vote, same-sex couples can now 

marry in nine states in the U.S. and the District 

of Columbia. As a result, 20 percent of samesex 

couples now live in states where they can 

marry. Overall, 16 percent of the U.S. population 

lives in states where same-sex couples 

can marry. 

If the U.S. Supreme Court affirms or let’s 

stand the 9th Circuit opinion striking down 

Proposition 8 in California, 35 percent of 

same-sex couples in the U.S. will live in states 

where they can marry; and 28 percent of the 

U.S. population will live in states where samesex 

couples can marry. 

— D.S. 

Business index shows growing support 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In the 2013 

Corporate Equality Index, released Nov. 14, 

a record 252 businesses achieved the top 

rating of 100 percent, earning the coveted 

distinction of “Best Places to Work for LGBT 

Equality.” As a point of comparison, 13 businesses 

earned a 100 percent in the inaugural 

CEI 11 years ago, demonstrating that a new 

normal has arrived. The policies, benefits 

and practices companies must implement 

to earn a perfect score are best-in-class 

demonstrations of corporate commitments to 

LGBT workers. The top-rated businesses span 

across industries, geographies, and size. 

This year’s report at a glance (available in 

full at hrc.org/cei): 

• A record 74 major businesses and law firms 

publicly supported pro-equality legislation at 

the state and federal levels. 

• The 2013 CEI saw the largest growth in the 

survey’s history with 54 new businesses participating. 

The number of employers officially 

rated in the CEI has skyrocketed from 319 in 

2002, to 688 this year. 

• This year’s CEI marks the first time a majority 

of Fortune 500 companies have nondiscrimination 

policies that cover gender identity 

(from 50 percent to 57 percent), while an 

astonishing 84 percent of overall CEI participants 

cover gender identity. 

• Transgender-inclusive healthcare coverage 

continues to rise. Now in its second year as 

a mandatory criterion for a company to earn 

100 percent, 287 participating companies (42 

percent) offer comprehensive healthcare 

coverage to their transgender workers, up 

from 19 percent last year. 

— D.S. 

Trans observances held in Nov. 

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Trans Awareness 

Week was observed earlier this month. It is 

a time devoted to raising visibility of trans 

people and the issues affecting their lives. 

The week culminated on Nov. 20 with the 

Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to 

honor those who have lost their lives to transphobic 

violence. To mark the Week, LGBT 

media watchdog group GLAAD released four 

new videos in the “I AM: Trans People Speak” 

video series. GLAAD says the video campaign 

“can help us better educate people about 

what it means to be transgender and build 

understanding that leads to equality.” 

— D.S. 

Business leaders attend summit 

LONDON, England — On Nov. 13, at the 

first Out on the Street: Europe Leadership 

Summit, chief executives from some of the 

world’s largest companies came together 

with senior leaders from Bank of America 

Merrill Lynch, Barclays, Citi, Credit Suisse, 

Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Morgan 

Stanley and more to discuss how the financial 

services industry can advance LGBT 

equality. This is the first time that so many 

senior leaders have convened to work for 

LGBT equality, in Europe. 

The event builds on the successful Out 

on the Street summits, held annually in New 

York, which earlier this year brought together 

over 200 senior leaders from across Wall 

Street, including the CEOs of Bank of America, 

Goldman Sachs, KPMG and Elliott Capital. 

The summit focused on a number of topics 

of global interest to LGBT employees, straight 

allies and their companies, including: a crossindustry 

discussion on the importance of LGBT 

equality from a client perspective; the role and 

importance of having straight allies and how 

best to engage and “activate” them; and an 

in-depth comparative discussion of women’s 

experiences, both gay and straight, in banking. 

— D.S. 

UPS pulls Boy Scout funding 

ATLANTA, Ga. — United Parcel Service 

(UPS), a corporate donor of the Boy Scouts 

of America, has announced a new policy that 

will cease all future 

funding to the Boy 

Scouts until gay 

Scouts and leaders 

are welcome within 

the organization. 

Eagle Scout 

Zach Wahls (pictured), 

founder of 

Scouts for Equality, 

launched the 

campaign on Change.org just days after Intel 

Corporation, one of the Boy Scouts largest 

corporate donors, affirmed the company is no 

longer supporting the Boy Scouts of America. 

Like Intel, UPS gave hundreds of thousands of 

dollars to the Boy Scouts in 2010, despite the 

organization’s anti-gay policy. 

— D.S. 


life, 

positively 

special coverage 

presented by 

RAIN marks 

20 years of service 

From the end of AIDS Crisis to today, Regional AIDS 

Interfaith Network founder and staffers devoted to 

life-changing relationships and service to community 


Trained as a minister and having worked in several congregations, 

the Rev. Deborah Warren didn’t foresee herself leading 

an HIV/AIDS organization. All that would change in the early 

1990s as Warren was faced with the realities of the lingering 

effects of the harrowing AIDS Crisis. 

Warren had just begun an internship at Carolinas Medical 

Center. There, she met AIDS patients face to face. She heard 

their stories. She felt their pain. 

“I didn’t know that much about AIDS and, certainly earliest 

on, had that same kind of fear of contagion that other people 

had,” she says. “I would meet people who were going home 

from the hospital and most of the people I saw in the hospital 

didn’t really have enough support. You can imagine: a very sick 

person going home and trying to fend for themselves.” 

What she experienced pulled on her heartstrings. She wondered 

why more people of faith just like her weren’t doing more 

to help those who, at this time, needed more support than ever. 

In the 20 years since, Warren has turned her passion 

for service and care into a career and the organization she 

founded in 1992, the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network, or RAIN, 

has served literally thousands and thousands of those affected 

and infected by HIV. 

This year, the group celebrates two decades of community 

service and lives changed for the better. And, though the organization 

celebrates, its leaders are quick 

to pause and remember that growth for 

their group hasn’t come without its share 

of hard times. 

“I was at the hospital training as 

a chaplain and I also became the first 

chaplain assigned to the infectious disease 

clinic,” says the Rev. Debra Kidd, 

RAIN’s senior director of programs. 

“Just to watch the loneliness, the pain. 

Patients would come in for their visit 

and walk in. The next time you saw them 

they were using a walker or a cane. The 

next time they were in a wheelchair and 

the next time they couldn’t show up. It 

was just devastating.” 

Warren and Kidd, affectionately dubbed “the Debbies” by 

those who know them, have patiently persevered since those 

sometimes-horrific days. They say attitudes have changed. 

Medicines have effectively killed the notion that AIDS is a 

death sentence. Families are growing into much better acceptance 

of their loved ones. 

Warren says she’s also proud of the relationships RAIN has 

helped to build. 

The community service of RAIN and its staff has long been essential — and rewarded. 

Ten years ago, several staffers at RAIN were honored for their service. Pictured here on 

the front cover of the Oct. 26, 2002, print edition of qnotes are: (l-r) Rev. Amy E. Brooks, 

regional program director; Rev. Stephanie Speller-Henderson, minority program 

director; Rev. Deborah C. Warren, founder and executive director; and 

Rev. Debra K. Kidd, program director. 

“A lot of different communities started coming together,” 

she says. “I’m most proud that we’ve brought so many different 

people together. That was not the intent when we were 

founded, but the commonality we’ve all found is that we care 

about AIDS, whether you are gay or straight, African-American 

or Caucasian, liberal or conservative, if you live in the wealthy 

Myers Park area or an area with fewer resources.” 

Warren says RAIN has opened the door to “cross-boundary 

see next page u 


life, positively 

experiences” and says life-changing relationships have been built. 

In their daily work, Warren and Kidd are on guard against changing 

funding models and other challenges facing those tasked with prevention 

and education. The biggest change, Warren says, is a shift from national and 

governmental funders from a broad-based prevention strategy to one targeting 

only HIV-positive people. 

“Earlier on we had a much more robust community education program,” 

Warren says. 

Despite the challenges, Kidd says RAIN has stuck to it. Their record sometimes 

surprises people, she says, who might not have guessed the organization 

would live so long. 

Warren is confident the organization will continue to grow. Her dream: full 

care for those with HIV. 

“I look forward to developing a model with a clinical partner where we truly 

serve all the needs of people with HIV,” Warren says. “We’ll have strong medical 

treatment and medication with the wrap-around supportive services.” 

Kidd knows the future will bring changes. She and Warren, along with 

other RAIN staff, are ready. 

“”We’re going to keep going,” she says. “We’ll show you. It’s hard. It might 

morph and do something else or different and it’s already done that in 20 years 

and had to. I look forward to the challenges what that’s going to be.” : : 

Under new leadership, 

AAS-C continues service 

The Alliance of AIDS Services - Carolina (AAS-C) 

continues its more than 20-year service to the 

Triangle area as they continue to welcome new 

executive director Stacy Duck into its fold. 

Duck was hired on Aug. 6 and brough with her a 

wealth of experience from her service as executive 

director of the Chatham Social Health Council in Siler 

City, N.C. 

Duck has 22 years of experience in mental health 

and five years of experience with HIV prevention and 

education, including 12 years with the State of New York’s Developmental 

Disabilities Services Office. Duck has also contributed to numerous scholarly 

articles on Latino men and their sexual health in conjunction with ongoing 

research at Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine. 

AAS-C serves people living with HIV/AIDS, their loved ones, caregivers 

and communities at large, through compassionate and non-judgmental care, 

prevention, education and advocacy. 

Dating back to a 1989 consolidation of a number of grassroots AIDS 

service organizations in the Triangle, AAS-C currently provides an array of 

services to people living with HIV/AIDS in an eleven-county region. These 

services include medical and non-medical case management, pastoral 

counseling, nutritional counseling and a food pantry, prevention, testing and 

education. 

For more information on AAS-C, how you can get involved as a volunteer 

or for more information on services, visit aas-c.org. : : 

— compiled from press release 

special coverage presented by 

HIV in the United States: 

At A Glance 

CDC estimates 1.2 million people in the United 

States (U.S.) are living with HIV infection. One in five 

(20 percent) of those people are unaware of their infection. 

Despite increases in the total number of people in 

the U.S. living with HIV infection in recent years (due 

to better testing and treatment options), the annual 

number of new HIV infections has remained relatively 

stable. However, new infections continue at far too 

high of a level, with approximately 50,000 Americans 

becoming infected with HIV each year. 

In 2010, an estimated 47,129 people were diagnosed 

with HIV infection in the 46 states with confidential 

name-based HIV infection reporting since at least 

January 2007. In that same year, an estimated 33,015 

people throughout the U.S. were diagnosed with AIDS. 

Since the epidemic began, an estimated 1,129,127 

people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with AIDS. 

An estimated 17,774 people with AIDS died in 2009, 

and nearly 619,400 people with AIDS in the U.S. have 

died since the epidemic began. 

By Risk Group 

Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with 

Men (MSM) of all races and ethnicities remain the 

population most severely affected by HIV. 

• CDC estimates that MSM account for just 2 percent 

of the U.S. population, but accounted for 61 percent 

of all new HIV infections in 2009. MSM accounted for 

49 percent of people living with HIV infection in 2008 

(the most recent year national prevalence data are 

available). 

• In 2009, white MSM continued to account for the largest 

number of new HIV infections of any group in the 

U.S. (11,400), followed closely by black MSM (10,800). 

• Young, black MSM were the only risk group in the 

U.S. to experience statistically significant increases in 

new HIV infections from 2006-2009 — from 4,400 new 

HIV infections in 2006 to 6,500 infections in 2009. 

• Since the epidemic began, almost 300,000 MSM with 

AIDS have died, including an estimated 6,863 in 2009. 

Heterosexuals and Injection Drug Users also 

continue to be affected by HIV. 

• Heterosexuals accounted for 27 percent of estimated 

new HIV infections in 2009 and 28 percent of people 

living with HIV infection in 2008. 

• Since the epidemic began, more than 80,000 persons 

with AIDS, infected through heterosexual sex, have 

died, including an estimated 4,434 in 2009. 

• HIV infections among women are primarily attributed 

to heterosexual contact or injection drug use. Women 

accounted for 23 percent of estimated new HIV infections 

in 2009 and 25 percent of those living with HIV 

infection in 2008. 

• Injection drug users represented 9 percent of new 

HIV infections in 2009 and 17 percent of those living 

with HIV in 2008. 

• Since the epidemic began, more than 175,000 injection 

drug users with AIDS have died including an 

estimated 4,759 in 2009. 

By Race/Ethnicity 

• Blacks continue to experience the most severe 

burden of HIV, compared to other races and ethnicities. 

Blacks represent approximately 14 percent of 

the U.S. population, but accounted for an estimated 

44 percent of new HIV infections in 2009. Blacks 

accounted for 46 percent of people living with HIV 

infection in 2008. 

• Since the epidemic began, more than 250,000 blacks 

with AIDS have died , including 8,782 in 2009. 

• At some point in their life, approximately 1 in 16 black 

men will be diagnosed with HIV infection, as will 1 in 

32 black women. 

• In 2009, the estimated rate of new HIV infections 

among black men was six and a half times as high 

as that of white men, and more than two and a half 

times as high as that of Hispanic/Latino men and of 

black women. In the same year, the estimated rate 

of new HIV infections among black women was 15 

times that of white women and over three times that 

of Hispanic/ Latina women. 

Hispanics/Latinos are also disproportionately affected 

by HIV. 

• Hispanics/Latinos represented 16 percent of the 

population but accounted for 20 percent of new HIV 

infections in 2009. Hispanics/Latinos accounted for 17 

percent of people living with HIV infection in 2008. 

• Since the epidemic began, an estimated more than 

95,000 Hispanics/Latinos with AIDS have died, including 

2,853 in 2009. : : 

— Last modified and reviewed on March 14, 2012, 

by the Centers for Disease Control Division of 

HIV/AIDS Prevention (cdc.gov/hiv) and the National 

Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB 

Prevention (cdc.gov/nchhstp). 



New advances could help keep 

HIV at bay 

Truvada, OraQuick newest tools for prevention efforts 



Two new advances in HIV/ 

AIDS prevention and testing 

could mean big changes for 

those at-risk of infection. This 

summer, the Federal Drug 

Administration offered their 

approval to new uses of AIDS 

medicine Truvada and to an athome 

HIV test. 

Dale Pierce, practice 

manager and Ryan White 

Program director at Rosedale 

ID in Huntersville, says the two 

new advances offer plenty of 

hope for prevention. Yet, he 

describes both as a sort of 

“double-edged sword.” 

Pierce, who is HIV-positive, 

said his experience taking HIV/ 

AIDS medications played a 

crucial role when he and his 

partner, who is HIV-negative, 

discussed Truvada. His partner 

had considered using the medicine 

for its newly-approved 

prevention method. Known as 

a pre-exposure prophylaxis, 

or PrEP, Truvada can be taken 

daily by an HIV-negative person 

to help reduce the risk of HIV 

transmission. 

OraQuick’s new at-home HIV test will benefit some who might find it uncomfortable to visit health centers or other public 

spaces for free HIV testing events. 

Photo Credit: Agência Brasil, licensed under Creative Commons. 

“As someone who has gone through having to take the medications 

and dealing with its side-effects and how the medicine alters your lifestyle, 

it wasn’t something we were willing to try,” Pierce says. “At this 

point, we are more focused on practicing safer sex and being aware of 

what’s going on.” 

Though Pierce and his partner have opted not to use Truvada, he says 

it can be of practical use to those at-risk. He offers some warning, hoping 

that the potential reduction in infection risk doesn’t give some a false 

sense of security. Safer sex practices, he said, are key to prevention. 

Pierce says he’s more hopeful about OraQuick, the new at-home 

HIV test from OraSure. He has his worries — chief among them the 

availability of medical and psychological counseling in the aftermath 

of a positive result. Generally, though, the test is a good step toward 

increasing the availability of HIV testing for more people. 

“It is easer access to testing for those people who might be fighting 

the stigma, who may not want to go to free testing events or the health 

department,” Pierce says. 

At the end of the day, Pierce is glad to see the improvements. But, 

he’s quick to remind: “There is no 100 percent sure-fire means to stop 

[HIV] transmission,” he says. Knowledge, awareness and safer sex 

practices need to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. : : 

— Compiled from the Federal Drug Administration and from 

information provided by the AIDS Community Research 

Initiative of America (ACRIA). 

Quick Facts 

Truvada 

Approved by the FDA in July to reduce the 

risk of HIV infection among uninfected individuals. 

Recommended for use by those who 

are at a high risk of infection or those with 

HIV-positive sex partners. Used daily as a preexposure 

prophylaxis (PrEP). Must be used in 

combination with safer sex practices. Shown 

to reduce HIV infection among MSM by as 

much as 42 percent and among heterosexuals 

by as as much as 72 percent. Available by 

prescription only. Critics have concerns that 

availability of the new drug could discourage 

safer sex practices. For more information, visit 

truvadapreprems.com. 

OraQuick 

Approved by the FDA in August. A rapid 

home-use kit used for self-testing. Provides 

results within 20-40 minutes. Test uses sample 

of fluid from moth. One line appears on stick 

if test is negative. Two lines indicate HIV antibodies 

were detected. Follow-up confirmation 

testing with more robust, lab-based testing 

methods is recommended to confirm result. 

Unable to determine HIV infection within 

the first three months of potential exposure. 

False negatives possible after three months. 

Available for sale in stores and online to all 

people age 17 or older. Critics have concerns 

that the in-home testing leaves individuals 

without immediate or effective counseling, 

referral care and the psychological impact of 

testing among casual sex partners or in other 

adverse situations. For more information, visit 

oraquick.com. : : 




Rosedale ID fundraiser 

nets thousands 

HIV/AIDS clinic provides food pantry, free testing 


Nearly 350 people attended a special 

evening of music, awards and fundraising 

in early November at Rosedale ID’s annual 

Evening of Hope and Inspiration. The event, 

featuring gospel singers Christy Sutherland 

and Lynda Randle also featured their annual 

Inspiration Awards presented to radio hosts 

Matt Harris and Ramona Holloway and youth 

activist Jordan Mitzel. 

Dale Pierce, 

Rosedale’s practice 

manager and Ryan 

White Program director, 

said the event was a 

success. Proceeds 

will benefit their food 

pantry, named in honor 

of Jeanne White Ginder, 

the mother of 1980s 

AIDS victim Ryan White. 

Ginder was also present 

at the event. 

“We took donations 

prior and through sponsorships, 

we had a lot of 

local businesses…step 

up,” Pierce said of the 

support. “We’re looking 

at, after expenses, 

$5,000-$6,000. It doesn’t 

sound like a lot in the 

big scheme of some of the larger fundraisers 

in town, but helping people with $30 or $35 gift 

cards can have a huge impact on people who 

might not have food for the holidays.” 

Pierce said the event also served as a way 

to raise awareness. The diversity of the audience 

was astonishing, he said. Many people, 

he said, had not heard of Ginder or her son. 

“We got a lot of really good responses 

hearing feedback from people who had never 

heard Jeanne speak, which I thought was really 

important for people who might not have known 

who Ryan was or the significance of the Ryan 

White Program or the effect his mom had on the 

Youth activist Jordan Mitzel, who has 

raised thousands of dollars for the 

Regional AIDS Interfaith Network’s 

Charlotte AIDS Walk, speaks after 

receiving an Inspiration Award. 

Network President Debbie Warren, 

an Inspiration Award recipient in 

2011, stands in the background.  

Photo courtesy Dale Pierce 

movement,” Pierce said. “It really opened this 

generation’s eyes to what people really went 

through during the early stages of the fight.” 

Pierce said education and awareness are 

becoming increasing important as time slowly 

moves further and further away from the challenges 

of the 1980s AIDS Crisis. 

“We are starting to see a rise in cases of 

younger gay males coming in 

to Rosedale and finding they 

are HIV-positive,” he said. “It 

doesn’t seem like it has the 

same weight that it did back 

then.” 

He added, “The great thing 

is that it is manageable and 

there are great treatments and 

people are living longer…but 

the fact is that there still is no 

cure and people are still dying. 

It does alter your lifestyle.” 

Rosedale, a medical clinic 

which offers full treatment and 

care to those with HIV, has 

begun to offer free testing every 

Tuesday at their Huntersville 

offices. Soon, he said, they might 

expand their free testing. Several 

attendees at their fundraiser 

asked if Rosedale could do testing 

events at their churches or 

other organizations. Others also learned about 

different ways they could be involved. 

“We did a good job this year of … driving 

home the awareness factor and getting 

people more educated,” he said. “Several 

people talked to me…and didn’t know there 

was a Charlotte AIDS Walk. They wanted to 

know when it was and how to get involved. 

There were people who came just for the 

music portion of the event and then signed up 

to volunteer with us.” 

You can learn more about Rosedale ID, 

their services and their food pantry at 

rosedaleid.com. : : 



Carolina HIV/AIDS resources 

AIDS Service Organizations in North Carolina 

North Carolina is blessed to have a plethora of community resources and 

programming for those living with HIV/AIDS. Several groups throughout the 

state work to keep the public educated, provide testing and counseling and 

support and case management to those who test positive. To the right are 

resources for the Triad, Triangle and Charlotte. 

Triad 


AIDS Care Service 

206 N. Spruce St., Winston Salem, NC 27101-2747, 336-777-0116 

aidscareservice.org 

AIDS Care Service provides housing, food pantry services, client services, Ryan White HIV case 

management and a variety of support services for Latino and people of color clients. 

Triad Health Project 

801 Summit Ave., Greensboro, NC 27405, 336-275-1654 

triadhealthproject.com 

Triad Health Project provides case management and other client support services, HIV testing 

and prevention outreach, medical, social service and legal referrals, food pantry and nutritional 

resources and education, support groups and education, art and exercise programs. 

Triangle 

Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina 

324 S. Harrington St., Raleigh, NC 27603, 919-834-2437, info@aas-c.org 

aas-c.org 

Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina provides case management, HIV/STD testing and counseling, 

emergency assistance for rent and utilities, transportation assistance, housing information and 

referrals, mental health, substance abuse or support group resources, referrals and programs. 

Charlotte 

Carolinas CARE Partnership (formerly Regional HIV/AIDS Consortium) 

7510 E. Independence Blvd., Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28227, 704-531-2467, info@carolinascare.org 

carolinascare.org 

Carolinas CARE Partnership provides free HIV/STD testing and counseling, housing assistance, 

peer training, case management and other services, prevention and education. Carolinas CARE 

Partnership also houses the popular D-UP program, a peer education outreach effort among 

young men of color who have sex with men. 

House of Mercy 

701 Mercy Dr., Belmont, NC 28012, 704-825-4711 

thehouseofmercy.org 

House of Mercy provides end-of-life nursing, housing and medical care for persons living with 

advanced AIDS. Services include physical therapy and medication assistance. 

Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) 

P.O. Box 37190, Charlotte, NC 28237-7190, 704-372-7246, info@carolinarain.org 

carolinarain.org 

RAIN (Regional AIDS Interfaith Network), founded in 1992, engages the community to transform 

lives and promote respect and dignity for all people touched by HIV through compassionate care, 

education and leadership development. Services include CARE Management, Peer2Peer support 

& outreach, support groups for youth, faith-based training, chaplain services and caring volunteers 

who provide practical support to persons living with HIV and AIDS. RAIN also provides HIV 

awareness and prevention education programs to thousands of people each year and is the only 

HIV non-profit in the Charlotte metropolitan area providing direct client services. 



20 Questions 

LeMond E. Hart, Charlotte 

by David Stout :: david@goqnotes.com 

life 

goqnotes.com/to/life 


In a typical day LeMond Hart wears several 

different hats…and sometimes several 

different shirts, pants and shoes, too. You see, 

in addition to being a student, a partner in a 

long-term relationship, a father figure and a 

veteran, he’s also a model. And, he just turned 

40 on Nov. 22. 

LeMond graduated from Charlotte’s 

Independence High School in 1991. He gave 

the military eight years, then resettled in the 

Queen City with his life partner Jerry Crayton. 

Currently, LeMond is in school pursuing a 

degree in Health Information Technology. He’s 

also an in-demand model for photographic 

and runway work. We wanted to get to know 

this well-rounded man a little better so we 

did what we do. Now you do what you do and 

keep reading. 

What do you enjoy for breakfast that’s not a 

traditional breakfast food? 

A cup of coffee, a banana and a Muscle Milk. 

Which pair is more obviously a couple: Yogi 

Bear & Boo Boo, Dr. Quest & Race Bannon or 

Mr. Peabody & Sherman? 

Yogi Bear & Boo Boo, of course. Always at 

rest areas and in the woods! Jus’ sayin’. 

Are you happier with 95-degree days or 

32-degree days? 

95. Like Nelly says, “It’s getting hot in here…” 

What’s your favorite song from the disco era? 

“Disco Fever.” 

Do you make your bed everyday? 

It’s a must! Being prior military and having a 

little bit of OCD, my whole day would wrecked 

if the bed did not get made. 

How do these films rank based on the number 

of times you’ve seen them: “The Avengers,” 

“Fantastic Four,” “The Incredibles,” 

“X-Men”? 

“X-Men,” “X-Men,” “X-Men” (see the sexiest 

action hero question below) and “The 

Incredibles,” because it was cute! 

Which circus act would you most like to 

learn to perform? 

I want to be shot from the cannon! 

Have you ever ridden in a hot air balloon? 

No, but I have jumped out of an airplane. 

Would you attend a pole dancing 

exercise class? 

Attend one? I think I could teach one! LOL! 

Which old skool rap act is your favorite? 

It’s gotta be Wu-Tang Clan, particularly on the 

track “Triumph.” 

Are there more ink pens, safety pins or thumb 

tacks in your home? 

There are ink pens galore in here…I’m in 

school. 

Have you ever been bitten by fire ants? 

In the military, I sat on an anthill in the woods. 

That was no fun! 

Who’s the sexiest action movie star ever? 

Hugh Jackman…hands down! I am married 

to Wolverine in my gay cartoon life. Don’t 

judge me! LOL! 

How often do you wear cologne? 

Err duh! I’m gay. 

Which “culture challenged” TV family 

would you rather live beside: Al and Peg 

Bundy, Dan and Roseanne Conner or Fred 

and Lamont Sanford? 

I guess Dan and Roseanne. I would already 

know that she was “family” from her attire; 

Fred G. Sanford and I would fall out over that 

dirty yard; and, Peg would get on my nerves! 

Chicken McNuggets, chicken salad or 

chicken livers? 

Chicken salad, please! I hate livers and processed 

foods! 

Which is greater, your ring finger size or your 

shoe size? 

My shoe size is bigger. ;-) 

Did you ever have a jheri curl? 

Did I? I was Lil Michael Jackson! Mine was 

not too moist though. “Juices and Berries!” 

Have you ever played “Spin the Bottle”? 

Yeah and I’m shy! 

What’s your go-to word or phrase to express 

frustration or anger? 

This is working on my nerves!! : : 

Photo Credit: Mert Jones Photography

ENC sets new course 

continued from page 5 

we’vealready won the war…by pulling on 

the right strings of justice, love and humility,” 

said Barber, who was an instrumental ally in a 

coalition of groups which opposed the state’s 

anti-LGBT constitutional amendment. 

The amendment, among other issues, 

Barber said, was a wake-up call for young 

North Carolinians. 

“Young people who have been tought that 

North Carolina was reasonable and progressive,” 

Barber said, woke up on May 8 to a 

figurative “ice-cold water shock.” 

“Even here in North Carolina — though 

our black and Latino brothers and sisters have 

always known it — the Tar Heel soil is fertile 

for hate and fear,” Barber said. 

The civil rights leader called forcefully for 

a new politics of change. 

“We must have a 21st century fusion politics 

where we stand together not sometimes 

but all the time,” Barber said, calling for stronger 

and more united stands against anti-LGBT 

discrimination and on prison reform, health 

care, education, immigrant rights and voting 

rights, among other topics. 

“If we stay together long enough and 

strong enough, we will win,” Barber said. 

Barber called out divisive religious leaders 

who he said are misleading followers and 

abusing the teachings of the Bible. 

“You go and tell Franklin Graham,” he 

said of the son of evangelist Billy Graham, 

among others, “you want a real conservative 

and you ask them why they say so much of 

news 


what God said so little and so little of what 

God said so much.” 

Barber’s keynote was followed by 

award presentations. Durham Democratic 

state Rep. Larry Hall received the group’s 

Legislator of the Year award. Salem College 

student Sammi Kiley was the group’s inaugural 

student leader honoree. Recipients 

of this year’s Bob Page Equality Champion 

Awards included Asheville’s Rev. Jasmine 

Beach-Ferrara, Charlotte’s Chris McLeod & 

Krista Tillman, the Triad’s Rev. Julie Peeples, 

Durham blogger Pam Spaulding and 

Wilmington’s Sherre Toler. : : 

The Common Market 

Neighborhood store prepares for 10th anniversary 

Plaza Midwood 

Marketplace 

For those looking for a bit of the unusual, a bit of the hip or a 

bit of that small-town general store feeling, there’s no other place 

like The Common Market. Owners Blake and Cress Barnes have run 

the business for a decade this year, expanding from their one original 

Plaza Midwood location to a second in South End. The owners say their 

award-winning deli, their craft beer and wine, cheeky gifts and a warm sense of 

community keep customers, as diverse as the neighborhood around them, coming back 

for more. The Common Market is currently offering a variety of special events and sales as 

it gears up for its 10-year anniversary part on Dec. 8, including a “Hell of a Day” wine sale, a 

break dance competition, local arts displays, sampling for locally-made food and performances by 

the band Shana Blake and the Pivotal Souls as well as special acts from fire throwers! 

Visit Common Market: 2007 Commonwelath Ave. and 1515 S. Tryon St. 

Learn more: commonmarketisgood.com 

Charlotte 


a&e 

goqnotes.com/to/arts 

drag rag 

by Miss Della 

qnotes contributor 

It’s tea time at the pageant scene! 


As I sit down to write another tardy Drag 

Rag, it occurs to me, as it does every once in 

a while, that I have not rounded up much tea 

this time. It seems the pageantry calendar is 

dry about this time, with the exception of a 

few tidbits. Pageant enthusiasts notice this 

every once in a while and it seems like it happens 

before and after the holidays. Don’t ask 

me why! 

I mentioned to you all that I would eventually 

round up the names of the runners-up 

from Mr. and Miss Unlimited from a couple 

months ago. Our handsome Mr. Unlimited 

My’Kel Knight-Addams was happy to 

oblige. His runners-up included Raquan 

Demornay and Charlotte’s Scooby Damone 

Knight-Addams. For the ladies, runners-up 

to Alexis Nicole Whitnmey included Dorae 

Lorenz and Charlotte’s London Nicole Dior. 

Also, there was a Miss West Virginia United 

States at Large held recently and although 

a judge’s scores got missing and it was not 

originally called out this way, after the dust 

settled, Paisley Parque won Evening Gown, 

Talent and Americana Sportswear. She was 

crowned and Charlotte’s Cierra Nicole was 

first runner-up and she won On-Stage Q & A. 

I do know the Miss America prelims are 

not scheduled to start up until around March, 

but hopefully a tour will be scheduled for 

the new MGA, Sally Sparkles, so she can 

tip through NC sometime soon. By the next 

time we meet up here, we will have an EOY 

prelim or two to talk about and, hopefully, 

some Continental and U.S.ofA. stuff as well. 

I understand the reigning Miss U.S.ofA., 

LaWanda Jackson, has been visiting and 

working a good bit in Raleigh at Legends. 

LaWanda, do get to the Queen City sometime 

as well, my dear! 

This time, our promo is of the newest Miss 

Gay U.S.ofA. At Large, Dorae Saunders, who 

is also the reigning Miss Scorpio at Large (and 

is a former Miss Scorpio, along with a million 

other titles, it seems). Surely many readers 

remember she was a finalist a couple years 

ago on “America’s Got Talent” and she also 

appeared in the movie “Trantasia,” based on 

the Most Beautiful Transexual pageant held in 

Las Vegas a few years ago. It will be good to 

see her again the next time we run into each 

other at a pageant or a show somewhere. I’m 

sure she’ll be beaming, as I’ve watched her 

Dorae S. Saunders of Columbia, S.C.: the newly 

crowned Miss U.S.ofA. At Large 

compete (and judged her a time or two) for 

years now and she has come into her own. 

Just a couple weeks ago, the All-American 

Goddess prelims took place at Scorpio. 

Promoter Brooke Divine-Storm LaReese was 

spread thin playing hostess to everyone — 

and spent a pretty penny, too. Many titleholders 

were in the building to be presented or to 

perform or both. Many were mentioned in the 

previous Rag, but I was disappointed to learn 

that Dena Cass nor Alexis Nicole Whitney 

would be joining us. It was good to see several 

folks, including Savannah Leigh, Shae Shae 

LaReese and head judge Jennifer Warner 

who reigns as Miss United States Icon. I can 

say I was blown away by the professionalism 

exhibited by both All-American Goddess 

titleholders, Whitney Paige and Asia O’Hara. 

One can really tell Whitney gained a lot of 

her training from the days of competing in 

the Miss America system, that’s for sure. Top 

notch and pure drag all the way! Before coming 

to Charlotte, Whitney stayed in Nashville 

with friends Brandy Andrews and her roomie 

Mo and they were in awe of this drag legend. 

(And, Brandy loved cooking for her!) 

Oh yeah — the results! Tia Douglas is 

the new NC All-American Goddess and her 

runner-up was Aria B. Cassadine. For the At- 

Large girls, Nina Fierra won and her RU was 

Phoxee Roxx. 

Before going to press, I heard from a dear 

old friend of mine, my little sis Brandonna 

DuPree, now making her home back in 

Minnesota by way of a short stint in DC. She 

was in DC for a pageant, Miss United States, 

and she was calling to pour some pageant tea, 

as she had just placed as 1st RU there and 

won Interview, Gown and Most Beautiful. She 

told me she travelled with the ever-popular 

Tiffany T. Hunter of Continental fame, who 

now also makes calls Minnesota home. I had 

no idea! Anyway, the winner was Mercedes 

Munro of California. she won Talent. Aunye 

Diamond of Maryland was 2nd RU and she 

won presentation. The pageant was held at 

Club Omega. 

Hopefully next time, we’ll have a lot more 

pageant tea to be thankful for! Happy Belated 

Turkey Day! : : 

info: Drop me a line, OK? 

TheTeaMissD@yahoo.com


out in the stars 

by Charlene Lichtenstein :: qnotes contributor 

November 24 - December 7 

a&e 


The Sun enters affable, honest Sagittarius. 

Our hopes and aspirations know no bounds 

even if a few of the niceties fall through the 

cracks. So, while we may not be the smoothest 

of operators, we still know how to maneuver 

around obstacles. 

SAGITTARIUS (11.23-12.22) Things right now 

highlight your glowing personality. People of 

influence gather around you and anxiously 

await for your ideas. Use this hot intensity for 

niceness instead of nastiness. The temptation 

may be to settle an old score, but wise, gay 

Archers understand that revenge is one of 

the few dishes that is best eaten cold, along 

with potato salad. 

CAPRICORN (12.23-01.20) Think beyond your 

own petty concerns. The universe demands a 

more humanitarian effort from you. So rather 

than continue to view life from the sidelines, 

volunteer, donate and get involved in any worthy 

cause. What a change of pace for you! 

And, yet, smart pink Caps also realize that the 

more they give, the more they get. No not in 

aggravation! 

AQUARIUS (01.21-02.19) Compadres are mere 

putty in your hands. Folks gravitate to you as 

you command the group dynamic. This is fine 

as long as you don’t let the party turn into a 

great performance. There is a time for the 

conquering diva and a time for democratic 

camaraderie. Choose the latter, Aqueerius. 

Life moves on and the blush will soon be off 

your particular rose. 

PISCES (02.20-03.20) Guppies are not ones to 

kow tow to the rich and powerful. It almost 

seems beneath them. But, if you were to think 

of it as “greasing the wheels” to your eventual 

success, it may be a bit more palatable. And, it 

will be so easy for you to do now. Really, what 

is the harm in oiling a few large cogs? It is fine 

as long as you don’t do it with your tongue. 

ARIES (03.21-04.20) Even if you are no longer a 

student, you can still learn a thing or two. Your 

curiosity is piqued and you yearn to expand 

your knowledge. Good. Don’t be lazy, gay Ram. 

Get off your duff and scratch your itchy hooves 

through school or travel. You can snare a 

foreign comrade in this wild journey. Two travel 

as cheaply as one if they bunk together. 

TAURUS (04.21-05.21) Queer Bulls can charm 

the pants off just about anyone now. You simmer 

in your sexuality, so try to blow a few fuses 

as you increase your voltage. Choose your conquests 

wisely; you may not know when enough 

is enough and it would be a shame to waste 

energy on liaisons who are bull dozing guzzlers. 

Then again, it could be rather fun. 

GEMINI (05.22-06.21) Feel free to discuss 

any nit picky issues with partners now. But, 

be warned — when pink Twins become too 

comfortable in relationships, they may begin 

to take partners for granted. As charming as 

you think you are, remember to be especially 

caring and thoughtful now. If not, ask for 

forgiveness with buckets of champagne and 

crates of attention. 

CANCER (06.22-07.23) It’s a time of great 

accomplishment in your day-to-day job. 

Gay Crabs should make the best use of this 

beneficent energy by unleashing new ideas, 

beginning prized projects and planning your 

best moves at least three moves ahead. Also, 

use this time to revamp your diet and exercise 

regime. It is never too early to prepare for festive 

nude holiday celebrations. 

LEO (07.24-08.23) Unleash your creative, gay 

muse. Paint, dance, write or create something 

beautiful. If you’re no Picasso, then put your 

juices to work planning a delightful party or 

five. It is a time for romance, so add a dash 

of fun into an otherwise monastic life. Proud 

Lions needn’t stay home nursing their memories. 

Get out there and flip your tail around 

town, honey. 

VIRGO (08.24-09.23) Queer Virgins often 

decorate their homes in early functional office 

style. This time period demands a warmer, 

charming and comfortable home decor. So, 

trade in your modern, steel highback chair 

for something a bit more cushy and inviting. 

When you begin to feel cuddly, who knows 

who you can lure into your web to snuggle 

with you. How fly is that? 

LIBRA (09.24-10.23) If you have something… 

anything…meaningful to say, say it with conviction. 

Proud Libras can sugarcoat any harsh 

comments and be diplomatic with almost 

anyone. Create connections and rebuild any 

frayed ties. If you give even the most beastly 

folks a chance to redeem themselves, you 

may even find something genuinely nice about 

them. And, then again. 

SCORPIO (10.24-11.22) They say you should 

never count your chickens before they’re 

hatched and, yet, you can now hatch a very 

clever investment strategy. Even secretive 

strategists offer you tantalizing tidbits of fiscal 

information. Make good use of every snippet 

of advice, do your homework and carefully 

invest your dough. Gather those nest eggs and 

sit on them a while, proud Scorp. : : 

© 2012 Madam Lichtenstein, LLC. 

All Rights Reserved. Entertainment. 

info: Visit 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. 

qpoll 

Do you believe the awareness of HIV/AIDS has 

increased or decreased in the time since the 1980s 

AIDS Crisis? What is to blame: Is it funding, 

generational changes or ‘HIV fatigue’? 

See the options and vote: goqnotes.com/to/qpoll 


t 

on the map 

nightlife 

Sunday 

Barbeque & Bloody Marys, Bar at 316 

free BBQ from 3-6 p.m. 

The Sunday Social Spades/Card Games & 

House Muzik, Nickel Bar 

from 5 p.m.-Midnight 

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 


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 


Wednesday 

Game Night, Bar at 316 

Team Trivia and Line Dancing, Hartigan’s 


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. 

SpeakEasy Thursday Open Mic Night, 

Nickel Bar 

from 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m. 

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. 

Feel Good Fridays Dance Night, Nickel Bar 

from 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m. 

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. 

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 

Sexy Saturdays Special Events, Nickel Bar 

from 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m. 

Live Performances, Petra’s 

Urban Variety Show, The Scorpio 

with Elaine Davis. Midnight showtime. 

info: Don’t see your bar listed here? 

Submit your regularly scheduled events to 

editor@goqnotes.com 

Nightlife content the responsibility of each 

business listed. 

Community 

LGBT Community 

Center of Charlotte 

Seeks to promote 

diversity, acceptance 

and visibility of the 

LGBT community 

through original and 

collaborative programming and events 

and by providing an inclusive, welcoming 

and affordable environment for all. 

820 Hamilton St., Suite B11 1 

Charlotte, NC 28206 

704-333-0144 

gaycharlotte.com 

White Rabbit 

North Carolina’s 

LGBT everything 

store. Complete line 

of Pride merchandise, 

plus magazines, 

books, DVDs, T-shirts, 

underwear, swimwear, athletic shorts, 

hats, hoodies, socks, and more. 

920 Central Ave. 


704-531-9988 . phone 

704-531-1361 . fax 

info@whiterabbitbooks.com 

2 

Charlotte & Surrounding Area 

Charlotte-Douglas 

International 

Airport 

10 

Wilkinson Blvd. 

Toddville 

Rd. 

Billy Graham Pkwy. 

74 

29 

Tuckaseegee Rd. 

Morris Field Dr. 

Freedom Dr. 

Alleghany St. 

Bradford Dr. 

Ashley Rd. 

Andr ew Jackson Hwy. 

Rd. 

Old Steele Creek 

Tuckaseegee Rd. 

Freedom Dr. 

29 

West Blvd. 

9 

W Morehead 

6 

Rozzelles Ferry Rd. 

St. 

Beatties Ford Rd. 

74 

277 

7 1 

12 

S. Tryon St. 

South Blvd. 

N. Graham St. 

77 

Dalton Ave. 

4 UPTOWN 

1 

77 

E. 7th St. 

E. 5th St. 

E. 4th St. 

E. Stonewall St. 

S. Church St. 

S. College St. 

277 

74 

Atando Ave. 

N. Tryon St. 

2 

Seigle Ave. 

29 

N Davidson St. 

Cordelia 

Park 

Hawthorne Ln. 

The Plaza 

8 

Matheson Ave. 

N. Tryon St. 

E 36th St. 

2 

3 

11 

Central Ave. 

29 

The Plaza 

Rd. 

Shamr ock 

Eastway Dr. 

Eastway Dr. 

Kilborne Dr. 

Central Ave. 

Connections 

420 W. Main Ave. Gastonia, NC 

Gaston Ave. 

Andrew Jackson Hwy. 

Baskin Rd. 

W. Airling Ave. 

N. Chester St. 

S. Chester St. 

t 

S. York St. 

N. York St. 

W. Garrison Blvd. 

N. Marietta St. 

W. Main Ave. E. Main Ave. 

29 

74 

Manchester 

MeadowsPark 

122 

321 

Andrew Jackson Hwy. 

S. Marietta St. 

The Hide-A-Way 

405 Baskins Rd. Rock Hill, SC 

DavidLyle Blvd. 

77 

West Blvd. 

West 

Blvd. 

York 

Y 

nw 

sw 

S 

se 


Rd. Rd. 


Renaissance 

Park 

Pressley Rd. 

S. Tryon St. 

Barringer Dr. 

77 

77 

S. Tryon St. 

Old PinevilleRd. 

South Blvd. 

5 

nightlife 

1 The Bar at 316 

316 Rensselaer Ave. 

2 Central Station 


3 Chasers 

3217 The Plaza 

4 Hartigan's Irish Pub 

601 S. Cedar St. 

5 Sidelines 

4544-C South Blvd. 

6 Nickel Bar 

2817 Rozzelles Ferry Rd. 

7 

Marigny Dance Club 

Empire Lounge 

1440 S. Tryon St., Suite 110 

8 Petra's Piano 

Bar & Cabaret 

1919 Commonwealth Ave. 

9 The Scorpio 

2301 Freedom Dr. 

10 The Woodshed 

3935 Queen City Dr. 

11 Blue Bar 


12 Cathode Azure 

1820 South Blvd. 

Suite 106 

Rainbow In 

4376 Charlotte Hwy. Lake Wylie, SC 

49 

Bonum Rd. 

Montgomery Rd. 

Charlotte Hwy. 

Lake Wylie 



tell trinity 

by Trinity :: qnotes contributor 

Being neat can go a ‘tidy’ bit overboard? 

Hey Trinity, 

My roommate’s very anal. She likes the kitchen 

and bathroom kept clean a certain way and 

that’s not all. How do I get her to be less anal and 

more relaxed? 

A Pain in the Butt, NYC, NY 

Hey A Pain in the Butt, 

Anal, being obsessively attentive to detail, is 

only a problem when 

someone else wants 

to have things done 

their way. Very successful 

people are 

usually dedicated 

to detail, i.e., a good 

lawyer or architect. 

Nonetheless, pumpkin, 

always communicate 

your problems 

to your roommate in a 

timely manner and try 

to compromise. One 

day you may end up on the other side. 

Dearest Trinity, 

My live-in lover of three years hardly talks to me 

anymore. Now, I found out he has mail sent to his 

mom’s house. I feel like he’s hiding something. 

How can I get him to talk? 

Speak No Evil, Savannah, GA 

Dearest Speak No Evil, 

You could snoop around for more clues and try 

to investigate, but if you weren’t born a Sherlock 

Holmes or Watson then think E=mc2 or Energy 

equals Mass, times (2)Acceleration. In other 

words think a solution (energy), introduce the 

problem to him (mass) and then 

force a meeting (acceleration). 

However, sweetie, before stirring 

up the energy, make sure you’re 

ready to discover that he, a) may 

have fallen out of love with you, b) 

is having an affair, c) doesn’t know 

how to communicate well or d) 

needs to be tied up, drugged and 

made to talk. Be aware, be careful 

and take action before a bomb gets 

dropped on you! (You can get some 

sound hints when you check out 

my cartoon.) 

Dear Trinity, 

My boyfriend likes hanging around the house in 

his underwear. I hate it, for many reasons. How 

do I keep him dressed? 

Underwear Blues, Miami Beach, FL 

Dear Underwear Blues, 

In most homes of taste and style, what he’s doing 

is a big faux pas, a no-no, a virtue confined to 

hillbillies and trailer trash! Nowadays, you can 

buy tastefully bi-useful underwear that passes 

for acceptable day wear, even nicer. Buy some 

and fill his drawers with them and slowly over 

bleach the white ones. And, if that doesn’t work, 

put him on steroids, place web cam’s everywhere 

and make some money, honey! Smile for 

the camera. 

Hello Trinity, 

Recently, at a party, the hostess pulled me aside 

and told me to stop asking her guests so many 

personal questions. She said, “Your embarrassing 

everyone, including yourself!” Trinity, what’s so 

horrible about being inquisitive? 

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Reno, NV 

Hello Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, 

Nothing, except, when you’re in public there are 

questions that are not appropriate! But, darling, 

just in case you’re still clueless here’s… 

Trinity’s Memorable Tips For 

Questions Never To Ask In A 

Crowd 

1. Lindsey, you look great! But, can you show 

my friends your face lift and liposuction 

scars? 

2. When you’re at the gym Johnny, do you still 

lock yourself in the toilet stall and do “you 

a&e 


know what?” 

3. Kyle we’re all dying to 

know, after you were 

on “America’s Most 

Wanted,” how did you get out of that kidnapping 

and murder charge? 

4. Do you still cheat on your taxes, Terry? And, 

where on earth do you hide all that money? 

5. Andy, I heard you’re an illegal alien. Why 

don’t you tell everyone how you slipped past 

immigration? 

6. I know you stopped having sex, Steve, 

because of all the arrests, but why’d you stop 

hiring escorts? 

7. Eddie, is it true that when you have extramarital 

activities your partner likes to watch? 

8. Now remind me again, Dave, when you have 

sex, are you a dominant top or a submissive 

bottom? 

9. Danny, do you have any marijuana to sell 

me? I heard you’re a dealer now. 

10. By the way, Leslie, you look so androgynous 

lately! Are you still taking hormones and thinking 

about having “the” surgery? : : 

— With a Masters of Divinity, Reverend Trinity 

hosted “Spiritually Speaking” a weekly radio drama 

performed globally and is now minister of WIG: 

Wild Inspirational Gatherings. 

info: 

telltrinity.com . Trinity@telltrinity.com. 

Sponsored by: WIG Ministries, 

Gay Spirituality for the Next Generation! 

wigministries.org 


Community Resources: Faith Institutions 

[Ed. Note — Each issue, qnotes will rotate 

various community resources and list them 

here. These community groups are here to 

serve you and we know of no better way to 

simply inform the public of their good works 

than by giving you the opportunity to connect 

with them and get involved. Don’t see your 

group listed and want to join in? Shoot us an 

email with “InFocus addition” in the subject 

line to editor@goqnotes.com.] 

Charlotte Atheists and Agnostics 

charlotteatheists.com 

MCC Charlotte 

1825 Eastway Dr., Charlotte NC 28205 

704-563-5810, mcccharlotte.org 

Myers Park Baptist Church 

1900 Queens Rd., Charlotte, NC 28207 

704-334-7232, mpbconline.org 

Havurat Tikvah 

980-225-5330, havurattikvah.org 

Holy Covenant United Church of Christ 

3501 W. WT Harris Blvd., Charlotte NC 28269 

704-599-9810, holycovenantucc.org 

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church 

1900 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28205 

704-377-5439 

htlccharlotte.org/ 

New Life MCC 

1900 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28205 

704-334-0350, newlifemccnc.org 

Piedmont Unitarian Universalist Church 

9704 Mallard Creek Rd., Charlotte, NC 28262 

704-510-0008, puuc.org 

Seigle Avenue Presbyterian Church 

600 Seigle Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204 

704-338-1914, seigleavenue.org 

St. Martin’s Episcopal Church 

1510 E. 7th St., Charlotte NC 28204 

704-376-8441, stmartins-charlotte.org 

St. Peter’s Catholic Church 

507 South Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28202 

704-332-2901 

stpeterscatholic.org/gay_lesbian_ministry 

Spiritual Living Center 

1025 E. 35th St., Charlotte, NC 28205 

704-665-1886, slccharlotte.com 

Temple Beth El 

5101 Providence Rd. 


704-366-1948, beth-el.com 

Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte 

234 Sharon Amity Rd., Charlotte, NC 28211 

704-366-8623, uuccharlotte.org 

Unity Fellowship Church 

2127 Eastway Dr., Charlotte, NC 28205 

704-567-5007, ufccharlottenc.org 

Wedgewood Baptist Church 

4800 Wedgewood Dr., Charlotte, NC 28210 

704-523-6108, wedgewoodbaptist.com 


Two for Twenty 

Charlotte Business Guild 20th Anniversary 

Dec. 1 • 6:30 p.m. 

The Charlotte Business Guild will host its 20th Anniversary Gala on Dec. 1, 6:30-11:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Charlotte SouthPark 

Hotel, 5501 Carnegie Blvd. Tickets are $50 for individuals, $90 for couples and $400 for a table of 10. Late registration after Nov. 20 is $65 

for individual tickets. Celebration includes a cocktail and networking hour with a cash bar, plated dinner, annual Community Service 

Awards presentations and music. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit charlottebusinessguild.org. 

Regional AIDS Interfaith Network 20th Anniversary 

Dec. 8 • 7 p.m. 

The Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) celebrates 20 years of service. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Special guests include Jack 

Mackenroth of Project Runway and Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron-Jackson. Tickets are $75 for individuals, $65 for congregation 

tickets and $45 for young social leaders. CenterState @ NoDa, 2315 N. Davidson St. 7 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, 

visit carolinarain.org. 

Qevents 

goqnotes.com/qguide/events 

Dec. 1 • Hickory 

AIDS remembrance 

The AIDS Leadership Foothools-area Alliance 

(ALFA) will host a World AIDS Day remembrance 

event. First United Methodist Church, 

311 3rd Ave. N.E. 3 p.m. Free. For more 

information, call 828-322-1447, ext. 224, email 

alfadirect@alfainfo.org or visit alfainfo.org. 

Dec. 1 • Charlotte 

Tradesmen 

Charlotte’s only Levi/Leather club meets 

the first Saturday of every month at The 

Woodshed Lounge, 4000 Queen City Dr. 6 p.m. 

charlottetradesmen.org. 

Dec. 2 • Greensboro 

Winter Walk for AIDS 

Triad Health Project will hold its 21st annual 

Winter Walk for AIDS. The event is a 

fundraiser for the organization. It will be held 

at War Memorial Stadium. For more information, 

contact Ken Keeton or Shana Carignan at 

336-275-1654 or visit triadhealthproject.com/ 

events/winterwalk.php. 


TedxWomen 

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation 

and TedxCharlotte present a special viewing 

party of TEDxWomen, a conference addressing 

issues important to women. Speakers 

include “The Vagina Monologues” writer 

and playwright Eve Ensler, photographer and 

activist Tillet Wright and International Criminal 

Court Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and 

others. Limited seating. Free tickets available 

at eventbrite.com/event/4737282339/efbevent. 

Foundation For The Carolinas, 220 N. Tryon St. 

3:30-5:30 p.m. 

Dec. 3 • Winston-Salem 

Dining with Friends 

AIDS Care Service kicks off its Dining with 

Friends fundraiser. Events can be planned 

anytime between Dec. 3, 2012, and Feb. 3, 

2013. For more detailed information on how 

you can get involved, call Development 

Officer Rivkah Meder at 336-777-0116, ext. 103, 

email rmeder@aidscareservice.org or visit 

aidscareservice.org. 

Dec. 7-8 • Charlotte 

‘Reindeer Games’ 

One Voice Chorus presentes their winter 

concert. The theme is a tribute to this London 

Olympics. For more information on the 

concert, the chorus’ other upcoming events 

or the group’s fundraising campaign, see 

our story on page 6. Unitarian Universalist 

Church of Charlotte, 234 N. Sharon Amity Rd. 

Dec. 7-8, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8, 2 p.m. $20/evening 

shows. $15/adult matinee. $10/child matinee. 

onevoicechorus.org. 


Holiday Jazz 

The Bechtler Museum kicks off the holiday 

spirit with a performance by Ziad Jazz Quartet 

featuring Noel Freidline and jazzy renditions 

of songs like “The Christmas Song,” “Frosty 

the Snowman,” “Winter Wonderlan,” “Little 

Drummer Boy” and more. The Bechtler 

Museum of Modern Art, 420 S. Tryon St. 6-8 

p.m. Free/members. $12/members. Cash bar. 

Tickets can be purchased online at bechtler. 

org or by phone at 704-353-9200 or at the 

museum’s visitor services desk. 

Dec. 8 • Greensboro 

Winter Concert 

Triad Pride Men’s Chorus presents their annual 

holiday concerts. Mix of traditional, pop 

and funny holiday favorites. Greensboro Day 

School, 5401 Lawndale Dr. 8 p.m. $15/advance. 

$20/door. triadpridemenschorus.org. 


Twelve In Twelve 

J.D. Lewis and his two sons, Jackson and 

Buck, will launch their new foundation to support 

volunteerism, following their worldwide 

journey which took them to 12 countries in 12 

months for relief work. The foundation will exist 

to raise awareness, donations and supplies for 

organizations with which they worked across 

the globe. For more on the family and the event, 

see our feature on page 6. The Dunhill Hotel, 

Harvest Moon Grille, 237 N. Tryon St. 5:30-7:30 

p.m. Free. twelveintwelve.org. 


Leaders honored 

Mecklenburg County Commissioner Jennifer 

Roberts and Unity Fellowship Church pastor 

Bishop Tonyia Rawls will be honored 

with the Community Leader Award from 

Grassroots Leadership. Unitarian Universalist 

Church of Charlotte, 234 N. Sharon Amity Rd. 

Reservations can be made at 704-332-3090 or 

via email at mdorta@grassrootsleadership.org. 

grassrootsleadership.org. 

Dec. 14-15 • Charlotte 

GMCC Christmas 

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte presents 

“The Last Big Gay Christmas Ever.” Traditional 

Christmas classics with Hannukah comedy 

from the Maccabeats and a new commission 

from Eric Lane Barnes, “The Shouldn’t Be 

Carols.” St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 1510 E. 

7th St. 8:04 p.m. $20. gmccharlotte.org. 


Twirl to the World 2012 

Just Twirl parties up the holidays with their 

fourth annual Twirl to the World holiday party 

starting with a social hour at 8 p.m. followed 

by a night of dancing at 10 p.m. Admission is 

$5 with a new unwrapped toy or $15 without. 

Marigny Dance Club, 1440 S. Tryon St., Suite 

110. justtwirl.com. 

Dec. 15 • Durham 

Jingle Balls Bingo 

AAS-C brings a bit of holiday flair to their 

popular Drag Bingo series. Join staff, volunteers 

and community members for this merry 

time of fundraising and fun! Durham Armory, 

220 Foster St. 6 p.m. $20. aas-c.org. 

Submit your event to 

our new calendar! 

You can now submit your event to a special comprehensive community calendar presented by qnotes, the LGBT 

Community Center of Charlotte and Visit Gay Charlotte. Submit your event at goqnotes.com/eventsubmit/ and get a 

three-for-one entry. All Charlotte-area events will appear on each of the three calendars at qnotes (goqnotes.com), 

the LGBT Center (gaycharlotte.com) and Visit Gay Charlotte (visitgaycharlotte.com). 


24 qnotes Nov. 24-Dec. 7 . 2012

Nov. 24-Dec. 7 . 2012 qnotes 1

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