QNotes, August 6, 2021

news
Rapper and Former Charlotte Resident
DaBaby Spews Anti-Gay Slurs
Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, rapper name “DaBaby,” was born in Ohio but moved
to North Carolina eight years later. After graduating from Charlotte’s Vance
High School, he attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for
two years. Now 29-years-old, Kirk is worth over three million dollars and has
collaborated on singles with Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion and Post Malone.
While performing at the Rolling Loud music festival on July 25, DaBaby
shocked the audience by saying, “put your cell phone lights up [if] you didn’t
show up today with HIV/AIDS or other STDs that’ll make you die in two to three
weeks.” He went on to rattle off other crude remarks, aimed at gay men.
Videos of DaBaby’s vulgar and homophobic words went viral. Immediately after
an influx of concerned messages made their way into DaBaby’s inbox, he tweeted,
“I told you y’all digested that wrong, but I ain’t gone lie I’m impressed. Now show
this same amount of support when a racist cop kill one of our black ass… YA NOT.”
His attempt at deflection, however, has gone largely ignored. Over 7,000
fans and fellow performers commented on DaBaby’s apparent lack of remorse.
Nonbinary black rapper Dijah SB replied to the Tweet with, “there’s
something seriously wrong with you.”
Sensing the public’s disquiet, DaBaby tweeted again on July 27, saying,
“anybody who has ever been effected by AIDS/HIV y’all got the right to be
upset, what I said was insensitive even though I had no intention of offending
anybody.” It was too little too late for musicians like Elton John and Dua Lipa.
Elton John took to Twitter as well, publishing a thread of information about HIV/AIDS. His original post reads, “This [DaBaby’s words]
fuels stigma and discrimination and is the opposite of what our world needs to fight the AIDS epidemic.”
He was soon joined by Dua Lipa, who posted on Instagram, “I don’t recognize this as the same person I worked with.” She then clarified
that she stands “100 percent with the LGBTQ community.”
DaBaby then made a shocking reversal in which he said the following on his Instagram account: “What me and my fans do at the live
show, it don’t concern you n***as on the internet, or you bitter bi***s on the internet. It’s not your business.”
To make matters even worse for himself, DaBaby released a new music video on July 28.
Titled, “Giving What It’s Supposed to Give,” this video shows DaBaby sandwiched between two men who are fighting. He then holds up
a sign that reads “AIDS” and shoots them both. The music video ends with the words “don’t fight hate with hate” in rainbow lettering and
the phrase “my apologies for being me the same way you want the freedom to be you” underneath.
Robert Stafford, queer black singer Lil Nas X’s father, was not impressed with any of DaBaby’s antics. Lil Nas X had previously worked
with DaBaby on the song “Panini.” Stafford’s Instagram story featured a photo of DaBaby along with the words “bruh sit down, you had
your time.” A few days later, Lil Nas X tweeted, “some of y’all not even mad that I’m gay, some of y’all mad that i’m gay and still succeeding.”
info: wapo.st/3idVfT1
— Julianna Peres
British Town Must Pay Franklin Graham for Pulling Bus Ads
Franklin Graham says the LGBTQ community is destined for
the ‘flames of hell.’ (Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons)
4 qnotes Aug. 6-19, 2021
DaBaby continues to dig himself into a deeper hole with each
new social media post. (Photo Credit: Promo video screenshot)
Franklin Graham was born to well-known evangelist, Missionary Billy Graham,
Franklin Graham says the LGBTQ community is destined for
in Asheville, N.C. nearly seven decades ago. Since then, he has stayed close to his
the ‘flames of hell.’ (Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons)
roots, placing the Franklin Graham Headquarters in Charlotte and maintaining a
residence in Boone.
Not everyone in Boone and Charlotte is particularly thrilled that Graham
spends as much time as he does between the two locations. His Christian-centric
views and intolerant views have earned him the reputation of being a bigoted, racist
and homophobic opportunist.
Within the past year, Graham led Samaritan’s Purse, a missionary-based
organization that aims to provide humanitarian aid in the midst of the COVID-19
pandemic. Seemingly well-intentioned, the organization created a 68-bed field
hospital for COVID-19 positive patients. However, the illusion of benevolence
came toppling down when Graham announced that the hospital was looking for a
specifically Christian staff of doctors, nurses and paramedics.
Although Graham apologized for this particular incident, he has no remorse for
having published “[The] LGBT agenda wants to force everyone to accept and condone
their lifestyle, which God’s Word defines as sin,” in 2016. A 2014 interview
also shows Graham arguing that gay and lesbian individuals cannot have children
because it is biologically impossible. He then reasons that, despite not being able
to naturally create their own children, members of the LGBTQ community are “recruiting children.” Graham rationalizes, “you can adopt a
child into a marriage, but you can also recruit children into your cause, and I believe in protecting children from all exploitations.”
In a more recent turn of events, Graham has been awarded reparations from the city of Blackpool in England for what Graham has referred
to as “an important moment for religious freedom in the U.K.” The case began in July, 2018 when Graham purchased bus ads that read
“Lancashire Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham: Time for Hope.” These advertisements were not religious or homophobic in nature, but the
Blackpool Transport Services felt that they did not send a message of support and acceptance to the LGBTQ community and removed them.
Graham subsequently sued Blackpool for acting in a way the judge deemed as discriminatory on the basis of Articles Ten and Fourteen
of the European Council of Human Rights Act. Graham will receive £84,000 to cover legal fees and £25,000 in “just satisfaction” damages
(just over $150,000).
According to Graham, it’s not about the money. The outcome of this case was significant to him for one specific reason: to set precedence
for a lawful combining of free speech and religious freedom.
But it is certainly a tidy little sum for Graham to add to his coffers: he has an estimated worth of $10 million dollars and earns a salary
of over $622,000 every year.
In comes as a particularly disturbing thought that Graham has succeeded in spreading a taste of his toxic blend of philosophy into
the U.K., but not surprising from an individual who has repeatedly said over the years he loves gay, lesbian and transgender individuals
“enough to care to warn them that if they … continue living as they do, it’s the flames of hell for you.”
If those words come from a man who thinks he’s loving and compassionate, just imagine what’s going on in his head when he’s feeling scornful.
info: bbc.in/3feOdeR
— Julianna Peres
Briefs
CHARLOTTE
LGBTQ Business Owners Discuss Their
Wins and Losses Over Lunch
Facilitated by the Carolinas LGBT
Chamber of Commerce and Sunshine
Media Network, this entrepreneurial
exchange will take place on August
11 at 11:30 a.m. at the NoDa Brewing
Company. Speakers include Anita
Staton, owner of Miles Solution,
Matthew Westheimer, owner of
Precision Chiropractic, Nattiel Turner,
owner of Your Custom Catering &
Events and Jennifer Moxley, owner of
Sunshine Media. These titans of industry
will be available to answer questions
from new, and seasoned, business owners.
Lunch will be provided, but tickets
are limited.
info: bit.ly/3rCqslO
NORTH CAROLINA
Onslow County LGBTQ Center
Host Discussion Featuring Author
J.R. Gray-Heim
J.R. Gray-Heim penned “Repentance of
the Southern Burden” as a sort of fictitious
homage ot his life as a closeted
gay youth in Dallas, N.C. Now living
with his husband in Fayetteville, N.C.,
J.R. is excited to discuss the themes of
fear, religion and isolation scattered
throughout his debut YA novel. He will
be answering questions and speaking
on his experience at the Onslow County
Public Library on August 14 at 3:00 p.m.
This event is completely free.
info: bit.ly/3yd4U1p
NATIONAL
Trump Supporter in Ohio Caught
Defecating on Gay Neighbors’ Lawn
At 70-years-old, Jack Detrick has no
problem staying active. After being
spotted in his neighbors’ lawn at
3:15 a.m., Detrick admitted to the
Greenville Police Department that he
had been defecating and urinating
on that lawn for over 10 years. When
asked why, Detrick replied, “because
they are Democrats and support Joe
Biden.” Detrick denies targeting the
couple because they were gay, rather,
he continues to argue that he was
expressing his political opinion on the
Democratic Party and nothing more.
He has been sentenced to 20 days in
prison, 30 hours of community service,
one year of probation and a $232
fine. These penalties have been filed
under “littering.”
info: bit.ly/3A09iS4
INTERNATIONAL
Rugby Player Will Not Be Forced to
Return to Kenya Where He Says He
Would Be Targeted for His Sexuality
Kenneth Macharia, a 41-year-old
rugby player from Kenya, has just
had his refugee appeal granted. The
Kenyan high court refuses to recognize
same-sex marriage and persecution
of members of the LGBTQ community
is commonplace. Macharia arrived
in the United Kingdom in 2009 on a
student visa. Through the years, he
has become a specialist mechanical
engineer as well as a talented sportsman.
He and his rugby teammates are
overjoyed to find that he may stay in
the U.K., where he feels welcomed,
and most importantly, safe.
info: bit.ly/3A2jRnz
— Compiled by Julianna Peres