Official Summer Pride Guide 2019 by RVA MAGAZINE

BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

The 20/30 Group is for music lovers between the ages of 21-39 who attend RVA Symphony concerts & social events at a discounted rate. For only $10 per month or $100 for the year, your membership includes: • • • •

2 orchestra level tickets to select concerts Exclusive access to the Carpenter Theatre Donor Lounge VIP meet and greets with select guest artists Backstage access at select concerts

B ECOM E A M E M B E R Join by August 30, 2019 and receive an additional month for free! Valid for new members only. Call 804.788.1212 x2 and mention “NEW 2030” to redeem.

*One offer per household. Not retroactive.

COMPOSE YOUR OWN SUBSCRIPTION (CYO) Customize your symphony experience: Mix & match three or more series concerts with priority seating and subscriber benefits.

first-time compose your own subscribers, receive an additional concert for free! Call 804.788.1212 x2 and mention “NEW CYO” to redeem. Offer valid through August 15, 2019. One offer per household. Valid for households who did not have a Richmond Symphony subscription during the 2018/19 season. Not retroactive. Additional concert must be of equal or lesser value of other concerts in subscription.

VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

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ERS OF PARTN SS E P RO G R

The 2019 Nissan Rogue®

In the shared spirit of progress, Nissan proudly supports the LGBTQ community on the road to equality. NissanUSA.com/Pride

Celebrating Differences At Altria, we seek and value differences in people to drive our companies' success. That's why we're working to create a culture where diversity is celebrated in our employees, communities and suppliers, and where everyone feels welcome and encouraged to contribute. Altria salutes Virginia Pride. Because we know that what makes us different can make us all stronger.

Take a closer look at Altria.com. ÂŠ

BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD! Altria Group, Inc. 2019

C E L E B R AT I N G

PRIDE

with open hearts & open roads.

with open hearts and open roads.

VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

Experience the Beauty & History That Await You...

Historic Agecroft Hall stood in Lancashire, England in the 16th century. The home was brought piece-by-piece to Richmond, VA in the 1920's. Come experience the this amazing home and take in the beauty of the 23-acres of surrounding gardens designed by Charles Gillette.

Guided tours of this historic home are available year-round. Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm & Sunday 12:30-5pm

www.agecrofthall.org

VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

Join Us 2nd Annual Black Pride RVA July 18 - 21, 2019 #communitymatters #pridewithapurpose

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Celebrate you. We will, too. Get a quote. Tell us about yourself. Pick a car insurance policy that works for you. How much could you save? geico.com | 1-800-947-AUTO (2886) | Local Office

Some discounts, coverages, payment plans, and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. ÂŠ 2019 GEICO

VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

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GROWING

PRIDE ELLWOOD’S IS PROUD TO SUPPORT RICHMOND’S LBGTQ COMMUNITY

4 N . T H O M P S O N S T R E E T | R I C H M O N D, VA | 8 0 4 -3 5 9 -75 2 5 BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

E L LWO O DT H O M P S O N S .CO M

VA PRIDE BOARD LETTER Dear Friends — On behalf of the Board of Directors of VA Pride, happy Pride Month! This year marks a historic milestone in the fight for LGBTQ equality. Fifty years ago, on June 28, 1969, gay and trans folks—many of them trans women of color—stood up to police harassment and brutality at the Stonewall Inn in New York. The Stonewall riots that ensued are now recognized by history as the flashpoint that propelled the LGBTQ civil rights movement forward. In the years that followed, gay liberation and freedom marches were held in larger cities to observe the anniversary of Stonewall and to demand civil rights and protections for gays and lesbians.

Over time, those marches evolved into the modern-day

parades and festivals we have today that celebrate the progress the LGBTQ community has made in our quest for civil rights and social acceptance. And, there is no question that we have made progress towards acceptance and equality. Life is easier for many LGBTQ people today than it was 50 years ago. Pride festivals and parades happen in big cities and small towns all across America. But as we don our gay apparel and drink beer from rainbow-colored cans, let us also remember that we still have much work to do. We must continue to fight for laws that prohibit discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation. We must continue to fight to protect trans women of color and LGBTQ school kids. We must call out hate and bigotry and stand up for ourselves, even when it’s hard and we are tired. So, celebrate Pride and all that it means. Revel in the hard-won freedoms that all those who came before us fought for. But after the parades and the parties are over, let’s commit ourselves to the work that lies ahead and to finish what was started a half-century ago. In community,

James R. Millner II President, VA Pride 14

VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

VIRGINIA PRIDE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT-ELECT

STEPHANIE BROWN

ROBERT DVORAK

MAUREEN SCOTT

RICH FORRESTER

BRANDON HORTON

LORI NEWS

JON MELVIN

JAMAL BROOKS

JAMES MILLNER

TREASURER

SECRETARY

JAMIE THOMSON BE SAFE, HAPPY, BE PROUD! LIVE FREE.BELIVE PROUD.

P R I D E VIRGINIA SUMMER PRIDE GUIDE 2019 WWW.VAPRIDE.ORG/PRIDEFEST

JOHN REINHOLD PRESIDENT DREW NECCI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CONTENTS 20 PLANNING A TRIP? HAMPTON ROADS IS ONION BUNIONS YOUR LGBTQ DESTINATION CREATIVE DIRECTOR 28 SUMMERTIME AND THE WEATHER IS FINE JOHN REINHOLD (IN THE RVA) JUSTIN MCCLUNG ACE PATEL 32 MAKING RESTROOMS SAFE AGAIN: ADVERTISING ESTABLISHING GENDER-NEUTRAL BATHROOMS AT JAMES RIVER HIGH SCHOOL ERIC HAUSE ASH GRIFFITH 38 IT ISN’T JUST FOR BIG CITIES ANYMORE: JO ROZYCKI ACROSS VIRGINIA, SMALLER COMMUNITIES WYATT GORDON BRING PRIDE TO MAIN STREET DREW NECCI CONTRIBUTORS 44 WON’T YOU BE MY GAYBOR? BRANDEN WILSON ERIC HAUSE SARA WHEELER PHOTOGRAPHY FACEBOOK.COM/VIRGINIAPRIDE TWITTER.COM/@VA_PRIDE INSTAGRAM/VAPRIDE #VAPRIDE #VIRGINIAPRIDE2016 SOCIAL VA PRIDE GUIDE SUMMER 2019 PRINTED LOCALLY BY CONQUEST GRAPHICS BRANDEN WILSON COVER PHOTO

PUBLISHED 2019 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INKWELL VENTURES PUBLISHER OF RVA MAGAZINE & GAYRVA

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VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST PRIDEFEST 2019 2019 VIRGINIA

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Summertime’s here, y’all. It may only have been officially acknowledged by the calendar for about a week now, but we Richmonders know that once Memorial Day goes by and the merry month of May rolls into the gay month of June, the hottest season of the year has begun.

But Pride isn’t just for the most populated regions of Virginia anymore. GayRVA’s Jo Rozycki will help you discover that along with her, in her exploration of the many smaller Virginia cities which have begun holding Pride celebrations all their own in recent years. And Wyatt Gordon checks in with some RVA food for thought: does the And it’s looking pretty good this year for river city actually have a gayborhood? And if so, why don’t we hear more about it? those of us living in the Commonwealth; from Richmond Public Schools adding LGBTQ-affirming language to their student All that and more awaits you in our 2019 conduct code, to the fact that a record num- Pride Guide Summer edition. Perhaps you ber of eight LGBTQ candidates are running grabbed this one at VA Pride’s Pride Night for General Assembly in the 2019 election, at the Diamond celebration, and are flipping things are definitely on an upward trend. through it between innings. Or maybe you Considering some of the stories out of our grabbed a copy from any of our fine retail nation’s capital so far this year, goddess only partners around the city. Whatever brings knows -- we need it. you here, all of us at GayRVA and VA Pride would like to thank you for picking up this We also need fun ways to beat the heat and guide, and join in wishing you a wonderset all our cares aside, at least for a little ful Pride month, and an excellent summer while, this summer. It’s that exact sort of of fun in the sun. We’ll see you back here need that this VA Pride Summer Guide is in September for our official guide to this year’s VA PrideFest -- I for one can’t wait. here to fill. We’ve got a dispatch from our compatriots at Outwire757, who are giving you a comprehensive guide to the LGBTQ Happy Pride Month! community’s best possible Hampton Roads vacation. If you’re just looking for a great Marilyn Drew Necci, night on the town or some fun weekend GayRVA Editor-in-Chief activities here in Richmond, our own Ash Griffith has a number of tips to pass along to you as well. BE SAFE, HAPPY, BE PROUD! LIVE FREE.BELIVE PROUD.

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PLANNING A TRIP? HAMPTON ROADS IS YOUR LGBTQ DESTINATION BY ERIC HAUSE

When you think about LGBTQ-friendly vacation destinations, there’s no doubt that big cities come to mind: San Francisco and New York, Buenos Aires and Sydney. But if you can’t afford a day or two -- let alone a week -- on such a globetrotting trip, look no further than your backyard for a destination that’s welcoming, affordable, and full of exciting things to see and do. 20 20

I’m talking about Hampton Roads. Sure, you’re not going to collect beads at the carnival in Rio, or march in the World Pride Parade. But as a 25-year resident and leader in the local LGBTQ community, I can tell you that Hampton Roads has plenty to offer. Whether you’re looking for an all-gay, VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019 VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

Oh, and did I mention that you can’t swing a cat around here without hitting a festival, museum, or performing arts organization that offers LGBTQ programming? But that’s enough of the travel brochure propaganda. Let’s get on with it. Here are a few queer-themed and affirmative vacation itineraries, whether you’re visiting for a day or a week. Disclosure: I have personal experience with each of the businesses mentioned in this article. All are LGBTQ-friendly.

THE URBAN EXPERIENCE Downtown Norfolk has become the spiritual center of the Hampton Roads LGBTQ community. That’s a far cry from the days when it was a collection of rundown warehouses, tattoo parlors, and shady bars with a level of debauchery so depraved that The New York Times deemed it “Hell’s Half Acre.” The city’s contemporary version is a worldclass destination that frequently ranks in Top Ten lists of mid-sized cities to visit. With waterfront festivals nearly every weekend from spring through autumn, world class arts organizations, museums, shopping, dining, and nightlife, it’s not your grandmother’s Norfolk any longer. all-day party vacation, a refined cultural Accommodations are varied, and range from experience, or a sea adrift on memory bliss the five-star mega-hotels to luxurious bedbeach vacation, we’ve got it in Hampton and-breakfasts and quaint historic inns. Roads -- Virginia’s cul de sac. The Hilton MAIN is the crown jewel of Hampton Roads has come a long way in a short downtown Norfolk’s bustling scene. Plopped amount of time when it comes to affirming right in the center of it all, it’s definitely an and welcoming LGBTQ visitors. The visitor upscale experience. With three excellent bureaus in three of the major cities (Norfolk, restaurants (including a rooftop bar with Virginia Beach, and Hampton) have active thrilling views of the harbor), immaculate LGBTQ travel marketing programs, and the overnight rooms with five-star amenities, local hospitality industry (which we all know and superior customer service, The MAIN would evaporate without queer employees) competes with high-end hotels found mainly whole-heartedly supports those initiatives. in large cities. In addition, Hampton Roads Pride and HRBOR (the area’s LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce) work closely with LGBTQowned and allied businesses to develop inclusive activities and safe spaces. BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD! LIVE FREE. LIVE PROUD.

For those interested in a quieter accommodation, check out two nearby LGBTQ-friendly inns. The Page House Inn is in a historic (and reputedly haunted) 1899 house in the Hague. The décor harkens back the home’s Victorian origins, but the rooms 21 21

are spacious and comfortable with modern ranging from live music to June’s Stiletto amenities. Your hostess, Miss Deb, always Stomp drag race. A harbor cruise also brings a beautiful perspective on the city, with The gets rave reviews from her guests. American Rover offering sailing cruises Option number two is Four Eleven York, a new departing daily from Waterside Marina. boutique inn and restaurant concept located This summer, OutWire757 hosts two Rover in the Freemason Historic District. Located in LGBTQ charters: a Midnight Moonlight the former Freemason Inn Bed and Breakfast, cruise in July, and a Farewell to Summer sail the inn has been completely renovated, with on Labor Day weekend. amazing touches and a modernist feel. The owners also own the restaurant of the same The Spirit of Norfolk is also a great option for name next door, which features an eclectic nightly dinner and dance cruises, as well as the occasional late-night drag show cruise. Modern American menu. Head over to FestEvents for a schedule of upcoming festivals in Town Point Park. There’s one going on almost every weekend between May and October -- of course, the one you won’t want to miss is Hampton After settling in, it’s time to explore, and all Roads Pride in June. you’ll need is a comfortable pair of shoes. Downtown Norfolk is delightfully walkable. Finally, don’t forget to check out the In the event you want to move more quickly, performance schedules for Virginia the Tide Light Rail traverses most of Stage Company, Virginia Arts Festival, downtown with stops at nearly every street and SevenVenues. In the past, these corner. If biking is more your speed, rent organizations have brought top-notch a PACE bike from one of the many rental LGBTQ favorites such as Kristin Chenoweth, Richard Alston Dance, Storm Large, and stations throughout the area. Wanda Sykes to town. Start at the Waterside District, located on Norfolk’s waterfront. Waterside is open You can also find the local queer community year-round, day and night to accommodate at three hopping LGBTQ clubs. MJs Tavern next-level dining and entertainment for is a popular neighborhood bar, with a mixed all ages. Grab a bite, a drink, and a seat clientele that’s open for lunch, dinner, and overlooking the harbor, and take in some live brunch on the weekends. The Wave is a latenight dance club with decidedly younger tunes. This is where your vacation begins. vibe. 37th and Zen hosts a mixed crowd and From there, take a walk (or a bike) along some interesting entertainment offerings, Norfolk’s beautiful waterfront, which starts from Goth to kink, as well as karaoke and at Harbor Park (home of the Norfolk Tides drag shows. baseball team), then proceeds to Town Point Park, the USS Wisconsin, and the LIFE’S A BEACH Freemason District. This route is part of the Elizabeth River Trail, a 10.5-mile walking/ If a beach retreat is more to your liking, look biking trail that winds along the city’s harbor no further than Norfolk’s sister city, Virginia and riverfront. Beach. The resort area is the heart of the region’s travel industry. Nightlife is never in short supply downtown. Between restaurants and bars, live Comprised of a four-mile stretch of resorts, entertainment, and special events, there’s restaurants, nightlife, and activities along a always something happening. Your best bet paved oceanfront boardwalk, the resort area is to take a stroll down Granby Street after has seen its share of reputation-challenging dark; you’ll find something appealing. events over the past couple of decades. However, Virginia Beach has turned that If you’re in town between April and October, around with the advent of a development First Fridays are a must, with entertainment facelift and world-class events and festivals, Both Page House and Four Eleven are just steps from the Chrysler Museum, and a short walk to downtown, Ghent (Norfolk’s Gayborhood), and the artsy NEON district.

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worlds away in terms of its relaxed pace and beach community vibe. Most of the homes are in a vacation rental program, and none are more than two blocks from the oceanfront. LGBTQ-friendly Siebert Realty The newly-remodeled Cavalier Hotel on carries hundreds of fully-furnished beach the north end lends a luxurious touch to home and condo rentals. any vacation. Over the past 100 years, the Cavalier has welcomed ten U.S. Presidents, So it’s Saturday night, and you’re asking as well as countless celebrities and yourself, where’s the queer nightlife in distinguished guests from around the world. Virginia Beach? Perched on a grassy hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, that history has earned the First of all, you’re going to want to head over Cavalier a spot on the National Register of to the ViBe Creative District. Just a couple of blocks off the Oceanfront, ViBe is Virginia Historic Places. Beach’s cultural arts enclave, and a hub for Today, it offers a complete vacation artisans of all disciplines. Food and beverage experience and actively welcomes the options are plentiful, and range from pork all LGBTQ community. With 85 jaw-dropping ways at Beach Bully Barbecue to organic, guest rooms, five-star dining in one of the seasonal, and sustainable fare at Commune. resort’s three restaurants, a full-service spa, and an on-site whiskey and bourbon After dinner, take a stroll around the ViBe distillery, you might not want to leave the to admire the colorful original murals, pop in to Chesapeake Bay Distillery for a tasting property. of their signature Blue Ridge Vodka, or settle One of our other favorite hotels is the with a good cup of java at Bad Ass Coffee. delightfully modern Oceanaire Resort. The 18-story oceanfront tower is filled with After dinner, head to Virginia Beach’s Town contemporary touches, which garnered the Center for a show at The Sandler Center for distinguished Project of Excellence Award at the Performing Arts, or something more cutting-edge at Zeiders American Dream the 2013 ARDA World Convention. Theater. There’s so much to do here, too. Catch a breathtaking sunrise over the ocean from Sandler focuses on nationally-renowned the tenth floor Skydeck. Spend the day artists, and has hosted LGBTQ performers basking on the beach. Take a dip in the such as Melissa Etheridge, David Sedaris, adults-only Aqua 21 indoor pool. Head out and Michael Feinstein. Just across the for an evening of bar-hopping along the street, the new Zeiders American Dream boardwalk, then be lulled to sleep to the Theater’s mission is to foster and introduce sound of the surf in your ocean-view room. new artists, composers, and creative It’s worth mentioning that the Cavalier and writers. Here you’ll find original comedy, the Oceanaire are two of many Virginia story slams, live music of all genres, and an Beach resorts that host weddings, with a open and welcoming community. particular emphasis on LGBTQ nuptials. After the show, stop in to The Rainbow Virginia Beach is also known for its Cactus, Virginia Beach’s only traditional thousands of vacation rental homes. LGBTQ bar. The Cactus welcomes all ages Particularly suited for long, lazy family or and identities, with everything from live group beach vacations, homes range from music to drag shows to late-night dance mansions to quaint cedar-shingle beach parties. boxes. Of course, a beach vacation wouldn’t be For a get-away-from-it-all beach vacation, complete without exploring Virginia Beach’s take a look at Sandbridge. Often compared natural wonders. We suggest you head out to to North Carolina’s Outer Banks, Sandbridge sea with a Rudee Tours cruise. The company is only minutes from the resort area, but has operated local sightseeing tours out of such as the recent Something in the Water Festival, that are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse experience for all travelers.

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Rudee Inlet for more than 35 years, including dolphin tours, whale-watching tours, sunset cruises, and the infamous Rudee Rocket (a must for high-speed thrill seekers).

The park is a great overnight option for those inclined to commune closely with nature. It has 200 wooded or open campsites nestled behind the back dunes of the beach, and 20 modern cabins with central heat and air, For another view of the area’s oceangoing running water, and kitchens. wildlife, spend a couple of hours at the Virginia Aquarium, where you’ll be wowed BEYOND THE METRO by 800,000 gallons of aquariums and animal habitats. The Aquarium also produces a Queer Hampton Roads isn’t just Norfolk number of learning boat tours, as well as a and Virginia Beach. Take a look beyond the challenging Adventure Park ropes course for well-worn path for other LGBTQ-owned and those who enjoy a more hands-on experience. allied businesses in places like Hampton, Williamsburg and the Eastern Shore. For On the north end, First Landing State Park a self-reported list of those across the is a queer camping and outdoor recreation Commonwealth, visit Virginia Tourism at favorite. Sprawled across 3,000 acres of www.virginia.org/LGBT. wetland and sandy beaches at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, it’s a quiet oasis Eric Hause is the publisher of OutWire757.com, adjacent to the fast pace of the resort area. Hampton Roads’ LGBT blog and magazine. He and his husband spend countless hours and Visiting for the day? Grab a quiet spot on the dollars exploring and supporting Hampton beach, take a hike or a bike on 19 miles of Roads queer and allied businesses and trails, or spread out a picnic under the shade organizations. of ancient cypress and pine trees.

BE HAPPY, BE PROUD! LIVESAFE, FREE.BE LIVE PROUD.

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Celebrates Pridefest 2019 Visit our booth for a FREE HIV test and FREE condoms.

VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

Where every

Pair is loved!

BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

| capitalalehouse.com 27

SUMMERTIME AND THE WEATHER IS FINE (IN THE RVA) BY ASH GRIFFITH

With Pride month comes rainbows, smiles, confidence, and the best part of all -summertime. For us Richmonders, we get the best luck of all with RVA Pride in September. Not only do we get to celebrate Pride twice, but we pretty much just block out the entire season -- and we are so happy to do it.

As a host, Young’s favorite part so far has been giving comics a chance to test out material and polish jokes they’ve been working on. “I like giving the other comics in the community a place to try out their material,” said Young. “The toughest thing about doing stand-up comedy is finding a place to do it. Open mics are pretty much your only place to do it unless you’re booked. And you’re not going to get booked somewhere unless someone has seen you at an open mic.”

As I’m running around enjoying the sunshine and gorgeous weather in the River City we call home, I do have to ask myself: What do I do when I’ve exhausted my time at the river with a big box of Ukrop’s rainbow cookies? Here are four good options to keep us busy Even though the open mic itself isn’t from sunrise to sunset in Richmond. LGBTQ-exclusive, having an LGBTQ host YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS OPEN MIC in a restaurant that is LGBTQ-run certainly -- HOSTED BY CARSEN YOUNG helps add a sense of comfort for other comics in the community -- folks who may Sunday night is here, you’ve spent your day want to give comedy a shot, but want to getting your chores done, prepping for the feel safe when they start out. week, brunching it up, and now you need to unwind. Local Comedian Carsen Young is “In Richmond, overall I will say that comedy happy to have you covered (at least once is safe for LGBTQ people,” said Young. “I a month). Down in Forest Hill at Thirsty’s try to make sure that it is a safe, inclusive Bar and Grill, Young has been hosting the space for anybody. Thirsty’s is such an open mic since January, even though he’s inclusive place that you know you’re in a only been doing stand-up for around a year. safe spot.” Originally, he got his start doing improv at ComedySportz Richmond, where he still With open mics prevalent all over the city performs as well. of Richmond, you can throw a rock almost any night of the week and hit at least three The show came about when Thirsty’s or four. But to find one in such an inclusive owner saw Young do stand-up next door spot -- in a place that, sure, has drinks, but at Crossroads Coffee & Ice Cream, and isn’t just another bar, is such an important told Young that he had been trying to host thing. You Can’t Be Serious just might be an open mic, only to have it fail. Naturally, the hidden gem in the Richmond comedy Young’s “why not?” attitude made him say scene that we didn’t know we needed. yes when Thirsty’s owner asked him to become the open mic’s new host. 28 28

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You Can’t Be Serious starts at 8pm on the last Sunday of every month, with open mic sign-ups starting at 7:30pm and limited to five spots. Thirsty’s Bar and Grill is located in Forest Hill at 3516 Forest Hill Ave.

ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW WITH ORGASMIC RUSH OF LUST AT BOWTIE CINEMAS What kind of a Pride Guide would this really be in a city with access to regular showings of the beloved Tim Curry classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, without even one mention of it? Obviously a bad one. Lucky for you, we here at GayRVA are all about that Rocky Horror life. Have you ever wanted to do the time warp (again) in public, surrounded by Magenta, Janet, Brad, and even Eddie himself, while Dr Frank N. Furter leads you on? Fabulous -same here! Lucky for us, we can have that very thing happen, right down the street.

like -- while the film plays on the big screen, the cast acts out the film on the stage in front of the screen. If you were expecting a quiet, relaxing viewing of a cult favorite film, then this is not the show -- or the movie --for you. Orgasmic Rush of Lust can be seen on the first Friday and first Saturday of every month performing at the Bowtie Cinemas Theater in Scott’s Addition, just off the newly-named Arthur Ashe Boulevard. Some members of the cast perform multiple roles at a time, but always give it their all and encourage fan participation… something audiences are more than willing to provide. Richmonder Alan Vann was already a big fan of the live shows when he still lived down in the Hampton Roads area. When he heard that there was a Richmondbased show, he knew that he had to go -- especially when he found out two of his friends had never been.

Orgasmic Rush of Lust is the only Rocky Horror Picture Show shadow cast for “They are a great team,” said Vann. “Very Richmond. A shadow cast is what it sounds enthusiastic, work amazingly well with 30 30

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the stage they are given. It’s smaller than the Naro’s [in Hampton Roads], but they make it feel like any big movie palace-type theater production.” Orgasmic Rush of Lust heavily encourages audience participation (as any good Rocky Horror show should), but asks that audiences abide by a few ground rules per their website. Don’t throw anything at the screen, or cast. Don’t throw anything that will leave a sticky mess (Rice, Confetti, toothpaste. Cards, toilet paper, and toast are ok.) Stay out of the aisles during the show. Don’t bring alcohol into the theater. You can get a drink in the lobby before the show, though. Do the Time Warp. Orgasmic Rush of Lust can be seen performing at the Bow Tie Cinemas Theater on the first Friday and Saturday of each month. They occasionally take the stage at other venues around town as well. More info is on their Facebook page, at RockyHorrorRVA.

THE TOTTERING TEACUP After a long day of cruising your super sweet bicycle through Carytown, doing some heavy thrifting at Diversity Thrift, and catching a movie at The Byrd Theatre, you need a break. Why not take a page from our British friends and kick back with some hot, comforting rooibos tea and a seasonally-flavored macaron? If only there was somewhere that you could do just that... The Tottering Teacup is a tea and sandwich cafe, which is a breath of the strongest chamomile in Richmond, where coffee isn’t just king -- it’s Midas incarnate. Tottering Teacup offers over forty different varieties of tea to choose from, along with seasonal selections, baked goods, and even a BE HAPPY, BE PROUD! LIVESAFE, FREE.BELIVE PROUD.

delicious seasonal lemonade (which is an absolute must, even for this writer, who is adamantly against sugary drinks). With very, very inexpensive pricing, you can genuinely go through and try every flavor of tea if you ever wanted to. With free wifi and the option to have a large endless teapot (for $14, which is still very inexpensive), you can also stay from open to close and knock out most of your summer reading list. Something you’ll immediately notice upon entry is that the staff consists of the friendliest, kindest people in the entire city. Another thing that is hard to miss when you walk in is that the Tottering Teacup is filled wall to wall with Pride. Literally. Most of the decor in the shop represents Pride in some facet; whether it’s the traditional LGBTQ rainbow, the transgender flag, or even the bisexual flag, almost every section of the community is represented. The Tottering Teacup isn’t 31 31

and discovering a new favorite tea at The Tottering Teacup, maybe you want to have fun in a different way… a more active way. Why not try getting involved with a sport or activity through the Stonewall Sports league? Stonewall Sports was originally founded in 2010; its Richmond chapter formed in the Fall of 2017. Stonewall Sports Richmond is still very new, but is already making strides in the community. As a nonprofit sports league for Richmond’s LGBTQ community, Stonewall raises funds for other nonprofit organizations in the area, while also providing a safe and inclusive place for just a wholesome place to relax when it members of the community to be active hits upwards of ninety-odd degrees in the and have fun outside. middle of July. It’s also somewhere for members of the LGBTQ community to feel Stonewall wants you to join in, regardless safe and protected -- even if they’re not of your level of expertise. Whether you’re out to friends or family yet. The Tottering a career athlete or have the kicking skills of Teacup wants you to remember there is Charlie Brown, they just want you to come and have fun with your friends. A variety always a cup of tea brewing for you here. of sports are offered, including dodgeball, Another great thing that makes this little- kickball,volleyball and more, and there is tea-shop-that-could so important to something for everyone’s interest and skill our city is that they bake Pride-themed set. macarons every year, with proceeds going to Richmond LGBTQ youth advocacy Leagues are broken up into six-to-eightweek seasons, including playoffs, which organization, Side By Side. allow for plenty of opportunities to compete It may look like a small gesture, but it’s yet with different folks, and occasionally another important reason why the Tottering switch it up. Maybe you’re getting burnt Teacup is valuable to our community. out on volleyball? After the current season The Tottering Teacup is that friend in the is over, you can learn if dodgeball is, in fact, city, taking a moment to remind you that your true calling. you are safe, you are valued, and you are important. And also serving you a hot cup For more information on Stonewall Sports of your favorite tea and a macaron. What a Richmond, and how to sign up or when to see a game, visit their website (https:// perfect combination. stonewallrichmond.leagueapps.com/). The Tottering Teacup is in Carytown at 3222 W Cary St, and is open Tuesday through Sunday. For hours and further information, you can check their website at https://www.thetotteringteacup.com/.

This summer, get out there and be entertained. Enjoy a macaron and a spot of tea, and get in a good round of kickball if you can. There is so much to do in this beautiful summer of Pride that you won’t even remember to binge-watch The Office STONEWALL SPORTS LEAGUE for the twelth time on Netflix. That can wait After a beautiful week of walking around until October. Pinky swear. Byrd Park, catching a game at The Diamond, 32 32

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VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

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VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

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IT ISN’T JUST FOR BIG CITIES ANYMORE: ACROSS VIRGINIA, SMALLER COMMUNITIES BRING PRIDE TO MAIN STREET BY JO ROZYCKI If you had to put a Pride festival in any town across the Commonwealth of Virginia, Lynchburg is probably one of the last places you would pick. But for Michael Kittinger, it felt like the perfect place to host the LGBTQ celebration.

But even with this organization operating locally, something was missing: a Pride event celebrating Lynchburg. “I knew several of the members of Spectrum Arts Society, and had just been talking to them,” said Kittinger. “They understood bringing pride to the Lynchburg community.” Thus, “Moving to Lynchburg ten years ago, one in the spring of 2019, Lynchburg held its of the things I was worried about was, “Is first Pride festival, under the name Hill City there an LGBTQ community in Lynchburg?” Pride. he said. “When we first started planning this, one It was here where Kittinger became a of our early meetings went over defining part of Spectrum Arts Society, a nonprofit what success and failure look like,” he organization under which the performing said. “We needed to know what those arts takes an LGBTQ focus. Kittinger is now measurements would be, so that we would on the board of Spectrum Arts. know how successful of a Pride [it would be].” Creating the goal of receiving 10 vendors and 500 attendees, Kittinger and his team set out to find sponsors. 38 38

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Tucked away in the Shenandoah Valley, Staunton boasts historical scenery, authentic Shakespeare at Blackfriars Playhouse, and a Harry Potter festival. Soon after the magical festival in September of 2018, Staunton hosted its first Pride, hosted by local technological research company LGBT Tech. Chris Wood, the Executive Director of LGBT Tech and the founder of Staunton Pride, knew Staunton would be a “Being a first year start-up Pride, it’s hard special place to host a Pride festival. to go out and solicit donor money, whether it’s from corporate or individuals, because “We have the Prides in Harrisonburg, and they would want to know, ‘What kind of that’s really meant to do the [Shenandoah] return am I going to get?’ And we didn’t valley,” Wood said. “There was enough have those numbers.” want here in the city and go ahead and warrant its own, [while] making sure we’re Before he knew it, Kittinger had nearly not doing it across other Prides.” Wood 27 vendors waiting to join. He had to cap took into account the nearby Pride in it there. And on the day of Hill City Pride, Harrisonburg, as well as that of neighboring April 13, nearly 1600 people showed up. “I Charlottesville, and was given the green remember when the gates first opened and light to bring Pride to Staunton. we let in those first people, I was almost in tears standing there,” he said. “There was a line out the door.” Deep in the valley of Virginia, Kittinger was aware that there would be some backlash. A protester showed up on the day of Hill City Pride with signs in hand. A few joined him, but for the majority of the day, the man stood alone. Emcee and kickoff host Delighted Tobehere, a drag queen from New York City, greeted the crowd at the start. “I have three rules when it comes to protesters: ignore, ignore, ignore.” Kittinger was thankful for her words. Volunteers and police officers urged the attendees away from interacting with the protester. But the weather took a turn in the festival’s favor. “It was more of a misty morning. The protester had painted all of his signs in water-soluble paint. It looked like the Wicked Witch of the West and he [was] just melting away. The sign just ran away, and it was almost a metaphor for what the event was: here we are in the community, and we’re blurring those lines of what a family looks like, what does acceptance look like, and getting rid of stereotypes.” BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD! LIVE FREE. LIVE PROUD.

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After coordinating with the city of Staunton, Staunton Pride ended up occupying most of the main downtown drag of Beverly Street, considered one of the most picturesque downtown areas in America. “We had a stage at the edge of Market and Beverley, the biggest stage that’s ever been put on Beverley Street,” said Wood. “It was huge. It rose well above the street lights.”

While most Prides can end up falling under the adult ratings, flowing with beverages and corporate representation, Wood and his team ensured that Staunton Pride would be local and approachable. “We tried to make sure that it was family-friendly, kid-friendly -- that people could come and experience it in a safe, comfortable way regardless of how you wanted to experience it, and really invite the entire community out, and With the quintessential theme “Love supporters.” Is Love,” Wood and his team set out to create what they thought was exactly Wood never underestimated the presence what Staunton needed in a Pride festival: of Staunton’s LGBTQ community. After entertainment, vendors, safety, and moving to Staunton with his husband, he community. discovered through his family that there was a presence, a need, with the LGBTQ “We had vendors from people selling community. And Wood saw that void could Pride-related things all the way to be filled through a Pride. Augusta Health, and we were doing [HIV] testing on-site,” he said. In addition to “We’ve been working with the city really the entertainment acts and the bustling closely,” he said. “I wanted it to go off really celebration downtown, Wood and his team well. I wanted to make sure that the city offered a warm room, a space for attendees was happy with it, that the residents of the to go unwind and seek mental health care town were happy with it.” if necessary. With somewhere between 3,000 and “A lot of individuals, [including those who 4,000 attendees, Wood felt good about are] part of the LGBTQ community, get the success of the first Pride festival in overwhelmed in events like that, or just Staunton. “Although we kept our ears to can’t be around that many people,” said the ground and we kept listening, I wasn’t Wood. “So we want to make sure that they really worried about people backlashing have space as well. We had therapists in about it, being upset about it. We really had there. It was a very quiet space.” a lot of support from a lot of people, a lot of businesses.” VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019 40 40

When asked about negative reactions, Wood laughed in response. “The police were so bored,” he said. According to the police captain, Wood said, everyone was respectful and courteous. The greatest emergency occurred when a swarm of bees infested a food cart. “All of the police were over there trying to help them out.” In regards to the sheer mundaneness of the activity, he said, “It was a really good problem to have.”

represent the face of what our residents look like, what our community looks like,” said Kittinger. “It really is important for communities of all sizes to have their own way to celebrate diversity and show that they are an inclusive community, even if it is a small town.” “I think there can be a misconception that there’s just not gay people in the Shenandoah Valley,” said Wood. But, he said, he thinks there are way more than meets the eye. “For these types of towns to grow, you have to celebrate diversity, and you have to be willing to accept that it is a very diverse world, even more today than 50 years ago. Supporting [the] LGBTQ [community] is just one step in that for these towns.”

For larger metropolitan areas like Washington D.C. and Richmond, having a Pride festival allows for people to come out in droves to celebrate, dance, eat, drink, see and be seen by the community. For many, a small-town Pride doesn’t seem like it would generate that much interest. But both Wood and Kittinger could see the impacts of the Pride events in their cities. A Pride festival is not only a place to venture into the public eye unabashedly. It Kittinger was approached by a mother of is a statement of presence and celebration. an eighth grader who identifies as gay. He And while the question of whether or not was picked on, and felt out of place in such holding a Pride event in a small town is a small town. But once he heard about Hill “worth it” is often asked, it should be City Pride, he begged his mom to allow him considered irrelevant in 2019. Through the and his friends to attend. conversations with Wood and Kittinger, it is unsurprisingly-evident that an LGBTQ “She brought them out, and she said, ‘It’s community can exist, thrive, and flourish, the first time he really felt like he was part even in the distant woods and mountains of a community, and part of something of Virginia. There is no area in the bigger.’” Kittinger said if it can make a Commonwealth that’s too small or too rural difference, an impact, even just on that one to host a Pride. eighth grader, he feels that Hill City Pride is a success. Staunton Pride will be hosting several events over the course of this year, including Wood can attest to the impact his city’s a gala, but will host its next Pride festival in Pride has made on the community. “There April 2020. “We think through it, and we was an older gentleman who came down make sure we’re growing slowly, and in a with his husband from Silver Spring,” he way that’s manageable,” said Wood. “It is explained. “I sat down with him at the about the community itself -- it’s about the picnic table, and he said, ‘I just had to come community supporting the community.” see it for myself. I just had to come see that Staunton was actually having a Pride.’ Hill City Pride will host its second year in There were a lot of stories like that.” the spring of 2020. “I firmly believe that when you have a diverse and inclusive Both organizers wanted their Prides to community, you bring together the best of reflect their community in a personal way. people and people are allowed to be their authentic, true selves,” said Kittinger. “You have your larger metropolitan areas “We’ve got to keep the train moving, and that put on events, but, just like in the look toward the future.” LGBTQ community, they don’t necessarily BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD! LIVE FREE. LIVE PROUD.

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WON’T YOU BE MY GAYBOR?

WRITTEN BY WYATT GORDON PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARA WHEELER

being queer. All of which leads to an obvious question for those of us who live in Virginia’s capital city: does Richmond If I told you I went to a bar in the Castro, have a “gayborhood”? And if so, where is would you even need me to say I was in San it? Francisco? When you watch something set in New York City, do you realize how Many might argue that the capital of the often you’re only seeing the West Village? Commonwealth is too small to sustain a Could you imagine going out in D.C. gayborhood. San Francisco, New York, and without spending time in Dupont Circle? Washington are all far bigger cities than Some neighborhoods become so famous (or is it infamous?), they can gain a reputation that rivals that of the city in which they are located. Across the world, many beloved and notorious neighborhoods were pioneered by people who today proudly revel in the label of

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Richmond. Could it be that predominantly queer neighborhoods only form once a city has graduated from mid-sized status and evolved into a true metropole? Portland, Oregon won’t let you believe that nonsense for a second. The avantgarde boutiques, trendy restaurants, and -- yes -- male strip clubs of Burnside VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019 VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

Triangle have made the area into the hub of Oregon’s LGBTQ community since at least the turn of the century. And it’s not just the gays who have their own neighborhood. Portlandia’s feminist bookstore is far more than a fan-favorite sketch, it’s a comedic interpretation of Hawthorne, a neighborhood in the city’s southeast, which may be America’s most concentrated lesbian gayborhood. So if size isn’t holding Richmond’s theoretical gayborhood back, could it be our Southern-ness? The South isn’t known for its progressive instincts, nor its inclination toward protecting human rights. Indeed, of the only 24 states in our Union with protections for sexual orientation and/or gender identity in the workplace, not a single one can be found in the South -- Virginia included. Three southern states (North Carolina, Arkansas, and Tennessee) even go so far as to prohibit the passage and/or enforcement of non-discrimination laws ratified by localities. Despite the South’s prejudiced policies towards LGBTQ Americans, several of the region’s most iconic cities have established gayborhoods inextricably woven into their modern tapestry. Over a dozen gay bars with names like the 700 Club, Rawhide, and the Corner Pocket congregate around St. Ann Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter. For those who would write off the Big Easy as an Acadian anomaly, consider Nashville, the cradle of country music and the self-proclaimed “Athens of the South.” Less than a dozen blocks from the Tennessee State Capital and the Ryman Auditorium (the original home of the Grand Ole Opry) lies Church Street: Music City’s gay mecca. Nashville’s gayborhood has become so famously pro “bears” -slang for large, hairy men that project an image of rugged masculinity -- that a local news outlet released a “Grizzlies Guide to Nashville,” chronicling the neighborhood’s top gay bars.

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Atlanta, the unofficial capital of the “New South,” may be the gayest of all. In the city’s last mayoral race in 2017, Atlanta’s first openly gay city council member, Cathy Woolard, came in third. The two remaining candidates released entire LGBTQ policy platforms to combat rising HIV infection rates, shelter the city from state-level discriminatory measures, and -- most importantly -woo Atlanta’s queer voters. Not all Southern cities are as bold. Richmond has never had an openly gay City Council member, and our last gay candidate for mayor was Dirtwoman (who led a campaign widely derided as a stunt). Only last year did City Council vote to designate the LGBTQ community a protected people -- and that decision only came in the wake of Alexandria, Charlottesville, Virginia Beach, and Newport News beating us to the punch. Furthermore, there is a debate as to whether the designation is little more than window dressing. Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, which means that cities must govern according to statewide rules, unless explicitly given permission to do otherwise. As our Commonwealth’s Human Rights Act does not include protections for sexual orientation or gender identity, most lawyers agree that local-level protections are meaningless. Much to the chagrin of NoVA’s swelling suburbs and the state’s increasing ranks of home-grown progressives, Virginia often acts more like the former capital of the Confederacy than a beacon of the New South. Could the South’s culture of conflictavoidance and bad track record protecting the rights of minorities mean that Richmond’s gayborhood is out there, but hiding below the surface? Local civil rights activist and author of Lesbian and Gay Richmond Beth Marschak doesn’t disagree with this idea. “Back in the 1970s there were 45 45

fewer people in the South that were very out,” she said. “It was more of an opensecret style of being out: people were never gay, they were ‘eccentric.’ Being closeted like that impacts what people are able to do, and how they are able to organize.” It also impacts whether or not you’re willing to out yourself to your neighbors. Something we see as benign today, like hanging a rainbow flag from your porch, would have been an unthinkable form of protest half a century ago. Culturally, Marschak doesn’t feel that much has changed, either. “Even if you were to walk around in Richmond’s gayest neighborhoods, are you going to see a lot of rainbow flags? Not really -- you’ll see a few, but not a lot,” she said. “You’re not going to see a real visible LGBT presence anywhere in the city.” Alas, Richmond has long been a city adept at covering facts with a sheen of alternate reality. After all, until the year 2000, we pretended a holiday simultaneously celebrating two Confederate generals and the leader of the Civil Rights Movement was normal. In the state that chose the term “Massive Resistance” to describe its stance on school integration, it should come as no surprise that gay liberation was only won thanks to a generation willing to storm the streets, risking their lives, livelihoods, and -- gasp -- reputations. Queers thrived in Richmond since before the days that word was used as a slur against them, and long before it was reclaimed as a proud banner for our full community of societally-dubbed misfits. Ask any gay elder about “the Block” and you’ll quickly give up any notions that previous generations were comprised of prudes. During WWII, downtown Richmond teemed with rambunctious men, as Broad Street Station and the USO brought an influx of restless young soldiers on leave, or waiting to ship out. In Rainbow Richmond, her extensive history of LGBTQ 46 46

Richmond published on OutHistory.org, Cindy Bray tells us that “...the gay male cruising scene that developed or became more visible in the 1940s and 1950s... Mark Kerkorian (a pseudonym) recalled the military personnel were ‘ready for anything’ if they hadn’t picked up a girl by 11 or 12 at night and that there were lots of places to take them like the basement of the hotel across Broad Street from the USO, or the men’s room in the hotel or an alley behind the Colonial Theater. ‘… there were nooks and crannies all over downtown.’” The nickname “the Block” was finally coined in the 1950s when the area bounded by Main, First, Franklin, and Foushee Streets earned a scandalous notoriety as a magnet for hustlers, prostitutes, and homosexual acts -- the latter of which was the police’s top priority. Until 1993, Section 4-37 of Virginia’s ABC codes warned business owners that “a bar’s license may be suspended or revoked if the bar has become a meeting place and rendezvous for users of narcotics, drunks, homosexuals, prostitutes, pimps, panderers, gamblers or habitual law violators.” The threat proved more than theoretical. Renee’s and Rathkellers’ -two gay hotspots -- were both shut down in 1969 after eyewitness testimony from an undercover ABC agent described “men wearing makeup, embracing and kissing in the café.” Despite being straight himself, Leo Koury realized gays would pay a premium to socialize in a bar beyond the reach of the long arm of the highly-prejudiced law. In order to establish a monopoly over Richmond’s gay bars, the “godfather of the gay community” bribed police, ordered a drive-by of a rival club, and instigated the murder of one of its bouncers, which later came to be known as the Dial Tone Murder after his most prominent club. Koury’s crimes led to his disgraceful downfall, revealing that the intense, stateled persecution had created a dangerous VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019 VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

black market for gay spaces in the city. In this atmosphere, open-air gathering spots like the Block served a purpose beyond the ubiquitous cruising depicted in the salacious tales most vividly remembered today. The fact the Block was a purely public space meant that any and all could congregate there as they saw fit, free from police stings and mafia racketeering. Such off-the-grid sites became small oases of queerness in a world of strict conformity, thus allowing LGBTQ people of the day to form a fledgling sense of community in an era of suffocating discrimination. The Sexual Revolution unleashed by the Baby Boomers brought new freedoms, triggered a more laissez-faire approach to homosexuals, and led to a permeation of queer spaces across the city. Fans of Scandals might attest that Shockoe Bottom, the neighborhood occupied by that bygone Richmond gay bar, became the epicenter of the city’s gay culture in the 80s. However, despite legendary performances on their stage by icons like Grace Jones, the heart of Richmond’s queer community seemed mainly to reside closer to the Fan. Whereas in the 1970s five or six gayfriendly bars flew under the radar in Carytown, the 1980s witnessed an explosion of LGBTQ venues in the area, so that by the end of that decade the number of gay nightlife choices reached over a dozen. Marschak believes “a gayborhood is not just a place where gay people live, it also has cultural connections and things to do.” Although Carytown was more of a cultural and nightlife grouping than a distinctly-identified gayborhood, Marschak said, “There were more displays of affection along Cary Street than anywhere else in the city, which is probably still true today. Carytown filled the need that people have for a place that’s identifiable -- where you can go to see and be seen.”

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Babe’s may be the last remaining bar from that era of raucous rebellion, but new queer-friendly spaces have moved into the area. One is the Tottering Teacup, a community-minded bakery and tea house owned and operated by a nonbinary person and featuring displays and menu items focused on the colors of various Pride flags. The continued role of Carytown as a center of LGBTQ culture in the city makes sense given the corridor’s proximity to the Fan, the West End, and VCU -- all historic hubs of “eccentricity” in the city; however, before you label Carytown as Richmond’s gayborhood, Marschak would warn you: “Just because a city has a gayborhood doesn’t mean all gays live there.” Bill Harrison, Executive Director of Diversity Richmond, wholeheartedly agrees. In a recent interview, he recalled an illustrative anecdote: “A woman once asked me if the gays in Richmond all lived in the same neighborhood, and I said, ‘No we’re everywhere -- just spread all over the place, and I like that.’ I like that we’re integrated into all neighborhoods of the city.” Indeed, when hunting after Richmond’s elusive gayborhood, I received a wide range of answers from the queer people I asked: Westover Hills, Bellevue, Church Hill, Downtown on Franklin Street, Forest Hill. Even Marschak, Richmond’s premier queer herstory expert, couldn’t pin down Richmond’s gayborhood for me: “LGBTQ people are all over the place here!” The increasing acceptance of queer people in recent years may even mean that Richmond’s gayest neighborhoods will become less so going forward. As the potency of homo- and transphobia gradually wanes, our community may begin moving into areas that would have been deemed unsafe for LGBTQ people a decade ago. One need only consider the growing number of gay couples buying homes in Northside or the East End (known as Church Hill North to gentrifiers) to realize the truth 47 47

behind this trend. The irony of societal acceptance is that queer people may begin to act like straights always have, and move into those neighborhoods across Central Virginia where they feel most comfortable for socioeconomic, racial, and familial reasons. Could the decreasing threat of harassment from outside the community paradoxically mean the end of the gayborhood as we know it? Similar alarms have already been sounded for another pillar of queer culture: gay bars. Considering the modern gay liberation movement began in a bar (Stonewall), it’s understandable that LGBTQ people would be concerned about losing spaces that have often been at the heart of our community’s social support structures, political organizing, and search for love and partnership. There are a wide range of hypotheses behind this phenomenon: the rise of dating apps means people don’t have to go out anymore to meet someone; same-sex couples are getting married, having kids, and moving to the suburbs just like straight people do; bars no longer function as places of political organizing because current political challenges like trans discrimination don’t impact most of the community; LGBTQ people are more accepted now and just go to straight bars; many gay bars are not compatible with the #MeToo era and inhospitable to lesbians, trans people, and women. Those concerned about the disappearance of gay bars quote the recently compiled statistic that 12% of all gay bars closed between 2005 and 2011. But does that statistic prove queer nightlife is in crisis? No. The exact same study shows that 11.1% of non-gay bars closed over that timespan as well. Millenials and Gen Z kids drink less, and they have fewer sexual partners than previous generations. Gentrification is raising rents in lots of urban neighborhoods, and pushing bars, clubs, and (predominantly low-income) people out.

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Gayborhoods -- like the gay bars they support -- aren’t disappearing. Society as a whole is changing. The shift in American public opinion towards LGBTQ people, from a position of prejudice and persecution to an increasing attitude of empathy and understanding, is a transformation unlike anything seen before. By coming out en masse, the generations before mine did the heavy interpersonal, familial, and societal lifting required to unleash a sea change of tolerance and growing acceptance. It makes no sense that queerfriendly spaces would begin to decline when ever more of society is identifying as such. Whether we were in our teens or our fifties, all of us remember the weight lifted from our chests the first time we walked into a predominantly queer space. In a world of persistent discrimination and ignorance, our need for spaces in which we can be ourselves -- free from the wider world’s judgement -- remains unchanged. Whereas Richmond’s lack of a gayborhood may once have indicated the all-toocommon prejudice that kept us hidden and underground, today the lack of one neighborhood where LGBTQ people feel they must cluster in order to live safely should be taken as a sign of the movement’s success. In today’s Richmond, every neighborhood where two or more queers are gathered is a gayborhood.

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From icons to unknowns, pride lives here.

“I think everybody should like everybody.” Andy Warhol

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RTP’S 27TH SEASON 2019–2020 LOVE CAN TELL A MILLION STORIES

FALSETTOS

by James Lapine and William Finn SEPTEMBER 4 – OCT 5, 2019 THE HOLIDAY CLASSIC IN HARD-BOILED 1940s HOLLYWOOD

TIMES SQUARE ANGEL

by Charles Busch NOVEMBER 13 – DECEMBER 21, 2019 ABOUT LOVE, ACCEPTANCE AND BUTTERCREAM

THE CAKE

by Bekah Brunstetter FEBRUARY 12 – MARCH 7, 2020 IS LOVE POWERFUL ENOUGH TO SET YOUR TRUE SELF FREE?

SUGAR IN OUR WOUNDS by Donja Love APRIL 1 – 25, 2020

PLUS

3 SPECIAL EVENTS:

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW by Richard O’Brien OCTOBER 17 – 26, 2019

BARE: A POP OPERA

THE REUNION CONCERT

by Damon Intrabartolo and Jon Hartmere APRIL 14, 2020

A NEW BRAIN

by James Lapine and William Finn MAY 14 – 30, 2020

And make sure you check our web site at rtriangle.org for cabaret nights, special events, and performers checking in from all over the country!

WHERE ONCE UPON A TIME IS RIGHT NOW!

HEAD OVER HEELS

by James Macgruder and Jeff Whitty; songs by The Go-Gos JUNE 17 – JULY 8, 2020

Get tickets at rtriangle.org or call (804) 346-8113 The 2019-20 Season Is Supported In Part By Funding From

MEDIA SPONSORS:

BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

ALL PERFORMANCES AT THE ROBERT B. MOSS THEATRE 1300 ALTAMONT AVENUE 55

PREMIER SPONSOR

JUNE 21 - AUGUST 4 NOVEMBER THEATRE/ARENSTEIN STAGE

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY CHARLIE SMALLS BOOK BY WILLIAM F. BROWN DIRECTION BY KIKAU ALVARO

VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE | 804-282-2620 | VIRGINIAREP.ORG E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation

56 SHOW SPONSOR

VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019

Jesse Smith & Kenny Brown present

RICHMOND TATTOO ART & MUSIC FESTIVAL th th September 13 -15 , 2019

WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT On-site Tattooing by the best in the industry $15,000 in Cash & prizes for Competitions Live Music, Burlesque & Fire Performances Family Friendly Sat & Sun Live Art for Charity Free Tattoo Booth AirSex Competitions… and much more!

FEATURING INDUSTRY ICONS DEREK NOBLE • NICK BAXTER PHIL GARCIA • FRANK LA NATRA Meet your TV celebrity favorites

RYAN ASHLEY • CLEEN ROCK ONE JOSH PAYNE • SARAH MILLER …and many more!

DOUBLETREE BY HILTON RICHMOND - MIDLOTHIAN 1021 Koger Center Blvd.

BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

RichmondTattooConvention.com

Music unites divisions. And creates connection where there was none before. Join us as we share the gift of song with RVA. Find your welcoming chorus at mcmrva.org.

Richmond Men’s Chorus / The Noteables / Richmond Women’s Chorus VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2019