Charlotte Pride

[voyager12]

Early reviews I have heard from this year's HRC Dinner have been very blah...as in "boring and uninspired". I can't judge since I did not attend. What do you think? Was not suprised to read about lower attendance given the current state of the economy. Also heard that it's moving back to the Triangle for next year? Anyone know for sure? Heartening to read that only one protestor showed up this year. Progress.

The Community Center is moving to....NC Music Factory This makes no sense at all. How is this a good fit? This a terrible choice of location. That project has been moving so slowly it's a joke, nobody knows or cares where it is. Getting to the complex is a pain and the area is univiting. The Center has no visibility to any major roads.Talk about out of sight, out of mind... I know they have no money and very few choices but burying themselves away is not going to help matters. Nobody is going to go there.

Edited February 18, 2008 by voyager12

[monsoon]

^I don't know that I would blame them for this. They are afterall working very hard to provide a service in Charlotte that wouldn't exist otherwise. I would blame the very affluent Gay community here in Charlotte that won't support them more than they do. The Gay community in Charlotte it seems is still very uncomfortable with Gay Advocacy.

[voyager12]

That's true. It's quite easy for me to keyboard criticize. And it's better than closing up shop, I just wish it had more visibility. God knows that's needed in this town. You are correct that supporting a communty center has never been a priority for gays in this town. But their new digs just seem so out in left field.....What's back there now? Creative Loafing and what else? I know condos and galleries etc are planned but with the slowdown I am not holding my breath. I am sure it's cool raw space but again it might as well be closed as far name recognition or popularity goes. I will try to be positive and hope that this may be a spark to help accelerate the overall project.

Edited February 18, 2008 by voyager12

[1979Heel]

Voyager, are you coming to Blue on Friday? There's some visibility for you!

[voyager12]

I might go. I have been to many Takeover Fridays. Have never met anyone because I am so intimidatingly hot The organizers behind these events have a done a great job normalizing gays in this town by going to "straight" bars and showing people that we party just like everyone else. Perhaps more so, gay guys love to drink by and large and bars love the money.

US Senate candidate Jim Neal spoke to the Charlotte Business Guild last night at the Vanlandingham House. I was impressed. He is a very eloquent speaker and I plan to vote for him against Kay Hagan in the primary. Polls show them essentially tied. Although he is far behind in the all important money race. May seem like a fool's errand for some. And I am usually cynical when it comes to politics, but if we don't push forward and try we won't ever know what might happen. And regardless of outcome this race is an important and historic step forward.

The Community Center is pretty much all moved into it's space in the back of the NC Music Factory. I don't think it's a great location but it's no help to be negative so I am going to look on the bright side and do what I can to support them as they start a new chapter in their history.

We also heard an update last night on the proposed gay inclusive bullying policy before CMS School Board. It's thought that they have enough votes to pass it. Barely. Gjertsen, Gavreau, and McGarry have formed their usual bloc against passage. McGarry is going to try and circumvent the protections in the proposal by introducing a substitute policy that would completely water down and remove all gay specific protections. Essentially killing the proposal through a supposed "compromise" since her side does not have the votes to killl it outright. The major concern is wavering from moderates now supporting the first proposal and thus falling for this ruse. A public hearing and vote is March 11th at 6pm in the meeting chamber of the government center. Statements from all sides are expected.

Jeez, so much gay news as of late....I am going to have to hire someone to do this job for me

[Justadude]

But their new digs just seem so out in left field.....What's back there now? Creative Loafing and what else?

Actually, being next door to CL might be a good move. As anyone in business knows, it helps to have a lot of face-time with people who are important to your overall strategy. If a major controversy should arise, the community center's top dogs would be a very short walk away from meeting immediately with the editor of the city's major alternative weekly.

[voyager12]

^ That's a good point, I am not a fan of everything CL does but they have covered gay issues in this town reasonably well. Close proximity to the center will help.

[voyager12]

Q-Notes recently had a story covering the scrapping of Carolina Celebration, an annual HIV fundraiser to benefit The Dennis Fund in support of MAP. Some in the article claimed the cancellation had to do with politics and race. CC was created and used to mainly serve white gay males. As patterns have changed the african american community has become a large part of the client base. I would hope that race was not the reason for this decision. HIV is a disease that does not know race or orientation or any other distinction. Everyone deserves equal help. There is a lot of work left to do to dispel The The Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Will and Grace stereotype out there that gay equals white,rich, male, and obsessed with fashion.

Disorganization and mismanagement also played a role in the end of Carolina Celebration. I have gone four times and never gotten an acknowledegment in the mail. Two years ago I wrote a check that was never cashed. Along with the other guy I went with and attendance has only grown more dismal. Hopefully something new and better can grow out of this.

[monsoon]

It's rather interesting because when CC was started more than a decade ago, it was referred as the "blue collar White Party". In reference no doubt to the exclusivity of the WP and the fact that it was mostly white,rich, male, and obsessed with fashion gays as compared to the CC which was basically open to anyone. It's ironic the CC has become identified with an image that it originally tried to avoid.

[voyager12]

I have never been to The White Party here. Shocking since I am such an "A List Gay" I have been invited but it's too much for me. Too many people and too much attitude. Carolina Celebration was more laidback in some ways which was nice. Apathy seems to be a major problem here as in many places I have lived. I just don't think they have found a replacement that was as successful as Gay Bingo was. It regularly drew equal if not more straights and reached a cross section because it was not "exclusive" or trying to be upscale. The balls that have taken bingo's place have alienated people because of the increased cost to participate. I know fundraising has to draw in people with money to be successful but there should be a balance.

[VistaLakes01]

Strange, I've never heard of Carolina Celebration, was it not promoted nationally? What is/was it? A circuit party type event?

Edited March 5, 2008 by monsoon
removed redundant quote

[monsoon]

Why in the world would a local fundraising group that raises funds for local matters, take on the expense to do a national promotion of their event? I can't imagine that it would draw in anyone from outside the area to justify the expense.

[southslider]

Well, Mayor Pat certainly isn't promoting Charlotte as an attractive place for gays to relocate.

[1979Heel]

Well, Mayor Pat certainly isn't promoting Charlotte as an attractive place for gays to relocate.

No, regrettably he is not. I keep thinking that once he is done with politics his attitude might change but by then it would do no good. I wonder if he ever thinks about the trade-off---his political career v. a more nationally recognized and respected, even hailed, Charlotte.

Nah....

[VistaLakes01]

Why in the world would a local fundraising group that raises funds for local matters, take on the expense to do a national promotion of their event? I can't imagine that it would draw in anyone from outside the area to justify the expense.

Depending on what type of event it is/was, there are tons of regional/city gay magazines and newspapers that adverstise major fund raising events accross the country. There is even a magazine that does nothing but advertise events around the country so people can attend and they will travel and take in the local tourist attractions, such as the mountains in NC. But nobody told me what type of event this is. And if the local fundraising group got in touch with a national promotor like Jeffery Sanker and he helps organize a large dance party to go along with it there is a national following of people that attends his or others events and does nothing but travel across the country and Canada to do this. Am I out of line in asking about this for some reason? Besides the Winter Party and other events in Miami, there is GayDays in Orlando and Memorial Weekend in Pensacola, all of which besides being fun are also fund raisers. All have websites and are advertised in other cities across the country gay publications. If Pensacola can handle 100,000 plus gays and lesbians from around the country descending on that Bible Belt city for one weekend a year, I'm sure Charlotte or North Carolina can do the same, or they need to start. It's a free country and there's nothing anyone can do when you have numbers like that in force. 15 years ago when Orlando started GayDays it caused a huge boycott by the Southern Baptist denomination of all products Disney. It didn't work and the boycott was withdrawn a few years later and now there is nary a protester to be found and the Mayor and city welcomes the event. Tolerance comes quickly when gay$$$ are being pumped in to the local economy. I've sure seen tons of NC license plates in Orlando and Pensacola. Miami is more of a fly in rent a car event because of the distance.

[1979Heel]

Jeffrey Sanker is a big gay event producer but he did get his hand slapped a few years back in Palm Springs and their White Party (seems it got just a wee bit too rowdy.)

I think the issue is turn-out. In other words, there's a compelling reason to have an event in Orlando, maybe a couple-weather, the theme parks-but Charlotte's big event is NASCAR, not exactly compelling for most gayfolk. I agree that in order to work, it'd have to be a big fund-raiser and given Charlotte's generosity with time and money, maybe this would be the way to go. I would want it in a raw warehouse space with a renowned DJ-say Armin van Buuren. Of course, this may be entirely too edgy for many gay men around here

Edited March 5, 2008 by 1979Heel

[voyager12]

Great news from The SC Equality Coalition. Today, Columbia City Council unanimously passed ordinances outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing and public accomodations. The presence of USC certainly helped in passage. Meckpac has these goals longterm. I know we must take an incrementalist approach. Domestic partner benefits, and city employee protections are needed here as well. Would be wonderful but we could never get a unanimous vote on Charlotte City Council. If McCrory is elected Gov his replacement will be equally anti-gay. It Just gets annoying and depressing to watch other cities zoom past us ( Winston-Salem had a unanimous vote on this issue a few months back) while Charlotte goes nowhere and most people could care less. On my less negative days I don't see this town as overtly homophobic, just Classic Charlotte: pretend to be accepting of gays so everyone can smile and get along. Just don't try to actually make it so in reality. Because in that case we could actually have openly gay elected officials and a less closeted gay community and that just would not be acceptable in Charlotte.

Edited March 6, 2008 by voyager12

[uptownliving]

What are MeckPac plans... if they are going to have the Charlotte City Council add Sexual Orientation to the Non Discrimination clause....now is the time to do it. I think there are enough votes on the Charlotte City Council to overcome any Veto MrCrory may or may not put up.

[voyager12]

Primary focus has been on CMS and progress has been made there. The final vote on the bullying policy is coming up on Tuesday. I will ask about City Council then. I think the plan was to make important advances on County Commission and then try to use the victories to influence City Council. It's going to be tough for Roberts to go out on a limb for us when she is facing backlash about the Mackey mess. Helms is not running again and it's a one seat CC majority that could flip Republican in the next election. Maybe with the addition of gay friendly Republican Edwin Peacock on City Council there would be enough Democrats to override a veto. I will ask what others think.

[Charlotte_native]

and a less closeted gay community and that just would not be acceptable in Charlotte.

While I agree with much of what you say, especially about the reluctance to pass non-discrimination policies and how much that pisses me off, I have to completely disagree with the statement above. I am openly gay in the business community and work with very few other gays so it isn't like I'm just one of many. I've been out and open for years and have never felt a backlash or felt my busniess was hurt from it -- and I work with and around mostly straight people.

My partner is a business owner and is quite openly gay and works with quite a few non-gay business folks. We are both often invited to events and other business related activities and dinners as a couple and are often the only, or of just a few, gay folks there (not because others aren't welcome, the point is they don't seem to care that we are a gay couple and we are invited just like anyone else).

I know countless openly gay employees at all of our largest employers and they say that they are quite accepted at work. I actually know very few closeted gays and the ones I did know and the handful I know now choose to be so because of family or personal issues with being out. I don't feel that the city or individuals in Charlotte anti-gay and don't see a backlash against anyone I know that chooses to let everyone know who they are and how they live.

I have openly gay friends that own some of the best known clubs and restaurants downtown, that have clothing and furniture stores, that have consulting businesses, that are developers and builders, that are attorney's, accountants, and doctors -- pretty much the gamut of business in Charlotte. (Obviously I know hair-dressers, designers, floral store owners and others in stereo-typical businesses as well )

Are there bigots out there? Sure thing, but to imply that it is a city-wide problem and we all have to hide? I just don't see anyone having the need to do that.

Primary focus has been on CMS and progress has been made there. The final vote on the bullying policy is coming up on Tuesday. I will ask about City Council then. I think the plan was to make important advances on County Commission and then try to use the victories to influence City Council. It's going to be tough for Roberts to go out on a limb for us when she is facing backlash about the Mackey mess. Helms is not running again and it's a one seat CC majority that could flip Republican in the next election. Maybe with the addition of gay friendly Republican Edwin Peacock on City Council there would be enough Democrats to override a veto. I will ask what others think.

I agree with all of this -- I've been especially happy with Roberts and her stances on our issues -- she never seems to mind the potential backlash -- much like Parks Helms.

As for CMS, they NEED to pass this policy, but I'm with you and can't say whether I think it will happen or not.

[uptownliving]

Since this is an election year for the County Commision I don't think they will get far with Domestic Partner benifits.

Where I think they could get some political traction would be with the City Council and adding Sexual Orientation to the Non Discrimination clause. This is not an election year for the City Council so that is why I think now is a good time to start pursuing this. It only takes 7 out of the 11 Council members to override a mayoral veto and I think that level of political support exists on the City Council for adding Sexual Orientation to the Non Disrimination Policy.

[voyager12]

All of what you say makes sense and is quite valid. I don't think I am explaining myself very well but maybe it has to do with the fact that we don't have a major university downtown or a large arts district, these are factors help to grow a more progressive and open minded atmosphere. I like Charlotte. I have been here going on four years and would have moved if I was unhappy. These issues bug me because for such a forward thinking city we are too far behind our competition on doing what is right. There is always room for improvement and if one could wave a magic wand that would be great...we all know that's not how life works. A victory on the CMS bullying policy would be a great coup. I am going to sit in the back this time so if McGarry&Co's antics piss me off I can just roll my eyes in obscurity out of view of the police and not get in trouble.

[1979Heel]

Once Charlotte elects a Democrat to the mayor's office, I think we will see a non-discrimination policy passed very quickly. It is so odd, however, that the county passed one and the county is generally more conservative than the city.

[Charlotte_native]

A victory on the CMS bullying policy would be a great coup. I am going to sit in the back this time so if McGarry&Co's antics piss me off I can just roll my eyes in obscurity out of view of the police and not get in trouble.

What does amaze me in a bad way ( and i understand the stupid motivations, but still...) is that this is even a discussion. IF McGarry and Co. are correct and this isn't necessary, well then pass it -- what would it hurt?? I just can't see why anyone would be opposed to any additional safeguards for any child for any reason. This from someone who has no kids and won't have any.

CMS is screwed up anyway (or maybe I should say the parents of many CMS kids are) -- if you read the paper there has been a recent outcry about how much CMS pays to feed kids who can't afford lunch or their parents don't provide them enough. What kind of person with any means at all would be opposed to helping feed someone else, much less a child. Whether the parents are freeloading or not, are we to punish the kids by making them go hungry? How embarrassing that should be for anyone, no matter how conservative they profess to be, to have in their belief system. I'd bet the same folks claim to be religious as well...

Edited March 6, 2008 by Charlotte_native

[monsoon]

All of what you say makes sense and is quite valid. I don't think I am explaining myself very well but maybe it has to do with the fact that we don't have a major university downtown or a large arts district, these are factors help to grow a more progressive and open minded atmosphere. I like Charlotte. ......

that really depends on the University. Suppose we had Bob Jones University downtown. Really what it gets down to is what do the people in this city want? The fact they have voted for openly homophobic Pat McCroy for an unprecedented number of times speaks volumes to the real character of the city. Remember this is the same person that took on the role of attack dog for GW Bush in 2004. This is the same GW Bush that won the election by getting the homophobes of America to vote for him in 2004 by pushing an anti-Gay amendment to the US Consititution no less. And during this spectacle he had a loyal Pat McCroy by his side, a Pat McCroy that got re-elected by a wide margin as mayor of Charlotte last year. Sad but True.