Category: Memphis Gaydar

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Memphis Gaydar News

Mid-South Pride This Weekend

The 12th annual Mid-South Pride festival and parade is happening a little early this year.

In the recent past, Mid-South Pride was held in October around National Coming Out Day. But this year’s festivities are on Saturday, September 26th.

The festival kicks off in Robert Church Park at Fourth and Beale at 10 a.m. and runs to 5 p.m. And the parade will kick off on Beale at 5 p.m., also a later start time than in year’s past.

This year’s Pride theme is Love Equals Love, and the emcee is Phillis M. Lewis, a.k.a. FreakNasty, and Miss Gay Tennessee Bella DuBalle. The festival will feature vendors, a kid’s area, a VIP area, and a car show presented by the Lambda Car Group.

Here’s the entertainment stage lineup:
★ Thomas Prunier (Comedian)
★ Blackberry Wednesday (Performer Band)
★ Jerred Price as ‘Almost Elton’ (Performer Music)
★ Tori WhoDat (Performer Music)
★ Inner City South (Spoken Word)
★ ARTISTIK APPROACH (Performance Art/Music)
★ Q & A from Playhouse on the Square(Theater Performance)
★ Bridging Souls Productions (Dance)
★ Mary Robyn (Performer Music)
★ Miss Mid-South Pride
★ Mister Mid-South Pride
★ Miss Gay America
★ Miss Gay Tennessee – Bella DuBalle

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CBHS Student Not Allowed to Bring Same-Sex Date to Homecoming

Lance Sanderson

A Christian Brothers High School (CBHS) senior was told by school administrators that he wouldn’t be able to bring his male date to the school’s homecoming dance this Saturday.

Now the private all-boys Catholic school has issued a policy on its website stating that “CBHS students may attend the dance by themselves, with other CBHS students, or with a girl from another school. For logistical reasons, boys from other schools may not attend.”

Lance Sanderson said he discussed bringing a male date from another school to the dance with an administrator last year and was told he could. But that administrator left over the summer.

“I was sitting down talking to one of the current administrators over the summer, and at the end of our conversation, I mentioned it, expecting him to say the same thing. And he had a very different response,” Sanderson said. “He mentioned a [gay] couple in Texas and said I was a lot like this one person and said that the guy’s boyfriend murdered him. It was a little rough.”

CBHS declined comment on this story through its marketing and communications director John Morris.

Sanderson said CBHS convened a committee to look into the possibility of allowing same-sex dates, and the committee drafted the current policy that says boys from other schools are not allowed to come to the dance. Sanderson said the policy has been read over the school’s intercom daily this week.

“The way they worded it is ‘for logistical reasons, boys from other schools may not attend.’ I asked about it in a meeting [Tuesday] morning, and they said they didn’t want guys from our school getting into disagreements with guys from other schools,” Sanderson said. 

Sanderson said he would be able to go with a male date from CBHS if he chose to, according to the policy, but he believed the administration would “paint it as we’re just friends going together.”

Sanderson has launched a Change.org petition to convince CBHS to change their policy.

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Memphis Gaydar News

Outflix Kicks Off This Weekend

From In the Turn

Outflix, the annual LGBT film festival, starts Friday, September 11th and runs through Thursday, September 17th. This year’s festival showcases a mix of dramas, comedies, love stories, and documentaries. Tickets are $10 per film or $99 for a festival pass. For descriptions of each film and a full schedule, go here.

Here are a few highlights:

Baby Steps
Friday, September 11, 7 PM
Ridgeway Cinema Grill

Danny and Tate decide to hire a surrogate to carry their first baby, but Danny’s mom is horrified by the idea of a surrogate carrying her first grandchild. When she finally gets used to the idea, she tries to control the process as the three travel to Bangkok for the embryo transfer. 

Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines
Sunday, September 13, 3:30 PM
Ridgeway Cinema Grill

Documentary looking at evolution and legacy of Wonder Woman and how representations of powerful women tend to society’s anxieties about women’s liberation. Behind-the-scenes look at Lynda Carter, Lindsay Wagner, comic writers and artists, and real-life superheroines such as Gloria Steinem, Kathleen Hanna and others.

Big Gay Love
Saturday, September 12, 1 PM
Ridgeway Cinema Grill

Feature about Bob, a slightly overweight man searching for love body image–obsessed Los Angeles. He meets a man, a successful chef/restaurateur, but Bob’s insecurities about his body come to the surface when the pair get physical. Bob makes an appointment with a plastic surgeon to become “perfect.” The synopsis on the Outflix website calls the film “a cleverly crafted a love letter to everyone who’s ever wanted to be accepted as themselves regardless of their color, shape, or size.”

In the Turn
Saturday, September 12, 5:00 PM
Ridgeway Cinema Grill
Documentary about a 10-year-old Canadian transgender girl named Crystal who finds her support network in Vagina Regime, an international queer collective of roller derby players.

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Memphis Gaydar News

Emergency Planning Meeting Called To Address Transgender Homelessness and Unemployment

Homeless Organizing for Power and Equality (H.O.P.E.) is turning its attention to the issue of homelessness and unemployment among transgender Memphians.

The group will host a “state of emergency” planning meeting on Thursday, August 27th at 7 p.m. at the Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center (MGLCC) to discuss solutions addressing the lack of resources for trans people.

Currently, most (or all) Memphis homeless shelters will not allow trans patrons unless those patrons agree to present as their gender assigned at birth. And it’s difficult for transgender people to find employment. These issues overwhelming effect trans people of color.

For more information on the meeting or to RSVP, see the event’s Facebook page.


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Memphis Gaydar News

The Unleashed Voice Magazine Coming This Fall

Mother and son team Gwendolyn and Davin Clemons have announced that they’ll be releasing a bi-monthly LGBTQ magazine this fall.

The Unleashed Voice Magazine will feature stories “of LGBTQ people with engaging and empowering conversation” and will focus on “the multicultural LGBTQ community,” according to a press release.

The Clemonses are the hosts of a LGBTQ talk radio show called “The Unleashed Voice” that airs every Saturday at 5 p.m. on KWAM 990. They also host a series of empowerment workshops through their “Relationships Unleashed” brand. Gwendolyn is a counselor with the Department of Corrections, and Davin is a Memphis police officer, where he serves in the role of LGBTQ liaison for the department. 

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Memphis Author Raising Funds to Turn Lesbian Fiction Series Into a Film

Memphis author Skyy has launched an Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign to turn her novel series, Choices, into a film.

The novels in the Choices series “follow the destinies of four women who are navigating through life, its challenges, and the LGBT community, with the backdrop of a college university in Memphis, Tennessee. The heroines are dealing with all the common ‘growing pains’ … trying finding out who they really are what is their path in life, deciding if it’s better to follow logic or listen to their heart and learning to fall in love again and after a bitter disappointment,” according to Skyy.

Perks for those who donate to the film’s crowd-funding campaign include access to the Freedom University Center (a private, online community that will provide access to exclusive content from Skyy and the film-making process), digital downloads of the books, and producer credits on the film.

“This has been a dream of mine since I wrote the first chapter. Myself, as well as the devoted fans of the series, have been waiting nine years for this and now is the time to make it happen”, says Skyy. “Let’s bring ‘Choices’ to the big screen!”

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Memphis Gaydar News

New LGBT Magazine Launches in Memphis This Fall

Ray Rico

In September, the first issue of Focus Magazine, a new publication for the LGBT community, will hit stands.

Focus will be published by Ray Rico Freelance, a Cooper-Young-based design agency. The magazine will be available in print and online and will feature news, arts, entertainment, community, lifestyle, and other trending topics.

“The LGBT population in Memphis and regionally is being overlooked when it comes to news that is just for LGBT persons. There are many organizations that serve the needs of this audience, but nothing that is published regularly with aggregated content that is completely LGBT-centric,” said Rico, owner of Ray Rico Freelance. “We want to fill that void.”

Memphis hasn’t had an LGBT print publication in several years. The Triangle Journal, a newspaper published by the Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center, ceased publication in 2009. Family & Friends, a Memphis-based LGBT magazine, stopped publication about a decade ago.

The first issue of Focus will by titled “The Coming Out Issue.” The publication will be free and available at area businesses, or readers can subscribe for a mailed copy for $1 per issue.

“We want everyone to have access to this important publication, so we are offering Focus Magazine for free online and in print,” Rico said. “The printed version will be published every other month while the online version will be uploaded frequently with new and engaging content.” 

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Cherry’s Third Anniversary Party!

For three years now, comedian Julie Wheeler has been hosting burlesque and variety shows for her monthly Cherry series.

On Saturday, July 25th, Cherry regulars (and newcomers) will celebrate the party’s anniversary with a film noir-themed burlesque and variety show at Earnestine & Hazel’s/The 5 Spot. There will be two burlesque shows throughout the night with performances by Requi Emma, LadyDoo Moi, Spyke Styletto, and Delilah (a.k.a. Deborah Nguyen). Singer-songwriter Lisa Michaels will perform in between the two shows. DJ Leslie Christopher will spin dance tunes at the end of the night.

The 5 Spot’s menu, featuring the cuisine of Chef Kelly English, will be available, and there’s a full bar.

General admission is $10 or VIP (saved seat and a signed poster) is $20.

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Memphis Gaydar News

TEP Ice Cream Social

Sunday is National Ice Cream Day. And rather than gorging on Ben & Jerry’s alone (while catching up on episodes of Orange Is the New Black), get out and eat ice cream with others.

The Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) is hosting its annual Ice Cream Social on Sunday, July 19th from 2 to 4 p.m. at Neshoba Church. The family-friendly event is doubling as TEP’s 11th anniversary party. There will be all-you-can-eat ice cream, toppings, and sundae treats.

Plus, Magic Mr. Nick will provide face-painting, magic, and balloons for the kids.

The suggested donation is $10 per person or $25 per family.

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Memphis Gaydar News

Couples Tie the Knot at Tennessee Equality Project Marriage Celebration

“It’s my pleasure to introduce you to Mrs. and Mrs. Wallheimer,” said attorney (and former Shelby County Commissioner) Steve Mulroy, as a couple hundred people gathered on the lawn of the Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center (MGLCC) Friday afternoon cheered and clapped. Mulroy was referring to Jennifer and Alisha Wallheimer (formerly Jennifer Ballheimer and Alisha Wall), who married today on the front porch of the MGLCC.

Steve Mulroy performs a marriage for Jennifer and Alisha Wallheimer.

Mulroy was one of several volunteers with marriage-ordaining powers at the MGLCC’s celebration of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in favor of same-sex marriage in all 50 states. He and others married two other couples on-site in front of the gathered crowd. Before the ceremony, ministers roamed the crowd looking for anyone ready to marry.

“We actually had more ministers come out to perform weddings than we had people looking to get married,” said Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) Shelby County Committee Chair Justin Smith.

Shelby County Commissioner Reginald Milton spoke at the event. He told a story about having to go to a segregated medical clinic when he was a kid followed by the words “An injustice to anyone is an injustice to all.”

“I was too young to know the Civil Rights Movement, but I am honored to be here today as we stand for justice for every human being in this country,” Milton said.

While the event was celebratory, TEP President and Chair Ginger Leonard cautioned that, once the celebrations were over, the community still had lots of work ahead.

“Just because we can get married doesn’t mean we are no longer going to be discriminated against in housing, jobs, getting loans from banks, or in other areas,” Leonard said.

She said TEP will begin to shift its focus on non-discrimination ordinances with specific language addressing sexual orientation and gender identity, anti-bullying legislation, housing for LGBT homeless youth, and LGBT senior care.

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