Editor’s Note
This issue, qnotes publishes the results of its second Community Assessment Survey, an annual project we began last year as a tool to gauge community non-profit organizations’ financial health and commitment to transparency.
I’d always thought it’d be fun to encounter a couple of cute and innocent Mormon missionary guys at my humble abode’s doorsteps. Unfortunately, divine providence has not looked favorably upon my quest to josh around with cute messengers from God; the only door-knocking evangelists to stumble upon my humble abode have been Jehovah’s Witnesses. Recently, though, I nearly had my chance. Again, like a legendary tragic hero, fate proved my adversary.
For such a successful, more than quarter-century run of events, it would seem NC Pride’s leadership has a firm grasp on their responsibilities as leaders of a non-profit community organization. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Part of me would love to think that this month’s earlier mishap with an open mic in a closed-door North Carolina House Republican caucus meeting was intentional — a smart political ploy to bring attention to some GOP initiative or send a sneaky message to the governor and other Democratic foes. Unfortunately, I just don’t think this state’s Republican legislative leadership is that intelligent.
The ineffective June 2 protest by GetEqual on the floor of the state House was not intelligent nor was it strategic, and it certainly didn’t have a clearly articulated message. The outburst was a perfect example of a direct action gone terribly, terribly wrong and all LGBT North Carolinians will pay for it.
Misogynistic, homophobic city council incumbent faces a challenge from an out lesbian with a history of progressive activism. Justice. Poetry. Irony.
Humbling. That’s how I feel every time I begin to thumb through old issues and archives from QNotes. It’s a feeling I once again had the opportunity to enjoy as the QNotes staff worked to put this 25th anniversary issue together.
What the GOP seeks to do or is already doing — both nationally and in states across the nation, including North Carolina — is truly evil. Jesus would be ashamed, but the GOP doesn’t care…
Though I have no idea how he personally feels about LGBT people — and, therefore, cannot call him a bigot — one thing is clear: McCarley’s actions and legal opinions have significantly harmed our community and prevented any substantial and concrete forward movement on LGBT inclusion in city policies and ordinances. In short, McCarley is an enabler of continued bigotry, discrimination and prejudice.
Back in December, Vice President Joe Biden said “there’s an inevitability for a national consensus on gay marriage.” It is a theme has been repeated often enough in days of late. There’s plenty of evidence to support such a hypothesis.
After years of little-to-no progress on LGBT issues in the Queen City, I’m starting to think we might be seeing the very early light of a bright spot in Charlotte. Or, at the least, that’s what I hope I’ve observed as small pieces toward progress fall into place here and there across the city.
There’s a lot going on these days. For me, my personal and professional lives are jam-packed, especially after returning to college again this semester. The community is moving full-steam ahead on many fronts nationally, statewide and locally. It’s hard to fit everything in, but I’m gonna try.
In our Jan. 22 print edition, I explored what Republican Party control might mean for LGBT North Carolinians. It’s been nearly two weeks now since the North Carolina General Assembly opened their legislative session and Republicans have wasted no time in their quest to push through negative legislation that will hurt everyday Tar Heels, especially the “least among us.”
If you’re LGBT and live in Charlotte, odds are likely you make your home in the city’s Eastside. If not, at the very least you work, eat, shop or drink here or have friends who live here. With such a great number of LGBTs in East Charlotte, we stand a phenomenal chance to have an impact especially on movement toward better public transit.
Republican Sen. Richard Burr’s vote for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal is historic, and shows just how far behind Charlotte’s “gay-friendly” Democrats are when it comes to LGBT inclusion and equality.
Only real political courage will be enough to fix Charlotte’s slim and pathetic record of progress. And, while Mayor Anthony Foxx was “there” at the Lesbian & Gay Community Center forum in December, I have doubts whether or not he’ll be “there” for us when it matters the most.
Concord’s Dr. Michael Brown will never recognize or admit his words are hateful or hurtful because he’s blind to the truth, the kind of truth that really sets people free and brings them into a radically inclusive communion with each other, the world around them and the Divine.
When Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx comes to his forum at the Lesbian & Gay community Center, community leaders and citizens should ask Foxx hard questions and reserve their pats on the back until after pressing issues are taken care of and promises delivered.
There’s been an overwhelming outpouring of support for LGBT people recently. Those encouraging words and statements, prompted by September’s string of gay youth suicides, have come from citizens and celebrities alike. But, after this year’s elections it all seems to add up to one mass contradiction.
As much as we’ve become accustomed to mostly positive coverage of LGBT people and issues by national and local news networks and publications, there was once a time when positive coverage might very well have been no coverage at all.
