Author Archive: Matt Comer

A local church long known for its LGBT inclusion was vandalized with anti-gay slurs overnight. The spray-painted graffiti, on the church’s doors and sign, were discovered by staff on Thursday.

Friday is the last day you have to register to vote in this year’s municipal primaries scheduled for Sept. 15.

The race for mayor is heating up and four of several candidates took their campaign to Charlotte Pride this past weekend.

Rowan County law enforcement officials have announced that remains found in Johnston County have been identified as missing transgender woman Elisha Walker. A suspect has been charged and arrested in the case.

Jason Boone recounts the story as if it happened yesterday. It was in the fall of 2014, the first night of Stonewall Kickball’s free-agent social. Boone and other early organizers of the kickball league had invited community members to come out, learn more about playing and discover more about what the new league would do.

Charlotte’s close-in neighborhoods have always been popular with LGBT people. Walkable, friendly ’hoods like Plaza Midwood, NoDa, South End and others have played pivotal roles in the city’s LGBT history — hosting LGBT bars and clubs, LGBT events, attracting LGBT residents and, in many, where you’ll find LGBT organizations headquartered and serving their community.

One of Charlotte’s best pleasures are its relaxing weekend outings. Walks and biking on local greenways, lazy afternoons in our beautiful parks, trips to ball games and more. Start it out right with a trip to one of these best local brunches and work in a trip in the coming weeks and months to these new local breweries.

A record number of openly gay and lesbian people are tossing their hat into the ring for a chance to represent constituents in cities and towns across North Carolina.

Parker Smith, 23, just moved to Charlotte two months ago, hired after they graduated from Appalachian State University to work as Time Out Youth’s trans outreach worker.

Charlotte Pride’s annual festival and parade are just around the corner. Taking up a full two days of Uptown fun, the event will feature over 150 vendors, the Sunday parade, hours of main stage entertainment and more.

In this issue’s “Our People,” we’re switching out our usual Q&A format to highlight a new project coordinated by local transgender leader Mac McLaughlin.

I still remember my first Pride. I was 18 and a freshman in college. It was the fall of that school year and I traveled with my LGBT student group to the NC Pride Festival and Parade in Durham.

The federal government’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued a landmark ruling on July 15 saying that discriminating against employees for being gay, lesbian or bisexual constitutes gender discrimination.

Activist Bree Newsome, who shot to fame and praise after defiantly scaling a South Carolina Capitol grounds flag pole and removing the Confederate battle flag there, will speak at a community panel and education event in Charlotte on Friday.

A two-decade-old national drag pageant’s decision to update its rules extending participation by some transgender people — but excluding transgender people who have not yet had gender reassignment surgery from competing — in two categories has caused confusion among some and claims of discrimination by other fans, followers and performers online.

City officials should have kept and expanded domestic partner benefits to include more households not based on marital status. Mecklenburg County has time to avoid the city’s mistake.

A documentary following the lives of several transgender actors will screen during the upcoming National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem next week.

Organizers of Charlotte Pride have announced this year’s recipients of their Champions of Pride Awards, including a local LGBTQ archivist, Charlotte City Council member and a high school student from Union County.

More than 200 LGBT activists and state-based advocacy leaders from across the U.S. have gathered in the Queen City this weekend for the Equality Federation’s annual summer meeting.