Gay Charlotte and LGBTQ Carolina News, Arts & Entertainment
One of the many interwoven questions raised by “BootyCandy” is one that all audiences must ask themselves at some point: what is the purpose of theatre? According to the protagonist, a playwright named Sutter, he seeks to make his audience “choke.”
Big Mamma’s House of Burlesque has given the Charlotte entertainment scene a spice of sex and variety for over a decade. Now in the beginning of its 11th season, the troupe is made up of acts much more unique than a simple striptease show.
Spring has come early to the Carolinas, with daffodils already in bloom and trees cascading their blossoms over streets and highways from the mountains to the coast. So now is the time to break away from being stuck inside and venture out to theatres, concerts, festivals and more. With that said, here are some idea starters to whet qnotes’ readers’ appetites.
In the world of thespians (not to be confused with lesbians), the Charlotte theatre scene is diverse and lively. No one knows this better than Martin Damien Wilkins, 37, a local stage director whose newest production, “BootyCandy,” is playing at the Mint Museum on Randolph Rd. until March 19.
The controversy surrounding House Bill 2 (HB2) sees developments every day. The anti-LGBTQ legislation, which mandates public restroom use by birth sex and nullifies local non-discrimination protections, has had received massive pushback from advocates and allies.
As a quick refresher, North Carolina’s HB2 law, passed last spring, dictated that transgender people must use the restroom corresponding to the gender on their birth certificate in public facilities, and that municipalities may not pass legislation protecting its citizens from discrimination beyond that already described at the state level. The result has been a huge departure of convention, sporting and entertainment events, as well as potential major business expansion, from the state.
Even as we recognize and honor today’s LGBTQ heroes, we should also look back and remember those women and men who made our community what it is today. Unlike today, when leading an LGBTQ community organization is often a profession, the heroes of the 1960s and 1970s were volunteer leaders of a movement.
Recent research from Harvard and Johns Hopkins links the presence of state marriage equality with reductions in suicide attempts among adolescents. The effect was particularly strong among adolescents who reported they were gay, lesbian, bisexual or unsure.
In 1992, I walked into a church. I hadn’t done that for a very long time. I have to admit that my motivation was not necessarily all that pure. I was dating a woman who went to church every Sunday evening and I needed to see what or who drew her there.
It takes a village, even for drag queens. Often we don’t see all the supporters and people behind the scenes, helping make a queen look flawless. Nor do we think about what it takes to put together a drag show: the costs involved, the planning of a special event and all the logistics.
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