Happy Black Month everyone, because every month is Black History Month thank you very much!

Last season’s (February) season finale came with a roller coaster of emotions; black excellence in cinema and a riveting rap beef that covered many hard hitting themes. New vs. old. Bars vs. charts. Criminal backgrounds vs. a ledger of receipts.

It's been quite a run.

First, the beef between Remy Ma and Nicki Minaj struck a fever pitch as the former released her diss track, dropping a whole dossier of receipts and leaving mouths agape. To the uninformed, this beef was a surprise dish, but this perfectly aged filet has been simmering for quite some time. This is also not the first time in which Ma-ma dearest decided to showcase bars over beats on a public platform in efforts to dethrone the self-proclaimed “Queen of Rap.”

In essence, this was more of an attempt to fuel the fire and keep Nicki's corpse warm. That being said, there has been no response from Ms. Minaj other than a paltry shoutout to Beyoncé and--in this writer’s opinion, minus the Beyonce clinging--it’s her best move. For people not familiar with the merit system involved in rap beefs and battles (yt people) Nicki does not have the strength in lyricism to combat Remy. This is obvious and no amount of sales comparison will change that. If Nicki tries and fails, it's a bigger blow to her career and she does not want to go the way of ole what's his name. I think its Modest Factory or something like that. I don't know, that dude Drake bodied.

Moving forward, my black queer ass still cannot stop screaming about Moonlight’s stunning success at the Oscar’s! Though Hollywood still mimicked American History’s penchant for stealing the shine of black people, this win is a crowning achievement and is a beacon of hope and validation for black gay men. Moonlight was a much needed win in a time where it seems the bad guys hold power and all your heroes are dying, but at least not this time. Not to mention this movie delves into to the heart of so many issues faced by the black experience and the hypermasculinization of the black male.

It's truly a win for black people I tell you what.

Finally, is the thunderous release of Get Out, which shocked audiences with its use of covert racism as a thriller plot-device. With an opening weekend box office of  $30 million, Get Out expertly laces every scene with unsettling banter and micro aggression after micro aggression to keep you on your toes, while expertly paying homage to many tropes from America’s historically murky relationship with race.

Honestly if you're black, it just reads like the trials of regular life up to a point, just with all the uniquely cringey parts you get while being in the midst of white people. The release of this film has already inspired a lot of important and critical conversation and art which can help us contextualize the race conversation, our experiences and possibly heal some wounds. In the word of Jordan Peele, “Art and communication is the one tool we have against the horrors of the world, which is violence,” and this movie does very well acting as a master tool for furthering communication on the psychology involved in race relations. Go see Get Out in theaters now, and if you're black I recommend going with your black friends in your blackest theater for the full experience and more space to process your feelings.

Fear is now the currency of the land.

As evidenced by the past year, which yielded comfy spots for repugnant nationalists in mainstream media and politics. The ambitious seem to have rediscovered the tools of the trade. While the tools are rusty, and surely put little thought into the concepts of humanity and decency, they are effective. In fact, they are so effective that established stewards of the things that make us human and empathic can be swayed by them, e.g. your Trump-supporting Aunt.

Politicians now re-frame information at the speed in which it is disseminated; not as a detriment to their career, but as a boon to their lies. The same applies to anyone seeking to increase their profile, be they an activist, writer, or a complete and total hack with a skill for quasi-socially conscious think pieces wrapped in recycled Dennis Cooper imagery:

From Matthew Terrell's This Is Why Parents Need to Talk to Their Gay Sons About PrEP to Prevent HIV

I am talking about Matthew Terrell, the mind behind Atlanta's own monument to HIV/AIDS stigma, which ironically finds its home at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

Look at it.

Via Business Wire

If you are an HIV-positive person, you more than likely grapple with the ghost of stigma past frequently. You know that sometimes you develop a steely taste in your mouth--brought on by sudden and inexplicable anxiety, triggered only by listening to Klaus Nomi, singing loudly to Queen, or finding a Keith Haring sweater in a thrift shop. What some consider kitschy throwbacks to the bright eras of yesterday, serve as reminders of brightly burning icons trampled by a disease, at least to those living with it.

HIV isn’t unique in that it commanded an army of scared neighbors and politicians, but it is unique in that, unlike ebola or dengue, it affects 37.5 million people. It is unique in that unlike polio, it was not considered a public health crisis because of ideological reservations informed entirely by its mode of transmission: sex and needles. It is unique, because a U.S. President made so little effort to address the disease that an entire generation of gay men and trans women no longer exist. It is unique in that it almost destroyed the very fabric a perpetually vibrant community because it was allowed to go unchecked by families, parents, even medical professionals. Knowing that all of these things make HIV/AIDS a unique threat to humanity, a misguided sculptor building a pyramid of shame or the junkyard-art equivalent to a bachelor’s little black book, in an effort to increase his profile is NOT unique. It is tired.

The creator of this piece has been enjoying a healthy round of press coverage. Local media has celebrated the presence of a serophobe’s ode to sexual shame as a sobering reminder that the fight is not over. As if the 30,000-plus HIV positive people in the Atlanta-area did not already know that. The AIDS quilt is also a sobering reminder that the fight is not over, the American South is a sobering reminder that the fight is not over. Hell, Terrell’s own writing is a sobering reminder that the fight is not over (you have Google).

Of course, this plexiglass viral node couldn’t have been possible without major backing. The monument is unsurprisingly funded by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), an organization that has no issue holding queer men’s feet to the fire on the subject of ever-increasing HIV incidence (new cases) rates. They have called Grindr and other hook-up apps “digital bathhouses”, and used shitty references to double down on that claim when rebuked by another well-known app, Tinder. The AHF cited association studies that purported a rise in “casual hookups” in the age of dating apps. They also went a step further to cite a study released by the Rhode Island Department of Health, that observed a rise in in STD rates between 2013 and 2014.

Tone deaf 2015 buildboard by AHF

To some, these receipts may seem compelling but they are anything but. If AHF wanted to prove that hook-up apps and not decades of failed American public health policy were the cause of increased STD rates, they would have to try a little harder than linking two completely unrelated studies together by way of sheer conjecture. That’s like saying an increase in undocumented workers is the reason murder rates increased in U.S. cities --and we all know that’s bullshit. We already know the cause of rapidly increasing HIV incidence rates among young queer men in the US: shitty policy.

If AHF spent more time funneling precious dollars into public health initiatives instead of shocking public art and advertising displays, then funding Terrell’s terrible project could be dismissed as a PrEP-shaming, creep (Terrell) duping a well-meaning, but out-of-touch organization. That’s not the case here: this is a conglomerate of selfish and calculated interest seeking to capitalize on the culture of fear permeating America today. It’s like Milo teaming up with the Family Research Council to build a giant fetus statue or Jeff Sessions and the KKK painting a mural of burning crosses.

Not only that, Terrell’s piece is laced with the erasure of black queer men, who lie at the center of newly increasing HIV incidence rates. To reduce this population to a faceless number while ignoring their entire narrative is not only insulting, it is racist. If we consider that the increasing number of HIV cases are predominantly black queer men, then tabulating their growing numbers does little to shed light on Atlanta’s HIV rate, but it does illuminate Terrell and AHF’s disregard for black people within the context of public health. Further, doing this while perpetuating stigma does more to demonize black men, and not just those with HIV.

When interviewed by Loise Reitzes, Terrell was asked to explain why his piece focused on the number of HIV cases as opposed to the humanity of those living with the disease. His response was typical of a white artist drawing conclusions of a demographic to which they are not connected, "My job as an artist is to ask questions and not provide answers." What does it mean when the questions posed do less to provide segues to dialogue and more to perpetuate stigma, fear, and loathing of those who are already suffering? It's one thing to colonize tragedy for relevance and social capital, but it's truly insidious to believe that when you do this you are helping people, that you are acting as the genesis of a conversation that has already been had.

WUSSY asked Terrell why he chose AHF to fund his project, and whether or not their work as a non-profit align with his own views, he replied, "Part of their [AHF] mission is to provide 'cutting edge advocacy' which is where my work fits in."

If a serophobic, slut-shaming, racist pyramid is considered cutting edge, then my criticisms are off base.

To end, I request that anyone reading this look to those in their lives suffering or affected by the disease and give them a huge hug. I also ask that local media and established publications take a moment to step back and really question whether or not allowing Matthew Terrell to act as a voice for the voiceless is good sense. A disease acting as the ideal criteria which makes one an “untouchable”, a shameful reality, is not new. Still, the idea that this brand of stigmatization is riding a strong wave into 2017 is somewhat harrowing. Surely the NCCHR and other enabling entities know this, but there is the chance that they don’t. After all, the bad guys are winning.
 

Lost-n-Found Youth, a local nonprofit working to get LGBTQ kids off the streets, is a cause Wussy is certainly familiar with and one that we are proud to support any chance we get. On the last Friday in March, a few local bands are getting together and throwing a free concert to raise awareness for LNF. They’ll be taking donations in any amount for cash, sanitary products (shampoo, soap, deodorant, etc), food gift cards, clothing and household goods.

Friday Night Classic will be headlined by the StarBenders, Atlanta natives that describe themselves as “the half way home for disgruntled misunderstood Generation Y / Z.” Think of Iggy Pop playing 7 minutes in heaven with Debbie Harry and you’ll get the idea. After watching a  couple of their semi-art house videos I’d say their dreamy glam rock vibe is exactly the sort of thing that can get people of any age shuffling around a dance floor.

Avondale Towne Cinema will play host for the evening with the show starting at 8pm. Opening performances will include other homegrown cuties Cutcard and Hungry Girl for your listening pleasure. This party will be for all ages and they have free tacos, so what more could you ask for?

Check out these bands via the links above! Don’t miss a great opportunity to support Atlanta’s LGBTQ youth while getting to know some great bands from our lovely little part of the country, and free tacos.

Nando by Bernd Ott

Being queer these days sometimes feels like we are a hot commodity, with representation increasing to levels we've never seen before. Transpeople walking in major fashion shows, mainstream publications like Cosmo and Teen Vogue writing about the experiences of queer people, and that monumental win for Moonlight at the Oscars. Are we finally breaking boundaries into the mainstream? Is that even where we want to be?

Despite all this forward momentum, we must never lose sight of how far we have to go. Trans women of color are still being killed at disproportionate rates and queer people are being discriminated against all across the globe. Our Eurocentrism gives us a limited view on what it means to be queer in this world and all the ugly, wonderful, and often tragic experiences one might face. Our stories must keep being told.

When All the People, a photobook collaboration by photographer Bernd Ott and writer Emily Besa, landed on our doorstep, we were blown away by the queer magic that was leaping off the pages. The subjects of the book not only represent over a dozen nationalities, but their ages range from 5 to 69. Besa sat down with each of the 39 subjects to help tell their unique story, while Ott used his camera to capture their beauty. Individuals from Jerusalem to Trinidad and Tobago, each person's story speaks to a universal truth about queer strength and resilience in an unforgiving world.

"We offer this document, so that connection, understanding, and acknowledgment of one another can be created," Besa wrote in the book's intro.

WUSSY spoke with the two creators about their creative process, queer representation, and moving forward with the project. Enjoy!

Your book includes subjects from 4 different countries, 5 cities, with over a dozen nationalities. Even within the queer community, a lot of people have opposing views of gender identity and queer politics. Did you notice these differences of opinion in the subjects you were documenting?

Bernd Ott (B): That is a tough question to answer. To be honest, views and thoughts differ between the individuals a lot. If you are looking for a more general answer: You certainly see major differences between age groups. We have people in there that grew up in the 50s and 60s and their experiences differ dramatically from young people that are today still in their teens. Things have certainly improved and acceptance in the Western hemisphere has increased.

As far as politics go: Trying to sum it all up, I’d say people were least happy with their options and help provided by the state in the UK compared to the Netherlands which offers the best support network of all the countries we have been to. 

Emily Besa (E): Yes, there were many differences of opinion—which is natural in any community especially when identity and identity politics are involved. Inevitably, there is a push to define and delineate what trans or queer is. That can seem counter-productive or counter-intuitive when there is a fluidity of identity (trans) or when the concept itself is a rejection of (cis)heteronormativity and labelling (queerness). But we could talk about this for days!

I would say the the differences we found weren’t so much cultural but generational. Every decade between the age of five and 69 years old is represented in the book, and many of our older participants mentioned that they weren’t even aware of the concept of being transgender until fairly recently. But what I think most people in the book would agree on is that from their experiences spanning six decades, that things are slowly but surely improving for trans and GNC folks.
 

Davon

Lex

 

With so much attention now being brought to queer identity in certain parts of the world, trans people now visible in huge fashion magazines, etc - do you think there has been even more pushback against us? Where do you see the queer community moving forward in the next 10 years?

B: The recent increase in public presentation of the trans community has certainly sparked a lot of controversy in a sense that suddenly people who didn’t even know trans people existed 5 years ago now open their mouth and find it hard to accept that transgender people claim the same rights as everybody else. But I believe that will pass. What I am hoping for is that gender fluidity, being transgender or gender queer won't be an issue anymore, that it can be seen for what it is, one of the many elements of human expression. And that we can move on from silly discussions like bathroom usage and passport alterations.

E: When people’s realities are challenged, there is bound to be pushback. But I think the positive effects of trans presentation, representation, and visibility far outweigh the pushback. I see these times as our growing pains. In ten yearsI believe we will have educated, engaged, and activated enough people to reach the next level of humanity. I’d love see the day when zero phobias are tolerated.

Who was the most interesting person to shoot/interview and why?

B: It’s like asking me to choose my favourite child…couldn’t do it. I have love and admiration for almost each and everybody in that project for very different reasons. 

E: Same here, the book wouldn’t be what it is without each and every person who take part in it. It’s a big, rowdy, diverse, and beautiful family.

How long have the both of you worked together? How did the collaboration come about?

B: This was our first collaboration ever and as a matter of fact the first real long term project we have ever done. I have been working for commercial fashion clients and magazines in the past and was very eager to do a long term photographic project focusing on portraiture. I really wanted to use my abilities as a photographer and create something that allows people to connect to each other on an emotional level. Emily had for the longest time an interest to do something about gender identity. When we got talking we realised quickly that this would work perfectly together. On top of that we both had close personal friends that are now part of the book.

E: We had collaborated on a fashion/beauty shoot before, but that was only a few days’ work. Bernd expressed that he wanted to return to his portrait work and take on a long-term project. I’ve been interested in gender identity forever so I pitched the idea of exploring gender diversity and fluidity to Bernd and he loved it. We developed book together—I wanted to contribute with writing so that there was another dimension to the portraits, the stories. 

We’ve been collaborating since fall of 2013.
 

Arben

 

Do you both identify as queer? What drew you both to document these individuals?

B: None of us identifies as queer. We both might have experienced to a certain degree being an outsider in the world we were thrown into. For me it was what I would call a long term admiration born out of friendships for people that were able to live a live honest to themselves despite a lot of resistance. The joy I encountered in people that managed to break out of the mold.

E: I have queer friends and queer family. I carry the queer gene but it’s recessive in me. ;) I relate to being queer, even if I’m not. One of my friends, who is the book, really got me thinking about the complexity of gender identity and expression and how it’s possible to shed and add many layers of identity over one lifetime. Humans are much more magical than what the old hetero cisgender tropes lead us to believe. Hopefully the book shows that in some way! 

 

Are there plans to continue the project?

B: It is continuing in multiple ways as we speak. We are still working on creating additional events, hopefully more exhibitions with the project. 

We would love to expand it to more countries and continents. But the crowdfunding only raised money for the biggest part of the printing costs. All other expenses of this project came out of our pocket. And once you do something like this for two years you reach some limitations. To go further would require some sort of financial support and funding.

E: And we’re open to this!

We’ve also started a new aspect called All The People: Voices and we will be engaging some of the people we meet through the project by videotaping an interview with them and photographing them. We want to continue the conversation, further the connection, and send positive ripples out into the world.
 

peppermint

Robyn jaxx

 

Who inspires you as an artist?

B: Everybody who expresses individuality, insight and kindness. And my partner Emily :)

E: People who are fiercely individual, original, innovating and pioneering. I like the unexpected and the weird but a good heart really gets me. I’m inspired by people with open hearts and open minds, people with relentless curiosity and unflagging kindness. Like Bernd. :)
 

 

Anything else you want to add?

B: This is the most important project I have worked on so far and some of the most exciting people I’ve met during my career. So glad and grateful that we were able to realize this book.

E: Ditto.This project and the people I’ve come to know through it have profoundly impacted my life and my being. I am so thankful.

Buy your copy of All the People by clicking here. 

WUSSY is proud to present two poems by Atlanta writer Liz Clayton Scofield. Please be aware the second poem, "Brutal Dirt", contains some descriptions of violence that may upset some viewers. <3

------

beautiful floral beings

1
I have flashing memories of the free fall and the bungee cord seemingly not quite kicking in, seemingly letting me fall forever into the ground and further into concrete, through concrete, into nothing, into everything, I have these flashing memories and I relish them and they hurt—they hurt because they are gone, because they are real, because I can still taste the air, sharp and cold, and how it felt rushing through my entirety, my being, my body, and I can still taste the tequila, straight up only slightly watered down by melting ice, that didn’t have enough time to melt very much because we hit everything so hard then.  We hit everything so hard, because everything was hitting us so hard, we didn’t know what else to do, but a magnum of red, whiskey diet, Jameson on the rocks, tequila shots, and a pack of American Spirit blacks, on repeat, on repeat, on repeat, styrofoam cups and a blanket with a crocheted cat.

2
I need to recount it now or I will let it dissolve into the past.  I need to recount it now before I reset the hard drive and delete all that miscellaneous experience that will spread malicious content into my bloodstream if I don’t trash it now.  She said, you would light the house on fire just so you could jump out of the window, through the flames, to see it burn, to cry with the neighbors and the firemen, to collect the ashes afterwards, and ultimately to be broken, to then rebuild from nothing, just to burn it all down again.  Maybe I would.  Maybe I did.  Explosives in the backyard—they told me it was dangerous, but the flashing light, I found so attractive.  I had to burn it down to build the fantasy—to crawl into my own rabbit hole where I could stop time.  I pulled you in with me and taught you how to play pretend.  And I pretended I had love and I had hope and I had beauty captured in my pocket, and it wasn’t going anywhere, and there was only happiness and no pain and no hurt and everything was good and nothing was bad and money didn’t matter because I owned all the banks and I ran the reserve and I printed all currency myself. But even the most carefully constructed imaginary structure can topple so easily, with the slightest exhale of words whispered from reality—my delusions now are just dust adding to the pile of ash of the bridges and homes I’ve burned for the sake of my delusions.

3
You’re gonna have to grow up someday.  

4
This chair leans back far too far.  The coffee is cold, a little stale.  The room is uncomfortable, right on the edge of chilly.  The white cinder block walls remind me of third grade.  I could just paint a wide stripe about three feet up around the perimeter, in a vivid primary color.  Not a place I would choose, but handed to me, I suppose I have to make the most of it.  White cinder blocks don’t feel real to me—fiction never suited me, to read nor to write nor to live.  Baby, I need something real—and if I went and pressed my hand against that wall, with just enough pressure, slight pressure, I believe the wall would give way and reveal to me it’s nonexistence.  And upon this revelation, the wall and I would have a wonderfully colorful and intriguing conversation not about the weather, because the wall and I don’t waste our time throwing around trivial and trite phrasing about the sun or the gray or the cold out today—but about the implications of the crossings of our existence and how hopefully from this tiny point on the trajectory of time, we will continue on our little lines in the plane of this universe or whatever existence, go forth, changed, a new lease on life.  I fell into the wall, stood inside the wall, became the wall, and felt what it was to be still and silent and supportive.  I let everything move around me and realized in this experience, I felt the weightlessness of freedom while the cinder blocks held me there, and I became the cinder blocks.  

5
I will not be the stranger in my own life anymore I will know myself on the inside and out and I will let the evil rot away and decay and I will compost it and let it grow beautiful floral beings.  

brutal dirt

I don’t need flowers to describe you. You don’t need ornaments. 
You are bare. Be naked here with me. 
I don’t need to compare you to anything. You are not a metaphor, a simile, a simulacrum. 
I don’t want to describe you with any like or as. 
You are not a representation of some ideal I’m seeking.
I just fucking want you. I just want to fall apart into you. 

There are no flowers here. There is just brutal dirt, and we are fucking in it. 
I threw my thesaurus away because you are not an entry in it and why do I need any other words
than I LOVE YOU now. 
You broke me and my ability to wander through language to avoid what I really mean. 

I just want to kiss you again. I just want to breathe the air out of your mouth. 
I want the air that was inside your lungs to be inside my lungs. 

I want to wake up in the middle of the night and see the softness of the back of your head. I want to kiss it gently and then pull you towards me. I want to be gentle. 

I want to dance with you in a dive bar, follow you to the bathroom, and against a dirty wall and better judgment, swallow you whole, kiss you hard and desperately. I want to be hungry.

I want you to crush me.
I want you to destroy me.
I want you to utterly fucking decimate me.
God, I just want you.
Lay on top of me in a stupid open field that doesn’t even exist around here.
Take off your shirt. Take off my shirt so the sun burns us.
Punch me in the face until my nose gushes and
then kiss me with an open mouth until my chest gushes and
devour
Everything

Liz Clayton Scofield is a tender-hearted queer, a public crier, and a multidisciplinary artist, writer, and thinker. They're 70 percent water, 100 percent heart, and they wear it on their sleeve. 

Felix Glasmeyer

Hip-hop speaks on the black experience. Even when it seems MCs are more interested in stunts like detailing their bank account in a verse, they are speaking on an experience exclusively shared by black folks. It’s not a reach, because while the lives of black people are varied and non-singular, the dream to get out, to defy the odds that non-black gatekeepers have placed around us—that is universal. Still, while people of color have used music and braggadocio to give a voice to a struggle often left without one, hip-hop has not always been welcoming to queers. The machismo of hip-hop is another piece for another time, because in this turn we focus on a force within the soundscape of rap music that has defied any entry barriers queer artists are expected to face: Mykki Blanco.

Mykki Blanco is the divine feminine extension of gay NYC multi-discipline artist and writer, Michael David Quattlebaum Jr. Before donning the visage of Miss Blanco, Quattlebaum published a book of poetry through the Moran Bondaroff gallery’s publishing imprint OHWOW. Unsurprising, as poetry is the perfect segue to becoming an MC. Following this, in 2012 he released his first EP as Mykki, titled Mykki Blanco and the Mutant Angels. The project was heralded as “mental” and “fun”; welcoming the era of one woman seeking the truth.

JULIA BURLINGHAM

Discovering Mykki’s music is like finding a book of answers. She affirms the idea that a queer, gender-fluid, rapper can deliver bars, fabricate a bomb flow, and get grimy with the best of them without going full on Beam Me Up Scotty. Before her, I thought Nicki Minaj was the closest rap would ever step to the flamboyant and full-on nature of so many fags the world round. So it was an immense honor to finally speak with the trailblazer that is Miss Blanco, while she and fellow NYC-based queer rapper Cakes da Killa embark on their Stunt Queen tour.

I spoke to Mykki early in the morning, my time, and she was working on Mountain Time heading to Colorado. There is something about talking to famous people, or people you consider heroes—often, you don’t know where to start. In a 30-minute conversation, I pressed Mykki on her own understanding of her place in many queer kid’s hearts and record collections. I was surprised to find her gravelly yet feminine voice carries just as much punch outside of a beat, particularly because she speaks with such affirmation regarding her own craft and herself.

Still, she is very unpretentious, “If people come to my shows and they take something away from that, [which] they find inspiring, that’s good,” she says. Often, when an iconoclastic artist makes their way into a mainstream medium, we assume they are bound to the image of a cultural messiah. Mykki may not be that to herself, but to fans she is.

“That’s in the eye of the beholder. It feels good when someone comes up to me and says that [my show is inspiring] but that’s not exactly what I’m out to do,” she says. She is determined to craft a good product; what comes after is a welcome addition. This is why her music is taken seriously as a cultural marker. Respect aside, she is not immune to the trials of fame and prestige. She’s noted for her brash condemnation of hip-hop head media outlets like Complex, Vibe, and BET over their lack of coverage of black queer artists. Of course, some of those trials have been more personal: in 2015 Mykki announced that she was HIV-positive, and by all standards many assumed Michael, the artist, would suffer detriments to his career—including himself. Yet, even though Michael opted to be vulnerable while in the public eye, he has no interest in being an advocate per se.

“I don’t want people to think that’s all I’m capable of,” she says speaking as Mykki, describing an understandable fear of being pigeonholed as not just a queer artist, but also an HIV positive one. Since the announcement, she’s released her first album Mykki to shining reviews (the long-game result of three EPs and three equally well-received mixtapes dropped years earlier) and she embarked on her Stunt Queen tour with Cakes, an artist she only recently formed a bond with.

“I knew of him before,” she says; she then goes on to describe the natural chemistry they shared as artists when they met before planning the tour, focusing on the ease of their connection. That’s a welcome dynamic when you decide to tour the country with someone, hitting city after city at breakneck speed and cleaning post-show glitter out of your ass. When I ask her to describe her show so we know what to expect here in Atlanta, she replies “You can’t control how you impact people.” It’s that respect for her fans individual experiences that makes Mykki a special addition to not only the landscape of rap music but to black culture itself.

Mykki Blanco and Cakes da Killa bring their Stunt Queen tour to Drunken Unicorn, March 18th. Tickets are available here; the show is 18+; doors open at 9.

WUSSY will be hosting the afterparty directly following the show, with LEONCE and DJ Ree de la Vega. Party is 21+, enter through the Drunken Unicorn side. Details here. 

Every Butthole is unique and different.  Like a snowflake, or a secret Canadian family you visit on holidays. Knowing your butthole is to know your soul. Every wrinkle, questionable mole, and lost object is a tile in the mosaic that is your identity.

You’re probably telling yourself, “That’s crazy, I don’t have a butthole!” Oh, it’s there! You’ve been sitting on it this entire time and didn’t even realize it. Don’t worry, WUSSY is here to help you identify what kind of butthole you have so you can live a more ASStute life.

So take your baseball bat, bash your neighbor’s car mirror off, and prop your taint on the kitchen table cuz it’s about to get messy, henny!

Smooth

The Slip ‘N Slide of anuses. Just add water and it’s fun for the whole family! Warning: wait at least 30 minutes after you eat before diving in.

Hairy

Voluminous and strong; not just a Garnier Fructis tagline. These anuses can rock French braids, any haircut worn by Skrillex, and – for the more durable taint – a fun game of Double Dutch in your neighborhood cul-de-sac.

Prolapse

The Ella Fitzgerald of Assholes; the Scat Queen. You can find her with a cigarette resting on her lips as she lays down some freestyle verses at your local open mic.

Tight

At the foot of the Mines of Moria lies the Doors of Durin. To enter you must press your mouth closely up against the doors and whisper in the elven tongue, “Ennyn Durin Aran Moria. Pedo Mellon a Minno. Im Narvi hain echant. Celebrimbor o Eregion teithant I thiw hin.”

Ancient Scroll

Endowed with secrets gathered throughout the centuries, this butthole is a tapestry waiting to be open and read. Like your palm, this wise taint holds the answers to your future within its different lines. Each one represents a pillar of life: fate, love, and taco Tuesdays.

Black Hole

Take caution, not even light can escape a black hole’s event horizon. Once an object is caught in its gravitational pull, it is lost forever. Christopher Nolan’s documentary “Interstellar” explores Matthew McConaughey’s daring and fatal journey inside Anne Hathaway’s black hole.

Ikea

Instructions come in Swedish and all you’re given is one Allen wrench. Good luck! Or as the Swedes say, “Gur dur tuh foo noot doop fanoop!”
 

Stevie King is a freelance writer and comedian with a mild obsession for burning down ice cream trucks. They've often been mistaken for Jack Antonoff, Jason Schwartzman, and your mom.

Welcome to Black Friday, y'all!

It’s not your one-stop shop for black news (prioritize black people all the time), but do check in for a corner of black-centric news—preferably of the queer and femme nature.

MISSING TEENS

Please take a moment to google “black girls missing in D.C.” and tell me there’s not a serious problem. The issue highlighted by a viral thread of D.C. police department Twitter posts shows over ten teens missing in less than a week and it hasn’t gotten much mainstream press. The DCPD have released a statement, expressing that the thread of tweets is not an indication of an uptick in abductions, but rather that the department is using social media as a new method which is heightening public awareness. Still there are many concerns to be had here.  

Not only is this an extremely high number, but many familiar with the D.C. area have stated concern about how distant these abductions have occurred from each other. Also why so many black and latinx girls? Where is the press? Where are the search parties? Why are these faces reduced to a Facebook status instead of the situation being given the epidemic status it deserves? Let us not also forget that this is amidst so many other ongoing crisis in the US in reference to missing black women and sex trafficking, especially in D.C. Many are putting the pressure on news outlets, but as the days pass we are still left wishing for more.

FEDERAL RESERVE HIRES BLACK PRESIDENT
 

In politics, we seem to have made a step towards the representation quota for both black and gay, as Raphael Bostic has been selected as the next president and CEO of The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Bostic being the first black president president of the ATL Fed Reserve breaks a 104-year-old racial barrier. This announcement will also make him the first openly gay president of any of the Fed’s twelve regional banks.

There is a propensity for many of us Atlantan’s to tout the fair city as the cradle for civil rights, and I’m just happy this milestone could be coupled with a reason for my gay black ass to further yet another agenda. In all seriousness, Bostic looks to be a promising choice in this decision. Hopefully, with his stint as assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development against discrimination, and other work focusing on housing, public policy and finance, Bostic will bring social issues to the institution that uses monetary policy as a blunt instrument with limited liability for some demographics.

“He is a seasoned and versatile leader, bringing with him a wealth of experience in public policy and academia,” says Atlanta Fed board chairman, Thomas A. Fanning in a prepared statement.  “Raphael also has significant experience leading complex organizations and managing interdisciplinary teams. He is a perfect bridge between people and policy.”

CHANEL BY FRANK OCEAN

Last up we got your favorite fuckboi of the decade, Frank “dropped a pin in the Ocean to come fight me and not show up on the right day.” Throughout his Apple digital radio stream titled Blonded, Frank released a myriad of versions of his first single since the August release of Blonde. Serenading us once again with cascading melodies and that good ole emotional swooning, this new take on Chanel has evoked many a think piece and buzz.  The track treads lines of duality, down from the lyricism to the mix of melodic experimentation versus vocal prominence, all with the same raw emotion we’ve come to expect from Frank.

In a refreshing take, Ocean’s bisexuality takes more of a comfortable seat as most pop stars would refrain from the gender line switch when speaking of romantic/sexual affairs. It couldn’t feel more appropropriate, tracking the tale of his career and artistry. The lyrics roll along, spinning a contemporary tale that’s hypnotic and easy to get of get lost in, but can feel so familiar. Quite personally, it leaves me with a sense of drive and peace, although for some reason, there’s a bit of heartbreak in there—like a confident stumble from a strained bravado. Coming after Blonde, this track returns from less of the heavy experimentation and trades it in for more of a bop, which is really all we’ve been asking for from Frank, and this seems to be a good direction.

I know I may be tough on Mr. Ocean due to pain experienced from his release choices, but he once again makes me forgive him with this track. It’s a diary laid bare in which you may see yourself, but the result is pure Frank. These are his carefully crafted words and experiences, across a pool of torrid emotion and that really shines through.  

Matt Jones is your average carefree black boi, community worker, and sensei. As an Atlanta based artist he dreams to foster community and advocate real change for issues involving but not limited to mental health, queer life, and POC disparity. 

Atlanta is brimming with so much raw and unrecognized queer talent. The past year alone has seen an influx of new players in the DIY music scene. Venues like Murmur and Mammal Gallery are playing host to these performers. Although ATL can be a competitive and cliquey place, our humble city is mostly kind to new artists and always thirsty for something new.

Here are six artists that have made an impressions on us and are sure to make a bigger splash in the months to come.
 

MonteQarlo

In March, MonteQarlo released Melt, a deep house track so smooth you will forget that the world is terrible and we are are all slowly burning to death. The song, produced by Ben Oginz and engineered by Leonce, feels somehow timeless and extremely current. Layers of velvety vocals over hypnotizing beats leave us eager for more.

When asked what’s next, Monte said, “This summer, I'm dropping my new project called the Dew EP, a music video for my new song Melt, and I'll be performing at the Nashville Pride Festival!”

In addition to dabbling in modeling and drag, they’ve also gotten involved in the local poetry scene. Monte’s work was featured in the first edition of Loudspeaker: a Queer Reading Series and in the inaugural volume of the WUSSY art zine, The Body Issue. On April 20th, their event series CLUTCH returns with “CLUTCH:GREEN” featuring Dandy Warhol, YungBabyTate, and other local qtpoc musicians. Sounds cute, right?

Follow Monte on social media @monteqarlo for more info and updates!

 

Abhorra

It often feels like television shows such as RuPaul’s Drag Race have mainstreamed the art of drag. With popularity comes a whole lot of homogenization, and we’ve been thirsty as hell for an Atlanta queen to shake things up in the local scene.

One queen that has consistently kept us on our toes for the last several months is Abhorra. With a trademark beat and a duct tape needle nose, she continues to surprise us with outlandish numbers and costumes that range from baby hands to a balloon-filled cow suit.

She’s only been performing in this city for a year now, starting with the Hogtied party at Heretic, then competing in Dragnificent at Jungle and Miss Glitz at Mary’s. You also may have seen her running around on stilts for our NYE Wonderland bash with TASTE Atlanta.

Abhorra is one of the latest performers to join the weekly alterna-drag show staple, The Other Show, at Jungle on Friday nights. She joins a roster of standout queens bringing camp, glamour, and a much needed dose of humor to the Atlanta drag scene.

“EXPECT ME TO FLARE UP around MARY'S WHEN I DOMONATE [sic] AND TAKE OVER GLITZ! NO ONE WILL STOP ME,” she said when asked what’s next for Abhorra. You heard it here first, folks.

JSPORT

A year ago, we spoke to two emerging nightlife engineers, JSPORT (Jay Levy) and Leonce, about their plans to transform the Atlanta underground nightlife scene with their new event series, MORPH.

“I moved here with two missions: Get my degree and create something from scratch,” said Creative Director Jay Levy. Backed by West Coast label Fade to Mind, the powerhouse duo has made good on their promise, throwing events on Edgewood, The Arts Exchange, and Mammal Gallery. MORPH makes space for QPOC artists in an often uninviting landscape and the team continue to make big plans for 2017.

In addition to producing MORPH events and creating music, Jay is also working on a project involving gender neutral fashions. 

MORPH 7 kicks off on April 7th at Aisle 5 with special guest KINGDOM [LA; Fade to Mind]


 

Jaxrenee

One queer ATLien making a big name for themselves in the DIY music scene is Jaxrenee. With a style that can only be described as dreamy electropop, Jax is responsible for writing, performing, and producing all their own tracks. Their voice is haunting and beautiful, cutting and echoing through every lyric like a strange memory.

In 2017, they will release a conceptual EP about one of our favorite subjects: murder. Each track “will be in the headspace of a different character that experiences/expresses blood lust”.

If you’ve ever been out to Mary’s on a Friday or Saturday night, you’ve probably seen this queer femme with blood dripping down their lips or a prosthetic burn bedazzling the side of their face. It doesn’t matter what the occasion is—they are not afraid to take aesthetic risks. Jaxrenee is a true Atlanta club-kid.

“If someone asks me ‘why are you dressed up’ or like what the occasion is, I know I've done what I wanted to... ATL needs more ppl showing up in LOOKS.”

 

Darionçé Noxemma Lupita Jackson

In a tight-knit drag city like Atlanta,  it can be hard to break into the scene and make your mark there. Brave new baby-queens seem to pop out of the proverbial womb every week, vying for tips spots and performing at newcomer competitions like New Faces at Friends on Ponce. One such queen has recently sprung upon the scene, although she’s been performing and traveling for over six years.

Darionçé Noxemma Lupita Jackson is currently in culinary school in Columbus GA, but makes regular trips up to Atlanta to perform and support other queens. In February, she competed in the Single Ladies Showdown at The Heretic, placing third in a full lineup of fierce competitors. She is making a name for herself in Atlanta by performing guest spots at local shows such as Synergy at Burkhart’s Pub and Wild Out Wednesday at Felix’s.

But Darionçé is no one-hit wonder. In addition to drag, she’s also focusing her talents on fashion design and healthy cooking. “My collection Darius by Darius Conway 2017 will feature myself and many ATL trans gay drag [sic] as models,” she told us. Be on the lookout for a new Youtube series featuring “healthy but hearty” #CHEFCHILD recipes.

Follow her on Instagram @only1darionce.

 

Hydrakiss

Another handsome, new face in the Atlanta DIY music scene is Hydrakiss—although some of you might know him by his other names, Nick Wiggins or Minks.

Nick smashed onto the scene pulling lewk after sickening looq at the monthly femme party, Powder Room, before making his music show debut at Murmur. Since then, he’s released a 10 track EP on Soundcloud called DANTE and continues to experiment and refine his sound.

“I've been working on my 3rd project, going a completely new route focusing on ethereal soundscapes and unique beats to create an almost fantasy type journey. I'm really excited to finish this and let everyone see the growth and connection between my other projects— it's gonna be fucking great.”

We can’t wait to hear more!

Chris Richardson's film, Cinema Novo's "Isonade" 

We talk about it a lot, but Atlanta really is changing. Local tax credits have led to the rise of mega-Hollywood productions like The Hunger Games and Avengers: Infinity War being filmed in Georgia. With all the hubub about Atlanta becoming the “Hollywood of the South”, it’s even more important to recognize all of the emerging, local talent sprouting up in Georgia. One of the major players cultivating the local filmmaking scene in Atlanta is the Generally Local, Mostly Independent (GLMI) film series.

This Thursday, GLMI is presenting their latest spotlight of local short films, picked by Kristy Breneman and Amanda Mills and guest judged by Gavin Godfrey. In partnership with Plaza Theatre, the night will act as the official kick-off for the 41st Annual Atlanta Film Festival. Eleven films will be competing for the chance to receive special funding for other film festival submissions, as well as passes to the Atlanta Film Festival, an an annual WonderRoot membership.

Adonis BC's film, Huge Distances

GLMI Founder, Kristy Breneman, said in a released statement, “This is one of the best local lineups I’ve seen.”

Featured filmmakers include: Tanner Pemelton, Cali Berry, Malik Salaam, Alex Preston, Christopher Richardson, Oliver Smith, Armani Martin, Joseph Lavender, Adonis BC, House of June, and Drew Giles. The night begins with a special, short film screening with live scoring by musician 10th Letter.

Don’t miss WonderRoot's Generally Local, Mostly Independent Film Series on March 23, this Thursday night at 7 Stages. Showtime is 7pm, and tickets are $10.

In this overwhelmingly negative political climate, it can be hard to see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Our federal government has been taken over by a mob of grumpy old white men and much of the progress made in the Obama years is slowly being stripped away. Because of this, it is now even more important that we get engaged with our local politicians. Atlanta is changing, and it's up to us to fix it. 

On Thursday, March 23 at the Krog Street Tunnel green space, Liliana Bahktiari announced her run for Atlanta City Council, district 5. The district contains ADNA, Fourth and Sand, Central Atlanta Neighbors, Old Fourth Ward, Sweet Auburn, Fourth Ward West, Cabbagetown, Reynoldstown, East Atlanta, Lake Claire, East Lake, Ormewood Park, and Grant Park.

During her announcement speech, Bahktiari spoke about her international volunteer work, fighting for women's rights, environmental rights, and water accessibility. 

"I became everything I am in Atlanta... Everything that shaped the Atlanta that I know, the city of Other - the working class, our immigrants and minority communities, the DIY and grassroots art movements, the People of Color that uphold the legacy of this city. We're seeing it all disappear." 
 

A 29 year old Atlanta-native, Bahktiari has been a major activist and supporter of the local arts & queer communities. She has served on the board of Lost and Found Youth and is a current board member of gloATL. She attended Georgia State University and owns a house in SE Atlanta with her longtime partner, Kris. 

"The feedback we have already gotten, combined with everything we heard while considering the run, makes me realize this is absolutely the right thing to do. It's very easy to sit on the sidelines and judge. It's much harder to serve from the inside and it forces you to be in the spotlight and be accountable and practice what you preach," Bahktiari said in a prepared statement. 

Follow her Facebook page for more updates.

All photos by Jon Dean

Welcome to Black Friday, y'all!

It’s not your one-stop shop for black news (prioritize black people all the time), but do check in for a corner of black-centric news—preferably of the queer and femme nature.

ATL March for Black Transwomen

So checking your clock, when was the last time you marched? Well, reset that clock as it’s time to MARCH for the Gurlz. This Sunday, SNaP Co. has organized a march in a petition to stop killing black trans women starting from the North Avenue MARTA station. SNaP Co. invites all in solidarity to march, as we shield our sisters and remind everyone that black trans lives are facing death and aggressive oppression systemically, socially, and even mentally. Keep your fucking pussy hats at home please.

The March beginning at 3pm, is just is a chance to show up and out for these girls, raise the names of our fallen and to remind the world that prioritizing black trans women is crucial. Say their names: Chyna Doll Dupree, Ciara McElveen, Jaquarrius Holland, Jojo Striker, Keke Collier, Mesha Caldwell.

Emmit Till/The Whitney Biennial

In the art world, black death has found it’s way into the hands of yet another white profiteer. A painting depicting Emmet Till has caused justifiable outrage over the exploitation and commodification of black death by white handlers in the art world. Rearing it’s head at the Whitney biennial, debate, if you can call it that, of whether it’s ok for whites to profit off of black bodies, especially the spectacle of black death, has been met with much more protest from many who believe to be a gross error. Black artist, Parker Bright has staged peaceful protests in gallery sometimes blocking the image, while wearing a “Black Death Spectacle” t-shirt and many are calling for destruction of the piece which Hanna Black, British-born black artist, includes in her written letter to the biennial’s curators.

“The subject matter is not Schutz’s,” Ms. Black wrote in a Facebook message. “White free speech and white creative freedom have been founded on the constraint of others, and are not natural rights. The painting must go.” She added that “contemporary art is a fundamentally white supremacist institution despite all our nice friends.”

Both the Whitney and the artist have given responses, but both have proved paltry and dismissive of the fact that a white artist is using the image of a black person for acclaim, and that the story behind this image is much older and larger than both the intstitution and artist while they are explore these same themes.

EMMET TILL IS NOT A “CONVERSATION STARTER,” HE WAS MURDERED BY A WHITE WOMAN’S LIES. In a world where his murderers are still alive, with family in office, I would much prefer not having a white woman also profit off of him….again.

 

Death Note
[contains spoilers]

For those unfamiliar, Death Note is a Japanese anime involving a Japanese boy who finds a notebook that can kill people. The story is a classic tale given high regard for it’s clever writing as a heart pumping thriller. Netflix has decided to take on a live action film based on the series, but what’s great about Western media is that it is very white and really wants that to stick around guys. So... sorry, but there’s been some changes.

Now the story is set in Seattle, and it’s just another white boy with power, killing people. Oh my god, so much more real. I can’t argue there. In an interesting twist, though, the main “protagonist,” the guy fighting vs. Chad, is Keith Stanfield, a black man, which almost feels like troll on what I take as a parodic stage, but there are a couple light things to unpack real quick.

Now in one corner you’ve got this amazing story written from the Japanese perspective, gone wet, wild and white, but in the other corner you have the black fill-in for a character meant to be one of the a worlds most renowned detectives. Spoiler Alert…. Also for those familiar with Death Note, the punchline is he dies. Yay for filling the one POC role in a Japanese animation-based, live-action,white-remake as arguably one of the most compellingly clever characters that fails and dies. Oh Hollywood you spoil us. I think I’m actually sick. For real STOP.

In another strange twist as the media circus rolls along, many thumbs(“people”...yts) have expressed marked distaste for the race switch as it just doesn’t match the source material at all and will completely destroy the root themes of the story; the Japanese animation based story...with Asians...now set in Seattle with fucking Noah and the water polo team here. Who knows, I won’t, but Death Note will be following it’s Ghost in the Shell, whitewashed footsteps sometime later this year.

Matt Jones is your average carefree black boi, community worker, and sensei. As an Atlanta based artist he dreams to foster community and advocate real change for issues involving but not limited to mental health, queer life, and POC disparity. 

Now is the time for magic.

ALLURE: Conjuring Black Queer Magic is this year’s theme for Morehouse Safe Space’s annual Pride Week. Morehouse Safe Space is a gender and sexually diverse collective at Morehouse College dedicated to developing inclusive and intersectional safe spaces for students on campus. “This year, we are looking forward to creating and seeking Queer magical sites as portals of possibility, inspiration and manifestation.”

Starting March 26th, every day of the week contains its own element culminating in a week of black queer community and empowerment:

One of the most anticipated events is The Power Concert. On March 29, 7:30-11pm, some of the dopest LGBT artists come together in Atlanta not only for a mind-blowing party, but for a good cause.

“The Power Concert serves to help raise awareness about the importance of tangible resources for LGBT students... We are also excited to celebrate with a few fearless, creative and resilient artists like Jay Boogie, Durand Bernarr, Rahbi, and Cakes Da Killa. Each artist embodies our theme for this year; ALLURE : Conjuring Black Queer Magic. Most importantly, we are proud to affirm the students who are in fact the inspiration for our theme and all that we do.”

With a full schedule of spiritually lifting and engaging activities, this is a pride week that promises to be a meaningful one for its participants. Don’t miss any of the action!

For more information on all the Pride Week events, check our Morehouse Safe Space’s facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/morehousesafespace/

One of Atlanta’s biggest gay-for-pay stars is hitting the big screen. For over 15 years, it has  provided us with thrills and spills, strong ass drinks, and a must-see destination for gaylebrities like Andy Cohen.  We’re talking about Swinging Richards, of course.

On April 1st, it’s time to make it rain on the world premiere of Gerald McCullouch’s new documentary, All Male, All Nude. The film examines ATL’s iconic gay strip club and the diverse assortment of characters who work there. The screening at Midtown Art Cinema is presented by Out on Film, Atlanta’s own LGBTQ+ film festival.

“I am fascinated at the idea of how a conservative state like Georgia can host one of the premiere clubs of its kinds in the world, one that people from all around seem to know,” Out on Film director Jim Farmer said in a prepared statement.

You may recognize McCullouch from his long-running role as Bobby Dawson on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as well as the BearCity trilogy. WUSSY spoke with McCullouch about the upcoming premiere and his inspiration behind making the documentary.
 

What drew you to this project, documenting Swinging Richards?

I went to high school at North Springs up in Sandy Springs many, many years ago. Many. Around my 3rd or 4th season on CSI, I directed my short film “The Moment After,” which screened at The Atlanta Film Festival, and a few of my high school girl friends and I went to Swinging Richards after the screening to celebrate.

That night, I met my friend Steven Marchi, who worked as an entertainer at Swinging Richards, and a close friendship was formed. The more I got to know Steven and his world, the more I was intrigued.

I imagine many of the club-goers and dancers were hesitant about being filmed. Was it difficult to get them on board?

At the time I was still on CSI, and a few of the guys knew who I was, so that was certainly an ice-breaker. I think it took some time for them to trust me, though, and open up about their lives. Luckily, I had a relationship with one of their co-workers who knew them well, and that certainly helped immensely.

Club-goers were a different story completely, which created some interesting solutions in how I shot the film and framed my shots.

Your previous film, Daddy, was a narrative picture. Was it natural for you to jump into the director's chair for a documentary like this?

Well, "All Male, All Nude." has actually been on my plate longer than “Daddy." I started shooting content for "All Male, All Nude." before I was cast in the first “BearCity" film; it’s actually one of the reasons I initially turned down “BearCity." Luckily, the director and creator of the “BearCity” franchise, Doug Langway, shook some sense into me and I gladly put "All Male, All Nude" on the shelf. Shortly after filming the first “BearCity" film, I was cast in the Off-Broadway production of “Daddy," and those two projects have taken my life on a crazy 6-year whirlwind.

Now that “Daddy" is in distribution and the final film in the BearCity trilogy, "BearCity 3,” is about to be released, I finally found time to get back to this project I started six years ago. Crazy.

Biggest cinematic inspirations?

They are varied and odd. However, I always go back to “Harold and Maude” and “The Sea Inside.” And there are a few directors who can do no wrong in my book.

What advice do you have for young, aspiring filmmakers?

It’s so easy now to create your own content; I’m incredibly jealous. Oy, the quality of content I created when I first started figuring out filmmaking is an embarrassment compared to what is available today. Make content. Find your voice. Get interested in the world and see what stories capture your imagination and tell those stories.

What's next for you?

I was lucky enough to spend over a month in Greece last year when the “Daddy” screening tour wrapped up with its screening in Athens. Consequently, while in Greece, I fell into gathering content for a documentary on the heartbreaking LGBTQI refugee crisis happening throughout that? country, and I hope to continue with that project.

“All Male, All Nude” premieres Saturday, April 1st at Midtown Art Cinema. Private party from 5-6pm, followed by the world premiere screening at 6 pm, a reception with director Gerald McCullouch and subjects of the film, and an afterparty.

Tickets for the film are $11 or $35 for a VIP all-access ticket.

Welcome to Black Friday, y'all!

It’s not your one-stop shop for black news (prioritize black people all the time), but do check in for a corner of black-centric news—preferably of the queer and femme nature.
 

March Against Gentrification; We Won’t Be Fooled Again

In last weeks edition of Black Friday, I urged everyone to put on their marching boots to show out and support our black trans women, and boy did ya’ll answer the call! Don’t go letting those boots get dusty though, as there’s still much more to be mad and make a scene about.

This week, the March Against Gentrification will be another demonstration highlighting the rampant income inequality and diminishing affordable housing that so called “progress” has brought to our fair Atlanta, GA. The march organized by the Housing Justice League, Turner Field Community Benefits Coalition, Atlanta Economic Justice Program, and the American Friends Service Committee, will take place this Saturday at 1pm starting from the Rosa L Burney Park at 477 Windsor St SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30312.

The Housing Justice League’s list of demands include: a $15 dollar an hour minimum wage, mandatory inclusionary zoning that addressed 0-100% Area Median Income for ANY developer that receives ANY incentive from the city, a resolution supporting rent control and a resident led rent board, as well as stronger accountability for Beltline developers around affordable housing commitments and more.

Atlanta, consistently one of the nation's top cities for income inequality, has battled with new developments across the city that have rapidly pushed out many native ATLiens from neighborhoods they once called home. This has had the heaviest effect on poor black neighborhoods—skewing the the perception that Atlanta is a “black haven” in favor of white millennials, markets (food malls) and overpriced shopping. Projects like the Beltline, that were pitched with the intent of providing affordable housing, have only sped up this process and provided real accountability and few strides to fix it.

Photography by Rakeem Cunningham

Podcast of Color

Podcast lovers feast your ears and act like you have friends with the new queer POC run Podcast of Color. Not to be confused with hetero The Podcast of Color, Podcast of Color stars two black men, one asian, and one latino serving unabashed insight on issues pertaining to the gay POC community.

The podcast’s quick and blunt humor creates a hilarious backdrop for commentary, from social justice issues to pop culture. The group is a mess/total trash (their words not mine) but the messy delivery they employ creates an atmosphere of familiarity that is unique to queer and especially POC queer environments. The podcast’s first two episodes were released this past Tuesday and we are clamoring to see it take off and inspire more POC-centric discussion and entertainment in the queer community.

As stated in their Soundcloud bio, “We wanted to offer our own ideas, thoughts, and commentary to the podcasting realm in hopes that we could connect with, heal, and inspire others to be the best they could be.”

Matt Jones is your average carefree black boi, community worker, and sensei. As an Atlanta based artist he dreams to foster community and advocate real change for issues involving but not limited to mental health, queer life, and POC disparity. 

When Dave Chappelle transformed Rick James into an early 2000's version of the Ice Bucket Challenge, I was enthralled. I thought it was incredible to see a comedian take society's shortcomings and turn them into razor sharp examples of collective introspection. I thought

Dave Chappelle was a genius. This, combined with his eccentric rebuke of the press and Comedy Central's bank account, had me thinking I was lucky to see a true vanguard take the world. So when he announced that he would be returning to television with two Netflix comedy specials I thought "Finally".

They say you should never fuck your idols, because they'll only disappoint you. If engaging in the exchange of laughter and surprisingly resonant musings is anything like sex, this era's Dave

Chappelle thrusts too hard and can't stop going soft. The man that begin generation Y's discussion regarding race and social injustice, proved that no one is immune to the effects of time and callous forming experience. That's not a positive.

I've never cared much to play moral judge to those who practice comedy--it's their job to make us uncomfortable. That being said, is their job to make us feel like utter trash?

Chappelle dropped the ball and revealed his liver spots when he went to pick it up. His understanding of sexuality and gender is hardly innovative or forward thinking. Further, he did more to prove that he has no clue whats going on than to prove his fitness for the role of society's jester. Intentionally misgendering Caitlyn Jenner (“He was beating Africans!”), crooning the age old melodies of toxic masculinity and a go-slow mentality. The material proved so lacking in any truly visionary thinking, it was hard to imagine who in his circle would be vapid enough to not stop being a yes man. Either Dave Chappelle has grown into the god-like status so many of us placed him in because of our commitment to the hits, or we expect too much.

Speaking on the “mental gap” that trans people have to bridge in order to be accepted, it seemed as if he was about to drop some serious knowledge. That feeling quickly faded when Chappelle began to muse aloud why trans people were “so accepted” while it is still illegal to be a Black man. Had I know Dave Chappelle was a hotep in hibernation, I’d have never started watching. The idea that trans people are more privileged than ANYONE is laughable at best, and I don’t need to go into the statistics surrounding our murder rates, unemployment rates, and housing discrimination cases. He is so tone deaf that he muses aloud “If cops shot this many trannies, you’d think it as goddamn conspiracy.” For a cisgender heterosexual Black man to think that their struggle is greater than that of transwomen--particularly Black transwomen is a betrayal to the fight for liberation, particularly when we are dying by the droves.

Personally, I had my doubts that he would arrive in grand fashion and blow us away with a new Chappellian philosophy because his stint on SNL was dry. Not only that, he seemed more interested in basking in his own celebrity and legend than producing top notch content. Perhaps that's the problem. Has Chappelle simply been a legend for way too long?

Zaida J. is currently the Associate Editor here at WUSSY and a self-described transgender loud mouth.

It takes a specific kind of person to operate as a multifaceted artist. Maybe it’s energy that a pedestrian population only dreams of obtaining or organizational abilities that rival the ranks of robots. How the sleepy scary Midwest birthed a boy such as Cody Critcheloe, and his space alien Americana moniker SSION, is an anomaly. Growing the project from self-released cassettes as early as 1999 to directing commissioned music videos for Robyn and Kylie Minogue, SSION isn’t simply a musician or a filmmaker. He’s a powerhouse of surrealistic alt-pop production.

It’s uncertain where we came upon an era of “alternative pop” but SSION would be a fucking master of it. Alt-pop, while retaining traditional structures and hooks, is more subversive, found in flares of the underground here and there, brushes of genres not at the forefront of capitalism’s marketable focus. It’s no surprise alt-pop has cropped up amongst art school princesses (ex. the Canadian scene that houses Grimes and Mozart’s Sister). Critcheloe didn’t have the advantage of urban settings though. He grew up in Kentucky and migrated to Kansas City where he laid the foundation for SSION.

“I hated Kentucky or at least the town I was from so Kansas City seemed like this huge thriving city. The transition was easy because I was going to school, surrounded by a lot of artists in a bubble. It was cheap and people were proactive. I live in NYC now but I go to LA a lot so I feel like I don't really live anywhere.” Visual artist Peggy Noland also made a connection from the Kansas City art scene to LA, partnering with Seth Bogart at Wacky Wacko in LA, part of an art and music scene Critcheloe has strong ties to (check out Slink’s “Pink Christmas”). Kansas City’s art institute’s “queer” scene flourishes in the middle of nowhere; however, Critcheloe doesn’t prefer to see it in these terms.

“We never thought or talked about it in that way which is why I think it was so cool. I think that kind of agenda can sometimes ruin things from being truly fun and weird. It was more about just making cool stuff and doing whatever you want.” Queerness is hard to put a finger on. It’s not simply out-weirding the bourgeoisie, but even in subtly long histories of camp and kitsch, gender bending, glamour and humour have been indicators for what an audience feels is “queer”.

The video work of SSION (both for his own music and those for others) has a stamp of surrealism. Critcheloe has directed videos for a plethora of artists, including the amazing Perfume Genius “Queen” (above), Lower Dens “To Live and Die in LA” and Dum Dum Girls “Lost Boys and Girls Club”, Santigold “Big Mouth” and artwork for Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Creative process is unknown, the end product is always complete, always cohesive. He dives in with dedication, details paid to every element. Nothing forsaken regarding wardrobe, sets, props, lighting and narrative, SSION’s 2012 Bent album was released alongside multiple polished videos that presented a solid persona to the world, this almost dissonant badass character lurking between alienation and melancholy with stature and style.

Many SSION videos use suburbia as a backdrop, strategically littered with absurdist elements. Long part of the conversation surrounding pop as a carrier for art, Critcheloe’s perspective reaches well beyond the saccharine and vapid of radio rotation. This is what separates SSION from pop scum, but even in mockery and humor, SSION releases total bangers that could rival those of Britney anyday.

SSION’s pop is punk in nature, sassy and sometimes ridiculously funny, great example being one of his most feel good, “Psy-chic”, referencing Courtney Love lyrics, blowjobs and drug dates. “Luvbazaar”s clubby catchiness ironically speaks of dissonance for romantics stuck in a wormhole of endless gay bars and Grindr. And in a duality of a more serious nature are songs like “Earthquake” with pick up trucks, crazy club wear, teen doom and gas stations witches, SSION himself in a pop art fucked country western spotlight crooning about heartbreak with a coolness that accepts a relationship’s end but attempts to bury the tenderness still percolating within.

SSION’s new album is currently in the works, undergoing a production process that often creates chaos.  “It's really great but now I'm in purgatory which means that bad wolf in my soul is getting too much attention and stealing all the food, so I'm basically having to manage him.” How does he take a break? “I'm doing that through painting a lot. I forgot how much I love to paint. It keeps me thin.”  Perhaps this is the personality of Cody Critcheloe. He is unstoppable, a shark that can not rest and must always create. Even in the need to pause and let a project breathe before moving forward, he still must create in the down time.

WUSSY is happy to have Cody Critcheloe visit ATL for our SPRUNG! Rococo Realness Danse Party event. His DJ set will be a conglomeration of what he loves at the moment ala a curation of good shit. “I love songs. If it's a great song I can get down with almost anything. I grew up loving pop then I got really into punk. Now I'm down for anything!”

SPRUNG! will be April 8th at the Heretic alongside DJ Esme (La Choloteca) and DJ King Atlas hosted by the glamsquad Dax Exclamationpoint, Kryean Kally, Pity Soiree, Michael Kemp and more. Doors at 10PM. $10.

When Tumblr’s favorite new lesbian movie passes the Bechdel test, but the only place to watch it is on Pornhub, we’ve got a problem. The Below Her Mouth trailer sets itself as a steamy romance between two women – one a fashion-magazine editor and the other a roofer. Can you guess which one wears the strap on?

For an indie film shot, directed, and written by women, Below Her Mouth falls into the tropes of tired lesbian and queer-female plotlines. Dallas (Erika Linder) is a rough and tough lesbian who suddenly and unapologetically breaks up with her girlfriend within the first moments after the opening sex scene. Jasmine (Natalie Krill) is a successful fashion-editor living with her fiancé Rile (Sebastian Pigott) and keeps herself busy with wedding planning. One morning, Jasmine looks out of her window to see slender, yet brawny Dallas hammering on a roof. (Yes, hammering and not using a nail gun like a real lesbo roofer would *eye roll*). They exchange a look from afar, signaling the viewer to buckle the fuck up for some heteronormative bullshit!

While Rile is out of town on a business trip, Jasmine decides to go out with her bff to let loose. Little does Jasmine know her friend likes the V, or at least enjoys partying with queer gals, and bumps into Dallas at the bar. That’s when our little baby butch grins and says, “You come to girl parties often?” Jasmine replies, “I don’t come at all.” Predicting the next line, I’m already Jim from The Office looking into the camera at this point but then… Dallas says, “Can I change that for you?”

Should I even keep going? I think you can tell where this “love” story is heading and I’m not going to spoil the ending for you, but here’s what to expect: lots of sex and many variations of wlw sex at that. Did I mention the strap on? Similar to Blue is The Warmest Colour, this movie is borderline erotica. Dissimilar however is that the sex between these two white, skinny ladies in Below Her Mouth is a little more believable.

I will say Dallas’ role is predatory and downright creepy. Her “female gaze” is just as disgusting and objectifying as the male version. Her character further injects the idea that masculine women have to be cut from the same cloth: they lack emotional intelligence and want nothing but sex, cigarettes, and alcohol.

Jasmine’s character is equally as flat, but the film does give some backstory to her first kiss with a high school friend. Her mom walked in on them and banned the two from ever seeing one another. Again, hella trope-fest, but it is interesting to see that she wasn’t cheating on her fiancé just for a good night of cunnilingus.

Director April Mullen’s Below Her Mouth will be released on April 28th by Gunpowder and Sky Distribution. You can watch the full movie on Pornhub.

Chelsea Hoag is one of the founding members of Rotten Peaches, a solid space for queer women in Atlanta to dance, party, network, and be themselves.

With all that’s going on in our country, a feeling of helplessness among progressive or in-need communities can wash in like the tide. And yet, like the tides, this feeling recedes and it becomes incredibly clear what must be done: Vote our informed hearts out. That’s just what Jon Ossoff, the democrat running for the House of Representatives seat in Georgia’s sixth congressional district, wants us to do.

Jon Ossoff, a millennial in his early thirties, has already raised $3 million dollars through grassroots efforts towards his campaign by early March and comes equipped with a highly applicable resume. He was born and raised in and around Georgia’s sixth district and spent time interning for Georgia’s 5th District Representative and civil rights legend, John Lewis (who recently, officially endorsed Ossoff). Ossoff worked as a national security staffer and aide to Rep. Hank Johnson for 5 years until most recently becoming managing partner and CEO of Insight TWI, a business which produces investigative films targeting corruption and organized crime.

Georgia’s sixth district includes many northern Atlanta suburbs—parts of eastern Cobb County, northern Fulton County and Northern Dekalb County. This district touches all or some portion of the cities of Johns Creek, Tucker, Roswell, Alpharetta, Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Doraville, and Dunwoody. I spoke with two Ossoff campaign volunteers, Michael and Shola, about what makes this campaign different.

Shola laid out the context for Ossoff’s campaign: “Tom Price won this seat most recently by more than 20 points. He had been the incumbent for a while, and before [Price], this district had been represented by GOP members since the [party switch]. Newt Gingrich was the representative for a long time before Price, if that gives you a sense of this district’s values. So there was never really an option for a democratic to win before, but Trump only won this district by 1 point. There is clearly a shift in demographics and ideals in this district and there hasn’t been this opportunity in decades. The Ossoff campaign has identified with this shift.”

The Ossoff campaign, which seems to have the momentum necessary to be a viable campaign in this special election, also seems more than capable of fending off attacks from the right. “Jon Ossoff is in his early 30s, he’s a millennial and he might be the first democrat in Georgia’s 6th in 30 odd years. When you first meet him, you can kind of see that he’s aware of how young he is,” Michael explained. He continued, saying that “[Ossoff] is working really hard to overcome that gap in confidence because he’s younger.”

Ossoff’s platform is built on bipartisanship, rational approaches to national security, bringing jobs to his district, and being the antithesis of Trump’s GOP. He is, according to Shola, “a consummate politician” who also has the grit, drive, and progressivism that she feels embodies the millennial generation.

Photo: Kelly Blackmon

The labor carried by the black woman is intensive and fierce. The labor carried by the black woman is degraded, ignored, and beaten down by all sides. The black woman perseveres with unwavering dutiful resolve. The labor carried by the black woman is motherhood, the leader, the champion. On Saturday April 15th, Atlanta native, Danielle Deadwyler will take on a form of creative labor in her performance of BUST IT OPEN.

“BUST IT OPEN is a multimedia public performance that promotes black feminism and its public and private labor while tackling gendered and racial confines for the backbone, main dame of southern hip-hop, and champion of civil disobedience:the black woman.”

The event is presented by Living Walls and is the first to receive the Laura Patricia Calle Grant, which aims to hoist the voices of artists striving for social equality, feminism, immigrant’s right, LGBTQ rights and cultural diversity. The performance seeks to garner an intimate experience between Deadywyler and individual audience members to activate her labor, while questioning what the exchange fully entails in reference to the give and take involved in this labor. How are you benefitting from the work of black women? What do you give or withhold from the black woman?

Danielle Deadwyler’s black feminist intensive work continues to aim its sights on blurring the lines between knee-jerk conceptions/images of “the black woman” with experimental and theatrical tones that pull audience members into the real work of black women and its effect on the black body. Through film, poetry and performance as her primary media, Deadwyler has a knack for inviting the audience into the more intimate nature of these stories while casting you into a state of critical and bewildering introspection.

Deadwyler’s extensive history in reprising the black feminist struggles, through concepts of gender/sexuality, hip hop, public/ private work, and community dialogue, has explored many themes including black motherhood and livelihood and the impact of domestic and sexual work. See what promises to be an eye opening and fully engaging performance Saturday, April 15th from 6:30 pm to 9:30pm, at 348 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30312.

 

Matt Jones is your average carefree black boi, community worker, and sensei. As an Atlanta based artist he dreams to foster community and advocate real change for issues involving but not limited to mental health, queer life, and POC disparity.