JUNE 7 . 2003 • Q-NOTES
^ROLIN
noted . notable . noteworthy GLBT issues
Volume 18 • No. 2 • June 7, 2003
The Carolinas'most comprehensive Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender newspaper . Published every 2 weeks
PO Box 221841 • Charlotte, NC 28222
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The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers,
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cal error or omission, beyond offering to
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Q-Notes accepts unsolicited editorial, but cannot
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contributing writers
Bo Dean/OutWilmington, Robert Kirby,
Charlene Lichtenstein, Ed Madden, David
Moore, Brian M. Myer, Leslie Robinson, Leah D.
SepsenwoL, Mark Shields, Tim F. Snider, Rev.
Gillian J. Storey, David Stout, Trinity, John
Wagner, Michael Wilke
on page one
Eric Rudolph captured
Gay Dads celebrate Father's Day
articles
25 Charleston billboard controversy
04 Charlotte congregation buys a home
11 Charlotte Pride photo retrospect
09 Dem presidential candidates go courtin'
28 Partnership rights gains support
27 SC Pride attacks large crowd
07 State-sponsored homophobia in SA
12 Teacher's aide attacks student
features
13 Baghdad blogger back on Net
30 CNN Headline News' 'own. nancy boy?'
13 Drag legend passes away
06 Hedwig performance in Charlotte
31 Henry Rollins: Laud-mouth rocker
30 The Advocate: O'Donnell takes up pen
columns
32 Audiophile
39 Classifieds
17 Commercial Closet Volvo
• Community Cards • 33-35
38 Curbside
03 Editor's Note
18 Editorial: Supreme Court decision
19 General Gayety
03 Letters to the Editor
• News, Notes • 33-35
38 Out and About
29 Out in the Stars
28 Outside Track
21 Para Todos: Domestic violence
01 Q-Poll
15 QFYI
37 Tell Trinity
advertising deadlines
issue: 21 June deadline: 06-13
issue: 05 July deadline: 06-27
issue: 19 July deadline: 07-11
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's'ldN'AtiM:’ " ' • T'.V’.
♦ » 1 ' * » f  r. t > r
L ^ ^ \ \ \ \ K ^ K n T.
It's nice to be hack in the Carolinas.
After 16 years of making my home in var
ious cities up and down the East Coast —
mostly Atlanta — 1 decided it was time to
come home.
There were mitigating circumstances,
of course. Elderly parents that needed my
help, an economic downturn that resulted
in job layoffs for both my partner and
myself (talk about lightening striking twice)
and the desire for a slower pace of life were
all factors that made me consider a return
to my roots.
It was a year ago this month — 1 sold
everything 1 didn't want and packed every
thing 1 did into a Ford Explorer with a Ll-
Haul trailer attached. Partner, dog and cat
in tow, we set out for a return to my home
town; Charlotte.
What I found upon my return didn't look
much like what 1 left behind in the late '80s.
The gay clubs that dotted the landscape
back then had names like Power Company,
Odyssey, Capital Corral and Olcen's. There
was nothing even remotely resembling a
community center in either state.
As far as gay publications go — all 1 can
remember was a little photocopied handzinc
about local drag performers that you could
pick up at one of the three nightspots in
Charlotte, along
with a handful of
other fledgling
publications from
different regions.
These days
things look better
than ever for North and South Carolina's
LGBT community. The number of gay-
owned businesses across both states have
increased dramatically and Charlotte,
Wilmington and Columbia all boast LCL3T
community centers.
I have to admit — I'm pleasantly sur
prised. Both states are organized and
active politically and the oi,it and proud
gay and lesbian population has grown in
leaps and bounds.
I'm looking forward, to reacquainting
myself with home.
A note in closing — after two years with
QrNotes, former Editor Leah Scpsenwol
resigned in order to pursue other interests. I
followed her work closely during that time
and both myself and the entire staff of Q-
Notes enjoyed working with Leah during her
tenure. She brought a new voice to the paper
— one that will be sorely missed.
— David Moore
Editor, CHNotes
Dear Editor:
I am the Elder for Region 7 of
Metropolitan Community Churches, which
includes North Carolina. I would like to
respond to the recent article in Q-Nota
titled "Former Hickory MCC Affiliates with
New Denomination."
First. MCC recognizes the right of the
former MCC in Hickory, NC to disaffiliate
with MCC and the leadership of the MCC
movement wishes them well as they con
tinue to serve their constituencies with the
Christian good news. ■
Secondly, I would like to comment on
the implication that a church would leave
MCC because of an "adoption of the
'Progressive Christianity' school of thought
and turning away from mainstream
Christianity." The Center for Progressive
Christianity only lists 14 Metropolitan
Community Churches as having affiliated
with them, while MCC has around 300
churches worldwide. We certainly allow for
people to define themselves in a variety of
ways and in MCC we have evangelical
Christians, charismatic Christians (our
founder is a former Pentecostal minister
and I was once a member of the Assemblies
of God), liberals and progressives, as well
as centrists.
Being an inclusive and ecumenical
Christian denomination, we believe there is
room for all kinds of expressions of
Christianity and that we can be united in
love even while experiencing great diversity
of theological opinion. We arc very proud of
our members who identify as Progressive
Christians, but no more so than we are of
all our other members who experience and
express religion in ways that are true for
them.
Incidentally MCC does not have any new
policy on ethics. What we continue to have
is a stringent internal judicial process that
includes the right of appeal by any individ
ual. Each of our leaders are subject to this
process which reflects the justice and
integrity we believe must be offered to all
people.
Finally, let me applaud the leadership of
the ICCC for affirming that their first church
to affiliate, is made up of "people who sec
)esus Christ as essential to their lives, and
we want to remain that way.” All Christians
hold Jesus as the central figure in their faith
experience. And MCC has long held that in
Icsus we find the revelation of divine love
for all people. MCC may allow for many
views and understandings about the nature
of Icsus, but all of those understandings
keep Icsus as the model for Christian living.
Let me again say that we affirm the right
of the former MCC in Hickory to now cele
brate an affiliation with the ICCC and we at
MCC wish them and the ICCC well as they
celebrate and share what is true for them. In
a world that is so divided by hatred and sus
picion, we arc glad to affirm and support
any group or individual that is committed to
sharing a message of hope and love.
— Reverend Elder GiWnn I. Stony,
MCC Region 7
f ‘I
Stonewall Rebellion Day — June 28
Remember our brothers and sisters who stood against
adversity for your rights.