Out & Proud
‘Hellbent’ on here! TV
page 29
Performance Art
Tim Miller talks about new book and show
page 29
Gay History Month
Profiles in courage
page 41
lesbian
gay
bi^xual
frans_
history
month
Noted . Notable . Noteworthy. LGBT News & Views
Phone home for equality in S.C.!
see page 10 for details
Vol.21 .Number 12 www.q-notes.com October 21 .2006
NC Pride
draws 8,000
Festival-goers flood Duke Campus
for fair and parade
by David Moore . Q-Notes staff
DURHAM — Estimates range as high as
8,000 attendees at the 25th annual N.C. Pride
Festival held here on Saturday, Sept. 30.
On hand for the event were such Carolina
luminaries as Chapel Hill City Councilman
Mark Kleinschmidt, Dr. Janie Long of Duke
University, Durham County Assistant City
Attorney Sherri Rosenthal and former Air
Force Sgt. Bruce Wyatt.
This year’s Grand Marshal was Charlotte-
based attorney Connie Vetter.
“We’re very happy with the way things
went,” says N.C. Pridefest spokesperson Keith
Hayes. “We had a great, wonderful sunny day
with no clouds. It seems we’ve hit a winning
formula with the parade. What really struck
me was how much fim everyone was having.”
Attendees for the event traveled from
states as far away as Georgia, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Virginia and even the District of
Columbia.
In keeping with the theme “Pride isn’t Just
in One’s Sexuality, but in your Whole Well
Being,” organizers put together a well-rounded
slate of events that kicked off Sept. 29 with a
N.C. Pridefest Grand Marshal Connie
Vetter addresses the crowd.
party at Fowlers in downtown Durham pro
duced by Magnus Events and featuring special
guest DJ Rob Harris.
In addition to the festival and parade,
throughout the w’eekend the LGBT communi
ty from the Triangle and beyond flocked to
other related events like a performance by the
Triangle Gay Men’s Chorus, a “Black Out
Party” and Pride Drag Show, a Pridefest
Brunch and a film screening of the Todd
Verow film“Vacationland.”
A gay couple from Norfolk, Va., told Q-
Notes that this was the first time that they had
attended the N.C. Pride Festival.
“It’s a chance to get to see
how the LGBT community in
our neighboring state lives,”
offered Bill Russell, a business
consultant who just recently
made the move to the east coast
with his partner from
Oklahoma City.
“We’re getting adapted to
some of the cultural differences
between the Midwest and the
Southeast,” he continued.
“Everybody here has been great
and we’ve met a lot of people.”
Although Russell acknowl
edged some differences in the
Midwest LGBT community and
the Triangle area — “in terms of
outness, these folks are really
out and proud” — for the most
part, he says, “gays ami lesbians
see we’re on 14
Former Carrboro Mayor
running for Orange County
Board
Openly gay politician wants to see
trans county employees protected
by Donald Miller
CARRBORO — Residents of Orange
County have the opportunity to vote for an
extremely qualified candidate when elec
tions for the Board of Commissioners are
held Nov. 7.
Mike Nelson, the openly gay former
mayor of Carrboro, has an extensive history
in public service.
Nelson’s career began when he was elect
ed precinct chair of East Franklin precinct
while still an undergraduate. He went on to
serve as chair of Dogwood Acres precinct in
Carrboro. In the early 1990s, local
Democrats elected Nelson vice-chair of the
Orange County Democratic Party and to the
state executive committee. He has attended
four Democratic National Conventions
(1992,1996,2000,2004).
He first ran for the Carrboro Board of
Aldermen in 1989, narrowly losing that year
to an incumbent by only about 30 votes. He
waited four years to run again and won easi
ly in 1993.
In 1995, Nelson unexpectedly found
himself in a mayoral race when Mayor
Eleanor Kinnaird decided to retire. Working
hard to defeat two seasoned candidates,'
Nelson garnered as many votes as the other
two put together, becoming Carrboro’s
youngest
mayor.
“1 served
five terms,”
Nelson recalls
fondly. “The
most number
of terms served
by a mayor in
Carrboro. I was
the first openly
gay mayor in
the south and
the first and
only one so far
in North
Carolina.” .
Nelson’s not
the boastful
type — he’s
just happy he’s had the chance to achieve
what he has for the community around him.
During his multiple terms served as mayor
he points to two particular achievements
see gay on 25
Mike Nelson wants
your vote on Nov. 7
when he runs, for a
seat on the Orange
County Board of
Commissioners.
A look at the Queen City’s
Community Center
Despite some financial challenges,
new board members and new
board director committed to stay
ing the course
Arson at gay bar
page 13
by Joe Greene
CHARLOTTE —The
Gay 8c Lesbian
Community Center here
opened its doors for the
first time on Feb. 1,2003,
with former OutCharlotte
festival director
The Lesbian & Gay
Community Center
»N» »>»»** ft. wOkhw.-
fit
Dan Kirsch on board as executive director.
Planning for the center stretches back to
the late 1990s, with facilities in areas like
NODA and Dilworth being considered as a
possible home.
Eventually the Central Ave.
location was chosen because of
the proximity to other lesbian
and gay-owned businesses, as
well as a high concentration of
LGBT individuals in the sur
rounding neighborhoods.
A year or so later after its ini-
Find out how you can help!
see charlotte on 18
Triangle ready for LGBT center?
page 22