Bear-ing it all in concert
page 29
‘Naked Boys’ banned by state
page 17
Anti-gay police harassment alleged
*' page 20
Noted . Notable . Noteworthy. LGBT News & Views
Volume 22 . Number 26 www.q-notes.com May 3.2008
81
Q-Notes Online
gets makeover
RSS, commenting, daily
news alerts and more
Regular visitors to Q-Notes Online have
already noticed a change in our online
presence. A week prior to this current issue,
Q-Notes staff rolled out our website’s new
design.
The new Q-Notes Online features daily
news, RSS feeds, article talkbacks, staff
blogs, a daily email news update and more.
The new site and its behind-the-scenes con
struction enable us to better serve you and
helps us get the news out faster and better
than ever before.
On the new website readers can engage in
community discussions on each published
article. You can also sign up to receive a
daily email delivered right to your inbox every
morning containing the latest LGBT news
from around the Carolinas.
For those who are a little more tech savvy,
Q-Notes Online now offers RSS feeds, allowing
you to subscribe to content from virtually any
section of the site.
Built with the popular blogging platform
WordPress, we hope the new website will
be able to grow and change simultaneously
with the internet and web trends of the blo-
gosphere. We also hope to build close relation
ships with LGBT bloggers around the
Carolinas and nation. Increased use of video
reporting is also in development.
If you haven’t yet had the chance to check
it out, head over to Q-Notes Online at
www.q-notes.com. Be sure to look at our
two newest staff blogs, InsideSource with
editor Matt Comer and Daily Popcorn, a
queer-oriented pop culture blog with associ
ate editor David Stout. >
info: insidesource.q-notes.com . popcorn.q-notes.com
Gay freshman elected student
body prez at N.C. college
Michael Tuso’s victory potentially
the first in UNC system
student politics
by Matt Comer . Q-Notes staff
GREENSBORO — An openly gay freshman
at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro
Michael Tuso does not describe himself as
activist, but lives his life to help others.
(UNCG) won the student government spring
election for student body president by an over
whelming majority in mid-April.
Michael Tuso, 19, a native of Raleigh, offi
cially took office Apr. 29. His duties as stu
dent government president include oversee
ing funding for hundreds of student organi
zations, serving on the university’s board of
trustees and acting as a liaison between stu
dents and university administration.
Tuso might be the first-ever openly gay
student body president at any school in the
UNC system. Past members of
UNCG’s student government couldn’t
recall ever hearing about an openly
gay president and members of the
system-wide Association of Student
Governments couldn’t either. Web
searches also returned nothing.
Tuso had to overcome obstacles
of age, academic class and sexual
orientation to win the right to lead
UNCG’s more than 16,000 students
for the next year. His prior involve
ment with the student government
was primarily focused in the Student Senate
Finance Committee. .
Tuso told Q-Notes that he wants to find
ways for student government to work more
an
N.C. Primary
coverage
Q-Notes has some great coverage of
the N.C. Primary on May 6. Be sure to -
check out pages 4 and 5 for two guest
commentaries on the remaining
Democratic candidates. Sens. Hillary
Clinton and Barack Obama. Daily
updated coverage can also be found on
Q-Notes Online at www.q-notes.com.
Happy Voting!
closely with student organizations.
“An issue I’ve been pushing a lot is col
laboration. There is a lot of disconnect
between the Student Government
Association and student organizations.”
UNCG has a reputation for the outlandish
antics of past student governments.
Collaboration and dialogue have been in
short supply in recent years as the bitter in
fighting between differing special interests
have taken center stage. In fact, the lack of
planning almost led to the student govern
ment’s shut-down by university officials less
see new on 13
Business Guild celebrates 15th year
in Columbia
S.C. Gala features openly gay comedian ANT
by Collier Rutledge . Contributing Writer
COLUMBIA — What do you get when you mix scores of LGBT
people, a nationally respecteff openly gay comedian, the mayor of a
state’s capital city, food and dancing? The S.C. Gay and
Lesbian Business Guild Gala, of course.
On May 16, the Guild will host
their annual awards gala with fea
tured entertainer ANT at the
Embassy Suites Hotel on Greystone Blvd. The event
starts with a reception and networking hour at 6 p.m, fol
lowed by the gala program at 7 p.m. A cash bar will be
available during the gala and an after dinner dance is
scheduled from the end of the program until midnight.
The event marks the 15th anniversary of the S.C.
Gay and Lesbian Business Guild, a well-established
LGBT organization that is among the oldest
gay groups in the state.
ANT has been featured on
numerous television programs,
including “The Last Comic Standing
(where he served as a judge), “The Tonight
Comedian ANT is
scheduled to perform at
the S.C. Gay and Lesbian
Business Guild Annual
Gala in Columbia.
Show with Jay Leno” and “The Tyra Banks Show.” He has also appeared
on programs airing on VHl and LOGO.
According to gala organizer Chuck Archie, ANT is also donating his
time for a private luncheon on the day of the gala.
Archie told Q-Notes the Guild has donated 10 seats to the
— — luncheon to the AIDS Benefit Foundation Dining
Bji3 with Friends Dessert Finale auction. A platter
signed by ANT will also be auctioned off at the
same fundraiser.
At the gala, the Guild will be presenting four
awards, including the Freddie Mullis Corporate Member
of the Year, Dan Burch Volunteer of the Year and Community Partner
of the Year awards. A Trailblazer Award will also be presented to an
individual who has ‘blazed a trail, broken new ground or achieved
some historical milestone in our community.” Event nominations
"'were due by Mar. 31.
Tickets can be bought online at www.scglbg.org. Prices
range from $60 for Guild members to $75 for non-mem
bers. Full tables of eight can be bought for $500 each.
Event sponsors include American Airlines,
Asset Realty, Inc., Embassy Suites, Fastco_Q-
Notes, Cap-n Al’s Hawaiian Sunglass Hut, Robin
Ridgell & Marla Wood and Roof Basket Works. I
info: www.scglbg.org
Blogger takes on DJ, radio station
page 14
UNCC students face anti-gay preachers
page 12
Groups want killer charged as juvie
page 26