GREENSBORO
Questions surround charged gay leader
page 5
TRIANGLE
Youth attend prom, work
for change
page 17
CAROLINAS
‘Southern Queen’ hits
statewide comedy scene
page 21
Noted . Notable . Noteworthy . LGBT News & Views
Volume 23 . Number 02 www.q-notes.com May 31.2008
Male rape
victim shares
his story
Part One of this two-part series
details the alleged crime
by Matt Comer & David Stout
Q-Notes staff
The U.S. Justice Department says one
in every 10 rape victims is male.
According to a national study, about three
percent of American men (2.78 million)
have been the victim of an attempted or
Pride: Not just for state capitals anymore
completed rape. Around 60 percent of
these men identify as gay or bisexual.
Despite the sobering figures, the
Rape, Abuse and Incest National
Network says male victims are less likely
to file a crime report. Much of this has
to do with the myths attached to male-
on-male rape.
see victim on 11
Festivab popping up in locales
across the Carolinas
by Matt Comer . Q-Notes staff
In 1981, gay and transgender North
Carolinians celebrated their “day out” at the first
statewide NC Pride festival in Durham. The
same year, Charlotte had its first local Pride
gathering, on the campus of the University of
North Carolina-Charlotte. The Queen City event
would return two years later, while the
statewide Pride would be held the next time in
1986, and then each year thereafter.
The sustained Pride movement in
Charlotte began in 1987 with the launch of an
annual picnic in Bryant Park. The now-
defunct group Queen City Quordinators over
saw the event until 1989, when Q-Notes
assumed responsibility. The picnic was
replaced with a more traditional Pride festival
in 1993.
Since those early days, both events have
continued to grow. Along with them, in more
recent years local Pride festivals have popped
up across the Carolinas. Today, from the
mountains of North Carolina to the coast of
South Carolina, LGBT communities hold their
own celebrations.
The phenomenon has raised some
intriguing questions; What's behind this
movement? How are local communities
organizing their own festivities? Are there
larger trends afoot? Are these events a fad, or
is this the new paradigm?
Proliferating Prides
LGBT folks have taken to the streets
since the first rumblings of queer liberation.
What started out as a riot in New York City’s
Greenwich Village in the hot and sultry
summer of ’69 has become the city’s annual
celebration of life, liberty and the spectacu
lar and frivolous pursuit of Pride in the
years since.
Now, along with New York, there are mas
sive Pride events in such cities as San
Francisco, Atlanta and D.C. We all know about
these hundreds of thousands-strong parades:
Dykes on Bikes up front leading blocks of rau
cous marchers waving a sea of rainbow flags
and carrying signs addressing every type of
social concern. It's what these events are
famous and beloved for.
The question is: In this new era of prolifer
ating Pride observances, have these festivals
lost any of their appeal?
“From my limited experience with Prides
such as the San Francisco event, large gatherings
see complexion on 16
California Supreme Court legalizes marriage
Conservatives rally to issue stay,
amendment initiative
compiled by Q-Notes staff
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif — The Supreme
Court of California ruled 4-3 May 15 in favor
of legalizing marriage for same-sex couples
and knocked down the state’s ban on gay mar
riage. The court also ruled that domestic part
nerships are not a good enough substitute for
the extension of full marriage rights.
The case was brought by the City of San
Francisco, two dozen gay and lesbian couples
and Equality California.
“I respect the Court’s decision and as
Governor, 1 will uphold its ruling,” California
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said after the
publication of the decision. “Also, as I have
said in the past, I will not support an amend
ment to the Constitution that would overturn
this state Supreme Court ruling.”
“This is a historic day for the state of
California, and a long-awaited day for the
plaintiffs in this case and their families,” said
Human Rights Campaign President Joe
Solmonese.“The California Supreme Court
has made clear that same-sex couples in
committed relationships and their families
deserve the same level of respect afforded to
opposite-sex couples. The court did its job
by ensuring that the state constitution pro
vides the same rights and protections for
everyone. This is a decision that strengthens
California families.”
It is expected that conservative groups will
be successful in their attempts to place an anti
family marriage amendment on the state’s
November ballot. The groups are also pushing
the Court to issue a stay on its ruling until vot
ers head to the polls for the ballot initiative.
The full opinion as issued by the Court is
available online at www.courtinfo.ca.gov/
opinions/documents/S147999.DOC
— Be sure to pick up the June 14 issue of
Q-Notes for an in-depth look at how this
marriage ruling will impact the Carolinas
LGBT communities and marriage movement.
From the opinion, written by
Chief justice Ron George:
In light of all of these circumstances, we
conclude that retention of the traditional
definition of marriage does not constitute a
state interest sufficiently compelling, under
the strict scrutiny equal protection stan
dard, to justify withholding that status
from same-sex couples. Accordingly, insofar
as the provisions of sections 300 and 308.5
draw a distinction between opposite-sex
couples and same-sex couples and exclude
the latter from access to the designation of
marriage, we conclude these statutes are
unconstitutional.
(Pages 118-119)
S.C. group demands termination
page 14
Editorial: Help us help you
page 4
Spoleto returns to Charleston
page 21