I remember my very first time doing drag many years ago.  My best friend Barry had said we should go out in drag for Halloween—I had never thought I’d have the courage to do so.  After a little prodding (yes Mary, I wanted to do it) we went shopping for a dress, shoes and wig.  This was way before I ever thought of doing Mary Edith; and my idea (Lawd this story is fraught with tragedy) was to do glamour drag: read “Bitch, what the hell was you thinkin?” 

Barry took me to Lane Bryant where he convinced me to pick out this beautiful casket lining, er um, black dress that was awful.  We got a Marilyn Monroe blonde wig and then headed to Gwinnet Place Mall to go shoe shopping.  Needless to say, the sales lady was horrified a 6’4 man would be asking what the largest sized shoes they had and even more horrified when I pushed my feet into them. I wear a man’s 12 and a woman’s 13 but the largest woman’s size they had was a 12.  To say there was overhang was an understatement.  It looked like a can of Vienna sausage had spilled out of my shoes. Out of desperation, I bought those little foot caskets and off we went to get ready. 

Since I had been playing in my mom’s makeup since I could remember, the makeup went on easy.  However, I had no clue about hair.  Check out this hilarious picture!  This is actually from the first time I went out in drag.  For all you first timers, rest assured, you couldn’t do much worse!  I especially love the tres chic ‘FEM’ pose. 

Anyway, as we headed out, we went to the Armory and with every step I took, my feet exploded with pain.  I walked like a man whose balls were being dragged behind him and willfully showed that pain on my face.  To top it off, I had the nerve to run up to my friend Shane and do a little twirl and said to him in my most feminine voice “ooooo, wanna [bleep] a sissy?”  Shane paused a moment with his head shaking and said, “Oh no, not you too.”

The best part of doing drag was being able to hide behind the “mask.”  I was always so shy but when I put drag on, watch out!

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween!

This year’s Atlanta Pride entertainment line-up is a tasty buffet of fabulous treats. The cherry on top; dance music queen Deborah Cox. This woman has been pumping out booty-shaking beat after booty-shaking beat for more than a decade. The last few years has seen her shift her focus to the theater, but don’t worry she still plans on making fab music. Miss Cox took a few minutes from recording to give the low-down on her diva-self.

Fenuxe: You do a lot of prides and other LGBT events and you have a ton of gay fans. Does your connection with the LGBT community go deeper than music?

Deborah: Well, music is deep, to me, ya know, so to have such a following in the gay community is flattering because I know that they are the trend setters and they are the ones who set the standard of what is hot. I love that the fans have been so loyal throughout the years.

Fenuxe: Have you been to Atlanta before?

Deborah: Oh yeah, many time! I have just never done pride, but have been to Atlanta for different club events and radio station events.

Fenuxe: What do you love most about our city?

Deborah: Every time I go there I remember my first album. I spent like a good three months in Atlanta recording with Dallas Austin when we did “Sentimental”, “My Radio” and songs from the first album. There were some really, really great times. I remember the Waffle House. (laughs)

Fenuxe: We love the Waffle House.

Deborah: (laughs) Yeah, we were just so young and just having so much fun. I remember the late, late nights in the studio. All I remember was there were too many damn Peachtrees. (laughs) It was very hard giving directions, but really good memories when I think about Atlanta.

Fenuxe: GPS makes it a lot easier now, just so you know.

Deborah: (laughs) Right exactly. (laughs)

Fenuxe: What do you think has lead to your longevity while others have fallen by the way side?

Deborah: I think the fact that I have never compromised my integrity or the style that I loved to do, which has been R&B, Pop, Dance, Jazz. I do what I feel. I do what I love. I do the songs that resonate to me. I really kind of stick to my guns when it comes to music. I think that is why I am still here. I perform a lot. I do a lot of live shows and I show love back to the audience. I really appreciate all the fans that I have an, ya know, I don’t ever take advantage.

Fenuxe: You’re slated to do “Josephine” on Broadway. Is doing theater something you always wanted to do? Or was it just something that appeared and you were like, “Cool, I’ll do it”?

Deborah: A little bit of both. I did musicals in high school and I went to a performing arts high school. It wasn’t foreign to me, the stage and doing musicals and stuff like that. It was just a matter of what the part was. But when I did Aida it was an opportunity, really of a lifetime, to step into the role like that and do a show with Elton and Tim Rice’s music was a dream. It was like a Godsend it was just perfect timing on many levels. I jumped at the opportunity. Once I heard murmuring of producers, Ken Waissman, wanting me to do the role of Josephine I was like, “I have to do this.” It gives me the opportunity to originate a role. As an artist that is the biggest compliment to set the standard of what this woman’s life is going to be. To have me as part of that process is really, really gratifying. I am really looking forward to the show.

Fenuxe: When does “Josephine” open?

Deborah: Spring 2012. It has been a long process. The whole Broadway thing has taught me so much, especially originating a role. There are a lot of moving parts. There are a lot of people involved. The set designers, the costume designers, the director. There is a lot of work in progress. It is never really done until you put it up on stage.

Fenuxe: Will the play cover all of Josephine Baker’s amazing life or just a small part?

Deborah: It tells the story of Josephine Baker during four years of her life when she was getting ready to join the French resistance, when she was having her steamy affair with the prince of Sweden. It really shows the arch of her need for love and her distaste for racism during her upbringing in St. Louis in the early 20s. We focus on her fight and her patriotism to France and her journey of love.

Fenuxe: Is the play a mix of music, dance and traditional theater or is it mostly singing and dancing?

Deborah: We tell the story through song, but there is a lot of drama. A lot of drama!

Fenuxe: Who are your co-stars in the play?

Deborah: This amazing actor, Broadway and theater actor, named Tristan Sturrock, who is out of London. He is the co-star, but I am not sure who else has been cast in the Broadway production.

Fenuxe: Does this mean you are shifting your focus away from studio work and more on theater?

Deborah: I hope to do it all. I hope to do both. I hope to continue to maintain what I do on CDs and in music and also do the show. As an artist I get really bored very quickly. (laughs) I like to keep it moving and like to do different things. I like to keep it interesting and I don’t like to do one genre. I am doing another Jazz album. Of course I am in the studio right now trying to finish up the R&B/Pop album. We have our dance single that is brewing as well.

Fenuxe: What are the dance singles?

Deborah: A couple singles actually. One I did with Tony Moran called “Tenderness” and another one called “If it Wasn’t for Love” with Mixin Marc. I think it has been the happiest I have ever been musically, artistically, in my life. I have so many platforms to do what I love to do. Ultimately it is singing. Whatever the style is, whatever the genre, whatever that entails I am the most happy.

Fenuxe: Since you get bored very easily does the possibility of a three year run on Broadway terrify you?

Deborah: You know it is funny because I have always said that if I were to go back on Broadway to do something long term it would have to be something I loved. And I have to love the music. In the case with Aida I loved the music. I loved being there every night singing those songs. It didn’t feel mundane. This role is the most challenging because it is dancing, it is acting, heavy intense acting, and singing. So, that is not going keep me bored at all. (laughs)

Fenuxe: Thank you for taking the time away from the studio. We look forward to your performance at pride.

Skimming through the mundane examinations of picturesque captures of wildlife in cold Russia online, I stumbled upon an image of a rare baby albino seal that was utilizing its raw instinct to survive under a log all by itself. Alone, wet, with near blind eyesight because of its inherited albinism, he looked dazed and seemingly to have just discovered ways to glide across the chilly sand upon the arrival to this world. No other seals were in sight. No little seals to play with. No adult seals to get assistance from. No friends. No mother or father. No one. This cute ginger-colored baby seal was abandoned by his colony because he was different.

What happened to the baby seal paints a correlated picture of what most of us go through as we grow up to understand what it means to be “different”. Being different in our case is being gay, but what sort of preconceived notion does an individual have to call on what is deemed different in his eyes? Just because the bible or the social norm dictates that marriage is between a man and a woman then thou shall not lay with another man if you are a man? Marriage equality is a sensitive subject, but I merely want to understand why people respond to something different with fear, and thus reject its existence by abandoning it altogether. This is when I call upon the wisdom of the founding fathers of gay movements back before most of us were born.

New York City, 1969, Stonewall Inn. At 1:20AM, four policemen, two patrol officers, one detective and one deputy inspector barged in through the double doors and wreaked havoc upon the (now) famed gay club. None of the officers were following protocols. Men were being pushed, shoved and women were being bullied. It was a massive confusion and conundrum. Weeks leading up to this raid, the NYC officers had already ransacked other gay friendly places without any justification. Anger brooded and sorrow soared. It was what they called, “the last straw.” Michael Fader, one of the many people who accounted this event, recalled:

We weren’t going to be walking meekly in the night and letting them shove us around. There was something in the air, freedom a long time overdue, and we’re going to fight for it. It took different forms, but the bottom line was, we weren’t going to go away. And we didn’t.

Fader and the many people who shared his ideal gallantly fought for what they believed in. While we all learned the many things that transpired after that fateful night, we, as a homosexual society can’t afford to relinquish what Fader and company have taught us: Freedom and the will to fight for the right for being who you are. I want to ask the reader, as a gay individual, what aspect of being gay stands out that you are most proud of? It could be anything. As for our baby seal, his only worry was to have the will to live. He should be proud of his courage.

The near blind baby seal didn’t flinch when he was left behind. He was doing his best to survive, even if his chances were slim. He hid under the log to seek shelter. He learned to glide across the sand to run from the photographers. Even though no other seals cared for him he fought for the life that was given to him and he succeeded.

Comments email: [email protected]

Controversy, controversy, controversy! Well, this is Fenuxe and we just love to focus on the bright side of things. In just 22 months Mayor Kasim Reed has accomplished more than most Mayors accomplish in two terms. The Mayor took a few minutes from preparing for pride to sit down and chat with us.

Fenuxe: Let’s talk about your job at handling the Eagle raid. Part of your initiative is the creation of the LGBT Police Advisory Board. Can you tell us a little more about their overall purpose? And also, what other objectives do you plan on working through with them?

Reed: The overall goal is to make sure that a lack of awareness and a lack of sensitivity doesn’t lead to anything like the Atlanta Eagle raid ever happening again. Not only avoiding future behavior from occurring, but really learning how to have a favorable environment. I think you do that by having connectivity with people from what is a vital and important part of Atlanta. That was the purpose. While it certainly was stimulated by the events surrounding the Atlanta Eagle they are going to go beyond that. I believe the fact that we have not had a similar behavior from the police department while I have been mayor grows out of my clear commitment and very strong feeling about making sure that members of the LGBT community who live in Atlanta feel embraced. We have a culture change we are trying to implement that I believe is a top down change. Anytime you are moving an organization of over 7,500 people or in the incidence of the police department more than 2,000 people including sworn and non-sworn officers, it does take some time to change the direction of the ship. It is not just about the LGBT advisory board it is about two wonderful officers who we have has LGBT liaisons. If it had been utilized in the Eagle raid environment I don’t think it would have happened. I think the officers we have are respected and hard working and certainly doing a real job that brings value. I also think the sensitivity training that was implemented for all sworn and non-sworn officers lets everyone know that this is priority. I am going to go through that training as well. From the top down we are going to send a clear signal: not only are we not going to have the kind of behavior that was displayed in the Eagle raid, but are going to be the kind of warm environment that people in the LGBT community deserve.

Fenuxe: Did you get a lot of kick-back from the beat officers?

Reed: I didn’t feel like we got a kick-back from it. I made it very clear that it was personally important to me, you can embrace it or leave.

Fenuxe: Bullying in schools is a big issue these days, especially for the LGBT youth of America, what responsibilities do you think a city bears when it comes to making sure every child is safe in their classroom?

Reed: I think as the leader of the city I have the responsibility to lead and get involved in anti-bullying initiatives. I had a good friend named Phillip Rush who supported me for Mayor and who supported me when I was in the state senate and general assembly. He is really the individual who educated me about bullying issues related to young girls and boys who were gay or lesbian who were coming out and what a traumatic experience that is for many of them. I have known about it for a long time.

I was, less than 8 weeks ago, at Sutton Middle School joining with the anti-defamation league on their “No Place for Hate” campaign. I am using the office of the Mayor to expand those programs. Obviously that is the purview of the Atlanta public school system, but I have the ability to draw attention to the topic. And I have been doing that as recently as the last 100 days. I am going to continue to do that. We really need the anti-bullying and “No Place for Hate” campaign in every single public school in the APS system. As you know, right now, it is in less than a dozen schools. I am working through my relationships with the leaders of APS to expand the “No Place for Hate” campaign and the anti-bullying campaign to every school in the APS system.

Fenuxe: You have been Mayor for almost two years. Do you feel you have accomplished what you set out to accomplish when you took the oath of office?

Reed: I think we have accomplished a lot. When I became Mayor the city was facing an unfunded pension liability of $1.5 billion that if we had had the same actual performance that we had over the last ten years would have grown to $4 billion dollars which was putting the city in a position of fiscal peril. I think we have solved the biggest pension obligation challenge the city ever faced. Our pensions were funded as low as 51%. During my time in office we have now reversed that and put the city on a path to paying down the billion and half liability. [We] Improved the city’s balance sheet from 25 million to 32 million a year and we have not raised property taxes.

Speaking specifically to the LGBT community, I received some criticism when I placed Jack Dalton in as leader, elevated Major Probst, who is very happy at the APD now and is in a deputy chief position. Jack Dalton just won one of the awards as being one of the best police officers of the year. And crime is down in zone 6 (midtown) by 18%.

We have grown cash reserves from 7.4 million from when I was here to more than 70 million now. That is 56 million audited and verified. When we close out the next set of books we will be at 70 million.

Speaking to Zone 6 area we completed the transaction for the sale city hall east. 2 million square foot building that was an eye sore. It is now going to be taken over by Jamsetown Properties and this will see $180 million in direct investment to rehab it. Probably generate a billion dollars in economic benefit and will help revitalize the Ponce De Leon core. I think that was a big win for us.

We just left today EUE/Screen Gems which is contributing to a growing motion picture film entertainment business. Every single sound stage is full. At EUE we have passed a billion dollar mark in terms of the number of the numbers of films and TV that are done in any given year.

We did the deal to bring Porsche North America to the city of Atlanta. They are building a $100 million headquarters. 300 people will be employed with an average salary of $65,000 and that will be in city of Atlanta proper. We have done all these things in less than 22 months in office, so I feel okay.

Fenuxe: Where do see the city headed in 5-10 years?

Reed: I think at the end of the day the country is going to be divided into 8 mega regions that are driven by powerful cities. I believe we’re going to be the center of the southern mega region. I think we will be the logistics center for the western hemisphere. Not in 5 years, in about 15 years, but the bones will be laid for that. That is why the port of Savannah is so important because it will give us a port that can handle Panama Canal freight which is 3 times the size of what it is today by 2014. All that will come through Savannah and then be dispersed throughout the southeast.

I think the city will be stronger financially than it has been in its history. I believe my successor will just have a great job being mayor. I inherited this job at the worst time in our lifetime. There has never been a worse time to be Mayor than today.

Fenuxe: Gay pride is a huge event for the city as well as the entire state. It is a chance for the city to shine. What tips do you have for people who have never been to Atlanta?

Reed: Well, of course, they have to start at Outwrite, Phil Rafshoon’s place. Outwrite is the center of gravity. I like the restaurant Einstein’s which I think they have to stop by. I think those would be the two starting points to get to know the lay of the land. Everything that is by 14th street, the Four Seasons, the Loews will be the center of gravity. I think that is the place to launch from and make that home base then go from there.

Fenuxe: What pride events are you attending in official capacity or just for fun?

The Atlanta Pride committee has outdone themselves with this year’s Atlanta Pride entertainment line-up. One of the can’t miss performances will come from rising star Wynter Gordon. If you have been to a dance club recently you have definitely heard one of her hits “Dirty Talk” or “’Til Death.” She took a few minutes away from recording her latest album, With the Music I Die, to give Fenuxe the scoop on her past, present and future.

Fenuxe: You are one of the main acts at this year’s Atlanta Pride.  Have you been to Atlanta before?

Wynter: I’ve spent quite a lot of time in Atlanta! My favorite thing to do is hit up all the great food places like Pappadeaux  

Fenuxe: Have you played a lot of gay pride festivals?

Wynter: I’m a veteran at this point. (laughs)

Fenuxe: You have a family member who recently came out to you.  Is it getting better for them and how has their struggle affected you?

Wynter: With love and knowing that the people who count most in their life accepts and supports them, they have become more free. It hasn’t gotten easier for me; I see the stares and the people judging.  I’m so protective of my “baby”.  I wanna strangle those people who judge without even knowing someone’s heart.

Fenuxe: Did your super religious upbringing challenge your acceptance of gays?

Wynter: At first it did. But as I developed my own relationship with God, I realized my job on this earth is to love. I know that people are born that way from experience. 

Fenuxe: You went to LaGuardia High also known as the Fame High School.   Is it as intense as it is made out to be?

Wynter: LAG was a blessing.   It’s a school for kids who all feel out of place in the world and brings them to a place where weird is normal. It was a home, a breeding ground and incubator for talented youth. I loved every minute and it made a huge difference in my life. 

Fenuxe: Okay now on to your music…You have spent most of your career writing music for other people.  Is writing for yourself easier or harder than writing for other people?

Wynter: It’s about the same for me.   Music is music.

Fenuxe: Are there any songs out there that you wrote for other people that you wish you could record now for yourself?

Wynter: Not really, I’m pretty secure on the songs I have placed on other artists. It’s been a blessing to work with them all.

Fenuxe: Do you think growing up in the Jamaica area of Queens had a big influence on your music?

Wynter: Not the type of music I make, but it gave me a reason to keep pushing for my dreams. I have no place to go but up.

Fenuxe: Tell us what we can expect from your album?  When is it set to be released? 

Wynter: Secrets are fun aren’t they? All I can say is I’ve grown as a musician and writer and I’m gonna be giving you a great album that is classic.

Fenuxe: Your first big break was writing the title track to Mary J Blige’s “the Breakthrough” what was it like when you found out she was not only going to sing your song, but also name her album after it? 

Wynter: Kinda like an Ashton Kutcher Punk’d moment.

Fenuxe: You now find yourself working with some of the biggest people in the business like David Guetta and Rhythm Masters and playing large music festivals.  All accounts say that you are fitting in rather well.  Has the rise been bumpy or smooth? 

Wynter: I feel like I’ve been traveling on the Underground Railroad … It’s been scary hard and long and I still haven’t made it to freedom.  I’m close though, Canada is on the horizon if you know what I mean. (laughs)

Fenuxe: What is your song writing process?  Do the words just hit you out of nowhere or do you need to set the mood? 

Wynter: They kinda come from God. I hear words all day. People think I’m crazy because my brain doesn’t stop giving.

Fenuxe: You have done a few covers of other people’s music.  Is there a song out there that you would love to record? 

Wynter: Eagle Eye Cherry’s “Save Tonight”.

Fenuxe: Who or what inspires you?

Wynter: Tina Turner, Beyonce, Will Smith’s work ethic and Oprah.

Fenuxe: What is your guilty pleasure?

Wynter: I have no vices… I’m probably gonna fly off the deep end at some point because I don’t indulge in things I lust for. 

Fenuxe: What music are you listening to these days?

Wynter: Oldies. Anything Pre-1995.

“That guy is sooo HOT!” “That isn’t a guy” “Yeah well, he’s still hot…”

“How come none of these sexy men in front of me are showing up on my GuySpy App?” “Dunno, why don’t you just go talk to one of them?” “No way, that would be weird.”

“Lady Gaga doesn’t even compare to Madonna!” “Very true! Gaga is better … Where are you going?!” “We can’t be friends anymore.”

“Thou Shalt Repent! Being Gay Is A Sin!” “So is that outfit, honey!”

“Girl, you looked great in the parade!” “Thanks, but don’t post that picture of me marching. I’m not out!”

Fenuxe: Do you feel people are more receptive and understanding of having pride in October?

JP: Absolutely. The feedback becomes more positive each year. We had the best weather in the history of the event last year and that did a lot for the enthusiasm around the new weekend.

Fenuxe: Last year we noticed a lot more diversity at the festival. Are you feeling that the same way?

JP: The goal is inclusion. Diversity can be a hard thing to measure, so I always find it the safest bet to just operate from a place of “it could be better.”

Fenuxe: You have already sold out all the vendor booths. Why do you think it happened sooner this year?

JP: Vendors love the new date. They love the weather. They love the crowds. They love not having to decide between coming to Atlanta Pride, New York Pride, or San Francisco Pride.

Fenuxe: You have an impressive list of performers lined-up for the festival this year!

JP: We’ve always booked great acts, they just haven’t always been well known at the time they play our event. People like the Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins, and Jennifer Nettles all graced our stages early in their careers

Fenuxe: Obviously there will be a lot of buzz around Deborah Cox, Wynter Gordon and Ari Gold, but of the lesser known acts who do you think is a must see?

JP: DEMIZES. He’s played our event a few times now. Last year he performed after missing a couple of prides. I’ve never seen a crowd response like that before.

Fenuxe: This year’s pride is taking place the same weekend as Yom Kippur. What special steps has the Atlanta Pride Committee taken to ensure that the Jewish community is included in the events of the weekend?

JP: We’ve worked very closely with Rabbi Josh Lesser and Congregation Bet Haverim throughout the year. A few of the things we worked out include moving the Commitment Ceremony from Saturday to Thursday, helping to promote the CBH activities, and providing free shuttle service from the park to Yom Kippur services

Fenuxe: As a member of the trans community yourself, do you feel that the world is becoming a more accepting place for transgendered people?

JP: I think there is a lot of work still to be done in terms of the trans community gaining acceptance, even within the LGB community. While there does seem to be a greater effort to include the “T,” it’s still often just in speech or writing, not in action. There are still plenty of people who don’t understand us and don’t think we belong as part of the community.