Memphis Gaydar, Memphis Flyer

J-Wag's Reunion Show

Bianca Phillips — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:00:00 -0500

The now-defunct J-Wag's once served as a laid-back drag and dive bar, but it was torn down a few years ago.

On Saturday, May 25th, some of the drag queens who used to perform at J-Wag's will take the stage upstairs at Jack Magoo's at their first J-Wag's Reunion Show.…

Family Fun Day

Bianca Phillips — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:48:23 -0500

Mid-South Pride is hosting a Family Fun Day and picnic on Saturday, May 25th at 11 a.m. at Overton Park.

There will be a three-legged race, balloon toss, and other games.…

LGBT Business Professional Meet & Greet

Bianca Phillips — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:24:00 -0500

Network with LGBT business pros and allies at the Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center's Business Professional Meet & Greet on Thursday, May 23rd from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Hilton hotel.

The event is free and open to Memphis area employee resource groups, diversity and inclusion councils, business owners, entrepreneurs, LGBT & Ally professionals, family and friends.…

Westboro Baptist Church Takes on the NBA, Ignores Elvis

Bianca Phillips — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:13:38 -0500

The planned Westboro Baptist Church protest at Graceland started right on time but not in the location counter-protesters anticipated.

At 4:30 p.m., counter-protesters — decked out in rainbow attire and/or Elvis costumes and sideburns — were already huddled behind a police barricade outside Graceland's iconic signature wall.…

Outflix Summer Film Series

Bianca Phillips — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:35:26 -0500

Months before the big Outflix Film Festival, which features newer, independent LGBT-themed films, the Outflix folks hold a Summer Film Series featuring cult classics.

The weekly Outflix Summer Film Series begins on Thursday, May 30th and runs every Thursday night through June 27th.…

Cherry Party Features a Rock Theme

Bianca Phillips — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:19:00 -0500

The monthly installment of Cherry, a party for lesbians and their friends, will feature a rock-themed burlesque and drag show.

On Saturday, May 11th at 10:30 p.m. at Cafe Society, Anne Tag-a-Knee, Foxy Fairmont, Lady Problems and FreakNasty will provide the entertainment.…

Dru's Place Gets a Makeover

Bianca Phillips — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:24:33 -0500

With only a couple of gay bars left in the Bluff City, Dru's Place — once known as primarily a lesbian bar — has revamped its space to accommodate more patrons in its bar area.

Since Crossroads closed last November, Dru's has been hosting displaced drag queens, essentially turning the lesbian bar into an all-around gay bar.…

Openly Gay NBA Player Jason Collins Has Past with the Grizzlies

Bianca Phillips — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:55:00 -0500

The NBA finally has an openly gay player, thanks to Washington Wizards center Jason Collins coming out story on Sports Illustrated's website this morning.

Collins jokes in his piece about a parlor game called "Three Degrees of Jason Collins" since he's played for so many teams that everybody knows somebody who has played with him at one point or another.…

Dining Out for Life

Bianca Phillips — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:10:24 -0500

On Thursday, April 25th, select Memphis restaurants will be giving a portion of their proceeds to local HIV/AIDS organization Friends for Life as part of the national Dining Out for Life event.

Friends for Life is a nonprofit that provides housing, wellness education, support services, and more to Memphians living with HIV/AIDS.…

"We Say Gay" T-Shirts (and More LGBT News From the Close of the Legislative Session)

Bianca Phillips — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:21:31 -0500

Senator Stacey Campfield's infamous "Don't Say Gay" bill failed to pass in the Tennessee General Assembly before the legislative session ended on Friday. To celebrate, the Tennessee Equality Project is selling "We Say Gay" t-shirts.

For years, Campfield has been pushing "Don't Say Gay," which would prevent any discussion of homosexuality in kindergarten through the 8th grade in Tennessee's public schools.…

LGBT Family-Friendly Scavenger Hunt

Bianca Phillips — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:49:05 -0500

Get your smart phone cameras ready. The first annual LGBT Scavenger Hunt and Family Day is set for Saturday, April 20th at Overton Park.…

Dan Savage To Speak at University of Memphis Tonight

Bianca Phillips — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:31:21 -0500

Dan Savage, editor of Seattle's The Stranger alt-weekly newspaper and the co-founder of the "It Gets Better" campaign, will speak at the University of Memphis tonight as part of "Respect Me, Don't Reject Me" week.

In 2010, Savage and his husband Terry Miller launched the "It Gets Better" video campaign, which features celebrities in a series of viral videos encouraging LGBTQ youth to stick it out and not commit suicide because life gets better as a gay adult.…

Cherry Party Features Kait Lawson

Bianca Phillips — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 11:23:00 -0500

The April installment of "Cherry" — a monthly party for lesbians and their friends — will feature live music by local singer/songwriters Kait Lawson and Melinda Milligan.

"This talented woman [Lawson] reached out to 'Cherry' to introduce herself to more LGBT folks, so let's show her that we really are the best fans to have," said Julie Wheeler, host of "Cherry."

As usual, the party will feature drink specials, food, and a $50 tattoo giveaway from Underground Art.…

Family Group Launching for LGBT Parents with Kids

Bianca Phillips — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:21:00 -0500

Christin, a Bartlett mom of two girls, wants to meet other LGBT parents for conversation. So she's launching a family group for LGBT parents with kids.…

MGLCC Expands HIV Testing

Bianca Phillips — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:28:00 -0500

The Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center is now offering free HIV testing two days per week, thanks to a grant from the Mid-South AIDS Fund.

Previously, testing was only available at the center on Wednesdays, but they began offering the tests on Mondays beginning this week.…

Gay Rights Are Civil Rights

Bianca Phillips — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:21:00 -0500

Justice Edwin Cameron, who was appointed Justice of the Supreme Court of South Africa by President Nelson Mandela, will lead a talk on why gay rights are civil rights on Wednesday, April 3rd at 7 p.m. at Rhodes College.

Cameron has served five years on South Africa's highest court, the Constitutional Court, and he's an internationally renowned human rights advocate.…

"Love Doesn't Hurt" Fundraiser

Bianca Phillips — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:50:16 -0500

The Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center is looking to start a fund for LGBTQ domestic violence victims.

You can donate by attending the "Love Doesn't Hurt" drag show and fundraiser at Club Spectrum (616 Marshall) this Friday, March 29th.…

LGBT Activism in the Deep South

Bianca Phillips — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:03:00 -0500

LGBT activism is alive and well in the South, but what special issues come along with preaching equality in the Bible Belt?

Jonathan Cole of the Tennessee Equality Project will discuss "LGBT Activism in the Deep South" in front of the Marxist Student Union on the University of Memphis campus. The lecture is open to the public on Thursday, March 28th at 7 p.m. in the Mitchell Hall Auditorium on the University of Memphis campus.…

"Light the Way for Justice" Candelight Vigil

Bianca Phillips — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:14:00 -0500

Beginning Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin listening to oral arguments on the constitutionality of Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a case which has potential to be a landmark in the struggle for LGBT equality.

A group will gather at the Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center on Tuesday, March 26th for a "Light the Way to Justice" candlelight vigil at 7 p.m.

The event is one of 160 vigil events across the country.…

Emerald Theatre Company Presents The Divine Sister

Bianca Phillips — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:46:00 -0500

Memphis' LGBT theatre company will present The Divine Sister, which pays hilarious homage to Hollywood films involving nuns, this weekend from Friday, March 22nd through Sunday, March 24th and again March 29th through the 31st at Theatreworks (2085 Monroe).

Expect parodied scenes from Doubt, Agnes of God, The Sound of Music, The Da Vinci Code, and other films.…

LGBT Law Symposium

Bianca Phillips — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:23:00 -0500

The third annual LGBT Law Symposium, presented by the University of Mississippi School of Law, will be held on Friday, March 22nd from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Ole Miss' Robert C. Khayat Law Center.

The event features presentations and panels on law topics related to LGBT issues, including pro-bono advocacy and community involvement, HIV/AIDS, challenges and triumphs in the transgender community, diversity in the law profession, family law, and estate planning.…

St. Patrick's Day Rainbow Pub Crawl

Bianca Phillips — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:58:59 -0500

Members of Mid-South Pride and the LGBTQ community will be carrying a giant rainbow flag in this year's St. Patrick's Day parade along Beale Street on Saturday, March 16th at 3:30 p.m.

But once the parade is through, the party continues with a Rainbow Pub Crawl and Pot of Gold Poker Run. The crawl starts at the Pumping Station at 5 p.m. with a cookout.…

Cherry's "Viva Las Vulvas" Party

Bianca Phillips — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:45:00 -0500

The annual Cherry party for lesbians and their friends will have a vintage Vegas theme this month, and it doubles as a birthday celebration for party host Julie Wheeler.

Set for Saturday, March 16th at Cafe Society, Cherry will feature a burlesque show with Kitty Wompas, Kissame Suga, and Anne Tag-A-Knee.…

Advancing Equality on the Hill

Bianca Phillips — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:52:00 -0500

For nine consecutive years, the Tennessee Equality Project has dedicated a day to lobbying state lawmakers in favor of bills that advance equality and against bills that take away equal rights or promote discrimination.

On Tuesday, March 12th, the Shelby County Committee will be joining other TEP committees from across the state in Nashville for Advancing Equality on the Hill Day.…

Q&A with Kal Dwight

Bianca Phillips — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:17:35 -0600

Memphian Kal Dwight is easily one of the most active young people involved in the local fight for LGBTQ rights. At age 21, he's already a veteran of the equality movement, having co-founded the Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center's Gen Q group for college-aged LGBTQ people and their allies.…