2018 Issue 5 Sep/Oct - Focus Mid-Tenn Magazine

FREE 

® 

Serving the Middle Tennessee LGBT+ Community+its Allies | SEP+OCT 2018 

VOTERS GUIDE 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW 

ABOUT THE CANDIDATES 

TRANS BUDDY 

VANDERBILT PROGRAM AIMS 

TO HELP TRANSGENDER 

COMMUNITY, HEALTHCARE 

MAGICAL 

BEGINNINGS 

ISSUE 

KEEPING YOUR 

QUEER 

IDENTITY 

IN A HETEROSEXUAL 

RELATIONSHIP 

DWAYNE 

JENKINS 

IS WORKING TO CREATE 

INCLUSIVITY FOR ALL 

WITH BLACK PRIDE 

AND MY HOUSE

! 

Baby, 

DON’T YA WANNA GO 

:: Play over 800 of the best slots and all your favorite table games. 

:: Stay in one of over 700 spacious and luxurious hotel rooms or suites, or our 

convenient RV park, open year-round. 

:: Dine in any of our flavorful restaurants with menus to suit any 

craving or thirst. 

:: Enjoy premier entertainment in our 1,600-seat River Palace Event Center. 

:: Meet up in our convention and event facilities, offering superior service to 

any group, large or small. 

:: New Members receive special offers*! 

:: Live entertainment every Friday & Saturday night! 

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

*Based on play. Call 1-662-363-0711 for more information or to reserve your stay, or visit SamsTownTunica.com. 

® 

1477 CASINO STRIP RESORT BLVD | SamsTownTunica.com

EDITOR’S NOTE 

The theme for this issue is Magical 

Beginnings, and we hope that is exactly 

what you find within the pages. We are 

excited to share the 

featured stories with 

you. We encourage 

you to visit our 

website and follow 

us on your favorite 

social media sites to 

see even more new 

content. The links to 

our sites are below, in 

the righthand corner. 

A little over a year ago, the magazine 

embarked upon a Magical Beginning 

of our own, as the first issue came 

together and was sent to the printers. 

We could not be what we are without 

our readers, contributors, advertisers, 

and distributors. If you are interested 

in contributing a story or photos, let us 

know! If you are interested in advertising, 

let us know! If you own or manage a 

business and are willing to become a 

distribution point, let us know! It requires 

only enough space to put out a small 

stack of magazines and we’ll list you on 

our website in return. If you are a reader 

with a specific location in mind where 

you would like to see the magazine 

available for pickup, let us know! 

We are excited about the progress 

we’ve made and where we will be a year 

for now. We are glad you’re here with us 

for this journey. 

Stay focused, 

MANAGING 

EDITOR 

Leah Wright 

ADVERTISING 

Selena Haynes 

Sarah Rutledge Fischer 

Ryan Rattliff 

Lauren Means 

GK Gurley 

PUBLISHER 

Ray Rico 

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER 

Selena Haynes 

DESIGNERS 

Brian Goins 

Daphne Butler 

contributors 

Kelly Harrison 

Jamie Lewis 

Allyssa Basso 

Focus ® Middle Tennessee is all about LGBT+ people and their allies…their work, play, families, 

creativity, style, health and wealth, bodies and souls. Our focus is on you. 

Focus ® Middle Tennessee is published bi-monthly and distributed free throughout the greater 

Middle Tennessee area. Focus reserves the right to refuse to sell space for any advertisement 

the staff deems inappropriate for the publication. Press releases must be received by 

the first of the month for the following issue. All content of this magazine, including and 

without limitation to the design, advertisements, art, photos and editorial content, as well 

as the selection, coordination and arrangement thereof, is Copyright ©2017, Focus ® Middle 

Tennessee. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this magazine may be copied or reprinted 

without the express written permission of the publisher. For a full list of our editorial and 

advertising policies, please visit focusmidtenn.com policies. 

PICK UP + GIVE FOCUS 

Pick up a copy of Focus ® Middle Tennessee at 100+ locations near you. Check out 

focusmidtenn.com for the most up-to-date list of spots where the magazine is distributed. 

Want to carry Focus ® ? Call us at 615.603.6169 or email selena@focusmidtenn.com. 

Give a subscription to someone, or treat yourself. Introductory rate $6/year; subscribe on 

focusmidtenn.com. 

Focus ® Middle Tennessee is published by 

Ray Rico Freelance, LLC 

2294 Young Avenue 

Memphis, TN, 38104 

focusmidtenn.com 

® 

SOCIAL MEDIA & 

INTERACTIVE 

Chellie Bowman 

Lauren Means 

DISTRIBUTION & 

SUBSCRIPTIONS 

Selena Haynes 

Lauren Means 

Randall Sloan 

Photography: 

TK Hampton 

Phalcon Photography 

OUR NEXT ISSUE 

REFLECTION 

NOV+DEC 2018 

Submit story ideas: 

editor@focusmidtenn.com 

Editorial submission deadline: 

Sept. 24 

Advertising inquiries: 

sales@focusmidtenn.com 

Ad space reservation due: Sept. 24 

National Advertising Sales 

Rivendell Media 

212.242.6863 

Proud 

Member 

Certifying LGBT Businesses, 

Connecting Our Communities. 

Let’s be friends. Tag us! 

Twitter: 

@focusmidtenn, #focusmidtenn 

Instagram: 

@focusmidtenn, #focusmidtenn 

Facebook: 

@focusmidtenn 

Snapchat: 

@focusmidtenn 

Pinterest: 

@focusmidtenn 

® 

EXTRA ONLINE CONTENT 

If you see this icon, you will 

find additional online content 

related to the article. 

Page 4 / focusmidtenn.com /SEP+OCT 2018 / Magical Beginnings

CONTENTS 

7 THEME: 

MAGICAL BEGINNINGS 

SEP+OCT 2018 

10 

8 ASK ALLIE 

Gender-affirming parent struggles 

with child’s name change 

10 LGBT ADVOCATE 

Dwayne Jenkins is working for 

inclusivity in Middle Tennessee 

through Black Pride and My House 

12 VOTERS GUIDE 

What you need to know about 

Middle Tennessee candidates 

15 LGBT ALLY 

Melisse Tokic’s film makes way for 

gender non-conforming people in 

#metoo movement 

16 TRANSFOCUS 

Trans Buddy program is 

transforming LGBT+ healthcare 

19 PET FOCUS 

Operation Education Animal Rescue 

educates the public on animal care 

20 LIFE 

Maintaining your queer identity 

while in a heterosexual relationship: 

One woman tells her story 

22 SEP+OCT EVENTS 

19 

15 

20 

Page 5 / focusmidtenn.com /SEP+OCT 2018 / Magical Beginnings Magical Beginnings / SEP+OCT 2018 / focusmidtenn.com / Page 5

theme 

MAGICAL 

BEGINNINGS 

® 

“How wonderful it is that nobody 

need wait a single moment before 

starting to improve the world.” 

— Anne Frank 

Magical Beginnings /SEP+OCT 2018 / focusmidtenn.com / Page 7

life 

DEAR 

HONOR 

Dear Allie, 

My husband and I have a wonderful 16-yearold 

daughter who was born biologically male. 

She was clear about her gender identity early 

on, and my husband and I have done our best 

to help her live in the gender with which she 

identifies. We are proud to support our brave 

and beautiful daughter on her journey. 

But lately I feel like a fraud. Last week she 

approached us about legally changing her 

name. I was completely caught off guard. 

I know I should support this step, but I am 

overwhelmed with grief. We named her after 

my younger brother who died the year before 

she was born. 

How do I tell my daughter that I don’t want 

her to change her name? I want to support 

her fully, but I don’t know if I can. 

Help, 

Named in Honor 

Dear Honor, 

I am so sorry for the loss of your brother. I 

cannot imagine how difficult that must have 

been and what a comfort it was to honor 

his life in the name of your child. And now 

you are facing the loss of that symbol of 

your love. Mourning this transition does not 

make you a bad mother. But let’s stop for a 

second and separate the transition from the 

mourning. 

Page 8 / focusmidtenn.com /SEP+OCT 2018 / Magical Beginnings 

by Sarah Rutledge Fischer 

It is clear that you know that you need to support your 

daughter in this name change. Names are important 

to our sense of autonomy and identity, especially in 

adolescence. For transgender youth, the ability to use 

a chosen name instead of the name given at birth can 

be incredibly important. A recent study published in 

the Journal of Adolescent Health found that among 

transgender youth ages 15 to 21, young people who 

were able to use their chosen name at school, home, 

work and with friends experienced 71 percent fewer 

symptoms of severe depression when compared with 

peers who could not use their chosen name. It sounds 

as if you have fully supported your daughter’s gender 

identity, and I urge you to continue your support at 

this juncture. 

Now, let’s turn back to grief. Grief is so powerful 

that it can blind us, especially when it shows up 

unexpectedly, years after the precipitating loss. 

And grief can be hard to talk about. It is hard to 

be vulnerable and broken, especially in front of 

our children. But to fully support your daughter 

you must do so. She will sense your grief and may 

misunderstand if you don’t explain. Assure your 

daughter that you support her name change, 

and then explain that the transition has triggered 

fresh pain at the loss of your brother. Ask her to 

help you find a new way to honor the man he was 

and the legacy she carries forward. It might be as 

traditional as a tree planted each year in his honor 

or as modern as a shared tattoo memorializing his 

lasting influence—the form of the memorial will 

be yours to choose together. 

You have long supported your daughter through 

difficult transitions. This time, in order to be able 

to support her name change with a full heart, 

you need to let her support you in your grief. 

That doesn’t make you a bad mother at all. It 

makes you human. 

That should get you started. 

Your friend, 

Allie 

To submit your own question, email Allie at 

Allie@focusmidsouth.com. Focus Mid-South 

reserves the right to edit letters for length 

and clarity.

START SEARCHING 

FOR YOUR NEXT 

HOME NOW! 

Lee Pfund 

Managing Broker & REALTOR® 

615.988.0558 mobile 

615.345.4611 office 

615.953.7839 fax 

lee@midstateteam.com 

1258 Martin Street 

Nashville, TN 37203 

MusicCitySearch.com 

MEMBER OF 

COOPER YOUNG 

FESTIVAL 2018 

Evolve Bank and Trust presents 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 

RAIN DATE SEPT. 16 NO DOGS 

9AM - 7PM 

THE BEST FESTIVAL IN MEMPHIS HISTORICALLY HIP COME TOGETHER EVERYONE WELCOME 

Sponsored by Lite, Commercial Appeal, Sprouts Farmers Market, Memphis Grizzlies, Jim Keras Subaru, Summer Winds Resorts, 

Methodist Healthcare, Semmes Murphey Clinic, Albert Cook Plumbing, Rock 102.7, 101.9 KISS FM, WREC Radio 600, 

Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, CW30, Local 24, Toof American Digital Printing. Ad design by Joan Allison for Ray Rico Freelance. 

2018 Cooper Young Artwork by Jay Etkin 

cooperyoung.com 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GAY AND LESBIAN REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS 

SERVING ALL OF MIDDLE TN WITH BUYING, SELLING & INVESTING 

PROOF PROOF 

PROOF 

PROOF PROOF 

PROOF 

PROOF PROOF 

PROOF 

PROOF PROOF 

PROOF 

CHRISTIAN CHURCH – DISCIPLES OF CHRIST 

SUNDAY NIGHTS AT 5:30PM 

1130 HALEY ROAD | MURFREESBORO, TN 37129 

OPENTABLECHRISTIANCHURCH.ORG 

SERMONS & UPCOMING EVENTS 

MINISTRY FOCUS FOR SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 

RECONCILIATION 

Participating in Boro Pride, guest speakers 

from other traditions, and conversation 

events to build community.

cover lgbt advocate story 

BUILDING A 

STRONGER 

COMMUNITY 

by Ryan Rattliff x photo courtesy of Phalcon Photography 

New York native Dwayne Jenkins knows the value 

of community and safe spaces. Growing up, 

life in the Bronx was colorful. Early exposure to 

various ethnicities, cultures, and personalities 

taught him that being different was a good thing. He 

describes coming out in college as easy with the support 

of his family and friends. 

During his college years, Jenkins discovered Brothers 

United, a social group for black, gay men in Rochester, New 

York. Attending their events gave Jenkins an opportunity 

to be around people like him. He enjoyed the comraderie 

at these shared spaces. He had no idea then that he 

would be put in a unique position to create this same 

sense of community for black, Same Gender Loving 

(SGL) men when he relocated to Nashville. 

In 1996, Jenkins and seven other black, SGL men 

met at Nashville CARES to discuss the rising HIV/ 

AIDS rates among black men. After he shared 

the experiences he had with Brothers United 

in New York, the men decided to replicate it in 

Nashville. The work was personal for him, as he 

had lost loved ones to the virus. Jenkins started 

Brothers United Nashville and founded Brothers 

United Network, the state’s first black, gay/SGL 

non-profit. This, combined with the work he was 

doing for Nashville CARES allowed him to see the 

issues specific to black, gay men that needed to be 

addressed. Here, his love for activism was born. 

Nearly two decades after arriving in Nashville, 

another opportunity came to Jenkins. With 

disproportionate rates of African American men who 

have sex with other men being affected by HIV/AIDS, 

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

offered to fund what they call comprehensive High 

Impact HIV Prevention Projects for community-based 

organizations. This is how Nashville’s My House came 

about. My House is the product of Nashville CARES, 

Street Works, and Neighborhood Health. Its vision is to 

bring love, compassion and support for the SGL male 

community and to become self-sufficient by prioritizing 

health, wellness, and a sense of individual value. 

My House is described as a drop-in center. Its resources 


MORE INFORMATION 

The My House facility is located in Antioch at 442 Metroplex 

Drive, Building D, Suite 100, 37211. More information about 

the program can be found atmyhousenashville.org. Additional 

information about Nashville Black Pride can be found at 

nashvilleblackpride.org or on social media @nashvilleblackpride. 

include testing, prevention 

education, housing, 

transportation and more. 

The facility’s Neighborhood 

Health Clinic is also the 

number one provider of Pre- 

Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) 

in the state. 

In its fourth year of a 

five-year grant, My House 

has been able to collaborate 

with other LGBT+ groups 

and organizations. It hosts 

well-attended events 

and has received positive 

feedback from the men it 

serves. Jenkins recalls two 

incidents in particular where 

men came for the first time 

and were both surprised 

and moved by the amount 

of support available in such 

a pleasant environment. 

“One of the men almost 

didn’t come in because of 

the stigma associated with 

getting tested, especially 

in a gay space. He’s been 

back to volunteer, brought 

friends and is a testament 

to if you build it, they will 

come,” Jenkins said. “The 

other couldn’t believe that 

so many people of different 

genders and ethnicities could 

gather on a bright Saturday 

afternoon to play ping-pong, 

PS4, Wii, and other card & 

board games and get along 

so easily.” 

Jenkins knew that a place 

like My House was necessary 

in the community, but he 

wasn’t sure how it would 

come about. He now has 

faith that when the right 

minds and hearts come 

together for the greater 

good, anything is possible. 

“The My House facility 

has grown over the past 

3 years and we’re excited 

about it being the place that 

addresses LGBT+ health, 

wellness and other disparities 

in Middle Tennessee and 

beyond,” Jenkins said. 

Jenkins was also 

instrumental in creating 

Nashville Black Pride© 

(NBP). This year’s 16th 

celebration themed, 

“Pushing with Purpose,” will 

be held October 12-14. The 

celebration will include an 

awards banquet, live music 

and entertainment, a town 

hall and more. 

Jenkins admitted he is 

tickled when people say to 

him “Nashville has a Black 

Pride and it’s 16 years old?” 

NBP came about after 

Jenkins hosted an event for 

people of color at Nashville 

Pride. He realized there was a 

need for a stand-alone event. 

During this time, he was 

also traveling to Black Pride 

celebrations in other cities 

like New York, Chicago, and 

Washington DC. He spoke to 

his mentor Earl Fowlkes, then 

President of DC Black Pride 

& CEO of the International 

Federation of Black Prides. 

Fowlkes encouraged him to 

stop waiting for someone to 

do it and helped him with the 

tools to make it happen. 

With that, a board of 

directors was established 

and planning began. 

The NBP board included 

two advisors from the 

Nashville Pride board, as 

it was important that the 

two organizations worked 

together rather than in 

competition. The community 

of LGBTQ people of color 

was surveyed to gauge 

interest and Nashville’s first 

Black Pride was held in 

October of 2003. 

NBP’s mission “is to bring 

together African American 

and other LGBT/Same 

Gender Loving People 

of Color in a social, none 

threatening and empowering 

setting to uplift, educate 

and present positive images 

and self actualization that 

help to maintain a healthy, 

productive and visionary 

community.” 

The celebration works to 

highlight accomplishments 

and artistry of LGBTQ 

people. 

“It’s impactful to know 

that we had something to 

do with people crossing 

paths because we wanted 

to support from within,” 

Jenkins said. 

NBP tries to maintain 

a balance between 

its entertainment and 

education. There are 

opportunities for networking, 

community development, 

and a good lesson in black, 

gay history. 

“The hope is that such 

a gathering of minds 

would effectively help 

to combat homophobia, 

transphobia and stigma in 

the black community, as 

well as address racism in the 

greater LGBTQ community,” 

Jenkins said. 

NBP is open to everyone, 

no matter their race, sexual 

orientation or gender 

identity. “We are transformed 

when the flow of love can 

travel from one celebration 

to the other in harmony. You 

don’t have to be black or 

brown to attend our or any 

Black Pride. Show up, be 

festive and lets respectfully 

show love for one another.” 

With all the work Jenkins 

does for his community, 

his strength comes from 

knowing that he is educating 

people to make informed 

decisions for themselves, 

their families, and their 

community. When asked 

how the work he has done 

has changed him, he humbly 

replied, “I think I am still the 

same corny guy that landed 

here in Nashville in 1994 with 

a mission to live my best life 

and help others do the same. 

This work is not always easy, 

though the good days seem 

to outweigh the bad and 

that’s always a great thing 

to reflect upon at the end of 

the day.” 

“As I come up on my 23rd 

year anniversary as a CARES 

staff member,” he continued. 

“I understand the complexity 

of wearing multiple hats 

within the community. If we 

met at the office, through 

Brothers United, during 

Nashville Black Pride, on a 

campus, or now in the My 

House facility, my hope is 

that our interaction helped 

you in a positive manner.” 


voters guide 

BE AN 

INFORMED 

VOTER 

Survey gives 

picture of where 

candidates stand 

on LGBT+ issues 

by Lauren Means 

In June, we invited every 

candidate in the Middle 

Tennessee area (certified 

per Ballotpedia) running 

for TN Governor, U.S. 

Senate, U.S. House, TN 

Senate, and TN House to 

participate in our inaugural 

election survey pertaining 

to LGBT+ issues. Focus 

sent out invitations to 200 

candidates, initially via 

email, followed by letter, 

Facebook and candidates’ 

contact pages on their 

websites. Out of the 200 

candidates invited to 

complete the survey, we 

received 37 responses. 

In our print edition, we 

have included only those 

who won their primaries; 

however, all surveys 

are located online. We 

sincerely thank all of the 

candidates and/or their 

representatives who took 

the time to participate in 

the survey. 

For Middle Tennessee 

Candidates who 

responded to the survey in 

any way, their response is 

noted below. 

• a candidate may have 

given yes/no answers only 


given yes/no answers plus 

® 

TN GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION 

R Bill Lee 

D Karl Dean 

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes No Yes Yes Yes 

I Mark Brown 

I Sherry L. Clark 

I Justin Cornett 

I Gabriel Fancher 

CANDIDATE OPENED SURVEY, PROVIDED CONTACT INFO, BUT DID NOT ANSWER POLICY QUESTIONS 

I Sean Bruce Fleming 

I William Andrew Helmstetter 

I Cory King 

I Matthew Koch 

I Tommy Ray McAnally 

I Jessie D. McDonald 

I Toney Randall Mitchell 

I Yvonne Neubert 

I Alfred Shawn Rapoza 

I Chad Riden 


I Robert Sawyers Sr. 


I Heather Scott 

I George Blackwell Smith IV 

I Jeremy Allen Stephenson Yes No No No Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes No Omitted No No No No No 

I Tracy C. Yaste Tisdale 

I Mike Toews 

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes No Yes Yes No 

I Rick Tyler 

I Vinnie Vineyard 

Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes No Yes Yes Yes 

I Patrick Whitlock 

I Joe B. Wilmoth 

I Mark Wright 

U.S. SENATE ELECTION 

R Marsha Blackburn 

D Phil Bredesen 

I Trudy Austin 

I John Carico 

I Dean Hill 

I Kevin Lee McCants 

I Breton Phillips 

I Kris Todd 

U.S. HOUSE ELECTION 

District 4 R Scott DesJarlais (i) 

D Mariah Phillips 

I Michael Shupe 

District 5 R Jody Ball 

D Jim Cooper (i) 

District 6 R John Rose 

D Dawn Barlow 

I Lloyd Dunn 

I David Ross 

District 7 R Mark Green 

D Justin Kanew 

I Leonard (Lenny) D. Ladner 

I Brent Legendre 

TN SENATE ELECTION 

District 13 R Dawn White 

D Kelly Northcutt 

I Ginger Smith 

District 15 R Paul Bailey (i) 

D Angela Hedgecough 

District 17 R Mark Pody (i) 

D Mary Alice Carfi 

District 19 D Brenda Gilmore 

I Christina Callaway 

I Rueben Dockery 

District 21 D Jeff Yarbro (i) 

District 23 R Jack Johnson (i) 

D Kristen Grimm 

District 25 R Kerry Roberts (i) 

D Wade Munday 

TN HOUSE ELECTION 

District 25 R Cameron Sexton (i) 

D Anne Quillen 

District 31 R Ron Travis (i) 

D Dean Sparks 

District 34 R Tim Rudd (i) 

D Jennifer Vannoy 

District 37 R Charile Baum 

D Deanna Debow Osborne 



Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes Yes Yes No Yes 

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes No Yes No Yes 


Yes No No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Omitted Yes No No No No 

No No No No No No No No No No No No Omitted No No No No No 

Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted No Yes No No Yes 






District 38 R Kelly Keisling (i) 

D Carol Venea Abney 

(i)=incumbent 

District 39 R Iris Rudder 

Page 12 / focusmidtenn.com /SEP+OCT 2018 D Sharon / Adams Magical Beginnings 

District 40 R Terri Lynn Weaver

District 17 R I Kevin Mark Pody Lee McCants (i) 

D I Breton Mary Alice Phillips Carfi 

I Kris Todd 



U.S. HOUSE I ELECTION 

Rueben Dockery 


District 21 D 

Mariah Jeff Yarbro Phillips (i) 



District 5 


R Jody Ball 

District 25 D R Jim Kerry Cooper Roberts (i) (i) 

D Wade Munday 


TN HOUSE ELECTION 

District 25 D R Dawn Cameron Barlow Sexton (i) 

D I Lloyd Anne Dunn Quillen 


I David Ross 

District 31 R Ron Travis (i) 


District 7 

D Dean Sparks 

R Mark Green 


District 34 D R Justin Tim Rudd Kanew (i) 

D I Leonard Jennifer (Lenny) Vannoy D. Ladner No Yes Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Omitted Yes No No Yes No Yes No Yes No 



District 37 R Charile Baum 

TN GUBERNATORIAL D Deanna Debow ELECTION Osborne Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes No Yes Yes Yes 

TN SENATE R ELECTION 

Bill Lee 

District 13 38 D R Dawn Karl Kelly Dean Keisling White (i) 

D 

I Mark Kelly Carol Northcutt Venea Abney 

Brown 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Omitted Yes 

Omitted Yes 

No 

No 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

District 39 I Sherry Ginger L. Smith 

R Iris Rudder Clark 

District 15 

District 40 

District 41 

District 17 

D I Justin Sharon Cornett Adams 

R I Gabriel Paul Bailey Fancher (i) 

D R 

I Sean Angela Terri Lynn 

Bruce Hedgecough Weaver 

Fleming 

I William Ed Butler Andrew Helmstetter 

R D I Cory Mark John King Windle Pody (i) (i) 

D I Matthew Mary Alice Koch Carfi 


District 42 R Ryan Williams (i) 

I Tommy Ray McAnally 

Terry Scott 

District 19 D I Jessie Brenda D. Gilmore McDonald 

District 43 R I 

Toney Christina Paul Sherell Randall Callaway Mitchell 

District 21 44 

D I 

Rueben Yvonne Les Trotman Neubert Dockery 

I Alfred Shawn Rapoza 

D R 

I Chad Jeff William Yarbro Lamberth 

Riden(i) 

(i) 

Rachel Mackey 




District 23 45 R I Heather Jack Johnny Johnson Garrett Scott (i) 

D 

I George Kristen Hana Ali Grimm Blackwell Smith IV 

I Jeremy Allen Stephenson 

District 46 Clark Boyd (i) 

Yes No No No Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes No Omitted No No No No No 

District 25 R I Tracy Kerry C. Roberts Yaste Tisdale (i) 

Mark Cagle 

D I Mike Wade Toews Munday 

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes No Yes Yes Yes No 

District 47 R I Rick Rush Tyler Bricken 

TN HOUSE 

D Mike Winton 

I ELECTION 

Vinnie Vineyard 


District 25 R 

District 48 I Patrick Cameron 

Bryan Terry Whitlock Sexton (i) 

(i) 

D 

I Joe Anne Matt B. Ferry Quillen Wilmoth 

I Mark Wright 

District 31 49 R Ron Mike Travis Sparks (i) (i) 

Chris Mayor 

U.S. SENATE D ELECTION 

Dean Sparks 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Omitted Yes 

Omitted Yes 

No 

No 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

District 50 R Marsha Judd Cowan Blackburn 

District 34 D R Phil Tim Bo Mitchell Rudd Bredesen (i) (i) 

D I Trudy Jennifer Austin Vannoy 

Yes Yes CANDIDATE Yes Yes OPENED Yes SURVEY, Yes PROVIDED Yes Yes CONTACT Yes INFO, Yes BUT DID Yes NOT Yes ANSWER Omitted POLICY Yes QUESTIONS No Yes Yes Yes 

District 51 D Bill Beck (i) 

John Carico 

I Randell Stroud 

Yes Yes CANDIDATE Yes Yes OPENED Yes SURVEY, Yes PROVIDED Yes Yes CONTACT Yes INFO, Yes BUT Yes DID NOT Yes ANSWER Omitted POLICY Yes QUESTIONS No Yes Yes Yes 

District 37 R I Dean Charile Hill Baum 

District 52 D 

I Kevin Deanna Mike Stewart Lee Debow McCants (i) Osborne Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes No Yes Yes Yes 



53 Amberlee’ Brooks 

District 38 R I Kris Kelly Todd Keisling (i) 

Jason Powell (i) 

D I Carol David Venea Dennison Abney 

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes No No Yes Yes 


District 439 54 D R Scott Iris Vincent Rudder DesJarlais Dixie (i) 

I John Smith 

D Mariah Sharon Adams Phillips 

District 55 D I Michael John Ray Shupe Clemmons (i) 

District 40 R Terri Lynn Weaver 


District 56 District 41 R Jody Brent Ball Moody 

D Bob Freeman 

R Jim Ed Butler Cooper (i) 

District 57 

D John Windle (i) 

R Susan Lynn (i) 

District 6 

District 42 

District 58 

R D John Jordan Rose Cole 

D R Dawn Ryan Williams Barlow (i) 

D 

I Lloyd Terry Harold Scott Dunn Love (i) 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

No 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

No 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Omitted Yes 

Omitted Yes 

Omitted Yes 

No 

No 

No 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

District 59 

District 43 

I David Ross 

David Birdsong 


D R Paul Jason Sherell Potts 

District 7 

District 60 

D R Mark Les Trotman Green 

D Justin Darren Kanew Jernigan (i) 

District 44 R I Leonard William Lamberth (Lenny) D. (i) Ladner 

District 61 Brandon Ogles 


D 

I Brent Rachel Rebecca Legendre Mackey Purington 


District TN SENATE 45 62 R ELECTION 

Johnny Pat Marsh Garrett (i) 

District 13 D 

R Dawn Hana Marty Ali Davis 

White 

District 63 D R Kelly Glen Northcutt Casada 

District 46 D R I Ginger Clark Bill Peach Boyd Smith (i) 

D Mark Cagle 

District 64 R Scott Cepicky 

15 Paul Bailey (i) 

D A.J. Holmes 

District 47 R Angela Rush Bricken 

I James Gray Hedgecough 

D Mike Winton 

District 17 65 R Mark Sam Witson Pody (i) (i) 

District 48 D R Mary Bryan Toby Schaffer Alice Terry Carfi (i) 

D Matt Ferry 

District 66 R Sabi Kumar (i) 

District 19 D Brenda Larry Proffitt Gilmore 

District 49 R I Christina Mike David Sparks Ross Callaway (i) 

D I Rueben Chris Mayor Dockery 

District 67 R Tommy Vallejos 

D Jason Hodges 

District 21 50 R I Jeff Judd John Yarbro Cowan Dawson (i) 

D Bo Mitchell (i) 

District 23 68 R Jack Curtis Johnson (i) (i) 

Dennis Potvin 

District 51 D Kristen Bill Beck Grimm (i) 

District 69 R I Randell Michael Stroud Curcio (i) 








comments about their 

answer 


given only their contact 

info and skipped the 

policy questions 

For candidates who 

did not respond to the 

survey invitation, there is 

no survey report. If any of 

your candidates did not 

respond, contact them 

directly for information 

on their stances. For 

the full report including 

comments on the yes/ 

no answers, please visit 

focusmidtenn.com/2018- 

candidate-survey-results/ 

A note about Q26 – “Do 

you believe the Religious 

Freedom Restoration Act 

(Public Law No: 103-141) 

gives for-profit businesses 

the right to refuse service 

to LGBT+ individuals?”. 

After further review 

Focus© Middle Tennessee 

decided there was a 

discrepancy with how 

this question might be 

viewed from a true legal 

standpoint vs how the law 

should be interpreted. In 

the interest of fairness to 

all candidates, we opted 

to omit this question from 

the survey results. 

Magical Beginnings /SEP+OCT 2018 / focusmidtenn.com / Page 13 



(i)=incumbent 

®

voters guide 

MY VOTE 


District 58 D Kelly Harold Northcutt Love (i) 


District 59 R David Birdsong 

District 15 

District 60 

D Jason Potts 

R Paul Bailey (i) 

D Angela Darren Jernigan Hedgecough (i) 

District 17 61 R Mark Brandon Pody Ogles (i) 

D Rebecca Purington 

Mary Alice Carfi 

® 

District 62 R Pat Marsh (i) 

District 19 D Brenda Marty Davis Gilmore 


District 63 R Glen Casada 


D Bill Peach 

Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Omitted Yes No Yes Yes Yes 

MORE 

INFORMATION 

For more information about 

the survey, please visit 

focusmidtenn.com/about-thecandidate-survey/. 

For important election 

dates and Tennessee voter 

information, please visit 

https://sos.tn.gov/elections. 

Focus© Middle Tennessee 

does not endorse any political 

candidate. 

We do encourage all citizens 

to exercise their right to vote 

and be heard. 


District 47 Rush Bricken 


Mike Winton 

D Mariah Phillips 


District 48 R Bryan Terry (i) 

D Matt Ferry 

District 5 R Jody Ball 

D Jim Cooper (i) 

District 49 R Mike Sparks (i) 

D Chris Mayor 


D Dawn Barlow 

District 50 R Judd Cowan 

I Lloyd Dunn 

D Bo Mitchell (i) 

I David Ross 

District 51 D Bill Beck (i) 

District 7 R Mark Green 

I Randell Stroud 

D Justin Kanew 

I Leonard (Lenny) D. Ladner 

District 52 D Mike Stewart (i) 


District 53 R Amberlee’ Brooks 

TN SENATE ELECTION 

D Jason Powell (i) 


I David Dennison 

D Kelly Northcutt 


District 54 D Vincent Dixie 

I John Smith 

District 15 R Paul Bailey (i) 

D Angela Hedgecough 

District 55 John Ray Clemmons (i) 

District 17 R Mark Pody (i) 

District 56 Brent Moody 

D Mary Alice Carfi 

Bob Freeman 


District 57 R Susan Lynn (i) 


D Jordan Cole 


District 58 Harold Love (i) 

District 21 D Jeff Yarbro (i) 

District 59 R David Birdsong 

Jason Potts 



Page 14 / focusmidtenn.com /SEP+OCT 2018 / Magical Beginnings 

District 21 64 D R Jeff Scott Yarbro Cepicky (i) 

D A.J. Holmes 

District 23 

District 65 

I James Gray 

R Jack Johnson (i) 

D R Kristen Sam Witson Grimm (i) 

D Toby Schaffer 


District 25 R Kerry Roberts (i) 

District 66 R Sabi Kumar (i) 

Wade Munday 

D Larry Proffitt 


I David Ross 


TN 

TN 

GUBERNATORIAL 

HOUSE ELECTION 

ELECTION 

District 25 67 R Bill 

Cameron Tommy Lee Vallejos Sexton (i) 

D Karl 

Anne Jason Dean 

Quillen Hodges 


I Mark John Brown Dawson 

31 I Sherry 

Ron Travis 

L. Clark 

District 68 R Curtis Johnson (i) (i) 

D I Justin 

Dean Dennis Sparks 

Cornett Potvin 

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes No Yes I Gabriel Fancher 


Yes Yes 

District 69 R 

District 34 I Sean Michael 

Tim Rudd 

Bruce Curcio 

(i) 

Fleming (i) 

D 

I William Eddie Johnson 

Jennifer 

Andrew 

Vannoy 

Helmstetter Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes No Yes Yes Yes 

I Cory King 

District 70 R Clay Doggett 

District 37 D R 

I Matthew Jessica Charile Yokley Baum 

Koch 

I 

Tommy Roy Waldrop Ray McAnally 

D Deanna Debow Osborne Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes No Yes Yes Yes 

I Jessie D. McDonald 

District 71 R David Byrd (i) 

I Toney Randall Mitchell 

District 38 D R Frankie Kelly Keisling Floied(i) 

I Yvonne Neubert 

D Carol Venea Abney 

District 74 R I Alfred Jay Reedy Shawn (i) Rapoza 

D I Chad Billy Borchert Riden 

District 39 R Iris Rudder 



D Sharon Adams 


District 78 R Mary Littleton (i) 

D I Heather John Patrick Scott 


I George Blackwell Smith IV 

District 40 Terri Lynn Weaver 

District 92 R I Thomas Jeremy Allen R. Tillis Stephenson (i) 

Yes No No No Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes No Omitted No No No No No 

D C.S. Coffey 

I Tracy C. Yaste Tisdale 

District 41 R Ed Butler 

I Mike Toews 

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes No Yes Yes No 

D John Windle (i) 

(i)=incumbent 

I Rick Tyler 

I Vinnie Vineyard 

District 42 R Ryan Williams (i) 


I Patrick Whitlock 

D Terry Scott 

I Joe B. Wilmoth 

District 43 

I Mark Wright 

R Paul Sherell 

D Les Trotman 

U.S. SENATE ELECTION 

R Marsha Blackburn 

District 44 William Lamberth (i) 

D Phil Bredesen 

Rachel Mackey 

I Trudy Austin 


I John Carico 

District 45 R Johnny Garrett 


I Dean Hill 

D Hana Ali 

I Kevin Lee McCants 

District 46 


R Clark Boyd (i) 


I Kris Todd 

D Mark Cagle 

District 60 D Darren Jernigan (i) 








Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Omitted Yes No No Yes Yes 



Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Omitted Yes No Yes Yes Yes

MELISSE TOKIC’S FIRST FILM 

MAKES WAY FOR GENDER NON-COMFORMING 

PEOPLE IN #METOO MOVEMENT 

Much of what is in the 

media does not represent 

our experience of being 

queer in the South. Now, 

there’s a new awardwinning 

short film made by 

various Southern and queer 

people, about Southern 

queer people, called “Queer 

and Southern God”. Having 

been born and raised in the 

South myself, I connected 

to and loved this film 

by local therapist and 

filmmaker, Melisse Tokic. 

Recently released at the 

Nashville Film Festival, 

“Queer and Southern God” 

is about Hank, a trans man 

who finds himself pregnant 

after being raped by his 

childhood best friend. 

Because it takes place in 

the rural South, this film 

makes space for more 

dialogue about trauma and 

transitioning in poverty. 

Hank is poor with little to 

no access to healthcare, 

so because he’s been off 

his hormones, he gets 

pregnant and doesn’t know 

what his options are. 

Hank has to tell his 

boyfriend Trampus what 

happened and talk about 

the pregnancy with his 

mom and his abuser’s 

mom. Of course they are 

all sharing their opinions 

steeped in Christian 

language, as much of the 

South does, and Hank is 

basically left to fend for 

himself. 

The film is well-written, 

and the cast brings it to 

life perfectly. There are 

powerful, visually poignant 

moments in the film. In one 

by GK Gurley x photo courtesy of Melisse Tokic 

scene, Hank wears an open 

button-down to account 

for his pregnant belly. With 

so many stereotypes of 

“maternity” and pregnancy, 

I loved this image of queer 

parenting. 

In an interview with 

Tokic, she told me that 

she changed the narrative 

from a novel to a film 

script because she wanted 

contributors and wanted 

the story to be put together 

as a collaborative effort. 

“In the novel,” Tokic said, 

“the lead character here 

as well as the movie is a 

transgender individual, 

and I am not a transgender 

individual, so I didn’t want 

to put anything out there 

that was untrue or not 

helpful. With a film, I can 

get more collaborators and 

change the script around.” 

Tokic wants to not only 


Watch a preview of 

“Queer and Southern 

God” at queerandsoutherngod.com. 

Follow Tokic’s 

projects at 

melisse-tokic. 

squarespace.com. 

show more diversity in 

queer culture but allow for 

other people to contribute 

and tell their stories. Being 

a storyteller and a therapist, 

her priorities are helping 

disenfranchised people find 

a safe way to share their 

stories. 

Regarding transphobia 

and representation, she 

said, “There are a lot of 

divisions, separation, and 

misconceptions in the 

world about transgender 

individuals. I want people 

to have a dialogue and 

start talking about this. 

I want a platform for 

this conversation where 

other people can answer. 

I don’t want to be the 

spokesperson.” 

“Queer and Southern 

God” brings up important 

issues of the sexualization 

of trans people. Tokic 

lgbt ally 

mentioned patterns she 

sees with her clients: 

“Something I’ve heard 

my trans clients say is 

‘everyone is obsessed with 

my genitalia and what I’m 

doing with my genitalia’.” 

That is true of Hank in 

the film. His best friend 

assaulted him. Everyone 

is telling him that his 

pregnancy “is not about 

you”, “think about the 

bigger picture”. Everyone 

asserts their opinion about 

the pregnancy and his body 

onto him. 

On top of having no 

resources to properly 

make a decision about the 

pregnancy, Hank has to 

process his assault. Hank 

can’t remember saying “no”, 

thus prompting a discussion 

about consent. Hank was 

betrayed by his friend and 

abuser Lanny, a character 

we do not meet in the film. 

Tokic intentionally didn’t 

show Lanny in the film so 

that the focus could be on 

the survivor. 

In this age of the #MeToo 

Movement, the media has 

to include trans voices. 

Something the movement 

has failed to do is create 

a safe space for survivors 

once they’ve shared their 

stories. The media turns too 

much focus on the abusers 

and vindication, not healing 

and safety for survivors. 

Tokic noted, “We have 

to show more diverse 

populations of survivors in 

the media. People need to 

see that other people with 

similar stories have survived 

and that there is hope.” 


transfocus 

TRANS 

BUDDY 

PROGRAM IS TRANSFORMING 

HEALTHCARE FOR COMMUNITY 

by Kelly Harrison x illustration by Brian Goins 

What if you could build a bridge? Not just any bridge but a 

bridge between health care professionals and transgender 

individuals seeking medical care in your community? By 

pairing trans individuals with an advocate to help them through all 

aspects of the medical process, the Trans Buddy program, presented by 

Vanderbilt Program for LGBTI Health, is focusing on doing just that. 

The Trans Buddy program was founded in 2014 with the goal of 

increasing access to health care at VUMC for transgender patients and 

increasing patient satisfaction with the care provided. Trans Buddy 

volunteers are able to address the needs 

of the client when it comes to providing 

continued support through any and 

all transition-related health care and 

even through routine non-transition 

appointments. By doing this, the program 

is building bridges to safer and more 

comfortable healthcare to the trans and 

gender nonconforming community. 

To be paired with a Buddy, a trans 

patient needs only to call the hotline at 

615.875.BUDD(2833) and a trained Buddy 

will answer questions, refer them to a 

trans-friendly provider and even go to 

appointments with them if needed. The 

Buddy plays a very casual but important 

role while helping provide emotional 

and logistical support. Volunteers also 

help clients with scheduling clinical 

appointments and with emergency care. 

A Buddy can also be there to talk with the 

client in the waiting room, help a client 

stay relaxed during a medical visit or even 

take notes and help the client process 

the information the medical provider has 

given them during the visit. Anytime there 

is a misunderstanding, the volunteer can 

step in and help the staff become more 

culturally aware and teach them how 

to best communicate with transgender 

or nonconforming patients. Volunteers 

are trained to focus on the needs of 

their client, which can sometimes mean 

helping the medical provider realize that 

they need to start the patient/doctor 

relationship out by asking the right 

questions. By understanding and using the 

proper pronoun for the patient or realizing 

that the name on the chart may differ 

from the name they actually go by, the 

provider will be able to serve the patient 

in a more culturally sensitive manner that 

will then help build trust between the 

two parties. Volunteers are there to serve 

however they can make the journey more 

comfortable for the patient during times 

when stress can already be a factor. 

The Trans Buddy program takes great 

care when placing people into the program 

as volunteers. After being interviewed 


For more info on the Trans Buddy program 

or the Gender Clinic, contact Del Ray 

Zimmerman at 615.936.3879. 

If you are in need of a Trans Buddy, call the 

hotline at 615.875.BUDD(2833). 

If you are interested in volunteering, email 

lgbti.health@vanderbilt.edu. 


and passing a background 

check, volunteers complete 

a 12-hour training program 

covering a wide range of 

information in order to 

learn how to best serve the 

transgender community. 

Some of the information 

they go over during training 

is insurance information 

specifically linked to this 

type of care. They also work 

on developing listening 

skills, compassion and 

emotional support, and 

learning how to target the 

needs of their client so they 

are helping in the best ways 

possible. The volunteers are 

then asked to sign up for 

one to two 12 hour shifts per 

month, have some flexibility 

in their schedule and be 

able to respond to calls 

from their mobile phone. A 

diverse group of volunteers 

sharing a compassion for 

people is what makes this 

program work, because 

of the growth of the 

community, they are always 

recruiting volunteers in the 

middle Tennessee area and 

they do not discriminate 

based on gender identity. 

All volunteers are welcome. 

This program targets 

and addresses the needs 

of transgender patients in 

the community by listening 

to their specific concerns 

of how to access safe 

and reliable healthcare. 

Insurance companies are 

not the same across the 

board with procedures 

or what may be covered. 

Transgender patients are 

still dealing with claims 

being kicked back because 

of a lack of understanding 

from these companies and 

because of this or fear of 

discrimination, they often 

put off medical care. Having 

this program in place is one 

way to help stop the delay 

of necessary medical care. 

Putting the patients’ 

needs at the forefront is a 

powerful way to directly 

support the transgender 

community and allows 

them to make informed 

health choices. Because 

of the effectiveness of the 

Trans Buddy program, 

organizations in other 

cities have reached out to 

Vanderbilt to learn how they 

can replicate this program. 

In response, VUMC is 

working diligently to create 

and roll out a toolkit that 

will be instrumental in 

assisting others interested 

in becoming Trans Buddy 

affiliates. 

After two years of 

planning and preparation, 

VUMC will open a Gender 

Clinic in early 2019. This 

clinic will be the first of its 

kind, a “One Stop Shop” for 

patients where they can 

receive all of their genderaffirming 

services in one 

place. Some of the care 

that will be offered at the 

clinic is Hormone Therapy, 

Urology, OBGYN services, 

Mental Health and Surgical 

Consults. 

“The opening of the 

(clinic) represents nearly 

three years’ worth of work 

by a dedicated team of 

caring providers and staff,” 

said Del Ray Zimmerman, 

LGBT+ Health Program 

Manager at VUMC. “While 

we’ve long enjoyed working 

with transgender patients, 

our hope is that the new 

clinic will increase our level 

of service, make accessing 

clinical services easier 

for patients, and become 

a model of healthcare 

for other institutions 

throughout the South. 

The clinic will be 

temporarily located at 

7069-B Highway 70S in the 

Bellevue Plaza, near Kroger, 

with limited hours. 

PERMANENT HAIR REMOVAL 

AND ADVANCED SKINCARE 

• Air-brushed tans 

• Body detox 

• Brow treatment 

• Cellulite treatments 

• Ear piercing 

• Electrolysis 

• Esthetics 

• Eyelash treatments 

• Hair removal 

• Makeup 

• Male Services 

• Nutrition consultations 

• Advanced facials 

CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT 

615-906-5397 

ALL SERVICES 

PERFORMED DISCREETLY IN 

OUR OFFICE BY A 

REGISTERED NURSE WITH 

32+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE 

106 MISSION COURT SUITE 203, FRANKLIN 

WWW.MARINADISTEFANO.COM 

Susan Gardner - CPO-CD ® 

Professional Organizer 

Intuitive Organizing for Home & Life 

Clearing 

the Way 

Home 

When organizing 

is a challenge, 

you need a new 

perspective, not 

a new system. 

615.477.9795 

Greater Nashville Area 

clearingthewayhome.com

2018 

MEMPHIS PRIDE FEST 

OFFICIAL EVENTS 

september 24, 2018 

7:00pm | Movie Night at the Pumping Station 

21+ | No Cover 


7:00pm | Pride Trivia & Game Night at Midtown Crossing 

All Ages | No Cover 


7:00pm | The Haven Presents: Pride Slam & 

Open Mic Night Hosted by Basial Basial | No Cover 


10:30pm | Pride Kickoff Drag Show at Dru’s Place 

21+ | $5 Cover 


8:00pm | The Big Gay Dance Party | Hosted by Friends for Life 

21+| $20 Cover | VIP Available 


10:00am | 15th Annual Memphis Pride Fest | Tom Lee Park 

1:00pm | Pride Parade on Beale 

All Ages | Suggested $5 Donation | VIP Available at midsouthpride.org 


12:00pm | Brunchin’ It at Dru’s Place 

21+ 

OCTOBER 1, 2018 

7:30pm | Vincent Astor presents “Tom of Finland” at Studio on the Square 

Not Rated | No Cover 

follow us on social media @midsouthpride or visit midsouthpride.org

petfocus 

OPERATION EDUCATION ANIMAL RESCUE 

EDUCATES THE PUBLIC ON ANIMAL CARE 

by Jamie Lewis | photos courtesy of Operation Animal Rescue 

How much do you 

know about being a 

responsible pet owner? 

Where would you turn to 

learn more? Here in Middle 

Tennessee, you can turn 

to Operation Education 

Animal Rescue (OpEd). 

From humble beginnings 

in Christiana, their network 

of volunteers has made it 

their mission to provide 

a safe haven for abused, 

neglected, and unwanted 

animals. As a rescue 

they always have dogs 

in various stages of the 

foster to adoption pipeline, 

but they don’t stop there. 

As the name implies, a 

substantial part of their 

operation is to educate 

the public on caring for 

their animals, coming 

up with alternative ways 

of taking care of and 

training them instead of 

giving up on the pup. 

Far too many dogs are 

given up or abandoned 

simply because their 

owners don’t have the 

tools or knowledge 

to properly train their 

furry friends. In these 

circumstances, OpEd 

partners with various 

local training companies 

that they are happy to 

recommend. They will 

also offer various supplies 

ROCKIN’ 

4 RESCUE 

6-9 p.m. at Copper 

Ridge, 3957 

Betty Ford Rd., 

Murfreesboro. The 

event features live 

music, cuisine and 

a raffle. For more 

about OpEd, visit 

facebook.com/ 

OpEdAnimalRescue 

like crates and leashes 

that people may not have 

thought to purchase. The 

hope is that the dog will 

be able to stay with their 

family and provide years of 

love and companionship. 

Unfortunately, there will 

always be those cases 

where an animal must 

be surrendered. When 

these arise, OpEd has a 

network of foster homes 

who can open their doors 

to the dogs until a forever 

home can be found. They 

also partner with multiple 

boarding and doggie day 

care facilities to provide 

training for the dogs so 

hopefully when they go to 

that forever home, they stay, 

well, forever! Their work 

continues even after the 

adoptions are completed. 

They will often stay in 

contact with each puppy’s 

new family, even if only for 

the adorable pictures! 

Now, if all that wasn’t 

enough of a reason to 

check these good people 

out, here’s another: Rockin’ 

4 Rescue is an annual 

fundraiser that brings food, 

music, and beverages 

together to support OpEd. 

This year’s event will be held 

on September 27th from 

6 to 9PM at Copper Ridge 

(3957 Betty Ford Road 

Murfreesboro, TN 37130). 

If music, local cuisine, and 

a margarita truck (yes, 

you read that right) aren’t 

enough to get you there, 

perhaps the $1,000 raffle 

with $10 tickets will be. 

If you’re interested in 

fostering or have questions 

about what you can do 

to help, definitely check 

out opedanimalrescue. 

com and facebook.com/ 

OpEdAnimalRescue. 

Whatever your dog needs 

are, they are here to help, 

today and tomorrow. If you 

are thinking about a new 

furbaby, they may have just 

the one you need. 

As board member and 

foster dad Jason May said, 

“The right dog can save your 

life.” You know what, he’s 

absolutely right! 

NOW HIRING! 

PET SITTING • DOG WALKING 

OVERNIGHT SITTING 

New 

615-668-6917 homerunpetcare.com 

• Licensed 

Magical Beginnings /SEP+OCT 2018 / focusmidtenn.com • Bonded / Page 19 

• Insured 

VOTED NASHVILLE’S BEST PET SITTER 

® 

NOW HIRING!

health+wellness 

Keeping your 

QUEER 

IDENTITY 

in a heterosexual relationship 

by Allyssa Basso | illustration by ShutterStock 

There’s a belief 

amongst some 

in the LGBT+ 

community that 

it’s possible to not be 

“enough.” Not gay enough, 

out enough, proud enough. 

It leads to discrimination 

within the community, which 

seems counter intuitive. The 

LGBT+ community offers a 

place where people can be 

themselves, but sometimes, 

others are dissatisfied if 

someone is not the version 

of themselves another 

member of the community 

expects them to be. This is 

evident in terms like “goldstar 

lesbian,” in the internal 

discrimination of the trans 

community, or in the racism 

people of color experience 

from other LGBT+ members. 

It’s difficult to feel, as a 

bisexual woman, that I am 

not “enough” for the rest 

of the community ... even 

more so since I married my 

high school sweetheart last 

fall, who just happens to 

be a man. I have heard it all 

since the beginning of our 

relationship, from friends 

and family alike. And it has 

started to beg the question, 

“How can I maintain my 

queer identity while in a 

heterosexual relationship?” 

It’s something that 

gnawed at me for a long 

time, and I started to feel 

like maybe that was a part 

of my life that I would 

have to relinquish. I didn’t 

want to be mistaken as an 

onlooker, just another cishet 

(cisgender heterosexual) 

female who gawked at 

gay bars and had my 

bachelorette party at drag 

shows. I didn’t want to lie 

about the love I shared 

with my husband. I felt 

caught between the person 

I really was and the person 

I thought I was supposed 

to be because of the 

community’s ideals. I did 

my best to frequent queer 

spaces and gatherings to 

reconnect but felt shameful 

discussing my relationship 

in them. This was such 

an oddity for me. This 

place that was supposed 

to be accepting and kind, 

suddenly felt harrowing. I 

felt as though I could no 

longer speak on issues 

facing the community 

because I was out of the 

loop; that I didn’t have 

the authority to speak on 

discrimination anymore, 

although I myself had felt it. 

It took me a while to 

realize the only wedge that 

was forming between the 

community and me had 

everything to do with me 

and nothing to do with 

anyone else. I was the 

one who began avoiding 

gatherings with my peers. I 

was the one who stopped 

saying I was queer when 

someone asked my identity. 

Were there people who 

argued against my right to 

my sexuality? Absolutely. 

But they were few and 

far between. It is awful 

to think I had allowed the 

minority to speak louder 

than the majority and push 

me into this corner where I 

was completely unfulfilled. 

There was nothing that 

had happened to me to 

invalidate my experiences 

as a queer woman. I was 

still me, and that meant 

that I was still bisexual and 

proud of it. I was allowed 

to continue verifying my 

identity and I didn’t have 

to answer to anyone about 

it. I felt similar to how I 

felt when I first came out. 

For the first time since I 

started dating my husband, 

I felt unapologetic about 

my identity. Even though 

the problem was coming 

from my peers this time, 

I knew that I could and 

would continue to be 

strong, independent, and 

unapologetically queer. 

I reintroduced myself to 

queer spaces nearby. Being 

from Chicago, I didn’t have 

Boystown anymore, but I 

did have Nashville when 

I was feeling up to it, and 

local spots when I wasn’t. I 

started reading more about 

LGBT+ issues. Although I 

could live my day to day life 

in passing, I wanted to be 

able to form opinions and 

be knowledgeable on things 

that were affecting my 

community. 

It would have changed 

the last five years of my life 

to have someone tell me 

that there was no right way 

to be LGBT+. My identity 

as bisexual was not stolen 

from me because I married 

a man or dated a man. I 

loved someone for who 

they were. And that’s what 

our community is supposed 

to embody. Whomever 

you are, and however you 

choose to depict it — as 

long as it feels right to you 

— that is the right way to be 

LGBT+. The way that makes 

you feel empowered. The 

way that makes you feel 

free. 

The way that makes you 

feel like yourself again. 


ROOF PROOF 

PROOF 

PROOF PROOF 

PROOF 

PROOF PROOF 

PROOF 

PROOF PROOF 

PROOF 

WEDDINGS • ELOPEMENTS 

VOW RENEWALS 

Religious and Non-Religious/Secular Ceremonies, 

Same-Sex Marriages, Renewal of Vows, Elopements, 

Same Day Weddings, License Only Signing 

VICKY 

STEWART 

Wedding Officiant 

615-881-4757 • vickystewartweddings@gmail.com 

Greater Nashville Middle Tennessee 

vickystewartweddings.com 

Relax with a glass of champagne before 

your massage and enjoy dessert afterwards. 

PROOF 

Offering: 

Quiet, Relaxing Couples 

Massages 

Rejuvenating Facials for 

Women and Men 

Luxurious Scrubs and Wraps 

and much more... 

PROOF 

1300 DIVISION ST NASHVILLE, TN 37203 615-777-0602 

Mon-Sat 9am-9pm | Sun 10am-7pm 

Visit our website for a complete list of services offered 

adagionashville.com

calendar 

UPCOMING EVENTS 

HAVE AN EVENT TO LIST? DO IT ONLINE AT FOCUSMIDTENN.COM 

SEPT 8 

TENNESSEE HONEY 

FESTIVAL 

A celebration of all things 

honey. Education, art, music, 

food. More info at USPest.com. 

Family friendly and free. 

OUTLOUD MUSIC 

FESTIVAL 

One day music festival in 

midtown Nashville. Betty 

Who, Big Freddia, CupcakKe, 

and others. Ticket includes 

entry to Play Dance Bar. 

outloudmusicfestival.com. 

BORO PRIDE 2018 

Murfreesboro’s very own pride 

festival, held on the public 

square and sponsored by TN 

Equality Project. Event is hosted 

by Iona. Music, community 

organizations, and food 

vendors. Family friendly. Free. 

OCT 6 

THE CELEBRATE 

NASHVILLE 

CULTURAL FEST 

Annual event at Centennial 

Park to enhance cross-cultural 

understanding and awareness. 

Music, food, clothing, and art. 

celebratenashville.org. Free 

OCT 14 

EQUALITY 

CLARKSVILLE’S 

COMING OUT DAY 

PRIDE PICNIC 

Featuring a welcoming and 

safe environment for coming 

out. All-ages queero vs villain 

drag show ($10 entry), food, 

family friendly activities, 

and on-site HIV testing. 

Visit Equality Clarksville on 

Facebook. Free. 

SEPT 27 

ROCKIN 4 RESCUE 

Annual fundraiser for 

Operation Education Animal 

Rescues. Food, entertainment, 

and raffles. facebook.com/ 

events/160183144691787. 

SEPT 27-29 

KRISTIN 

CHENOWETH WITH 

THE NASHVILLE 

SYMPHONY 

The Tony Award winner 

performs Broadway and 

classics with the Nashville 

Symphony. Appearing for 

three nights. Tickets start at 

$52. Nashvillesymphony.org. 

SEPT 28-30 

MEMPHIS PRIDE 

FEST 

Festivals, dance parties, 

parades, games, vendors, and 

more. midsouthpride.org 

OCT 6 

27TH ANNUAL 

NASHVILLE AIDS 

WALK & 5K RUN 

Hosted by Nashville Cares. 

Family friendly with prizes for 

top runners and fundraisers. 

nashvillecares.org. 

OCT 24 

ELTON JOHN: 

FAREWELL 

YELLOW BRICK 

ROAD 

See the Rocket Man one 

last time. Limited tickets are 

available. bridgestonearena.com. 

OCT 27 

NASHVILLE 

PITTIE’S 

PITTIEFEST 2018 

Annual fundraiser to support 

rescue services, education, 

advocacy, and low-cost spay/ 

neuter events. nashvillepittie.org 

NATURAL RELIEF! 

Consider these alternative remedies to treat a multitude of ailments such 

as chronic pain, inflammation, opioid addiction, PTSD, anxiety & more. 

PROOF 

PROOF 

PROOF 

PROOF 

PROOF 

BOROHEMPCO.COM • BOROHEMPCO@GMAIL.COM • 615-556-3475 


Ready to make your next move? 

Start with a Redstone Home Loan. 

Simplify the path to your next home by getting 

pre-approved for a Redstone mortgage and get a 

FREE appraisal. * That’s an average savings of $505! 

• Local expertise and local loan servicing 

• Lower closing costs than most banks 

• Competitive fixed and variable rates 

Apply for your pre-approval at redfcu.org, or give us a call today. 

*Limited-time promotion: Redstone Federal Credit Union ® 

(RFCU ® ) will credit the appraisal fee if 

the borrower provides a signed sales contract within 60 days of receiving a pre-approval letter from 

Redstone. Offer will be credited towards the final closing costs at closing on the loan. All initial 

pre-approvals are subject to full underwriting review. The average appraisal cost is $505. Offer valid 

on purchase transactions only. Land loans and refinances are excluded from this program. Offer 

subject to change at any time. 

615-378-8670 | redfcu.org

2018 Issue 5 Sep/Oct - Focus Mid-Tenn Magazine

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?