gayrva Archives

Support Pride Month From Home With The RVA Virtual Pride Market

Brooke Nicholson | June 24, 2020

Topics: andy waller, black lives matter, community, dayum this is my jam, gayrva, holly sullivan foster, LGBTQ, LGBTQ Pride, pistil and stamen, Pride Month, rva virtual pride market

A brand-new event is coming to Richmond, and you won’t have to leave your house to attend. The RVA Virtual Pride Market this Saturday lets us support LGBTQ small businesses from home.

It’s June in Richmond, and in a normal year, it would be time to enjoy the many celebrations of Pride Month across the city. Like many other facets of the “normal” world, though, this year has seen a change to that dynamic.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic and recent Black Lives Matter protests, events are being cancelled to protect public safety, and many LGBTQ organizations are stepping back to bring systematic racism to light. In times like these, breaking out the rainbow flag might not be enough for locals to show their support. Enter the new RVA Virtual Pride Market: an opportunity to make a difference, safely from home.

This Saturday, June 27, the first-ever event brings local LGBTQ small businesses together in an online market. Customers can support their favorite vendors without visiting public spaces, and donate to the Black Lives Matter movement through several organizations that have partnered with the market.

Local business owners Andy Waller (Dayum This Is My Jam) and Holly Sullivan Foster (Pistil + Stamen) joined hands to create the new concept this year.

“Holly and I have known each other for a while through our nonprofit work,” Waller explained. “We parted ways because of different life paths, and then reconnected through the rad career network that exists in Richmond.”

Waller and Foster met in 2012, but it would be another eight years before the pandemic would bring them together for their latest project.

“At that time, I was in the midst of doing a lot of theater and costuming,” Foster said. “I’ve delved into different art aspects throughout my life. I’m a very creative-minded person… I’m trying to put marginalized communities first. I advertise to those communities regarding my services, and I try to cater in terms of non-traditional services. For example, I do flower beards. That’s not something that all designers are known for.”

Both owning small businesses that identify as part of the LGBTQ community, Foster and Waller used their platforms to reach out to local customers. Waller first brought the idea for the RVA Virtual Pride Market to Foster, and together, they got to work.

During the event, customers can pay for items through one Venmo or PayPal account, then the market disperses one hundred percent of funds to participating vendors. Paying in one place keeps the checkout process simple.

“Everything’s supposed to be priced between $25-50 to make it more seamless,” Waller said. “Folks can attend in their PJs and not leave their houses. However big in-person events and parades are, they might not seem like a safe space for those who don’t feel ready. This is a way for folks to engage and be a part of this, and show up in ways they haven’t been able to before.”

Running with the motto “You Don’t Have to Come Out to Show Up,” this year’s Virtual Pride Market will host local vendors like Dayum This Is My Jam, Pistil + Stamen, Karmalita’s Marshmallows and Confections, RVA Witches Unite, Two Fat Babies Candle Company, The Tottering Teacup, Nicmakesknickknacks, Diamond and Shadow, Over The Rainbow Apparel, Guy Piper, Color & Culture, and Sarah Schultz-Taylor Photography. More details on each vendor can be found on Facebook at the official event page.

Customers can choose either delivery or one-day pickup options. Vendors will be able to display and sell their work, and live entertainment will run through the event.

“It’s an LGBTQ+ market, it’s a fundraiser, there’s entertainment, there will be DJs, live performances, and we’ve got an LGBTQ+ children’s book reading,” Waller said. “And, of course, the most important part for Holly and I is awareness.”

Not only will the event support and highlight the LGBTQ community in Richmond, but it also sheds light on the Black Lives Matter movement. The market offers donation services to foundations and organizations available to combat these problems facing the nation right now.

“Police brutality is probably one of the biggest offenders right now,” Foster said. “We have so much work to do before we can get anywhere where people of color in the queer community are treated equally.”

Customers can donate to the SupportBlackLivesRVA Signs Project that benefits the Black Lives Matter movement. Donations can also be made to the Nationz Foundation, an organization dedicated to HIV-related education and overall health which also works to make Central Virginia more inclusive. The official RVA Virtual Market t-shirt donates 100 percent of profits to the Nationz Foundation.

“I’ve always wanted to help people,” Foster said. “It’s personally gratifying to help others… We want to support however we can.”

Thinking ahead to the market’s future, Waller and Foster both plan to see how the next year unfolds before making any concrete plans.

“We have to be sustainable,” Foster said. “Hopefully, by this time next year, we won’t be in quarantine (fingers crossed). That would open up a lot of avenues and opportunities for us, and we’d be able to do an in-person event. It may be possible that we could collaborate with other folks in the community. I’d say it has potential.”

As the state slowly opens back up, many Virginians are unsure whether it’s safe to venture back out into public life. For those looking to make a difference from home, this Virtual Pride Market is a great option to show support. With more than two thousand people interested on Facebook, hopes are high that the first-ever event will be a hit.

To learn more about the RVA Virtual Pride Market, a full guide with information is listed in this public Google Doc. Updates will be posted to the Facebook event page throughout the week.

GayRVA’s Best Stories of 2019

GayRVA Staff | January 1, 2020

Topics: 2019 in review, gayrva, happy new year, holidays

Another year has gone into the books, full of ups and downs for the LGBTQ community here in Virginia and all around the world. As we celebrate the beginning of a new decade and look forward to a brighter year ahead, we wanted to take one last look back at the year that was, with a recap of GayRVA’s most popular stories from 2019.

From drag queens and dance parties to the growth of Pride around the Commonwealth, we covered it all… plus a whole lot of chicken sandwiches (yes, folks, where you grab lunch is an LGBTQ issue), an immortal Richmond gay icon, and the Westboro Baptist Church being run out of town. Relive all the big moments and catch up on the stories you missed the first time with this final look back at the year that was 2019 in LGBTQ Virginia.

Happy 2020, everyone!

RVA #37 Is On The Streets Now!

RVA Staff | August 15, 2019

Topics: art, avail, Culture, entertainment, gayrva, graffiti, lee county, metal, music, nat geo, nat geo photographer, National Geographic, new magazine, News, photography, politics, print issue, print magazine, punk, richmond art, rva 37, RVA Magazine, rva37, skateboarding, Southwest virginia, street art, trevor frost, Unmaker, washington skate

Summer is alive in the River City, and the latest issue of RVA Magazine is here with it to tell the stories of arts, music, politics, and culture across Virginia.

It’s August, it’s hot, and it’s only going to get hotter here in the River City with the arrival on the streets of RVA Magazine #37, our Summer 2019 issue! This one’s bursting all around, with plenty of art, music, news, politics, and more. From the far corners of the Commonwealth to right here in Rich! Mond! Vee! Ay!, RVA Magazine is on point with the coverage of Virginia’s street-level culture that you’ve known and loved for the past 14 years.

The biggest news of the summer here in Richmond was the reunion of Avail, the band who defined Richmond’s music scene in the 90s and helped put the river city on the musical map throughout the country and beyond. After 12 years away from the stage, they brought a hotly-anticipated two-night stand to the National and blew fans’ minds all over again. In the run-up to that memorable weekend of rock, we had an exclusive conversation about their reunion with vocalist Tim Barry, and you’ll find it all in this issue of RVA Magazine!

We’re also bringing you an in-depth profile of Trevor Frost, a photographer and Richmond native whose work with National Geographic and other world-renowned publications has taken him to every corner of the globe. You’ll learn what Frost has seen and discovered in his voyages, and why he keeps coming back to Richmond every time.

We don’t just focus on Richmond, though — our reporting takes us to the farthest reaches of the Commonwealth this issue, where we learn about Tennessee-adjacent Lee County’s attempts to create a policy based on comments from political leaders about arming teachers to prevent school shootings. Why does this rural county at the very tip of Virginia’s panhandle think such a policy is a good idea? And how do they intend to put it into practice? We’ll give you a deeper look.

We’ve got a lot more in store for you in this issue as well, from a GayRVA report on the recently-released documentary capturing and honoring the life of legendary Richmond cult figure Dirtwoman to an exclusive conversation with up and coming postpunk band Unmaker. We’ll also learn about the hip hop and skateboarding connection with Richmond’s own Washington Avenue Skateboards, and take a closer look at the history of the city’s underground graffiti scene — a major influence on the mural boom RVA is undergoing today.

All of that is in store for you when you grab your very own copy of RVA #37, available in all your favorite local businesses around town. Get yours now… they’re going fast!

Check out the digital version on Issuu here.

Mario Lopez Says It’s Dangerous to Support Transgender Kids

Ash Griffith | August 2, 2019

Topics: extra, gayrva, LGBTQ, mario lopez, saved by the bell, the candace owens show, Trans, trans discrimination, trans kids, transgender, transgender kids

For Hollywood stars whose relevance is fading, sharing discriminatory hot takes on causes you don’t understand is a bad way to get back in the spotlight.

This week, things took an awkward turn when it turned out that Zach Morris is not actually the Saved By The Bell cast member who is trash. Instead, it turns out, it’s good ol’ AC Slater. Former Saved By the Bell actor Mario Lopez, who is now a host on the entertainment news show Extra, is confused — and he thinks you actually care about his opinion.

He especially seems to think you care about his problematic (read: dangerous) opinion about parents who support their transgender children. Originally Lopez appeared back in June on conservative YouTube talk show The Candace Owens Show and was asked about parents allowing their children to express traditionally-opposite gender interests. Specifically, he remarked about how children don’t understand what is going on anyway, and how dangerous it is.

Owens, who was previously a nanny, opened the questioning by prodding that children don’t have the mental authority to understand gender identity.

“I’m kind of blown away, too,” Lopez told Owens, according to NBC News. “I’m never one to tell anyone how to parent their kids, obviously, and I think if you come from a place of love, you really can’t go wrong… but at the same time, my God, if you’re 3 years old and you’re saying you’re feeling a certain way, or you think you’re a boy or a girl — or whatever the case may be — I just think it’s dangerous as a parent to make that determination.”

“When you’re a kid … you don’t know anything about sexuality yet. You’re just a kid,” Lopez said.

While this may be true depending on the source you cite, it should be noted by anyone with any sense that gender and sexuality are two separate entities. Conservative media enjoys conveniently combining them, but it should again be noted that they are, seriously, not the same thing.

It took a while for anyone to notice his appearance on the show, but finally people found out about it, and now Lopez has come under fire on social media. Naturally, he backpedaled the hell out of there as soon as the clip went viral, commenting on Wednesday about how sorry he is and how much he supports the LGBTQ community.

“I have been, and always will be, an ardent supporter of the LGBTQ community, and I am going to use this opportunity to better educate myself,” Lopez said, according to Insider. “Moving forward I will be more informed and thoughtful.”

I would like to point out that if he really agreed that these comments were in poor taste, he wouldn’t have waited until the last day of July to jump on that. To quote my dear father, “You’re not sorry you did it, you’re sorry you got caught.”

For the record, the producers of Extra were not on board with what Lopez had to say, issuing a statement of their own about the whole affair. “While we have enjoyed a long relationship with Mario Lopez, who we know to be a caring person, the opinions he expressed in this interview do not reflect those of Extra,” they stated, according to Deadline. “We wholeheartedly embrace our friends from the LGBTQ community and believe they need support and love.”

Hopefully cast members from 90s teen sitcoms will give us more of that support and love in the future. And hopefully Mario Lopez will follow through on that promise to educate himself about an issue he has proven himself ignorant about.

RVA Magazine and GayRVA Are Seeking Interns For Fall 2019

RVA Staff | July 22, 2019

Topics: gayrva, gayrva intern, gayrva internship, interns, internship, internships, RVA Mag internships, rva magazine internship, RVAmag, work, work with rva mag, work with rva magazine, writing

Do you have the writing chops to seek out and deliver compelling stories on the latest in music, art, food, beer, politics, and current events in Richmond? Well, you’re in luck, because RVA Magazine and GayRVA are opening positions for journalism interns for our upcoming fall season.

Launched in 2005 as a zine to promote the bubbling revival of Richmond’s underground, the RVA regional brand started with RVAMag. RVA Magazine and GayRVA are now two of Virginia’s largest independent media outlets, and the region’s voice for arts, entertainment, and cultural news. We are always seeking to diversify our newsroom: LGBTQ and minority students are very much encouraged to apply.

Opportunities

Both publications have several opportunities for writers and students (credit/non-credit available) who are passionate, hard-working, and excited to learn under the guidance of Virginia’s largest independent media outlets right here in Richmond.

We welcome your ideas, and will open doors to interview artists, musicians, politicians, and local influencers with opportunities to pitch your own ideas as well. Interns will be published writers with the hands-on help of our editorial team, with guidance through interviewing and writing articles. Writers can attend and cover shows, write features on artists, and report on musicians, craft beer pros, restaurants, films, theater, fashion, politics, and more — right here in the River City and across Virginia.

Ideal candidates will:

Attend college in journalism, public relations, writing/media studies, or other related fields, and be in need of 1-3 credits through their scholastic program (credits not required, your preference)
Work on 1 article per week, and be able to meet deadlines in a professional editorial environment
Be able to work remotely and attend a weekly editorial meeting, with the freedom to attend events in the evening for possible feature pieces
Have a laptop, smartphone, and/or digital camera
Understand responsibilities involved when committing to a project
Write hard news and feature stories, bringing new angles and interesting elements to local topics
Have an open mind, with willingness to cover issues and topics that might be new to you with editors’ guidance

Juniors and Seniors studying Journalism will receive first priority consideration.

Attending a college program is not required, but those not in a program should be able to show a history of successful writing or commitment to a long-term project.

Internship Duties:

Interns work remotely on one article per week, interviewing sources in person or via phone on feature pieces.
Get access to shows, arts/concerts, and events of your choice throughout Virginia.
Have your name published in Virginia’s largest independent media, with long- and short-form writing experience.
Have the independence to cover stories and issues that interest you. Pitch your ideas and don’t hold back your creativity: We want to hear your voice and uplift the voices of our community that aren’t usually heard.
Multimedia web-based project experience.
Editorial jobs are mostly performed remotely, with a once-weekly editorial meeting to update projects (fully-remote interns welcome — just let us know in your application).

To apply, submit your email with the following materials:

Cover letter detailing why you want to work with RVA Magazine and what you can bring to the editorial team
Resume
2-3 article-style writing samples for editorial applicants (feature and hard news if applicable)
Website (if applicable)
Availability from June–August 2019

Please send an email to Caley Sturgill at [email protected] and write “Internship Submission” as the subject line. Deadline for submission is August 5 (flexible if needed — send an email to the address above letting us know beforehand if you plan to submit a late application).

Internships are unpaid and for-credit if requested, with potential opportunities for steady contributor positions following the successful completion of your internship.

RVA Magazine and GayRVA Are Seeking Interns For Summer 2019

RVA Staff | April 18, 2019

Topics: apply, gayrva, intern, internships, internships at GayRVA, internships at RVA Mag, jobs, RVA Magazine, work with us, write with rva magazine

Launched in 2005 as a zine to promote the bubbling revival of Richmond’s underground, the RVA regional brand started with RVAMag. RVA Magazine and GayRVA are now Virginia’s largest independent media outlets, and the region’s voice for arts, entertainment, and cultural news. We are always seeking to diversify our newsroom: LGBTQ and minority students are very much encouraged to apply.

Opportunities

Both publications have several openings for writers and creatives who are passionate, hard-working, and excited to learn under the guidance of Virginia’s largest independent media outlets right here in Richmond.

We welcome your ideas, and will open doors to interview artists, musicians, politicians, and local influencers with opportunities to pitch your own ideas as well. Writers can attend and cover shows, write features on artists, and report on musicians, craft beer pros, restaurants, films, theater, fashion, politics, and more — right here in the River City and across Virginia.

Ideal candidates will:

Attend college and be in need of 1-3 credits through their scholastic program (credits not required, your preference)
Work on 1 article per week, and be able to meet deadlines in a professional editorial environment
Be able to work remotely and attend a weekly editorial meeting, with the freedom to attend events in the evening for possible feature pieces
Have a laptop, digital camera and/or smartphone
Be willing to work hard
Understand responsibilities involved when committing to a project
Be able to write hard news and features, with ability to bring interesting elements in stories into articles through interviews and drafting relevant questions
Have an open mind, with the willingness to cover issues and topics that might be altogether new to you

Juniors and Seniors studying Journalism will receive first priority consideration.

Attending a college program is not required, but those not in a program should be able to show a history of successful writing or commitment to a long-term project.

Editorial Internship Details:

1. Writing – Interns will draft 1-2 articles per week: News writing, event previews, interviews of artists or musicians, album reviews, features on new businesses and local stories, political updates.

2. Interviewing – You will be speaking to lots of different people. The voices of the city and state help define the publication, and you will be seeking out those voices.

3. Pitching and developing long-form stories – We want to help you get published, we want to see you succeed. We’ll help you get there in any way possible, and provide guidance to continue your professional career in any different facets of the media industry. We can help with career counseling and help you build your resume to move forward into a media environment.

Internship Duties:

Interns work remotely on 1 article per week, interviewing sources in person or via phone on feature pieces.
Get access to shows, parties, and events of your choice throughout Virginia.
Have your name published in Virginia’s largest independent media, with long- and short-form writing experience.
Have the independence to cover stories and issues that interest you. Pitch your ideas and don’t hold back your creativity: We want to hear your voice and uplift the voices of our community that aren’t usually heard.
Multimedia web-based project experience.
Editorial jobs are mostly performed remotely, with a once-weekly editorial meeting to update projects.

To apply, submit your email with the following materials:

Cover letter detailing why you want to work with RVA Magazine and what you can bring to the editorial team
Resume
2-3 article-style writing samples for editorial applicants (feature and hard news if applicable)
Website (if applicable)
Availability from June–August 2019

Please send an email to Caley Sturgill at [email protected] and write “Internship Submission” as the subject line. Deadline for submission is May 20 (flexible if needed — send an email letting us know beforehand if you plan to submit a late application).

Internships are unpaid and for-credit if requested, with potential opportunities for steady contributor positions following the internship.