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GayRVA’s Best Stories of 2019

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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!

  1. Cobra Cabana Takes A Stand With Their Gay-Fil-A Special
  2. Sold Out Nationwide: Popeyes Non-Homophobic Chicken Sandwich Is A Monster Hit
  3. No Genre, No Gender: LGBTQ Music Thrives in Richmond
  4. LGBTQ Rights Book Inspires Outrage For Elementary School Parent In Hanover
  5. The Triumphant Return of Richmond’s Beloved Queer Dance Party
  6. Westboro Baptist Church Hurls Slurs Ahead of Richmond Visit
  7. Long Live The Dirt: A Monument In Memory of Dirtwoman Comes To Oregon Hill
  8. The Technicolor Troll Drag of Richmond’s Own Sweet Pickles
  9. Driver Defaces Rainbow Intersection In Scott’s Addition With Skid Marks
  10. Zachary Brown Brings Youthful Determination to Campaign for State Senate
  11. Chicki Parm: The Comedy Queen of Richmond
  12. Equality Virginia’s Annual Commonwealth Dinner Recognizes 2019’s OUTstanding Virginians
  13. Westboro Baptist Church’s Protest at VCU Was Vastly Outnumbered By LGBTQ Counter-Protesters
  14. Hollins University Changes Policy On Transgender Students
  15. It Isn’t Just For Big Cities Anymore: Across Virginia, Smaller Communities Bring Pride to Main Street
  16. Won’t You Be My Gaybor?
  17. JK Rowling Is On Board The TERF Train
  18. 13 Fascinating Movies That Celebrate The Richness of the Transgender Experience
  19. Op-Ed: Gay Men Have a Stake In the Abortion Debate — The Women Who Have Always Supported Us
  20. Michael Berlucchi Appointed To Serve Interim Term on Virginia Beach City Council
  21. Re-Educating Richmond: An LGBTQ History Lesson at the VHMC
  22. VCU Launches Minor In LGBT+ and Queer Studies
  23. UMC’s Anti-Gay Vote Creates Dilemma For LGBTQ Church Members
  24. Mario Lopez Says It’s Dangerous to Support Transgender Kids
  25. Get A Taste Of Betty Who At This Year’s VA PrideFest

RVA #37 Is On The Streets Now!

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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!

PHOTO: Ken Penn

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.

Photo of Trevor Frost by Melissa Lesh

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.

Photo by John Donegan

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

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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

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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

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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 editorial and graphic design interns for our upcoming summer 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 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.

RVA #36 Is On The Streets Now!

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Spring is here, and so is this year’s first issue of RVA Magazine!

This week, RVA Magazine #36 is on the stands all over town, welcoming spring with our first brand-new edition of 2019. It’s chock full of arts, culture, music, politics, news, and more. From across the state to right here at home, RVA #36 brings you the first-rate coverage of central Virginia’s street-level culture that you have come to expect over RVA Mag’s 14 years of existence.

Richmond’s artistic community is drawing a lot of attention this year, and in this issue, we dug into the stories behind the art. From longtime local fave Chris Visions, who has caught the world’s eye with his work on Marvel’s Spider-Verse, to gothic princess Abigail Larson, who is currently involved in the creation of Neil Gaiman’s latest Sandman project, we’ve got some serious heavy hitters to introduce you to in this issue.

Richmonders getting out and exploring the world is also a big theme this issue. From local hip-hop sensation Michael Millions’s improbable experience performing in small-town Kentucky to our own Madelyne Ashworth’s travels around Europe and Asia, we bring the unique perspective of our home city to events all around the world.

There’s a lot more in store as well, from a GayRVA report on the queer resistance movement in rural Appalachia to an exploration of independent filmmaking in the river city with the creators of upcoming feature Last Call, which was filmed on location at Richmond’s own The Answer.

All of that is in store for you when you grab your very own copy of RVA #36, available in all your favorite local businesses around town. Get yours now… they’re going fast!