A VIP reception and plenty of nightlife events are on today’s schedule for the world’s largest black LGBT Pride
Durand Robinson was managing partner of a black gay nightclub and an organizer of events for Black Gay Pride. But was Robinson, who was shot to death Wednesday, gay?
As news of Robinson’s death spread, many who didn’t know him assumed from his work that he must be gay. His brother, however, says Robinson was planning to marry a girlfriend. And Robinson’s close friends and coworkers at Traxx, the popular black gay nightclub, say Robinson never discussed a girlfriend or being gay with them.
Speculation about Robinson’s sexual orientation is taking away from the real situation — a loving man was killed and police need to find the suspect, said Phillip Boone, Robinson’s business partner.
The story of a young, African-American Christian woman who grapples with her identity and eventually falls in love with another woman is the basic premise for the movie “Genderblind,” showing at this year’s Black Gay Pride.
But what filmmaker, artist and dancer LaNita Joseph, 27, didn’t know when she made “Genderblind” is the somewhat large controversy that would surround her small-budget movie.
“It’s become so controversial. I didn’t realize it would be that way,” says Joseph, who wrote, produced and directed the film.
Annual fest joins forces with local party promoters to round out nightlife events.
Atlanta Pride’s nightlife lineup continues to take shape as the 40th annual fest nears with two new parties added this year as the Atlanta Pride Committee joins forces with Chris Coleman Enterprises, Curve magazine and Pandora Events and Jungle nightclub to bring new parties this year.
Pop and dance sensation — and gay favorite — Kimberly Locke will headline this year’s Atlanta Pride Festival in Piedmont Park set for the weekend of Oct. 9-10, the Atlanta Pride Committee announced today.
Locke will perform Oct. 9. This year’s fest marks the 40th anniversary of Atlanta Pride and is being held during the weekend of National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11.
A No. 1 Billboard recording artist, Locke rose to fame after competing on “American Idol,” finishing third after Ruben Stoddard and now Clay Aiken.
Hundreds of people packed into the plaza where the new LeBuzz is located for the very first Marietta Rainbow Festival — a celebration of gay Pride in Cobb County where county officials once declared being gay was considered incompatible with community standards.
“We’re having a really good time. We’re really pleased with support from the gay community and the straight community,” said Johnathan Murphy, the president and managing partner of LeBuzz who also heads up the North Georgia Rainbow Coalition, which organized the first Marietta Rainbow Festival on July 24.