Cover Story
Trans people are on the vanguard, fighting from the margins
This story is part of a package. At the bottom of this article, read why Kate Sedgwick felt she had to write about issues facing trans women and their contributions to the LGBTQ movement. Also, see the schedule of Kentuckiana Pride events. Victoria Syimone Taylor, who started performing in the ‘90s as a showgirl doing drag at…
10 things to do under $5 this week in Louisville (6/19)
MONDAY Louisville Socialists Movie Night: ‘Pride’ Kaiju Free | 8:30-10:30 p.m. Join Louisville Socialists for a special screening of “Pride.” The film is based on true events in Britain under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, as an unlikely alliance is formed between gay activists and coal miners on strike. The film “demonstrates solidarity in the pursuit…
Best of the Web: U2 hit Louisville with iconic nostalgia and subtle politics
My 30-year high school class reunion is next year, but after Friday night’s U2 concert at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, I feel like I’ve already been there, done that. I’ve never been to a concert with so many people my age, or to a concert with so many people I know and their children. The…
A Q&A with stained glass artist Johnny Gordon
[The above image is “Dogwood Panels” by Johnny Gordon.] If you have an interest in contemporary stained glass, Johnny Gordon of Gordon Glass Studio is an artist for you. “I enjoy writing about the work I make, both the successes and the failures,” said Gordon. “So if you’re into reading that kinda thing, you should…
5 Things To Do This Weekend in Louisville (6/16)
FRIDAY Girls Rock Louisville Camper Showcase & After-Party Headliners $5 tickets (increases to $10 at 7:30 p.m. DOS) | 6 p.m. Girls Rock Louisville is hosting a showcase to “celebrate the culmination of their week-long program for girls and gender-nonconforming youth.” Nine new bands, formed at the camp, will perform their original songs followed by…
America’s response to gun violence is unique — and failing
Last week, I wrote a column about the abdication of leadership in addressing the gun violence in Louisville’s West End. I began by referencing the attempted assassination of U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords. The subject was relevant because of our city’s record homicide tally, but I also knew it would become relevant again… soon. That time…
City law vs. ‘transvestites’
While researching the Courier-Journal archive for something entirely else, I encountered a brief article from 1971 headlined “KCLU tests law on transvestites.” I was intrigued. I never heard of the case. I realized that I’d never thought much about the legal machinery of routine and dehumanizing harassment of LGBTQ Louisvillians in the all-too recent past.…
Thorns & Roses: The Worst, Best and Most Absurd
UofL piggy bank for the rich | Thorn The forensic audit of the UofL Foundation is shocking and validating. It uncovered a culture of deception, disastrous investments, excessive spending, self-dealing payouts and awards of sportsball tickets. Most shocking: Auditors identified no crimes, but the attorney general says he is investigating. Like your cards now? | Thorn…
Higher Ground
Like many major metropolises, Louisville is an outlier on the broader landscape. An enigma on the Ohio River, its unique crossroad of Northern, Southern and Midwestern sensibilities nurtures a county-shaped speckle of liberal majority in the red Bluegrass State. Arranged like puzzle pieces within are the numerous neighborhoods we all know, each with its own…
Six campers, parents, volunteers and organizers talk about the impact of Girls Rock
Girls Rock Louisville, which “aims to empower girls and gender non-conforming youth from all backgrounds by exploring music creation in a supportive, inclusive environment,” started as a two-day camp in 2014. It has evolved into a week-long camp that, this year, ends with a concert on Friday, June 16 at Headliners Music Hall, followed by…
Shannon Wright overcomes adversity on her new record, ‘Division’
Between her years in the business and the stress of relationships and parenting, Shannon Wright found herself overwhelmed prior to the recording of her latest record, Division. But, during her tour in Europe, she met up with a few friends who not only gave her encouragement, but offered her an opportunity to record in Paris…
‘Thread Lines,’ the art of sewing, knitting, weaving
Lines are natural connectors, forcing our eyes to travel from point A to B. Most textile art is composed of lines; after all, thread is a thin fabric line. The current exhibition at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, or KMAC, “Thread Lines,” examines this connection between lines and sewing, knitting and weaving. The…
‘Bloom’ delivers quality writing and performances
The lock on Edith Jones’ front door has been broken for years — and that’s just fine with her. Edith (Laurene Scalf), the central character in “Stages of Bloom” by playwright Liz Fentress, isn’t afraid of anything that’s likely to come down her country road and step onto her front porch. She’s in her early…
Comic Book Reviews: ‘Shade the Changing Girl’ and ‘Batman’
‘Shade, the Changing Girl vol. 1 — Earth Girl Made Easy’ Writer Cecil Castellucci | Artist Marley Zarcone Reviewed by Kyle Thompson, The Great Escape When Gerard Way announced his Young Animal imprint at DC about a year ago, his take on Doom Patrol was definitely the book I was most looking forward to. But…
McGill, ‘Gay people get frustrated in line at the grocery, too’
As a gay African-American, local comedian Keith McGill refuses to allow race or sexuality to define his humor. He’s more interested in the idiosyncratic aspects of life that unite us, rather than what divides us. Now in his 30th year as a stand-up comedian, McGill regularly performs all over the country and has been on…
Wild Eggs maintains its eggy goodness
Can a great independent restaurant remain great when it evolves into a corporate chain? This favorite topic for foodie debate plays out time and again, just about any time a favorite eatery opens a second location, and then a third. Looking back, I’ve got to say that the odds don’t favor success, as anyone who…
Summer buzzes: Four new seasonal cocktails to try
It’s only mid-June, and we’ve already had many a serious scorcher in the Ohio River Valley. It’s easy, although maybe not accurate, to think this is because of climate change. Regardless of the reason, maybe we should just pray away the carbon emissions, right Gov. Bevin? Anywho, in our fair city, we know hot and…
The traditional growler — will it survive?
One of the best feelings a person can have is to pick up a growler — a 64-ounce jug — of fresh beer from a local brewery. It’s a beautiful sight to behold, and the promise of what lies within radiates. It’s a tradition that goes back generations, and one my father and grandfather used…
Savage Love: Virgin Territory
Q: I’m almost 30 and I’m a virgin. I’m an overweight, straight-ish guy (I’m attracted to a few men, but those cases are exceedingly rare). I’ve also gone through an absolute hell life thus far, losing a testicle to cancer and having an abusive father who threatened a teenage me into celibacy by invoking the…
That of god and a socket wrench
It’s a gorgeous Saturday here in Oakdale, and I’m sitting on my porch with some coffee. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are out this morning. It’s a pleasant day for testifying, and they’re making the most of it. I find their presence calming. The ladies’ perfume on the breeze, their good intentions and just the sight of…
UofL’s sexy audit, and… Bevin: money for whites, prayers for blacks
You’re looking very well rested. Been spending a lot of time pretending to work? Got away from it all, mate, for a week, in darkest northern Minnesota. No mobiles, no Wi-Fi, just me and Mother Nature. No better way to recharge the old nine volts than by leaving civilisation in the rear-view. Couldn’t make that…
How do you spell relief?
A therapist, a comic and a youth minister walk into a bar. The bartender says: “What can I get ya?” The therapist says: “An emotional rescue.” The comic says: “A gangster’s paradise.” The minister says: “A holy roller.” The bartender says: “Give me a minute to find the recipes. I’m not really a bartender. I’m…
The GOP can’t be both pro-business and anti-fairness
Republicans have long positioned themselves as the party of small government and big business. Yet, in pursuit of its political ambitions, the GOP has also aligned itself with cultural conservatives who are deeply-rooted in hard-line Christian principles. This holy alliance has driven the party to legislating from strict Scripture, pushing discriminatory, hateful policies that dictate…
Your Voice
on: erica rucker — gov. bevin wants to colonize west louisville This is dog whistling to white nationalists, militias, supremacists and wannabes in the area. —Donny Greene Education and economic opportunity are the only options. Louisville has failed. Own it. —David Gruneisen Why blame the governor? Why not your wonderful mayor? If he is so…
