DoxyPEP
Keeping the Pride Spirit Alive All Year Long
By Cator Sparks, Life Coach
Atlanta Pride fills us with energy, connection, and hope. The parades, parties, and gatherings remind us we’re part of something bigger. But when the rainbow flags come down and October fades into memory, how do we keep that spirit burning?
The truth is, Pride isn’t just a moment—it’s a practice. Here’s how to carry that magic forward.
Get Involved with Local Organizations
Become a regular. These spaces need our support year-round.
Engage in Activism
Pride started as a protest, and there’s still work to do. Attend city council meetings about LGBTQ+ issues. Support trans rights initiatives. Push back against book bans. Call your representatives. Real change happens through sustained pressure, not just rainbow capitalism once a year.
Explore Queer Art and Culture
Read queer authors. Watch queer films. Attend drag shows and queer theater. Follow LGBTQ+ creators online. Consuming and supporting queer culture keeps you engaged with diverse community voices and experiences beyond your immediate circle.
Pride reminds us of our community’s strength, built by activists who fought for our rights. Honor that legacy by volunteering with LGBTQ+ organizations year-round. Whether it’s a community center, advocacy group, or youth support organization, these spaces need consistent support. Even a few hours monthly can make a difference while keeping you connected to queer community.
Practice Visible Queerness
Create Your Own Gatherings
Don’t wait for corporate-sponsored events to feel that sense of belonging. Host regular dinners, game nights, or park hangouts with queer friends. These smaller, consistent gatherings often feel more meaningful than massive Pride crowds. They create the sustained community we actually need to thrive.
Support Queer Spaces and Businesses
Queer bars, bookstores, cafes, and shops struggle financially, yet they’re essential gathering places. Make it a habit to spend time and money at these establishments.
If it’s safe for you, stay visible. Wear that pin. Hold your partner’s hand. Correct people who assume you’re straight. Daily visibility is its own form of activism and helps other queer people feel less alone.
Pride’s magic isn’t manufactured by corporate sponsors or confined to parade routes. It lives in how we show up for each other every single day. Keep that spirit alive by building the community you want to see—one conversation, one connection, one act of solidarity at a time.
Justin Jedca
Stars in Refctions
By Shane Gallagher
Photos: Bob of Finland
Justin Jedlica, known as the “Human Ken Doll” and widely recognized for his pioneering work in body modification, is one of the bold personalities featured in Reflections, filmmaker Michael Hyman’s daring new video series that turns the camera—and the mirror—on identity, beauty, and self-worth.
Shot on 16mm film and inspired by Andy Warhol’s iconic 1960s Screen Tests, the sixteen shorts challenge participants representing a diverse cross-section of the LGBTQIA+ community to confront their own reflection in silence for four minutes. For Jedlica, a well-known advocate for plastic surgery who has built a life in Los Angeles as an artist, content creator, and real estate designer, the experience was a powerful act of self-love and a natural extension of his lifelong exploration of image, authenticity, and reinvention. He explains more.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in upstate New York and then in Cary, North Carolina, in a working-class, creative household where money was often tight. For much of my life, I felt different, misunderstood, and even unaccepted.
What inspired you to move to Los Angeles?
L.A. represented possibility.
Were you chasing superstar dreams?
I was chasing something more than fame. I wanted a place where transforming my body, building a personal brand, and expressing myself visually could become
both art and business.
What’s a typical day in your life like today?
My days are a blend of content creation, cosmetic-art projects, brand management, consulting, and planning future transformations. I also have a passion for real estate and design. I love flipping properties and reimagining spaces. I’ve always had a thing for mirrors. To me, mirrors don’t just reflect, they open a room.
Is that fascination with mirrors what drew you to participate in Reflections?
The project resonated with me. It took me years to recognize that my differences are what make me unique. Realizing that my sexual attraction, gender identity, and personal interest in modifying myself weren’t negatives but strengths gave me the confidence to own my truth. I viewed Reflections as a chance to stand in truth while also contributing to something that could help others embrace their own selfacceptance.
How did you approach the idea of sitting silently with your own mirrored image for four minutes?
For me, the challenge was that I’m typically not someone who does well with silence. Reflections required me to maintain it for four minutes: just me and my mirrored image. Approaching that was about letting go of distractions and being willing to see myself without interruption. It was both strange and surprisingly grounding to face that stillness.
Did the silence feel freeing?
It was both freeing and uncomfortable. It was freeing because, without words, there was nothing to hide behind, and uncomfortable because that forced me to confront myself directly.
Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests often revealed unexpected aspects of his subjects. Do you feel your Reflections film revealed something new about you?
Yes. It revealed how I’ve evolved beyond the aesthetics. I’ve grown internally. I walked away with a clearer sense of how comfortable I’ve become in my own skin, not just in terms of looks, but in self-worth. My worth isn’t defined by surface-level judgments, but by staying true to myself despite outside pressures. The experience was a reminder that self-worth is as much internal as it is external.
How do you think audiences will respond?
I know that people often approach me with preconceived ideas based on my appearance. Reflections will give them an opportunity to see another side: the person behind the surface. I think some people will be surprised, and hopefully they’ll come away recognizing the importance of difference and diversity within our community.
Are you still a work in progress, or would you say you’re a completed work of art?
I see myself as an evolving work of art. I’m proud of what I’ve built physically, professionally, and through design and real estate, but I will never think of myself as “finished.” There’s always another canvas; another space to reinvent.
Reflections is available now on www. youtube.com/@outonfiremedia and at Outonfiremedia.com.
Queer Fear
TheBestHorrorandSlasher MovieswithLGBTQ+Themes
Edited by Mikkel Hyldebrandt
Horror has always been a genre where outsiders thrive. Whether it’s the misunderstood monster, the masked killer, or the survivor who refuses to die, horror stories are built on tension, repression, and the fear of being different — all themes the LGBTQ+ community knows intimately.
For queer audiences, horror isn’t just about jump scares and gore. It’s about seeing reflections of ourselves — sometimes explicit, often symbolic — in the fight to exist, to be seen, and to reclaim power in a world that fears what it can’t understand. From queer-coded vampires to slashers who wear masks for more than one reason, here are some of the best horror and slasher films to watch through a fabulously queer lens.
1. A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
Often called “the gayest horror movie ever made,” this sequel has earned a cult following for its not-so-subtle homoerotic undertones. The story follows Jesse, a teenage boy who’s being possessed by Freddy Krueger — or, more symbolically, his own repressed desires.
There’s locker-room tension, shirtless wrestling, and an energy that screams “closet horror.” Star Mark Patton, himself a gay man, has since embraced the film’s legacy, calling it a reflection of the queer fear and shame so many felt in the 1980s.
Why you should watch: It’s campy, subversive, and unintentionally queer in the best way — a time capsule of repressed identity bursting through the cracks of Hollywood horror.
2. Jennifer’s Body (2009)
This cult classic flipped the male-gaze slasher genre on its head. Megan Fox stars as Jennifer, a high school queen bee turned literal man-eating demon, while Amanda Seyfried plays her loyal (and possibly in love) best friend, Needy.
Beneath the bloody humor and sharp one-liners lies a story about toxic female friendships, queer longing, and the monstrous side of sexual awakening. The kiss between Jennifer and Needy isn’t just fan service — it’s a confrontation of desire, jealousy, and blurred identity.
Why you should watch: Written by Diablo Cody and directed by Karyn Kusama, it’s a feminist, bisexual fever dream that’s finally getting the queer appreciation it deserves.
3. Hellraiser (1987)
Clive Barker, an openly gay horror master, gave the world Hellraiser — a film about pleasure, pain, and the limits of human experience. The sadomasochistic Cenobites, led by the iconic Pinhead, aren’t your typical villains. They blur the line between ecstasy and agony, desire and destruction. Barker’s own experiences in the 1980s gay leather scene heavily influenced the film’s aesthetics — leather, chains, body horror, and erotic power dynamics. It’s an unapologetically queer piece of horror history.
Why you should watch: It’s kinky, intelligent, and visually stunning — a bold, queer exploration of desire and identity through horror’s most sensual lens.
4. The Babadook (2014)
What started as a psychological horror about grief became an internet meme and then, somehow, a queer icon. The Babadook, with its shadowy monster and themes of suppressed trauma, struck a chord with queer audiences who saw themselves in its metaphor for repression and identity.
The titular creature became a symbol of the queer experience: something society tells you to hide but that demands acknowledgment.
Why you should watch: It’s a gorgeously made, emotionally charged film that doubles as an allegory for the pain — and power — of living your truth.
5. They/Them (2022)
Finally, a slasher that doesn’t dance around queerness but dives right in. Set in a conversion therapy camp, this Blumhouse horror follows a group of queer and trans teens who must survive both psychological manipulation and a masked killer.
While not perfect, They/ Them (pronounced “They Slash Them” — genius) takes direct aim at anti-LGBTQ+ institutions, turning survival into an act of rebellion. Kevin Bacon stars as the camp’s sinister leader, but the real stars are the queer teens who fight back — literally and metaphorically.
canon. The story spans decades, but its heart lies in the romance between two young women trying to survive both a supernatural curse and small-town bigotry.
By centering a queer relationship at the core of the narrative, the trilogy makes the radical statement that queer love deserves to survive.
Why you should watch: It’s fast-paced, stylish, and refreshingly queer — the kind of slasher saga we always wanted growing up.
7. Raw (2016)
This French body horror film from Julia Ducournau (who later directed Titane) follows a young vegetarian who develops a craving for human flesh after a hazing ritual at veterinary school The film’s mix of body horror and sexual awakening plays as an allegory for queerness — the terror and liberation of discovering who you are, even when it makes others uncomfortable.
Why you should watch: It’s shocking, sensual, and deeply metaphorical — a perfect example of how horror uses transformation to explore identity.
8. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Why you should watch: Representation, reclamation, and revenge — all wrapped in a clever slasher package that says, “We’re not victims anymore.”
6. Fear Street Trilogy (2021)
Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy — especially Part Two: 1978 — is a bloody, nostalgic nod to queer love in the horror
No queer horror list would be complete without this cult classic. Equal parts slasher, sci-fi, and musical, it celebrates gender fluidity, sexual liberation, and pure camp. Dr. Frank-NFurter, played by Tim Curry, isn’t just a character — he’s a queer deity of selfexpression.
Why you should watch: Because The Rocky Horror Picture Show taught generations of queer folks that being “too much” is exactly enough.
So this spooky season, grab your popcorn, dim the lights, and embrace the darkness. After all, horror’s greatest lesson is one the queer community already knows: you can’t keep us in the shadows forever.
BARS & CLUBS MIDTOWN
BLAKE’S ON THE PARK blakesontheparkatlanta.com 227 10th St NE
BULLDOGS 893 Peachtree St NE
FRIENDS NEIGHBORHOOD BAR friendsonponce-atl. com
736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
MY SISTER’S ROOM mysistersroom.com 66 12th St NE
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THE T modeltatlanta.com 465 Boulevard SE
CHESHIRE
HERETIC hereticatlanta.com 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road
BJ ROOSTERS bjroosters.com 2043 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
WESTSIDE
MARQUETTE 868 Joseph E. Boone Blvd NW
840ATL 840 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd
ATLANTA EAGLE 1492 Piedmont Ave NE
FELIX’S 1510 Piedmont Ave NE
MIXX mixxatlanta.com 1492 Piedmont Ave NE
OSCAR’S oscarsatlanta.com 1510 Piedmont Ave NE
WOOFS woofsatlanta.com 494 Plasters Ave NE
TRIPPS fb: tripps-bar 1931 Piedmont Cir NE
EAST ATLANTA, GRANT PARK & EDGEWOOD
MARY’S marysatlanta.com 1287 Glenwood Ave SE
SISTER LOUISA’S CHURCH sisterlouisaschurch. com 466 Edgewood Ave SE LORE ATLANTA loreatl.com 466 Edgewood Ave loreatl.com
DINING
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CASA ALMENARA 991 Piedmont Ave NE casa-almenara.com
OLIVE BISTRO olivebistro.com 1050 Juniper St NE #4
LA HACIENDA lahaciendamidtown. com
900 Monroe Dr NE
TUK TUK THAI FOOD LOFT TUKTUKATL.COM 1745 Peachtree Rd NW
DEKALB
LIPS ATLANTA atldragshow.com 3011 Buford Hwy NE
RETAIL MIDTOWN BOY NEXT DOOR MENSWEAR boynextdoormenswear.com 1000 Piedmont Ave NE, Ste A
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BARKING LEATHER AFTER DARK barkingleather.com 1510 Piedmont Ave NE
GCB & PLEASURES brushstrokesatlanta. com
URBAN BODY FITNESS
urbanbody tness. com
500 Amsterdam Ave N
CHESHIRE
GRAVITY FITNESS
gravity tnessatl.com 2201 Faulkner Rd NE
SPAS/BATHS ADULT
FLEX SPA exspas.com 76 4th St NW
SOUTHERN NIGHTS VIDEO 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE
ANSLEY
1510-D Piedmont Ave. NE
We all have those moments of ‘wait, did they just say that?’ Lucky for you, we compile the best of the best right here on this page. Want to join in on the b*tch session? Submit your own nuggets to info@davidatlanta.com.
I get talked about. Not confronted. Big difference.
You call a different guy “daddy” every week. You’re not a sub. You’re in foster care.
I want a tax refund for each day the government is shut down.
You want to go to a haunted house? Buy me a bottle, and I’ll show you scary.
I’m not an alcoholic, but when it’s time to drink I don’t fk around.
I’m not as unhinged as I could be, and I want everyone to be grateful for that.
One time, I did so much c*ke I remembered my middle school locker combination.
We’re all trying our hardest out there! Well, not me personally, but many of you maybe.
