Re: Southern Voice covers chronicle 20 years of gay history
Re: Southern Voice covers chronicle 20 years of gay historyAn introspective view from Tom Dempsey
Congratulations to Southern Voice for 20 years!I remember reading the first issue the week it came out and was very excited at the time. Being from a smaller town in South Carolina, it was amazing to see a mainstream paper being born and keeping me educated on the news and issues in the LGBT community - especially the exploding Atlanta events. We had Cruise Magazine and then Etcetera before SoVo giving some hints and both were good publications. Etcetera was always a favorite of mine at the gym with Jack Pellam at the helm mixing news and events.
When Southern Voice came out, it was known as a primarily lesbian publication since Chris Cash and her partner favored the lesbian view of the world. But age has taught me differently. (SoVo was considered "gayer and more Republican" when bought by Chris Crain and William Waybourn.) I suppose the leadership is reflected in the paper but SoVo was always a well-balanced reflection of LGBT Atlanta society after Cash sold the paper thanks to the many great staff members - including Laura Brown-Douglas and Matt Henning (and more than I remember here).
I think the only complaint I have had with SoVo is it had to answer to its owners (as any paper does) - and SoVo has many owners in the Atlanta community. But it didn't stop Southern Voice from publishing stories I'm sure several of the "owners" didn't agree with. Some issues that come to mind include holding HRCF under a microscope and the reporting on the Atlanta Gay Games bid for the 2006 Gay Games. Southern Voice published a factual and unbiased story on my "harchering" when I was overthrown by a primarily AGI/HRC board and Ray Hom's friends - leaving people confused and baffled (cover below). Of course, friends take sides and the HRC crowd went with Ray Hom and Margie Archer in the fight but at least I was given the opportunity to tell my side - and in the end justice was served with Montreal and then eventually Chicago winning the bid. I did receive a great deal of sympathy just from that story. However, Southern Voice did not cover the crushing defeat on the second bid when Montreal pulled out and Chicago won. It would have been interesting reading (I did post the blow-by-blow on QueerAtlanta).
And then the issue of Coors came about thanks to the Atlanta bid. I wasn't aware (as many weren't) that Coors was a sponsor of Atlanta Pride. I remember reading a story of how Harvey Milk rose to his position of gay political leadership by sparking the protest in San Francisco and started researching Coors Brewings past regarding racial discrimination and homophobia. Milk led the protests to remove Coors from SF bars and actually had groups poured Coors in the sewers. So I began to wonder why Atlanta Pride was one of the few gay organizations to take money from Coors in the 1990s. Donna Narducci stonewalled me and I decided to make it an issue - including working with a national lawyers group to present the Coors Whore Award to Atlanta Pride and Atlanta Games Inc. Southern Voice was kind enough to print the news on the front page that week - I'm sure to much protest. Unfortunately, Donna Narducci found an error I made when I sent an email to her from BellSouth about the Coors protest and had me fired from BellSouth with the help of her friends. This was also reported in Southern Voice but the damage was done. Interesting how Bud is now the beer sponsor!
Bless your heart, Donna!
Narducci is an interesting figure in Southern Voice. She has done an excellent job running Atlanta Pride over the years as an evil dictator despite the fact Atlanta has their Pride celebration on one of the hottest weekends in Atlanta and must compete with New York, San Francisco and other A-list Prides for speakers and entertainment. But Pride is Atlanta's number one event during the year regardless with many rainy and sweltering summers. I actually work with Atlanta Pride for years in the late 80s and believe my suggestions about moving the celebration to October was one of my down-falls. But Donna has many friends and the few that disagree with her would not cross her since she can crush you (experience talking) and they don't want to be disinvited to the ultra-exclusive VIP reception for Atlanta Pride. Most people keep their heads in the sand - in my opinion.
But this should be an interesting year for Pride. Donna Narducci took a very feeble stand against HRCF (who infests Atlanta) but I have to wonder if this is a ploy cooked up by Narducci and HRC. Few will notice or care.
I do have to thank Narducci and Hom/Archer. They gave birth to QueerAtlanta on Yahoo! Groups (and eventually Queer Network) when I was harchered (kinked out of) by AGI. QueerAtlanta is still thriving today with over 1000+ members and provides an alternative voice to the press spin many papers give - including Southern Voice.
I have had a few grips with Southern Voice - but not enough to tarnish my opinion of the paper. Chris Cash and Chris Crain seemed to had a nepotistic flair when they were editors by promoting their friends in columns and some coverage - as well as some owners. I believe it damaged the integrity of the paper but not to the point most would see or understand. And advertisers have an undue influence on any paper - but that is to be expected.
One story really chaffed me when I read the puff piece Southern Voice printed about Ray Hom when he went moved to Singapore. I believe it was Van Glower who wrote the story and when asked why he (Ray) "started" the bid for Gay Games 2006 Van proceeded to quote my own speech from Ray - saying what I had said in the past about why I started the bid. Fact checking would have been helpful but I am familiar with the slights from Atlanta Games Inc - including the wonderful video at the bid presentation where I (Tom Dempsey) was carrying the rainbow flag during Gay Pride one year. Don't think that went unnoticed or reported to the Federation.
All in all - Southern Voice has been a great paper over the years and I feel honored to read (and occasionally be part of) the history SoVo has chronicled. I have a good 10 years saved and miss reading the paper itself (I have to endure the website) since SoVo no longer distributes a paper in Pensacola. SoVo puts Ambush to shame.
I have to admit I am not a fan of the Windows Media setup and would like to see Southern Voice become an independent paper again but you can't argue with economies of scale.
The next generation of media will be interesting to watch with the Internet eroding traditional papers. No one has found the formula to bring LGBT media into the 21st century with online activity concentrated on porn and hook-ups but I feel someone will find a way in the next 5-10 years. Most paper's websites are sad at best and blogging is boring where I believe some people just like to hear themselves type.
But I see the next chapter coming and hope Southern Voice is part of it.
Cheers!
Tom Dempsey
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