Keep on truckin’
Jan. 29 — Hi, y’all. We made it through a stormy January. Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Or maybe it’s an ultramarathon. Keep going.
⚖️ Six transgender active duty service members and two former service members who seek re-enlistment filed a federal lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s executive order banning transgender service members. His dictates have triggered a barrage of legal challenges.
✍? Georgia Equality Executive Director Jeff Graham, in an op-ed for Georgia Voice, says the anti-trans executive orders are intended to cause fear and confusion and push people to preemptively comply. But the LGBTQ+ equality movement, as a united front, is not going back, he says.
? Planned Parenthood Southeast (PPSE) hosted its 10th annual Roses for Roe fundraiser on Jan. 23. Because abortion is essentially illegal in Georgia, PPSE assists local residents connect with to out-of-state services. The organization also offers LGBTQ+ inclusive services such as HIV treatment, breast exams, cancer screenings, STD tests, and pelvic exams.
????? In this edition, we spotlight places where people come together. MJQ Concourse, the iconic underground Atlanta nightclub, is moving to a new home but keeping the same vibe where everyone is welcome. LGBTQ+ Catholics in Washington, D.C., prayed with the leader of the archdiocese — and received an unexpected but welcome apology. And MetroFresh in Midtown is celebrating 20 years of serving up fresh soup, sandwiches, and salads to loyal customers.
? Thanks for reading, y’all. If you have tips for very comfortable shoes, or anything else, drop me a line.
Dyana
MJQ moves its groove to Underground Atlanta
After 30 years on Ponce de Leon Ave., dance club MJQ Concourse reopens on Jan. 29 in the former Dante’s Down the Hatch space at Underground Atlanta.
The Downtown relocation won’t change the identity of MJQ as a gritty little dance club where everyone is welcome. Since the 1990s, the venue has been a hallmark of the city’s underground nightlife, especially for Atlanta’s queer community.
“I think that MJQ is one of the few places where you can experience Atlanta’s melting pot,” said co-owner Ryan Purcell. “We’re trying to create a safe space for everyone to co-mingle because that’s what Atlanta is. It was accepted and kind of how we are now — I mean, we want everybody to be there.”
?? Read Sarra Sedghi’s story here.
Cardinal apologizes for church’s treatment of LGBTQ+ people
In what is believed to be a first-of-its-kind event, Cardinal Wilton Gregory, head of the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., held a prayer service for members of the local LGBTQ+ Catholic organization, Dignity Washington.
Dignity Washington officials said Gregory, leader of the D.C. archdiocese since 2019, went beyond just holding the service by offering an apology for the way the church has treated LGBTQ+ people.
“I apologize for my own failure to emulate Christ’s compassion,” Gregory said. “The way that we have treated our LGBTQ brothers and sisters has brought them tears and to many of us disgrace.”
Read the story from our partners at the Washington Blade here.
Editor’s Note: Gregory was the Roman Catholic archbishop of Atlanta for 14 years before being named the head of the Washington, D.C., archdiocese. Gregory showed support for LGBTQ+ people during his Atlanta tenure, notably in 2018 when he invited Fr. James Martin, a pastor at an LGBT+-friendly parish, to speak at his diocese. In 2016, he supported Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal’s veto of the so-called “religious freedom” bill that would have expanded anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination.
A score of soups, salads, and sandwiches
Twenty years ago, Mitchell Anderson embarked on his second act. After an acting career spanning two decades, he moved to Atlanta and opened a restaurant in Midtown that served soups, salads and sandwiches made fresh daily.
When MetroFresh opened at Midtown Promenade in 2005 (before Trader Joe’s, Starbucks, and the Beltline), it had less than 50 seats and a tiny kitchen. Today, MetroFresh is nearly twice the size, a necessary upgrade that speaks to the restaurant’s popularity.
In October, the restaurant celebrates its 20th anniversary. Innovation is a distinguishing characteristic of the restaurant, but Anderson says he is looking forward to the future with a focus on preservation instead of advancement.
? Read more about MetroFresh here.
Best Bets
? Feb. 6 – OUT Georgia Business Alliance, an LGBTQIA+ and allied professional networking experience, hosts its 2025 Kickoff & Annual Meeting from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema, 931 Monroe Drive NE. Click here for information and tickets.
? Feb. 8 – Tap into your creativity at a Valentine’s Day crafting party hosted by Queer Craft Night ATL and Peach City Sapphics. Supplies provided. Free. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Monks Meadery, 579 North Highland Ave. NE. Register on Meetup.com.
?️ Feb. 12 – FriendZoned ATL hosts a screening of “Moonlight” for its movie night centered around films highlighting the Black queer experience. Panel discussion to follow. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Out Front Theatre Company, 999 Brady Ave. NW. Click here for tickets.
? Feb. 14 – It is Georgia Voice night at the Atlanta Ballet for its performance of “Rites of Spring” (more below). Readers get a 40 percent discount with code GAVOICE.Click here for tickets.
?Feb. 15 – The annual Georgia GSA/LGBTQ+ Youth Summit is a free event that brings together queer and trans young people, supportive educators, and parents from all over Georgia for a day of education, entertainment, and community. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Agnes Scott College in Decatur. To register and for information: gasafeschools.org.
Social Follow of the Week
? Check out @southdowntownatl on Instagram to learn more about changes coming to, yes, South Downtown. This photo is of the atrium area inside the former M. Rich & Bros building at 82 Peachtree St. now being transformed into a 90+ unit residential building.
