This issue is dedicated to the journey. Whether it is actual travel, a personal development, a fashion venture, or powerful progress, we have you covered. Here a few highlights:
We talked to retired Air Force Captain Mark David Gibson whose memoir, Served in Silence: The Struggle to Live Authentically, tells the story of his journey from serving under the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy as a closeted, gay man to living a true and authentic life out of the shadows of discrimination. His brutally honest account of how he struggled and fought his way back to life is both powerful and an example to all on how you can indeed learn to live, love, and make a difference in your own and other’s lives.
We also took a look at current travel trends and paired them with actual destinations to showcase how we venture around the world at this moment. And we also guide you to some fashionable items to make your trip a stylish one too.
And speaking of style; allow us to take you on a fashion trend journey with an exclusive photo shoot by Mr Turk, and a style Q&A from Jonathan Skow aka Mr Turk himself.
So yeah, this issue will take you places!
Mikkel Hyldebrandt Editorial Director mikkel@GoliathAtlanta.com
OPERATIONS
Jeff Anderson SALES AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Mikkel Hyldebrandt
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Rodney Belcher
CONTRIBUTORS
Deven Green
Larry Olsen
Tyler Scruggs
SALES
Andrea Davis SALES REPRESENTATIVE
Steve Tyrell SALES REPRESENTATIVE
DISTRIBUTION
Andrea Davis
Brian Harmon
NATIONAL AD REP
Rivendell Media 908.232.2021
GOLIATH MEDIA LLC. 925 B Peachtree St., Suite 168 Atlanta, GA 30309 404.835.2016
The
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ABETTERBUZZ & WOOFS Spring Thaw
Thaw out from winter with ABETTERBUZZ at Woofs and raise money for Lost-n-Found Youth on April 7. Get your hands on the 2018 Spring collection from ABETERBUZZ, and satisfy your thirst at the beer bust - portions of the clothes and food sales will benefit Lost-n-Found Youth.
ON THE ATL AGENDA
Back To The 80’s Drag Queen Bingo
If you haven’t been to a PALS bingo night, you are missing out! This edition at Lips Atlanta is an annual favorite so come bring back the 80s with the drag queens on April 10 for a bingo night extraordinaire.
Stars Party & Silent Auction
The one-night-only and one-of-a-kind fundraiser on April 12 brings you the best of the Atlanta restaurant scene and an amazing silent auction benefiting the Jerusalem House. The party will take place at the amazing Biltmore Ballrooms where you will sip Tito’s cocktails and enjoy the Will Scruggs Quartet while bidding from your phone. Learn more at 501auctions.com/starsparty.
Atlanta Symphony LGBT Night
Join the Atlanta Pride Committee for a special LGBT Night at the Atlanta Symphony on April 14 where they will play Antonín Dvorák’s 7th Symphony. A post-concert reception will take place in the Table Twelve Eighty Lounge. Tickets available at atlantasymphony.org.
Atlanta Bear Pride
Bears, cubs, otters, chubs, chasers, and friends from around the globe convene once again to celebrate Atlanta Bear Pride April 2022. Check out the full schedule of events and venues at atlantabearpride.com.
HAIM with Lizzo
Trixie Mattel - Now With Moving Parts Tour
The winner of All Stars Season 3 graces the Buckhead Theatre on April 23 with her new tour. It will be an evening suitable for all ages with music, comedy, and, of course, drag. Tour info at dragfans.com.
The Haim Sisters will take the stage of the Coca-Cola Roxy on April 28 as part of their carefully scheduled tour across the U.S. They will be joined by Lizzo and Maggie Rogers as support. Get your tickets at ticketmaster.com.
VACATION TRENDS AND KICK-A** DESTINATIONS
By Mik Hyldebrandt
With the better part of the year in front of us and the traveling season fast approaching, it’s time to take a look at what is up and coming in traveling. We’ve uncovered some cool trends and paired them with some really great destinations that will surely challenge the way you think about traditional tourism.
DESTINATION – AN ALASKA CRUISE
The ice caps are melting, and glaciers are deteriorat ing, so you better experience them in their full splendor while there is time. A cruise along the Inside Passage which is the network of waterways along the southeastern ‘panhandle’ area of Alaska, will put magnificent glaciers, islands, fjords, and coastal settlement on display for your viewing pleasure. For more info go to alaskandreamcruises.com.
THE ECO-CONSCIOUS TRAVELER
Even though you know you are bound to leave a larger than usual carbon footprint behind when traveling (planes, trains, boats, etc.), you make more environmentally choices while traveling. You also want to experience destinations that could be affected by changing global conditions in the near future. You want to leave the place better than how you found it because no one else seems to do so.
THE LUXURY LOUNGER
The all-inclusive travel sector has evolved greatly over the last few years. With busy schedules and stressful work environments, people simply want to allocate the responsibility of just about everything to someone else, so they can truly relax. One does deserve a little luxury, and if it means paying a little extra for be ing taking care of from start to finish, then all the power to it.
DESTINATION – ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORT
A truly all-inclusive resort will have you debating if you should leave the premises at all! With delicious food and drink options readily available, luxury amenities, and fun activities there is plenty to do at the resort alone. There are many all-inclusive options spread around the globe, but choose a gay-friendly one just to be sure. Like the Live Aqua in Cancún - liveaqua.com.
TAP IN TAP OUT PARTY-GOER
THE CULTURALLY INSATIABLE
You want to delve into a country’s history, art scene, and cultural highlights, but you are having difficulty choosing the destination because there is so much to see and do! A good choice is to turn your sights on Europe with is its many different countries and ample options for a packed cultural itinerary.
DESTINATION – A EUROPEAN CRUISE
The most difficult part is to narrow down where you want to go. A Mediterranean cruise gives you Southern European destinations like Spain, France, Greece, and Italy, while a Baltic cruise lets you explore Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. A combination of larger cities and smaller coastal towns is ideal to satisfy your cultural hunger. Check out royalcaribbean.com for their European cruises.
Work hard, but no time to play hard? Your vacation time is perfect for remedying your lack of socialization among like-minded individuals. A party cruise is an obvious way to go, but even though you may want to party a lot, it may prove to be overload for most. A nicely curated destination for a party or festival is ideal because you get to dip in and out of all the festivities and you get to immerse yourself in local culture too.
DESTINATION – GAY SPRING BREAK
This year’s Gay Spring Break in Torremolinos, Spain, does not only feature a nice lineup of incredible parties and DJs but it takes place on one of the best gay beaches in Europe. You can choose the full board option at one of the host hotels, or buy passes for individual events. Either way, you will have the best time frolicking among some of the hottest men from around the world. Check out delicedream. com for more information.
Glam rocker Ricky Rebel redefines what it means to be a man while exploring the themes of Power, Sex, Vanity, and Love in The New Alpha, his third studio album. Self-produced, the album is a sharp departure from his last LP, The Blue Album, that he admits writing during a low period in his life. Wher Blue was a dark moon, The New Alpha is a bright sun, with a more powerful tribalistic sound that is meant to reflect both Rebel’s optimistic state of mind as well as the emboldened state of the USA. “The era of Political correctness is over,” proclaims Ricky Rebel. “Some people today need to toughen up and stop playing the victim.” He urges fans to balance their feminine and masculine sides and remain sensitive to the views of others while also remaining firm in their own. Ricky Rebel’s The New Alpha is available on iTunes and all major online retailers.
REDEFINING ALPHA
RICKY REBEL REDEFINES MASCULINITY IN HIS THIRD FULL-LENGTH ALBUM, “THE NEW ALPHA”
By Larry Olsen
PHOTO: SUSY MILLER
“My views are not defined by party lines,” continues Rebel from his Los Angeles home. “I am a centrist who goes left and right depending on the issues. I am in the middle. A difficult place to be. It’s the same with my identity. I am proud to be a man who happens to love makeup and women’s clothing. What is women’s clothing anyway? What is gender? I am both masculine and feminine.”
Along with the album, Ricky Rebel has released the rock ballad, “Time,” and its music video. In the song, he sings how time is a precious commodity that shouldn’t be wasted on arguing and fighting with each other. “It was important for me to include ‘Time’ on the new album because being a true Alpha means having the strength to express feelings of fear, regret, and sadness,” he continues.
He also reveals the song was inspired by a horrific car accident he was in as a child. “I nearly lost my mother in the accident. It’s my first memory. I learned the lesson early on that what you love can be taken away from you in an instant.”
Ricky Rebel burst on the music scene in 1997 as the lead vocalist of the boy-band No Authority. Signed by Michael Jackson to Michael’s MJJ Music label at Sony, he toured with 98 Degrees, Destiny’s Child, Aaron Carter, and Ashlee and Jessica Simpson. In 2000, the band moved to Madonna’s Maverick label where they toured with Britney Spears and released their Billboard Top 40 chart hit, “Can I Get Your Number.” Another No Authority song, “I’m Telling You This,” appears on the Rugrats in Paris soundtrack.
In 2004, No Authority broke up and Ricky became the lead vocalist of the band, Harlow. He also did voiceover work for films Apollo 13, Anywhere But Here, and Anastasia, and appeared on television in episodes of American Dreams, Boston Public, and Audrina.
He went solo as Ricky Rebel in 2012. Since then, he has released two albums, Manipulator, featuring the singles “Geisha Dance,” “Get It On” and “You Need a Woman” and The Blue Album, featuring “Star” and “Boys and Sometimes Girls,” a song that climbed to #28 on the Billboard Club Chart.
This summer, Ricky Rebel released “If You Were My Baby,” the first track from The New Alpha. Its message of self-assurance and self-love broke into the top ten on the Billboard Breakouts for Dance Club Songs. Additional songs on the album include “Magic Carpet,” “Mean People” and the title track.
“The world needs Ricky Rebel,” reflects Rebel. “The world needs hundreds of us.”
“I want listeners to know that I am not a social justice warrior and yet I care tremendously for human rights. I am not a feminist. I care for men and women equally. Skin color doesn’t matter to me. I care about what’s in the heart. I do not care about cultural appropriation. I believe fear is poison. If you feel the same way, you might very well be one of The New Alphas.” www.rickyrebelrocks.com.
UNPLUG YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE
By Tyler Scruggs
To put it gently, I’m very active on social media. In all my writing, in virtually everything I do, there is a thick and gratuitous layer of millennial slime that makes every significant action in my life publishable, sharable, and marketable. My partner, @Markmornii, is too.
It’s not the best habit in the world, I know, but it’s a structure that’s effective. Social media is fun, social media is powerful, but it’s more than a little easy to get exhausted. You’re constantly keeping up with your Snapchat, Instagram, Messenger, Twitter, Facebook, Scruff, Grindr, rinse, repeat. And ironically, vacation time and moments previously reserved for the calm and peaceful can be hijacked by our pocket digital hype men. This fatigue was definitely felt by my partner and me in our travels last December. Not only was it a lot of travel — Florida to Georgia, back to Florida, then to Arizona, then a small reprieve before our trip to Hawaii over the span of just a couple weeks. To some, it sounds like a paradise, but to us, the young millennial socialites we are, we got very tired, very quickly.
Fast forward to January, where we booked a week-long trip to Kauai — Hawaii’s smallest and least-gay island — and although we had a camera by our side during the trip, we managed to carve out time where there was no service, no social media, and recommit ourselves not our to having a relaxing trip, but recommit ourselves to each other, and remember who and what matters.
A whole week on Kauai may seem excessive, or even boring to some, but not to us. It was ideal to find an island that we could cover the entirety of on our trip. After countless poke bowls and trips up and down the main road that encompasses the island, despite only 10% of it accessible by car.
Getting away from the club scene, and the obsession with hitting every gay bar and landmark in the city that normally eclipses our trip, we managed to find solace in the island vibe. As important as they can be back home, they were second to the peaceful spirit that can come over you once the city bustle washes away.
One piece of cool tech — and this isn’t a paid plug at all — are the new 4G Apple Watches that can help you be reached via text or call while leaving behind your phone at home.
The service was shoddy anyhow. But only having a digital camera and a communicator on your wrist is not only hightech, but it can also help you feel incredibly low-tech and disconnected in the best way.
I have an anxious hand over my phone at virtually all times. Between 2018 News Alerts and Grindr Taps, my phone stays pretty busy and I don’t need a clinical study to confirm that those kinds of constant distractions are bad for my health. Next vacation, consider minimizing your phone usage or eliminate the possibility altogether. Head to a thrift store and get yourself a burner dumb phone and take that on your trip. Sure, you won’t be able to Facebook Live your feet in the sand at the beach, but if it’s important, you can bring a dedicated camera, or shoot a vlog.
Of course, it’s entirely up to you how you spend your weekend or week-long getaway. Vacations should be just that — vacancies from life to do something else. If you’re not normally a social-sharer and want to live-it-up as the social media queen that you are, by all means! Go for it! But for many of us who spend our lives working in or dealing with social media constantly, and the hamster wheel it can be, it’s best to take a reprieve from the digital world and reorient yourself back into the things you’re most interested and passionate in.
Photo: Mark Morin (@Markmorinii)
LITTLE MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE
By Mikkel Hyldebrandt
You don’t need to take drastic measures to improve your appearance. Little switch-ups and clever grooming will do the trick for you.
INVEST IN SKINCARE
Just like with most things luxury, there is a direct correlation between cost and quality when it comes to skincare – and it is worth the extra money to invest in quality skincare.
Tom Ford Men Skin Revitalizing Concen$150
USE A NIGHT CREAM
Your skin regenerates naturally at night, so why not give it some help to boost the look of your skin?
Peter Thomas Roth
Un-Wrinkle Night, $110
MORE NIGHT AID
One of the best things you can do at night is to wash your face and cleanse it of excess oils, dirt, and grime. Besides, clean skin is the perfect foundation for applying a moisturizer.
Boscia Detoxifying Black Charcoal Cleanser, $30
SCRUB LIKE YOU’RE A PRO
Using a mild exfoliant a couple of times a week will revive your skin and have it clear away those dull skin cells to reveal fresher and clearer look ing skin in no time.
Aesop Purifying Facia Exfoliant Paste,
MOISTURIZE WITH
A moisturizer is great. A moisturizer with SPF is even greater! Regardless of skin tone, your skin will thank you for the extra protection.
Skin Laundry Daily Moisturizer
It wasn’t just the stress of being deployed in Afghanistan and the constant threat of attack that threw Mark David Gibson into the throes of PTSD. The fact that he served under the military’s discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy forced him to remain a closeted, gay man unable to live his authentic life. His memoir, Served in Silence: The Struggle to Live Authentically, recounts his personal struggle and powerful journey to live a true life beyond discrimination and filled with authenticity and love.
OUT OF THE SHADOWS
By Mik Hyldebrandt
PHOTO: TYLER OGDEN
It was during his second deployment to Afghanistan that the basis of Mark David Gibson’s memoir started. Mark found that writing his thoughts and his stories down gave him a much-needed release from the emotional trauma he was experiencing being in a high-risk war zone with a constant threat of being attacked. The act of writing struck a chord with the captain who worked as a communications officer for the U.S. Air Force and helped him deal with the challenging conditions of his deployment to a war zone.
But for Mark, there was an even more profound layer to his writing. A deeper struggle that equaled and even surpassed his most intense battles while being a service member abroad. His realization of being a gay man who served under the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy was taking an emotional toll on him. The internal battle over the fact that he was willing to sacrifice his own life to en sure the liberty and freedoms of others, while he was far from enjoying those same personal freedoms were starting to fester in him and even question his identity. In fact, he called an emergency session with a senior officer to change his will, so that, given the possibility that he would get killed in service, he wouldn’t be buried in American soil, in a country that he felt didn’t accept him as an equal citizen.
His struggle and immense inner debate found at least partial release in writing, which started out as musings about his childhood, daydreaming, and reminiscing about his early years. Writing became a way for Mark to deal with the dehumanizing policy that effectively kept Mark in the closet for the entirety of his 20-year military career and beyond.
Mark 2.0
After decades of shaming, hating, and loathing himself for what he was, Mark has learned to tell himself three words: I love you. The process of self-love was very much aided by his ability to write and express his feelings through words.
Upon returning from his second deployment as a highly decorated officer, Captain Gibson retired from active duty. Shortly after, Mark moved to Costa Rica where he underwent a dramatic transformation, which is unfolded with brutal honesty in his memoir.
First of all, Mark is five years sober, which has given him renewed focus and a resolve to make a positive difference every day. He has discovered the joy of life, love, and living which translates into him being an accomplished triathlete, working to help small LGBT businesses thrive, and giving motivational speeches across the country. And he has found meaningful love and partnership with his boyfriend, Aaron, whom he lovingly and often refers to as ‘Mr. Wonderful.’
Secondly, his writing has gone from reminiscing about his childhood to being a powerful narrative about his monumental struggle to live his life authentically. The book – Served in Silence: The Struggle to Live Authentically - recounts four phases of Mark David Gibson’s journey that starts in the early years, then moves onto the learning years and wonder years to end up in the living years finally.
When he returned home, he was still profoundly marred by what he refers to as living in the shadows, and he struggled genuinely with the social structures that surrounded the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. His painful reality coupled with the onset of PTSD symptoms had Mark heavily medicated on prescription anti-depressants while his alcohol consumption started to reach dangerous levels despite seeming fully functional and capable to his surroundings.
So, when a doctor told him that he was rapidly killing himself with his alarming alcoholism, Mark realized that something drastic had to be done. And he also realized that writing was one of the vessels with which he could make profound changes in himself and the people around him.
And thirdly, as compelling a read this book is about pulling yourself out of the shadows, it brings the message of Served in Silence even further by donating portions of the proceeds to the Atlanta nonprofit Lost-n-Found Youth which is dedicated to ending homelessness for LGBTQ youth in Georgia.
Mark hopes that Served in Silence will not only enlighten and help others in their journey to live their own life more authentically by learning from his experiences, but also that it will help pull others out of the shadows in a much more literal way. Because his journey has shown him, that although there may be struggle, there is also an authentic life waiting for you, no matter who you are.
Learn more at markdavidgibson.com
Served in Silence: The Struggle to Live Authentically is available now on MarkonAmazon.com
TRAVELING IN STYLE
By Mikkel Hyldebrandt
Traveling doesn’t mean that you have to wear those comfy joggers and throw everything into that musty gym bag. Upgrading your travel style is easy, and with the right items and smart investments, you’ll be traveling in style for years to come.
A little bit of everything you need on your (shorter) trip. Plus the products are mainly natural and smell amazing too.
Malin+Goetz Carry-On Essentials Kit, $32
A travel kit helps you limit what you bring on your trip, and keeps everything together and secure.
Mack Weldon Travel Kit, $48
A good quality suitcase will not only protect your belongings from rough handling, but it will stay with you for years.
Samsonite centric 28” Spinner, $240
For a cute little getaway, nothing beats a stylish weekender bag!
Denzo Leather Duffle Bag, $199
Sitting on a plane can get chilly, so always pack a zip-up that you can layer with.
Lululemon Capacity Jacket, $148
These dressy pants are perfect for even a more extended trip because they are light and the fabric stretches – it’s like wearingjoggers, only these look way better.
Vuori Abrasion-Less Pants, $88
Passport, boarding passes, rewards cards, and currency - all in one spot and easily accessible!
Mismo Travel Wallet, $249
The In nity study will evaluate whether the long-acting injectable agent, Cabotegravir (CAB), is as safe and works as well as FDAapproved Truvada in protecting individuals with high sexual exposure from acquiring HIV.
To be eligible you must:
• Be at least 18 years old
• Be HIV negative and assigned male at birth
• Have had anal intercourse with someone assigned male at birth
• Within the last 6 months, have:
-Been sexually active with 5 or more partners OR
-Engaged in receptive anal intercourse OR -Tested positive for an STI OR
-Had any stimulant drug use prior to screening
Want to learn more about this study?
Contact Darian West at 404.617.3754
*Compensation for time & travel provided
goliathatlanta.com
THE MR TURK METHOD
By Mik Hyldebrandt
The Mr Turk collection is designed by Trina Turk’s husband, Jonathan Skow, aka Mr Turk. It is made for men who want to make a statement with their wardrobe and who aren’t afraid to stand out.
Goliath caught up with the style authority for a quick Q&A about inspirations and key items for the S/S 18 season.
What is the main inspiration and mood for the S/S 18 collection?
California Dreaming
What are some items that you would need this season?
I’m big into caftans right now and will hopefully spend the whole summer in one.
Bold florals and prints are a staple of Mr Turk – What is the print and floral story this season?
It’s a floral and paisley combination that reflects California in the late 60’s, early 70’s.
Pick three looks from the collection that is the epitome of Mr Turk for our readers.
The Paisley Jumpsuit, a floral swimsuit with a matching shirt, and the full chambray pants with a striped shirt
MEET ME BY THE OCEAN
Photos by Sher Pruitt
GOLI AT H
Photos by Andrea Dwyer
ATLANTA EAGLE TALONS BEER BUST AT F.R.O.G.S APPEARANCES
GOLI AT H
Photos by Sher Pruitt BLAKES
WELL HELLO. IT’S DEVEN GREEN
DEVEN GREEN is an award-winning musical comedy performer. You know her from the “Welcome To My Home” and “Welcome To My White House” parodies, as the satirical Betty Bowers and performing as a comedic chanteuse in lounges across America. DevenGreen.com
DEAR DEVEN:
I am currently dating an older gentleman that talks Shakespearean when he is around his friends. How do I tell him that it’s mortifying to me?
“Old Fashioned”
DEAR DEVEN:
I live with a “handyman” (my husband) who will watch a home repair program then think he can do it himself! It costs me more to fix it later. How do I get him to change the channel?
“Screwdriver”
DEAR DEVEN:
I get a “free night” once a month outside the parameters of my relationship. Can you help me out?
“Hot Toddy
DEAR DEVEN:
I had taken myself off the market last year for personal growth and found that it was more frustrating than anything else. Totally pointless. What is the best way to make up for lost time?
“Absinthe”
DEAR DEVEN:
I’m a morning person. He is a night person. Will it ever work out?
“Tequila Sunrise”
Don’t worry! You won’t be dating him for long. He is too good for you and your petty judgments.
I say, “put him to work!” Be a project manager and use his services for smaller more realistic jobs to do around the house/yard. Give him credit for trying.
1) I’m not a hook up site. 2) I’ll bet there is an online app for this type of activity.
3) Make sure your partner knows the nature of your relationship. I hope you learned that if something doesn’t feel right you need to change it pronto. Realistically you can never make up for lost time, you can only double up on your efforts moving forward.
DEAR DEVEN:
I’m in a long-distance love affair but I hate flying. Are we doomed? “B-52”
Agree that you are both good for a nooner and everything will be just fine.
I’m sure you phone, text, and video chat, but the real test is the day-to-day experience. It seems very fulfilling for what you need right now emotionally, but, if you want more you will ultimately end up drifting apart.
Dear Friends: I do not offer advice, only my experience Send me your questions: DevenGreen@gmail.com
PS: Check out the audio version at GoliathAtlanta.com
