Cover Story: The straight guide to 2009 Pride

Ever wonder why the city’s gays seem to be having a much better time than you? Are you eager to break away from your fellow breeders and join the enviable bacchanalia? You’re in luck, our hetero friend. Whether you’re open-minded, slightly curious or a politically correct prude, we’ve compiled a selection of some of Atlanta’s must-see hangouts, hot spots and holes-in- the-wall (not that kind) for you straights to explore during this weekend’s 2009 Atlanta Pride Festival.

By no means an exhaustive list, this rundown will help you figure out where you might fit in. Worried about sticking out like a straight thumb? Well, it is Halloween — all the more reason to check out our handy-dandy cross-dressing tutorial! Of course, you don’t have to change a thing about yourself to enjoy the array of the weekend’s activities. Pride offers you a fantastic opportunity to honor — and party with — the men and women who help make Atlanta the fabulous city it is. And hey, buy a round of drinks while you’re at it; due to the festivities, most Atlanta bars will keep pouring until 2:30 a.m. on Sunday. Thanks, Pride!

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Gay Pride events guide

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The lowdown on what’s going on around town

?By Thomas Wheatley, Kelli Goldman and Patrick Saunders ? ?

The queen’s English

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A gay glossary for straight folks

?By Scott Henry ? ?

Know your drag queens

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A collection of Pride’s favorite entertainers

?By Scott Henry ? ?

Crossdressing 101

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Just in time for Halloween!

?By Thomas Wheatley ?

Jonathan Escobar, gender-bender

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‘Why be called “gay” or “cross-dresser”? Why label? I’m only 16. I wanna have fun.’

?By Benjamin Fisher ?

Profile: Maria Rivers, founder of lesbian social-networking site

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‘We didn’t quit publishing Labrys because we went broke. We quit publishing because we evolved. LabrysATL.com is a social media now. It’s like a Facebook for lesbians.’

?By Keli Goldman ?

Streetalk: Should Gay Pride be held on Halloween?

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Thanks to the drought, one of the city’s biggest — and best — festivals had to be pushed back from its usual summer date

?By Jeff Slate