Petty and cruel
Dec. 17 — The shooting at Brown University, the antisemitic terror attack in Australia on the first night of Hanukkah, and the murder of beloved actor/director/LGBTQ+ ally Rob Reiner and his wife have left me reeling. Trump’s vile social media post about Reiner was beyond the pale. I shouldn’t be surprised by anything he says at this point, but he continues to plumb the depths of pettiness and cruelty.
Here are a few more headlines:
🩺 A vote is expected today on two U.S. House bills that would ban gender-affirming care for children: one would criminalize providers offering care to anyone under 18 (brought to you by Georgia’s own Marjorie Taylor Greene), and another that would ban Medicaid coverage. Check thegavoice.com for updates if the vote happens.
🤬 The Justice Department has instructed the FBI to crack down on supposed “domestic terrorist” organizations, including those who promote “radical gender ideology,” and offer cash rewards to those who provide information.
🪖 A federal appeals court said the Trump administration’s ban on transgender individuals in the military can remain in effect while the case winds its way through the court system.
📚 In North Carolina, the Randolph County Commission voted to dissolve the county library board after its members refused to remove “Call Me Max,” a picture book about a transgender boy who asks his teacher to use his chosen name, from the shelves.
🕯️ Anthony Geary, the out actor who played Luke Spencer on “General Hospital” for nearly 40 years, died Sunday at age 78.
Stand by me,
Collin
👓 A programming note: The January print issue of Georgia Voice will be a little late due to the holidays, but it’s in the works. We’ll have special Crosswalk newsletters on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve that take a look back at some of our favorite stories of 2025.
💙 Give a child the greatest gift this holiday season – a home filled with stability, warmth, and hope. CHRIS 180 provides trauma-informed foster and adoption services to support families every step of the way. Start your journey today. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Have yourself a merry John Waters Christmas
🦩 When it comes to iconic Christmas scenes in movies, none can top the tree-toppling tantrum thrown by cha-cha heels-deprived Dawn Davenport in John Waters’ fifth full-length feature “Female Trouble” from 1974.
Therefore, it’s not all that surprising that Waters continues to make art out of Christmas, performing his spoken word Christmas tour in cities across the country. He’ll stop at Variety Playhouse in Little Five Points tonight, Dec. 17.
Waters has even more reason to celebrate with the release of his new red vinyl 7” single, a cover of Little Cindy’s “Happy Birthday Jesus (A Child’s Prayer)” on the A-side, and “A Pig Latin Visit From St. Nicholas” on the B-side. If you’re still looking for unique Christmas gifts, consider this record.
➡ Read Gregg Shapiro’s Q&A with Waters here.
ARE YOU A FRIEND OF DOROTHY?
🌈 City Springs Theatre Company’s production of “The Wizard of Oz” continues through Dec. 28. Check out Sammie Purcell’s review of the show here.
Italian Ruins to DIVE for!
SPONSORED BY FERNBANK MUSEUM
🌊 Journey beneath the waves with Sunken Treasures, Ancient Seas at Fernbank Museum.
You won’t want to miss this immersive journey beneath the Mediterranean Sea to uncover ancient shipwrecks, artifacts, and lost worlds. Featuring real relics found off the coast of Italy, HD video explorations, and more, this exhibition reveals how underwater archaeologists bring the past to light.
➞ This exhibit is open daily, or you can swing by for after-hours during select special events! On view now until Jan. 11, 2026.
New Year’s Eve in ATL
🥳 If you’re coming to Atlanta to ring in 2026, we’ve got some updates on the city’s celebration and dining suggestions while you’re here.
🎆 Instead of the annual Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta, the city will host a fireworks and drone show, which will be visible in Downtown and Midtown, called Countdown Over ATL.
🥂 Our dining team has rounded up a slew of special New Year’s Eve dinners at restaurants around Atlanta. Reservations and tickets are disappearing fast, so make your move today.
‘Heated Rivalry’ is the gay hockey romance you didn’t know you needed
🏒 Spoiler Alert: “Heated Rivalry” is not about hockey.
The new limited series, produced for the Canadian streaming service Crave and available in the U.S. on HBO Max, definitely contains a lot of scenes involving ice hockey, and its two main characters are professional hockey players on opposing teams.
Even so, if you’re a hockey fan who knows nothing about it, and you stumble across it while looking for something to watch, be warned before you press “play” that you are probably in for a big surprise.
➡ Find out more about the show, which was just picked up for a second season.
‘BOOTS’ GETS THE BOOT
🥾 These ‘Boots’ were not made for walking, apparently. The Netflix drama series about a young gay man serving in the U.S. Marines won’t return for a second season.
💙 Give a child the greatest gift this holiday season – a home filled with stability, warmth, and hope. CHRIS 180 provides trauma-informed foster and adoption services to support families every step of the way. Start your journey today. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Best Bets
🥂 Savannah Pride Center is hosting its Cheers & Queers social mixer on Thurs., Dec. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Starland Yard.
🪩 The “K-Pop Demon Hunters”-inspired Honmoon Ball returns to Lore on Fri., Dec. 19, at 11 p.m. with Persuasion and a K-Pop DJ set by Tucker Aye Alxndr!
🖤 Mary’s in East Atlanta Village will host Noel Noir, a goth and new wave dance party with a holiday twist, on Sat., Dec. 20.
🍴 Colgay Pride in Columbus is hosting its annual Christmas Potluck Dinner on Sat., Dec. 20, from 6 to 10 p.m.
🎤 King Me: An All Drag King Show is set for Sat., Dec. 20, at 9:30 p.m. at My Sister’s Room.
