Marc McCord stands on stage of Al’s on Seventh as one of seven speakers who shared their LGBTQ stories. Photo by Fred StephensChandler Jones - Visual Content Managerdesign@insideuab.com
In a dark room on a multi-colored stage, seven of Central Alabama’s LGBTQ community stood to testify to a crowd of about 50.
At Al’s on Seventh on Saturday, Story District presented Out / Spoken with support from the Human Rights Campaign and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Host Regie Cabico took to the mic first to present the slew of artists he dubbed ‘phenomenal story tellers of the clearest kind.’
Joi Miner gave her story on pansexuality and bisexuality as she discussed her discovery of her own sexuality and her daughter’s. Her brightly colored tie dye shirt, grey pumps and purple turban contrasted with her soft speech and quiet hands. Her narrative gave life to her family’s history and empowered their struggle.
“We are unicorns sliding down a rainbow,” Miner said. “Don’t make momma unicorn have to use her horn.”
Matthew Pagnotti’s tale came next. In a purple T-shirt and jeans, Pagnotti told a story that was simple and powerful. He spoke of working as a canvasser for the Southern Poverty Law Center and preached tolerance and anti-bullying.
Marc McCord, a drag queen who was raised in ‘a very conservative, navy background.’ In McCord’s story, he was readying his ‘Madonna girl’ makeup for a Pride festival in Mobile when he got a call from his mother that she and his father were nearly there. He hurried to wipe off his makeup and change his outfit. He hid from his truth and took strength from the audience.
Following them was Elizabeth McCain, a southern woman whose family never accepted her or her partner, Debroah Bettis who was pivotal in the Spectrum’s work in Auburn and Tori Wolfe-Sisson who works for the Alabama Human Rights Campaign to fight any anti-LGBT bills that might come up in Congress.
