I Need to See Some Gay I.D.


So happy to see that Mississippi still has some people with an activist mentality. In a previous post I suggested that businesses should display the rainbow flag as a way to show their support for shoppers without incurring discrimination or businesses that do discriminate should fly the rainbow flag with a swastika in the middle of it.



Two business owners in the Fondren district of Jackson have gone one further and have done just that! They have created a decal for businesses that support diversity without prejudice and discrimination. The decal simply states, “We don’t discriminate - If you’re buying - We’re selling.”

So proud to find out my local Bakery, when I lived there, Campbell’s Bakery and the owners of William Wallace hair salon, both located in the hip Fondren district spearheaded this initiative.

If anyone saw the movie The Help then you probably saw the Fondren area depicted in the movie. My High School was located on the edge of Fondren, which, made it easy to ditch school on lovely Spring days and have lunch at Brent’s Drugs, also depicted in the movie, then stroll up to Campbell’s Bakery for some pastry confections, where you could see teeny tiny ballerinas shimmy through the space between two buildings to load up on sugar between dance classes.

The Fondren area is where the gay bar, Emerald City was located. Where at 16 I was allowed to pass for 18, the legal drinking age of the time. The handsome off-duty cop that worked the door was kind enough to look the other way when I.D. was required.

Thanks handsome off-duty cop for letting this happen and for not giving me a speeding ticket the day you pulled me over and then tore up the ticket once you recognized me and told me to slow down and to get my butt home.

The first businesses to move into the revitalized Fondren district were Max Contemporary Furnishings and Petal Pushers Florists. I knew the good looking and talented gay owner of Petal Pushers from the bar scene and I met the owner of Max from hanging around (bothering) her at her shop. She offered me an internship when I finished my interior design degree. I took her up on her offer.

So, thank you Max, Campbell’s and William Wallace salon and all of the other pioneering individuals/artists for standing up for what is right and creating the, “We Don’t Discriminate/ If You’re buying/We’re Selling” slogan and campaign.

Like I said, “I need to see some gay I.D.”

11 comments:

  1. The Old South is changing!

    PS: Sounds like a great places to ditch school.

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    1. That is definitely a change!

      Black Clansmen?

      Now I've seen it all...

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  2. I think you need to start a screenplay about that handsome cop at the gay bar....
    in the style of _The Help_.

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    1. I'm with Jason.

      Or how about one of those short films you used to make?

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    2. @Jason - He does cross my mind from time to time...you know...when I need fodder for for imaginary purposes...

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    3. @MJ - See above response to Jason.

      Casting Call - Gay Cop type - heavy mustache and mirrored glasses required!

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  3. Mitzi is ready for her Hollywood debut and with her clipped English accent she could play a villain, a nanny (even though she doesn't like children) or even a maid with a penchant for singing negro spirituals.

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    Replies
    1. See above response to Jason and MJ...

      Casting Call - British nanny type needed for vindictive pivotal plot purposes - dress extra - wardrobe not supplied - Juicy scene stealing required...

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    2. Amendment - Knowledge of negro spiritual essential!

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  4. remember the GOP theory about "trickle down?"
    well, maybe it'll work geographically.

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  5. Lawd I hope so!

    For Jason's sake as Louisiana just confirmed that sodomy laws will be acted upon from here on out.

    Update - Mardi Gras and Southern Decadence celebrations have been ruined...

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