During the month of May in 2023, former NC Bar Association (NCBA) President Clayton Morgan made the spectacularly inappropriate and unpopular decision of canceling the organization’s drag queen trivia night, which would have been held in Durham the following June 8 and served as a professional networking event for gay and straight attorneys.
LGBTQ+ NCBA members were angry and immediately pointed a finger at Morgan, insisting his reaction was fear of retaliation from the Republican majority in the N.C. legislature. “Pay us the respect of speaking plainly,” Charlotte attorney Michael Roessler, who is gay, told Morgan during the hour-long session, according to a recording acquired by The Charlotte Observer. “The political reality is that there is a homophobic, anti-queer super majority in the North Carolina General Assembly, and you’re afraid of them. That is the bottom line. … Cut the bull****.”
The NCBA released a prepared statement in the firestorm of controversy that followed.
According to that release, the event was canceled because it would “most likely be interpreted as a political statement on behalf of the NCBA by many within the organization, the profession and the state,” which would impact “the effectiveness of the NCBA with regard to many of its initiatives, including the important discussions and work that need to happen with respect to LGBTQIA+ issues.”
A significant number of LGBTQ+ attorneys left the organization, aligning themselves with The Pauli Murray Bar Association (PMBA), and the event was rescheduled, continuing as planned and successfully raising $60,000.
Now, a year later, the issue remains unaddressed by the NCBA, and no apology has been forthcoming.
In an email to Qnotes, Candelario Saldana, PMBA President, addressed the issue.
“The NCBA has yet to issue an apology or [take any] steps to correct their past actions,” Saldana explained. “Therefore we are hosting our second annual Pride drag event on the evening of the first night of their annual conference, here in Charlotte.
“This year’s theme is ‘Unapologetically Still Here,’ a reminder that LGBTQ+ individuals will not be erased and we will continue to be our whole selves.”
The event will be held at Tabbris Innovation Center, located at 1300 South Boulevard, on June 20 beginning at 6:00 p.m. and continuing to 9:00 p.m. Performers slated for the presentation include RC Cola, Nova Stella, Lolita Chanel and Oso Chanel.
The fundraising event is open to LGBTQ+ and ally legal professionals, as well as all community members who wish to show their support and enjoy an evening of networking and entertainment.
Tickets for members are $50 and $75 for non-members. For ticket purchases you may visit the organization’s website at lgbtqbarnc.com.
