Remembering Dolly

A personal remembrance published Wednesday, Aug. 26 mourns Dolly Parton, describing her as an “icon” and highlighting what the author calls her longtime influence since first watching her in the early 1970s. The piece emphasizes Parton’s support for the LGBTQ+ community and her philanthropy, and then pivots to a set of headlines related to LGBTQ+ issues, including claims about “reverse surgery” in hospitals, HIV stigma research, and funding and advocacy shifts for related organizations. It also notes Parton’s connections to Georgia: she married Carl Dean in Ringgold in 1966, was a visitor for concerts and film work, and invited drag queens to join her for “Jolene” during a 2002 Atlanta performance. Parton died Tuesday at age 80 after cancer.