ACCESSline, Iowa's LGBT+ Newspaper, October 2010 Issue, Volume 24 No 10

ACCESSline Endorses Roxanne Conlin Senator Charles Grassley has never represented the individuals of Iowa’s LGBT+ community in all of his 30 years as US Senator. He has consistently argued against allowing same-sex marriage rights, employment nondiscrimination, open military service, and hate crimes legislation. The Senator has notably flip-flopped on issues such as mandatory healthcare and end-of-life counseling.

His vehement opposition to the recent health care reform bill would be less questionable were his highest campaign contributors not the health care and health insurance industries.

Senator Grassley scored a 0/100 on the HRC’s

TTCONLIN continued page 9

Jason Mraz: He’s Ours He sings, he Jason Mraz. Photo: Justin Ruhl

Iowa Women’s Music Festival a thrill, despite weather

Jason Mraz is all love, because even when the wordplaytoying troubadour isn’t singing about it, he’s spreading it. To everyone.

Since the hipster launched his career eight years ago with Waiting for My Rocket to Come, he’s been an outspoken gay rights supporter—maybe even more (sexually “open-minded,” as he told us). But Mraz is also remarkably talented: How else do you hold a record for most weeks on the singles chart … ever? But, for 76 weeks, there he was with “I’m Yours,” off his latest studio album, 2008’s We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.

As the singer-songwriter readies his upcoming release, due next year, he’s working out the new material on the road.

We stole a few minutes with Mraz, 33, to chat about…

TTStory on page 13

Jonathan Wilson Page 7

On September 21, Arthur Breur, editor of ACCESSline, started the Facebook group, “Vote YES to RETAIN IOWA’S JUDGES,” to gather support for the retention of Iowa’s justices this election. The group’s Facebook page can be seen at: http://bit.ly/YesForIowaJudges As of the publication of this issue, the group itself had nearly 200 members, but the group’s event, “ Vote YES to RETAIN IOWA’S JUDGES; Vote NO on a CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION,” already had well over fifteen hundred participants, and had generated numerous comments— the vast majority of which were strongly supportive of judicial retention.

What’s Inside:

Section 1: News & Politics

From the Editor: Scary Things Iowa News US News World News “Retention of Iowa Judges” by Jonathan Wilson Iowans for Fair and Impartial Courts Creeps of the Week National day to celebrate LGBT Centers “There Oughta Be a Law” by Jonathan Wilson

Section 2: Fun Guide

dances, he steals hearts—but the musician also cares about equality

By Chris Azzopardi

Facebook group and event launched to promote retention for Iowa’s justices

Nabedi Osorio and Steph Taylor are “The State Of”—shown here performing Saturday night, Sept. 18, at The Mill.

Photo: Arthur Breur The three-day Iowa Women’s Music Festival in Iowa City September 16-18 again drew audiences from across the state and beyond, and was a hit despite the main event being moved to its rain location, The Mill.

This year’s Performers included Bitch, with The State Of; Leslie & the Lys; Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps; Kelly Carrell with Laurie Haag; Kim-Char Meredith; Lojo Russo with Natalie Brown; Armonia; The Vagabonds; Sarah Cram and the Derelicts; Kim-Char Meredith; Rae, Emily Louise, and Jenny Kohls; Mary McAdams; Desdamona with Carnage; Ruth King; Chris Pureka; The Refugees; The State Of; SONiA and disappear fear; and Congress of Starlings.

Iowa Choruses Call for Singers Page 13

Imperial Court of Iowa Page 15

3 4 5 6 7 7 8 9 10

Entertainment Picks for October Deep Inside Hollywood Partying Hard: “Red Carpet Terror” by Joshua Dagon Rehearsals Begin for Gay Men’s Chorus Jason Mraz: He’s Ours CAAP seeks nominations for “Keeper of the Wings” The Outfield Recurring Events, Statewide Hear Me Out (Music Reviews) Dancing Queen: Robyn The Gay Wedding Planner Cocktail Chatter: Planter’s Punch / Brass Monkey Jeffre Dean “EXIGENCY Exhibition” Opening Out of Town: Atlanta’s Hippest Neighborhoods Book Worm Sez: Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man Comics and Crossword Puzzle

Section 3: Community

“the benefit” Sweet Equality First Friday Breakfast Club: Dan Johnston Inside Out: “Voting It Forward” by Ellen Krug “A New Perspective” by Mary M. Thome Queeries: Lessons in LGBT etiquette GLRC is now Cedar Rapids Unity Annual CAAP Picnic Friends of Iowa Civil Rights Award What FFBC Has Meant To Me, and Can For You Business Directory Kicking Off the Year with CONNECTIONS

Welcoming Congregations Page 24

Business Directory Page 31

11 11 12 13 13 13 14 15 16 17 18 23 24 25 26 26

29 29 29 31 32 33 33 35 35 35 36-37 38

ACCESSline Page 2

Section 1: News & Politics

OCTOBER 2010

OCTOBER 2010

PUBLICATION INFORMATION Copyright © 2010 ACCESS in Northeast Iowa P.O. Box 2666 Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-2666 (319) 550-0957 www.ACCESSlineIOWA.com editor@ACCESSlineIOWA.com ACCESSline is a monthly publication by ACCESS (A Concerned Community for Education, Safer-sex and Support) in Northeast Iowa, a registered non-profit organization in the State of Iowa and a federal non-profit organization under Section 501(c)3 of the IRS Code.

Arthur Breur, Editor in Chief Q Syndicate Rex Wockner News Service Contributors: Doug Brenner; Joshua Dagon; Renee Evans; Beau Fodor; Ellen Krug; Mary M. Thome; Jonathan Wilson; Sandy Vopalka

All rights reserved. Original material printed in ACCESSline (with the exception of information from other sources) may be “lifted” for use in other publications so long as proper credit is given.

Publication of the name, photograph or likeness of any person, business or organization in ACCESSline is not to be construed as any indication of sexual orientation. Opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ACCESSline, ACCESS or the gay and lesbian community. Letters to the editor may be published. We cannot be responsible for errors in advertising copy.

We welcome the submission of original materials, including line drawings and cartoons, news stories, poems, essays. They should be clearly labeled with author/artist name, address, and phone number. We reserve the right to edit letters and other material for reasons of profanity, space, or clarity. Materials will not be returned. A writer’s guide is available for those wishing to submit original work.

Advertising rates and deadlines are available at ACCESSlineIOWA.com. All ads must be approved by ACCESSline’s editorial board.

Section 1: News & Politics

ACCESSline Page 3

From the Editor: Scary Things Per our masthead’s caption this month, it is the time of year when scary things come out in Iowa.

Scary big things are invading our state, like the American [Only Heterosexuals Make A] Family Association and the National Organization for Marriage [For Straights Only And Nobody Else].

Then there are the scary little invaders, like the hard-right, socially conservative politicians touring the state, smiling big and kissing up to Iowa’s “values voters” (what does that even really mean), all the while greedily eyeing the thing they really want: the power that maybe, somehow they might acquire in November 2012.

Of course, Iowa has its own scary things—like seemingly long-dead but somehow reanimated gubernatorial candidates, pandering to hard social conservatives about protecting honored tradition (when the honored tradition they speak of is really just a history of hurtful treatment of people who are different just because they don’t fit the proper “black and white” definition of what defines a man or a woman). That this resurrected creature from the past is now plotting how to undo our state’s merit-based judicial system is scarier yet.

And like the classic monster-movie alien that just won’t die no matter how many times it is shot down, blown up, or tossed out an airlock, we have a scary failed gubernatorial candidate climbing back out of the muck and stalking our State Supreme Court justices (and being financially supported by one of those big monsters I mentioned earlier).

It’s this last scary thing to which I really want to bring your attention. Bob Vander Plaats, for only-God-knows what real motivation, has it out for our marriage rights.

Personally, I don’t see how my relationship with my husband affects him at all, whether it is legally recognized or not. I don’t want to stick my nose into his closest relationship (which I presume is with his ego) and I really don’t want him sticking his nose into mine.

However, that is exactly what this scary little “keeps-refusing-to-finally-die” political monster is up to.

His new gig—after failing to be nominated as the GOP gubernatorial candidate—is heading up an organization called, ironically, “Iowa For Freedom” (IFF). The Freedom that this organization is For is the freedom for other people to vote so they can take away

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some of our legal rights. Since its launch, IFF has received funding from the virulently anti-gay American Family Association and has started airing commercials that mislead about both the role of the judicial branch of our government, and about the actual meaning of the 2009 marriage decision.

They have a website on which they blow the proverbial “dog whistle” to drive social conservatives to a frenzy, using phrases like “blatant judicial activism,” “legislated from the bench,” and “attempted to amend our constitution.”

And in case the laughable “threat” of black-robed meanies forcing folks to get “gay married” against their will doesn’t instill enough fear in its impressionable readers, the site brings up a bunch of red herrings, performing a clever “bait and switch” routine with the actual issue: If the Iowa Supreme Court will do this to marriage, every one of our freedoms, including gun rights and private property, is in danger of being usurped by activist judges who are unelected officials. Most Americans believe that government is out of control. Now is the time to take a stand against the radical judicial activism of the Iowa Supreme Court.

So not only is the scary little monster I’m talking about scary in and of itself, it’s doing its best to sound and be even scarier.

Look: we don’t want an elected judiciary.

Look at how screwed up our elections and our “representative government” has gotten because of corporate money, influential individuals, and political machinations. It’s pretty much amazing that anything is getting done at all at the federal level, considering how much lobbying and stalemating and filibustering is going on there.

How would it be if our judges had to raise money to be elected, and therefore were beholden to—or worse, eventually appeared to give special treatment to—whichever big business or multi-billionaire bought them the most television air time?

A number of other states still run their judiciary this way, but Iowa does not.

So what can you do to fight this scary, creepy, seemingly unstoppable monster?

First, TALK: Talk about the issue with your friends and your family. Point out that

the Iowa Supreme Court acted in exactly the manner it is supposed to, by defending our state constitution’s promise of equal protection for all Iowans. Tell them to vote their conscience, but before they vote, to honestly research the history any justice for whom they wish to vote “NO,” and not to just listen to the false political double-talk from Iowa For [Just Letting Some People Have] Freedom and Bob [Why Won’t He Just Go Away Already?]

Vander Plaats.

Talk about how the only real argument being made for a constitutional convention is so discrimination can be written into our state’s most cherished document.

Second, GET SOCIAL. Get online and chat about the issue on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and any other social network you are on. Join a group or event like “Vote YES to RETAIN IOWA’S JUDGES” on Facebook.

Or start your own group on the issue. And when someone online disagrees with you on the issue, don’t resort to name calling or parroting talking points; keep it classy, and challenge people to actually consider what they are saying and what it would mean to you, personally, if what they are pursuing actually came to be.

Third: VOTE. Vote now (early voting has started!) or vote on November 2, but get your perky little self to a polling place and vote YES for judicial retention and NO for a constitutional convention.

If you believe that Iowa’s constitution should continue to provide equal protection to every Iowan, please take these three simple steps. Because on April 3, 2009, the justices of the Iowa Supreme Court weren’t being “activists,” and they weren’t “legislating from the bench,” and they weren’t “attempting to amend the constitution.”

They were simply protecting our constitution from a scary little law that was intentionally created in order to make some people less equal than everybody else.

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ACCESSline Page 4

IOWA NEWS

Out-of-state interests join up to attack Iowa’s Supreme Court justices The “National Organization for Marriage” (NOM) and the “American Family Association” (AFA) have together backed Bob Vander Plaats’ new anti-judicial project, “Iowa For Freedom.”

NOM was started in New Jersey and now is based in Washington DC. AFA is based in Mississippi.

Together the two groups have launched an ad attacking the Iowa Supreme Court for its ruling on the 2009 Varnum vs. Brien case (which overturned Iowa’s ban on same-sex marriage). The ad can be viewed at http://bit.ly/aJgGEE. The “fine print” at the beginning of the ad says: “Paid for

by IowaforFreedom.com, a project of AFA Action, Inc. … and the National Organization for Marriage. …”

The ad includes numerous misleading claims and assumptions, and falsely implies that the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision is taking away rights from Iowans (presumably the “right” to deny equal protection to gay people) and that the court is “gunning” for other cherished rights (presumably homeschooling, freedom of speech, and the right to bear arms).

“Activist judges on Iowa’s Supreme Court have become political, ignoring the will of voters and imposing same sex marriage on Iowa. Liberal out-of-control judges ignoring our traditional values and legislating from the bench, imposing their own values on Iowa. If they can usurp the will of voters and redefine marriage, what will they do to other longestablished Iowa traditions and rights.”

Matt Baume, founder of Stop8.org, provides a brilliant dissection of the ad at the following link: http://bit.ly/ddX0ui To date, NOM has spent $235,000 for this anti-judicial campaign, and the AFA has invested nearly $60,000 to Iowa For Fairness.

Knights of Columbus funding NOM

Jesse Zwick of The Iowa Independent reported on September 20 that the Catholic fraternal society known as the “Knights of

Section 1: News & Politics Columbus” (KOC) donated $1.4 million to the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage.

This amount was more than the KOC allotted to many of its charitable causes that year.

According to Timothy Kincaid of BoxTurtleBulletin.com: “Of the $34.6 million that the Supreme Council spent in 2009, only [three million] went for doing good deeds.

Eight million went to the church’s hierarchy, five million for the KOC museum, three million on “evangelization”, and over six million went for ‘family life’ and ‘pro-life’ programs ($4.7 million for anti-gay and $1.9 million for antiabortion political advocacy). In 2009, one of the Knights’ largest individual donations, $1,430,000, went to the National Organization for Marriage.”

HIV anti-stigma message lost on GOP senatorial hopeful

The Iowa HIV Alliance ad featuring HIVpositive John Chamberlain and HIV-negative Iowa Senator Matt McCoy has been grossly misinterpreted and attacked by State Senator Matt McCoy’s Republican opponent for Iowa’s 31st district.

The ad in question shows Chamberlain saying “HIV won’t stop me from facing every day with dignity and courage,” and Senator McCoy saying “HIV won’t stop me from shaking hands with my constituents.”

Then a voiceover finishes the message, saying, “Whether HIV positive or HIV negative, we are talented, hard-working and lovable. We are neighbors, providers, family and friends. HIV is not the sum of who we are.” The caption for John Chamberlain says: “Volunteer & Person Living with HIV.” The caption for Senator McCoy says: “State Senator.” The end of the commercial shows two children, credited only as “Malea Van Brocklin” and “Keyni Williams,” with Malea’s arm over Keyni’s shoulder.

Malea says: “HIV won’t stop me from making a friend.”

The obvious point of the commercial is to abate the false information and stigma surrounding HIV, and to educate viewers that HIV cannot be spread through a handshake or other casual contact—such as children playing together.

However, Des Moines anti-abortion activist and music store owner Dave Francis

OCTOBER 2010

Centerlink, the Community of LGBT CENTERS by Beau Fodor

Leach said in a statement on his website on September 7, “Was McCoy actually telling us that he has HIV, but he is willing to accept the risk of giving it to us by shaking our hands?”

Leach is most famous for his vocal and visible support of the man who murdered Kansas abortion doctor George Tiller. Leach is the publisher of the extremist “Prayer & Action” newsletter, which has advocated the killing of abortion providers as justifiable homicide, and has even included instructions on making bombs.

Grassley vote compromises military readiness

DES MOINES (OneIowa.org)—Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley voted on September 21, 2010 to block debate of the Defense Authorization Act, including a provision that would repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell legislation prohibiting gay and lesbian Iowans from serving openly in the military. More than 13,500 servicemembers have been discharged under the policy, leaving critical national security needs unmet. Iowa Senator Tom Harkin along with 55 other senators voted in favor of cloture, but they fell short of the 60 votes needed to end a filibuster and begin debate.

“Senator Grassley should stop playing politics with our national security,” said One Iowa Executive Director Carolyn Jenison.

“Gay and lesbian servicemembers provide additional expertise and skills the military needs. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell compromises the integrity of our armed sources and puts gay servicemembers at risk.”

“Was McCoy actually telling us that he has HIV, but he is willing to accept the risk of giving it to us by shaking our hands? In trying to think of a more favorable interpretation, I considered whether he meant he will not let the possibility of some of his constituents having HIV keep him from shaking hands with them; but I had to rule that out, since that is so much the opposite of which direction the disease would be most likely to travel…”

— Anti-abortion activist and GOP senatorial candidate Dave Leach, on his reaction to Senator Matt McCoy’s participation in an HIV Alliance anti-stigma commercial.

September 24, Portland, Oregon—I’m in Portland, Oregon this week at the Executive Director and Board Leadership Summit, representing Iowa’s new LGBT center, based in Des Moines, and this has to be one of the most exciting and motivating conferences I’ve ever attended.

The presenting sponsors and facilitators of the Summit are corporate executives from Prudential, David Bohnett Foundation, Orbitz, The Standard, Metro Wellness Centers, Sodexo and Chuck Wolfe, President & CEO of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.

The CENTER in Des Moines has a new Board of Directors as well, and I’m humbled to have been asked to be part of it. I’m extremely proud and grateful to represent our great state of Iowa.

The CENTER is located in downtown Des Moines, on the southwest corner of 13th and Locust. It serves about 50 adult clients weekly, and roughly 35 at-risk gayidentified youth on Sunday nights.

I hope this number continues to grow, and I encourage our other great Iowa-based LGBT organizations, such as PROs and First Friday Breakfast Club—and especially our local gay elected officials—to increase their support for The CENTER. I would like to think our LGBT population deserves to have one of the best LGBT centers in our nation!

About CenterLink

CenterLink (formerly The National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Centers) was founded in 1994 as a member-based coalition to support the development of strong, sustainable LGBT community centers. The organization has played an important role in supporting the growth of LGBT centers across the country and addressing the challenges they face, by helping them to improve their organizational and service delivery capacity and increase access to public resources.

Serving over 168 LGBT community centers across the country in 45 states and the District of Columbia, CenterLink assists newly forming community centers and helps strengthen existing LGBT centers, through networking opportunities for center leaders, peer-based technical assistance and training, and a variety of capacity building services.

Centers serve a vital and multi-faceted role in many communities across the country. They are often the only staffed non-profit LGBT presence in the area and the first point of contact for people seeking information, coming out, accessing services or organizing for social change. 40% of LGBT centers provide direct health care and 10% of these centers exclusively serve LGBT communities of color, youth, seniors or women. At the same time, half of the LGBT community centers have budgets under $50,000 and no full-time staff.

A fundamental goal of our mission is to help build the capacity of centers to meet the social, cultural, health and political advocacy needs of LGBT community members across the country.

OCTOBER 2010

Section 1: News & Politics

ACCESSline Page 5

US NEWS news analysis by Rex Wockner Senate fails to move forward with Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal; measure likely dead for this year

The U.S. Senate failed by four votes Sept.

21 to end a filibuster by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and move on to consideration of this year’s military funding bill that contains congressional authorization to repeal the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell gay ban.

The vote was 56 to 43. Sixty votes were needed to halt the filibuster. The measure already had passed the House of Representatives. Although Congress may opt to fund the military after the November elections, the provision repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell seems unlikely to survive now, advocates predicted.

“Today’s Senate vote was a frustrating blow,” said Servicemembers Legal Defense Network Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis.

“We lost because of the political maneuvering dictated by the midterm elections. Let’s be clear: Opponents to repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell did not have the votes to strike those provisions from the bill. Instead, they had the votes for delay. Time is the enemy here. We now have no choice but to look to the lame-duck session where we’ll have a slim shot.”

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey accused “politicians (of) playing politics with people’s lives.”

“Seventy-eight percent of Americans support ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” she said. “The senators who led and supported the filibuster effort should be ashamed.”

Servicemembers United Executive Director Alexander Nicholson blamed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., for the loss.

“The votes to break the filibuster had previously been lined up, but last week …

Harry Reid decided to use an uncommon procedural privilege on the bill that eroded support for breaking the filibuster and guaranteed the vote’s failure,” Nicholson said. “Intense lobbying and public pressure over the past week proved not to be enough

to force either side to back down.”

Courage Campaign Chairman Rick Jacobs responded to the loss by saying the Justice Department and President Barack Obama should opt not to appeal the recent federal court decision in Riverside, Calif., that struck down DADT as unconstitutional.

“We applaud the Log Cabin Republicans for initiating this case and we hope the Justice Department recognizes that it’s time to consign this discriminatory law to the dustbin of history,” Jacobs said.

Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese said the filibuster “was electionyear politics at its worst.”

HRC sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder joining Courage in demanding the government not appeal the district court decision.

“We expect the Justice Department to recognize the overwhelming evidence that proves DADT is unconstitutional,” Solmonese said.

GetEQUAL responded by calling on Obama to issue an executive order suspending discharges under DADT between now and the time that repeal is achieved.

“Four months ago, we asked the president to stop military discharges while the U.S. Congress haggled over our rights,” the group said. “He didn’t respond, and we’re now seeing the result of this complete lack of presidential leadership and courage. So we’re taking the fight back to the White House.”

“We need volunteers to help us hold the president accountable and meet him head-on during this election season, asking him at each campaign stop and at each fundraising party, ‘When will the discharges end?’“ the direct-action group said. “Now it’s time for our ‘fierce advocate’ to step up to the plate for us.”

Nearly 80 percent of Americans support repealing DADT, according to a recent CNN poll.

If the Senate had passed DADT repeal and President Barack Obama signed it, nothing would have happened right away.

That’s because of language in the bill that delays repeal until three things take place: the Pentagon completes a study by Dec. 1 on how to implement DADT repeal; Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Michael Mullen

Lady Gaga. Photo by Rex Wockner certify that the military will not be harmed by implementing DADT repeal in accord with the Pentagon’s plans; and 60 additional days pass after the certification.

Lady Gaga pushes repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

Buoyed by a federal court ruling declaring the military gay ban unconstitutional on Sept. 9 and by Lady Gaga’s aggressive adoption of the cause of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal at MTV’s Video Music Awards on Sept. 12, gay advocates stepped up their push Sept. 13 for the full U.S. Senate to vote on DADT. Hours later, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced that he was planning a vote on the defense spending bill, of which DADT repeal is a part, the next week.

At one point, the afternoon of Sept. 14, Gaga and Reid communicated directly via Twitter.

Gaga tweeted: “http://twitpic. com/2ocx9i - Gay Veterans were my VMA

dates. Repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. CALL HARRY REID to Schedule Senate Vote.”

Reid tweeted back: “@ladygaga There is a vote on #DADT next week. Anyone qualified to serve this country should be allowed to do so. http://bit.ly/9ucdIj #nvsen.”

Gaga responded: “God Bless and Thank you @HarryReid, from all of us, like u, who believe in equality and the dream of this country. We were #BORNTHISWAY.” Reid replied: “@ladygaga It’s the right thing to do. Come back to Vegas soon! #nvsen #DADT.” He then further tweeted: “VIDEO: @HarryReid & @LadyGaga tweet abt repealing #DADT & the fight for equality http://ow.ly/2EBfm #nvsen.”

Then Gaga really found her groove. On Sept. 17, she posted a seven-minute video to YouTube explaining DADT and the repeal effort in detail and showing her placing calls to her U.S. senators. Her call to Sen. Chuck Schumer terminated itself unanswered after 11 rings. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s office hung up on her with the message: “The mailbox belonging to Senator Gillibrand’s office is full. Goodbye.”

TTUS NEWS continued page 10

“Regulations are we do not go out and seek to find out someone’s sexual orientation. We do not. That is the fact. That is the fact. … I know the military very well and I know what’s being done. And what is being done is that they are not seeking out people who are gay. And I don’t care what you say, I know it’s a fact. … I don’t care what you say and I don’t care what others say. I’ve seen it in action. I’ve seen it in action. I have sons in the military, I know the military very well. So they’re not telling you the truth. … Just to make sure: We do not go out and see … if someone is gay or not. We do not go out and seek if someone is gay or not. They do not, they do not, they do not. You can say that they are … it’s not true. … It is not the policy. It is not the policy. It is not the policy. It is not the policy, it’s not the policy, it’s not the policy, it’s not the policy. You can say that it is the policy, sir, if you choose to. It’s not the policy. I’ll be glad to get that to you in writing.”

— Arizona Senator John McCain on Sept. 21, responding to Advocate reporter Kerry Eleveld and others regarding Major Michael Almy, whose private emails were searched in Iraq in 2005 by the military in pursuit of his discharge under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

ACCESSline Page 6

Section 1: News & Politics

OCTOBER 2010

World News by Rex Wockner Russian gay leader Alekseev abducted, released

Russian gay leader Nikolai Alekseev.

GayRussia.ru photo Moscow Pride founder and leader Nikolai Alekseev has reported that he was abducted by government agents of some sort at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport Sept. 15 and held for more than two days.

He was seized after passing through passport control and taken to a room by security officials and an airline worker, he said.

There, his luggage, documents and computer were examined for more than two hours.

Alekseev then was turned over to what he called “hulking men in civilian clothes, with faces not disfigured by intellect,” who removed him from the airport via nonpublic passageways and drove him to a police facility two hours away, where he was further searched. In a moment when he was left alone, Alekseev used his iPad to discover where he was.

“I got my iPad and with two taps learned my location,” he said. “If I did not have this device, I would have never found out where I was the first day. Thanks, Apple! The location showed up as the city of Kashira. I began frantically finger-zooming the map to find the exact address, but there was no 3G Internet there and the EDGE network loads maps very slowly. … Afraid that they would catch me, I disconnected the iPad completely. Then they tried to get into it, but couldn’t, because it was password-protected.”

Alekseev said he was mocked and insulted, called “faggot” and “pederast,” probably drugged via a glass of water, and eventually presented with a paper to sign, which said that an agreement had been reached to drop his lawsuits at the European Court of Human Rights over Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov’s bans of gay pride parades. He didn’t sign it, “despite persistent ‘advice’ not to enter into conflict with the authorities.”

The second night, Alekseev was moved to another police facility in the city of Tula, farther south of Moscow, he said. Around the same time, someone used his cell phone to text false information to the media—saying that Alekseev was in Belarus, had sought political asylum there, and was dropping his European court cases.

When this was reported in the media, activists and journalists around the world who have regular contact with Alekseev strongly suspected that the information had not come from Alekseev or that he was no longer in control of his own mind.

Alekseev was released on the outskirts of Tula early the morning of Sept. 18, made his way to the city center, and took a bus to Moscow, he said.

“I intend to sue the Domodedovo Airport and its aviation-security services, which

violated international law and forced me back under Russian jurisdiction,” Alekseev said.

“In addition, my ticket was bought in Switzerland. Thus, the contract between Swiss Air Lines and the passenger falls under Swiss law. In this regard, I will seek a trial in Switzerland. I will also demand a complete investigation into the basis of crimes against me in the form of illegal deprivation of freedom and kidnapping.”

(Though he speaks English fluently, Alekseev’s primary lengthy account of his ordeal was written in Russian on his LiveJournal blog, and the quotations here have been translated. On Facebook, Alekseev said he would “get mad” if he tried to translate it.)

In a five-year battle with Luzhkov, who has banned the gay pride march each year and sent police to arrest small groups of activists who defied the bans, Alekseev, a lawyer, has filed a series of lawsuits at the European Court of Human Rights. The court has merged the cases and is expected to deal with them this year.

“It appears the Russian authorities realize their inevitable humiliating defeat at the European Court of Human Rights and employ such desperate methods as intimidation, threats and abduction to prevent it,” said the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, or ILGA-Europe.

Gay Saudi diplomat seeks U.S. asylum

The former first secretary of Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Los Angeles has requested asylum in the United States because he says he’ll be executed for being gay if he returns home.

“If I go back to Saudi Arabia, they will kill me openly in broad daylight,” Ali Ahmad Asseri e-mailed media outlets in mid-September.

Asseri said Saudi officials ordered him home after finding out he’s gay and is friends with a Jew. He apparently has been in hiding since.

The U.S. does grant asylum to foreign gays if the U.S. is convinced they face genuine harm in their native lands. The laws treat gay asylum-seekers as members of “a particular social group.”

Saudi Arabia’s entry in the United States’ 2009 State Department Human Rights Reports says: “Under Shari’a as interpreted in the country, sexual activity between two persons of the same gender is punishable by death or flogging. It is illegal for men ‘to behave like women’ or to wear women’s clothes and vice versa. There were few reports of societal discrimination, physical violence, or harassment based on sexual orientation. There were no organizations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons. There was no official discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing, statelessness, or access to education or health care. Sexual orientation could constitute the basis for harassment, blackmail, or other actions. No such cases were reported.”

The entry continues: “On June 13, Riyadh police arrested 67 men from the Philippines for drinking and dressing in women’s clothing at a private party. Accord-

Openly gay Nepalese MP Sunil Babu Pant riding an elephant in Kathmandu’s Aug. 25 LGBT pride parade. Photo courtesy of Blue Diamond Society ing to their embassy, police released the men to their employers while charges were being processed. In 2007 the newspaper Okaz reported the public flogging of two men in the city of Al-Bahah after being found guilty of sodomy. The sentence was 7,000 lashes.”

Honduran policeman sentenced for stabbing trans woman

Honduran police officer Amado Rodríguez Borjas will spend 10-13 years in prison after being convicted Sept. 9 in a stabbing attack on a transgender woman in Tegucigalpa.

The woman, Nohelia Flores Álvarez, was abducted and stabbed 17 times on Dec. 18, 2008, after she refused to have sex with Rodríguez when he approached her in public, Human Rights Watch said.

“The case was fraught with acts of intimidation, with police, a witness and prosecutors as well as Nohelia threatened by anonymous attackers and callers,” said HRW researcher Juliana Cano Nieto. “On March 21, unknown men kidnapped Nohelia and threatened to kill her if she continued with the case. She was shot in the arm in the ensuing struggle with the kidnappers but managed to escape.”

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights ended up providing protection to Flores and some other people involved in the case.

Human Rights Watch says that “nearly every” transgender person it has spoken with in Honduras has told of personal “harassment, beatings and ill-treatment at the hands of police.”

George Michael sent to jail

Gay pop singer George Michael was jailed for eight weeks in London on Sept. 14 for crashing his car into a building last July after apparently mixing pot and prescription drugs.

The court also took away his driver’s license for five years and fined him nearly $2,000.

It was Michael’s fourth incident of being caught driving while seemingly impaired, and his second conviction on such charges.

60 LGBT protesters arrested in Kathmandu Around 60 LGBT protesters were arrested in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sept. 14, apparently for demonstrating too close to government buildings.

They were demanding that the government issue identity cards to transgender people showing that their sex is neither male nor female but rather a “third” reality.

Gay MP Sunil Babu Pant said on Facebook that he was among the detainees.

“We had a meeting with Prime Minister today,” he wrote Sept. 16. “He said he would solve the Citizenship ID problem soon, but we need to keep the pressure.”

Israeli Supremes: City must fund gay center

The Israeli Supreme Court ruled Sept.

14 that the city of Jerusalem must fund the LGBT community center, Jerusalem Open House, the same as it funds other social groups’ institutions.

JOH Executive Director Yonatan Gher said the decision follows “years of homophobic refusal of City Hall to support the JOH and its activities (and) almost five years of legal struggle.”

“The direct result of this groundbreaking ruling is that no official body within Jerusalem will be able to discriminate gays, lesbian, transgender and bisexual people as a policy,” Gher said.

Irish support same-sex marriage

Sixty-seven percent of the Irish support legalization of same-sex marriage, according to an Irish Times/Behaviour Attitudes poll released Sept. 15.

But only 46 percent of those questioned support gay adoption.

The poll also found that 91 percent of respondents do not think less of people who come out as gay or lesbian.

Gay activists said the results mean Ireland’s new civil-union law already is passé and it’s time to legalize same-sex marriage.

Assistance: Bill Kelley

OCTOBER 2010

Section 1: News & Politics

ACCESSline Page 7

Retention of Iowa Supreme Court Judges by Jonathan Wilson I recently attended a business association meeting where Terry Branstad’s running mate, Kim Reynolds, was the featured speaker. She’s a first-term member of the Iowa Senate and, from all appearances, was already out of her depth when tapped by Branstad to run for Lt. Governor. Like the choice of Palin by McCain, inviting Reynolds onto the ticket says more about Branstad’s judgment than anything negative about her personally. There’s nothing particularly wrong with being inept, there’s a lot of that going around. There’s something wrong, however, with the head of the ticket showing poor judgment right out of the chute.

After laboriously reading and struggling with some prepared, platitudinous remarks, she cheerfully opened it up for questions.

Mine was the first and, given the setting, may have caught her a bit off guard. I asked what guidance she and Branstad have for Iowa voters regarding retention of the three Iowa Supreme Court Justices who will be on the November ballot. After recovering from the shock of this question coming from what she’d assumed was a monolithic group of business folks with nothing but business and taxes on their minds, she parroted that neither she nor Branstad had any recom-

mendation for Iowa voters on this topic. She actually said that they felt each voter should research the competence of each of the three justices and make their own decision about how to vote on retention.

To her obvious chagrin, I managed to get in a follow up question. I asked her how exactly voters should do that research and evaluation, and pointed out that I am a practicing attorney and, despite firsthand knowledge, the vast majority of my own clients don’t know whether or not I’m competent so long as I spell their names right. Undeterred and unconvincingly, she suggested that the Internet offers the voters easy access to all the necessary information.

She was particularly perplexed when I got in a second follow up question asking how realistic it was to expect voters to do that research, and wouldn’t voters deserve to have the benefit of her presumably thorough research and carefully considered judgment on the subject—as in “leadership” to be expected of a governor and lieutenant governor. That received a chillier repeat of her prior response and someone else got quickly called upon for a question.

As it happened, she fared little better with the questions from others who wanted

to know, repeatedly, exactly how it would be possible to cut taxes as she and Branstad have proposed, streamline government while conspicuously ignoring the multiplicity of local and county governments all across the state, improve governmental performance, create jobs in a global economy, and still balance the budget. You’d have thought she was competing in a dance competition and in need of dancing lessons, rather than running for lieutenant governor of the state.

Here’s the truth, and it will come as no surprise. She and Branstad want the potential benefit of Bob Vander Plaats’s lynch-mob rhetoric on the retention topic even though they know it is utterly misguided and contrary to our remarkably effective and apolitical judicial selection/retention process. Their pandering presents an opportunity for Culver to claim and, despite his frequent missteps, to articulate that the crux of truly “good government” worth our pursuing lies in maintaining the separation of powers and avoiding theocracy. If he can’t do that then the outcome will be essentially six one way, and half a dozen the other.

Jonathan Wilson is an attorney at the Davis Brown Law Firm in Des Moines, and chairs the First Friday Breakfast Club (www.

Iowa’s court system is considered one of the finest in the country—and Iowa’s fair and impartial judges are cited as a major reason. Our merit selection and retention process has successfully kept politics and campaign money out of our courts, safeguarding the fairness and impartiality of the courts.

However, to ensure that our system continues to work well, it is important for voters to make informed decisions during the upcoming judicial retention elections.

In a year with much anti-incumbent sentiment, it is important that voters have the tools and resources so that they can make informed decisions when they go to the polls in November.

If judges are defeated merely as a result of randomness or vindictiveness, it may lead to judges forming campaign committees in the future to make their cases.

If politics and campaign money are allowed into the courts, a citizen’s perception that he/she will receive a fair and impartial day in court may be in jeopardy - particularly if the opposing party is politically influential or has made large donations to the judge or justice.

Iowans for Fair and Impartial Courts will be working to educate voters on how our merit selection and retention process works and how Iowans can be informed voters in this November’s retention election. IFIC will use various forums, speaking engagements, the Internet, and other means to communicate this important message.

IFIC will not advocate for a yes or no vote for any specific judge or justice.

efforts politicize our judicial retention elections, judges and justices will have little choice but to create campaign organizations and start raising campaign donations.

If politics and campaign money are allowed into the courts, a citizens’ perception that they will receive a fair and impartial day in court may be in jeopardy - particularly if the opposing party is politically influential or has made large donations to the judge or justice.

Imagine you are a small business in a contract dispute with a corporation that has contributed large amounts of money to the retention campaign of the presiding judge.

Imagine that you are in a child custody battle and you discover your former spouse’s attorney has contributed a large amount to the judge’s retention campaign – and your attorney did not make any contribution.

Are you feeling confident about your chances for a fair and impartial hearing?

In Iowa, it is important that voters become informed voters as it relates to the judicial retention process. While 30-second political spots are a part of the election process for our representatives and executive officials – let’s not allow the politics and influence of campaign donations to affect the selection and retention of our judges.

• The Iowa State Bar Association posts the results of a survey in which lawyers assess the performance and qualifications of the judges and justices up for retention.

Referred to as the ―plebiscite,‖ the survey evaluates judges on important characteristics such as fairness, legal analysis skills, diligence and decisiveness. The results can be assessed at www.iowabar.org (available this fall).

• Ask your local attorneys regarding their knowledge and experience with the judges up for retention.

• Ask other community and business leaders that may have knowledge of the judge’s or justice’s ability and performance.

By becoming an educated voter, all Iowans can prevent the politicization of our courts.

Iowans for Fair and Impartial Courts

What is at Stake?

Iowa has fair and impartial judges as a result of our ability to keep the influence of politics and campaign money out of our process for selecting judges. If organized

Becoming an Educated Voter

There are several ways for voters to become informed about our judges and justices. Before you vote yes or no in a retention election, we encourage you to explore the following sources of information: • The Iowa Judicial Branch offers a voter guide with biographies of all judges subject to retention elections (see iowacourts.gov).

About IFIC

Iowans for Fair and Impartial Courts mission is to educate Iowans on the high

ffbciowa.org), an educational, non-profit corporation for gay men in Iowa who gather on the first Friday of every month to provide mutual support, to be educated on community affairs, and to further educate community opinion leaders with more positive images of gay men. It is the largest breakfast club in the state of Iowa. He can be contacted at JonathanWilson@DavisBrownLaw.com or 515-288-2500.

quality court system, the merit selection process, and how voters can be educated on judicial retention elections. It is important that voters have tools and resources so that they can make informed decisions when they go to the polls in November.

IFIC will identify a variety of resources that voters can use to become educated about the judges up for retention. IFIC will not advocate a yes or no vote for any specific judge or justice.

“In 2010, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recognized Iowa’s judiciary as one of the best in the nation. Iowa was ranked fourth in the country for judges’ impartiality, third in the country for jury fairness, and fifth overall.

The rankings demonstrate that Iowa’s merit selection system has been effective at promoting fair and impartial courts that encourage a vibrant business community and guarantee equal justice for all Iowans.”

— American Judicature Society, 8/6/2010

ACCESSline Page 8

Section 1: News & Politics

OCTOBER 2010

Creep of the Week by D’Anne Witkowski Tim Ravndal You know what’s totally hilarious?

Matthew Shepard jokes. You know, the 21-year-old guy who, in 1998, was brutally beaten and then hung on a fence like a scarecrow to die in rural Wyoming because he was gay. So much potential for comedy there.

Shepard’s murder is the exact kind of thing that seems so terrible at the time but you think, “One day we’re all gonna look back on this and laugh.” If you’re a total s--t-forbrains a--hole, that is.

Enter Tim Ravndal, president of the Big Sky Tea Party Association in Montana.

On July 23, Ravndal posted a link to a story about marriage and gays on his Facebook page with the following comment, “Marriage is between a man and a woman period! By giving rights to those otherwise would be a violation of the constitution and my own rights.”

A friend named Dennis Scranton wrote in reply, “I think fruits are decorative. Hang up where they can be seen and appreciated.

Call Wyoming for display instructions.”

Ravndal writes back, “Dennis, Where can I get that Wyoming printed instruction manual?”

“Should be able to get info (from) Gazette archives. Maybe even an illustration,” Scranton posts. “Go back a bit over 10 years.”

Get it? LOL! ROTFLMAO! I mean, sure, they don’t mention Shepherd by name, but they don’t have to. We all get the joke.

Not everybody is laughing, however.

“Mr. Ravndal’s comments are outrageous,” Kim Abbott of the Montana Human Rights Network told the Great Falls Tribune. “He is a public figure, in the public sphere, condoning and making light of violence against gay people. It’s actually pretty frightening.”

Kim Abbott, also with MHRN, said, “I would like to know if Mr. Ravndal thinks that gay people are entitled to the same safety, security and protections as everyone else, because his comments seem to suggest he thinks it’s OK to hurt or even kill members of the LGBT community.”

I’m going to guess that the answer to Abbott’s query is, “No, he doesn’t think homos deserve the same protections as everybody else.” I’m not inside Ravndal’s

head (thankfully), but that’s where I’d put my money.

Ravndal is now claiming that he had no idea what Scranton was talking about and that he does “not condone violence to any human being.”

“I wasn’t even thinking about the tragedy that happened in Wyoming,” Ravndal said. “I made a mistake and I apologize to anyone I offended.”

Really? Ravndal had no idea that “fruit” means “fag?” And that to “hang up” means, well, to hang? As in lynch? As in kill? Hasn’t he ever heard Billie Holiday sing “Strange Fruit” before? And even if all of those things really did go right over Ravndal’s head, wouldn’t the specific mention of Wyoming be, at minimum, confusing?

Because Ravndal doesn’t reply with something like, “Dude, WTF? I don’t get it.”

He writes, “Where can I get that Wyoming printed instruction manual?” Kind of hard to believe he didn’t know the significance of “Wyoming” in this instance.

It’s interesting to note that on his Facebook page in the list of things Ravndal “Likes” right alongside “Tea Party protests” is “Not everything that pops into your head needs to be shared on Facebook.”

Ironic, yes. But it really makes you wonder what kinds of things he isn’t posting.

Charlie Crist

Look, I don’t know if Florida Governor Charlie Crist is gay. And while it really should be a non-issue because being gay is not this scandalous thing that makes a person unfit for public office like some loonies on the far right believe, the fact is: it matters. It’s an issue because Crist is making it an issue by reiterating his support for a constitutional ban on same-sex couples getting married.

Granted, this isn’t the first time Crist has said he supports such a thing. Apparently he mentioned it at some point while running for governor and governors don’t really have much power when it comes to the United States Constitution. But now he’s running for Senate as an Independent. The United States Senate.

On August 29 during an interview on CNN, Ed Henry brought up the issue of same-

sex marriage and pointed out that Marco In a recent televised conversation with Rubio, one of Crist’s opponents in the Senate Bill O’Reilly, Beck said that gays marrying race, supports a constitutional ban. wasn’t atop his list of concerns: “Honestly, I “The former Republican Party Chair- think we have bigger fish to fry.” man Ken Mehlman came out and said he’s “Do you believe gay marriage is a threat gay and he called on conservatives to kind to the country in any way?” O’Reilly asked. of move to the political center and be more “A threat to the country? No, I don’t,” tolerant on this issue,” Henry said. “Now that Beck said. you’re trying to occupy the political center, For all the grief he’s getting from the are you still in favor of a constitutional ban right, Beck might as well have asked O’Reilly on same-sex marriage?” to gay marry him.

“I feel the same way, yes, because I feel This, combined with Ann Coulter’s that marriage is a sacred institution, if you agreement to speak to a group of gay conserwill,” Crist responded. “But I do believe in vatives, has people like World Net Daily’s tolerance. I’m a live-and-let-live kind of guy, managing editor David Kupelian in a huff. and while I feel that way about marriage, I Beck, says Kupelian, is a coward. “Very think if partners want to have the opportu- simply, most people in today’s America, nity to live together, I don’t have a problem including conservatives, are afraid of ‘the with that.” gay issue,’” Kupelian writes on WND. “Why So he’s a “live-and-let-live kind of guy” are they afraid? The gay activist movement who believes in “tolerance,” eh? And while relies heavily on intimidation ... and no one marriage is “sacred,” likes to be mocked, thereby rendering Yes, he’s married. To a lady. marginalized, demonhomos unfit for such an called ugly names, Since 2008. Which, of course, ized, institution, he doesn’t boycotted, persecutmind partners living proves that he’s not gay because ed, prosecuted for together. So long as of how getting opposite-sex ‘hate crimes’ (thought their relationship isn’t actually), fined married automatically makes crimes, in any way recognized or imprisoned.” or protected and the you not gay.

Kupelian’s lament law treats them as legal is a classic case of strangers then Crist doesn’t “have a problem the oppressor positioning himself as the with that.” Oh, how very magnanimous of oppressed. Though it’s true that people him. don’t like to be kicked around. Remember “I think that’s where most of America Stonewall? Apparently ever since then gays is,” Crist continues. “So I think that, you have become big ol’ bullies, strong-arming know, you have to speak from the heart their way toward U.S. domination. about these issues. They are very personal.

“Interestingly, (during) the exchange They have a significant impact on an awful between Beck and O’Reilly, Beck added that lot of people and the less the government he was OK with same-sex marriage ‘as long is telling people what to do, the better off as we are not going down the road of Canada we’re all going to be.” where it now is a problem for churches to Since telling the government to stay have free speech,’” Kupelian writes. “Glenn, out of people’s personal lives and writing it will go down ‘the road of Canada’ and discrimination into the constitution seem other Western countries where Christians to be contradictory, Henry accuses Crist of are persecuted for openly expressing deeply trying to have it both ways (no pun intended, held biblical views.”

I’m sure).

And the gays won’t stop “until ChrisBut Crist doesn’t budge. “Well, every- tians and other traditionalists opposing thing is in a matter of degree, Ed, and when it homosexuality are shut up, discredited and comes to the institution of marriage, I believe utterly silenced.” that it is between a man and a woman; it’s And Kupelian knows a thing or two just how I feel,” he says. about trying to discredit his opposition.

Call me crazy, but “it’s just how I feel” He’s perfectly content with positioning is a pretty flimsy argument for amending homosexuals as evil bogeymen. the Constitution to keep gay people from “If same-sex marriage becomes the law marrying each other. Hell, it’s a flimsy reason of the land, moral confusion will dominate to amend it for anything. our culture, polygamy and other aberrant By itself, Crist’s unabashed support forms of ‘marriage’ will quickly follow, of writing discrimination into one of our traditional Christianity will be essentially nation’s founding documents is alarming to criminalized, and much more,” he writes. say the least. But it’s even more alarming if “In a word, America will become unrecoghe is, indeed, gay. And he is widely rumored nizable.” and believed to be just that.

And if gays aren’t scary enough for Yes, he’s married. To a lady. Since 2008. Kupelian’s readers, he has another scapegoat Which, of course, proves that he’s not gay up his sleeve: Muslims. because of how getting opposite-sex married Letting gays marry each other, he says, automatically makes you not gay. So who will inevitably lead to legalized polygamy. knows? Maybe all of the gay rumors are “For Muslims living in the U.S., for whom wrong. Either way, Crist is still a creep. polygamy is allowed under the Quran (up to four wives), we will see large numbers of polygamous marriages within the United States of America,” he writes. “And of course, You know, there are so many reasons to polygamy’s legalization in the U.S. will serve dislike Glenn Beck. So, so many good, good as a powerful magnet to draw vastly more reasons. He is, in my most personal and unre- Muslims to immigrate to the U.S., and no served opinion, a moron. He is not, however, doubt will encourage more American men Mr. Gay Marriage all of a sudden.

TTCREEPS continued page 10

David Kupelian

Section 1: News & Politics

OCTOBER 2010

ACCESSline Page 9

National day to celebrate LGBT Centers

SScontinued from page 1

CONLIN rating scale until the 2007-2008 rating, for which he only increased to 20/100.

He has achieved “the third-worst voting record in the entire US Congress (both House and Senate combined) on veterans issues, according to the Disabled American Veterans, earning a 40 rating (Wikipedia).

He received 11/100 and 5/100 from the ACLU and NAACP respectively (2005). He received a 0 rating from NARAL. On the other hand, he has scored 100/100 for the Family Research Council, whose president has referred to homosexuality as a “death-style.”

Roxanne Conlin, while a blank slate as a federal politician, has a notable history of civil service in Iowa: as an Assistant Attorney General for the state ( 1969-1976), and as one of the first female attorneys for the United States (1977-1981)—having been appointed United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter.

Conlin signed an amicus brief in support of same-sex marriage rights in Iowa’s historic Varnum vs. Brien (samesex marriage) case. She is against the military’s discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. She supports employment non-discrimination and inclusion of sexual orientation as a protected group in hate crimes legislation.

For these reasons, ACCESSline, as an advocate and resource for Iowa’s LGBT+ community, strongly endorses Roxanne Conlin for US Senator.

September 15th 2010 marked the second celebration of LGBT Center Awareness Day, a day dedicated to creating awareness of these valuable centers throughout the country as well as highlighting the services offered for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community. This day was also created to promote the central role that LGBT centers play in local communities, as well the growing LGBT political and social movement.

Founded by CenterLink, a memberbased coalition to support the development of strong, sustainable LGBT community centers, LGBT Center Awareness Day is dedicated to the promotion of community centers that help to empower the LGBT community.

The CenterLink organization founded in 1994; has played an important role in supporting the growth of LGBT centers across the country and addressing the challenges they face, by helping these centers to improve their organizational and service delivery capacity and increase access to public resources.

CenterLink based in Washington, DC, works with other national organizations to advance the rights of LGBT individuals and to provide their respective community centers with information and analysis of key issues.

The LGBT Center Awareness Day, launched in 2009. This year’s letter of support from President Barack Obama and varying nationwide events proved to

Sandy Volpalka, Mike Smith, Beau Fodor, Josyph Glazebrook, Kyl James, Jameie Hurett, and Rachel Ellison, at The CENTER’s open house on September 15. Photo: Photography by Gayle be successful, for LGBT Center Awareness Day in 2010.

This year’s theme is “Building Our Community From The Center,” a theme that marks the unified effort and hard work of each LGBT center’s respective community and the growth that could arise from them.

“Over 40,000 people visit the over 180 community centers each week and centers have more direct access to the LGBT community than any other organization.

Centers are the real backbone of the LGBT

movement, and we are excited to highlight that work through Center Awareness Day,” said Terry Stone, CenterLink’s Executive Director.

The CENTER in Des Moines hosted an Open House which featured finger sandwiches from LUCCA and coffee from Ritual Café.

The CENTER has been opened for sixteen months and is serving on an average up to 120 people a month with a main focus on reaching the un- and under-served LGBTQI community.

ACCESSline is seeking advertising sales reps in

jobs.ACCESSlineIOWA.com THE JOB BOARD FOR MEMBERS OF LGBT COMMUNITIES IN IOWA …and it’s FREE!

Ames Council Bluffs/Omaha Dubuque Iowa City Quad Cities Sioux City Waterloo/Cedar Falls Help the LGBT-owned and -friendly businesses and services you support to promote themselves by advertising in ACCESSline.

ACCESSline Page 10 SScontinued from page 8

CREEPS to convert to Islam to give religious cover to their dreams of convening their own personal harem.”

No doubt, huh? Really? Somehow I don’t buy that there are scores of American men who wish they could have multiple wives.

Multiple sex partners, yes. I’ll give you that.

But you don’t have to convert to Islam to screw someone you’re not married to. And, my goodness, there sure are a lot of anti-gay conservatives who know all about that.

Tony Perkins

Everybody loves a parade, don’t they?

Especially gays. And gay-loving militaries the world over. I mean, with homos in the ranks, they aren’t much for fighting, but they can build a fabulous flotilla of floats.

Or so Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council thinks. On Sept. 17, Perkins hosted a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” panel at the Values Voters Summit, which is basically a circuit party for social conservatives— except there’s no dancing, since gyrations of any kind are the devil’s movements.

Perkins claims “our military is under immense attack from within our country” because Obama has made it a priority to “force the military to embrace homosexuality” regardless of “what the military thought.”

And to explain what the military thinks, Perkins was flanked by retired Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis, a senior fellow for defense policy at FRC, and Sgt. Brian Fleming, a young man injured twice in Afghanistan.

Section 1: News & Politics Fleming claims that gay soldiers can’t be U.S. allies. trusted because you wouldn’t know if they Take Israel, for example, where gay and had “inappropriate” motives for wanting to lesbian troops have been serving openly be your friend. Never mind that DADT is a since 1993. And then there are countries recipe for mistrust since it’s a policy based that have sent troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, on dishonesty. including Australia, Maginnis calls the Sgt. Brian Fleming claims the United Kingdom, U.S. military a “moralCanada, Germany, based organization” that gay soldiers can’t be France, Italy and Spain. (because it’s moral for trusted because you wouldn’t Now, I’m not a a dude to kill another know if they had “inappropri- military expert, but I dude, so long as he have a feeling these doesn’t kiss another ate” motives for wanting to be allied troops are doing dude). your friend. Never mind that more than dressing up And since no moral DADT is a recipe for mistrust as clowns and riding person would want to unicycles while throwbe around a bunch of since it’s a policy based on ing candy to smiling queers, Perkins claims dishonesty.

Iraqi and Afghan chilthat if we let gays into dren lining the streets the military “we will see (although I do admit I Bible-believing chaplains being forced out think soldiers dressed as mimes would be of the military and not joining the military, an excellent psychological warfare tactic. leaving a huge vacuum.”

This responsibility would obviously fall to Letting gays serve openly would be to the French). “just stab (service members) in the heart” Oh, by the way, those countries “that and would be “suicide for an all-volunteer have the 10 largest militaries in the world” force,” according to Maginnis. and who also reject homos include China, “That’s why countries … that have the 10 Russia, North Korea and Egypt. As Matt Gertz largest militaries in the world say, ‘No, this of Media Matters says, “That’s generally not isn’t the thing to do,’” Maginnis says. a list you want your country to be on where Perkins chimes in: “Well, those that do human rights issues are concerned.” (let gays serve), they’re the ones that particiBut that would be a real bummer. So pate in parades, they don’t fight wars to keep Perkins makes a hilarious joke about tranny the nation (and) the world free.” soldiers trying to figure out which uniform The crowd bursts into applause and to wear. And everybody laughs.

Maginnis responds, “Right.”

D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay Except, you know, not right. In fact, not since 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet only are the countries that allow gays and (believe it!). When she’s not taking on the lesbians to serve openly more than glorified creeps of the world she reviews rock ‘n’ roll color guards, several of them are actually shows in Detroit with her twin sister.

We pledge to honor families, traditional marriage, life, and the private and faith-based organizations that form the core of our American values.

— From the Republican "Pledge to America"

OCTOBER 2010 SScontinued from page 5

US NEWS “I have called both of the senators that operate in my district,” Gaga said. “I will not stop calling until I reach them and I can leave them this message: ‘I am a constituent of the senator. My name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, also known as Lady Gaga. I’m calling to ask the senator to vote with Sens.

Harry Reid and Carl Levin to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and oppose John McCain’s shameless filibuster. We need to do this for our gay and lesbian soldiers.’”

Gaga advised viewers to try calling their senators the following day during business hours and said she would do the same.

The repeal measure had already passed the House of Representatives.

“Repeal proponents may well need 60 votes in the Senate to (prevent a filibuster and) get to this important debate in September,” said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.

“We are now in the final stretch and we must prevail. Repeal supporters should not stop calling their senators. Sen. John McCain has been a strong and vocal opponent from the start and it is critical that we beat back any filibuster threat, defeat attempts to (remove DADT) repeal (from the National Defense Authorization Act), and defeat any crippling amendments.”

“If the defense budget bill doesn’t move to the Senate floor by the end of September, DADT repeal may not happen for several more years,” said SLDN. “If Republicans take back the House in November, as many are beginning to predict, SLDN doesn’t see (John) Boehner (who would become speaker) pushing a vote on DADT next year.”

If the Senate had passed DADT repeal and President Barack Obama signed it, nothing would have happened right away, because of language in the bill that would delay repeal until three things take place: the Pentagon completes a study by Dec. 1 on how to implement DADT repeal; Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Michael Mullen certify that the military will not be harmed by implementing DADT repeal in accord with the Pentagon’s plans; and 60 additional days pass after the certification.

The earliest that gay people in the military could have safely come out of the closet would have been sometime in February 2011.

ACCESSline’s fun guide

Our Picks for October 10/8 Iowa State Center, Ames: Legally Blonde 10/10 Gallagher Bluedorn, Cedar Falls: Legally Blonde 10/12-10/17 Des Moines Civic Center: 9 to 5 10/13 Gallagher Bluedorn, Cedar Falls: The Laramie Project 10/14 Gallagher Bluedorn, Cedar Falls: The Laramie Project -10 Years Later, An Epilogue 10/14 Iowa State Center, Ames: David Sedaris 10/14 Orpheum Sioux City: OKLAHOMA! 10/15 Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, Fairfield: Meara Oberdieck in Concert 10/16 Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, Fairfield: Ashu and Kuang-Hoa Huang in Concert, Saxophone and Piano Concert 10/22 Iowa State Center, Ames: Spring Awakening 10/23 Orpheum, Sioux City: Sioux City Symphony - A Night at the Movies

…and November

11/3 Des Moines Civic Center: Carol Burnett 11/4 Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, Fairfield: Forever Plaid 10/27/10 at the Sioux City Orpheum The Sioux City Human Rights Commission Presents:

“Bullied in Siouxland”

The problem, the costs and the strategies that work to fight bullying.

Special preview of the National Documentary “The Bully Project” by Emmy & Sundance Winner Lee Hirsh.

A Symposium with a goal to make the Siouxland Community aware of the issues underlying bullying in our schools and workplaces.

There will be professionals from various areas speaking on topics they specialize. Professionals from mental health, teachers, counselors, police and others. Topics such as cyber bullying will be covered. Additionally, there will be information about what the Siouxland schools and organizations are doing to combat this important area.

COST: Free • TIME: 6:30pm • CONTACT: 712.258.9164

Deep Inside Hollywood by Romeo San Vicente Schumacher reteams with Cage and Kidman for Trespass Gay director Joel Schumacher didn’t exactly set the world on fire with his rich-kids-on-drugs melodrama Twelve this year—even if it did get him his first invitation to Sundance. But the filmmaker is back on familiar ground in his next project, working with big stars on what sounds like a standard-issue thriller (hey, you’re good at what you’re good at). Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman are set to star in Schumacher’s Trespass as a married couple who gets taken hostage and who discover that the situation reveals hidden cracks in their relationship. It’s a reunion, of sorts; Schumacher previously directed Cage in 8MM and Kidman in Batman Forever.

With shooting under way in Louisiana— the cast also features Twilight heartthrob Cam Gigandet, and breakout indie guy Ben Mendelsohn from Animal Kingdom— Trespass is set to break and enter into theaters next year.

Van Hansis vacates daytime for Occupant

The recent cancellation of As the World Turns has meant the loss of one of daytime TV’s most incident-prone gay characters, Luke Synder, played by actor Van Hansis.

He survived “ex-gay” therapy, the loss of a boyfriend in a train accident, expulsion from school for trying to rig a student election and several dozen other moments of soapy intrigue, all the while becoming half of a supercouple with Noah Mayer (played by Jake Silbermann, part of the pair collectively known as “Nuke” by hardcore fans). But with ATWT just a memory, Hansis is moving on to other challenges, namely the starring role in a new indie film, Occupant. He plays the inheritor of a spacious New York apartment who, by the terms of the will, has to lock himself in for 12 days. But is he alone in there? And does it really matter that it’s a piece of primo Manhattan real estate if he has to share it with a demon or psychotic person? Also starring Jamie Harrold (Erin Brockovich), Occupant could move into theaters as early as this winter.

French titans Deneuve and Depardieu clash in Ozon’s Potiche

François Ozon is one of the most exciting younger directors working in France today. And while he is gay and not hesitant toward homo subject matter in movies like the twisted Criminal Lovers, the tragic Time to Leave, or the lush mystery-musical 8 Women , he’s an amazingly eclectic auteur.

With Potiche, which recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival, he makes his very first full-on comedy, and he does it with a cast of French screen legends. Catherine Deneuve stars as a bourgeois housewife

who becomes a corporate executive, bringing her into farcical conflict with union organizer Gerard Depardieu. With supporting performances by Jérémie Renier (Summer Hours) and the darkly handsome Sergi Lopez (Pan’s Labyrinth), Potiche promises to be one of 2011’s most hotly anticipated imports.

Hilary Swank. Photo: Fox Searchlight.

Hilary Swank faces life after wartime Hard-working lesbian producer Christine Vachon (I’m Not There, Boys Don’t Cry) always keeps a full dance card, and it looks like one of the more notable projects coming from her is Dreams of a Dying Heart, the directorial debut of writer Shawn Lawrence Otto (House of Sand and Fog). This suspenseful drama stars Hilary Swank as an Iraq war veteran who returns home to her husband (Josh Brolin) and daughter with her body in one piece but her mind shaken by the experience. Almost as soon as she arrives at the airport, she starts having visions of a ghostly boy in blue. Soon, she’s waking up screaming and covered in blood, pictures of her are missing from the wall, and there’s a strange Middle Eastern man in her house—who seems to have designs on her daughter.

Sounds chilling—and Swank is always at her best in a short haircut. Shooting starts in October, with Dreams set to haunt the big screen in 2012.

Glee gets closer to Rocky

It’s full steam ahead for the televised mashup machine that is Glee. The appropriation of every single music reference of the past several decades—well, the ones they can get the rights too anyway, a task that’s getting easier and easier with each passing moment—has become the show’s real star. And now it’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s turn to become… family friendly? Yes, the transgendered, pansexual, orgy-in-a-swimming-pool, “Time Warp”-line-dancing template for weirdo queer culture will be introduced to a new generation of Gleeks and their moms as Hairspray director, choreographer and So You Think You Can Dance judge Adam Shankman takes over directing duties for Glee’s all-Rocky episode, coming this season. Guesting so far? Barry Bostwick and Meat Loaf. Tim Curry said no. But how much do you want to bet that Susan Sarandon is game?

TTHOLLYWOOD continued page 24

ACCESSline Page 12

the fun guide

OCTOBER 2010

Partying Hard: The Emmy Awards: Red Carpet Terror by Joshua Dagon Following is the mostly true story of how I didn’t go to the Emmy Awards.

For those of you who’ve been wondering—both of you—yes, I did travel to Los Angeles to attend the red carpet event at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

Arrangements were made for my admittance, a press-pass was issued, my black-tie outfit was tailored and ready, I had my digital camera loaded with a fully-charged battery, and I chickened out at the last minute so I could go to an Emmy party and get drunk.

In my defense, I was in LA for several days prior to the Emmy event during which time I mistakenly listened to the horror stories told by friends who’d spent time on the red carpet themselves. Evidently, I would have had to be dressed and ready to navigate the first security checkpoint near the Nokia Theatre no later than 10:00 AM. There would be, I was told, at least two additional checkpoints at which full cavity searches might or might not have been conducted. The use of camera probes, I was informed, was not unlikely.

Once—if—I made it to the red carpet, I would have been expected to stand around for several hours in the Los Angeles heat— shade at the Emmy’s red carpet event is evidently prohibited—watching for celebrities so that I could try to get a photo with them and possibly ask a question or two. Although, according to veterans of the red carpet, approaching any celebrity could have been acutely hazardous to my health. “The other members of the media will kill you,” I was informed by an indus-

try insider. “Seriously. If you get too close to a celebrity, someone from CBS or CNN will cut you. Whatever you do, don’t get between a camera crew and the nominees.

The team from the Today Show will not hesitate to shank you and throw you into a dumpster.”

It was at this point that my red carpet enthusiasm began to wane.

A very close friend of mine—who’s one of the most sought after celebrity hairstylists in the world—invited me to come and share his rented house for the weekend. He lives in New York but flies out to Hollywood regularly for the award seasons. His clients during this particular Emmy weekend included Keri Russell, Felicity, Running Wilde, and Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock, Ally McBeal. I almost got to meet Jane Krakowski but was stopped in the lobby of the Four Seasons hotel.

“You’ll have to wait down here, sir,” said the security dude, Pauly the Petulant Polar Bear, right after he let my friend go right up to Ms. Krakowski’s room.

“But I have a press-pass,” I insisted.

“But I have a taser.”

“I’ll just wait down here, then.”

My weekend wasn’t totally without notable celebrity interaction, however. I don’t want to drop names—just kidding; yes I do—but included in my experience were pop music artist Pink, her husband (still?) Carey Hart—I got to see him flip-off some paparazzi; it was sooo cool!—Rutger Hauer, and the incomparable Alan Cumming.

I didn’t technically get to speak to any of

those people; our dealings were pretty much limited to introductions so quick that humming birds would have missed them.

One or two of the stars actually smiled and waved, though. Who knows? It might even have been at me.

There was certainly a lot of marijuana in Hollywood, too. Really. That’s because, I discovered, everyone has a prescription for it. Everyone, including multiple parolees.

Apparently, physicians in LA are somewhat liberal with the dissemination of marijuana prescriptions.

“That’s a nasty lookin’ splinter you have there, Mr. Smith,” the typical Hollywood doctor will say. “Better smoke some pot.”

Although I didn’t make it onto the red carpet, I did attend some amazing Emmy parties. They were the pinnacles of glamour and I’m very glad to have packed outfits that cost more than rhinoplasty. Everyone looked as though they’d just stepped off of a Paris runway—for at least two of the guests, I happen to know that is not an exaggeration.

All of the bars in the houses were stocked with enough varying forms of alcohol to make anything from a Coconut Rum Monkey Fizz to a Melon Liquor Calabatini, each of which could dissolve the armor off of a tank.

The houses also had copious pieces of art, the collective value of which exceeded the budget of France. There was a lot of food, too. Truffles and wine marinated mushrooms, salmon pâté and caviar, as well as a whole table of beautiful cakes and pastries that I’m sure the famous skinny people sincerely enjoyed staring at.

The festivities on Emmy Sunday began with a whole gang of us watching the Red Carpet Pre-Show on several flat screens, followed by the Red Carpet Wandering Celebrity Watch, followed by the Ugliest Gown Contest—won handsdown by January Jones who boldly wore the curtains from the set of Queer Eye for the Mentally Ill—followed by totally unscripted interviews with child stars who evidently believed that “Um…” was an adverb, followed by the Post-Pre-Emmy Show, followed by the actual award part,

Novelist Joshua Dagon is the author of Into the Mouth of the Wolf, The Fallen, and Demon Tears. For more information, please go to www.joshuadagon.com.

To contact Mr. Dagon, please e-mail him at jd@joshuadagon.com.

which was inside the actual theatre, where Jimmy Fallon played a guitar and sang, which wasn’t bad at all—the first time. After three hours, however, someone maybe should have told him to, um… stop.

The most surprising moment of my Hollywood weekend, though, didn’t happen on Emmy day. No, since we were staying in West Hollywood, we of course hit BoysTown’s famous Santa Monica Boulevard for some drinks and hot guy hunting. The boy watching got a bit out of hand, however, when—and this is the actual truth—some guy, who wasn’t at all bad looking, decided for some reason to take off every stitch of clothing he was wearing and then climb a tree while buck-ass naked. I haven’t done this yet, but I’ll bet that if you hit an Internet search engine and enter “Naked Dude Wows West Hollywood Emmy Weekend” you’ll be able to find some fairly fantastic digital images. My thinking is that the dude had smoked too much pot.

I do like to visit Los Angeles, but I sure wouldn’t want to move back there. And, of course, I’m looking forward to not going to the Emmy Awards next year.

“We are so happy that you have let us into your families We tried to make the show very real and relatable.

The show has embraced emotion. Emotion in comedy has sort of gone out of vogue, so maybe people were hungry for it a little bit. I think people genuinely wanted to feel good after watching a comedy.”

— Steve Levitan, executive producer of “Modern Family,” which won best comedy series at the 2010 Primetime Emmys on August 29.

“To be honest with you, really no one. I'm just ready to get out of this heat—that’s what I have my eyes set [on].

I like more thinking about video games and all that.”

– Rico Rodriguez of “Modern Family,” when asked on the red carpet about his romantic interests. He is 12.

OCTOBER 2010

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ACCESSline Page 13

Jason Mraz: He’s Ours by Chris Azzopardi CAAP seeks nominations for He sings, he dances, “Keeper of the Wings” award he steals hearts— but the musician also cares about equality

Jason Mraz is all love, because even when the wordplay-toying troubadour isn’t singing about it, he’s spreading it. To everyone.

Since the hipster launched his career eight years ago with Waiting for My Rocket to Come, he’s been an outspoken gay rights supporter—maybe even more (sexually “open-minded,” as he told us). But Mraz is also remarkably talented: How else do you hold a record for most weeks on the singles chart … ever? But, for 76 weeks, there he was with “I’m Yours,” off his latest studio album, 2008’s We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.

As the singer-songwriter readies his upcoming release, due next year, he’s working out the new material on the road.

We stole a few minutes with Mraz, 33, to chat about the new tunes, his Björk-loving inner girl, being a gay rights activist and how, sometimes, he walks around naked.

Word is there’s lots of love on this upcoming album. What kind of love— romantic? bromantic? gay?

You know, The Love Album was actually a working title for this record, and it’s still in the running. Love is always a recurring theme in my work. I feel like everything I try to create is to reveal a blessing from a hardship or just to add more positive articulation to a situation or the current state of the world. Optimism has always been my genre—so yeah, it’s bro love, it’s love for all, it’s equality.

You’ve said your songwriting tends to have a feminine sensibility about it.

Are you tapping into your inner girl for these songs?

Um… maybe. As a songwriter, my inner girl is Björk. And I know that sounds weird— we’re nothing alike—but I love her singing style, and that’s what pushes me over the top as a singer.

The inner feminine in my songwriterness is nothing more than keeping a diary (laughs). Whenever I open up that thing and start scribbling in it, I feel like a 12-year-old girl.

Do you have a special pen?

You know what, I get attached to pens, I do. And then I always get upset when I lose them.

You should get Björk onboard for this gay rights song you’re interested in doing with Elton John. You three, what do you say?

Yeah! That’s not a bad idea.

Has that song reached Elton yet?

It hasn’t. I went to his Oscar party and I had the flu. I couldn’t talk without coughing, so I chose to just sit there tight-lipped because I didn’t want to cough on anybody’s face and be repulsive. But if anything, I got a little face time and I’m going to see him again in October, so hopefully!

You’ve been incredibly outspoken about gay rights. How did you get involved in the fight, including Cyndi Lauper’s Give a Damn campaign?

They came to me. I did a project with the True Colors Fund and Broadway Impact in New York—a fundraiser/small cabaret performance thing—and I got to know a lot of great people in that organization. Then

Jason Mraz. Photo: Justin Ruhl they put out the Give a Damn campaign and they just called me up.

I was always turned on by people making a difference. And most of my management team is gay, a lot of my friends in San Diego are gay, and so are a lot of my high school friends. It seemed pointless for me to not speak up when I have such a huge audience that I can speak to.

Have you always been close to gay people?

In high school, my best friend was gay.

Also, a friend of mine got kicked out of his house because he came out, and so my dad, being a hero, took him in. I was bullied myself in high school, and then taking a gay kid into our house—it felt so good to do that.

I went to musical-theater college, so I was probably the only straight kid there.

And now, you know, I’m in the entertainment business.

Could you empathize with gay people because you were bullied for doing something that wasn’t considered macho— cheerleading?

Yeah, I just didn’t understand it. In fact, I had older family members that were kind of closed-minded that would talk bad about other people and use stereotypes and it never sat well with me as a kid. Those are the kind of things that make kids grow up to think that being gay is wrong or that people of color are unsafe to be around, and so I wanted to overcome that. I wanted to make sure that my kids didn’t grow up that way.

What did you learn about yourself by experimenting with your sexuality when you were younger?

I learned that I’m not really into facial hair! It has nothing to do with being too selective other than I kind of like smooth features (laughs). Going up against someone else’s facial hair or chest hair, it’s just not my thing. And yeah, that’s about it.

In 2005, you told Genre magazine that you’re “bisexually open-minded.” Are you still keeping your options open?

Well, I would say it’s still an option in that I’m open-minded, but I’ve found someone who just makes me feel so great. I’m with a beautiful woman, and the way she supports me and holds me up gives me the strength to go out and fight for these causes.

Did you ever attend a gay wedding while California, where you live, allowed gay marriage?

TTHE’S OURS continued page 15

The Annual CAAP Benefit is almost on us!! With that being said the CAAP board of Directors are now taking the nominations for the prestigious “Keeper of the Wings” award given out each year.

The recipient of this award is an individual or organization that has shown outstanding work, effort, and support on behalf of the AIDS community.

Please, if you have a nomination feel free to contact us through the CAAP Facebook page or cont...act any one of the Board of Directors -- Curtis S. Dietz, Renee Evans, Nick Hedrick, Michelle Dietz-Merry, Chuck Ohl, Jerry Larson

The Keeper of the Wings CAAP annually presents this award to an individual or group for outstanding work done on behalf of AIDS support in our area.

Nominations must be submitted in writing and must include the person or group name and an explanation of the nominee’s contribution to AIDS-related services in the area.

The 2010 award will be presented at the 2010 CAAP Benefit at Sullivan Bro’s Convention Center Sat Nov. 13th.

Past Keeper of the Wings recipients: Ethel Baumgartner - 2009 -2008 DeLon R. Gobeli - 2007 Courtney Micheals - 2006 CASS - 2005 Tim Walker - 2004 Imperial Court of Iowa - 2003 James Raymond - 2002 David Fenelon - 2001 ACCESSline - 2000 Larry Phillips - 1999 Aley Lehr - 1998 Neil Soppe - 1997 Jeff Mehmen - 1996 Summer Knight - 1995

ACCESSline Page 14

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OCTOBER 2010

The Outfield by Dan Woog Out tennis player… at a Catholic college?

Troy Smith grew up gay and halfblack in a small Pennsylvania town. A highly recruited tennis player, he attended a conservative Catholic college whose president was President George W. Bush’s director of Faith-Based Initiatives.

A recipe for disaster, right?

Wrong. A feast of all the good things in life is more like it. After coming out in college, Troy blossomed. He had a successful tennis career. He was elected Homecoming King. And he forged a strong friendship with Saint Vincent College president James Towey.

Welcome to the face of young gay athletes, circa 2010.

Life was not always easy for Smith. As a youth, he could hide his sexuality but not his biracial identity. He heard more racial slurs from hateful classmates than he cares to remember. He heard anti-gay taunts too, but they were not directed at him. He did not come out until college.

Smith chose Saint Vincent not because of its religious background—he’s not even Catholic—but because of its academic rigor and proximity to home. Even before enrolling, however, he realized there would be challenges on campus.

“I’m a risk-taker,” Smith says. “I knew I’d come out at some point—and I knew it would be hard. I definitely chose a tough path.”

At first he played life straight. He did not want to be known as gay before people got to know him as a person—particularly, the tennis players with whom he would share the next four years.

The first friends he told were those with whom he lived. They said they did not agree with the gay “lifestyle”—but that their friendship would not change.

After his first semester—when Smith made the dean’s list, with a 3.85 GPA—he felt comfortable coming out to his tennis teammates. He told the captain, who said he already knew. His other teammates were equally blasé. They respected him as a tennis player and a human being; even on a conservative Catholic campus, that’s all that mattered.

Coach Enrico Campi also knew Smith

Troy Smith was gay. The two never discussed it—but that did not prevent them from having a close, trusting relationship. Campi named Smith a captain during his sophomore year, a rare honor. “He could see that I was a leader,” Smith says. Leadership was far more important than sexuality.

Perhaps more intriguing was Smith’s friendship with Towey. The college president welcomed the varsity athlete into his office—and the Towey family often played tennis with Smith.

As with his coach, Smith never had an explicit conversation about sexuality with the president. Then again, he never felt the need to. The ease of their relationship let him know that Towey felt being gay was OK. Smith did discuss his sexuality with the vice president of student affairs. He developed a strong bond with Mary Collins. She reassured him there was nothing wrong with being gay. “Stay true to yourself,” she counseled—and he did.

That ease with himself—and his willingness to talk to anyone, anywhere, without judgment or typecasting—no doubt contributed to his election as Homecoming King. Smith was crowned at halftime of the football game—before what he calls the largest crowd in Saint

Vincent history.

The applause was thunderous. He received a hug from the president, highfives from some football players. And the world continued to turn.

Two of Smith’s best friends were football captains. He went out with them socially all the time. They tried to hook Smith up with their gay friends—and, when trying to make themselves attractive to women, asked Smith for advice.

Smith graduated with a degree in political science—and a priceless education in the importance of living life with integrity. When he received his diploma from Towey, the president told him: “You really are a star, Troy.”

Smith is proud of his academic and athletic achievements, he told the gay sports website OutSports. But he is just as proud of what he calls “the message made by my career at Saint Vincent: No matter where you are, you can fit in no matter who you are.”

He entered college—a conservative Catholic college—expecting to be an outcast. He left it filled with hope and courage (and a job as executive producer of the Pittsburgh Mr. Gay competition).

“I don’t stereotype or live my life with negativity,” Smith says. “I’ll go up and talk to people who call me ‘that fag.’

“I don’t think people who are racist or prejudiced or homophobic really know what life’s about. They don’t know we don’t choose who we are. They don’t understand that diversity is one of the joys of life. It’s a key to our great nation—and our world.”

Rippin’ Gaysurfers.net

With its chill, let-it-all-hang-out image—and its show-off-that-bodaciousbody beach environment—you’d think surfing would offer a welcome haven for gay men in the larger, often homophobic sports world.

Think again.

When a magazine article implied that rising star Cheyne Horan was gay, he lost endorsements and friends.

When top-ranked surfer Robbins Thompson’s sexuality became known, he heard slurs in the water. On land, his car was vandalized.

And when young surfing sensation Shane Dorian was asked what he’d most like to eliminate from the world, he responded, “diseases, the Devil, flat spells (and) dykes and fags.”

Those incidents took place in the 1990s. The situation changed little through the past decade.

Earlier this year, all that changed.

Just four months after “Thomas”—a Frenchman who spent seven years in Australia, and prefers to not divulge his last name—started www.gaysurfers.net, the site had drawn over 1,500 members.

Most came from the US, Australia and France. But it spread rapidly, and now there is solid representation from South Africa, the UK, Spain, Italy, Indonesia, South America and India.

Users love the chance to search for other gay surfers, and send private messages. They have created groups and forums.

They read surfing articles, and search for movies with “gay” and “surf” in the title.

And they share a growing list of gayfriendly surf spots around the world.

“I believe there is a surf culture beyond the macho young man, and there are things we want to share with other gay surfers beyond dating,” Thomas told Australia’s gay magazine DNA. “I was hoping someone out there would build this community, but it never happened.”

So Thomas did it himself.

His social-networking site has two goals. One is to help gay surfers meet— including those deep in the closet. The other is to change public awareness by spotlighting gay surfers and bringing the sport’s homophobia into the bright sunshine.

The DNA story tried to explain surfing’s anti-gay history.

One surfer called the sport “adolescent.” Teenage boys, he said, “are the least sure of their sexual orientation.” Having perhaps experimented with same-sex activity, they may “tilt toward homophobia as a means of denial.”

He believes there will be little change until “some courageous, high-profile dude, basically a pro, comes out and says ‘f--- you homophobes.’”

An 18-year-old commenter on Gaysurfers.net said that geography has little to do with attitudes. “Sydney is supposed to host the biggest community of surfers in the world, and the second biggest gay community after San Francisco,” he wrote.

“But still no sign of gay surfers. I can’t seem to find any.”

Thomas said that the U.S. “seems to be the country with the biggest number of gay surfers.” Most, he noted, live in very open-minded places like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Hawaii. Gay surfers from Hawaii are “very active on the site and supportive of the project.”

Several gay European surfers said they had found little hostility on the shores of their continent. They admitted, however, that they know very few other gay surfers.

Australia, by contrast, “has more rural communities of surfers that do experience homophobia,” Thomas said. One surfer from Down Under refused comment for the DNA story. Most gay surfers are still closeted, he said—“especially the older guys.”

“Gay surfers are all hiding somewhere,” a 26-year-old named Alan posted on Gaysurfers.net. “I hope here (too). In my hometown there are at least five gay surfers, but they keep their sexuality for themselves. I don’t know how to tell them that I am gay. Maybe they are on here?”

Gay surfers are not the only ones who read and comment on his website. It’s attracting straight people, too. They bring a variety of attitudes.

“Some don’t understand why gay surfers need their own space,” Thomas said. “Some others do get it, and think it’s a great idea.”

Perhaps, he added, surfers think their culture “expects” them to be homophobic.

As they read and learn about the gay surfers in their midst, they “slowly open up to it.”

A heterosexual surfer named Scott TTOUTFIELD continued page 28

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OCTOBER 2010

ACCESSline Page 15

ACCESSline’s STATEWIDE Recurring Events List The following list is provided by—and corrected by—ACCESSline readers like you. If you would like to add an event, or if you notice a mistake in this list, please email editor@ ACCESSlineIOWA.com.

Interest Group Abbreviations:

L: Lesbian G: Gay B: Bisexual T: Transgender D: Drag +: HIV-related M: General Men’s Interest W: General Women’s Interest A: General Interest K: Kids and Family

Sunday

1st and 3rd Sunday of the Month, TANGO LESSONS AT CSPS, 3-6pm, at 1103 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids. Cost is $5. Everyone welcome; no partner or experience necessary. For more info, call Elie at 319-363-1818 or e-mail epsa@aol.com.

[LGBTMWA] Every Sunday, GLBT AA, 5-6pm, at First Baptist Church at 500 N. Clinton St., Iowa City. For more info about Intergroup and Alcoholics Anonymous call the 24-Hour Answering Service at 319-3389111 or visit the AA-IC website: http://aa-ic.org/.

[LGBTMWA] Every Sunday, L WORD LIVES: L NIGHT, 7PM, at the Firewater Saloon, 347 South Gilbert St., Iowa City, 319-321-5895. The night will start with Season 1, Episode 1 of the L Word... because a good thing should never die. FoLLowing the L Word wiLL be a Drag King show at 9:30pm No cover. Tel, 319321-5895. [ L B T W D ] Every Sunday, THE QUIRE: EASTERN IOWA’S GLBT CHORUS REHEARSALS, 6-8:30pm, at Zion Lutheran Church, 310 N. Johnson St., Iowa City.

Membership is open to all GLBT folks, as well as allies who support the community. There are no auditions; you only need to be willing to attend rehearsals regularly and learn your music. The Quire prepares two full concerts each year in the winter and spring, and occasionally performs shorter programs at events in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids area. The Quire is a member of Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA), and has developed a reputation for excellence and variety in its concert programs. For more info, visit http:// www.thequire.org/. [ L G B T M W A ] Every Sunday, QUEER GUERRILLA BRUNCH, Locations around Iowa City to be announced each week. LGBTQIs & Allies gather for Sunday brunch to celebrate community and create visibility. Sign up for future brunches on Facebook at http://www. facebook.com/group.php?gid=120517046371 [ L GBTMWA] Every Sunday, RAINBOW AND ALLIED YOUTH, 8-11pm, The Center, 1300 Locust, Des Moines, IA 50309. Social group for Queer youth 25 years and under [ L G B T ]

Monday

1st 2nd Monday of the Month, IOWA PFLAG NORTH IOWA CHAPTER MEETING, 7pm, at First Presbyterian Church, 100 S. Pierce St., Mason City.

Meetings are held the First and Second Monday (alternating) of the month. For more info, call 641583-2848. [ L G B T M W A K ] 1st Monday of the Month, IOWA PFLAG QUAD CITIES CHAPTER MEETING, 6:30pm, at Eldridge United Methodist Church, 604 S. 2nd St., Eldridge.

For more info, call 563-285-4173. [ L G B T M W AK] 4th Monday of the Month, IOWA PFLAG WAUKON/NORTHEAST CHAPTER MEETING, 7pm, First Lutheran Church, 604 West Broadway Street , Decorah, IA 52101. in the Fellowship Hall at First Lutheran Church, Decorah. 604 West Broadway Street. (563) 382-2638‎ [ L G B T M W A ] Every Monday, DES MOINES GAY MEN’S CHORUS REHEARSALS, 7-9:30pm, Plymouth Congregational Church, 4126 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines, IA . For more information about singing with the Chorus, contact Rebecca Gruber at 515865-9557. The Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

[GMA]

Every Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday, HAMBURGER MARY’S WEEKLY HAPPENINGS at 222 Glenbrook Dr. SE, Cedar Rapids, off of 1st Ave. Mondays – Charity Bingo at 8pm with a special guest hostess; Tuesdays – Kid’s Night; Wednesdays – Game Night; Thursdays – Mary-oke with Nic from 9pm to 1am; Fridays – Drag Show at 9pm (all ages) and 11pm (21 and over); Saturdays – Open Mic Night followed by Drag Show at 9pm (all ages) and 11pm (21 and over). For more info, email hamburgermaryscr@mchsi.com or visit www. hamburgermaryscr.com. [ L G B T M W A K D ] Every Monday Wednesday Thursday Saturday, GLBT ONLY AA MEETINGS IN DES MOINES, 6pm - SAT 5pm, at 945 19th St. (east side of building, south door). [ L G B T M W A ]

Tuesday

2nd Tuesday of the Month, IOWA PFLAG AMES CHAPTER MEETING, 7pm, Youth and Shelter Services Offices, 420 Kellogg Ave., 1st Floor, Ames, IA 50010. Meets in the Paul Room of Youth and Shelter Services at 420 Kellogg Avenue, Ames. For more info, call 515-291-3607. [ L G B T M W A K ] 2nd Tuesday of the Month, GLRC OF CEDAR RAPIDS BOARD MEETING, 6:30-8pm, Cedar Rapids, IA . at 6300 Rockwell Dr, Cedar Rapids.

Meetings are open to the general public. For more info, call 319-366-2055 or visit: http://www.crglrc. org/. [ L G B T M W A ] 2nd Tuesday of the Month, SPIRITUAL SEEKERS, 7-8:30pm, Iowa City, IA . at Trinity Episcopal Church, 320 E. College St, Iowa City. Spiritual Seekers is a group for people of all faiths, or of little faith, who wish to make deeper connections between their sexual identities and the spiritual dimension in their lives. Meetings include discussion of specialized topics, telling of pieces of our faith journeys, and occasional prayer and meditation. (On the 4th Tuesday of each month, the group gathers at a local restaurant for food and fellowship.) For more info, contact Tom Stevenson: tbstevenson@mchsi.com or 319.354.1784. [ L G B T M W A ] Every Tuesday, OUT (OUR UNITED TRUTH): A GLBT SUPPORT GROUP, 7-8:30pm, Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist, 600 3rd Avenue Southeast, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401. For more info, call 563-359-0816. [ L G B T M W A ] Every Tuesday, ACE INCLUSIVE BALLROOM, 7-8:30pm, Old Brick, 26 East Market Street, Iowa City, IA 52245. All skill levels are welcome. American social dance, Latin, a mix of dance from the last 100 years. For more info, contact Mark McCusker at iowadancefest@gmail.com, 319-621-8530 or Nora Garda at 319-400-4695, or visit http://iowadancefest.blogspot.com/. [ L G B T M W A ] Every Tuesday, ARGENTINE TANGO, 7:30-9:30pm, Iowacity/Johnson Co Senior Center, 28 South Linn Street, Iowa City, IA 52240. Practice and open dance. A donation of $1-2 per person is requested for use of the Senior Center. For more info, contact Karen Jackson at 319-447-1445 or email kljedgewood@msn.com. [ L G B T M W A ] Every Tuesday, KARAOKE IDOL, 9pm, Studio 13, 13 South Linn Street, Iowa City, IA 52240.

Drink specials and great competition! Visit www. sthirteen.com. [ L G B T M W A ] Every Tuesday, ACE HAS FACE THE MUSIC & DANCE, 7-9pm, 26 E Market St, Iowa City, IA 52245.

All skill levels are welcome. Tango, Waltz, Disco, Country, American social dance, Latin, a mix from the last 100 years. Join on Facebook at http://www. facebook.com/group.php?gid=372454708295. For more info, contact ACE experiment at 319-8538223. [ L G B T M W A ] First and Third Tuesday, YOUTH FOR EQUALITY, 4-6pm, The CENTER, 1300 W Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309. A service and action group for youth who identify as LGBTQI and their allies.

Open to all students in grades 5 through 12. [ L G BTMWA]

Wednesday

1st Wednesday of the Month, CEDAR RAPIDS CHARTER CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN BUSINESS WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION, For more info, visit charter-chapter.tripod.com. [ L W ]

TTEVENTS continued page 28

Jason Mraz. Photo: Justin Ruhl

SScontinued from page 13

HE’S OURS I have not been to a gay wedding, no. My friend, (recording artist) Abby Schwartz, is engaged. She’s the one that actually got me into the LGBT center in San Deigo, which really kind of led me to the whole fight. So she’s engaged, and hopefully I get an invite to her wedding.

What song of yours would make a good gay wedding song?

I’ve written a few for this next record that I hope are good wedding songs. I mean, I’ve heard people use “I’m Yours” and “Lucky” for their wedding, but I’ve written one called—fuck, I don’t even know what it’s called—but I’m calling it “This is What Our Lives Look Like” or “This is What Our Love Looks Like,” and it’s just getting present with the person standing in front of you. It’s basically wedding vows.

On tour you change up your set-lists for each show. Is that because you get bored playing the same show night after night?

Yeah, a little bit. And I feel like we have a lot of material, and it’s going to be tricky to sneak it in without boring everybody. I’m changing up my band, I’m changing up the feel a little bit, but it’s not going to be a stretch.

It’s just going to be tight and exciting, and it’s still going to be a show about community and participation. And it’s never planned, so the current events and the current weather conditions and the room and the energy of the audience all weigh in to how great the show will be.

You test the new songs on the road, right?

Yeah, I’ve been in the studio for quite a bit this year, so now—before I put the final touches on the album—I want to get on the road and see how these songs feel, because they’ll change so much as soon as you get onstage.

You’re hitting all sorts of venues. What differences do you notice in the crowd and vibe between different rooms?

You could play the same room every night and always have a different vibe, different crowd. It’s really about the day: Was there traffic coming in? Was there traffic on the way to work this morning? Everybody comes in with some kind of energy, so I’m no longer attached to the room. I make the best of every situation.

My friend claims that there’s more pot depending on where you perform.

Oh yeah, that’s true. Festivals, obviously.

With theaters you’re less likely to get away with pulling out an apparatus … and getting it done.

Some pretty risqué photos of you are floating around online—some in which a guitar is the only thing covering your bits and one of you in your underwear. Are you an exhibitionist?

I’m growing more into my exhibitionism. Where I live at home is more like a compound, and so my significant other, she’s always getting an exhibit. We frolic around naked. And then she and I both went to Burning Man, an exhibitionist’s dream that’s kind of off the radar in the desert, and so that’s nothing but sheer exhibitionism.

But you know, I’m growing more into it as I’m growing as a young man. I’m still a well-mannered kid—and I’m worried that my mom is looking at everything!

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OCTOBER 2010

Hear Me Out by Chris Azzopardi Katy Perry, Teenage Dream

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As if Christina Aguilera and Ke$ha didn’t already send pop music to its deathbed this year, Katy Perry comes close to finishing it off. The Bible-girl-gone-bad runs wild on the emotionally scrambled hit-factory Teenage Dream—not kissing girls (and liking it), but waking up in a post-party haze, reliving her horny adolescence and shrugging off scandalous pics of her online. And then, to add more cotton candy to her song catalog, there’s the frothy first single “California Gurls,” where life is peachy, there are popsicle-melting peeps… and Snoop Dogg. The title track lives in paradise, too—a celebration of youth and finding love, themes that bobble along a current of cosmic rev and a guitar line that sounds faintly like it belongs to “Since U Been Gone.” “Let’s go all the way tonight,” she hoots.

And when she follows it up with the trashy,

oh-so-clever “Peacock,” her subtly challenged ode to you-know-what that’s so ‘80s it wears a leotard, she’s obviously not bluffing. Perry, who began criminally overtaking the charts with mind-hijacking hits off 2008’s One of the Boys, is still the McDonald’s of pop music: an irresistible no-no that quenches hook-hungry heads, especially with the ‘90s-sounding soap opera “The One that Got Away.” The pop tart’s a decent writer, a decent singer and a perfect sexpot. And she knows exactly what she’s doing—living deep in our own dirty dreams.

Grade: C+

Sara Bareilles, Kaleidoscope Heart

That big voice, which blew up because of a certain “Love Song,” commands throughout her follow-up, one that’s poised for lots of play on the CW with its jaunty coffeehouse pop. Her good-vibes sound—for instance, “Uncharted,” a sugary high that’s pure power anthem—feels good even when she’s not.

On “Gonna Get Over You” Bareilles bebops through heartbreak, and she makes “King of Anything,” a killer kiss-off, seem as inviting as a prettily packaged bazooka. But this album isn’t some “Love Song” molding machine; Bareilles’ voice reaches into her, well, kaleidoscope heart to pull out all the colors of her voice—the most gorgeous of which shines through “The Light,” a simple, cushy ballad.

The delicate “Bluebird,” with its careful breaks and floating piano, achieves the same greatness. “Machine Gun” begins deceivingly, another acerbic rant that bounces into a blaze of instrumental fury and a vocal that reaches past the sky. And it’s Bareilles’ voice that, even when she’s sometimes off her game lyrically, makes this Heart beat.

Grade: B+

Also Out

If we learned anything from Sara Bareilles’ Little Voice, her impression-making major label debut, it was that she was lying: Nothing about her sweet, soulful croon is tiny.

The Weepies, Be My Thrill Like She & Him, the Weepies’ whimsical indie folk-pop—also performed by a genderopposite duo—is as cute as it is emotionally charged. The title track is a perky piece of genius, and even boasts lesbian love in its video. Dig deeper, past ditties like “I Was Made for Sunny Days,” and there’s melan-

choly longing, as heard on the clever tearjerker “Not a Lullaby.” A thrill, for sure.

Megan McCormick, Honest Words Off to a good start with a line of songs that drill and bite, the 23-year-old’s debut coasts with raw, bluesy rockers and a muscular beyond-her-years voice. “Do Right,” a pop-country cut, especially sounds like a hit looking for a home. But when the charged opening tuckers out, she falls back on tedious folkie balladry that’s authentic and endearing, but monotonous and sagging.

Ryan Star, 11:59 Reality show-birthed rockers often feel like extensions of each other—Chris Daughtry sounds like David Cook sounds like Ryan Star. CBS’s Rock Star: Supernova offspring, though, likes to play up the pop sensibility more than either Idol contestant, turning songs into aural avalanches. But, if Star wants to be one, it’ll take more than some bait and a big voice.

Reach Chris Azzopardi by email at chris@pridesource.com.

“Wow, looks like my play date with Elmo has been cut short! If you still wanna play see it at www.katyperry.com Tag you’re it, Elmo! “ — A September 23 tweet from Katy Perry after Sesame Street nixed her “Hot & Cold” Elmo video due to parents’ complaints about her low-cut costume.

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OCTOBER 2010

Dancing Queen

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Robyn talks queer club culture, gay fans and her music trilogy

By Chris Azzopardi - Photos: Rankin.

Of all the dance queens claiming the fame, Robyn’s our best queer-kept secret.

But the Swedish stunner wasn’t always this exclusive—in the ‘90s, the world did exactly what her teen-pop megahit “Show Me Love” told it to.

Ever since, the 31-year-old dark horse has rebuilt her career on crying-in-the-corner Eurodisco club anthems—following “With Every Heartbeat,” 2007’s comeback heartbreaker, with this year’s liberating triumph “Dancing on My Own”—and evolved into a boundary-pushing purveyor of swaggering, post-modern electronica.

Robyn’s music, some of the best pop in recent years, speaks to the feet—and the heart. No wonder she calls her CD series _Body Talk_, a trilogy rolling out this year on

her label, Konichiwa Records. After touring the U.S. to support the first edition, Robyn rang us to chat about ‘80s club culture inspiring her music, feeling close to the gay community and her “nerdy self.”

How was touring the U.S.?

I had such a good time on tour in America. I loved being there, performing.

It’s really not just something I’m saying. It’s actually been a real pleasure to do this last tour. Such a warm crowd at every show. Just fantastic.

There seems to be a really strong emotional connection between you and your fans. When you were growing up and listening to music back in the ‘80s, did you look for that connection with other artists?

I don’t know if I was aware of it, but that’s what I connected to in people like Prince or Kate Bush. I was listening to a lot of really commercial pop music as well, like Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson and Madonna.

But my parents had a theater group, and I was always around people discussing performance and communication with an audience. That really shaped how I look at what I do—even though I do something very different from my parents.

I was lucky that I had that. When I got into the industry, I was really young and like all 16 year olds you don’t really know what you want to do. Getting to where I am was a really natural thing. For people on the outside,

it was a more drastic kind of change. But for me it was always there. It’s just that I was making my way toward it in an industry that’s not very open to change.

The same subjects pop up in your songs—being on the outside, not being understood and, of course, heartbreak.

Why are you stuck on these sad themes?

Because that’s how life is. I mean, isn’t that how we all feel? Those are the things that everybody—or a lot of people, at least—think about. That’s what pop music is supposed to be doing—talking about those everlasting issues, like love, being on the outside ... and feeling like you want to dance.

Do you think that’s why your gay fans connect with you so much?

That’s what always defined gay culture, and that’s what defines a lot of cultures. But gay culture has always defined itself from that perspective, and also from the perspective of, like, making the space that is yours— creating that space where you can be what you want to be.

Naturally, being gay puts all those questions in front of you in a different way than they do for other people. Anyone who’s different, anyone who feels like that—no matter who you are—it makes you question what society is and what it makes you feel, so I always connected with the gay audience. Ever since “Show Me Love” I was always aware of my gay audience and I always felt like I could connect back.

You got a fantastic tweet from someone recently who wrote, “I wonder if Robyn realizes how many fags around the world are in love with her?”

Of course I do! I mean, that’s obvious to me. I’ve consciously decided to show my appreciation as well because I always loved the music that was connected to gay culture.

How does gay club culture play into the next two Body Talk albums?

It’s there all the time, not only with Body Talk. But on this album I’ve consciously chosen to explore that world sound-wise, and I’ve listened to a lot of old house and techno—everything from Sylvester to Donna Summer. Even the dirtier stuff—things that are more raw—talk to me. ABBA and Erasure, the bittersweet kind of songwriting that’s present in that world, have been important to me as well.

How will the rest of Body Talk compare to the first disc?

To me, they’re one album, and I just

decided to release it in three parts because I felt like I needed to change my way of working—figure out a way where I could be more fluid and more intuitive and, I guess, spontaneous.

Also, everyone knows how music is changing. People go out on the Internet and they find what they want and what they’re into, and I think as an artist, you look stupid if you don’t recognize that, you know? For me, that was obvious, and it was logical to assess that. And I don’t think it’s a new idea; people have been doing this in a lot of different ways for a long time. Look back 20 or 30 years—like with Thriller, it was nine songs. Even before that, people were releasing one album a year and they weren’t so long. You had a more direct relationship to the music.

Why did you turn the video for the first single off Body Talk Pt. 2, “Hang with Me,” into a touring travelogue?

Touring has been a really important part of this record. I wanted to make this album through touring, because I think it’s necessary. And in the environment that we’re in at the moment, where things are changing and there’s a lot of really tough and hard attitudes in the visuals in pop music, I wanted to show the emotional side of what I do and connect to the audience in a way that feels real to me.

I also feel like it fits the song—it’s a very sweet song, and I didn’t really know how to perform the song in a way that would still give it the kind of depth and sincerity that it has.

Yeah, the video’s very intimate.

Good! That’s what I wanted.

There’s been debate about the gender you’re referring to in the chorus of “Dancing on My Own,” which would change the whole perspective of the song.

Is it a guy or girl?

Yeah, I know! I guess it’s my Swedish accent, but I am saying, “I’m not the girl you’re taking home.” To me, it doesn’t matter—however you want to read into it, that’s fine.

Several of your songs involve robots.

Why the obsession with them?

They’re funny. They’re like more simple versions of humans. It just helps me to put my finger on what it is that I want to get through. I guess it’s like a metaphor for the human condition.

I’m a sci-fi nerd—I was super into Battlestar Galactica; I know it’s tacky!—so it’s just fun to me. And yeah, I’ve been doing it for a while, so for me it’s not about trying to be trendy. It’s more about my own nerdy self.

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OCTOBER 2010

The Gay Wedding Planner: Keeping What We’ve Got by Beau Fodor

Fred Joseph Namovich, and Gordon Thomas Studebaker (pictured) met in 1970 and have been together ever since.

Their nuptials, in Dubuque early this past summer on June 11th, were to celebrate and cherish, before God, and mankind, that 40-year relationship.

This 40-year, same-sex, common-law marriage comes with stories of homophobia, hate crimes, personal shame, fear, and loathing in Wisconsin. I am humbled to share in their (finally) wedded bliss. The reception was hosted by Linda and Jim Burch—lifetime friends of the couple— who were simply overjoyed, as well, and who put Martha Stewart to shame in the hospitality department!

Another couple who are about to celebrate the first year anniversary of their legal marriage in our great state— Gary Swenson and Dean Genth of Mason City—have a similar story of a lifetime of secrecy and shame. Until now, that is...

What matters most here is that both of these couples, having spent a lifetime together, and now have become activists and mentors to our community, are living happily-ever-after.

(On a side note, I personally need to thank both Gary and Dean for their generous and continued support of the new LGBT CENTER in our Capitol City of Des Moines, Iowa. The CENTER would not be where it is finally at, without these

two men supporting its work.)

I’ve wondered over this past 18 months how much life has changed for these and all the newly married couples from Florida to Idaho.

One basic response has been they have become advocates and (loud) voices of the movement. And also “that nothing much has changed for us personally, except we are much more proud of and supportive of LGBT causes”. But the “dailies”—or day-to-day living—hasn’t changed at all.

That being said, as Iowa’s Gay Wedding Planner and now host of a docu-reality show on the subject, what I am most excited about is the statistics for Iowa’s economy. The dozen-or-so millions of dollars of income that has come into our state now due to destination wedding couples alone is FABULOUS! The Williams Institute at UCLA Law School projects 45 MILLION DOLLARS to come in these next two years of Gay Weddings in Iowa.

As a gay man who NEVER saw this coming (but had dreamed about it since I was a Boy Scout and then a Corpsman in the U.S.Navy), I have to say I’m humbled by these four men (along with ALL of the couples who marry) and am thankful for them enduring the unjust and hate-filled lifetimes, to overcome and persevere.

These couples were visionaries, whose bold challenges of the status quo now afford all Iowans, and soon ALL Americans, this privilege they are experiencing.

In closing, and aside from the sweet-

Beau Fodor is an Iowa wedding planner who focuses specifically on weddings for the LGBT community. He is also the host of the new docu-reality show “BRIDES & GROOMS”, which is co-produced

by Pilgrim Films and Coolfire Media, and will be premiering this winter on cable television. Beau can be reached through iowasgayweddingplanner.com or gayweddingswithpanache.com.

ness and light I try to present as Iowa’s Gay Wedding Planner, well, I just also NEED to say: This is not the time to become complacent. Our hard-fought-for rights are at stake, as well as our lives and livelihoods. Our community needs to AGAIN get off the bar stools, and off of Manhunt, and off the comfy sofas in our living rooms, and FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS, like we’ve never fought before!

I believe that every person in this world has the right to profess the beliefs they have and I am in agreement. We have to respect what each human being decides to do with their lives, no? Clearly, there are limitations, of course, also, as there also are with heterosexual couples, no? Better said, there are limitations for any of the two—if they are heterosexual or homosexual—but I believe we have to learn to be respectful because they are people who are the same as us. There is no difference. And I don't believe it's just to discriminate somebody based on the gender they prefer, no? Based on the partner they choose to select, if it's a man or a woman. The truth is that I am absolutely against discrimination and, well, what can I say. I have many friends who are homosexual and I adore them. And they are equal folk: There is no reason we should want to set them aside, there is no reason why we shouldn't let them enjoy what they want to enjoy with their partner.

— Jimena Navarrete, Miss Universe 2010, August 31, 2010, in an interview with Salvador Camarena of W Radio, Mexico.

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Cocktail Chatter by Ed Sikov How’d Ya Like a Nice Planter’s Punch?

“That’s the thing about Planter’s Punch,” Sal shouted over the din at BarHarbor one Friday evening as a crowd of guys holding sweaty dress shirts over their arms, not-sofresh from the city, yelled remarks at each other while getting smashed on overpriced drinks. “What’s the thing?” I screamed back.

Sal only seemed to mouth his reply; I couldn’t hear a word of it. Sal’s boyfriend, Shea, broke in: “Fact is, this drink was served by Cuban slave owners but made by slaves from rum distilled by slaves and fruit grown by slaves.

Bottoms up!” (“Where?” the wag next to us cried.)

Sal and Shea are once-a-month housemates. Shea is a successful and very handsome 32-year-old actor; he’s always in something, from Broadway to off-off-off. Sal, whose last name is Amminio—his parents were either clueless or just plain mean— comes from South Philadelphia via Harvard Law, and is 50. Dismissing a lucrative career in corporate law in favor of various lowpaying legal gigs for the LGBT community, Sal had little savings. He’d also learned from the bitter 25-year experience of working with and for PIGs (Phenomenally Idiotic Gays) to detest much of our community. I teased him relentlessly about his name and spent that weekend obscurely singing, “Who killed Teddy Bear? Does anybody care?”

BarHarbor’s Planter’s Punch was obviously made in vats meant for storing crude oil. Heavy on cheap juice and full of ice, it still cost $12 a pop. By the time the bar boy, who looked like a sixth-grader with very grownup armpit hair, worked his way through the pheromone-high crowd, the punch was basically flavored ice water.

“I ‘an do be’er than this!” I slurred over the requisite playing of Cher’s “Believe.” “Duh yoo buh-leeof…” Shea sang out in perfect imitation. “We can, darling,” Sal hollered back. And with that we headed home for dinner.

The conversation over grilled salmon and store-bought potato salad became heated. Sal and I held equally rigid but opposing positions on the subject of Planter’s Punch. Saturday’s beach time consisted of more squabbling interrupted by comments about the Speedo-clad boy parade at the water’s edge. The words “rum,” “juice,” and “you’re such an a--hole” formed the founda-

tion of our debate. We finally agreed to use Quaker principles: we had to reach consensus on every ingredient and proportion.

Well, we followed the rules but didn’t act very Quakerly. There was far too much tasting and giggling, and Sal and I were already flying high by the time Dan and Sean came downstairs. Sal spent the whole dinner laughing wildly at anything anyone said, while I (I am told) simply passed out at the table. Sal says everybody loved the punch, but I can’t remember the evening at all.

Planter’s Punch

This recipe makes enough for six drinks • 1-cup dark rum (I prefer Havana Club Rum) • ½-cup orange juice ½-cup pineapple juice ¼-cup unsweetened lime juice • ¼-cup Orange Curacao (Sal’s idea) • ¼-cup brandy (my idea; I like Azteca de Oro) Pour all ingredients into a pitcher. Let it blend and chill for a few hours. Then serve over a limited amount of ice.

(Note: Some people add grenadine; we say “yuck!” Some people stick foofy little fruit slices on the edge of the glass—slivers of orange or lime. We say, “Who wants a piece of orange going up a nostril?” I, for one, don’t like anyone or anything getting between me and my drinks.)

Drag Not a Drag with Brass Monkeys

The Labor Day drag party in Fire Island Pines is either a hilarious gender circus or a reason to blow some queen’s brains out.

Drag is fabulous. It’s the sweating, stinking, drunken guys in wigs who brazenly stick their tongues in your ears that’s either a kick or a nightmare.

It’s a party for Pines boys who’ve discovered the glamour girl within. I wasn’t about to reveal mine in public. I’d make an incredibly ugly Nancy Sinatra. (I’d call to mind a blonde Cynthia Ozick in white leather boots.) Dan wouldn’t do it, either. He’d just look like Dan in a dress. But our housemates all brought suitcases stuffed with secrets; nobody named their inner woman until the big reveal.

Jack Fogg came downstairs first. Sammy had put him up to doing it. Jack was clearly

miserable—he was wearing a burqa. (His eyes said it all.) Sammy followed in a luxurious purple sari and a bhindi on her forehead.

“So what drink are you sending us off with, dude?” Sammy asked. “Miss JackieAnne Taliban here needs a drink.” JackieAnne was fussing with her crotch.

“There’s a pitcher of Brass Monkeys in the fridge,” I said.

“What’s a Brass Monkey?” Ms. Taliban asked through the slit in her headpiece.

“Rum, vodka and orange juice. The color resembles buffed old brass.”

“Make mine a double,” the Islamic fundamentalist begged her Hindu girlfriend.

Frankie and Ian then made their entrance. I’d expected more, but all they did was put on long blonde wigs and matching white tennis outfits. Ian immediately sensed my disappointment.

“Don’t you know who we are?” he asked in disbelief. I shook my head no.

“We’re the Doublemint Twins,” they sang out in unison.

“Brava, divas!” Dan said, applauding.

“It’s delicious and really strong!” The non sequitur came out of the burqa’s mouth slit. Sari Sammy agreed. “Seriously, dude!” she said. “I’ll be on my ass before we get to the party.”

Then Sal and Sean came down, reminiscent of grizzled, gray Old Year and adorable Baby New Year. Sal went for distinctly middle-aged laughs: he was “Edie Gourmet.”

With his face framed by Edie’s signature

hairdo, Sal actually looked like her in a most disturbing way. Of course this Edie was carrying a copy of M. F. K. Fisher’s The Art of Eating and had a can of duck confit serving as a hat. Being brilliant himself, Sal persistently overestimates the average gay man’s wit. My unspoken prediction: nobody at the party would get the joke. I was right.

It was Sean who stole the show, not only at our place but at the party, too. With his actor’s makeup skills, a copper-colored wig and naturally voluptuous body, he was an eerily perfect Beyonce. When he grabbed the burqa woman by the waist, yanked her close and began singing “We’re your dream girls” in precisely the voice of Ms. Knowles, it was way too much, and I shot some of my Brass Monkey out my nose.

The Brass Monkey

• 1 part dark rum • 1 part Absolut • 2 parts orange juice 1. Pour the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice, and shake it just enough to chill it.

2. Pour the contents into the pre-chilled glass of your choice. This drink shouldn’t be served on the rocks.

(Note: the original (some might call it real) recipe contains much more OJ. It’s boring. My version is a lot more fun.)

Ed Sikov is the author of Dark Victory: The Life of Bette Davis and other books about films and filmmakers.

the fun guide Jeffrey Dean “EXIGENCY Exhibition” Opening Reception, Oct. 23 in Johnston, IA ACCESSline Page 24

Dean was born in 1952 in Waterloo, IA, received his B.S. degree in Psychology from St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN, and currently resides in La Porte City, Iowa.

Selected paintings from the artist’s Exigency collection are on display now, with newer works available for viewing only on October 23rd at Frame Works.

Art Opening and Artist Reception Art Exhibition and Opening Reception When: Saturday, October 23, 2010 5:00pm to 7:00pm Where: FRAME WORKS 5800 Merle Hay Road Johnston, Iowa 50131 Contact: Tom Perrine, Frame Works 515-270-9142 www.frameworks1.com tom@frameworks1.com Frame Works, in collaboration with Iowa artist Jeffrey Dean is pleased to announce the EXIGENCY Exhibition. The exhibition will open at Frame Works, 5800 Merle Hay Road, Johnston, Iowa on Saturday, October 23, 2010. Please join us for the opening reception 5:00pm to 7:00pm and meet the artist Jeffrey Dean.

The Artist As one of “Iowa’s own,” Dean showed promise as an artist early in life, but pursued other careers in teaching and organizational development until January of 2007. Since then, however, this late blooming artist has been making-up for lost time, developing a level of mastery in acrylic painting that takes others a lifetime to achieve.

The artist’s growing collection of portrait paintings—called “Exigency”— engage with psychological themes of vulnerability, alienation, and detachment, but also appeal with reflections of universal, human, emotional experience.

“As a body of work,” Dean says, “I hope to tell the story of ‘victory over defeat’—not just the story of one man—but a story that everyone can relate to.”

EXIGENCY: The Exhibition The Exigency Exhibition is a collection of works meant to visually relate a story—one of victory over defeat… While the ‘storyline’ involves one man, more than one model is used to represent the story’s relevance to every man…

Even though it is decidedly a story involving uniquely male experiences, the story should have meaning for everyone if only because of the common, human emotions represented on canvas.

Frame Works Frame Works is a locally owned custom frame shop located in the Village Square - 5800 Merle Hay Road in Johnston Iowa.

Frame Works was opened in 2004. Tom Perrine bought the frame shop August 15, 2008. Tom continues to offer one of the finest selections of framing supplies in the area, represented by Larson - Juhl, TC Moulding and Nurre Caxton frames. Frame Works carries over 700 frame styles to select from. Tom has added a line of unique sculptures from Global Views, Hawkeye and Cyclone posters, art work from local artists and hosts art shows in the gallary space.

Frame Works also offers photo restoration services as well as unique ways to turn your photos into canvas prints, in a variety of art styles - such as pastel, oil painting, watercolors or into “pop art” prints.

Tom’s background is varied, having worked as a Visual Merchandiser, Television Studio Dresser/Manager, Director of a Comedy Improv Troupe, Director of a Teen Theatre Troupe and has worn many hats in the local community theatre scene - costume designer, make-up designer, set designer and as director for many theatrical productions. Tom is also a member of the local stagehand union, working backstage for many of the touring shows that visit the Civic Center and Wells Fargo Arena. Before purchasing Frame Works, Tom had worked for over 9 years for Passageway, non-profit helping adults with mental illness. Tom was awarded a Heroes in the Fight Award from Eli Lilly in 2008.

“Today was an enormous DISAPPOINTMENT, for myself, and for many young American people. Not only because Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was not repealed by our Senators, but moreover because LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE is being abused to stop public business, public debates, from happening while America is watching. There was a debate today, we just didn’t get to watch it. Instead, it has been customary now for antiquated procedures and partisan politics to take precedence over debate, America’s needs, and today, sadly, over the needs of US troops. I will keep fighting, I will not give up. I am passionate about the rights of the LGBT Community and SLDN [Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, SLDN.org] and I will continue to activate as many young people as I can, and encourage them to get politically involved in their future.”

— Lady Gaga, in a message on her website, www.LadyGaga.com, September 21, 2010.

OCTOBER 2010

QC Pride Sports 2010 Kickball Tournament Day: Time: Location:

Saturday, October 16 12:00pm - 4:00pm Junge, 301 West 35th Street, Davenport, IA

It’s our first Kickball tourny and boy are we ready! Google the address for directions. We have two fields at Junge so it will be a jam packed day of play! $7 per person, minimum eight on a team, maximum 10. Come solo or join a team. BYOB… and yes, this is approved by the city rec deptartment. There’s an on-site bathroom, a vending company will be serving food, and the QC’s own Zack Thomas will be guest DJ, throwing out great music all day. The winning team will be crowned with kickball champ t-shirts!!!!

Come join the madness!

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HOLLYWOOD

Baron Cohen to play killer Queen Mercury Borat proved that Sacha Baron Cohen could grow a killer mustache; Brüno showed us he was comfortable with on-screen flamboyant gay excess; and Sweeney Todd revealed that he could sing.

So now Baron Cohen is putting all three of those things together to play Freddie Mercury, the legendary lead singer of Queen, in what promises to be a memorable biopic. Mercuryís own story is a fascinating oneóborn of Parsi Iranians and raised in Zanzibar and India, he became one of the worldís leading rock vocalists; when Mercury became HIV-positive, he kept it a secret from the media, despite being visibly worn down by AIDS complications. Only 24 hours before his death in 1991 did Mercury go public about his condition. The film, which will be written by Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon), will focus on Queenís preparations for Live Aid in 1985. Shooting starts next year, which should give Cohen time to work on his high notes.

Pushing Daisies creator brings Pinocchio back to life

In recent years, no one has done darkly magical whimsy like Bryan Fuller, the gay TV creator behind the cult series Wonderfalls (inanimate objects give important advice to cynical slacker) and Pushing Daisies (piemaker can reanimate the dead, but only for a minute). While neither show got the viewership it deserved, they both captured Fullerís bizarre sense of the otherworldly, which contrasts with a wonderfully weird candy-colored visual sense. All of which is to say that Romeo is very excited to see what Fuller does with a live-action version of Pinocchio, which heís currently writing for gay producer Dan Jinks (American Beauty). Unlike the creepy man-child vibe that Roberto Benigni

Sacha Baron Cohen as Brüno.

Photo: Universal Pictures.

(remember him?) brought to his recent take on the Carlo Collodi tale, Fullerís version promises to be both dark and eye-popping, and sweet without being sappy. Look for the puppet boy to come clomping into theaters in 2012.

Cher, starring someone else as Cher

Andy Fickman, gay director of the new comedy You Again, isn’t waiting around for his next job. He’s hard at work on a theatrical piece based on the life and career of Oscar-winning actress and pop-music icon Cher. Now, stop for a minute and think about what that’s going to mean. All those songs. All those costumes. All those wigs, headdresses and chainmail. All that career drama, Sonny drama, Gregg Allman drama. All that roller disco. And don’t forget Chastity/Chaz. It practically writes itself. But who, WHO, will they find to even come close to approximating the one-of-akindness that Cherilyn Sarkisian, the single most powerful Armenian woman in the world, has brought to the last four decades of entertainment? It’s going to be a tall order. But there has to be a singing, dancing actress out there with the impersonation skills necessary to pull it off. Right? This can only get more interesting as it develops.

Romeo San Vicente used to watch the “If I Could Turn Back Time” video just for all the sailors on the ship. He can be reached care of this publication or at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com.

OCTOBER 2010

the fun guide

ACCESSline Page 25

Out of Town: Atlanta’s Hippest Neighborhoods by Andrew Collins The cultural and commercial capital of the Southeast, Atlanta (www.atlanta.net) has rapidly become one of the nation’s true A-list gay destinations, with its hugely visible and dynamic LGBT scene and a wealth of accommodations, nightspots, restaurants and shops with strong ties to the community.

Atlanta’s considerable sprawl and sometimes dizzyingly intense traffic can feel a little overwhelming at times, but if you venture away from the freeways and beyond the skyscrapers of downtown, you’ll discover a number of engaging, vibrant neighborhoods rife with gay-popular bars, restaurants, inns and boutiques.

Here’s a look at some of the best Atlanta areas for exploring.

Inman Park and Little Five Points - 2.5 miles east of downtown Inman Park (inmanpark.org), which is considered to have been Atlanta’s first suburb, had become run-down and derelict before gay and African-American gentrification took hold in the early ‘80s, leading to the restoration of many of its elaborate Victorian houses. The mix of interesting architecture extends south to neighborhoods like Cabbagetown and Grant Park (grantpark.org), and the cool, eclectic shopping and dining pushes east into Little Five Points (littlefivepoints.net).

Highlights for hanging out and eating well in Inman Park include Shaun’s (shaunsrestaurant.com), a chic contemporary eatery known for stellar regional American cooking; and Wisteria (wisteria-atlanta.com), which presents a creative take on classic Southern fare— the fried chicken with bacon-braised collard green is among the best in the city. In the more dressed-down Little Five Points—where piercings and tattoos have been in style for years—check out famed emporia like kitschy Junkman’s Daughter and Psycho Sisters vintage clothing, before snacking on hefty burritos at El Myr (elmyr.com) or a spicy Cajun pie at Savage Pizza (savagepizza.com).

East Atlanta Village - 3 miles southeast of downtown One of the most diverse and independent-spirited enclaves in the city, East Atlanta Village (eastatlantavillage. net) is a great area for walking, with a number of decidedly offbeat, arty and affordable businesses and restaurants set along two main streets: Greenwood Avenue and Flat Shoals Avenue. Highlights include a pair of gay bars, the fun-loving and quirky lounge Mary’s (marysatlanta. com), and the friendly lesbian bar My Sisters Room (mysistersroom.com), which relocated here from Decatur, Georgia a few years ago. Stop by Joe’s Coffee (eastatlantavillage.net/joes_coffee.phtml) for strong java and a chance to mingle with a cross-section of neighborhood locals.

Virginia-Highland - 2 miles east of downtown Just beyond Piedmont Park and the heart of Midtown’s well-established gay scene, and with arguably the city’s best all-around window-shopping, VirginiaHighland (virginiahighland.com) has been

a fashionable place to live and explore since the neighborhood was developed roughly a century ago.

Rather than possessing one definitive center, VirginiaHighland comprises several small but lively commercial hubs. At Amsterdam Walk you’ll find lively gay nightspots like Amsterdam sports bar (mysp.ac/cCck4D) and Bellissima lesbian lounge (mysp.ac/a8BS5G). Drive south along Highland Avenue through Morningside, and past the intersections of Amsterdam, Virginia, and Ponce de Leon and you’ll discover many more cool places to dine, drink, and shop.

The old-school Majestic Diner (majesticdiner.com), whose neon sign proudly proclaims “food that pleases - since 1929”, can be counted on for late-night pancakes after the bars close— it’s a short drive from several gay clubs.

hood is known as the Westside Arts District (wadatlanta.org), and its culinary stars include Bacchnalia and its adjacent lunch room and gourmetfood shop Star Provisions (starprovisions.com), the seeand-be-seen contemporary American restaurant Bocado (bocadoatlanta.com), and the colorful coffeehouse Octane (octanecoffee.com).

Castleberry Hill - 1 mile west of downtown Rapidly up-andcoming Castleberry Hill (castleberryhill.org) comprises a patch of handsome warehouses and industrial buildings that have been collectively rehabbed into a notable arts district. Along bustling Walker and Peter streets, you’ll find several provocative galleries.

You might begin your explorations with lunch at the superb (and gay-owned) No Mas Cantina (nomascantina.com), Midtown - 3 miles north of a festive Mexican restaurant downtown that serves tantalizingly good Star Provisions is one several trendy restaurants that have led With its central location tortilla soup and fish tacos. It’s to a renaissance in Atlanta’s hip West Midtown neighborhood. just off the interstate and attached to a dramatic homePhoto by Andrew Collins. skyline of modern apartfurnishings store filled with ment, office and hotel towers, stunning, handcrafted furniMidtown may not leap out as a particularly options of note include One Midtown ture and decorative arts from Mexico. notable neighborhood for walking around. Kitchen (onemidtownkitchen.com), a Indeed, valet parking is commonplace at bustling restaurant just northeast of Pied- Decatur - 6 miles northeast of Atlanta Midtown’s many fine eateries. But this is mont Park that serves some of the city’s An entirely separate city of about the heart of Atlanta’s LGBT community, and most memorable regional American fare, 20,000 that’s a 10 to 15-minute drive from it’s unquestionably trendy and fun. and Pacci (pacciatlanta.com), which is set Midtown, Decatur is far more than a mere The neighborhood has a few cultural inside the hip Hotel Palomar and turns out Atlanta neighborhood. This liberal-leaning highlights, including the High Museum sensational rustic Italian cuisine, including community with a vibrant downtown does in of Art and Margaret Mitchell House & some of the best steaks in town. some ways feel like an extension of Atlanta’s Museum. And if the weather’s cooperating, LGBT scene. It’s home to the gay and lesbian do not miss the 15-acre Atlanta Botanical Westside - 3 miles northwest of downnightclub Traxx (traxxatlanta.com) as well Garden, which adjoins leafy Piedmont Park town as the seminal mod-Southern-food restau(a favorite haunt of the city’s gay sun-worKnown variously as West Midtown rant Watershed (watershedrestaurant. shipers and outdoorsy types). Here you’ll and Home Park (homepark.org), the very com), which is owned by one-half of the find one of the world’s most important eclectic neighborhood that broadly takes Indigo Girls duo, Emily Saliers, and serves displays of tropical orchids. in Atlanta’s Westside is most interesting absolutely fantastic food. Don’t miss the Midtown contains the lion’s share of these days along Howell Mill Road, south Sunday brunch, which features creamy Atlanta’s gay bars, including such popular for several blocks from about 14th Street. chicken hash, corn griddle cakes and haunts as Burkhart’s (burkharts.com) video Large warehouses and shiny new struc- poached eggs. Cafe Lily (cafelily.com), with bar; Bulldog’s, one of the South’s LGBT tures contain condos, lofts, and a smat- its delicious pan-Mediterranean cuisine, is African-American hangouts; and Blake’s tering of galleries and restaurants, some another great option for a meal. on the Park (blakesontheparkatlanta.com), of them superb. This part of the neighborTTATLANTA continued page 28 a classic bar with a young, pretty crowd.

There’s also Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse (outwritebooks.com), the city’s highly successful source of LGBT books and literature that doubles as a cozy java joint.

Definitive gay brunch spots include festive Babs (babsmidtown.com); Einstein’s (einsteinsatlanta.com), also fun later in the evening for drinks or dinner, and the Flying Biscuit Midtown (flyingbiscuit.com), the original of which is in yet another cool part of town, Candler Park. Atlanta’s branch of the upscale chain Ra Sushi (rasushi.com) is spacious, trendy, and enjoyable both for colorful cocktails and tasty Japanese food, while Ecco (ecco-atlanta.com) is reliable for first-rate southern European cuisine, including a dazzling selection of cheeses and cured meats.

Other stylish and sophisticated dining

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the fun guide

OCTOBER 2010

Book Worm Sez by Terri Schlichenmeyer Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man

by Bill Clegg © 2010 Little, Brown $23.99 / $28.99 Can.

240 pages

It seems so benign.

Seriously, what’s the harm in a bite of chocolate? A grande latte? One more can of cola, yes to the caffeine? A bakery donut with sprinkles?

None, that’s how much. Life goes on if you partake. The world won’t come to a complete standstill if you indulge in that seductive, legal-but-forbidden treat. You know it. Everybody knows it.

We all have our addictions – some, more innocuous than others.

In the new book “Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man” by Bill Clegg, Clegg’s addiction was far from harmless. In the end, in

Across 1 Their fruits are acorns 5 Take by force 10 Sushi ingredient 14 Buck heroine 15 Where Bruce Wayne kept Dick Grayson 16 “Like ___ not” 17 Start of a straight man’s reply to a woman coming out 20 Nova follower 21 Like Marcia Brady, to her sisters 22 Hint in an Ellen Hart mystery, e.g.

24 Regarding 25 More of the reply 32 Boy played by Martin and Duncan 33 Nancy’s older son, on Weeds 34 Earthllink competitor 35 Opportunity for Glenn Burke 38 Where a trucker parks his bottom 39 Snake charmer’s pet 41 Streisand’s Funny Girl costar 43 Book about autoeroticism?

44 More of the reply 48 Vegetable soup bean 51 One of a Full House twosome 52 Some writers work on it 56 Did an encore of “Food, Glorious Food”?

57 End of the reply 59 The whole shebang 60 Be good in bed 62 WWII site where a flag was erected 64 Bit

fact, it almost killed him.

And it all started out so innocently.

Like many college students, Bill Clegg and his roommates enjoyed a good time.

They smoked a little pot, drank and serialdated women, pulled pranks, did cocaine, and got high again. Yes, it got them into trouble—they were kicked out of college— and Clegg was sometimes too wasted or hungover to function, but it was fun.

His introduction to smoking crack came from the first man he ever had morethan-fleeting sex with. A hometown lawyer, a man Clegg had known forever, invited Clegg to his apartment for a drink. They talked about the man’s kids and his wife, made out a little, then the man disappeared into the bedroom. He came back with “milkcolored crystals” and a clear glass tube.

After his first gulp of crack, Clegg says of himself, “He misses the feeling even before it’s left him and not only does he want more, he needs it.”

Q-PUZZLE: “Geographical Orientation”

65 Compensation in a lawsuit 66 CHiPs costar Erik 67 Rubbers Down 1 Package appreciation cries 2 Guinness of The Lavender Hill Mob 3 Boxing win 4 Tattletale

5 German marks 6 So, in Alan Cummings’ tongue 7 Us, to Rilke 8 Chicago director Marshall 9 Mychal Judge and Malcolm Boyd 10 In a way 11 Suffix with leather 12 George Michael’s johns

And from then on, he needed it all the time.

But that—the night of firsts—that was all before Clegg repeatedly lied to his friends and family. It was before he left his boyfriend, Noah, at an important film festival in order to fly home to get high.

It was before he slept with other men in seedy hotels, wore the same sweater to filthy tatters, and didn’t bathe for weeks.

His first hit from the clear vial was before his business partner changed the locks, and before Noah did the same on their shared apartment.

And it was before Clegg nearly died from the drug that had ruined his life.

Reading “Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man” is definitely a different kind of experience. This book makes you squirm, and you’ll want to try to get through each page as quickly as possible, not because the story is good (which it is), but because reading about what author Bill Clegg lived is hard to endure.

Starting with a major binge, then moving back and forth between childhood memories and fuzzy recollections of being high, Clegg walks a tightrope between wry humor and wrung-out horror. Early memories are written in third-person, giving them a remote feeling and adding more tenseness to this already-raw memoir.

If you relish a tough-to-read story with edge, you’ll want this one. Like any craving, “Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man” will be impossible to let go of.

13 Bapt. or Meth.

18 Leon Uris’ ___ 18 19 One kind of opera queen 23 Really big tale 24 Gaza Stripper, e.g.

25 Cruising areas 26 “$#@!&”, e.g.

27 The New York Liberty’s org.

28 Home st. of Harper Lee 29 Perfume brand 30 Traditional round dance 31 Jerusalem server 36 Aida solo 37 Carol contraction 39 Rainbow flag sticker site, often 40 Dollar bills 42 Left with mouth wide open 43 Stud of the early days of horse racing 45 Audre Lorde, to Hunter College 46 Overdraft letters 47 Abuse orally 48 Spell of forgetfulness 49 Michael Musto’s tidbits 50 Type of badge for the morally straight 53 Peter of Say Uncle 54 Male-on-male kissing target of Bugs 55 School group 57 It may put one in an awkward position 58 Home of Picasso’s Stein portrait 61 Eleanor’s beard?

63 Pres. without a first lady Buchanan • SOLUTION ON PAGE 28

OCTOBER 2010

the fun guide

ACCESSline Page 27

PHOTOGRAPHER

QUAD CITIES: MASSAGE

IOWA CITY: INSURANCE

CEDAR RAPIDS: WINE & GIFTS

FREELANCE WRITER

the fun guide

ACCESSline Page 28 SScontinued from page 14

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OUTFIELD

EVENTS

wrote on the site: “I know sooo few gay surfers. It intrigues me. Surfing is for all who appreciate this world.” He offered to help “mediate with a straight’s perspective on surfing.”

As with most Internet ventures— especially one dedicated to a sport that puts a premium on looking hot—the talk often turns to sex.

“Quite honestly, I was hoping to see as many near-naked butt shots of guys as I see of girls in most surf magazines and website,” wrote one commenter.

But, he told Thomas, “thus far, you’ve kept it classy.”

Dan Woog is a journalist, educator, soccer coach, gay activist, and author of the “Jocks” series of books on gay male athletes.

Visit his website at www.danwoog.com. He can be reached care of this publication or at OutField@qsyndicate.com.

1st Wednesday of the Month, WOMEN’S SACRED CIRCLE, 6:30-8pm, Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center, 120 E. Boyson Rd, Hiawatha, IA 52233. This group is for women who are interested in gathering for spiritual growth. The direction and activities of the group are determined by participants. $5 per session.

For more info, visit www.prairiewoods.org. [ LW] 1st Wednesday of the Month, CONNECTIONS’ RAINBOW READING GROUP, 7pm, Iowa City Public Library Meeting Room B, 123 South Linn Street, Iowa City, IA 52240. For more info, contact Todd at: faunides@yahoo.com. [ L GBTMWA] 2nd Wednesday of the Month, STONEWALL DEMOCRATS, THE GLBT CAUCUS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, 6:30-8pm, Hamburger Mary’s CR, 222 Glenbrook Dr. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403. For more info, contact Harvey Ross at linnstonewall@gmail.com or call 319-389-0093.

[LGBTMWA] 2nd Wednesday of the Month, WOMEN FOR PEACE KNITTERS, 7-9pm, Hiawatha, IA . at Prairiewoods, 120 E. Boyson Rd., Hiawatha. Knitting, crocheting, and discussion. For more info, call 319-377-3252 or go to www. womenforpeace-iowa.org. All ages and levels of needlework skills welcome. Come knit for charities. [ L W ] Every Wednesday, HOT MESS EXPRESS, 9:30pm, Des Moines Social Club, 1408 Locust St., Des Moines, IA . The hottest most messiest citizens of Des Moines providing a comedic look at the hottest most messiest current events around the world. Featuring: Paul Selberg, Rachel C. Johnson, Kelley Robinson & Tyler Reedy [LGBTA] Every Wednesday, TRANSFORMATIONS IOWA, 7-9pm, The Center, 1300 Locust, Des Moines, IA 50309. TransformationsIowa is a Transgender support group. It is open to all ranges of the gender spectrum, male to female, female to male, cross dressers, drag queens, gender queer, questioning, as well as friends, significant others and allies. [ T D ] Every Wednesday, U OF I GAY LESBIAN BISEXUAL TRANSGENDER AND ALLIES UNION MEETINGS, 7-9pm, Iowa City, IA . at the Penn State Room #337 of the Iowa Memorial Union, U. of Iowa campus, Iowa City. For more info, visit http://www.uiowa.edu/~glbtau/ or e-mail glbtau@uiowa.edu. These meetings are open to the public. [ L G B T M W A ] Second Wednesday, OUT NETWORKING, 5:30, Des Moines Social Club, 1408 Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309. A social, business, and philanthropic networking organization for anyone who is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning or supportive. The group presents year-round events focused on business, culture, community, and philanthropic subjects. [ L G BTA]

SScontinued from page 14

ATLANTA Where to Stay in Atlanta The Hotel Palomar (hotelpalomaratlantamidtown.com) was opened by the favorite LGBT-friendly brand Kimpton in 2009 and has quickly become a favorite lodging choice for the design-minded, with its contemporary, understatedly elegant rooms. Try to get one facing south on a high floor, as views of the downtown skyline are impressive. It’s an easy walk from Piedmont Park, gay nightlife and Midtown museums, as is the cushy Four Seasons (fourseasons.com), a striking, 20-story hotel with a stunning 12,000square-foot spa.

For a reasonably priced Midtown option that’s strong on personality and ambience, try the gay-popular Artmore Hotel (artmorehotel.com), which occupies a 1920s Spanish-Mediterranean-influenced building that’s just steps from the High Museum. Also well-priced and with a sleek, smart design, the whimsically decorated Hotel Indigo (hotelindigo.com) has artful rooms with Nantucket-inspired blueand-white furniture. There’s also a 24-hour gym and a dapper little coffeehouse with comfy seating off the lobby.

In a city with relatively few historic inns, the gay-owned Gaslight Inn (gaslightinn.com) in Virginia-Highland stands out for its regal accommodations.

In charming Inman Park, the King- KingKeith House B&B (kingkeith.com) occupies a dramatic 1890s “painted lady” Victorian with four period-style guest rooms plus a charming detached cottage. And just down the street from Piedmont Park and several gay bars and eateries, the ecoconscious and pet-friendly Stonehurst Place (stonehurstplace.com) is one of the city’s most romantic small inns. The five spacious suites are exquisitely decorated and contain such plush amenities as iPod docks, flat-screen TVs with DVD players, and—in the top suites—fireplaces, heated bathroom floors, and two-person walk-in showers and spa tubs.

Andrew Collins covers gay travel for the New York Times-owned website About.com and is the author of Fodor’s Gay Guide to the USA. He can be reached care of this publication or at OutofTown@qsyndicate.com.

Thursday

1st 3rd Thursday, EVENINGS FOR SPIRIT, 6:30-8:30pm, West Branch, IA . at SpiritHill Retreat, 604 Cedar Valley Road, West Branch. First, third, and fifth Thursdays of each month. Women gather at SpiritHill (or other locations) to share our spiritual experiences, visions and longings.

The evenings include time for sharing and time for silence. Laughter, tears and singing are often shared as well. No specific spiritual practice is followed. This event is always open to newcomers. For more info, call 319-643-2613, or e-mail spirit-hill@earthlink.net. Calling in advance is highly recommended to confirm the location for the specific month of interest. [ L W ] 2nd Thursday of the Month, OPEN MIC WITH MARY MCADAMS, 7-9pm, Des Moines, IA. at Ritual Café, on 13th St. between Locust and Grand, downtown Des Moines. Visit www. ritualcafe.com. For more info, e-mail mary@ marymcadams.com. [ L G B T M W A ] 2nd Thursday of the Month, IOWA PFLAG OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS CHAPTER MEETING, 7pm (6:30pm social time), Omaha, IA . at Mead Hall, First United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass St., Omaha. For more info, call 402-2916781. [ L G B T M W A K ]

3rd Thursday of the Month, OPEN MIC HOSTED BY KIMBERLI, 7-10pm, Cedar Rapids, IA . at the Blue Strawberry Coffee Company (now open after the flood), 118 2nd St. SE, Downtown Cedar Rapids. Signup at 6:30pm or by e-mailing flyingmonkeyscr@aol.com the week prior to the open mic. [ L G B T M W A ] 3rd Thursday of the Month, LGBTQI YOUTH MOVIE NIGHT AT THE CENTER, 6:30-10pm, The CENTER, 1300 Locust, Des Moines, IA . This is part of the LGBTQI youth program, anyone 24 years old and younger is welcome. Come down spend the evening with your friends and make some new ones. 515-243-0313 [ L G B T + ] 3rd Thursday of the Month, IOWA PFLAG DUBUQUE/TRI-STATE CHAPTER MEETING, 7pm, Dubuque, IA . at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1276 White St., Dubuque. For more info, call 563-582-9388. [ L G B T M W A K ] 3rd Thursday of the Month, CONNECTIONS GAME NIGHT, 7-9pm, Iowa City, IA . at Donnelly’s Pub, 110 E. College St., in downtown Iowa City.

[LGBTMWA] 4th Thursday of the Month, PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S NETWORK (PWN), For more info, visit www.pwn.org, e-mail pwn@pwn.org, or call Shelley Woods at 319-981-9887. [ L W ] 4th Thursday of the Month, THE GLBT READING GROUP, 7:30pm, Cedar Rapids, IA . Red Cross Building at 6300 Rockwell Dr. NE, Cedar Rapids. The group is open to new members; contact crglbtreadinggroup@yahoo.com for further info. [ L G B T M W A ] Every Thursday and Friday, SHANNON JANSSEN, 6-10pm, Cedar Rapids, IA . Dawn’s Hide and Bead Away, 220 E. Washington St., Iowa City.

Shannon performs a variety of music including original songs on the Grand Piano in the hotel’s beautiful atrium. No reservations required. [ L GBTMWA] Last Thursday of the Month, DRAG KING SHOW, 9pm-2am, Studio 13, 13 S. Linn St, Iowa City, IA 52240. The show starts EARLY at 9pm, so all you fans under 21 (meaning 19 & 20) can come for a jam packed hour of show! Your kings will also have another photo signing with awesome king swag! Plus, a SECOND mini show after the signing!!! $3 Bomb shots, $2 Calls and Domestics, and $1 Wells and shots! Cover is only $3! [ L G B T D ]

Friday

1st Friday of the Month, FAIRFIELD ART WALK, Fairfield, IA. For more info, visit www.

FairfieldArtWalk.com. [ L G B T M W A ] 1st Friday of the Month, GUERRILLA QUEER BAR MEETUP!, Tired of the same old bars? Crave the idea of bringing your queer and straight friends together in a fun, new environment?

We’re descending upon an unsuspecting straight bar and turning it into a gay bar for the night. To join in: join our Facebook group, Google group or Twitter feed. You’ll receive an email the morning of each event with the name of a classically hetero bar and the meeting time. Call your friends, have them call their friends, show up at the bar and watch as it becomes the new “it” gay bar for one night only. Visit http://groups.google. com/group/iowa-city-guerrilla-queer-bar. [ L GBTMWA] 1st Friday of the Month, FIRST FRIDAY BREAKFAST CLUB, Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Avenue, Des Moines, IA 95030. The First Friday Breakfast Club (FFBC) is an educational, non-profit corporation for gay men who gather on the first Friday of every month to provide mutual support, to be educated on community affairs, and to further educate community opinion leaders with more positive images of gay men. It is the largest breakfast club in the state of Iowa. Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Avenue, Des Moines, IA 95030. Contact Jonathan Wilson at (515) 288-2500 or email: info@ ffbciowa.org [ G B ] 1st Friday of the Month, DAWN’S COFFEE HOUSE, 5-8pm, Iowa City, IA . Dawn’s Hide and Bead Away, 220 E. Washington St., Iowa City.

First Friday of every month between February 6 and December 4. Music and light snacks are provided. Proceeds from the door are split between the non-profit of the month and the store (to cover the cost of snacks). Any other donations received go 100% to the non-profit. $3 cover. For more info, phone 319-338-1566. [ LGBTMWA] 2nd and 4th Friday, DRUMMING CIRCLE,

OCTOBER 2010 7pm, Cedar Rapids, IA . Unity Center of Cedar Rapids, 3791 Blairs Ferry Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids.

Every 2nd and 4th Friday of the each month. For more info, call 319-431-7550. [ G M ] 3rd Friday of the Month, OLD-TIME DANCE FOR ALL, 8pm, Iowa City, IA . A Barn Dance 12 miles east of Iowa City at Scattergood Friends School. A Barn Dance 12 miles east of Iowa City at Scattergood Friends School. Admission is $5.00 per person. Singles and couples, beginners and veterans welcome. The music is live, and all dances are taught and called (that is, prompted while the music is playing). Note: (1) same-sex couples are common at these dances, (2) they’re no-alcohol, no-smoking events, (3) every dance is taught, so beginners are welcome, and (4) people can attend alone or with a partner. People of a variety of ages show up, and the atmosphere is friendly and inclusive. For more info, phone 319-643-7600 or e-mail treadway@netins.net.

[LGBTMWA]

Saturday

4th Saturday of the Month, LESBIAN BOOK CLUB, 7pm, Davenport, IA . is reading books by or about lesbians. Non-lesbians are welcome to attend. All meetings are held at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 3707 Eastern Ave., Davenport.

For more info, call 563-359-0816. [ L ] 4th Saturday of the Month, TANGOVIA, 7:30pm, Iowa City, IA . join area tango dancers at the Wesley Center, 120 N. Dubuque St., Iowa City. Enjoy a candlelit evening of dance, hors d’oeuvres, and conversation in a relaxed atmosphere. Cost is $5. Partner not necessary. Beginners welcome to come at 7pm for an introductory lesson. For more info, call Gail at 319-325-9630, e-mail irelandg@gmail.com, or visit www.tangovia.com. [ L G B T M W A D ] Every Saturday, WOMEN FOR PEACE IOWA, Noon to 1PM, Collins Rd NE & 1st Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402. hosting Weekly Street Corner Vigils for peace, rain or shine. Meet at the corner of 1st Ave. and Collins Rd. SE (in front of Granite City Brewery), Cedar Rapids. Show your support for our troops by calling for their return from Iraq. For more info, e-mail khall479@aol.com. [ LGBTMWAKD] Every Saturday, BAILE LATINO: SALSA, CHA-CHA, MERENGUE AND BACHATA LESSONS, 3:30-5:30pm, Cedar Rapids, IA . taught

by Gloria Zmolek, at CSPS, 1103 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids. No experience or partner necessary.

All ages welcome. No sign-up required. $5 per person requested. For more info, contact Gloria at 319-365-9611 or visit www.crsalsa.org. [ L G BTMWAKD]

“I spent 48 hours trying to find the perfect thing to say. My address to you today is called ‘The prime rib of America. … Equality is the prime rib of America, but because I am gay, I don’t get to enjoy the greatest cut of meat my country has to offer. … Shouldn’t everyone deserve to wear the same meat dress I do? Repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ “ — Lady Gaga during her speech at a Portland, Maine DADT protest on September 20, making reference to the dress, hat, and purse, made of real cuts of meat, which she wore to the MTV Video Music Awards

ACCESSline Page 29 Section 3: Community First Friday Breakfast Club: “the benefit” See it and be seen, November 7th Dan Johnston: Out, Proud,

OCTOBER 2010

and Insightful by Bruce Carr

Formerly called the All Iowa AIDS Benefit, the benefit variety show and auction will feature much more than just a new name when it’s presented on Sunday, November 7th at The Embassy Suites on the River in Des Moines. The annual event raises funds for the AIDS Project of Central Iowa.

This year’s event-- the twenty-fourth annual-- will include a red carpet parade of entertainers and celebrities, a diverse line-up of select talent, photo opportunities with performers , valuable and enticing auction packages and items, as well as red, red, red, everywhere!

Inspired by Hollywood red-carpet events like those preceding the Oscar awards show, the benefit will spot light entertainers and hosts as they arrive and stroll down a red carpet in front of a custom-made logo backdrop. Guests will have the opportunity to be photographed with celebrities. The photos will be printed and available for purchase during the evening. the benefit planning committee is proud to announce that Rachel Pierce, co-anchor of ABC5 News at 5, will serve

as emcee. Featured performers include world-renowned Cher impersonator Candi Stratton, Michael Jackson impersonator Chris Dewees, crooner Fred Gazzo, and talented crowd pleasers Champagne Showers and Michael Miller. Also featured will be production numbers by one of Iowa’s favorite drag groups The House of Love, theatre troupe Stage West performing a musical scene from Broadway hit The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, The Imperial Court of Iowa, and Gay Youth Unlimited.

The Embassy Suites on the River’s grand ballroom will be dramatically embellished in the color red by designer Saley Nong, her staff and event volunteers.

V.I.P. tables for ten range in price from $350 to $1,000. Individual tickets cost $20 if purchased prior to the event, and $25 when purchased at the door. For table and tickets sales, visit www.aidsprojectci. org/benefit or call The Project at 515284-0245. the benefit planning committee members include Matt, Billy Dohrmann, Jesus Lopez, Anthony Marinaro, Nathan Ritz, Jim Sterba, Cy Stewart David Vitiritto, Frank Vaia, Ross Wallace and Tony Zika.

Local celebrities and professional bakers from around the state will satisfy your sweet tooth at One Iowa’s third annual Sweet Equality—a celebration of marriage equality with delectable desserts. On November 12 from 5:308pm at Forte (615 3rd Street) in Des Moines, professional chefs, local celebrities and businesses will come together to show off their skills in the name of equality.

The annual dessert competition features professional chefs and local celebrities facing off for the coveted “Sweetest Thing” and “Best Presentation” awards.

Awards are given in both the professional and celebrity baking categories. Winners in the professional category are decided by public vote, and a panel of local media personalities will judge the celebrity category.

The event also features a cash bar, music and more! Tickets for Sweet Equality are $35 and can be purchased by emailing Amanda@oneiowa.org or calling

Amanda at 515-288-4019 ext. 214.

This competition was created to raise awareness of businesses and individuals who support equality in Iowa. With the April 2009 Iowa Supreme Court decision in favor of the freedom to marry, Iowa is starting to see the economic advantages of equality. A recent Williams Institute study estimated $160 million in new spending on weddings and tourism in the state over the next three years.

All proceeds from this event will go to One Iowa Education Fund, a 501(c) (3) organization. All donations to Sweet Equality are tax deductible.

Sweet Equality celebration Nov. 12, 5:30-8pm

Lawyer and politico Dan Johnston is back in town and living on Chautauqua Parkway, and he lobbied and entertained us hugely on Friday September 3 at Hoyt Sherman Place as our first speaker of the new season. Now pretty much retired from the New York endeavors he left Des Moines for 25 years ago, Johnston now does political consulting here, for the Democratic Party to be sure and, as always, for important progressive issues such as marriage equality.

Johnston regaled us with some moving and often hilarious stories of his early career in Des Moines as an ‘out-but-notpublically’ gay Polk County Attorney, and as an ally of the colorful State Representative Norman Jesse—with whom he was partnered for 36 years up to Jesse’s death of cancer in 2000. “I miss him every day,” said Johnston.

Dan Johnston grew up in Marshalltown, a high-school classmate of the tragic actress Jean Seberg (“the sweetest girl I ever knew”). Fresh out of law school, he gained nation-wide attention in the Vietnam era when he took on the “black armband” case of Tinker v Des Moines Independent Community School District, which he argued before the United States Supreme Court in 1968--and won when Justice Abe Fortas wrote for the Court’s majority that

Dan Johnston. Photo by Arthur Breur. “neither students nor teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate”— thus establishing that students on campus are persons under the Constitution and that states must respect their rights in the same way they would those of citizens in other contexts.

Johnston’s 1984 election campaign against Phil Miller presented a problem to TTFFBC continued page 32

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OCTOBER 2010

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Inside Out: Voting It Forward by Ellen Krug A few years ago when I had my law firm and still when I was a boy, another transgendered person asked for help in getting the male gender maker on her driver’s license changed to female—in other words, substituting an “F” for an “M” on her license. She had already undergone gender reassignment surgery, she had a letter from her doctor attesting to this, and even Social Security had accepted her as female. All she needed was a short court order signed by a judge advising the DOT to change the gender marker on a newly issued license. This sounded like an easy enough legal matter to handle.

Boy, was I wrong.

I prepared a court filing asking the judge to simply acknowledge this big change in my client’s life and sign a court order. Shortly after submitting the paperwork, I received an order from the judge denying my request. I was shocked. This was not like a normal lawsuit where two parties were fighting. No one was resisting my client’s request.

I immediately submitted another filing asking the judge to reconsider his decision. Because I was now concerned this was becoming far more complicated (and expensive) for my client, I tried to shortcut things by telephoning the judge.

He came on the line right away. I explained how simple this was and how no one was resisting my client’s effort to have the gender marker changed.

I’ll never forget what the judge said to me.

“No, Mr. Krug, I’m not going to sign the order. I’m not going to stick my neck out on this.”

I thought, huh? Then the phrase, “stick my neck out,” registered. The judge was concerned that someone—someone who hates the LGBT community—would get wind of him doing such a radical thing as acknowledging a person’s change of sex. If that happened, the judge could be subject to criticism by vocal opponents of our community.

Unfortunately, before this, a judge in Sioux City had been attacked for granting two lesbians (who had been married out of state but who now lived in Iowa) a divorce.

My judge on the driver’s license change wanted to avoid that kind of heat.

In Iowa, judges are appointed for life, but are subject to “retention votes” every

six years. In other words, if the public does Here is what you need to do. not like how the judge is doing his or her On Election Day, you need to vote. Get job, after six years they can vote to end the off your ass and go vote. judge’s appointment.

After completing the front of the balThis is important for all Iowans— lot, turn it over. The retention question LGBT and straight—to know, especially for is on the back of the ballot. There will be the upcoming election. In November, four three sections of candidates for retention: judges who ruled in favor of marriage for Supreme Court of Iowa, Court of Appeals, gays and equal rights for all Iowans will be and District Court. The question reads subject to a retention vote. The names of “Shall the following judges of the ____Court the trial judge who initially heard the case, be retained in office?” Each judge must Robert Hanson, and three Supreme Court obtain a simple majority of “yes” votes Judges (Chief Justice Marsha Ternus and to keep their job. Unless you have a huge Justices David Baker and Michael Streit) issue with one of those judges, check the will be on the ballot. The people who hate box that says “yes.” us, led by Bob Vander Plaatz but funded by As importantly, you need to tell your people and groups from outside the state, families and friends to vote for retaining all want to vote against judges. It is exceedingly retention of these As importantly, you need to crucial that as many judges. The reason: to tell your families and friends to people as possible vote intimidate other judges to retain judges. Only in the future. And so vote for retaining all judges. It then will judges stop that a Republican gov- is exceedingly crucial that as worrying about losing ernor, if elected, can many people as possible vote their jobs if they do the pack the courts with to retain judges. Only then will right thing. replacements who And as for my clisubscribe to some kind judges stop worrying about ent who simply wanted of conservative ideol- losing their jobs if they do the an “F” on her driver’s ogy which dictates right thing. license gender marker? there are two kinds of We had to go to a westpeople: those who are equal, and those ern state where she was born to ask for her who are way more equal. Only the latter birth certificate to be changed. The first people get to marry. lawyer I hired quit because of fear when This retention thing is also a bit more he learned he would need to personally complicated than saying “yea,” or “nay.” appear before a judge in that state to ask The problem is that only the votes of the for a court order changing the birth certifipeople who actually mark the ballot are cate. Other attorneys were similarly afraid counted. In other words, if a majority of people simply vote against retaining any or all of these judges, then the judges are gone.

Done. Punished for speaking the truth.

Is that how we want to live in Iowa?

Retaliating against people who speak the truth?

Fear is a powerful thing. It can make you meek and it can be a straightjacket for how you approach the world. That’s one thing if you are an ordinary citizen who plays no role in affecting the lives of strangers. It’s a whole different thing if you are a judge who is charged with interpreting and enforcing the law where literally tens of thousands of people are impacted. If we have judges who are afraid to enforce the law, who become afraid to speak the truth for fear of losing their jobs, then we have a horribly broken system.

of being labeled as LGBT friendly. Finally, the only ACLU attorney in the state came forward and got the job done. All told, my client spent $5000 to get her “F.” Like I said, fear is a powerful thing.

We need to be afraid of losing judges who understand human rights. Make that, judges who understand everyone’s human rights.

Ellen Krug is a writer, lawyer, human.

She was a trial attorney for 28 years before realizing there is more to life. She is now on sabbatical to write a book, and if that does not work out, to wait tables. She is parent to two adult children and hoping for the best, despite the odds. She can be reached at EllenKrug75@gmail.com.

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FFBC the political staff of the Des Moines Register, who wanted to continue maintaining respectful silence on the homosexuality issue despite the issue creeping into the election.

Johnston was handily re-elected and shortly thereafter departed for freer shores. With the rest of us, he is astounded—and very gratified—at “how far we’ve come” in the years since.

But Johnston’s main message on September 3 was clearly, passionately this: We. Must. Register. And. We. Must. Vote.

He’s disappointed that political ac-

Section 3: Community tivism these days seems so exclusively Internet-driven—a far cry from the old (effective!) days of getting individuals registered and driving them to the polls on Election Day. The current campaign to deny Judicial Retention to three of the seven Iowa Justices—who ruled unanimously with the four other justices that no Iowa citizen may be barred from marriage on account of sexual orientation—must not succeed.

We can’t afford to lose one single judge over this. Said Johnston: “Anybody here today [at FFBC] who doesn’t register and vote to retain these three justices ought never to come here again.”

Dan Johnston, speaking at the First Friday Breakfast Club at Hoyt Sherman Place on September 3, 2010. Photo by Arthur Breur.

OCTOBER 2010

A New Perspective by Mary M. Thome As a fresh face in the eastern Iowa gay and lesbian community, I was asked to write an article about what my perspective was on some of the people and organizations I have encountered in the past few months. It is my pleasure to do so as I am very impressed by both.

Living in a small town in northern Iowa it is very hard to meet people of the same sexual orientation. Lesbians don’t walk around with t-shirts that state “All the cool girls are lesbians”, we don’t have gay or lesbian bars, and there are no organizations up here that I could attend to meet others who have the same sexual orientation as myself. I had a friend recommend that I “friend-request” the person who founded Cedar Valley Pride (CVP) on Facebook and to start attending some of the events that were being held for the community during the summer.

After attending a few of the CVP events, I had the pleasure of not only getting to know the founder of CVP, Renee Evans, but also the pleasure of interacting with many of the other organizations she is involved with and correlates events with, such as Cedar Rapids Unity (CRU), Community Aids Assistance Project (CAAP), Iowa City Pride, Hamburger Mary’s, Basix, and Studio 13—some of which are private businesses that help support the gay lesbian community. I can only say this, “WOW!” It was amazing to me that these people and organizations give so much personal time and energy—as well as personal resources—into organizing these events. They’re out there making sure we have a voice in not only social actions, but equal rights in the political arena as well.

These people and organizations made

Mary M. Thome at CRU Pride Football, 2010 Photo by Renee Evans

me feel as though I was family. Everyone had a kind word and a welcome smile. It has been an awesome feeling to be a part of each and every event.

My perspective (on the eastern Iowa gay and lesbian community and its organizations) is amazement and awe. All that is and that will be is due to all the hard work of these inspirational people, the events that they create, and the people that attend. I can only say thank you, which doesn’t seem adequate enough for all you do!

So please, next time you attend an event and see these people, stop and say thank you. Don’t take them for granted, because they are a resource we cannot be without!

“The activity that is advocated by these TV commercials that are now airing, in my view, demonstrates … a complete misunderstanding of the role of the judiciary in our form of government. … The determination was made that it was not fair to single out that group of people—homosexuals—and deny them the opportunity to participate in [legal marriage]. … You’re being asked to turn this retention vote into a referendum on one decision amongst hundreds of thousands of decisions. That’s not what the retention system is intended to do.”

— Polk County District Court Judge Robert Hanson, September 21, during a panel discussion at Wartburg College.

Section 3: Community

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Queeries LGBT Etiquette by Steven Petrow GLRC is now Cedar Rapids Unity Teaching Kids of Gay Parents

Q: I teach fifth grade, and every fall we study genealogy and create what are called “family trees.” I have a new student this year who has two dads, and I think he’s adopted. How do I handle this topic appropriately in class?

A: First of all, kudos to you for being sensitive to this subject—the family tree project can be a tough one for adopted children—actually for anyone whose roots don’t match the classic format, whether that means kids with two LGBT parents; single parents of any kind; or grandparents and any other adults serving as their guardians.

The wisest approach is to discuss the lesson with the child’s parents in advance so you can develop a plan as partners. In fact, don’t be surprised if the dads approach you directly about how the larger topic of how their sexuality may affect their child at school. No doubt, they’re worried about potential name-calling or bullying. As for the family tree lesson, this topic has likely come up for them already, so they may have some good ideas on how to handle it smoothly. Let the parents know that you respect their family structure and want to honor it in a way that instills pride in their child—which is, after all, the whole point of the lesson.

Finally, when it comes time to start the project, do your best to explain to the entire class that families come in all different shapes and sizes, even presenting some varied examples that include gay families and others. And then see where your new student takes the exercise himself, with your guidance if necessary.

when it first came into bloom, probably was not. And you probably knew at 17 that you were straight, right?

My friends want to set me up with every gay guy they know

Q: I moved east about six months ago as a single guy. While I do happen to be looking for a boyfriend, I find it very annoying that every straight person I’ve met knows one gay man to set me up with. You know the drill—the gay neighbor, the gay hairdresser, the gay mechanic, the gay lawyer. I certainly appreciate all the good intentions, but how do I explain that just because I am gay doesn’t mean I want to be matched up with every gay man they know?

A: Hey, be thankful that you have so many friends who care enough to try and set you up. And while another man’s sexual orientation is not enough to make him the match of the century, it’s also true that meeting someone through a friend gives you a leg up over a chance encounter online or at a club. Definitely don’t be snarky with your matchmaker friends. Instead of giving them the “just because I’m gay” line, ask questions about the guy: How old? What line of work? Truly single? Funny? Smart?

Red-headed? Why do you think we might be interested in each other? Don’t make it into an inquisition, but find out a little about the potential date—besides the fact that he’s gay. If you like what you hear, ask for an introduction—via email, through a social media site—or let your friend know it’s okay to give out your phone number.

And even if you don’t end up going out with a particular fellow, thank your friend for trying to help you out. And keep trying.

When someone comes out to you—especially a child of yours—keep in mind that she has given this matter much thought and has also put great trust in you. It’s not likely to be a “phase,” just as your own sexuality, when it first came into bloom, probably was not. And you probably knew at 17 that you were straight, right?

How does my daughter know she’s gay?

Q: Last week my 17-year-old daughter told me that she’s gay and has a girlfriend. I think she’s really too young to fully understand her sexuality and want to ask her whether this lesbian relationship is really just a phase. Is that okay?

A: Not really. This question is usually posed as a means to deny or object to someone’s true sexual orientation, and it can be perceived as either uninformed or at worst hostile. Even those who may “questioning” their own identity or experimenting have a right to decide whether they want to embrace some particular term or identity (and I’m not suggesting that’s the case for your daughter). When someone comes out to you—especially a child of yours—keep in mind that she has given this matter much thought and has also put great trust in you. It’s not likely to be a “phase,” just as your own sexuality,

Looking for a second date but don’t want to beg

Q: I had a wonderful evening earlier in the week with this woman I met in the neighborhood wine store. The sex was great, too. I called her a couple of days later and haven’t heard back. How many times can I call back before I look like a loser?

A: Give it one more shot. She may have lost your number, been out of town, or otherwise been distracted. If she still doesn’t respond after a second attempt, it’s much more likely that was a one-night stand and she’s not interested in a second outing.

Steven Petrow is a past president of the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association and writes for the Huffington Post and The Advocate. He’s also the author of “The Essential Book of Gay Manners & Etiquette.”

Learn more at www.gaymanners.com

Say goodbye to the Gay and Lesbian Resource Center of Cedar Rapids. We have a new board, a new direction and a new name. Let us introduce you to the new LGBTQA group, Cedar Rapids Unity (CRU). Our board consists of the following: Chair John Karn; Vice-Chair Renee Evans; Treasurer Rick Smith; Secretary Missy Hall; Members at Large Miles Hoffnagle, Jennie Ocken, and Trish Varnum.

In light of the current economic state for all non-profits, as of October 1, 2010, CRU will no longer occupy a physical space.

We will still maintain a resource list for the community through our website, social networking (look for us on Facebook!) and referrals.

The new board has been involved with the Pride Picnic, where we first announced our name change, as well as the Pride Football Tournament. We want to thank everyone who supported us for those two wonderful events. We especially want to thank all the Sponsors. We couldn’t do what we do without you.

Coming, we have many events that we hope will reunite the community and show our commitment to our local community and the entire eastern Iowa community. In October, we are looking to hold a Progressive Haunted House Bus Trip. We need to have 40 people sign up for this trip to make it happen. The date for this event is Saturday, October 23rd. Find more information at our website, www.cedarrapidsunity.org where you can also sign up to be included on the bus trip!

Please join us for a Community Thanksgiving on Saturday the 20th. This has been a great event in the past to share time with your other “family”. It will be at 1:00 at Christ Episcopal Church in Cedar Rapids in the lower level. Check out the website for more details. We will be holding our Annual Meeting at 3:00 on that same day. At this meeting will be giving a State of the Board Address and electing Board Members. If you wish to be nominated or have someone to nominate, please let us know, either on our Facebook page or through our website at CRU@CedarRapidsUnity.org.

Putting “Unity Back in the Community” is going to take everyone. Come be part of this exciting time, help us plan events, tell us what resources are needed, and let’s make a new future for all of us… together!

Cedar Rapids Unity Board

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Annual CAAP Picnic a Walk in the Park

What FFBC Has Meant To Me, and Can For You by Ryan Weidner

The flames on the grill, perfect weather, and the sounds of a united community ushered in a great day for the annual Community AIDS Assistance Project’s picnic held at Exchange Park on August 29th. Activities included a wide variety pot-luck and grill out, raffle items, bag toss, and many other games.

The picnic allows for the entire community to get together and socialize and raise money for CAAP’s charities. The picnic this year raised nearly $750 that will help to support local clients with much needed items.

The annual picnic is the warm-up

prequel to a season where CAAP board of directors goes full force getting ready for the formal benefit in November. The 2010 benefit being held on November 13th is one that will set to outdo last year’s benefit with a theme based on “Broadway.”

The benefit show will once again being held in the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in downtown Waterloo. This is the 16th year for CAAP and its charities. A pre-show is scheduled to be hosted at Kings and Queens Tap in Waterloo on Friday, November 12th to kick of the fund raising weekend.

DES MOINES— The 15th Annual Friends of Iowa Civil Rights, Inc. Award and Special Recognition Luncheon will be held from 11:30am to 1:00pm on Friday, October 29, 2010, in the Diplomat Room of the Embassy Club at 801 Grand Avenue in Des Moines, Iowa.

At the luncheon, the Friends of Iowa Civil Rights, Inc., a non-profit corporation dedicated to educating individuals and groups on civil rights issues and recognizing individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations and educational entities that make a

significant contribution to civil rights in Iowa, will recognize the recipients of this year’s award.

This year’s Individual winner is Dr. Nicholas Pace.

This year’s Organization winner is Youth and Shelter Services, Inc. To attend this year’s luncheon, please call 515-225-1051 or e-mail alice@avinsandinc.com . Cost of the luncheon is $35.00.

A list of previous award winners can be viewed on our website at www.iowafriends.org.

The following is a personal account of how the First Friday Breakfast Club has impacted my life.

About three years ago I started on the arduous journey of coming out. It was a scary time for me, with a spouse and two young children. Despite the progress that has been made at this point in history, with a wife and two kids, at no point in history is it easy, safe, or fun to come out. Once we’re comfortably out it can “appear” easy, but it was anything but easy in the position in which I found myself!

By chance, an attorney that I had located through ACCESSline mentioned Jonathan’s name and also that he was the president of the FFBC. Jonathan invited me to attend a meeting as a guest. It still took several months (over a year) before I finally considered myself “out”—a healthy, fully integrated personality for the first time in my life.

In addition to fearing the worst with my family, I also feared the worst when it came to my career success. Then, there I sat at my first meeting, realizing that the host of the event, Jonathan, was a successful attorney. Next to me sat an Iowa Senator. Someone else mentioned that there were also two other financial advisors in the room. I was able to realize that life “out” would be okay.

I have made so many friends, many of whom have also introduced me to others not even in the club. One of those

Friends of Iowa Civil Rights Award and Special Recognition Luncheon

individuals has become the best friend I have ever had in my life! I cannot imagine life without his friendship. We have traveled together on three vacations over the last few years, seldom does a week go by that we are not going for dinner, taking the kids to do something, or chatting over coffee. I am truly blessed to have a best friend that I realize I would not have if it weren’t for the FFBC. The club has had a huge impact, not only on my personal life, but also on my professional growth.

If I could formulate a motto for this indispensable aspect of the club, it would be this: “If you are not ‘out’ yet, know that you are always welcome here, we have been in your shoes before, and we’ll be there to support you as a friend when and as you make the decision to be out.”

ACCESSline Page 36 DIRECTORY NOTICE

The ACCESSline community directory is updated each issue.

LISTINGS ARE FREE. Information about new listings must contain a phone number for publication and a contact (e-mail address, land address, or website) for our records. For more information or to provide corrections, please contact

Editor@ACCESSlineIOWA.com or call (319) 550-0957.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund 1705 De Sales St NW, Ste 500 Washington, DC, 20036 www.victoryfund.org.

202-VICTORY [842-8679]

Section 3: Community Lord of Life Lutheran 2126 Gable Lane, Ames 50014 Services Sundays at 9:00a.m.; Wed. 7:00pm.

515-233-2350 PFLAG Ames Youth and Shelter Services Offices 420 Kellogg Ave 1st Floor.

2nd Tuesday, 7pm www.pflagames.org 515-291-3607 Romantics Pleasure Palace 117 Kellogg Street, Ames, IA 50010-3315 http://www.romantixonline.com 515-232-7717 Stonewall Democrats of Ames tlloman@aol.com goodwinm@istate.edu, or Terry Lowman, 515-292-3279, or Mary Goodwin 515-292-0352

Human Rights Campaign National political organization, lobbies congress for lesbian & gay issues, political training state and local www.hrc.org 1-800-777-HRCF[4723]

United Church of Christ-Congregational 6th & Kellogg Ames, 50010 Sunday Continental Breakfast, 9:00am; Sunday School, 9:30am; Worship, 10:45am. uccames@midiowa.net.

515-232-9323

Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund I I E. Adams, Suite 1008, Chicago, IL 60603 www.lambdalegal.org 312-663-4413 Fax: 312-663-4307

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ames 1015 Hyland Ave. Services: 9am and 11am, Sunday uufa@aol.com 515-292-5960

National Gay & Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) 1325 Massachusetts Ave NW, Ste 600, Washington, DC, 20005 www.ngltf.org / taskforce.org

Unity Church of Ames 226 9th St. Sunday service and Sunday school 10:30am.

Wednesday mediation 6:30pm, class 7:15pm. www.websyt/unity/ames Daily dial-a-blessing 515-233-1613

National Organization for Women (NOW) 733 15th ST NW, 2nd Floor Washington, DC 20005 www.now.org 202-628-8669 PFLAG National Offices 1726 M St. NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036 info@pflag.org - www.pflag.org 202-467-8180

STATE ORGANIZATIONS Equality Iowa P.O. Box 18, Indianola, IA 50125 www.equalityiowa.org 515-537-3126 Faithful Voices Interfaith Alliance of Iowa’s marriage equality project. www.faithfulvoices.org Imperial Court of Iowa Non-profit fundraising & social, statewide organization with members from across the State of Iowa.

PO Box 1491, Des Moines, IA 50306-1491 www.imperialcourtofiowa.org Iowa Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) David Steward, President, IA NOW 1010 Charlotte Ave. Davenport, IA 52803 Iowa Gay Rodeo Association (IAGRA) 921 Diagonal Rd, Malcom, IA 50157 polebender60@yahoo.com 641-990-1411 Iowa PFLAG (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gay) State Council PO Box 18, Indianola, IA 50125 www.equalityiowa.org/PFLAG 515-537-3126 or 641-583-2024 Iowa pridenetwork 3839 Merle Hay Rd, Ste. 285 Des Moines, IA 50310 www.iowapridenetwork.org 515-243-1110 LGBT Youth in Iowa Schools Task Force PO Box 1997, Des Moines, 50306 515-243-1221 One Iowa 500 East Locust St, Ste 300 Des Moines, IA 50309 515-288-4019 Fax: 515-244-5846 www.OneIowa.org Stonewall Democrats of Iowa 5 Creekside Ct Mason City, IA 50401 Contact: Harvey Ross HRoss007@aol.com 319-362-3099

Ames First United Methodist Church 6th & Kellogg Contemporary worship Sat. 5:30; Sun at 8:30 and 11:00am. www.fumcames.org.

515-232-2750 Living with HIV Program 126 S. Kellogg, Suite 1 Ask for Janelle (Coordinator) 515-956-3312 ext 106 or I -800-890-8230 ISU LGBTA Alliance GLBT Support, Activism, Social Events, Newsletter East Student Office L, Memorial Union, ISU Ames, IA. 50014 alliance@iastate.edu http://www.alliance.stuorg.iastate.edu 515-294-2104

Arnolds Park, Okoboji, Spencer, Spirit Lake The Royal Wedding Chapel 504 Church Street, Royal, IA 51357 712-933-2223 www.TheRoyalWeddingChapel.com Wilson Resource Center An Iowa Great Lakes area gay-owned nonprofit community based organization.

PO Box 486 Arnolds Park IA 51331-0486 F.JosephWilson@aol.com.

712-332-5043

BURLINGTON Arrowhead Motel 2520 Mount Pleasant St Burlington, IA 52601-2118 319-752-6353 www.arrowheadia.com HIV/AIDS Screening @ Des Moines County Health Department in Burlington 522 N 3rd By appointment between 8:00am to 4:30 319-753-8217 Confidential RISQUES IV (adult store) 421 Dry Creek Ave, West Burlington, IA 52601 (319) 753-5455 Sun - Wed 8am-Midnight Thurs - Sat Open 24 Hours www.LoversPlayground.com Steve’s Place 852 Washington St, Burlington 319-752-9109 Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Services start at 10:30 am 625 N 6th St, Burlington, IA 52601-5032 (319) 753-1895 - www.uuburlington.org

Cedar Falls - Waterloo Adult Cinema 315 E 4th St Waterloo, IA 50703-4703 (319) 234-7459 Black Hawk Co. Health Department Free HIV testing (donations accepted); MW, 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Thurs, 1:00pm to 4:45pm 1407 Independence Ave. (5th fl) Waterloo 50703 319-291 -2413 Cedar AIDS Support System (CASS) Service, support groups & trained volunteers for persons with HIV/AIDS in Waterloo/CF call Elizabeth or Karla, 319-272-AIDS(2437). cvhospice@forbin.net Cedar Valley Counseling Services Promoting personal growth and development in a strengths-based environment Joan E. Farstad, MA, Director.

319-240-4615 www.cvcounseling.com farstd@cvcounseling.com.

Cedar Valley Episcopal Campus Ministry. In Lutheran Center 2616 College St, Cedar Falls, IA 319-415-5747 mcdinoiwa@aol.com www.episcopalcampus.org All welcome!

Community AIDS Assistance Project (CAAP) Funding for special personal needs, community projects, and small grants that are AIDS related.

PO Box 36, Waterloo, IA 50704

LGBTA Support Group at Hawkeye Community College Call Carol at 319-296-4014 for time & location of meeting chedberg@hawkeyecollege.edu Iowa Legal Aid Free civil legal service available to low income persons who qualify under income/asset guidelines.

607 Sycamore, #708, Waterloo, IA 50703 1-800-772-0039 or 319-235-7008 Kings & Queens Tap 304 W. 4th St, Waterloo, IA www.//myspace.com/kingsandqueensspace 319-232-3001 Romantix Waterloo (Adult Emporium) 1507 La Porte Rd, Waterloo, IA 50702 319-234-9340 http://www.romantixonline.com/ Stellas Guesthouse 324 Summit Ave, Waterloo, IA Private B&B, Overnight accommodations for adults only.

319-232-2122 St. Lukes Episcopal Church 2410 Melrose Dr, Cedar Falls, IA 50613 www.st-lukes-episcopal.org Services: Sunday 8:00 & 10:15, Thurs 11:30 319-277-8520 Together For Youth 233 Vold Dr, Waterloo, IA 50703 www.TogetherForYouth.net 319-274-6768 UNI-LGBTA Alliance-Student Organization 244A Bartlet Hall, University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls 50613 lgbta@uni.edu 319-222-0003 United Church of Christ Cedar Falls 9204 University Avenue, Cedar Falls 319-266-9686 Unitarian Universalist Society of Black Hawk County 3912 Cedar Heights Dr, Cedar Falls, IA 319-266-5640

Cedar Rapids/marion Adult Shop 630 66th Ave SW, 319-362-4939 Adult Shop North 5539 Crane Lane, 319-294-5360 Cedar Rapids Unity (Formerly GLRC of Cedar Rapids) Support, social activities. lnfo@crglrc.org, cedarrapidsunity.org or write to PO Box 1643 Cedar Rapids 52406-1643 Call and leave a message—all calls will be returned. 319-415-1511 Club Basix Open 5pm to 2am M-F, Sat & Sun 3pm-2am 3916 1st Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids www.clubbasix.com 319-363-3194 Coe Alliance Education, activism & fun for GLBTQ and straight students, staff and people from the community.

Coe College 1220 First Ave NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 For information contact: coealliance@coe.edu or Erica Geers, faculty advisor at 319-861-6025 CSPS Legion Arts Contemporary Arts Center 1103 3rd St. SE info@legionarts.org 319-364-1580 Faith UMC 1000 30th Street NE, Cedar Rapids, 52402 Pastor Kathy Moore Sunday services at 11:00am. www.crfaithumc.org 319-363-8454 Foundation 2 Crisis Counseling 24-hour telephone crisis counseling. f2crisis@aol.com or www.f2online.org 1540 2nd Ave. SE Cedar Rapids, IA 319-362-2174 or 800-332-4224 Hamburger Mary’s 222 Glenbrook Dr., Cedar Rapids, IA 52403 319-378-4627 www.hamburgermaryscr.com www.myspace.com/hamburgermaryscr Krug Law Firm 6 Hawkeye Drive, Suite 103 North Liberty, IA 52317 319-626-2076 Linn County Public Health 501 13th NW Free confidential HIV testing, 319-892-6000 Linn County Stonewall Democrats 2nd Wednesday of every month, 6:30-8 p.m.

The LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party, meets at Hamburger Mary’s, 222 Glenbrook Dr. SE, behind 2nd Wind off of 1st Ave SE in Cedar Rapids. For more info, contact linnstonewall@ gmail.com

Rapid AIDS Grant Wood Area Red Cross 3600 Rockwell Dr NE, Cedar Rapids, 52410 319-393-9579.

People’s Church Unitarian Universalist A welcoming congregation.

600 Third Avenue SE 11AM Sunday.

319-362-9827 Stonewall Democrats of Linn County Contact Roy Porterfield royboycr@mchsi.com 319-362-5281 Tri-ess, Iota Kappa Phi Chapter P.O. Box 8605, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52408 We are a transgendered organization supporting crossdressers, their families, and friends. www.yahoo.com/group/Tri-essIotaKappaPhi www.tri-ess.org, 319-390-6376 E-mail: Georgia georgia523@yahoo.com E-mail: Judy marlenemarschel@yahoo.com

CLINTON Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clinton 309 30th Avenue North, Clinton, IA 52732 (563) 242-4972 - uuclinton.org Sunday services at 10:30 (year-round) Where YOUR spiritual and ethical journey is welcome! Rev. Ruby Nancy, minister

Council Bluffs, Omaha(Ne) AIDS Interfaith Network 100 N. 62nd, Omaha, NE Call Br. Wm. Woeger 402-558-3100 Broadway Joe’s 3400 W Broadway Council Bluffs, IA 51501 712-256-2243 Citizens For Equal Protection 1105 Howard St, Suite #2, Omaha, NE 68102 www.cfep-ne.org info@cfep-ne.org 402-398-3027 Council Bluffs NOW Write PO Box 3325 Omaha, NE 68103-0325 DC’s Saloon 610 S. 14th St., Omaha, NE Open everyday 2pm-1am, western/levi/ leather.

402-344-3103 Diamond Bar 712 S. 16th St., Omaha, NE 10am - 1am, M-Sa, closed Sun 402-342-9595 Front Runners/Front Walkers Walking/jogging club.

P.O. Box 4583, Omaha, NE 68104 402-496-3658.

Gilligan’s Pub and Grill 1407 Harney, Omaha, NE Everyday 4pm-1am.

Friday and Sat. After hours 12-4am 402-449-9147 GLBT Rainbow Outreach Omaha Serving GLBT community in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. Excellent message and info. Also office for Imperial court of Nebraska.

1719 Leavenworth St, Omaha, NE www.rocc.org 402-341-0330 Heartland Gay Rodeo Association (HGRA) (Midwest Division of the International Gay Rodeo Association) PO Box 3354, Omaha, NE 68103 www.hgra.net - 402-203-4680 HGRA serves both Iowa and Nebraska Imperial Court of Nebraska P.O. Box 3772, Omaha, NE 68103 402-556-9907 L.E.O. (Leather Engineers of Omaha) Educational-social group for Gay Men with interest in Leather Lifestyle. Meets 2nd Saturday at Gilligan’s Pub at 7:00pm.

L.E.O. PO Box 8101 Omaha, NE 68108.

The Max 1417 Jackson at 15th, Omaha, NE 68102 6 bars in 1 402-346-4110 MCC Omaha 819 South 22nd P.O. Box 3173, Omaha, NE 68103 Sun 9 & 11 am Wednesday “ReCharge” Worship, Wed 7pm 402-345-2563 PFLAG Omaha Mead Hall, First United Methodist Church 7020 Cass St. (Omaha) 2nd Thursday, 7, 6:30 Social time 402-291-6781 River City Mixed Chorus Gay/lesbian chorus PO Box 3267 Omaha, NE 68103 Call Stan Brown, marketing 402-341-7464.

OCTOBER 2010 Romantix Council Bluffs (North) (Adult Emporium) 3216 1st Ave. Council Bluffs, IA 51501-3353 http://www.romantixonline.com 515-955-9756 Tri-ess Chapter, Kappa Phi Lambda Chapter Omaha, NE 68107 We are a transgendered organization supporting crossdressers, their families, and friends. www.tri-ess.org, 402-960-9696 E-mail: Judy marlenemarschel@yahoo.com Romantix Council Bluffs (South) (Romantix After Dark) 50662 189th St, Council Bluffs, Ia 51503 http://www.romantixonline.com 712-366-1764 Youth Support Group for GLBT Youth 13-21, meets twice monthly.

Omaha, NE 402-291- 6781.

Decorah Decorah Human Rights Commission Contact: City Clerk 400 Clairborne Dr, Decorah 563-382-3651 Meetings: First Tuesdays, 5:30pm Luther College Student Congregation Contact Office for College Ministry 700 College Dr, Decorah, IA 52101 563-387-1040.

PFLAG Northeast IA (Waukon/Decorah) First Lutheran Church 604 W Broadway St, Decorah, IA Meetings: 4th Mondays, 7pm-9pm in the Fellowship Hall Call Jean @ 563-535-7680 PRIDE Luther College Diversity Center, 700 College Dr, Decorah, IA 52101 Contact Chris at 563-387-2145 or Melanie at 563-387-1273 Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Meets alternating Sundays at 10:30am, Decorah Senior Center 806 River St Call Bill at 563-382-3458.

Des Moines AIDS Project of Central Iowa Free HIV testing, prevention supplies, care services, food pantry, information.

711 E. 2nd, Des Moines, IA 50309 515-284-0245 Blazing Saddle 416 E 5th St www.theblazingsaddle.com 515-246-1299 Buddies Corral 418 E 5th St, Des Moines, IA 515-244-7140 The CENTER 1300 Locust The new LGBT and progressive place to be. thecenterdm@gmail.com Facebook: The CENTER & Equality Iowa www.equalityiowa.org 515-243-0313 Church of the Holy Spirit-MCC Pastor Pat Esperanza Sunday service 10:30am at the 1st Christian Church 2500 University, Des Moines chsmccdmia@aol.com 515-287-9787.

Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus 515-953-1540 PO Box 12269, Des Moines, IA 50312 dmgmc@mchsi.com www.dmgmc.org.

Family Practice Center Safe, supportive LGBT health care.

200 Army Post Road, Ste 26 www.ppgi.org 515-953-7560 First Friday Breakfast Club Educational breakfast club for gay/bisexual men. Meets first Friday of each month.

Contact Jonathan Wilson for meeting topic and place.

Jonathanwilson@davisbrownlaw.com 515-288-2500 First Unitarian Church 1800 Bell Avenue Services Sundays at 9:30 & 11am 515-244-8603 The Gallery (adult store) 1000 Cherry St Des Moines, IA 50309-4227 (515) 244-2916 Open 24 Hours www.LoversPlayground.com The Garden 112 SE 4th Des Moines, IA 515-243-3965 Wed-Sun. 8pm-2am www.grdn.com Gay & Lesbian AA & AI-Anonymous Mon. 7 pm; Tues. - Thurs. 6 pm; Sat. 5:30 pm at Drake Ministries in Ed. Bldg. 28th & University

OCTOBER 2010

Section 3: Community

Gay and Lesbian Issues Committee 4211 Grand Avenue, Level-3 Des Moines, IA 50312 515-277-1117

Urbandale UCC An open & affirming congregation.

3530 70th St., Urbandale, IA 50322 515-276-0625.

Iowa Affirmation Lesbian/Gay United Methodist Thoreau Center, 35th & Kingman Blvd. Write Affirmation PO Box 1726, Des Moines, IA 50309

Walnut Hills UMC Join us at 8:30 or 10:30am for Sunday worship. Sunday classes and group studies are at 9:30am.

12321 Hickman Rd. Urbandale, IA 50323 515-270-9226.

Java Joe’s Gay friendly 214 4th St. 515-288-5282 Lavender Victory Fund Financial assistance for women in need for medical emergencies.

700 Rose Ave, Des Moines, IA 50315 Contact Bonnie at 515-244-7946 Le Boi Bar 508 Indianola Rd, Des Moines, IA Liberty Gifts 333 E. Grand Ave., Loft 105, Des Moines, IA Gay owned specialty clothing, jewelry, home decor.

Libertygiftsonline.com 515-508-0825 MINX Show Palace 1510 N.E. Broadway Des Moines, IA 50313 Open 9am - 2am, M-Th; 9am - 4am, F-Sat. 10am -9pm Sun. 515-266-2744 National Association of Social Workers (NOW) (Nat’1 Organization of Women in Des Moines) http://www.meetup.com/locale/us/ia/desmoines North Star Gay Rodeo Association of IGRA, Iowa Division of North Star NSGRA@ NSGRA.org or 612-82RODEO Rainbow Union, Drake University Contact Sara Graham ru@drake.edu PFLAG Des Moines 515-537-3126 or write 3520 Grand Ave #51, Des Moines, IA 50312 Plymouth Congregational UCC Church and the Plymouth GLBT Community 4126 Ingersoll Ave. 515-255-3149 Services at 5:30pm Sat, 9am & I lam Sunday. www.PlymouthGLBT.com Polk County Health Department Free STD, HIV, and Hepatitis B & C testing.

HIV. Rapid testing also offered.

1907 Carpenter, Des Moines, IA 515-286-3798.

Raccoon River Resort Accommodations for men, women, or mixed in campgrounds, lodge, Teepees or Treehouses. Reservations: 515-996-2829 or 515-279-7312 Ritual Café On 13th between Grand and Locust. ritualcafe@aol.com Gay owned great music, awesome food and coffee.

515-288-4872 Romantix North Des Moines Iowa (Bachelor’s Library) 2020 E. Euclid Ave, Des Moines, IA 50317 www.romantixonline.com 515-266-7992

Westminster Presbyterian Church 4114 Allison Ave. www.westpres.org Sunday services 8:45 and 11am. Of note is their Gay Lesbian Straight Affirmation small group ministry. 515-274-1534 Word of God Ministries Join us at 3:30 for Sunday Worship at 3120 E. 24th St, Des Moines, IA Mailing address: PO Box 4396, Des Moines IA 50333 515-276-6614 Women’s Culture Collective (WCC) A lesbian social group.

Des Moines, IA www.iowawcc.org Zanzibar’s Coffee Adventure Open daily. Gay-friendly 2723 Ingersoll, Des Moines, IA 515-244-7694.

Dubuque Adult Warehouse 975 Jackson St., Dubuque, IA 563-588-9184.

The Q 920 Main Street, Dubuque, IA Open Mon - Sun, 7pm to 2am. www.myspace.com/qbar_dbq 563-557-7375 Dubuque Friends Worship Group (Quakers) Tired of being rejected by your church?

Tired of following church pronouncements that smack of homophobia? Join us at an unprogrammed meeting on Sunday at 10am.

Open and Affirming St. Mark’s Community Center 1201 Locust Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001 563-556-3685 for info and directions Dubuque Pride Monthly social group, meeting for meal and conversation. www.dubuquepride.org Dubuque Regional AIDS Coalition Direct services, education. HIV+/AIDS support group and family/friends support group. Contact Kay Auderer or Connie Sprimont, Mercy Health Center. 563-589-9606.

PFLAG Dubuque St. John’s Lutheran Church 1276 White St. 3rd Thursday, 7pm 563-582-9388 Q Bar 920 Main St, Dubuque, IA, 52001 563-557-7375 The only gay owned & operated All Lifestyle Bar and Dance Club in the Tri-State area www.facebook.com/qbar.dubuque Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Dubuque 1699 Iowa St., Dubuque, IA “The uncommon denomination.” Adult religious education meets Sunday at 9am before general services at 10am. www.uuf-dbq.org. 563-583-9910

Fort Dodge

Romantix 1401 E. Army Post Rd. Des Moines IA 50320-1809 http://www.romantixonline.com/ 515-256-1102

Romantix Fort Dodge (Mini Cinema) 15 N. 5th St, Fort Dodge, IA 50501-3801 http://www.romantixonline.com

SOFFA Iowa (Significant Others Family Friends and Allies of people who fall under the Gender Variant umbrella) Monthly meetings held at The CENTER, 1300 Locust contact Jaye at: (515)779-5185 thecentersoffaiowa@gmail.com

Saints Ephrem & Macrina Orthodox Mission. Welcoming worship in the Eastern Christian liturgical tradition.

Sunday services at 10am. (Affiliated with the Orthodox-Catholic Church of America.)

1226 Broad Street, Grinnell, IA 641-236-0936

Spouses of Lesbians & Gays Contact Ruth Schanke, 515-277-3700

Stonewall Resource Center Open 4:30pm to 11:30pm, Sun through Thurs and by Appointment.

Grinnell College 1210 Park Street PO Box B-1, Grinnell, IA, 50112 srcenter@grinnell.edu 641-269-3327

St. John’s Lutheran Church 600 6th Ave “A Church for All People.”

Services Sat 5pm, Sun 7:45, 8:45 & 11am.

See web page for other services.

515-243-7691 www.stjohnsdsm.org TransformationsIOWA Monthly meetings for the female to male, male to female, transgender community, cross dressers, gender queer, questioning, and their significant others. For location and info, email Jayden at thecenterdmtrans@gmail.com or call 515-779-5187 Trinity United Methodist Church 1548 Eighth Street Services Sundays at 10a.m.

515-288-4056

Grinnell

INDIANOLA Crossroads United Church of Christ (UCC) An Open & affirming congregation. Services: Sunday 10:30am, Summer worship: June, July, Aug, @ 9:30 am, worshiping in the Lounge at Smith Chapel, Simpson College, corner of Buxton and Clinton. Mailing address: P.O. Box 811, Indianola, IA 50125 515-961-9370.

Iowa City AA (GLBT) Meetings Sundays 5 - 6pm at First Baptist Church, 500 North Clinton Street. For more info, call IC Intergroup Answering Service, 319-338-9111

Congregational Church UCC An Open and Affirming Congregation Sunday Worship 9:15am (July & August) 30 N. Clinton St. (across from Ul Pentacrest) 319-337-4301 - www.uiccic.org Counseling Clinic Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender sensitive and supportive counseling for individuals, couples, families and groups. Sliding Fee. 505 E Washington St., Iowa City, IA 52240 319-354-6238 Counseling and Health Center Client-centered therapy.

Les-Bi-Gay-Trans always welcome.

616 Bloomington St, Iowa City, IA 319-337-6998 Crisis Center 1121 Gilbert Court, Iowa City, 52240 319-351-0140 Emma Goldman Clinic 227 N. Dubuque St, Iowa City, IA 52245 319-337-2111or 1-800-848-7684.

Faith United Church of Christ 1609 De Forest Street, Iowa City, IA Services Sundays at 9:30am 319-338-5238 GLBTAU-U of l Student support system and resource center, info, activism, events, and other community involvements.

203 IMU, University of IA Iowa City, IA 52242-1317 glbtau@uiowa.edu 319-335-3251 (voice mail) Hope United Methodist Church Worship Service at 9:30am.

2929 E. Court St., Iowa City, IA Contact Rev. Sherry Lohman. 319-338-9865 Human Rights Commission (City of Iowa City Human Rights Commission) 319-356-5022; 391-356-5015; 319-356-5014 Fax 319-887-6213 humanrights@iowa-city.org ICARE (Iowa Center for AIDS Resources & Education) Practical & emotional support, youth programs, information, referrals and support groups.

3211 E 1st Iowa City, IA 52240-4703 319-338-2135 Iowa City Free Medical Clinic Free & strictly confidential HIV Testing.

2440 Towncrest Dr Iowa City, Call for appointment 319-337-4459 Iowa City NOW PO Box 2944, Iowa City, IA 52244 for information & meeting times/places Iowa Women’s Music Festival P.O. Box 3411, Iowa City, IA 52244 319-335-1486 Krug Law Firm 6 Hawkeye Drive, Suite 103 North Liberty, IA 52317 319-626-2076 Men Supporting Men HIV prevention program exploring issues that gay/bisexual men deal with on a daily basis.

Discussion Groups, Educational Series, Safer Sex Workshops, Book Club. Contact Andy Weigel, email: aweigel@co.johnson.ia.us 319-356-6038, Ext 2 New Song Episcopal Church 912 20th Ave, Coralville, IA Sunday services at 10am.

Rev. Elizabeth Coulter, Pastor Rev. John Harper, Associate.

319-351-3577 Pride Committee WRAC 130 N. Madison, Iowa City, IA 52242 Bridget Malone - 319-338-0512 Charles Howes - 319-335-1486.

Romantix Iowa City (Pleasure Palace I) 315 Kirkwood Ave, Iowa City, IA 52240-4722 www.romantixonline.com 319-351-9444 Studio 13 13 S. Linn St. (in the Alley) Iowa City, IA Open 7pm ‘til 2am, daily 319-338-7145 Thich Nhat Hanh based “Mindfulness” meditation and study group Iowa City Public Library, Sundays 1 to 2:30pm Usually Room E 319-354-4065 U of I Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Staff & Faculty Association c/o WRAC 130 N. Madison, Iowa City, IA 52242 319-335-1486 Unitarian Universalist Society of Iowa City Inclusive and free religious community nurturing intellectual and spiritual growth and fostering ethical and social responsibility.

10 S. Gilbert, Iowa City, IA Sunday services: 9:30am & 11:15am. www.uusic.org 319-337-3443

United Action for Youth (UAY) A GLBTQA youth group providing support and counseling for teenagers and young adults processing sexual identity issues. Meets Mondays 7-9pm at UAY 410 Iowa Ave. Iowa City, IA 319-338-7518 or Teen Line, 319-338-0559.

The Ursine Group Bear Events in the Midwest.

PO Box 1143, Iowa City, IA 52244-1143 319-338-5810 Vortex Gifts 211 E. Washington, downtown Iowa City 319-337-3434 Women’s Resource Action Center (WRAC) Leads & collaborates on projects that serve U of l and the greater community, offers social & support services, including LGBT Coming Out Group.

University of Iowa 130 N. Madison, Iowa City, IA 52242 319-335-1486

Marshalltown Adult Odyssey (Adult Video Store) 907 Iowa Ave E - 641-752-6550 Domestic Violence Alternatives/ Sexual Assault Center, Inc. 24 hour Crisis Line: 641-753-3513 or (instate only) 800-779-3512

MASON CITY Cerro Gordo County Dept. of Public Health 22 N. Georgia Ave, Ste 300 Mason City, IA 50401.

Free confidential AIDS testing. 641-421-9306 PFLAG North Iowa Chapter 1st Presbyterian Church 100 S. Pierce.

1st/ 2nd Monday (alternating), 7pm 641-583-2848

Mount Vernon Alliance Cornell College 810 Commons Cir # 2035 alliance@cornellcollege.edu www.cornellcollege.edu/alliance Contact person: Glynnis 319-895-5874

NEWTON PFLAG Newton UCC Church, 308 E 2nd St N 3rd Thursday, 7pm 641-521-7436

Pella Common Ground (Central College) Support group for GLBT students and allies.

Contact: Brandyn Woodard, Director of Intercultural Life woodardb@central.edu 641-628-5134

Quad Cities AIDS Project Quad Cities Info, education & support. Ste 360 1351 Central Park West Davenport, IA 52804 563-421-4266 Augie’s Tap 313 20th St, Rock Island (IL) Noon - 3am daily. 309-788-7389 Black Hawk College Unity Alliance Serving GLBT community at Black Hawk College.

6600 34th Ave, Rock Island, IL 309-716-0542.

Connections Nightclub 822 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA 52802 563-322-1121 DeLaCerda House Provides housing and supportive services, advocacy and referrals for people living with HIV/AIDS. P.O. Box 4551, Rock Island, Il. 61201 309-786-7386.

The Hole-In-The-Wall A Private Membership Men’s Club Located 3 miles east of Galesburg, IL just north of I-74 at Exit 51 309-289-2375 www.HoleInTheWallMensClub.org Holy Spirit Catholic Faith Community Meets one Sunday per month for Mass at 6:30pm at MCC-QC 3019 N. Harrison St, Davenport, IA Mailing: PO Box 192 East Moline, IL 61244 For more info, call 309-278-3359 Mary’s On 2nd 832 W. 2nd St. Davenport, IA 563-884-8014.

MCC Quad Cities - Svcs Sat 5pm, Sun 11am Bible study Wed 7pm 3019 N Harrison, Davenport, IA 52803 Call 563-324-8281.

Men’s Coming Out/Being Out Group Meets 2nd & 4th Thursdays, 7pm.

QCAD.OutForGood@GMail.com 309-786-2580

ACCESSline Page 37 PFLAG Quad Cities Eldridge United Methodist Church 604 S.2nd St., (Eldridge) 1st Monday, 6:30 pm 563-285-4173 Prism (Augustana College) Augustana Gay-Straight Alliance Augustana Library 639 38th St, Rock Island, IL Contact Tom Bengston 309-794-7406 Quad Citians Affirming Diversity (QCAD) Social & support groups for lesbian, bi, and gay teens, adults, friends & families; newsletter.

309-786-2580 Community Center located at 1608 2nd Ave, Rock Island.

Quad Cities Pride Chorus.

At the MCC Church in D’port, 7pm Wed. qcswede64@aol.com Call Don at 563-324-0215 Rainbow Gifts www.rainbowgifts.net 309-764-0559 T.R. Video Adult books & video 3727 Hickory Grove Rd, Davenport, IA 563-386-7914.

Venus News (Adult) 902 W 3rd St, Davenport, IA 563-322-7576

SHENANDOAH PFLAG Shenandoah 712-899-2743

Sioux City Am. Business & Professional Guild. Gay Businessmen.

Meets last Sat. of the month; ABPG P. O. BOX 72, Sioux City, 51102 abpguild@yahoo.com Grace United Methodist Church 1735 Morningside Avenue 712-276-3452.

Jones Street Station (Bar) 412 Jones St. Nightly 6:00pm to 2:00am.

712-258-6922 Mayflower Congregational Church.

1407 West 18th Street Call 712-258-8278.

Morningside College Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Alliance Contact Professor Gail Dooley, Advisor Morningside College GSA 1501 Morningside Ave. Sioux City, IA 51106-1717 dooley@morningside.edu 712-274-5208 PFLAG Siouxland PO Box 1311, Sioux City, IA 51102 siouxlandPFLAG@aol.com Romantix Sioux City (Adult Emporium) 511 Pearl St, Sioux City, IA 51101-1217 712-277-8566 St. Thomas Episcopal Church Service Sun 10:30am 406 12th St, Waverly, IA Rev Mary Christopher 712-258-0141 Western Iowa Tech. GSA widemal@juno.com for info.

Zaner’s Bar 3103 N Hwy 75, Sioux City, IA 51105 Monthly drag shows & events; hometown bar for Imperial Court of Iowa’s Western Chapter zaners-sioux-city@hotmail.com 712-277-9575

Waverly Cedar Valley Episcopal Campus Ministry.

717 W. Bremer, (St. Andrew’s Episcopal) Waverly, IA www.episcoplcampus.org 319-415-5747 Gay, Lesbian Bisexual Student Alliance Wartburg College, Waverly, IA 50677 Contact Susan Vallem 319-352-8250 St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church 717 W. Bremer We welcome all to worship with us on Sunday at 10:30 am. Bible discussion Wed. 6:45pm Rev. Maureen Doherty, Pastor 319-352-1489

ACCESSline Page 38

Section 3: Community

Kicking Off the Year with CONNECTIONS A new semester. Football. Chilly—or at least less than tropical—temperatures.

There are many signs of fall in Iowa City, and for the past five years the social and educational organization Connections has been marking the season with their annual Kickoff. An opportunity for a wide variety of local service providers, including GLBT-owned and -friendly businesses, to make themselves known to the queer community, the event also fosters a welcoming atmosphere encouraging that community to renew old connections and create new ones.

Referred to fondly by Connections Vice-President Bridget Malone as The Big Gay Expo, the Kickoff has a history of packing a wide variety of vendors into the hotelVetro downtown.

Areas represented range from medical services (MECCA, Emma Goldman Clinic) to the arts (The Quire, Iowa Women’s Music Festival) and sports (Old Capitol Roller Girls), in addition to many local GLBT organizations (regional Prides, UI, Kirkwood, and high school alliances).

Political candidates, individual artists, and an occasional drag queen or king also attend to publicize their endeavors and get to know their audience.

The Kickoff is the premiere event on Connections’ calendar but not its only activity. The group sponsors memberrun small interest groups like the Moto Posse and the Rainbow Reading Group, and also holds monthly forums (with summers off after Pride) with speakers

Jill Jack, Diane Finnerty, Laurie Haag at a Connections forum. Photo: Doug Brenner and discussion of GLBT issues such as marriage and relationships, finances, religion, art, and politics.

Malone reports that the Connections Board is currently forming a subcommittee to facilitate the logistics and content of the monthly forum, making now the perfect time to get involved in the upcoming year’s program.

Dr. Kristin Sturdevant, of Tem’enos Holistic Therapies, is new to the Kickoff but enthusiastic about the opportunity

to support Connections’ mission to foster a proud and inclusive community. As a counselor, she knows that “everyone wants to be accepted -- and Connections does that.”

What: The Connections Annual Fall Kickoff. When: Tuesday October 5th, 2010 from 7:00 to 9:00pm. Where: the hotelVetro on the downtown pedestrian mall. The event is free, with a cash bar; further information can be found at www.queerconnections.org.

OCTOBER 2010

“Doesn’t ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ seem to be backwards?

Doesn’t it seem to you we should send home the prejudice? The straight soldier who hates the gay soldier, whose performance is affected because he is homophobic? He holds and harbors hate and he gets to stay and fight for our country? We gay soldiers, who harbor no hate, no phobia, are sent home … I’d like to propose a new law, a law that sends home the soldier that has the problem. Our new law is called ‘If you don’t like it, go home.’”

— Lady Gaga during her speech at a Portland, Maine DADT protest on September 20.

OCTOBER 2010

Section 3: Community

ACCESSline Page 39

TICKETS $20 IN ADVANCE / $25 AT THE DOOR VISIT AIDSPROJECTCI.ORG/BENEFIT FOR MORE INFO

A FUNDRAISER FOR THE AIDS PROJECT OF CENTRAL IOWA