Celebrating Two Help, help, I’m being oppressed! Years of Marriage Merlin Bartz complains that Equality in Iowa Editorial:
marriage equality makes heterosexuals “less equal”
On March 9, the Des Moines Register published an opinion piece by Iowa state senator Merlin Bartz (R-IA 6th District) titled “Orwell could have written script for Iowa’s Animal Farm.” In the column, the republican senator compare’s the plot of George Orwell’s novella Animal Farm (a fable retelling the story of the Senator Merlin Bartz early 20th-century Russian revolutions) to same-sex couples being given legal marriage rights in Iowa. The main point of the article can be found in the following excerpt: “Corruptedly [sic] applying equal protection/application laws, the [Iowa Supreme Court] has effectively created a ‘more equal’ group of Iowans, who based on self-identification are awarded special status and privilege not given to the non-identified.” The senator does not state what special status or privilege same-sex couples now have, but presumably it is the right to marry someone of the same gender—a right that Senator Bartz now has just like every other Iowan. That is, it is a right the twice-married senator has, should he ever find himself again unmarried, wanting to get hitched a third time, and head-over-heels in love with another man… The column prompted many responses, most from people who seem to have a firmer grasp on the plot and background of Animal Farm than does Senator Bartz. One standout among these is the following letter to the senator from high-school student Miles Brainard of Mason City:
March 11, 2011 FROM: Miles Brainard, Mason City, Iowa TO: Merlin Bartz, State Capitol, Des Moines, Iowa
Dear Senator Bartz, My name is Miles Brainard and I live in Mason City, right next to your district. This morning, when I was looking at the news online, I stumbled across a letter you had written to the
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Our annual “Anniversary Issue” marriage map shows only a little change since last year. There have, however, been many developments in that time: • Three of the seven Iowa Supreme Court justices who ruled that equal protection was being denied to Iowa’s samesex couples were removed from office in the November 2010 elections. • A marriage-equality bill in Maryland stalled in the legislature in early March 2011. • A civil unions bill passed by Hawaii’s legislature was vetoed in July 2010 by then-Governor Linda Lingle; the bill was signed in January 2011 by the newly elected governor, Neil Abercrombie. • Civil union legislation was passed and signed into law in Illinois in January 2011, and will go into effect in June 2011. • In August 2010, California’s Prop 8 was ruled unconstitutional, but remains in effect pending appeal • In February 2011, President Obama announced that the Department of Justice will not defend Section 3 of DOMA; House Speaker John Boehner has claimed that congress will defend DOMA if the DOJ will not.
Same-sex marriage1 Unions granting rights similar to marriage1,2 Legislation granting limited/enumerated rights1 Same-sex marriages performed elsewhere recognized1 No specific prohibition or recognition of same-sex marriages/unions Statute bans same-sex marriage Constitution bans same-sex marriage Constitution bans same-sex marriage & other same-sex unions 1. May include recent laws or court decisions which have created legal recognition of same-sex relationships, but which have not entered into effect yet. 2. Same-sex marriage laws in California are complicated
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Morgan Fairchild: Her Gay Love Story TTInterview on page 20
What’s Inside: Section 1: News & Politics
Advertising rates Iowa News US News World News Remarkable by Jonathan Wilson Creeps of the Week “Concessions of Love” by Tony E. Hansen
Section 2: Fun Guide
Entertainment Picks for April Deep Inside Hollywood Partying Hard: “Joe Jonas Does It By Himself” The Outfield Recurring Events, Statewide Hear Me Out (Music Reviews) The Gay Wedding Planner Morgan Fairchild: Her Gay Love Story Cocktail Chatter Out of Town: Road-Tripping Across Spain Book Worm Sez: It’s All Relative Comics and Crossword Puzzle
Section 3: Community
Council Bluffs Community Alliance Calendar GOglbt meeting on April 7 at Joslyn PITCH Wellness Summit, May 13-15, 2011 First Friday Breakfast Club: Good Eats in Elkader Queeries: LGBT Etiquette by Steven Petrow Wired That Way: Internet Filters Inside Out: “Taking Risks” by Ellen Krug Twenty Questions, a 10-part transgender series Business Directory
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ACCESSline Page 2
Section 1: News & Politics
APRIL 2011
Section 1: News & Politics
APRIL 2011
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ANIMAL FARM
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Des Moines Register concerning same-sex marriage. It is because of this I am writing to you now. George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a little book I hold near and dear to my heart. The way in which time and forgetfulness may be used to strip people of their rights is an important point, and I applaud you for making it. However, your suggestion that this is occurring within our state is distressing to me. In your letter you say, “Gay marriage is Iowa’s Animal Farm. We, like the animals in Orwell’s satire, have become the suppressed beast and fowl, criticized as non-inclusive uneducated fools. Gay marriage supporters hope we will, like the duped animals, modify our memories and stifle our voices in accepting a concept that is completely contradictory to our constitution’s founders.” I have two problems with this. One, you are not being suppressed. Since same-sex marriage was legalized in this state, nothing has happened to harm you or any of your constituents. No one has had their rights or freedoms violated. No one has been stolen away in the night by secret police. No one has been enslaved. Perhaps what you mean when you say you have “become the suppressed beast and fowl,” is that you have been overruled—an upsetting thing for you. You do not believe homosexuals, and other non-heterosexuals, should be fully integrated into society. For what I assume are religious reasons, you have decided this minority should not receive the same legal rights as you, the majority. You wrote, “The ability to prostitute the checks and balances of government and set new precedents is the ultimate hope of those who advocate that the public should not have an opportunity to reverse government decisions inappropriate and counter to long standing precepts.” You would like to see the majority vote on what the minority may have and do. This is not morally defendable and a shameful position to take. It is exactly the same sort of thinking which allowed a racist majority to impose harsh rule over ethnic minorities up until only recently. Government exists to represent the collective will of the people, but it is also duty bound to shield individuals from the blunt force of the mob. You, the mob, are not allowed to bully the minority. Two, the intents of our founders are
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largely irrelevant. A great thing about our state constitution, a thing it shares with the national constitution, is the way it is designed for revision. Times change, and people change with them. It used to be the case that only rich, white men could vote or hold office. As we have progressed as a society, we have matured and realized that women, non-whites, and people of little means also deserve a voice. You may very well be correct our state’s founders would not approve of same-sex marriage, fair enough. However, just because they wrote our government into being does not make them infallible. They would still be wrong to think that way, and so are you and people like you. You say the legalization of same-sex marriage is “counter to long standing precepts.” So what? Just because ideas are tenacious, it does not mean they are admirable. The amount of time a position is held does not correlate with the position’s validity. ”All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.” This line is not lost on me. In fact, I would ask you to please take another look at it. Are non-heterosexuals really attempting to commandeer new, better rights and raise themselves above the majority of Iowans as an elite class of citizens? You suggest this group of people “based on self-identification” desires to be “awarded special status and privilege not given to the non-identified.” No, you are wrong, Senator. This group of people does not want to identify as being different. They do not want to be special. What this group of very nice people wants is be like everyone else. Non-heterosexuals are not greedy, they will not try to steal equality from anyone. They merely wish to possess the same equality as everyone else, nothing more—but nothing less. Sincerely, Miles Brainard
ACCESSline Page 3
“All of my life I’ve spent a lot of time with gay men— Montgomery Clift, Jimmy Dean, Rock Hudson—who are my colleagues, coworkers, confi— dantes, my closest friends, but I never thought of who they slept with! They were just the people I loved. I could never understand why they couldn’t be afforded the same rights and protections as all of the rest of us. There is no gay agenda, it’s a human agenda. All of us should be treated the same… Why shouldn’t gay people be allowed to marry? Those against gay marriages say marriage should only be between a man and a woman. God, I, of all people know that [the remainder of the sentence was inaudible due to an audience outburst]. I feel that any home where there is love constitutes a family and all families should have the same legal rights, including the right to marry and have or adopt children!” — Actress and activist, Elizabeth Taylor, at GLAAD’s 11th Annual Media Awards, April 15, 2000. Rest in peace.
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ACCESSline Page 4
Section 1: News & Politics
APRIL 2011
Former Supreme Court One Iowa’s Carolyn Jenison Justices To Be Honored At takes on new project Annual ACLU Dinner, April 30
The ACLU Foundation of Iowa is proud to announce that the 2011 Louise Noun Award will be presented to the three former Iowa Supreme Court justices Marsha Ternus, David Baker, and Michael Streit. They were removed by voters last November in the wake of the Iowa Supreme Court’s 2009 historic ruling supporting marriage equality and will be honored at the ACLU Foundation of Iowa annual dinner on Saturday, April 30. The Louise Noun Award, named after the remarkable former president of the ACLU of Iowa, goes to those who have made significant contributions to civil liberties in the state.
The keynote speaker will be Des Moines attorney Sharon Malheiro, a leading advocate in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) issues. Malheiro founded and is the chair of One Iowa, the largest statewide civil rights organization dedicated to LGBT issues in Iowa. She has been a significant leader in achieving same-sex marriage equality in this state. A former journalist, Malheiro joined the Davis Brown law firm 1990 and is the president of the firm’s board of directors. Soon after joining the firm, Malheiro started working on LGBT issues. She worked to amend Des Moines’ human rights ordinance to include protections for gay and lesbian people. She also worked to introduce the Iowa Safe Schools legislation, and to add a LGBT amendment to the Iowa Civil Rights Act. Dinner and the program will be held at the University Athletic Club on the campus of the University of Iowa. We look forward to seeing you in IOwa City on April 30!
Whenever there is a significant advance in civil liberties, there is also the acompanying push-back. Iowa’s tremendous gains in marriage equality are no exception. And the ACLU of Iowa is fighting efforts to erode civil martial equality in our state. Ever since April 2009, when the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Varnum v. Brien that marriage equality is a right for all Iowans, anti-gay groups have fought to tear down that decision. In recent months, the ACLU of Iowa’s activities have included: Fighting Iowa House Joint Resolution 6, which would amend the Iowa Constitution to repeal the state’s marriage equality law and deny any form of legal recognition for gay couples-even mere civil unions. We have spoken out against this in the media and will fight in the legislature. Issuing a joint press release with One Iowa and the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa to oppose a proposed “marriage discrimination bill”. It proposed permitting discrimination against same-sex and other married couples based on a “sincerely held” religious belief. Along with many other groups, we fought the bill legislatively. The ACLU also was highly visible in the media coverage surrounding the bill. In fact, Executive Director Ben Stone directly took on the governor on a WHO-TV evening news segment. Fortunately, the next day the bill was withdrawn.
The bill was so attrocious that Salon. com included it in an article on the nine most stupid bills introduced in state legislatures this year. It’s titled “Tea Partyers Gone Wild” and includes a statement from the ACLU of Iowa. Protesting a movement to impeach the remaining Iowa Supreme Court justices in retaliation for their Varnum ruling. We were one of the first to decry the impeachment movement, issuing a press release that was widely used, and then fought legislatively. Condemning Bob Vander Plaats’ call for resignation of the remaining justices. “This does nothing to promote good government or the quality of justice in Iowa. Instead, it suggest suggests a desire for revenge,” said Stone at the time. Filing a friend of court brief in late December against a lawsuit that attempted to change the way Iowa judges are selected. The suit was filed on behalf of four Iowans by the Bopp law firm of Indiana. We were the only group to file a friend of court brief, which asked that the court not grant the emergency request of this divisive group. The following month, the lawsuit was thrown out by the federal judge. Remaining active in the coalition we helped found last fall-Justice Not Politics. JNP works to maintain our current process of judicial selection and retention and to prevent judges from having to solicit funding for an election process.
Dear friends, When I joined One Iowa four years ago, we were small but mighty, with three staff and roughly 1,000 supporters. But we reached out, we engaged volunteers, we shared our stories, we encouraged others and our support grew to more than 40,000. And, in that time, I was blessed to have witnessed our state embrace LGBT civil rights, institute policies to protect our children from bullying in school, and in 2009, see my home become the third state in the nation to guarantee the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples. Over these past four years, One Iowa has truly become the collective voice for many who didn’t have one. Now, as One Iowa is set to begin a new phase and a renewed commitment to public education, I believe this is the time to bring in new leadership to carry on our success. I am proud to have played a part in making history and I am excited to pass the torch on to someone ready to help write the next chapter for equality, because One Iowa’s work is far from over. Although our fight will continue under the Golden Dome, we have to reach out to the hearts and minds of Iowans
in towns and cities throughout the state. I will be embracing a new opportunity as Director of Community Relations for Iowans for Social & Economic Development. Our Political Director, Troy Price, will assume the role of Interim Executive Director. I know, because of the abilities and commitment of our staff and our board of directors, our organization will continue to not only remain strong, and grow stronger moving into this next phase. This has been the most challenging and meaningful experience in my career. It has been an honor to work alongside this staff, board and volunteers who are the most dedicated and giving people I have met, and I want to thank you for all of your support and guidance over the past four years. And now, I look forward to continued friendship and sharing One Iowa’s continued successes from a different vantage point. Please join me in continuing to support one Iowa’s work, and I’ll see you at the Anniversary Bash on April 2! My best to you always, Carolyn
ACLU Of Iowa Continues To Fight For Marriage Equality Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley
“What do I say to the idea that [DOMA] is a wedge issue? I say ‘Hallelujah.’ The fact that we’ve now evolved to the point where the Republicans are complaining about the fact that we introduced this bill because it causes them political problems is a great sign of progress. It used to be the other way around.” — U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) when asked on March 16 about the new effort by house democrats to repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act.
to Headline 2011 Awards Dinner NOH8 Campaign Founders Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley will headline the 2011 Matthew Shepard Scholarship Awards Dinner on June 3, 2011. The NOH8 Campaign is a photographic silent protest created in direct response to the passage of Proposition 8 in California. Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths, symbolizing their voices being silenced by Prop 8 and similar legislation around the world, with “NOH8” painted on one cheek in protest. Two years since its inception, the NOH8 Campaign has grown to over 8,000 faces and continues to grow at an exponential rate. The campaign began with portraits of everyday Californians from
all walks of life and soon rose to include politicians, military personnel, newlyweds, law enforcement, artists, celebrities, and many more. The Awards Dinner is Friday, June 3, 2011, at 5:30pm at the Hy-Vee Conference Center in West Des Moines. More information is available at mssdinner.eychanerfoundation.org.
APRIL 2011
Section 1: News & Politics
ACCESSline Page 5
US NEWS news analysis by Rex Wockner DOMA repeal bills introduced in Congress
Bills were introduced in both houses of the U.S. Congress on March 16 to repeal the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act. The act prohibits the federal government from recognizing states’ same-sex marriages and gives states cover to refuse to recognize each other’s same-sex marriages. The federal-recognition part of the act recently was deemed unconstitutional by President Barack Obama and the Justice Department, which has stopped defending that portion of the act in a series of ongoing federal lawsuits. At the same time, the department declared that any discrimination based on sexual orientation, like discrimination based on race or religion, is automatically unconstitutional absent some important governmental need for treating gay people differently. The DOMA-repeal bill, called the Respect for Marriage Act, might not see a floor vote in either chamber this year, though it is likely to proceed further in the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats. It was introduced in the House by Reps. Jerry Nadler, John Conyers, Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin, Jared Polis and David Cicilline, the latter four of whom are openly gay. It was introduced in the Senate by Dianne Feinstein, Patrick Leahy and Kirsten Gillibrand. In the House, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer are among the measure’s more than 100 sponsors.
Joe Solmonese. Photo by Rex Wockner. “The debate over DOMA isn’t about whether you favor marriage equality, it’s about whether the government can pick and choose which marriages they like, and which they don’t,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “With five states and D.C. granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples, it’s time the federal government stops playing favorites and instead creates an equal playing field for all families.” “In 1996, DOMA was just hypothetical discrimination because every state excluded same-sex couples from marriage,” Solmonese added. “Today we see it in much more concrete terms -- as tangible, heartwrenching, real-life discrimination.” DOMA deprives married same-sex couples of some 1,100 federal marriage rights and benefits -- including Social Security survivor benefits, federal employee spousal health coverage, protections against spouses’ losing their homes during medical emergencies, the right to sponsor
a foreign partner for immigration, and the ability to file a joint tax return. National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director Kate Kendell said repealing DOMA “will correct a shameful low point in our nation’s history.” “DOMA was passed in a moment of ugly anti-gay bigotry,” she said. “Every day that it stays on the books, DOMA harms families, stigmatizes our relationships and perpetuates a climate of hostility for all LGBT people.” Lambda Legal’s Marriage Project director, Jennifer Pizer, said her group “has heard from countless married same-sex couples who, because of DOMA, must pay extra federal income taxes on health insurance, are denied essential family benefits through Social Security, endure wrenching separation if one spouse is not an American citizen, and face a host of other injustices large and small.” “DOMA did something never done before in U.S. history,” Pizer said. “It said the federal government will pretend that an entire class of legally married couples is not really married due to other people’s religious or moral views about them, or because they don’t fit how a declining number of people envision ‘family.’”
Rea Carey. Photo by Rex Wockner. National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey said, “It is shocking that in 21st-century America, legally married same-sex couples are being singled out and selectively denied fundamental rights by their own federal government.” A recent nationwide poll by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, paid for by HRC, found that 51 percent of voters oppose DOMA and 34 percent support it. Same-sex marriage is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Vermont and Washington, D.C. In addition, same-sex marriages from anywhere in the world are recognized as marriages in Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island and California (if the marriage took place before Proposition 8 passed) even though those states do not let same-sex couples marry.
Majority of Americans support same-sex marriage
Another national poll has found that a majority of Americans now support samesex marriage. The Washington Post-ABC News poll, released March 18, found that when asked, “Do you think it should be illegal or legal for gay and lesbian couples to get married?” 53 percent of adults said “legal” and 44 percent said “illegal.” The random telephone poll quizzed 1,005 people and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Recent CNN and AP polls also found majority support for same-sex marriage. “Americans have been on a journey of understanding, living up to the American value of treating others as we would all want to be treated, and staying true to our nation’s history of upholding the American promise of equality under the law,” said Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry. “When the so-called Defense
of Marriage Act was stampeded through in 1996, only 26 percent of Americans supported the freedom to marry. In the 15 years since, that support has more than doubled.” Chad Griffin, board president of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, said: “The trend captured by today’s Washington Post-ABC News poll -- and a variety of other surveys -- is indisputable. The more Americans talk about this issue with one another, the more they come to embrace the idea that all citizens deserve equal rights, including the freedom to marry. As AFER has witnessed in its case to overturn Prop 8, people from all political persuasions and walks of life believe that adults in committed, loving relationships should be able to live their lives free from the government’s interference.”
No same-sex marriage this year for Maryland
Maryland was widely expected to become the next U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage but the plan crashed and burned March 11. The bill to legalize gay marriage had passed the Senate and had the governor’s support, but, at the last minute, after almost three hours of debate in the House of Delegates, supporters realized they did not have the votes there. The bill then was returned to committee by a voice vote. According to one report, key House opponents included African American legislators from Prince George’s County and conservative Democrats from the Baltimore area and the southern part of the state. “While we are disappointed the House did not vote to pass marriage equality today, we are confident we will win in the future,” Equality Maryland said in a statement. “It is best to delay this historic vote until we are absolutely sure we have the votes to win.” Same-sex marriage is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Washington, D.C. In addition, same-sex marriages from anywhere in the world are recognized as marriages in Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island and California (if the marriage took place before Proposition 8 passed) even
TTUS NEWS continued page 10
ACCESSline Page 6
Section 1: News & Politics
APRIL 2011
World News news analysis by Rex Wockner Moldovan anti-discrimi— nation bill under attack
A government-supported bill to ban anti-gay and other discrimination has come under attack in Moldova’s Parliament, where it is being debated. According to ILGA-Europe, a number of MPs have called for the deletion of “sexual orientation” from the draft law after being encouraged to do so by “right wing American evangelicals.” On March 17, about 150 anti-gay activists staged a protest outside Parliament dubbed “Homosexuals stay at home.” Said ILGA: “Aggressive homophobic rhetoric by religious organizations and a number of parliamentarians already resulted in threats being made to the members of GenderDoc-M, the leading Moldovan LGBTI rights organization. Alexei Marcicov, president of the organization, was verbally abused and had stones thrown at him near his home. Other human rights defenders supporting the anti-discrimination law have been threatened on the streets and near their homes.” ILGA-Europe’s board co-chair, Martin K.I. Christensen, said Moldova has little choice but to pass the bill with gays included. “Moldova committed to passing an antidiscrimination law protecting all minorities under its visa-liberalization agreement with the European Union,” he said. “We call on the EU to assert its position with the Moldovan authorities and hold them accountable under their obligations.” ILGA-Europe is the European Region of ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association.
St. Lucia apologizes to gay Americans
The Caribbean island of St. Lucia on March 11 apologized to three American gay men who were violently attacked and robbed inside a vacation villa by assailants who called them faggots. The apology from the tourism minister came after one of the victims, Michael Baker, posted a graphic account of the nightmarish incident on his Facebook page—tinyurl. com/luc-attac. Tourism Minister Allen Chastanet said: “Whether or not this crime was motivated by anti-gay sentiment, or during the course of a robbery, it is nonetheless unacceptable behavior and Saint Lucia as a destination will not tolerate it. … Saint Lucia has always been a safe destination, respectful of people’s own choices for religion, beliefs and perspectives on life.” In his lengthy Facebook recounting of the attack, Baker writes: “He pointed the gun at my head and said, ‘Get the f--k down!’ As I sat down on the ground the door crashed open, and I put my head between my knees. I wondered if it was going to hurt to die by being shot in the head. I felt so trapped. I wanted to run away with Nick, get him out of there, but there was nowhere to escape. This was going to be it. … They began to kick me in the back and the side. I was on my side, looking at Nick’s face. I could feel warm water running down my back, and
realized it was not water, it was blood. I saw the blood flowing out of my forearm. They began to tell us that they hated white people. They hated faggots. They asked where we were from. We told them the United States. They told us again how much they hated us. They asked if we were gay. Why had we showered together? Todd and I both said it was because the water heater was so small. They said if we were faggots they would kill us.” According to the U.S. State Department’s latest human-rights report on St. Lucia: “The law criminalizes homosexual relations, and there was widespread social discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the deeply conservative society. There were few openly LGBT persons in the country.”
from religious bigotry. Activists on the island itself and the rest of the UK launched a campaign to get the law changed and I am proud to have played a part in this.”
Front-runner for Peruvian president supports civil unions
The front-runner in Peru’s presidential campaign, Alejandro Toledo, has expressed support for giving gay couples the rights of marriage via civil unions. The election is April 10.
Gaga censored in Malaysia
Guyana keeps gay sex ban, opposes discrimination
The government of the South American nation of Guyana said March 10 that it opposes both anti-gay discrimination and advocacy of gay “lifestyles.” Gay activists called the statement inadequate and said that if the government wanted to lessen anti-gay discrimination, it should repeal laws that ban gay sex and cross-dressing. The ban on cross-dressing is being challenged at present in the Supreme Court on constitutional grounds.
Canada inserts gays into citizenship guide
Canada has added a gay sentence to “Discover Canada,” the nation’s official citizenship study guide. According to the national LGBT lobby group Egale, the sentence says, “Canada’s diversity includes gay and lesbian Canadians, who enjoy the full protection of and equal treatment under the law, including access to civil marriage.” Egale criticized the guide for making no mention of transgender people, and urged Parliament to pass pending Bill C-389, which adds “gender identity” and “gender expression” as prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act and adds transphobic crimes to the Criminal Code’s hate-crimes list.
Isle of Man passes civil-partnership law
A same-sex civil-partnership law has passed the parliament of the Isle of Man, a self-governing British crown dependency in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland. The law, which takes effect April 6, includes all the rights and obligations of marriage, the same as the United Kingdom’s civil-partnership law. British gay activist George Broadhead commented: “As a Manxman myself who was born on the IOM in 1933 and realized I was gay at school in the 1940s, I know only too well what a frightful homophobic place it was—much of it stemming, as elsewhere,
Restrictions on the rights of vulnerable groups face the highest level of court scrutiny and are presumed to be illegal from the get-go. The court said, “The mere presence of a HIV-positive individual in a country is not in itself a threat to public health.” Russia was found to have violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which concerns right to family life, and Article 14, which bans discrimination. Last October, the Euro Court ruled against Russia in the matter of Moscow’s ongoing bans of gay pride events. The court found that the nation violated guarantees of the European Convention in the areas of freedom of assembly and association, right to an effective remedy and prohibition of discrimination.
Sexual-orientation state— ment to be delivered at UN
Lady Gaga. Photo by Rex Wockner Malaysia’s largest chain of non-government-owned radio stations has removed gay lyrics from Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” for fear of being fined by government censors. The words “No matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian, transgendered life, I’m on the right track, baby, I was born to survive” have been garbled so as to be unintelligible.
A joint statement recognizing human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity will be delivered at the United Nations Human Rights Council on March 21. The deadline for countries to sign onto it is March 18. At present, 58 nations have endorsed the statement. Gay activists who are involved in U.N. affairs are urging colleagues around the world to lobby their national governments to sign up. Among the nations being targeted are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Turkey and Ukraine. The statement will be read out by the U.N.’s ambassador from Colombia.
Italian PM: Gay unions will be kept at lower level Euro Parliament warns Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Turkey, Montenegro on said Feb. 26, “As long as we are in power, traditional marriage and gay unions will gay equality never be on the same level.” The national LGBT group Arcigay denounced the remark as “another ruthless use of homosexuals and transsexuals’ lives and feelings with the sole objective of restoring the alliance with the Catholic electorate, disgusted by months of sexual scandals.” “The prime minister should look around and tell us which countries are treating LGBT people like he does,” said the group’s president, Paolo Patanè. “Maybe he will find out that this does not happen anywhere in the civilized world.”
Euro Court rules against Russia in HIV case
The European Court of Human Rights ruled March 10 that Russia violated the European Convention on Human Rights when it denied a residence permit to a man from Uzbekistan because he is HIV-positive. The man is married to a Russian woman and they have a child together. The ruling created European legal precedent in two ways: It recognized HIV-positive people as a distinct group whose fundamental rights are protected from discrimination, and it elevated HIV-positive people to the status of a “vulnerable group with a history of prejudice and stigmatisation.”
Ulrike Lunacek. File photo Adopting resolutions on Turkey’s and Montenegro’s progress toward joining the European Union, the European Parliament on March 9 told both nations they will have to do better on LGBT equality if they want to be part of the EU. Turkey must “ensure that equality, regardless of sex … or sexual orientation, is guaranteed by the law and effectively
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APRIL 2011
Section 1: News & Politics
Remarkable by Jonathan Wilson Mob Rule is Democracy Fit for the Toilet
The immediate-term wishes of the majority of us, versus the right thing to do: these are not always the same thing. I remember reading about a small town that decided in favor of more direct democracy and had citizens voting with their toilets. Those favoring a proposal were told to flush their toilets at a particular time, and those opposing it were told to flush at a different time. The greater drop in the water tower level would decide it. Aside from the obvious infirmities of no voter registration, no way to adjust for those with multiple toilets, and the potential for someone to “vote” with a nearby fire hydrant, it did eliminate the middleman, so to speak. Ours is a representative democracy; there is a middle-man or -woman. Every elected official in a representative form of democracy must strike a balance between voting what he/she perceives to be the will of constituents on the one hand, and doing the right thing on the other. In the latter case they must take on the burden of explaining successfully to constituents why what they did was the right thing to do. If they’re to get re-elected—which is the foremost agenda of most folks holding elective office—they need to do that successfully before the next election or rely heavily on short public memory. Too many opt for neither of those and act more like gumball machines, doing in automaton fashion what they think is the majority’s immediate short-term will. Some issues afford elected representatives more latitude in striking the balance when, being better informed on specifics, they find there’s some degree of disconnect between the right thing and the majority will. In those cases, fair minds can easily differ on where the balance should to be struck. No one with a modicum of humility can say confidently who is right and who is wrong in those instances. Striking the balance then is never a test of either conscience or courage. On issues of human rights, however, there is less latitude and, in fact, there should be a presumption in favor of striking the balance in favor of human rights. And issues of human rights invariably call for both conscience and courage.
When I was growing, up I remember seeing western movies that depicted a sheriff (read: a unanimous Iowa Supreme Court) standing up to a lynch mob to protect an accused prisoner. Just imagine how un-heroic (and unacceptable) it would have been in those movies for the sheriff, in the end, to say indifferently that, since a lynching was the will of his constituents, have at it. In 1931, in northwest Iowa during the height of the depression, a judge was confronted by a mob that was angry about his signing foreclosure decrees, and the mob wanted him to stop. He refused, standing in favor of law and order—the right thing to do. After torturing him, the mob dragged him to the outskirts of town with the intent of lynching him. They stopped only when the local newspaper editor intervened to remind them they’d be guilty of murder. Which is not to say that the majority doesn’t eventually get whatever issue figured out appropriately. After a decade of polling, for example, according to a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll, a majority of Americans now favor gay marriage. When it comes to equal rights guaranteed by the Constitution, however, a minority shouldn’t have to wait that long for the majority to come up with the right conclusion. It’s necessary for judges to do their job, and elected officials to back them up, if Constitutional guarantees are to have any meaning. The theocratic mob of today is made up principally of self-styled “Christians.” It’s ironic that Christians trace one of the foundations of the faith to the wrongful actions of a mob that turned on Jesus and prompted his crucifixion. Now just over 2,000 years later it’s the “Christian” mob at work, and the martyrs who showed both conscience and courage were three ousted Iowa Supreme Court Justices. In that toilet democracy and a close call, the issue could be decided by those who are indifferent to the outcome and just happened to be sitting on the toilet relieving themselves. In martyring those justices in the retention election, those who sat it out decided it. To paraphrase Martin Luther King, Jr., “In the end, we remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence and inaction of our supposed friends who let the indifferent decide.”
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Does Hate Speech Spawn Violence? (Or, Put Another Way: Do you Believe in Democracy or Don’t You?) Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Rick Santorum, Tony Perkins, Scott Lively, and their ilk, insist that they have no responsibility for violence committed against their political opponents and others that they demonize—particularly gay children of God. Let’s see if the following makes logical sense: If you believe in democracy, you believe in free speech; if you believe in free speech, you believe words matter, minds can be changed, and behaviors can be influenced with the force of things spoken in the public arena; if you believe that words matter in those ways, you must believe that hateful speech can increase the chance of violent behavior toward a target minority or individual by folks who are prone to violence; and, therefore, if you believe in democracy, you believe that hate mongers breed violence. When Sarah Palin called for Representative Giffords to be put in the cross-hairs, graphically demonstrated on her website… Well, it doesn’t take a genius…
To Cuba With Love And Back Again
The story is told about a guy who gets lost and stops to ask a local for directions to his destination. After a long pause, the local responds, “Well, I don’t think you can get there from here.” For over half a century that has been much the case for Americans wanting to travel to Cuba. Even now it’s not easy. Cuba lies south of Florida about 90 miles. The Castro Regime came to power after a violent revolution over fifty years ago. So Cuba and the United States share a revolutionary history. The United States sponsored embargo of Cuba has been in place ever since their revolution. As far as I know, no other country honors the embargo. Can you imagine England maintaining a selfdefeating embargo of the American colonies for half a century after our revolution?! Reminds me of the kid in the playground who, wanting his own way, threatens to hold his breath until he turns blue. Go for it. Despite the embargo, the economic plight of the Cuban people, from all appearances, was as good as I’ve seen things in Mexico, Belize, Ecuador, and Peru. More recently the embargo has been slowly easing, and that fact created the legal basis for my trip there last month. To get there required flights to Canada bookending a round trip flight booked between Toronto and Havana that happens daily. It couldn’t be accomplished on-line with a single booking from and back to Des Moines. Moreover, I felt like a mobile ATM since credit cards issued by US banks cannot be used in Cuba, so I had to carry cash— Canadian cash—stowed in pouches around my waist, around my ankle, and around my neck. I felt like a cash stuffed scare crow,
Jonathan Wilson is an attorney at the Davis Brown Law Firm in Des Moines, and chairs the First Friday Breakfast Club (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.
but I managed and never felt at any more risk of a mugging than during a walk around downtown Des Moines. I think I can say with confidence that the place is crawling with gay men. I don’t know about lesbians because my gaydar doesn’t work with lesbians. But it was going off aplenty with numerous handsome men that I saw there. I met a charming gay couple, one a successful architect and his partner, an accomplished, bilingual guide. They shared some fascinating insights about the Cuban experience and culture, and they confirmed that homosexuality, while not protected, is quite common and mostly accepted. Perhaps the most interesting insight was about the embargo which, if it’s been intended to put pressure on the Castro Regime, has been decidedly counter-productive. I was told that, since the beginning, every perceived short-coming of the Castro Regime has been conveniently blamed on what?—the US embargo. That scapegoat has given the Regime cover for everything from the shortage of milk, meat, bread, and cement, to opportunity … I was also told that lifting the embargo would likely change the political dynamics in Cuba almost overnight. Without that excuse for deficient performance, there would be tremendous pressure on the Cuban Government for change—not unlike the pressure we’ve seen recently in the Arab world. The accommodations were flawless, both the hotels and food, as well as an abundance of taxi cabs. Havana, at least, is ready and set for the American tourism that will cascade there when the embargo is finally lifted. They won’t have to start from scratch to accommodate the visitors. Except for the hurricane season, the weather is also flawless. The people are wonderfully friendly, particularly to those few Americans who have been able to visit despite the embargo. And did I mention the plethora of gorgeous gay men?
ACCESSline Page 8
Section 1: News & Politics
APRIL 2011
Creep of the Week by D’Anne Witkowski Victoria Jackson
Victoria Jackson at a Tea Party rally in Pasadena, California. Photo: Shal Farley I used to love Saturday Night Live when I was a kid. By far one of my favorite cast members was Victoria Jackson. I thought she was hilarious. Granted, she mostly played the same ditzy blonde character in every skit, but she did it well. When Jackson left the show in 1992 I remember feeling disappointed. I was positive SNL just wouldn’t be the same without her. And, of course, it wasn’t, but my allegiance was with the show, not with Jackson. And it wasn’t long before I lost track of her. Fast forward almost two decades later. I hadn’t even thought of Victoria Jackson in years. In fact, if you would have asked me if she was even still alive I would have been unable to answer that question. But she’s alive all right. And, it turns out, completely insane. On March 18, “The Muslims next door,” a column by Tea Party Princess Jackson, appeared on World Net Daily, the Internet’s go-to source for right-wing ranting and raving about homosexuality. Granted, Jackson’s piece is, as the title indicates, about Muslims, but she manages to get some anti-gay jabs in there as well (I suspect that’s editorial policy at WND). “Why do liberals embrace Islam knowing it frowns on homosexuality?” Jackson writes. “Because they have the same goals. Progressives, communists, liberals, globalists and Muslims want to destroy America. When that goal is reached, they will fight for top billing. It will be bloody.” Ah, yes. The great race to destroy the country and then beat the s--t out of each other. She’s on to us. Granted, I don’t know where we’re going to live once our shared dream of destruction is realized. Probably Canada. I should point out that Jackson’s criteria for “embracing Islam” simply means the opposite of denouncing Islam. So basically if you don’t hate something then that means you love it. And probably want to gay-marry it. Very logically sound. And so her thinking goes throughout her column. It’s rambling and full of sweeping generalizations and unsupported claims. At times she tries to be funny, but really she just comes across as a hateful person. “Frankly, I’m afraid to say anything about Muslims. Why? Because they kill people,” she writes. “I try to stay away from violence, and I wouldn’t even be thinking about Islam except
that they keep jumping in front of my face. No less readily available. Often those making protection of the laws to deny homosexuals one talked about Islam when I grew up. How the argument will resort to argumentative their first choice of marital partner, why did they all suddenly appear in America?” fallacies to back up their claims. The problem would it not do the same to deny pedophiles, Good question. How did they “all suddenly is, there are so many fallacious arguments to polygamists, or the incestuous the right appear in America?” Surely there weren’t choose from, it’s hard to keep it all straight. to marry the person (or persons) of their Muslims here back in the ‘60s and ‘70s when Pardon the pun. choice?” “The Top Ten Harms for Jackson was a kid. I mean, it’s not like Islam Well, the Family Okay, wait. Did he is one of the largest religions in the world or Research Council’s Peter Same-Sex ‘Marriage’“ is hot off just say that not letting anything. So there’s really just no telling how Sprigg has just the thing get married denies the presses, and it’s filled with gays they managed to get some of their people on for you. “The Top Ten them “their first choice U.S. soil right under Jackson’s nose. Harms for Same-Sex all of the half-truths, cherry- of marital partner?” All Muslims are up to no good in Jackson’s ‘Marriage’“ is hot off picked statistics and outright As if there’s a perfectly eyes. She writes, “Why can’t the ‘good, peace- the presses and it’s partner of lies a person needs to argue acceptable ful’ Muslims denounce the actions of the ‘bad, filled with all of the halfthe opposite sex just violent’ Muslims? I’m Baptist, and I denounce truths, cherry-picked that God made Adam and Eve, waiting in the wings? the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church. statistics, manipulated not Adam and Steve. That’s not how it works. They are not living the way Jesus taught—but data, distortion, and Nor is being gay the the opposite. Maybe, just maybe the ‘good’ outright lies a person needs to argue that God same thing as being incestuous or being a Muslims approve of what the ‘bad’ Muslims are made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. pedophile or a polygamist. doing! Maybe they are celebrating it, funding Sprigg separates the harms by “ImmeTo sum up his additional “harms,” Sprigg it and cheering them on.” diate effects” (1-4) and “Long term effects” argues that if gays get married, then heterosexuIt’s strange that Jackson seems to be (5-10). Immediate effects include the trash- als will stop getting married so they can screw completely unaware of the multitude of Muslims ing of religious liberties (i.e. the freedom around or get married and screw around anyway who condemn violence. The majority of them, to discriminate against gays and lesbians and then get divorced and die alone. Regardless, even. Maybe, just maybe she needs to read because God tells you to) and teaching grade heterosexuals will stop having kids. Apparently something other than World Net Daily. And school kids to be gay. only gays will get married and all children will before we give her too much credit for denouncThe number one immediate harm be intentionally brought into this world without ing the Westboro Baptist caused by gays getting the love of a mom and a dad. Does that sound Church, don’t forget that Jackson’s piece is about married is the bilking realistic to you? Probably not, but why let that she doesn’t like gays one Muslims, but she manages to of taxpayer dollars to stop us? Sprigg has raised the bar high for bit. Especially, it seems, “subsidize homosexual homosexual domination. It would be a shame get some anti-gay jabs in there relationships.” And just to disappoint him. not the gleeful ones. “Did you see ‘Glee’ as well (I suspect that’s edito— what are gays so shamethis week?” she writes. rial policy at WND). lessly asking for? Social “Sickening! And, besides Security benefits for shoving the gay thing down our throats, they their partners and their kids if they die. That’s made a mockery of Christians—again! I wonder right, same-sex couples want to help protect what their agenda is? Hey, producers of ‘Glee’— their families by receiving benefits from a what’s your agenda? One-way tolerance?” system that they themselves have paid into Granted, I don’t watch “Glee,” but I know all of their working lives. In other words, gays that there was a kiss between two boys on are today’s Cadillac-driving welfare queens. the show. Perhaps, for the sake of “balance,” Talk about piglets at the public teat. someone should have beaten the s--t out of those It’s a strange complaint considering that two fags on the same episode. You know, a nod Sprigg also argues that gays don’t stay togethto all of the tender-hearted Christians out there er anyway and that they don’t bother getting offended by a boy kissing another boy. married even when it is legal. He seems to Remember, when you kiss a homo you do be claiming that legalized marriage really it for Satan. But when you sucker punch one, isn’t something that gays want since all gay you’re doing it for Jesus. people aren’t legally married in places where it’s legal to do so. Sprigg points specifically to California, where same-sex marriage “was only legal for a few months, from the time that the California Supreme Court ruled in May of 2008 until the voters adopted Proposition 8 in November of the same year.” I’m sure glad my last name isn’t SantoGot that? It was only legal for a few rum. For one thing, I wouldn’t want to be months. Now check out Sprigg’s argument: related to Rick Santorum. For another thing, “Press reports have indicated that about his name means “The frothy mix of lube and 18,000 same-sex couples got ‘married’ fecal matter that is sometimes the byproduct in California—less than 20% of the total of anal sex.” And that’s the first thing that identified by the Census. By contrast, 91% pops up on Google. of opposite-sex couples who lived together Santorum’s “Google problem,” as it has in California were married. In other words, been dubbed in the media lately, is something only 9% of heterosexual couples in California he brought on himself when he compared have rejected the institution of marriage, gays getting married to man-on-dog sex. while over 80% of the homosexual couples Shortly thereafter, a reader of Dan Savage’s rejected ‘marriage’ when it was offered to “Savage Love” column suggested coining them in 2008.” “Santorum” as a sex term. Savage obliged. In other words, those homos who didn’t And “santorum” was born. get scramble to get married in the few months In 2007 Santorum was voted out of his it was legal prove that they don’t really want U.S. Senate seat and we didn’t hear much it bad enough. from him. But he’s back with his eye on being Number 10 on the list, and a long term President Frothy-Mix-of-Lube-and-Fecaleffect, is polygamy. Gays getting married Matter of the United States, and making sure We’ve all heard the argument that would mean that all bets are off as far as gays and lesbians aren’t allowed to marry is letting gays and lesbians marry will “hurt” numerical combinations of husbands and still one of his biggest concerns. heterosexual marriages. Or our country. Or wives. Needless to say, President Obama’s children. Actual support for these claims is Sprigg writes, “If it violates the equal TTCREEPS continued page 10
Rick Santorum
Peter Sprigg
APRIL 2011
Section 1: News & Politics
ACCESSline Page 9
Concessions of Love : A Commentary by Tony E. Hansen For years, the GLBT community has struggled to find equality at work, housing, and especially for marriage. For years, we have seen how groups have formed under the guise of principled religious freedom or “moral values” to cast hatred and to douse the freedoms of others with bigotry. They would proclaim the Word of God and the Bible as cornerstones to this rejection of freedom. They have been able to bully GLBT into closets and concessions against one’s own interest. Many states passed so-called laws or constitutional amendments that define marriage as between a man and a woman (banning same –gender marriage). In Iowa, we have been able to gain civil liberties protections and safe schools for GLBT people and children thanks to legislation signed into law in 2007. Today, we have marriage equality in Iowa thanks to unanimous court decision. We are at a tipping point of legal and social balance in America. With the recent votes in California, Arizona, Maryland and Florida against equality, Iowa, Illinois and some New England states are the few states that protect equality. From the uncouth attitudes that some people have professed with regard to equality and love, there should be no surprise that court ruling was met with swift and fierce backlash to pass a constitutional amendment in Iowa to ban marriages. GLBT people have always had to be on the defensive, had to cower away from hostile, subjective feelings about whom we are, and always had to stand up against hypocritical
arguments and spiteful remarks against us. We were conned into thinking ourselves to be inferior to some notion of “normal” or some Aryan-type myth. Yet, we were brought up in the same traditions as our brothers and sisters and have wondered why those traditions were not applicable for us. The hostile and subjective feelings have been both inwards and outwards. Some have turned violent against themselves, via suicide, or through outward violence trying to disguise through violence against other GLBT or simply to suppress that which is an intrinsic trait of us (no more different than the color of one’s skin). We can not “change” who we are. Further, we have always had to make concessions and to deny ourselves while waiting patiently for “our turn” or for the truth to somehow “set us free”. I am tired of concessions where people say we should just be happy without marriage or “things the way they are”. Why does a part of society have to concede their civil liberties and traditions (those that actually promote the positive in society)? That seems completely contrary to the principles for which born this nation. The time now is to dispel some myths about civil unions and civil marriages. • A civil union is not civil marriage unless heterosexuals are willing to call their marriages “civil unions” • Civil marriage does not impose upon religious freedom • One couple’s marriage does not impact another’s • Equal rights are not special rights
• Inequality violates the principles of America and her promise. They, “who proclaim the truth and righteousness” (WPTR), like to claim such righteousness and superiority based upon loose interpretations of a verse. Yet, why do we have to exploit the mystery of God to defend hatred and hostile acts? Is this really what Jesus, Buddha, Judaism or Islam teach? Marriage is ultimately about love, commitment and family as witnessed in countless couples (like that of my own parents and grandparents) who have weathered years together “for better or for worse”. Marriage is about love and one marriage does not destroy that of another marriage. As well, the divorce of one marriage does not negatively impact that of another. Family is about love, commitment, and sacrifice as well. I cannot help but to wonder why people want to distort this fundamental truth about marriage, family and love. Why do these spin doctors (WPTR) want to ruin the lives of good law-abiding people and their families? Furthermore, I protest the idea that GLBT cannot raise a family as I have witnessed the destruction of families at the behest of WPTR. Those WPTR proclaim to know what is “family” while they wish to destroy that basic unit of life of others. They WPTR cannot tell me that losing a child, or even being ostracized by a family, due of such hypocritical malice is honorable and just. As well, more families have and more families will endure hardships and malice without marriage or without equal rights protections. There should be no interest in allowing more
concessions that further a belief that DOMA is “fair” and “right”, and as well, people should not be allowed to distort the truth, to instill fear and to project destructive hatred into public discourse. The GLBT community has been tricked into conceding our rights and our identity. Equality and acceptance help to heal the society. Do we have so much violence in the world that people are not allowed to love or to be compassionate? Do we have so much violence in the world that families have to be torn apart? With all of the destruction, war and terrorism all over the world, we do not need to fuel violence, hostility, and hatred within our own communities. Is promoting
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Section 1: News & Politics
organization chose dogma over kids who needed help. “With the redefinition of marriage, recent decision to stop defending the Defense religious groups of all types will be forced to of Marriage Act in court because it is uncon- make the same type of choice—get out of the stitutional has gotten Santorum riled. business of helping people or compromise In a March 4 column for the Des Moines your constitutionally protected convictions,” Register, Santorum wrote, “Intellectu- Santorum wrote. ally, morally, and constitutionally President Let me get this straight: if gays are Obama’s claim is absurd. And it is a dagger treated equally then religions of all kinds aimed at the heart of a core constitutional will abandon social services? Like the local value: the free exercise of religion.” church-run soup kitchen won’t give out This is, of course, soup anymore because It’s as if the only thing they don’t want to not true. The anti-gay right has been crying between the teachings of, say, give soup to gays? It’s about how treating if the only thing Jesus and abject indifference as gays equally is akin between the teachings to banning God and to human suffering is homo— of, say, Jesus and abject demanding everyone sexuality. indifference to human worship Perez Hilton. suffering and need is No one is advocating locking pastors up or homosexuality. So long as religious orgaturning churches into gay bars. What Santo- nizations can discriminate against gays, rum is really arguing for isn’t the freedom of all is right with the world. Makes perfect religion; it’s the freedom to discriminate and sense. the freedom to legislate using an anti-gay In his column Santorum charitably “morality” code based on religion. added, “I believe if two adults of the same Oddly, to defend his argument he used sex want to have a relationship that is their the example of Catholic Charities in Boston business. But when they ask society to give who stopped doing adoptions because that relationship special recognition and they didn’t want to grant adoptions to gays. privileges, then we should be able to have a According to The Boston Globe, “(Catholic rational debate about whether that is good Charities decided) to abandon its founding public policy.” mission, rather than comply with state law Aww, isn’t that sweet? Santorum thinks requiring that gays be allowed to adopt gays deserve to mind their own business. So children.” Mind you, the state wasn’t forcing long as they aren’t asking to be treated fairly, Catholic Charities to hand over all of the everything’s cool. babies to a pillaging gay mob. The state As for the “have a rational debate” part, was saying, “Look, you can’t judge a parent that’s pretty suspect coming from someone unfit just because he or she is a homo.” That who thinks a man having sex with his husband was, obviously, too much to ask, and the is the same as a man screwing a dog.
CREEPS
APRIL 2011
John Boehner
s--tty job of defending DOMA. It’s true, Obama just wasn’t that into the whole thing. Probably because fighting to keep a law in place that discriminates against a specific minority in this country is kind of the antithesis of everything he campaigned on. Or maybe it’s just because things are really messed up right now—Hey there, unemployment rate! Hi, rising gas prices. Afghanistan, how’s it going? Hello budget deficit. Global warming, give your mom a kiss for me!—and the prez has priorities. Thankfully, Congress also has priorities. And under the firm leadership of House Speaker John Boehner, we can rest assured that defending the unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act is likely soon to be priority number one. “I’m really disappointed in the PresiWell, he did it. President Barack Obama dent and the Department of Justice in the announced his administration will no fact that they’re not going to defend a law longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act that Congress passed overwhelmingly. It’s in court, essentially firing up the big Gay their responsibility to do that,” Boehner told Bat Signal over America, letting gays know the Christian Broadcasting Network. “Now, that it’s finally safe to come out and wrest it’s happened before where administrations marriage away from the poor defenseless have decided they weren’t going to go out heterosexuals. and vigorously defend How could we possibly a law that Congress That DOMA is unconstitutional is expect a Republican-controlled passed, but I really am really a no-brainer, but in the House not to take this super disappointed for too long the only President in his actions, people willing to say juicy anti-gay bait? but if the President so were people with won’t lead, if the Presino power to do anything about it. Finally, dent won’t defend DOMA then you’ll see there’s someone in charge who isn’t willing the House of Representatives defend our to let his justice department put on an anti- actions in passing a bill that frankly passed gay dog and pony show just to placate some overwhelmingly.” right-wing a--holes. The fact is, pro-DOMA I was unaware that in order for a law to folk already thought Obama was doing a TTCREEPS continued page 32
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US NEWS though those states do not let same-sex couples marry. Meanwhile, in the run-up to the House of Delegates debate, Delegate Peter Murphy told the Washington Blade on March 9 that he’s gay. “I have never denied (being gay). I just presumed people knew,” he said. There are six other openly gay members of the Maryland House, and one openly gay senator.
NY governor to push for same-sex marriage this year
The new national group Equality Matters met with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on March 10 and reported that he’s eager to legalize same-sex marriage this year. “While our specific discussion today is private, what’s clear from our meeting with Gov. Cuomo is that he wants to get this done this year, as soon as possible, and that he is prepared to use his considerable power and influence to make it happen,” said EM President Richard Socarides. “What’s not clear,” Socarides added, “is how we get to the magic number of 32 in the Senate.” Equality Matters describes itself as a new campaign for full LGBT equality that utilizes strategic communications, research, training and media monitoring to strengthen efforts for full LGBT rights and to correct anti-gay misinformation.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Washington, D.C. In addition, same-sex marriages from anywhere in the world are recognized as marriages in Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island and California (if the marriage took place before Proposition 8 passed) even though those states do not let same-sex couples marry.
DC sees doubling in marriage-license applications
Marriage-license applications in Washington, D.C., jumped from 3,100 in 12 months to 6,600 in 12 months in the year since same-sex marriage was legalized. Though the district does not keep tallies of straight versus gay licenses, the number of applications per year usually varies very little, strongly suggesting that all of the increase since March 2010 can be attributed to gay people.
School to let gays meet
The board of trustees of Flour Bluff Independent School District in Corpus Christi, Texas, granted permission March 8 for students to form a campus Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club after the American Civil Liberties Union intervened on behalf of Nikki Peet, a student who had been denied permission to start the club. According to the ACLU, the school had threatened to prevent all extracurricular
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ACCESSline’s fun guide
Our Picks for April
3/25-4/17 Des Moines Community Playhouse: DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS 3/29-4/3 Orpheum Theatre, Omaha NE: YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN 4/1 Englert Theatre, Iowa City: JOHN WATERS LIVE: “THIS FILTHY WORLD” 4/1 Grand Opera House, Dubuque: SECOND CITY, FAIR & UNBALANCED 4/1-4/9 Sondheim Center, Fairfield: WAY OFF BROADWAY: INTO THE WOODS 4/5 Orpheum Theatre, Omaha NE: COMPANIA NACIONAL DE DANZA 2 4/8 Englert Theatre, Iowa City: NATE STANIFORTH, MAGICIAN
4/8-4/10 Gallagher Bluedorn, Cedar Falls: DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 4/10 Sondheim Center, Fairfield: ORCHESTRA IOWA PRESENTS THE CLASSICS 4/16 Orpheum Theatre, Sioux City: Souix City Symphony - New Discoveries 4/16 Sondheim Center, Fairfield: RICKY NELSON REMEMBERED FEATURING MATTHEW AND GUNNAR NELSON 4/17 The Garden Nightclub, Des Moines: Miss Gay Des Moines FFI 2011 Pageant 4/17 Sondheim Center, Fairfield: Danish Concert Pianist Werner Elmker 4/25 9pm ET/PT on PBS: Stonewall Uprising
“It was the Rosa Parks moment,” says one man. June 28, 1969: NYC police raid a Greenwich Village Mafia-run gay bar, The Stonewall Inn. For the first time, patrons refuse to be led into paddy wagons, setting off a 3-day riot that launches the Gay Rights Movement.
Airs Monday, April 25, 2011 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. 4/265/1 Orpheum Theatre, Omaha NE: LES MISERABLES 4/27 Gallagher Bluedorn, Cedar Falls: UNI varsity men’s glee club spring concert
... and for May
5/7 Kings & Queens Taps Nightclub, Waterloo: Lyme Disease Benefit Show/ “Under Our Skin” 5/14 Old Market, Omaha NE: New Braska Festival
Deep Inside Hollywood by Romeo San Vicente Lee Daniels eyes Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper. Photo: New Line Cinema. What movie will Lee Daniels (Precious) make next? It seems like he has a new potential project every few weeks. Will it be Selma like we keep hearing? The Butler? That remake of Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria? Well, the answer is maybe “none of the above” if The Paperboy happens. Based on Pete Dexter’s 1995 novel, it’s a crime thriller about two brothers pulled into the investigation of a rural sheriff’s murder and it’s set to star I Am Number Four’s hot young thing Alex Pettyfer. Word is that Daniels is already reading actors for roles and has made offers to both Bradley Cooper to play Pettyfer’s older brother and to Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara. Of course, what Precious fans want to know is if there’s a part for Gabourey Sidibe in all this, because given the fleeting nature of deals and shelved projects, literally anything can still happen at this point. So stay tuned for further speculation.
Griffin’s Gleeful Tea Party
It wouldn’t be a proper week of entertainment news if the Glee PR machine didn’t have some kind of announcement. And this week’s flash is the addition of a new right-wing character to the cast. A Tea Party-loving, homeschooling, Sarah Palin type. Played by Kathy Griffin. Now, contrast that casting announcement with creator Ryan Murphy’s stated intention to make this character part of the show’s inclusive vibe. Does anyone think it’s possible to have it both ways? Will it ride the outside edge of insulting, like the way Ashley Fink’s character Lauren Zizes gets to be powerful and the butt of fat jokes? Will the show simply abandon the character and her story lines when the next sensational musical guest star comes along? Can politically outspoken Kathy Griffin play a sympathetic right-winger without smirking? And, more to the point, how long before Sarah Palin takes to the Internet with a video explaining how offended she is?
Tilda’s Thai debut?
That tiny sound you just barely heard was the collective swoon and sigh of art film fans who very much want the following project to hurry up and become real: hyperacclaimed gay Thai filmmaker Apichatpong
Weerasethakul, whose latest film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and is currently in a handful of U.S. arthouse cinemas, is working on his next film, Mekong Hotel. And it looks like it might star Queen of Everything Cool, Tilda Swinton. What’s it about? The director says it will “address the relationship between man and water, the catastrophic flooding which is blamed on Chinese dams and diseases spread by industrial-scale pig farming.” Of course, if that’s the case then expect those themes to be dealt with obliquely; Weerasethakul is infamous for plotlines that feel baffling right down to the closing credits. But who cares, really, because if Swinton winds up taking part it’ll get the visionary director seen by even more sets of confused eyes. And in the movie business that’s how you win.
Lesbian directors are all right
Everything’s coming up deals for two lesbian directors. One of them is hot off an Oscar-nominated success story. The other one brushed up against Academy Award acclaim a few years ago. And both of them have high profile projects lined up. Lisa Cholodenko, whose The Kids Are All Right is the movie to beat in the Best Actress race, is taking on the film adaptation of Tom Perrotta’s novel The Abstinence Teacher. In the same vein as Perrotta’s earlier stories, Election and Little Children, it will mine anxiety in suburbia when a New Jersey sex education teacher has to battle local conservative forces that would seek to silence her curriculum. Meanwhile, toughminded Boys Don’t Cry filmmaker Kimberly Peirce has set up The Knife at Universal, a true crime drama about an L.A. gang member-turned-FBI-informant whose life is in constant danger. No casts or start dates for either of these projects, but details are sure to come soon enough.
Wonder Woman + Elizabeth Hurley = love?
If she comes from an already manfree, lesbian-leaning place called Paradise Island, are we surprised that the rebooted Wonder Woman TV project from David E. Kelly is going to feature an arch ladynemesis who may have strong feelings for the crime fighter in red, white and blue? No? Good, because that villainess—an evil pharmaceutical corporation CEO—is going to be played by Elizabeth Hurley, who should be great at bringing some devilish sex to the role. In other cool casting news, Rent alum Tracie Thoms is on board as Etta, cheery personal assistant to Friday Night Lights star Adrianne Palicki’s Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. More casting and go-to-series decision news as it comes in, but that sound you hear is a million lesbian
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Partying Hard: Joe Jonas Does It By Himself by Joshua Dagon This month the cover of Details Magazine features Joe Jonas who, along with his brothers, makes up the famous boy-band, “The Osmonds.” Joe has, according to the cover headline, decided to “[go] it alone.” I’m assuming the magazine means a solo music career; since Joe is now twenty-one years old, the other “going it alone” thing should have happened years and years ago. [I wonder if his “purity ring” ever got in the way?] There was some speculation in midJanuary of this year on OceanUp.com—not a web site that I normally read; one of the ads promised to help me find a first-time tampon—that Joe was taking a break from his brothers. At the time, however, the young rocker-dude only confirmed that he was writing music with some other musicians, such as Hans Zimmer and Inglebert Humperdinck. “I love writing with other musicians,” Joe was quoted as saying. “I’ve learned it’s much more productive than writing with elevator repairmen or a group of deaf monkeys.” Evidently, the news of his confirmed solo-endeavor goes beyond the first-time tampon crowd, hence the Details cover. Joe does look much more mature in the photograph, not unlike George Michael on his own breakout solo album, which was released in 1987. If you remember, George went on to have a very successful solo career, eventually becoming the most popular male pop artist ever to be arrested in a public men’s room. Still, the mature-looking, trademark facial hair that Joe Jonas is sporting these days isn’t limited to him and George Michael. No, Justin Timberlake also employed the look when he released his solo album in 2002. “It was time to make my own musical statement,” Justin said once but not really. “Besides, that Lance guy kept lookin’ at me funny.” Joe’s brothers, Kevin and Nick, are seemingly okay with Joe’s plans to become a solo artist. In fact, Nick Jonas already cheated on his brothers, so to speak, with a band
called “Nick Jonas and the Administration.” Their album, “Who I Am,” was released in February of last year, but never really took off commercially, ranking in sales between “Elmo Sings the Blues” and the Tonya Harding Commemorative Plate. I suppose it’s not really news that a member of a boy-band has solo ambitions. Jordan Knight from New Kids On the Block released his first solo album twelve years ago, at which time the four remaining members changed the name of the band to “The Backstreet Boys.” Robbie Williams of Take That began his solo career in 1996, although his separation wasn’t as amiable as Joe’s from his brothers; when Williams tried to release his own material, the band’s manager sued him and then stapled his hands to a set of drums. Brian McFadden departed from the group Westlife—which is, reportedly, some boy-band in Europe— in 2004, but no one cared because Westlife is just some boy-band in Europe. Obviously, it’s important for a member of a boy-band to change his image a bit when he begins a solo career, like when Jonathan Knight openly dated other guys and then went into real estate. Joe Jonas is no exception. I’ve mentioned the standard, mature-looking, I’m-not-a-teenager-anymore facial hair, but Joe also got a haircut, which is reminiscent of an image-decision made by Ricky Martin after leaving the band Menudo in 1991. If he follows Ricky Martin’s career strategy, Joe has another twenty years to pursue superstardom before announcing his homosexuality in a strategic effort to sustain public attention. For the moment, however, Joe is dating Ashley Greene of Twilight fame. At least, that’s what his publicist wants us to believe. Just watch,
though; as soon as the spotlight begins to dim, Joe will appear on daytime talk shows to promote his autobiography in which he reveals that, all along, Ashley Greene was really Justin Bieber in drag. Then, he’ll marry Reichen Lehmkuhl, who will have just been released from prison after “accidentally” killing Perez Hilton with a snow shovel. Until then, Joe seems to be satisfied with changing his attitude about alcohol consumption and by walking around West Hollywood with his boxers showing. However, I’m of the opinion that Joe’s U-Tube video of “Single Ladies” is somewhat telling. Joe is, admittedly, very comfortable with his current image. He told Details that “You’re so much cuter in person” is something he hears from people all the time. He has a personal fitness trainer with whom he works five days a week. He shops at Trader Joe’s. He tells anecdotes about other rock stars who admire the Jonas Brothers. One such rock star is Paul McCartney, who reportedly described the boy-band as “the new Beatles.” Then there’s Patrick Carney of the Black Keys, who believes the Jonas Brothers are “so rad.” But Joe is really quite humble. Despite the fact that he and his brothers made over thirty-five million dollars last year, Joe says being a judge on Top Chef was “a dream come true.” Sure, I find the music of the Jonas Brothers to be slightly less pleasant than hemor-
“I love writing with other musicians,” Joe was quoted as saying. “I’ve learned it’s much more productive than writing with elevator repairmen or a group of deaf monkeys.”
“There's nothing wrong with being gay, but I'm not.” — Pop star Joe Jonas, in the April 2011 issue of Details Magazine.
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.
rhoid surgery. Still, I’ll admit that they’re pretty cute, like lil’ Italian leprechauns. Certainly, I’ll be watching Joe’s career with interest, anticipating the new dance/pop sound he mentioned of his solo music. And despite all of the drama with Taylor Swift and Ashley Greene, I’ll also be watching AfterElton.com. Seriously. The boy lives in West Hollywood and shops at Trader Joe’s. Seriously.
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The Outfield by Dan Woog Puck buddies
One day a couple of months ago, Craig Brownstein was enjoying a Washington Capitals game. He turned to his partner, Doug Johnson, and said, “You’re my puck buddy.” The two hockey fanatics laughed at the pun—a sly reference to you-know-what. A couple of weeks later, a gay hockey blog with the same name launched. Puckbuddys.com (the more grammatically connect “puckbuddies” URL was already taken) may not be the only gay hockey site in the blogosphere. But it sure staked out great territory. The tagline is “for boys who like boys who like hockey.” Brownstein and Johnson make no apologies: They like both the game, and the guys who play it. The attraction of hockey is clear, they write: “the speed, the flash, the unpredictability of a bouncing puck.” They also like “the coaches, the fights, the crowds.” But mostly, the pair write, “we like the players—their amazing athleticism and physical abilities. And let’s face it: an extraordinary number of hockey players are simply hot—and that includes every single Cap.” Johnson calls himself “a journalist by day and a Brooks Laich fan in the off hours.” (Laich is a 6-foot-2, 210, very-good-looking left wing.) Brownstein—who works in PR—says he “spends his free time building shrines to Sasha Semin and learning to speak Russian.” (Semin is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound right wing. He too is quite attractive.) Puckbuddys is not your average hockey blog. A preview of a game against the Florida Panthers first mentioned injuries, then quickly noted: “let’s get to the meat of the post… As painful as this is to say, as a rule, the Panthers are an exceptionally good-looking lot. Bienvenido a Miami indeed.” To prove their point, Brownstein and
Johnson posted photos of several Panthers. Two wore hockey gear. One shot showed players clad only in Speedos. A fourth had one guy wearing—well, it could have been nothing at all. Google Images is a wonderful tool. Other posts include NHL news, player profiles and random items like a tongue-incheek photo of the Rev. Fred Phelps holding a sign “God Hates the Caps.” At least, I think it was a joke. One thing Puckbuddys does not do is “granular level stuff—plus/minus ratings, minor league stats, all that,” Brownstein says. “We’re not puckheads. We couldn’t even fake it.” In fact, Brownstein says, he never much cared for hockey as a kid. Growing up in Rochester, N.Y., he “wasn’t much of a jock.” By his early teen years, he knew he was gay. But he hid his sexuality, and joined—of all things—his high school football team. “We were OK, but I sucked,” he says (referring to his skill level, nothing else). Still, that was an important part of his high school experience. “I was a crappy, directionless student,” Brownstein says. “I needed the discipline of football. It was my first immersion into a team—experiencing dizzying highs and horrible lows together with other guys.” He formed friendships that last 30 years later. Neither he nor Johnson cared much for hockey. But—like many Washingtonians— they were drawn in by the Capitals’ playoff run a few years ago. Hi-def TV made the game come alive; the announcers were engaging and funny. A passion was born. Then came Brownstein’s casual “puck buddy” comment to Johnson. The blog soon followed. The gay perspective was natural. “A lot of players are ripping hot,” Brownstein observes. “Add athleticism to their natural beauty—and the fact that they kick the crap out of each other—and it’s perfect. Plus the traditional mainstream media never talk about how hot Alex Ovechkin is. He’s a vision.” The blog has received boosts from mainstream sources, though. Yahoo Sports mentioned it, and Johnson and Brownstein were interviewed by Washington’s CBS radio affiliate. Local hockey blogs have thrown a bone to Puckbuddys too, although the Capitals’ front office never responded to an e-mail
from Brownstein. A video produced by the pair caught some eyes. They took a ubiquitous YouTube clip and fashioned it into a hilarious “Hitler reacts to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ loss to the Caps in the 2011 Winter Classic” video. One thing the pair disagree on is: How gay is hockey? Johnson’s gaydar constantly goes off in the Caps’ arena. Brownstein, though, sometimes feels that he and his partner are the only gay fans in the place. Meanwhile, the NHL playoffs beckon. The pressure will build on players, fans—and bloggers. Brownstein and Johnson are ready to cover whatever lies ahead. But they promise not to lose their sense of humor. After all, their blog notes, “We’re here, we’re queer, we’re red all over.” Yes, red—as in the Caps’ colors. You don’t need to be a puckhead—or a Puckbuddy follower—to get the pun. But it helps.
everything to lose, while he was on top of the mountain or adored by thousands or millions.” The basketball player hears gay curses in the locker room and the stands, so he stays in the closet. But he has a lot to say, so he started blogging. “I wasn’t sure how it would go, and what would happen,” he says. He was pleasantly surprised. He posts about many things. He has written about dreams, politics, youth in jeopardy, his own internalized homophobia and coming out to his family. Describing his first time in a gay bar, he wrote: “I got so nervous it was unbelievable. More than any basketball game I ever played, more than anything I ever experienced.” He also wrote about his first sexual experience with a man. It’s the kind of stuff not often seen on pro athletes’ pages. After that first encounter, he wrote, “I had the feeling that everyone was looking at me, and looking at me differently. …The only rational explanation I have is that in some part I felt I did something wrong or bad, and everybody in the street knew about it.” Here’s his description of his New Year’s celebration: “I wouldn’t mind having a night out on the town, well a town where I can be gay and there are a lot of available young blond guys which just happened to be gay. Instead, I enjoyed playing five on five and working on our full court press… I went to a restaurant with a teammate and his wife and called it a night. The only thing I was kissing as 2011 came in was this screen, since I was finishing up another post.” The theme of conflict runs through much of his writing. He knows he provides an important voice to young gay athletes—but he is aware that by not being out, he sends a mixed message. “I really wish there was something that I could do, and I do think about it,” he writes. “Maybe if I do come out even one kid will understand that being gay doesn’t mean you can’t succeed in life and can’t make your dreams come true. It would be worth it, but for now it’s just too much to lose.” He is not worried his identity will be revealed. “I know I’m taking all the measures that need to be taken in order not to give out any hints,” he says. His writing is strong—but without important details, the picture he paints can never be completely full. When he began blogging, he thought he might reach out to professional athletes in similar straits. That has not happened. However, he says, “I have heard from a lot of interesting people.” Some have become e-mail friends. He also has helped guys who felt worse than he did. It’s not as freeing as being out. But it works for him. 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 at OutField@qsyndicate.com.
“Maybe if I do come out even one kid will understand that being gay doesn’t mean you can’t succeed in life and can’t make your dreams come true. It would be worth it, but for now it’s just too much to lose.”
Basketball in the closet
“On the Internet,” the famous New Yorker cartoon goes, “no one knows you’re a dog.” And on the Internet, no one knows who “Anonymous Baller” is. That’s fine with him. All anyone needs to know, he says, is that he’s an American playing professional basketball overseas. Oh yes. He’s gay. And he’s blogging— about basketball, sexuality and much more—at “Playing Basketball from the Closet” (http://bballinthecloset.blogspot.com). The closet part is as important as the hoops. This is a rare pro athlete: He does not want anyone to know who he is. He was willing to share some aspects of his life with The OutField. Growing up, he says, he loved “any sport with a ball.” He didn’t understand what “gay” meant until the beginning of high school. Playing varsity basketball brought popularity. He dated a girl and tried to blend in. He recalls those years as “really shy and really lonely. I did what I needed to survive the questions.” He made up stories to seem straight. He lived for practices and games. “I felt like half a human being,” he says. “I didn’t know what would happen with my life.” Now, he looks forward to the end of each season. He vacations in someplace he’s never been. There, he lives his “second life—the gay one.” With each vacation, he says, “I develop as a person. I accept myself more. I understand that I could be happy as a gay person, a couple, and I’m not doomed to have a sad and lonely life just because I’m gay.” Yet he still won’t come out. He has deep respect and admiration for John Amaechi and Gareth Thomas, the NBA and professional rugby player respectively who have come out. At the same time, the blogger says, there has never been a pro athlete who has come out “while he had
the fun guide
APRIL 2011
ACCESSline’s STATEWIDE Recurring Events List
Hear Me Out by Chris Azzopardi R.E.M., Collapse Into Now
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 +: HIV-related D: Drag W: General Women’s Interest
Sunday Every Sunday, GLBT AA, 5-6 PM, 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 319-338-9111 or visit the AA-IC website: http:// aa-ic.org/. [ L G B T M W A ] 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 9:30 p.m. No cover. Tel, 319-3215895. [ L B T W D ] Every Sunday, THE QUIRE: EASTERN IOWA’S GLBT CHORUS REHEARSALS, 6-8:30 PM, 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, 8:00pm-11:00pm, The Center, 1300 Locust, Des Moines, IA 50309. Social group for Queer youth 25 years and under [ L G B T ] Every Wednesday, LEZ TALK (LIVE TALK SHOW), 9pm, Des Moines Social Club, 1408 Locust St, Des Moines, IA . New talk show in the Capital City, Des Moines, IA. This show is hosted by Lezzies and made for ALL people. We have successfully secured a slot (we said slot) at the DMSC Wednesdays 9pm! Talk about must see TV! [ L G B T + A ] Second Sunday, LGBT MOVIE NIGHT, 2 p.m., Johnson County Senior Center, 28 S. Linn St., room 202 , Iowa City, IA 52240. A series of narrative and documentary movies focusing on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues with informal discussions afterward. An encore screening and discussion of each movie will be offered on the following evenings to accommodate more participants. The selections will share with the audience some of the traumas and successes experienced by the LGBT community throughout history, as well as center around gay love stories and the universal search for meaningful relationships. For more information, or to request a favorite title, contact the series organizer, Elsie Gauley Vega, at 319-337-4487 or jgvega@hotmail.com. [ L G B T ]
Monday
1st 2nd Monday of the Month, IOWA PFLAG NORTH IOWA CHAPTER MEETING, 7 PM, 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 641-583-2848. [ L G B T M W A K ] 1st Monday of the Month, IOWA PFLAG QUAD CITIES CHAPTER MEETING, 6:30 PM, at Eldridge United Methodist Church, 604 S. 2nd St., Eldridge. For more info, call 563-285-4173. [ L G BTMWAK] 4th Monday of the Month, IOWA PFLAG WAUKON/NORTHEAST CHAPTER MEETING, 7
B: Bisexual T: Transgender A: General Interest K: Kids and Family M: General Men’s Interest
PM, 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, 7pm-9:30pm, Plymouth Congregational Church, 4126 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines, IA . For more information about singing with the Chorus, contact Rebecca Gruber at 515-865-9557. The Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. [ G M A ] Every Monday Wednesday Thursday Saturday, GLBT ONLY AA MEETINGS IN DES MOINES, 6 PM - SAT 5 PM, at 945 19th St. (east side of building, south door). [ L G B T M W A ] Monday, DIVERSITY CHORUS REHEARSALS, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m., Westminster Presbyterian Church, 4114 Allison Ave., Des Moines, IA 50310. Des Moines Diversity Chorus welcomes new singers, begins 02/07/2011. No audition required. Singing with meaning since 1997! Call Julie Murphy at 515-2553576 for more information. No cost to members. Rehearsals continue on Monday evenings through 5/2/11. [ L G B T M W A D ]
Tuesday
2nd Tuesday of the Month, IOWA PFLAG AMES CHAPTER MEETING, 7 PM, 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 MWAK] 2nd Tuesday of the Month, CEDAR RAPIDS UNITY BOARD MEETING, 6:30-8 PM, 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 GBTMWA] 2nd Tuesday of the Month, SPIRITUAL SEEKERS, 7-8:30 PM, 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, 7-8:30 PM, 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, 7-8:30 PM, 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, 7:309:30 PM, Iowacity/Johnson Co Senior Center, 28 South Linn Street, Iowa City, IA 52240. Practice and open dance. A donation of $1-2 per person is requested for use of the Senior Center. For more info, contact Karen Jackson at 319-447-1445 or e-mail kljedgewood@msn.com. [ L G B T M W A ] Every Tuesday, KARAOKE IDOL, 9 PM, Studio 13, 13 South Linn Street, Iowa City, IA 52240. Drink specials and great competition! Visit www.sthirteen. com. [ L G B T M W A ]
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R.E.M.’s first album since 2008’s Accelerate, a return to form for the misstepping rock icons, is as obvious as lead singer Michael Stipe’s coming out—and that’s fine. After adventurous detours into hard rock and hipster pop, the trio’s 15th LP reaches back in time to their glory days with a lively post-punk revival and backtracking balladry. There’s the pretty “ÜBerlin,” a free-spirited galvanizer that’s every bit classic R.E.M.; even the one-two punch of “Discoverer” and “All the Best” bristle with ‘80s drive, though Jacknife Lee’s pump-thesound production doesn’t equal energy… it equals headache. The album is basically split into two categories: loud and quiet, and the latter prevails. Stipe expresses a refreshing vulnerability on “Oh My Heart,” but it’s “Walk It Back” that really gets you with his almost-broken voice suggesting regret and that, well, everybody hurts. The most joyous moment is also one of their most embarrassing, as “It Happened Today” ridiculously works in “hip, hip, hooray” to rhyme with the song’s name. It’s no mistake, too, that it sounds like an Eddie Vedder track; he’s on it. A wasted collaboration with Peaches on the head-rushy “Alligator Aviator Autopilot Antimatter” is almost just as lame. But tucked within these blunders is some of R.E.M.’s best work in years, a return to their prime that seems to say you can lose your religion, but you can also get it back. Grade: B
Avril Lavigne, Goodbye Lullaby
We like our bratty babes—how else is Ke$ha’s clock still tick-tocking? But Avril Lavigne, who had it out for a rivaling “Girlfriend” on her last album, 2007’s The Best Damn Thing, was the resident whippersnapper before she got bumped. She’s not exactly up for a throw-down with Ke$ha on her fourth CD, moving in a no-nonsense direction that befits the life of a 26-year-old
divorcee—meaning there are lots of poprock relationship rants, and bad words. Aww, our sk8r girl’s all grown up. But that doesn’t mean things aren’t—like her big hit from 2002—complicated. What could be deemed as notes-to-self songs, “Darlin” and “Everybody Hurts” (not that one) might as well be the voices in her head, telling her everything’s gonna be all right. But on Goodbye Lullaby everything’s not, especially when Lavigne’s left to the songwriting—and that’s far too often, as her self-introspection comes off as serious… if you’re Taylor Swift. A lack of depth, however, can’t stop her savvy production team—including hitmaker Max Martin—from giving her word deficiency a workout. There’s a cuteness to the feel-good groove of “Stop Standing There” and “Smile” that can’t be denied, and she puts her party-pooper aside for the catchy “What the Hell”—which would probably disgust Kelly “I Do Not Hook Up” Clarkson, another pop star who let growing up get in the way of good music. Lavigne just got luckier. Grade: B-
Adele, 21
So much has been said about the big British music boom, but Duffy’s drab sophomore album was D.O.A. and Amy Winehouse drank herself into oblivion. But Adele Adkins, with the wowing voice and girl-everyone-likes appeal, sings like she’s here to stay on her post-19 release. Taking off two years after delivering her debut (the title represents the age at which she wrote it), 21 reflects a tumultuous split that left her with a broken heart and 11 songs, all done-up by a slick team of Top-40 producers. The blitzing first, “Rolling in the Deep,” has thunderous bite as its acoustic guitar bursts into a surging old-school soul song with some mad vocals ripping into her ex-lover: “Go ahead and sell me out and I’ll lay your shit bare.” Tell us how you really feel, Adele. And, well, she does, either trying to shake love’s memories on “Set Fire to the Rain” or, with “Turning Tables,” walking away from a wrecking relationship. Wronged-woman balladry is the album’s primary pursuit, with numbers like “Take It All,” featuring a stunning bridge and choir; an intimate bossa nova cover of the Cure’s “Lovesong”; and showstopper “Someone Like You,” a wrenching, repeatworthy torch song with enough conviction penetrating her colossal wail to crush you into itty-bitty pieces. It’s the voice of a classic in the making. Grade: AChris Azzopardi can be reached online at chris@pridesource.com.
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HOLLYWOOD TV viewers clearing space on their DVRs.
The Jackass machine keeps rolling
Johnny Knoxville in “Jackass: Number Two” from Paramount Pictures. The men of Jackass need to keep working. And if those jobs could involve less chance of spinal cord injury then so much the better. And to that end, Johnny Knoxville has a couple of new projects lined up. The first one, called First Man, is a script about a rowdy hellraiser whose wife is elected president. His response? Goofy post-adolescent (OK, more like creeping middle-age) rebellion. And after that Knoxville is planning to re-team with Jackass colleagues Bam Margera and Ryan Dunn for a crime comedy called Mustache Riders. It’ll co-star Willie Nelson as a veteran outlaw who leads three small-time crooks on a buried treasure hunt and will, in keeping with the three “actors’” abilities,
the fun guide provide them with the opportunity to do their own stunts. Now, it’s presumed that none of those stunts will involve two naked men being superglued to one another like in Jackass 3D, but you never know. Don’t underestimate these guys and their love of the gay-adjacent scenario.
New Year’s Eve? For gays too?
Pretty Woman director Garry Marshall knows when to strike while the iron is still hot. His last film, the huge ensemble comedy Valentine’s Day, was a big hit with audiences and, in spite of its timid – OK, stupid – portrayal of gay love (Gay characters Eric Dane and Bradley Cooper don’t kiss. Instead, one of them brushes the other’s check with an orchid. Yes, really.) it managed not to offend much of the queer audience. Well, now Marshall’s back in action with a sequel of sorts: New Year’s Eve. It’ll star, among many others, Robert DeNiro, Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Lea Michele, Josh Duhamel, Sofia Vergara, Zac Efron, Hilary Swank, Jon Bon Jovi, Michele Pfeiffer, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ice Cube and Ryan Seacrest. So a franchise of holiday-themed rom-coms is born. But we demand that this time the gays and/or the lesbians be allowed to kiss at midnight. This isn’t a polite request. Just do it. Romeo San Vicente kisses and tells. Then kisses again. He can be reached care of this publication or by email at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com.
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The Gay Wedding Planner by Beau Fodor Nathan and Alden Ritz
Alden Ritz, Michael Aguilar, and Nathan Ritz In the place where they first met, Nathan proposed to Alden on bended knee, he asked “Do you promise, promise to spend your life with me?” Alden said: “Yes, I promise, promise.” And so the wedding planning began. Nathan and Alden began planning for a large, elaborate summer wedding with hundreds of guests, fine food and a grand ballroom, but then they realized that they were making ‘their day’ about the guests and not about the true meaning of the event: joining two lives into one. They wanted to celebrate life’s loveliest liberty: marriage and their love for each other. The wedding took place on March 12, 2011 at the future location of Nathan’s brother’s restaurant, Capital Pub & Hot Dog Company, just south of the East Village. Nathan planned and coordinated every detail of the event himself. The venue was an open and raw space that the couple hired Tracy Fuller of Innovative Events to decorate, and B&B Market, Mom Ritz, and Grandma Curry to provide the catering. Nathan said the day was one of the most relaxed days he has ever had, he knew everything would be perfect, and he said it was. The couple even went home a few hours before the ceremony to take a nap! “By the time the day-of rolls around, if it isn’t done, it’s not getting done and no one will ever know otherwise” offered Nathan. At 6pm the venue was jam packed with 140 of the couple’s closest family and friends as “All You Need Is Love” from the “Across the Universe” soundtrack played over the
sound system. The wedding party walked down the aisle consisting of Best Man John Marshall, Katie McVey, Best Man Nicholas Ritz, Sarah Steege, Ryan Adams, Sara Froehle, Will Hays and Dane Hays. Alden walked down the aisle first accompanies by Lori Becker and Kelley Fisher, his best man’s moms, followed by Nathan and his parents Mike and Nancy Ritz. The personalized ceremony was facilitated and written by one of the couples closest friends, Mike ‘Aunt Mike’ Aguilar. Laughter and tears sprinkled the ceremony, and the audience erupted in applause as the couple sealed their marriage with a kiss, as the Beetles “Here Comes the Sun” began to play. “The reception was the best time ever” said Alden. “I had more fun dancing with my family and friends than I have ever had in my entire life, it was an amazing feeling of love and support, and the world outside the walls didn’t exist for one night!” The couple had planned their first dance song to be “I want to Hold Your Hand” from Glee, as performed by the openly gay character Curt. “This was the most nerve-racking part of the night, as we had never really slow-danced with each other before,” said Nathan. Half way through the song the couple was joined by other married couples to symbolize the support system they had around them. Nathan and Alden Ritz are now mapping out their life’s journey together. They will close on their new Home on August 1, where they hope to bring the addition of another, smaller Ritz home in the future.
BRIDES & GROOMS update
In recent contract negotiations with Cool Fire Originals and Pilgrim Films & Television about my Iowa-based reality docu-drama “BRIDES & GROOMS”, things took a slightly different direction with the fact of BRAVO coming into the mix… along with another exclusive contract with these big boys! The show is being re-tooled and diversified to include high-end special events, private parties and heterosexual wedding couples here in our great state, as well. What it really boils down to is for a larger mainstream demographic to be introduced to gay culture and gay weddings in the Mid-West. The six previously-filmed gay weddings will still be a small part of the first few episodes, but now also they will include footage and
dialog of me with political leaders at political events that took place this past year and year ahead in Iowa, straight weddings and events and my dysfunctional family, social circles and volunteer-gigs throughout the year. In chatting with the VPs of both production companies, they really liked what they saw, but don’t feel 100% gay content will work. (Except for on the LOGO Network, and I personally think we deserve a larger market share with national visibility… just sayin’!) And Tim Brietbach, EVP, from Cool Fire Media, in St. Louis (who was responsible for the creation and filming of the “BRIDES & GROOMS” pilot) as well as his mentor and partner, Johnny Gould at Pilgrim Films & Television in Los Angeles, couldn’t agree more. Johnny Gould serves as Vice President, Program and Business Development, at Pilgrim Films and Television, heading up the company’s original programming, international format sales and acquisitions, and new business development divisions. He is charged with growing Pilgrim Films and Television’s production slate, as well as overseeing the day-to-day activities of the development and casting departments. In 2006, he joined Pilgrim full-time. During his tenure at Pilgrim, Johnny has overseen an array of non-scripted and reality programming, as well as the development of network primetime television specials, including what lies ahead for us here in Iowa, later this fall! These guys are genuine, kind-hearted, and believe in our struggle for acceptance, and I truly feel like they have my back.
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. So, there’s the REAL back story… and especially since no one is more anxious to get this on than me, I’m grateful for the finetuning, editing, and re-tweaking and know these men really like me and have my best interests at heart! So, along with me, trust this process, be patient, as the best is yet to come and Iowa will get much more than just its 15 minutes!!!
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Morgan Fairchild: Her Gay Love Story interview by Chris Azzopardi Actress on new film and her latest role—as fairy godmother
It’s no stretch really that Morgan Fairchild’s latest role as a wise waitress in the queer-themed romantic-comedy eCupid has her trying to connect two gay men. She’s been connecting with gay people her whole life, even before the bombshellwith-brains went lesbian for Sandra Bernhard on Roseanne. Recently, Fairchild talked about her eCupid and Roseanne roles, and how much progress we’ve made with LGBT characters. The 61-year-old also chatted about breaking the AIDS stigma in the ‘80s, why actresses over 40 can’t find work, and how her Twitter followers get more than they bargain for. Essentially you play the fairy godmother of the gays in eCupid. Yeah, that’s my role in life. (Laughs) How did you get involved in the movie? They offered it to me, and so I read the script and I thought it was really cute. It’s a traditional romantic comedy with two guys instead of a guy and a girl, and I’m just a big supporter of the LGBT community being treated equally—that they have real lives, that they can be cute, that it all doesn’t have to be strange and dark stories, or even sexy stories. This one is just a light romantic comedy that could’ve been done
in the ‘30s. You make a good point. So many gay films, especially in the ‘80s and ‘90s, were about AIDS and, well, AIDS. Yeah, AIDS—or bathhouses, guys in leather and a lot of S&M. (Laughs) I have so many gay friends and relatives, and I’ve been involved in the theater since I was 10—all my friends were always gay. There are a lot of different kinds of people, so I was just happy to see a cute movie that just happens to be gay. The detective series I did with Chad Allen, Shock to the System, was the same kind of thing. It’s a detective story with a
guy who comes home to his lover who’s gay. I think it’s very important to show a broad spectrum of emotions and lifestyles—just people living their lives. Are you doing any other gay-themed projects? I’m getting ready to do one right now called Happy Ending, and it’s not exactly gay-themed, but it’s sort of. I don’t even know if I’m allowed to talk about it yet, but I’ll just say it’s an interesting story about a woman who comes to terms with her life and has an affair with another woman who isn’t gay—ostensibly they’re both straight but end up having an affair that becomes
very meaningful and changes both of their lives. So to me, that’s gay themed, but I don’t know if the director actually thinks it is. (Laughs) It’s a really nice script, and that’s what you’re always looking for—good stories being told of all kinds, whether it’s drama or comedy, or a romantic comedy where people just happen to be gay. It’s the same way in real life. I mean, so many conservative people would be shocked to know that friends of theirs are gay and just have normal lives. They always say everyone knows at least one gay person. God, I know millions! A lot of my fan base has always been gay, and I just grew up around everybody being gay, so I’ve known since a very early age that the gay and lesbian friends that I had were exactly the same as the others. They went through the same heartache; they had the same hope and aspirations. Everything was the same—except the sexual orientation. In eCupid, you play a wise waitress who dishes relationship tips to two gay men. Do people come to you for advice often? You never tell anyone how to run their life, and I don’t feel called upon to jump in and tell people how to do it either unless I’m asked. But even if asked, I think you can only make suggestions and offer your own experience: “You know, when I was younger I got into something like this and here’s how I handled it for better or for
APRIL 2011 worse—and it worked out well, or it didn’t.” If it didn’t, I’d advise you not to do it that way! (Laughs) Good advice! You also have expert gay-dar in the film. Are you good at spotting the gays? I grew up with gay guys, so I’m pretty good at it. I actually had one friend who was a magazine publisher who was dating all these hot women around L.A. and at one point said, “I have to tell you: I’m gay.” I told him I knew, and he said, “How do you know when I didn’t know?!” I said, “I don’t know. I just knew. I didn’t know you didn’t know. I thought the women were beards!” The film also touches on the power of phone apps on our lives. I don’t have any apps, so this was all new to me. I have a very old Samsung that my young friends laugh at. Tell me you at least text. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I text. And I’m on Twitter now. I’m a foreign policy nut, so I got on Twitter (@morgfair), and I think some of the people who follow me get a little disappointed because between makeup tips, they’re also getting a lot of Libyan meltdown analyses. I’ve tried to bring it back a bit because some of the people who follow me are foreign policy nuts and then some are just fans who just want hair and makeup tips. In the ‘90s you played Sandra Bernhard’s bisexual girlfriend on Roseanne. How far have we come with gay characters on TV? We’ve come a long way since then. That was very breakthrough when I did that, which I wanted it to be. When they offered
the fun guide it to me, I knew that the last person in the world that anybody would see walking through that door after the big buildup of “Sandra has a new girlfriend” would be Morgan Fairchild. That’s the last person they’d expect. But I think we’ve come a long way, and we’re getting away from stereotyping and just seeing people as people. How did that role change your career? Oh, it didn’t really—except that a lot of people then thought I was a lesbian! I even had my lawyer say, “I know you’ve been with your boyfriend for a lot of years, but has something changed?” (Laughs) But that’s how weird Hollywood is. You just have to say, “No, I believe in stepping out and being iconoclast and breaking barriers and opening up the world for people.” It’s the reason I took such a very strong stand on AIDS early on. I’m a virus nut, and my hobbies are emerging viruses and epidemiology. So I knew a lot about the virus when Rock Hudson was announced as being sick, and I knew I was the only celebrity they had who could go on Nightline and explain what a retrovirus is and how it works and try to take the stigma off the disease and try to get it treated just like a disease and not a “gay disease.” I spent a lot of the ‘80s and ‘90s doing that. Do you think the stigma still exists? No, not nearly like it did. But I spent a lot of time trying to break those barriers down and eventually was joined by other people. When I started doing it, everybody told me not to get involved because it was too controversial, but I knew somebody had
to—and I was the only famous face they had who could talk knowledgably about the disease at the time. What made you passionate about AIDS? I’m a virus nut. I was following AIDS since ‘79 or ‘80 when it was 13 cluster cases of Kaposi’s sarcoma in New York and didn’t have a name, and it was just these odd anomalies. Then there were 11 cluster cases of Pneumocystis pneumonia in San Francisco and I thought that was odd. These were just little paragraphs in the newspapers, and then it came out that they were all in gay men—and I knew something new was out there. Did you lose a lot of your friends to the virus? Oh yeah. I lost a ton of people, and a lot of them I tried to warn that there was something new out there. I had warned one friend of mine who was an actor and sort of closeted, though I knew he was gay. I was very concerned about him because I knew he would do drugs and get drunk and party a lot then go home with anybody. At an AIDS fundraiser I was sponsoring in Beverly Hills, he came over to me and he said, “You were the first person I ever heard say the word AIDS, and I wish I had listened.” You’ve played many roles on TV, in film and in commercials. What gets you recognized the most? It depends on the generation. Older people tend to remember the series that I did—the three series I did in the ‘80s—and some people still remember me from Search for Tomorrow from the ‘70s. Certain
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generations love the first TV movie I did called The Initiation of Sarah, and then Flamingo Road. Younger people tend to love the Friends or Old Navy stuff, or even right now with Chuck. People who go to a lot of theater are big fans of some of the theater work I’ve done. It just depends on what generation they are from. Do you still get free fleece? Oh no, honey, I didn’t get free fleece then! For more information on the film, including release dates, visit ecupidthemovie.com. Photos courtesy of J.C. Calciano.
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Cocktail Chatter by Ed Sikov Heads in the Clouds: The Aviation
“So, mutatis mutandis, the LGBT community…” Ted was lecturing about marriage equality from his podium on our living room couch. “What?” I blurted. Cocktail “hour” was pushing 90 minutes. I should have served the lamb stew and couscous already, but I couldn’t get out of the chair. “The gay community must shift its praxis from the dystopic to the…” “No, before that. You said ‘mucous mucandies.’ What the hell does that mean?” “You have a Ph.D. and you don’t know what mutatis mutandis means?” He was appalled. “F--k you,” I explained. We’ve been doing this for years. We’re all academics or ex-academics. Dan has three degrees—B.A., MBA, and Ph.D.— all from Harvard. I have a Ph.D. from Columbia; Ted has one from Princeton and teaches at NYU; his partner, Eric, has an M.F.A. from Columbia and taught at Wellesley but now writes screenplays that actually get made into movies. You may have caught the farcical Brainiacs on cable; Eric wrote it. This dinner party demonstrated where he got his material. We were flying on Aviations. I was in avast liquor emporium on the Upper East Side last week—I rarely go up there, since I’m deathly allergic to cashmere sweaters and simple strands of pearls—and saw Creme de Violette on the shelf with a little printed recipe for the Aviation. Maraschino, was nearby. I bought both. By Maraschino, I don’t mean the syrup in which innocent cherries are drowned in artificially flavored, carcinogenically colored sugar water so children can have their first drug rushes. I mean the clear cherry liqueur, which Italians make from Marasca cherries and their crushed pits. Et la Creme de Violette? Yes, it’s really made from violets and thus wins the title of The Gayest Liqueur Ever, there being no Creme de Pansy. I played around with the recipes I found online at the marvelous blog sippetysup.com, where I learned that the drink has the reputation of being a 1930s cocktail, but it actually dates from 1916, when only a few people ever saw an airplane, let alone flew in one. In those days, flying into the sky in a technological wonder seemed miraculous. The Aviation celebrates that magic. It has by far the loveliest color of any cocktail I’ve ever seen—watercolor-pale lavender. And it’s extraordinarily luscious. Now that air travel is like taking the bus, except that the bus is on time, the aeroplanes’s early thrill is long gone. Unless, of course, you make yourself and
your smarty-pants friends Aviations, in which case you’ll all quickly be even higher than your IQs.
The Aviation (a variation on the classic) Note: Martini glasses are much larger now than they were in the early 20th century. This recipe fills one 2011 glass or two old-style glasses.
“… Anyway, there were bottles of frozen flavored vodka on each table, and the first table that finished one got some weird Russian prize. Every— body was snockered.”
• Half-cup of Beefeater gin • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 1 tablespoon Maraschino • 1-and-a-half teaspoon Creme de Violette • Half-teaspoon “really” simple syrup (mix equal parts sugar and water in a jar and shake until the sugar dissolves) 1. Chill the martini glass(es). 2. Put all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and chill in the freezer for five or 10 minutes. 3. Take glass(es) and shaker out, add a few ice cubes to the shaker, and shake as though your life depended on it. Strain into the frosty glass(es) and hope that a few shards of ice rise to the top.
Lenivbli Malioik, or The La-Z-Boy
Here’s some advice: You need a restaurant manager as a close friend. Why? Because when you go to his restaurant, he’ll tell the chef to send out all sorts of delightful little plates of things and an extra dessert or two, none of which you will pay for. You have ten lawyer friends; they’ll all charge you. Twenty doctors? Not one lousy discount. But one restaurant manager? Suddenly you’re Auntie Mame— “Life’s a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!” Our Fire Island housemates, Ian and Frankie, are both (as Ian put it) “lifers in food service.” Ian’s the quiet one, Frankie the Big Flaming Mary. Dan and I had dinner last week at Frankie’s restaurant, Capryce. We ordered the pumpkin soup; out came peekytoe crab mini-tacos from the chef. Dan ordered the hanger steak, I the paella, but we also got a chef-sent plate of glazed duck, foie gras, and Asianspiced carrots. Frankie kept coming over to our booth to chat. Capryce was jammed. Hoards jostled in the entryway, but Frankie found in us a rapt audience and casually handed the pesky crowd control problem to his panicking assistant. Frankie was busy
Et la Creme de Violette? Yes, it’s really made from violets and thus wins the title of The Gayest Liqueur Ever, there being no Creme de Pansy.
telling us about a baroque wedding he and Ian had gone to in Brighton Beach. Once populated mainly by Jewish refugees from WWII, it’s now Moscow on the Atlantic. (Yes, the southern boundary of Brooklyn is the Atlantic Ocean: a real beach, with white sand and surfers. If you’re lucky, you’ll see a hot surfer dude carrying his board on the subway.) The wedding was an over-the-top spectacle as only Russians think up. The reception began with a dramatic caviar bar; multicolored spotlights hit the different iced bowls of roe while sexy little Russian-American kittens crisscrossed the room with trays of Veuve Cliquot. For the main course, tuxedoed waiters paraded flaming meats around the room on swords before carving and serving them. For dessert there were sharlotkas and zapekankas galore, all a mere prelude to a vast, gaudy wedding cake that featured—Frankie wasn’t kidding and neither am I—a most realistic portrait in icing of Zac Efron. High School Musical was the 19-year-old bride’s favorite film of forever. (Note to self: when gay marriage is legal in N.Y.
State, order cake with icing rendering of Janet Leigh being stabbed to death in the shower.) “And the whole time… What? … I’ll be back.” Frankie flew off like a hyper parakeet. He returned minutes later. “Sister Rose Gertrude—that’s what I call Carl, the sous chef—set the kitchen on fire. He’s an ex-Marine. Anyway, there were bottles of frozen flavored vodka on each table, and the first table that finished one got some weird Russian prize. Everybody was snockered. Huh? Gotta go. Don’t order the shortcake—it’s poo-sniggles.” For once, my mind wasn’t on dessert. I was contemplating frozen vodka. I work too hard mixing drinks, I concluded. Guests arrive, I’m making a three-course dinner, and suddenly I’m fielding cocktail orders and getting multiple shakers going. What’s wrong with me? From now on we’ll have Absolut Peppar in the freezer, and if somebody wants a drink, I’ll say “We’re having La-Z-Boys.” “What’s that?” “It’s a classic Russian cocktail enjoyed by czars and Bolsheviki alike. There’s a bottle of flavored Absolut in the freezer. Help yourself. Budem zdorovy!”
Lenivbli Malioik, or The La-Z-Boy 1. Stick a bottle of flavored Absolut in the freezer. 2. Serve.
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Out of Town: Road-Tripping Across Spain by Andrew Collins As a road-tripping destination for LGBT travelers, there may not be a better place to go in Europe than Spain. It’s relatively economical and easy to drive through this increasingly progressive country, that legalized gay marriage in 2005. It is dotted with cities and resorts popular with gay vacationers, and drives between key destinations often reveal stunning views of the Mediterranean, high desert mesas and snowcapped mountaintops. I rented a car with a friend last summer and embarked on a two-week road-trip covering the eastern two-thirds of the country—I missed the regions near the Portuguese border and north along the Atlantic (including Bilbao, which I’m eager to visit). But with just 14 days, my friend and I knew we had to exercise. We still managed to visit about a dozen towns and cities, some for the afternoon and others for two or three nights. All told, we drove roughly the distance between San Diego and Vancouver. It was a great adventure—my first serious extended driving trip in Europe. Here’s a quick recap of our trip, which commenced in Barcelona in the northeast and ended in Malaga along the Costa del Sol, along with tips about planning a similar trip yourself to Spain or elsewhere in Europe. We started in Barcelona, and I recommend beginning—and possibly ending— any European road trip with larger cities in which you plan to spend a few nights. Obviously, big cities have more international direct flights to choose from. They’re also usually easy to get to explore without a car. In fact, as they tend to generate plenty of traffic and have expensive parking, they’re better visited without a car. We spent our first three days in Barcelona without wheels (this included a day trip to the gay resort town of Sitges, which is extremely easy to reach by train), saving money and hassle. From Barcelona our route across Spain looked a bit like a backwards “Z”—southwest to Madrid with a stop in Zaragoza (the heart of Aragonese Spain), then southeast to Valencia detouring for the afternoon to Cuenca, a stunning ancient city renowned for its 15th-century “hanging houses,” one of which now contains a respected contemporary art museum. Here you can see a big advantage to driving—it allowed us to make impromptu detours to a variety of places we’d never have considered visiting had we been traveling by plane or even by train or bus. Without having to adhere to timetables or figure out public transportation logistics, we were able to make the most of our time, and even choose some wonderfully scenic routes. It helps that I love both driving and navigating (for this I relied solely on GPS and Google Maps on my Verizon smart phone, which has global roaming—unlimited data plans cost about $2 a day). From Valencia we turned down the Costa Blanca to Alicante (spending that night in nearby Elche), then followed the sea through the only forgettable part of our trip—the bland, condo-infested resort of Torrevieja. But we soon cut inland and up through the spectacular Sierra Nevada mountains to reach Moorish grandeur of Granada, where we spent the better part of the following day exploring the fabled Alhambra Palace (see photo).
Granada’s legendary Alhambra fortress clings to a hillside in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Photo by Andrew Collins. We then continued west through Spain’s Andalusian countryside to the romantic city of Sevilla, and after two nights there cut southeast over the mountains to the Costa del Sol—stopping for a few hours in the picturesque cliff-top village of Ronda—before continuing to another of Spain’s top gay vacation spots, Torremolinos. We spent two final nights in Malaga, a somewhat underrated coastal city of about 570,000 with a lively Old City rife with sidewalk cafes, shops, and a smattering of gay establishments.
Leading destination
Spain has become southern Europe’s leading destination for LGBT vacationers, especially travelers from the United Kingdom, Germany, Scandinavia, and other northern European nations. Barcelona and Madrid are tops among the big cities for gay travel, with Seville equally popular, though less for its gay scene and more for its celebration of Andalusian culture and cuisine. Valencia and Malaga possess more modest gay scenes but are also well worth visiting. Granada has a limited but fun gay scene for a city its size (240,000), and Alicante was probably the biggest surprise for me. This seaside resort city on the Costa Blanca supports an extremely vibrant gay following (especially with British visitors) and contains more LGBT nightlife options than much larger cities like Valencia or Seville. Among resort communities, tiny Sitges and Torremolinos have gay bars, resorts, and vacation rentals galore, as do two other communities that you must reach by plane or boat: Gran Canaria, which is the second most populous of the Canary Islands, a 2.5-hour flight from Madrid, and the famed party haven of Ibiza, just an hour by plane from Barcelona. As with Barcelona, a car is arguably more bother than benefit in big cities like Madrid, Seville and Valencia. If you’re visiting these cities for more than two or three days, it’s worth ditching your rental car at
the airport, and renting a new one when you leave. In our case, we stuck the rental car in a garage when we arrived, and picked it up again upon departing. The 25 to 30 euros per night we spent on parking was still a better deal to us than constantly returning and renting new cars, which would have required taxi rides and wasting time getting to and from rental agencies. Also, it’s cheaper to rent weekly than daily, so having the car for a full 11 days worked out more economically than had we rented different cars for two or three days at a time. Finally, having the one car with us the entire trip allowed us to leave some of our belongings in the trunk. It’s worth noting that car theft is a significant issue in Spain, but you’re unlikely to be affected by it if you exercise prudence—park in secure garages, store nothing in a part of the car that’s visible through the window, and keep no valuables in the car. We left only non-valuable belongings in our car when unattended, and we stored them in a concealed trunk. Over the 11 days we paid $380 (including all taxes and a roughly $70 surcharge for returning the car in a different city) for a mid-size car, which I booked on Expedia from Dollar Rent-A-Car a few weeks in advance. We saved money renting a manualtransmission car, not only because rates for these are far lower in Europe than for automatics, but because they get better gas mileage. It cost about $50 to fill the tank. We did run into some steeply priced toll highways (about $30 from Barcelona to Zaragoza, for example—they all take Visa and MasterCard), but many other major highways in Spain were toll-free. We also paid extra for international auto insurance, which is a must. Most U.S. policies don’t cover international car rentals, and credit card companies typically don’t either, but it’s important that you first contact these companies before you decide to rent a car to find out what sort of coverage you might already have. I purchased comprehensive auto insurance through Expedia for a very reasonable $11
per day. Including rental rates, insurance, gas, parking, and tolls, we spent a comparable amount to what we would have for a similar road-trip in the United States Again, road-tripping in foreign countries—especially those known for aggressive drivers, poor roads, or intense traffic—isn’t for everybody. Spain is a relatively easy country to drive in. There’s an extensive network of high-speed, limitedaccess highways, gas stations are prolific, and even in smaller town roads are usually in good shape. And you’re comfortable behind the wheel driving in new places, it’s a great destination for road-tripping. If driving is less your cup of tea, but you’d still like to tour multiple cities in Spain, consider flying among a few key destinations—such as Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, and Malaga—and using buses or trains for side trips. Another option is to buy a Spain Eurail Pass (eurail.com), and rely on solely on trains to get around. A final thought: we visited in July because it best suited out schedule, but summer is typically the most expensive time to fly to Spain from the U.S., and the weather can be stiflingly hot. In interior cities like Madrid and Seville, we routinely encountered daytime highs above 100 degrees, but with low humidity. Along the coast, daytime highs hovered around the 80s, but higher humidity made it feel hotter. Travel around Spain in fall or spring, and you’ll likely enjoy milder weather, fewer crowds and better rates on flights, hotels and car rentals. Winter is a decent value in cities, but it’s high season in coastal resort areas. For more on visiting Spain, check out the official national tourism website (spain. info) along with the very helpful site on gay travel in Spain, gayiberia.com. 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.
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Book Worm Sez by Terri Schlichenmeyer “It’s All Relative” by Wade Rouse 289 pages ©2011, Crown $23.99 / $26.99 CAN
You’ve got half a year, more or less. It’s going to take that long to recover from the last round of family holidays and to get used to the next Forced March of Togetherness. You’ll need time to forget about the angst that comes from spending more than 20 minutes in the presence of loonies, grumps, loudmouths, and old Uncle Epp, who annually fails to remember that
Across 1 Went down (on) 5 Sleek swimmer 10 Elizabeth of Transamerica 14 Burning software 15 Safari head 16 River of Ulrichs’ country 17 Movie about garden dwarfs 20 Contemporary of Bela 21 Kind of reunion 22 Reagan prog. 23 John of Gay Sex Quotes 25 Wander (about) 26 Kelly Clarkson and Will Young, e.g. 28 Formal order 30 Dark red gem 31 His music is featured in 17-Across 35 Free verse “rhyme scheme” 38 News source of old 39 Garfield’s whipping boy 43 Gamboling area 44 Gay neighborhood of New York 46 Off-rd. transport 47 Bette’s All About Eve role 49 Atlantic crosser of old 50 Furnish food for festivities 52 Role played by a man named Julia 54 Queen of mysteries 55 What 31-Across called himself on Today 59 Slightly 61 Bear 62 Tool points 65 Jerry Herman musical 66 Joan of Arc keepsake 67 As to 68 Kind of pressure 69 Little bikers in a Gay Pride march 70 Top target
you outgrew that “got yer nose” bit several decades ago. You’ve got half a year to steel yourself, because you’d never even consider spending holidays away from kin—and neither would Wade Rouse. In his new memoir “It’s All Relative”, he writes about family, celebrations, and fiercely loving both. Who among us hasn’t endured some unique holidays in our lifetimes? Remember, for instance, the Christmas when… well, some things are best forgotten. Others should be remembered for the lessons they imparted. Let’s start at the beginning. New Year’s Eve is usually a time to start fresh with resolutions and a new calendar
empty with possibilities. But sometimes, an unexpected moment portends all the possibilities we’ll need for the rest of our lives. Valentine’s Day, for the gifting-impaired, can be laden with angst—whether we’re first-graders handing out cheap paper cards or grown-ups choosing a romantic offering that falls flat. The important thing, though—and the hardest to remember when faced with an awful Valentine—is that the meaning behind a bad present is sometimes the real gift. On Mother’s Day, we pay homage to
Q-PUZZLE: “Star-cross’d Garden Dwarfs”
Down 1 Avoided going straight 2 Poe poem
3 Song by 51-Across 4 Member of an average threesome 5 It’s in the winds
Dear Old Mom: she who made weird Halloween costumes and who stood up to Dad when he needed it. And sometimes, she stands up to us when we need it, too. And then there are the holidays we make bigger than life, and that forever stick out in our minds: the St. Patrick’s Day spent with green body paint, the Secretary’s Day we learned that we’re nobody’s “type”, the romantic vacation that ended with a question mark. The Memorial Day when past mysteries become crystal-clear. Be Kind to Animals Months that aren’t so kind to our hearts. Family Game Nights. Final Christmases. Still smarting from the last disastrous holiday? Yep, we’ve all had them and “It’s All Relative” is empathetic—to a point—and surprisingly bawdy. Author Wade Rouse has a way of making us laugh. He writes of life with his eccentric family and his partner, Gary, who is deeply romantic and Rouse’s perfect opposite. Rouse isn’t afraid to be the bad guy in his books, and that self-depreciating honesty is hilarious. But beware. Rouse is quick with his wit, but he has the amazing ability to turn tears of laughter into tears of emotion in the space of twenty words. He knows how to make a funnybone tingle, but he also knows well how to charge a moment with feeling. If you’re staring at a family gettogether any time soon, this book is a nice nudge toward grace and gratitude. “It’s All Relative” is, in fact, a book to add to your calendar soon.
6 Sound from guitarist Townshend 7 Patty Hearst’s SLA name 8 Rear follower 9 Indian chief 10 VIP of DC, e.g. 11 Light heavyweight 12 Tease 13 Keith Haring, for example 18 Waters of the blues 19 Heep of fiction 24 Rep in the ‘hood 27 Bond’s first foe 29 Emulate Paul Cadmus 30 Myra Breckinridge writer Vidal 32 Shaft output 33 Zips 34 Fool around 35 Coloratura Gluck 36 Bit of sweat 37 Competition with four queens 40 “You busy Friday night?” e.g.? 41 Caligula’s way 42 “Climb ___ Mountain” 44 Lake of Lombardy 45 Sometime defender of gay rights 48 Mate of a heterosexual goose 51 Gay marriage advocate Morissette 53 On the ball 54 Boardroom VIPs 56 Heed a master 57 Liquid ___ 58 _Nurse Jackie_ protrayer 59 Part of Etheridge’s equipment 60 ___ kwon do 63 Cross-dresser’s padding site 64 Group of games, for Mauresmo • SOLUTION ON PAGE 28
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HARPIST
INSURANCE
PHOTOGRAPHER
QUAD CITIES: MASSAGE
CEDAR RAPIDS: WINE & GIFTS
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CONCESSIONS
EVENTS
love, compassion and peace not what Jesus taught or did we forget that too? What is wrong with allowing one’s spouse to visit each other at a hospital, to be able to provide for each other’s well being or to be able to bequeath without issue to their spouse? What is wrong with being able to raise a family that is full of love, understanding, and respects hard work? What is wrong with giving a child a chance with a good, law-abiding home that will provide and care for the needs of the child rather than endless rejections? What is wrong with service to our country by someone who is queer? No mission has ever been compromised when someone came out as gay. There is something wrong with an empty chair at Thanksgiving dinner for brother or sister who was not welcomed because they were queer. There is something wrong with an empty chair at the dinner table because someone was bashed to death because of being queer. Where did Jesus teach this? We cannot give any more concessions of liberty and family. Segregation and discrimination have real and lasting effects upon people. We cannot subject one part of society to inferiority (publicly or privately) without negative effects against the whole society. If we are so concerned about marriage in America, why don’t we promote love and family over hate and discrimination? Let love flourish in the hearts of couples and let discrimination and hatred go away. Let us be a nation and a state that truly promotes family, love, fairness, equality, sacrifice, and compassion. Give thanks for the rights we have, but remember that those liberties are everyone’s rather than a few.
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] Second Tuesday of the Month, PITCH HIV+ PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT GROUP, 6-8pm, The CENTER, 1300 Locust St, Des Moines, IA . Contact John at 515.284.3358 with questions. [ + ]
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 ] 1st Wednesday of the Month, WOMEN’S SACRED CIRCLE, 6:30-8 PM, 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. [ L W ] 1st Wednesday of the Month, CONNECTIONS’ RAINBOW READING GROUP, 7 PM, 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 G B T M W A ] 2nd Wednesday of the Month, STONEWALL DEMOCRATS, THE GLBT CAUCUS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, 6:30-8 PM, For more info, contact Harvey Ross at linnstonewall@gmail.com or call 319-389-0093. [ L G B T M W A ] 2nd Wednesday of the Month, WOMEN FOR PEACE KNITTERS, 7-9 PM, Hiawatha, IA . at Prairiewoods, 120 E. Boyson Rd., Hiawatha. Knitting, crocheting, and discussion. For more info, call 319-377-3252 or go to www.womenforpeaceiowa.org. All ages and levels of needlework skills welcome. Come knit for charities. [ L W ] Every Wednesday, HOT MESS EXPRESS, 8:00pm, 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 [ L G B T A ] Every Wednesday, U OF I GAY LESBIAN BISEXUAL TRANSGENDER AND ALLIES UNION MEETINGS, 7-9 PM, 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 ] First and Third Wednesday of the Month, PITCH HIV+ PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT GROUP, Friends and Children’s Council, 500 E 4th St, Ste 414, Waterloo, IA . RSVP to tamih@pitchiowa.org (requested but not required). (First meeting will be January 19, 2011 from 5:30-7:30pm at the CASS office, 2101 Kimball Ave, Ste 401, Waterloo.) [ + ] 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 B T A ]
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, 7-9 PM, 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. [LGBTMWA] 2nd Thursday of the Month, IOWA PFLAG OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS CHAPTER MEETING, 7 PM (6:30 PM social time), Omaha, IA . at Mead Hall, First United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass St., Omaha. For more info, call 402-291-6781. [ L G B TMWAK] 3rd Thursday of the Month, OPEN MIC HOSTED BY KIMBERLI, 7-10 PM, Cedar Rapids, IA . at the Blue Strawberry Coffee Company (now open after the flood), 118 2nd St. SE, Downtown Cedar Rapids. Signup at 6:30 p.m. 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, 7 PM, 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, 7-9 PM, Iowa City, IA . at Donnelly’s Pub, 110 E. College St., in downtown Iowa City. [ L GBTMWA] 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, 7:30 PM, 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. [ LGBTMWA] Every Thursday and Friday, SHANNON JANSSEN, 6-10 PM, 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 G BTMWA] Last Thursday of the Month, DRAG KING SHOW, 9:00pm-2pm, 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 ]
“Why shouldn’t gay people be able to live as open and freely as everybody else? What it comes down to, ultimately, is love. How can anything bad come out of love? The bad stuff comes out of mistrust, misun— derstanding and, God knows, from hate and from ignorance… During my life I’ve seen many Friday things, good and bad, but the 1st Friday of the Month, FAIRFIELD ART WALK, For more info, visit www.FairfieldArtWalk. bad things never came out of com. [ L G B T M W A ] 1st Friday of the Month, GUERRILLA QUEER loving acts, loving gestures or BAR MEETUP!, Tired of the same old bars? Crave the idea of bringing your queer and straight friends loving relationships. That’s why together in a fun, new environment? We’re descending upon an unsuspecting straight bar and turning I’m here tonight—to celebrate it into a gay bar for the night. To join in: join our you and your families. And to Facebook group, Google group or Twitter feed. You’ll receive an email the morning of each event tell you to hang in there and to with the name of a classically hetero bar and the meeting time. Call your friends, have them call their say, once and for all of us, long friends, show up at the bar and watch as it becomes the new “it” gay bar for one night only. Visit groups. live love.” Thursday google.com/group/iowa-city-guerrilla-queer-bar. [ 1st 3rd Thursday, EVENINGS FOR SPIRIT, L G B T M W A ] — Actress and activist, Eliza- 6:30-8:30 PM, West Branch, IA . at SpiritHill Retreat, 1st Friday of the Month, FIRST FRIDAY 604 Cedar Valley Road, West Branch. First, third, and BREAKFAST CLUB, Sherman Place, 1501 Woodbeth Taylor, at GLAAD’s 11th fifth Thursdays of each month. Women gather at land Avenue, Des Moines, IA 95030. The First (or other locations) to share our spiritual Friday Breakfast Club (FFBC) is an educational, Annual Media Awards, April SpiritHill experiences, visions and longings. The evenings non-profit corporation for gay men who gather on include time for sharing and time for silence. the first Friday of every month to provide mutual 15, 2000. Rest in peace. Laughter, tears and singing are often shared as
support, to be educated on community affairs, and
APRIL 2011 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, 5-8 PM, 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 nonprofit 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. [ L G B T M W A ] 2nd and 4th Friday, DRUMMING CIRCLE, 7 PM, 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, 8 PM, 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. [ L G B T M W A ]
Saturday
4th Saturday of the Month, LESBIAN BOOK CLUB, 7 PM, 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, 7:30 PM, 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 7 p.m. 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 MWAD] 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. [ L G B TMWAKD] Every Saturday, BAILE LATINO: SALSA, CHA-CHA, MERENGUE AND BACHATA LESSONS, 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM, 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 B T MWAKD]
ACCESSline Page 29 Section 3: Community Council Bluffs Community Alliance First Friday Breakfast Club: Calendar for April Good Eats and Great Community in Elkader APRIL 2011
by Bruce Carr
BJ’s Get Together Friday, April 1 at 5:00pm Location: 3400 W. Broadway, Council Bluffs, IA 51501
CBCA Annual Meeting / Fund Raiser for Marriage Equality Sunday, April 3 at 5:00pm Location: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church / Riverside Grill near Harrah’s Annual Meeting and Senator Gronstal Fund Raiser Sunday, April 3 at 5:00pm Location: St Paul’s Episcopal Church and Riverside Grill in Council Bluffs
BJ’s Get Together Friday, April 15 at 5:00pm Location: 3400 W. Broadway, Council Bluffs, IA 51501 BJ’s Get Together Friday, April 29 at 5:00pm Location: 3400 W. Broadway, Council Bluffs, IA 51501
GOglbt meeting on April 7 at Joslyn The Greater Omaha GLBT network (“GOglbt”) will be holding our next meeting on April 7th from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM at Joslyn Museum (2200 Dodge Street, Omaha NE). There will be a small presentation followed by a tour starting at 6pm. Joslyn is pleased to host The Glory of the Ukraine, which comprises two distinct and rarely seen collections: Icons from the famous churches, cathedrals, bell towers and underground caverns of the 1,000 year old Monastery of the Caves and artifacts of ancient civilizations that populated modern
day Ukraine from the private PlaTar collection. Joslyn is the only U.S. Museum to feature both components of The Glory of Ukraine! The mission of GOglbt is to advance growth and equality for its members, businesses and allies by providing educational, networking and community-building opportunities. We typically meet the first Thursday every month at a travelling location to see the community and be seen. For more information or to be included on the e-newsletter list, please email us at info@goglbt.org.
PITCH 2011 Wellness Summit: FindingtheTreasureWithinYourself The Wellness Summit is a retreat for Iowans living with HIV/AIDS. Sessions are picked to empower attendees. Educational sessions include medication compliance, tips to taking charge of your health care appointments, self-empowerment, and advocacy. Stress reduction workshops range from yoga, art therapy, and canoeing which encourage relaxation and offer creative outlets. The 2011 Wellness Summit will be held May 13 - 15, 2011 at Camp Wesley Woods near Indianola. Costs per individual attending the Wellness Summit total $150.00; we hope you will consider donating and covering the cost for one Iowan to attend this important event. Your generosity will be acknowledged in the Welcome letter, the PITCH newsletter, pitchiowa.org website. PITCH booths at various events, and our Facebook page. The AIDS Project of Central Iowa has generously offered to match any funds up to $1.500.00 that we receive before April 1, 2011. Please help us take advantage of this offer from The AIDS Project of Central Iowa. PITCH is a non-profit organization with a clear mission: To create an atmosphere where HIV+ people can unite and assist other HIV+ people for better health and wellness. PITCH wants to be a source of encouragement, provide educational opportunities, camaraderie, and a sense of community to all Iowans living with HIV/ AIDS. We hope you will consider sponsoring someone to attend the Wellness Summit. All
contributions to PITCH are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. PITCH is a 501©3 nonprofit, as defined by the IRS. Thank you for your consideration. Here is a testimonial from someone who attended the 2010 Wellness Summit: My name is Brian O’Gary and I was diagnosed with HIV. I debated whether I should be so direct when introducing myself, but, experiencing a weekend at the annual PITCH Wellness Summit, I am more confident today in being able to forthcomingly identify as a person living with HIV. In short, the Wellness Summit is an extraordinary experience that I recommend to any Iowan who wants to learn more about the living with HIV/AIDS. In the days preceding the retreat, I found myself growing increasingly apprehensive; I more than once thought about calling the summit organizers and informing them I would not be able to attend. Let’s face it - living with HIV/AIDS can be a trial. Fighting the public stigma, struggling with self-scrutiny, maneuvering the inevitable financial pitfalls, and the accepting the truth that one’s illness is, momentarily at its best, chronic, often an insuperable burden to bear. And it’s intimidating to take a step out of the box and learn from perfect strangers who live the same day-to-day struggles as me. Fortunately, these fears were for naught because the planning committee did an astounding job organizing the weekend. All people present were welcoming and accepting because of their shared experi-
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Our speakers on the first Friday of March were the creators and purveyors of the excellent “Couscous Royale” pictured here—the signature dish of Schera’s Restaurant & Bar located in truly beautiful downtown Elkader, Iowa (pop. 1,338). Algeria-born Frederique Boudouani and his partner, Iowa-born Brian Breuning, charmed and inspired us with their story—a story that initially reminded me of the old radio soap-opera (that aired before either of them was born!) which asks the question: “Can this gayboy poet from a tiny farming community in the Midwest find happiness as the spouse of another gayboy, son of an international Algerian diplomat, who’s never lived in a city of less than two million?” The answer, as Brian and Frederique clearly demonstrated, is a resounding YES. “Established December 2006 in historic downtown Elkader,” reads their website, Scheras.com. “We strive to provide a unique dining experience along the banks of the Turkey River. Drawing from Algerian, North African, and Mediterranean cuisines, along with a mix of Midwestern favorites, we offer a healthy and exciting alternative to the sameold-same-old. Enjoy the beauty of Elkader in this full-service restaurant and bar featuring many local favorites and North African dishes. Full patio overlooking the river in the summertime…” But Schera’s has become far more than just another exotic eatery in the county seat of Clayton County in northeast Iowa. Fred-
Frederique Boudouani and Brian Breuning erique and Brian were determined that their establishment would be a place where locals and other visitors can feel safe, maybe a little less lonely. “I’m not saying Elkader should be a gay resort,” Frederique said, “but gay people can be integrated into society.” And the couple’s contributions to Elkader go well beyond a tasty meal and interesting conversation. Brian joined the Chamber of Commerce; Frederique became active in the county’s historical society and took charge of the town’s sister-city relationship with Mascara, Algeria. He lends his hospitality and translation services to visiting delegations from Algeria and other Arab nations. He also has plans for a computer business, Elkader Technologies, which will include a business incubator to help the town become a center for hi-tech employment. Creating jobs and stimulating economic development for Iowa, collaborating with
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Section 3: Community
APRIL 2011
Queeries LGBT Etiquette by Steven Petrow Wired That Way by Rachel Eliason To spy or not to spy on my girlfriend
Q: Last week I picked up my girlfriend’s cell and read a very intimate text from someone who was no doubt a sexual partner. I completely flipped out and have been thinking about downloading some of the “spy” software that allows you “to find out everything THEY DO on the Internet and computer.” Do you think that’s a good idea? A: No. I’d start by asking your girlfriend about the text message you saw and see both what she says and how she acts. But let’s say, for arguments sake, you’re not satisfied by her response or simply don’t trust it. Now, you’ve got a problem. But it’s not one that would be solved by signing up for one of those “I spy” services. Indeed, my understanding is that this spyware can alert you to keywords in her chats, instant messages, emails and can let you see everything she posts on Facebook, every site she visits or searches for, and every photo she’s posted. You can also retrieve passwords and logins. Horrifying, I say. Whether or not you find more dirt, you’re already proven yourself distrustful—so what’s the point? A relationship dispute is not akin to a court inquisition. Whether by talking more or seeing a couple’s counselor, you need to get to the root of the problem, which seems to be sexual indiscretion and/or lack of trust.
Security benefits, but that your mother is when your stepfather passes. Sadly, you have about 1,100 federal benefits that are denied to gays and lesbians to choose from as your examples. A lot of straight folks have never thought of these inequities, but once pointed out, the inherent unfairness is often quite persuasive. If this doesn’t change your mom’s mind, then either agree to disagree or ask her to put a lid on it (but nicely because it’s your mother).
This mother-in-law is a Bridezilla!
Q: My boyfriend and I will be holding a civil partnership ceremony at the end of this year and have decided it will be a simple affair. Neither of us wants a big “traditional” wedding and we are limited to a strict budget in any case. We have gotten the ball rolling and have started organizing everything that needs doing—registry office, hotel, suits, a photographer, etc. My main problem is my future motherin-law—up to now I’ve always had a great relationship with her. Now she’s suddenly become a Bridezilla. She insists on being kept up to date on every little detail and wants regular briefings on our progress. She finds fault in everything we do too. (The hotel isn’t nice enough and the menu sounds awful for starters.) She keeps asking us to give her jobs to do. I have tried appeasing her by giving her small tasks, but I’m running out of jobs to invent. I have spoken to my boyfriend about her but he doesn’t see it as a big deal. He thinks we should just ignore her. But, I can’t! A: If this weren’t so difficult for you, I’d have a big laugh about it, because Bridezilla mothers-in-law are such a classic by now— straight brides (and grooms) have had to tolerate them since the beginning of time. Gay couples tend to encounter less of the kind of interference you’re describing if only because we usually cover the costs of our own nuptials (when our parents aren’t paying, they don’t get as much of vote) and we often partner later in life (when our folks have gotten used to us making our own decisions). But I now see that a mother-in-law is a mother-in-law is a mother-in-law! Hello equality! You’ve done everything that you can do; the idea of small tasks is brilliant. It’s now up to your boyfriend to take on his mother and set some limits—even if he doesn’t see her meddling as a big deal. He needs to do it for you—both for in terms of your wedding but also to establish the right boundaries with your MIL for the years to come. You can tell him I said so! Steven Petrow is the author of the forthcoming book, Steven Petrow’s Complete Gay & Lesbian Manners, gaymanners.com. To ask him your personal question: ask@gaymanners.com
I now see that a mother-in-law is a mother-in-law is a mother-in-law! Hello equality!
My mother opposes gay marriage, but loves my husband
Q: My husband and I have been together for over 20 years and were married last October. My mother has said she’s very happy and loves my husband. This week at dinner my mother said she was thrilled that “gay marriage was not legal everywhere.” Here’s the problem: My mother, and especially my stepfather, are rabid Republicans. I know they will continue to follow the Republicans again on this issue. Do I make a big deal about it? Do I point out that they want to deny my husband and me a fundamental right? A: Now, you understand that age-old adage cautioning people not to discuss politics (or religion) at dinner; it can give you indigestion (or worse)! Since you say your mother loves your husband, I think there’s a strong disconnect for her between the personal and the political. What I suggest doing is sitting down with your mother (leave your stepdad out of this) the next time you’re together and explain how same-sex couples are discriminated against because we can’t marry. Use concrete examples and make comparisons to their marriage. For instance, if your partner dies, explain that you’re not eligible for his Social
Internet filters: not just for conservatives anymore In the old days the idea of filtering and blocking websites was something that conservatives talked a lot about. Conservatives lawmakers make the occasional, usually ineffective, stab at passing some sort of law that would block unacceptable websites, but the whole freedom of speech thing gets in the way (pesky civil rights). In the early days of the web, they leaned on corporations to do their dirty work. After several rather public debacles, that too flopped. (How many of you remember the infamous incident where the budding AOL accidentally removed all of its breast cancer support groups, because the word breast triggered its filters?) For many years now Internet filters have been something that concerned parents used to keep their kids from seeing inappropriate sites on the Internet. Even a quick review of the ‘top’ internet filters will quickly reveal this. They all have names like Netnanny, Cybersitter, or Safe Eyes. Now even Atheists can get in on the action, with Godblock, an Internet filter that eliminates ‘religious content’ from your computer. Thank ----- now those atheist parents can rest soundly knowing their kids aren’t been tempted into churches by their home computers. Their website, godblock.com explains that their software “is targeted at parents and schools who wish to protect their kids from the often violent, sexual, and psychologically harmful material in many holy texts, and from being indoctrinated into any religion before they are of the age to make such decisions.” If keeping atheist children from finding out about god strikes you as a little bit kooky, hold on to your hat, it gets far kookier than that. Firefox offers an add-on called “shaved Bieber.” It systematically removes all references to Justin Bieber from its web browser. Yet another web browser add-on offers to block any reference to your ex. Whether you are trying to prevent your kids from being inducted into organized religion, saving yourself from being inundated by information about teen idol Justin Bieber or having to face the pain
and embarrassment of seeing your ex’s Facebook page (where is says she has moved on and is dating someone else) be forewarned. Even a quick search of Internet filters will find as many hits for getting around content blockers as for the programs themselves. Kids are notorious for being able to get around restrictions on their web browsing, and I am sure Justin is out there right now, looking for ways around the Shaved Bieber.
Positive LGBT sites
• Day of Silence: dayofsilence.org • It Gets Better Project: itgetsbetter.org • The Trevor Project: thetrevorproject.org • GSA netuwork: gsanetwork.org • Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network: glsen.org
Negative LGBT sites
• National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality: narth.com • People can Change: peoplecanchange.com • Parents and Friends of Ex-gays: pfox.org
APRIL 2011
Section 3: Community
ACCESSline Page 31
Inside Out: Taking Risks by Ellen Krug The other night, I embarked on what I euphemistically called “the Ellen Krug Social Plan.” I had been spending way too many evenings at home alone for my liking, so I figured I would not let my lack of a dating partner keep me from enjoying life. Going solo is something that I need to become used to, I’ve decided. Thus, I found myself at a local jazz club for the launching of an alternative arts and literature magazine. I stood in a corner while poets and authors read out loud, good performances. A couple of women stood near me and we struck up a nice conversation. Both women were my age and straight, and like me, they were not letting being single keep them down. I even learned that one of the women had once employed my favorite new writer while operating a bed and breakfast in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. “Small world,” I thought and I gained some insight into the personality of the author, something very valuable for me, an aspiring writer. It was time to head to another venue, but before exiting the jazz club, I used the rest room. While washing my hands, I commented to another women at the sink about how nice the event had been. From behind one of the stalls, a woman yelled, “whose the dude in here?” My wonderful male-born voice had exposed me yet again. When the woman emerged to see a longhaired woman dressed in a skirt, boots, and jewelry, she was entirely apologetic. “I’m so sorry, I only heard your voice and guessed
you were a guy,” she said as we stood outside the rest room and talked for a good twenty minutes. We did not get into anything about being me transgendered and I have no idea whether she even understood that I had once been male. Instead, we were two women talking about the arts and Minnesota Public Radio, and how men in power treat women so poorly. Ironically, at that point in the evening, I didn’t understand how the latter topic, the one about badly behaving men, would be so on point. Two hours later I was at a second venue for the night, another step in my social rehab plan. It was a bar named Lee’s Liquor Lounge and I was there to hear a group called the Belfast Cowboys, a Van Morrison cover band. The bar was filled with a blue collar crowd of straight men and women. I probably was too overdressed, but I went forward nonetheless. Eventually, a man asked me to dance and off we went, bodies moving to “Brown Eyed Girl.” As the song ended and we proceeded from the dance floor, a man who
had earlier overheard me speak came up to us. Glaring at me, he asked, “Are you a guy?” I didn’t quite hear him and he repeated, “Are you a guy?” I couldn’t believe my ears. I yelled back “No, I’m a woman.” His look told me that unlike my new woman friend from earlier in the evening, this guy was going to be anything but apologetic. My dance partner was of no help. I ran out of the bar, wondering why in the world I had ever ventured into the night in the first place. There are three lessons here. The first one is easy: that as a single woman, it’s safer to sit home alone where there are no risks of unpleasant situations, where hot chocolate with whip cream is at the ready. But sitting at home limits us, and unless we take risks, we won’t be rewarded by serendipity. Next time, I’ll dress right for the occasion and I’ll redouble my speech therapy lessons to help with my abysmal voice. The optimist in me advises that sooner or later, things just have to pay off. The second lesson is that men and women act differently. I know this may not be a news flash to you women. Most of the time, women are quick to apologize for their mistakes, especially where it may hurt the feelings of another person. We are nurturers and community builders. This is why being a woman works so well for me. Men, on the other hand, are more aggressive by nature. Now that I’ve flipped genders, I understand that much of that aggression is testosterone driven. If not hormones (and a fair amount of beer), what else explains a man coming forward in a crowded bar to ask a complete stranger who obviously appears feminine if she instead is male? A woman would never do that. This kind of aggression (and stupidity) is why
… it’s safer to sit home alone where there are no risks of unpleasant situations, where hot chocolate with whip cream is at the ready. But sitting at home limits us, and unless we take risks, we won’t be rewarded by serendipity.
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PITCH ence. During the weekend, I was able to attend a number of seminars, ranging from building self-esteem and identity-creation to managing medicinal side-effects and engaging in safe sexual practices. I learned about taking care of myself and becoming a self-advocate. As a Wellness Summit, I expected to learn more about living with HIV, but I did not expect to have as much fun as I did. Between morning games and campfires at night, there was ample time to get to make new friends and catch up with old ones. We had plenty of downtime to socialize and everyone was open and willing to get to know one another. Aside from the seminars and the games, it was the opportunity to hear from people like myself which made the weekend most memorable. Most of us do not have the regular privilege of talking to those who walk our same path; as a community, people living with
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. men so easily take us to war. The last lesson here is really more of a reflective observation, one with which all transgenders can identify. I’ve done the good fight to become Ellen: I’ve lost people close to me because they cannot accept this is how I need to be; I’ve had multiple surgeries; hours of electrolysis; and girlfriend advice on clothes and make-up. I’ve even taken lessons on how women word their sentences, as if it’s some kind of special code. Yet, after all of this, I still don’t fit in. Will I ever get my peace and just be another woman making her way in the world? I can’t imagine enduring men coming up to me and asking if I’m really a chick for the rest of my life. At some point, I’ve got to believe I’d want to throw in the towel. Certainly, I’m not looking for sympathy. I’ve got it way better than 99% of other transgenders. Yet, if I’m encountering these issues, I can only imagine how depressing it is for other Ts who are not as lucky as me. Maybe that’s why Ts have one of the highest suicide rates. But knowing me, I’ll hang in there. I’ll just adjust the social rehab plan to take into account bad-mannered men. HIV have the additional struggle of being able to commiserate with others who share a similar experience. Through hearing the stories of others, I recognized that people living with HIV are intermingled with the general populace: we are your neighbor, your coworker, your mother, your partner. The Wellness Summit afforded me realization that I am not alone; Iowan people from all walks of life are affected by a shared condition. In many ways, the retreat was validation of a life I have no choice but to live. I am grateful for the experience and I sincerely look forward to going again next year. Gratefully, Brian O’Gary Please join PITCH on facebook or visit our website at www.pitchiowa.org. PITCH’s post office box is: P.O. Box 518, Des Moines, IA 50302. Thank you for your continued support.
Section 3: Community
ACCESSline Page 32 SScontinued from page 29
FFBC Iowa universities and colleges, is only one side of the equation. In the building that will eventually house the incubator, Boudouani hopes to open the Algerian-American Center for Global Peace and Understanding. The story of Brian and Frederique’s move from Boston to Elkader actually begins on September 11, 2001. As described by Erica Stewart in the National Trust for Historic Preservation just last January: …the terror attacks left Boudouani with many unsettling questions which, for him as a Muslim-American, were amplified a thousand-fold… This led him to research the history of Islam in the US. He was astonished to discover that the first mosque built in the US was in Cedar Rapids, and that Elkader was actually named after Abd al-Qadir, the “George Washington of Algeria”— the only town in the US to hold such a distinction. Three Americans … founded the town in 1846 to honor the Algerian general and poet who—like the English poet Lord Byron in Greece—fought in resistance to colonial occupation in the mid-1800s. Discovering Elkader’s history gave shape to Boudouani’s desire to improve understanding and communication between the two cultures. He and Breuning traveled to Elkader several times from Boston and fell in love with the place—and decided to relocate. … As Frederique’s doctoral degree from
MIT in computer engineering and Brian’s master’s from Boston University in creative writing did not seem to be of much use, the idea for Schera’s was born. Named for Boudouani’s sister Scheherazade (and for the story-teller in One Thousand and One Nights) Schera’s serves a mix of Algerian, North African, and Mediterranean cuisines—along with American favorites. “I’d never ever heard of a pork tenderloin,” Frederique told us. So from its first day, Schera’s gave Iowa a place to enjoy delicious food, both American and North African, and it has continued to evolve into a gathering spot where people can learn about the Arab and Muslim world in a friendly, welcoming environment. For Boudouani, the rewards are simple, and many. ‘In all honesty, it warms my heart to see someone who is raised in Elkader and has been a farmer his whole life, come in, order couscous, love it, and come back again and again.’ And Iowans have proved their loyalty to Schera’s in more ways than returning to the restaurant to eat. When the floods of 2008 hit, Schera’s suffered about $250,000 in damage and was closed for several months. But the flood brought out the best in Brian and Frederique’s fellow Iowans: they received help with the clean-up from neighbors and strangers alike – some traveling all the way from Des Moines. Others wrote checks to help the owners re-open the restaurant. ‘The outpouring of support was just amazing,’ Frederique said. ‘I still get choked up about it.’
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CREEPS be constitutional it just needed to be passed “overwhelmingly.” I think that over the years the constitutionality of various laws has been decided on other criteria that’s, you know, actually based on the Constitution. But those were probably activist judges. Also, Boehner claims that Obama “won’t lead,” but isn’t that exactly what the president is doing here? Doesn’t being a leader sometimes entail making choices that run the risk of being unpopular because of one’s own conviction? My guess is that’s something pretty foreign to Boehner. “It strikes me as something that’s just as raw politics as anything I’ve seen,” Boehner said. “Knowing that a lot of people who believe in DOMA are probably not likely to vote for him and, uh, pandering to the other side on this issue.” Yeah, that’s got to be it. When in doubt, throw the gays a crumb so they keep votin’ for ya.
APRIL 2011 Because Congress can choose to step in and defend DOMA without Obama, Boehner assures CBN viewers, “There are a lot of options on the table.” One of those options is that the House of Reps get their own attorney and defend DOMA in court themselves, an option that Rick “I have a frothy Google problem” Santorum favors. That’s something Boehner has already considered. “I’d be very surprised if the House didn’t decide that they were going to defend the law,” he said. As would anyone. I mean, how could we possibly expect a Republican-controlled House not to take this super juicy anti-gay bait? I mean, economy-schmonomy. Who cares about people out of work if the specter of two ladies getting hitched looms over our heads. And who knows? Maybe DOMA is the only thing keeping our economy together. Perhaps Marriage Defending is a much larger sector of the economy than anyone realizes.
“Dr. Laura could use some coaching in learning the difference between the Bible and the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, those documents which are supposed to guarantee rights and protections and privileges for all of us but apparently not for gays and lesbians… We can tax the paychecks. The government is very happy to take money from gays and lesbians, but apparently it is not quite capable of providing freedoms and basic privileges like the right to marry and the right to have a family.” — Talk show host Leeza Gibbonsat GLAAD’s 11th Annual Media Awards, April 15, 2000.
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APRIL 2011
Section 3: Community
ACCESSline Page 33
Twenty Questions interview by Amber Dunham In 2010, high school student Amber Dunham participated in a class assignment to ask someone 20 questions for an LGBT essay. The person Amber chose to ask was Alexis, a transgendered woman from the Iowa City area. Amber’s questions covered Alexis’s definition of transgender, details of Alexis’s life and emotions prior to accepting her desire to be a girl, reactions from family and friends, psychological and medical requirements prior to sexual reassignment surgery, details of sexual reassignment surgery, federal and state document changes after Alexis’s surgery, advice Alexis would give to others, effects of Alexis’s change, and her religious views. Any questions or comments for Alexis can be sent care of this publication to Editor@ACCESSlineIOWA.com. (Continued from March Issue)
offered any positive comments or support. The major problem or challenge that I along, my desire to transition grew stronger, In fact, my mother originally told me I could faced in accepting my alternate persona, or and I went to the University of Minnesota 2) How did your family and not come to see her dressed as a female. I in transitioning, was simply the fact that I to be evaluated by a psychiatrist in their friends react? was prepared for this. My mother eventu- wanted others to like me, although I realize gender clinic (at my wife‘s suggestion), and It is common knowledge within the ally relented and tolerated the change, as I made it difficult for them to do that. I simply left Minneapolis quite frustrated as I was Trans community that the decision to finally did some of the other didn’t want others diagnosed either as a severe transvestite or transition is not without many challenges and family members, and I was let go from my job to hate me, or think I a mild transsexual… but there was nothing difficulties. From my readings on the internet, we would eventually strange. So I kept definitive that I could grasp onto. As the years of over 18 years “because was I was aware that beginning this new lifestyle even go out in public to myself for so many continued, we gradually grew apart and evencould lead to the loss of family, friends and together after that. My I made mistakes.” Not one years, as I tried to make tually parted on mutual terms. She had come employment. I also was aware of the poten- sister and I also go out person in my family, however, everyone else like me. to realize that I was not the “man” she thought tial for physical harm, which can come from for brunch or lunch on the other hand, in she had married. I had finally concluded that initially offered any positive But some individuals who hold certain beliefs. For from time to time, and doing this, I made myself the idea I harbored in my mind was not going these reasons, many people who transition she has resolved many comments or support. In fact, and my life miserable in to go away, and that I should let her go and simply quit their job and leave their friends, of the initial conflicts my mother originally told me the process. It wasn’t start the next chapter of my life. She wanted choosing instead to move to a new city in their I’m sure she had. And I began to open up to start a family and I had no desire to be a I could not come to see her until attempt to start a new life as a member of the in time certain family to others that I was able father by that time. We really had no sex life opposite gender. I did it the hard way. Maybe I members eventually dressed as a female. to be convinced that I during the years we were married, as I never was lazy, I don’t know. I simply decided that I accepted my transition should put myself, and had a desire to act as a male in a traditional was going to do this transitioning right where but the subject is never discussed. I am still my own happiness first, and let everyone male/female relationship. The little sex life I was and just hope it went well. generally not invited to any family functions, else make their own decision. This was very we had consisted primarily not of intercourse, Overall, I had many reactions that were outside of those from my sister; and that may hard for me to do, as I simply did not think but her bringing me to a climax—which she not very positive. Well, let me clarify that a well be due to the separation that I kept from that way. But at that point in my life, I also did for some reason… I don’t know, maybe little. When you have grown up and have them for so many years. But maybe not. I am knew I needed to change something. I was she felt it settled me down in one way or lived among people, be they friends, family, not sure I will ever truly find that out, and I can aware I could not go on much longer living another. I know—it was selfish on my part, or co-workers, they become comfortable live with that. I was somewhat encouraged the way I felt. It was my “living hell.” And, to but the stress was building within my mind, with the image that they see of you. When I when one of my second cousins, and much be honest, I am really surprised I was able and the relief was SO beneficial. Basically, finally found the courage to transition from later two of my first cousins, requested to to keep living as long as I did. The timing of we should never have gotten married, but living as a male to living be friends on Facebook, certain of these people entering my life was we were great roommates… I deeply regret I did it the hard way. but we rarely if ever so critical… I have no idea how I found them, anything I did that might have hurt her, for as a female, I wrote a two page letter based Maybe I was lazy, I don’t know. communicate. One first or they found me, but I will be forever grateful she was a really great person… and I know on a similar letter I simply contacted for their wisdom, insight and support. that hindsight now makes me regret ever I simply decided that I was cousin found on the internet me by email. I was totally having gone through with the marriage. I that someone else had going to do this transitioning caught by surprise with 3) I was told that you were married should have known better, but, remember, used, and had given right where I was and just hope the two who came from once before, when you were a man. How I was still grasping for anything that would permission for others it went well. my father’s side of the did this decision, of being a transgender, make me feel “normal.” to adapt for their own family, as I haven’t seen affect your relationship or did it? Please While my attempt to get married and use. I tailored the letter to fit my situation. them in a very long time, and they really had explain? hope for a normal life may not have been the It explained what I was going to do, why I to do a little research to even find me. Interesting question… I did tell my wife best decision I have ever made, unfortunately was going to do it, and when I was going to When it comes to friends, I also lost before we were married that I liked to dress it is a very common occurrence with those do it. I mailed out, or handed out, about 250 many who I felt were friends, but realized as a female, yet I am not sure I made it clear individuals who struggle with their gender of those letters. It was actually a very well later that they actually weren’t when they how deep my desire was to transition. I’m and sexual identity. This is true in all areas of written letter and I received many comments fled. It really wasn’t different from the way not even completely the gay, lesbian, bisexual on it, however, in some circles it did not go family reacted, and for the same reason. I sure I knew, at that I have to chuckle when or Trans (GLBT) commuover well. still have some friends from the past whom time, where this road I hear anyone say that nities. Do we enter into I would say that my true “friends” accept- I see at coffee on the weekends. And though was going to end. I was these relationships out ed the change and stood by me. Many people there are many who are no longer comfort- still trying to figure out “someone decided to become of any malice? whom I had thought were friends began to able around me anymore (like they think I how I could somehow gay, or lesbian, or anything No, that isn’t the distance themselves, so they likely were not have a contagious disease), I have also had become “normal,” and case. Those of us who similar to that.” I’m sorry, but deal with these inner true friends anyway. I was let go from my job the chance to meet so many new people who be like any other guy. of over 18 years “because I made mistakes.” can willingly accept me as who I am now… Perhaps, like me, she that is rarely the case, and conflicts at various Not one person in my family, however, initially and this applies to people of all ages. thought that this would though we are who we are, times in our lives are go away in time. She at simply struggling to be first went along with the most of us had some difficult accepted, to fit into the dressing, and we would periods in our lives as we mainstream of life and occasionally go out at came to our self realization, not feel stigmatized as night to a large discount someone who is differstore or to a McDonald’s and those times were often ent. Some of us are able or something like that. I difficult to deal with. to have stable relationdressed freely at home, ships lasting many at least when there were no foster girls years, but for others, eventually the reality around, and it was fortunate as we actually of who we are becomes an acceptable reality, could wear the same sized skirts and sweat- and we decide to follow a different path. I ers… She even made me a few skirts. She have to chuckle when I hear anyone say that was a fantastic seamstress, and I used to “someone decided to become gay, or lesbian, lay out and cut out her patterns for her. She or anything similar to that.” I’m sorry, but that even tried to teach me to sew, and I could do is rarely the case, and though we are who we fairly well on an A-line skirt—until I got to the are, most of us had some difficult periods in zipper… after a few tries to get it in right, she our lives as we came to our self realization, finally told me she would finish it before the and those times were often difficult to deal skirt was ruined—I quit trying to sew after with. For me, though I can now look back on that, but continued to cut the patterns for my struggles and reflect on them, I would not her. However, as our years together moved wish something like that on anyone.
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WORLD NEWS enforced,” the parliament said. Ongoing problems include forced closures of LGBT organizations, the army’s classification of homosexuality as a psychosexual illness, murders of transgender people, and the withdrawal of sexual orientation from a draft anti-discrimination law, the parliament said. While Montenegro does ban anti-LGBT discrimination in employment and public services, the Euro Parliament said that discrimination persists “including on the part of state authorities.” The co-president of the parliament’s LGBT Intergroup, Ulrike Lunacek, said: “We demand that Ferhat Dinosa, minister for human minority rights, defend LGBT people’s human rights instead of displaying intolerance and insensitivity to these issues. This is the only way forward for Montenegro’s accession process.”
Lithuanian MPs want to ban gender-reassignment surgery
Conservative members of Lithuania’s Parliament have proposed banning genderreassignment surgery via the Civil Code. They said the move would protect the nation “from any preconditions which create grounds for the appearance of claims against Lithuania at the European Court of Human Rights.” Lithuania lost an ECHR case in 2007
Section 3: Community concerning a transsexual’s right to genderreassignment surgery. The court said the nation violated the individual’s right to respect of private life and ordered payment of damages in the amount of 40,000 euros, which Lithuania paid. The Civil Code currently allows for gender-reassignment surgery but the nation lacks necessary laws setting forth the conditions and procedures for surgery. The Lithuanian Gay League denounced the parliamentary proposal.
Euro Parliament blasts Iran on gays
The European Parliament on March 10 adopted a resolution urging Iran to “stop discriminating against people on the basis of their sexual orientation” and denouncing “the inhumane and medieval practice of sentencing people to death for alleged offences pertaining to choice of partners or sexual practices.” The parliament also welcomed “steps taken by several Member States to provide shelter to those Iranian human rights defenders, dissidents, journalists, students, women, children and artists who are persecuted for their religious beliefs, opinions, sexual orientation, or other aspects of the exercise of their human rights.” Iran has the death penalty for consensual homosexual sex. While no such executions have been documented in recent years, it is widely believed they may have occurred. Executions are known to have taken place in recent years following convictions in cases of
alleged nonconsensual sex between males.
British gay magazine launches Thai edition
The well-known British gay magazine Attitude launched a Thai-language edition in Thailand on March 9. According to local correspondent Douglas Sanders, it was full of fancy ads, including from Jean Paul Gaultier, Diesel, Puma, Giorgio Armani, Davidoff and Playboy eyewear.
Mozambique LGBT group still unregistered
Mozambique’s only LGBT group, Lambda, said March 1 that it has been waiting three years for the government to complete its official registration. The group, also known as the Mozambican Association for the Defense of Sexual Minorities, submitted its documents to the registry office in January 2008. The registrar responded that the group’s existence “offends current morality,” and forwarded the forms to the Justice Ministry for review. In early 2009, Justice Minister Benvinda Levi suggested a rewrite of one article of the group’s statutes, which the group agreed to. In early 2010, Lambda met with the deputy justice minister. He said there was no legal impediment to registration and suggested the group submit a recounting of facts and law to the ministry, which it did.
APRIL 2011 Nothing has happened since then, which Lambda says amounts to a violation of its constitutional right to freedom of association.
Open gays elected to Irish Dáil
Two gay men made history by being elected to Ireland’s lower house of Parliament, Dáil Éireann, on Feb. 25. Dominic Hannigan will represent Meath East, a parliamentary constituency in the northeast of the nation, for the Labour Party. And John Lyons will represent the constituency of Dublin North West for Labour. Hannigan currently is a member of the Seanad Éireann, or Senate. Members of that body are not directly elected, and its powers are weaker than those of the Dáil. Hannigan will have to give up that seat, to which he was appointed in 2007 by fellow politicians. Ireland’s only other openly gay member of Parliament—current or past—also is a senator. Since 1987, David Norris has represented voters who are graduates of the University of Dublin.
Honduras special unit to investigate anti-LGBT hate crimes
Honduras is creating an investigative unit and task force to tackle hate crimes
APRIL 2011 against LGBTI people, women, youth and journalists. The government ministers of human rights and public security will be directly involved in the undertaking, which will utilize 150 researchers. Officials estimate that Honduras has seen 200 anti-LGBTI killings in the past five years. In January, the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa urged the Honduran government to “vigorously investigate” five murders of LGBT people that took place since Dec. 18. The embassy expressed “great concern” about the killings and said “the protection of Honduran law extends to all citizens regardless of sexual orientation.” The government must “take all necessary steps to protect LGBT persons, who are among the most vulnerable to violence and abuse in Honduras,” the U.S. officials said.
Belarus LGBTs hope to march in May
Gay activists in Minsk, Belarus, applied to the city government March 4 for permission to hold a “March of Equality” on May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. Last year, the city’s Executive Committee banned a gay pride march and, when activists ignored the ban, several of them were aggressively arrested for taking part in an unsanctioned public action. Moscow Pride founder Nikolai Alekseev, who joined that march, said police
Section 3: Community were “brutal and violent.” This year, the organizers’ application expanded the scope of the proposed march to include several other minority groups in hopes of improving the odds of getting city approval and reducing hostility from anti-gay protesters. The march, if approved, will wrap up four days of “Festival of Equality” events that include a film screening, a photo exhibition and other activities.
Report: Int’l AIDS Conference shortchanges at-risk populations
A new report charges that the biennial International AIDS Conference, the premier gathering for people working in the HIV field, shortchanges groups most likely to become infected with HIV, including gay men, transgender people, sex workers and drug users. An “audit” of conference programming, conducted by the Global Forum on MSM & HIV, analyzed last year’s gathering in Vienna and found that the percentage of sessions exclusively focused on such groups was 2.6 percent for men who have sex with men (MSM), 1.1 percent for transgender people, 3 percent for sex workers and 4.5 percent for drug users. “While the International AIDS Society turns a blind eye, HIV rates among these populations continue to climb around the world,” said the forum’s executive officer, Dr. George Ayala. “The IAC is the world’s most important opportunity for interna-
tional exchange and collaboration on HIV and AIDS. Such abysmal representation of most-at-risk groups only serves to reinforce the invisibility, discrimination and disregard that drive the epidemic among these communities.” The report recommends that conference organizers ensure a transparent process for reviewing abstracts and designing programming, increase their support of authors developing abstracts focused on key populations, and broaden representation on the committees that develop conference programming. “It is incumbent upon the organizers to ensure that the IAC becomes a vehicle for change, shifting the global landscape so that funding, research and programs are directed to those who need them most. Right now it’s part of the problem,” Ayala said.
LGBT group forms in Montenegro
An LGBT organization has formed and been officially registered in Podgorica, capital of the former Yugoslav republic of Montenegro. The group, LGBT Forum Progress, is pressing for a law granting gay couples the rights of marriage.
Cuban TV airs Glee
Cuba’s Cubavisión channel is airing the übergay U.S. television series Glee, each Saturday at 5:45 p.m. State TV also recently aired Six Feet Under. Assistance: Bill Kelley
ACCESSline Page 35
“I started my activism in the eighties when a new disease emerged that was quickly and inexplicably killing people. Worse than the virus there was the terrible discrimination and prejudice it left in its wake. Suddenly it made gay people stop being human beings and start becoming the enemy. I knew somebody had to do something. For God’s sake, our president didn’t even utter the word for years into the epidemic. So I got involved.” — Actress and activist, Elizabeth Taylor, at GLAAD’s 11th Annual Media Awards, April 15, 2000. Rest in peace.
ACCESSline Page 36 DIRECTORY NOTICE The ACCESSline community directory is updated each issue. LISTINGS ARE FREE but are limited by space. Free online listings are available at www.ACCESSlineIOWA.com. 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 1133 15th Street NW, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20005 www.victoryfund.org. 202-VICTORY [842-8679] 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] Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund I I E. Adams, Suite 1008, Chicago, IL 60603 www.lambdalegal.org 312-663-4413 Fax: 312-663-4307 MortgageLoan.com Housing & Mortgages for Gay & Lesbian Couples, http://www.mortgageloan.com/lgbt/ National Gay & Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) 1325 Massachusetts Ave NW, Ste 600, Washington, DC, 20005 www.ngltf.org / taskforce.org National Organization for Women (NOW) 733 15th ST NW, 2nd Floor Washington, DC 20005 www.now.org 202-628-8669 PFLAG National Offices 1133 15th Street NW, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20005 info@pflag.org - www.pflag.org 202-467-8180 The Trevor Lifeline The Trevor Project operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention lifeline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. Each year, our lifeline fields more than 30,000 calls from LGBTQ youth as well as their families, friends and educators. (866) 4-U-TREVOR - (866) 488-7386 Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year All calls are toll-free and confidential
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) Janis Bowden, President, IA NOW janleebow@aol.com PO Box 41114, Des Moines, IA 503111 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 http://community.pflag.org/Page. aspx?pid=194&srcid=-2 515-537-3126 or 641-583-2024 Iowa Pride Network 777 Third Street, Suite 312, Des Moines, Iowa 50309 Pridenetwork.org Executive Director: 515-471-8062 Outreach Coordinator: 515-471-8063 LGBT Youth in Iowa Schools Task Force PO Box 1997, Des Moines, 50306 515-243-1221
Section 3: Community Ames First United Methodist Church 516 Kellogg Ave, Ames, IA 50010 Contemporary worship Sat. 5:30; Sun at 8:30 and 11:00am. www.acswebnetworks.com/firstunitedmcames/ 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 L East Student Office Space 2229 Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50014-7163 alliance@iastate.edu http://www.alliance.stuorg.iastate.edu 515-344-4478 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 2328 Bristol Drive, Ames, IA 5001 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 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 Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ames 1015 Hyland Ave. Services: 9:30 am and 11:30 am, Sunday www.uufames.org uufa@aol.com 515-292-5960 Unity Church of Ames 226 9th St. Sunday service and Sunday school 10:30am. Wednesday mediation 6:30pm, . www.websyt/unity/ames Daily dial-a-blessing 515-233-1613
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, 597 W. Okoboji Rd., Arnolds Park IA 51331-0486 F.JosephWilson@aol.com. www.wilsonresource.org 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 319-754-5868 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
One Iowa 500 East Locust St, Ste 300 Des Moines, IA 50309 515-288-4019 Fax: 515-244-5846 www.OneIowa.org
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
Stonewall Democrats of Iowa 5 Creekside Ct Mason City, IA 50401 Contact: Harvey Ross HRoss007@aol.com 319-362-3099
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 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, #206, 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 St. Timothys United Methodist Church 3220 Terrace Drive, Cedar Falls, 50613 sttims-umc.org, 319-266-0464, info@sttimsumc-org, Contact Rev. Linda Butler “... welcome of all persons, including those of all sexual orientations and gender identities.” 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 319-366-9686 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. 319-366-2055 Christ Episcopal Church “We have a place for you.” 220 40th Street NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 319-363-2029 www.ChristEpiscopal.org Club Basix Open 5pm to 2am M-F, Sat & Sun 3pm-2am 3916 1st Ave NE, Cedar Rapids 319-363-3194
CSPS Legion Arts Contemporary Arts Center 1103 3rd St. SE info@legionarts.org 319-364-1580 Eden United Church of Christ 351 8th Ave SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404 (319) 362-7805 Sunday School 9am - Worship 10:15am
APRIL 2011 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
Faith UMC 1000 30th Street NE, Cedar Rapids, 52402 Sunday services at 11:00am. www.crfaithumc.org 319-363-8454
Inclusive Life “Religious and Non religious care, services and ceremonies for all!”, 105 S. 49 Street, Suite E, Omaha, NE 68132, (402) 575-7006, http://inclusifelife.org
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
The Max 1417 Jackson at 15th, Omaha, NE 68102 6 bars in 1 - 402-346-4110
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 March 9 we will be at the Kirkwood Hotel Lobby Cafe.After that we may go back to Blue Strawberry downtown, but we need time to check our options. 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 PFLAG CR, Linn Co and Beyond Meets at People’s Church (in Cherry Room) 600 3rd ST, Cedar Rapids Iowa 52401 Contact Person: Diane Peterson Phone: 319-362-9827 6:30pm on the 4th Thursdays except months like November. (Email ddpeters57@gmail.com for alternate dates.) Stonewall Democrats of Linn County Contact Roy Porterfield, meet 2nd Wednesday of the Month, 6:30-8pm, For the February 9 meeting we will be at Coffee Talk Cafe on 37 Kirkwood Court Southwest, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. That’s next to Kirkwood Blvd just south of Hwy 30 on the left. royboycr@mchsi.com, 319-362-5281 Toxic Nightclub 616 Second Ave SE, Cedar Rapids 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 Unity Center of Cedar Rapids “A center of positive, practical Christianity.” 3791 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids www.unitycr.org - (319) 393-5422
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
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
DC’s Saloon 610 S. 14th St., Omaha, NE Open everyday 2pm-1am, western/levi/leather. 402-344-3103
Community Health Free Clinic 947 14th Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 319-363-0416 www.communityhfc.org Free Medical Services provided for the uninsured and underserved patients of Cedar Rapids, Marion and the surrounding areas in Eastern Iowa.
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
Front Runners/Front Walkers Walking/jogging club. P.O. Box 4583, Omaha, NE 68104 402-496-3658.
MCC Omaha 819 South 22nd, 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. 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, Des Moines, IA - 515-246-1299 www.theblazingsaddle.com 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 Diversity Chorus [A gay-friendly mixed chorus] Rehearsals on Mondays at 7 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Beaver Ave. at Franklin St., Des Moines. All are welcome, no auditions. PO Box 65312, West Des moines, IA 50265 Julie Murphy, Artistic Director jahmurphy@hotmail.com, 515-255-3576, desmoinesdiversitychorus.org
APRIL 2011 Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus 515-953-1540 4126 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines administrator@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. 515-288-2500 info@ffbciowa.org www.ffbciowa.org First Unitarian Church 1800 Bell Avenue Services Sundays at 9:30 & 11am 515-244-8603, www.ucdsm.org 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 Gay and Lesbian Issues Committee 4211 Grand Avenue, Level-3 Des Moines, IA 50312 515-277-1117 Java Joe’s Gay friendly 214 4th St. , 515-288-5282, www.javajoescoffeehouse.com Lavender Victory Fund Financial assistance for women in need for medical emergencies. lavendervf@aol.com 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. 515-508-0825 MINX Show Palace 1510 NE Broadway, Des Moines, IA 50313 Open m-th noon-2 a.m., f noon-3 am., sat 3 p.m.-e a.m. 515-266-2744 North Star Gay Rodeo Association of IGRA, Iowa Division of North Star NSGRA@NSGRA.org or 612-82-RODEO Rainbow Union, Drake University ru@drake.edu Ray Perry Law Firm 515-279-2244 Free Initial Consultation PFLAG Des Moines 515-243-0313, 1300 Locust , Des Moines, IA 50312 Plymouth Congregational UCC Church and the Plymouth GLBT Community 4126 Ingersoll Ave. 515-255-3149 Services at 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. Pride Alliance, AIB College of Business Gay and straight students celebrating diversity Contact: Mike Smith, Advisor PrideAlliance@aib.edu www.aib.edu/pride 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. Gay owned great music, awesome food and coffee. 515-288-4872 ritualcafe@aol.com - ritualcafe.com Romantix North Des Moines Iowa (Bachelor’s Library) 2020 E Euclid Ave, Des Moines, IA 50317 www.romantixonline.com 515-266-7992 Spouses of Lesbians & Gays Support group for spouses of gays and lesbians. 515-277-7754 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
Section 3: Community 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 at r.eliason@hotmail.com or call 515-979-6959 Trinity United Methodist Church 1548 Eighth Street - 515-288-4056 Services Sundays at 10am, www.trinityumcdm.org Urbandale UCC An open & affirming congregation. 3530 70th St., Urbandale, IA 50322 515-276-0625, www.urbucc.org Walnut Hills UMC Join us at 8:30 or 10:45am for Sunday worship. Sunday classes and group studies are at 9:30am. 515-270-9226 12321 Hickman Rd, Urbandale, IA 50323 www.whumc.org
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. www.crossroadsucc.org
Iowa City AA (GLBT) 319-338-9111 Meetings Sundays 5 - 6pm at First Baptist Church, 500 North Clinton Street. For more info, call IC Intergroup Answering Service, Congregational Church UCC An Open and Affirming Congregation Sunday Worship 10:15 a.m. 30 N. Clinton St. (across from Ul Pentacrest) 319-337-4301 - www.uiccic.org
Westminster Presbyterian Church 4114 Allison Ave - www.WestPres.org Sunday services 8:45 and 11am. Of note is their GAY-LESBIAN-STRAIGHT AFFIRMATION GROUP, GLSA 515-274-1534
Counseling Clinic 319-354-6238 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
Women’s Culture Collective (WCC) A lesbian social group. Des Moines, IA - www.iowawcc.org
Counseling and Health Center 319-337-1679 Client-centered therapy. Les-Bi-Gay-Trans always welcome. 616 Bloomington St, Iowa City, IA
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. Dubuque Friends Worship Group (Quakers) Join us at an unprogrammed meeting on Sunday at 10am. Open and Affirming St. Mark’s Community Center 1201 Locust Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001 563-582-0220, www.smcdbq.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.1300 Main St, Dubuque, IA 52001, 319-589-4181
Crisis Center 319-351-0140 1121 Gilbert Court, Iowa City, 52240 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 lA 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
PFLAG Dubuque St. John’s Lutheran Church 1276 White St. 3rd Thursday, 7pm 563-581-4606 or 563-503-5850
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
Q Bar East 90 Sinsinawa Ave, The Strip, East Dubuque, IL 61025 qbar.east@gmail.com
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
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Dubuque 1699 Iowa St., Dubuque, IA “The uncommon denomination.” general services at 10am. www.uuf-dbq.org 563-583-9910
ELKADER Bethany Church (ELCA) 307 3rd St NE, Elkader IA 52043 Pastor Jim Klosterboer 563-245-1856 www.alpinecom.net/~bethanychurch bethanychurch@alpinecom.net Inclusive. Welcoming. Discover the Difference. Bethany is a Reconciling in Christ congregation of LC/NA Schera’s Restaurant and Bar 107 S Main St, Elkader, IA 52043 563-245-1992 Scheras.com E-mail: info@scheras.com Fine dining featuring Algerian & American Cuisine. Voted Best Mediterranean Restaurant in Eastern Iowa on KCRG TV-9’s A*List.
Fort Dodge Romantix Fort Dodge (Mini Cinema) Sun-Thu 10am-12am, Fri & Sat 10am-2am 515-955-9756 15 N. 5th St, Fort Dodge, IA 50501-3801 RomantixOnline.com
Grinnell 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.) Divine Liturgy is served Sundays during the College academic year 1:30 p.m., Herrick Chapel, Grinnell College Campus 1226 Broad Street, Grinnell, IA 641-236-0936 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
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 Men Supporting Men 319-356-6038, Ext 2 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 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, 19-335-1486
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., 132 W Main St. 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. 641-421-9321 PFLAG North Iowa Chapter 641-583-2848, pflagmcni@yahoo.com, Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Cafe @ 7 p.m. Wed.
Mount Vernon Alliance Cornell College 810 Commons Cir # 2035 alliance@cornellcollege.edu orgs.cornellcollege.edu/alliance/
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. Davenport, IA 52804, www.apqc4life.org 319-762-LIFE 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 563-322-1121 822 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA 52802 DeLaCerda House 309-786-7386 Provides housing & supportive services, advocacy and referrals for people living with HIV/ AIDS. P.O. Box 4551, Rock Island, Il. 61201 Good Samaritan Free Clinic 602 35th Avenue Moline, IL 309-797-4688 gsfc@mchsi.com - Provides free primary medical care to patients age 16-64 who are working but have no medical insurance. Patients are seen by volunteer physicians, nurss practicioners, and physician assistants. www.GoodSamaritanFreeClinic.org The Hole-In-The-Wall 309-289-2375 A Private Membership Men’s Club Located 3 miles east of Galesburg, IL just north of I-74 at Exit 51 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 563-884-8014 832 W. 2nd St. Davenport, IA MCC Quad Cities - Svcs Sat 5pm, Sun 11am Bible study Wed 7pm 563-324-8281 3019 N Harrison, Davenport, IA 52803 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 563-285-4173 Eldridge United Methodist Church 604 S.2nd St., Eldridge 1st Monday, 6:30 pm Prism (Augustana College) 309-794-7406 Augustana Gay-Straight Alliance Augustana Library 639 38th St, Rock Island, IL Contact Tom Bengston 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 Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities Sunday Service 11am 3707 Eastern Avenue, Davenport, IA 52807 563-359-0816 Venus News (Adult) 902 W 3rd St, Davenport, IA 563-322-7576
Red Oak First Congregational United Church of Christ 608 E Reed St, Red Oak, IA 51566 (712) 623-2794 Rev. Elizabeth Dilley, Pastor uccwebsites.net/firstcongredoakia.html firstconguccredoak@yahoo.com Open and affirming.
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) 712-258-6922 412 Jones St. Nightly 6:00pm to 2:00am. Mayflower Congregational Church. 1407 West 18th Street Call 712-258-8278. Morningside College Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Alliance 712-274-5208 Contact Professor Gail Dooley, Advisor Morningside College GSA 1501 Morningside Ave. Sioux City, IA 51106-1717 dooley@morningside.edu PFLAG Siouxland PO Box 1311, Sioux City, IA 51102 siouxlandPFLAG@aol.com Romantix Sioux City 712-277-8566 (Adult Emporium) 511 Pearl St, Sioux City, IA 51101-1217 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 712-277-9575 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
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 10:30am. Bible discussion Wed. 6:45pm Rev. Maureen Doherty, Pastor 319-352-1489
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US NEWS groups from meeting rather than allow the GSA to form. “It shouldn’t have taken this long and this much struggle to start a club whose purpose is to make our school a safer space for all students,” said Peet. “We can’t wait for the first meeting.”
California Legislature may demand military stop fining gays
Section 3: Community down a third bill that would have forceconverted same-sex marriages into a new kind of civil union different from the civil unions New Hampshire used to have. Some 1,400 same-sex couples have married in New Hampshire. Same-sex marriage also is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont and Washington, D.C. In addition, same-sex marriages from anywhere in the world are recognized as marriages in Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island and California (if the marriage took place before Proposition 8 passed) even though those states do not let same-sex couples marry. Eleven other nations allow same-sex couples to marry—Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and Mexico (where same-sex marriages are allowed only in the capital city but are recognized nationwide).
Wyoming Senate kills anti-gay-marriage bill
Christine Kehoe. Photo by Rex Wockner. California state Sen. Christine Kehoe introduced a resolution sponsored by Equality California on March 9 calling on President Barack Obama, Congress and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to stop fining LGB servicemembers who were discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Said EQCA: “Although DADT has been found to be unconstitutional as a violation of the First and Fifth Amendments, and the U.S. Congress passed a repeal that was signed by the president, the military continues to demand that our brave soldiers who were unfairly discharged by this outrageous policy pay for their education because they were discharged.”
Wyoming’s Senate voted 16-14 March 2 to kill a bill banning recognition of samesex marriages entered into in other states and nations. The bill was designed to counteract a state law that recognizes legal marriages from other states and countries. Wyoming lawmakers also recently killed a proposal to amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage.
San Diego mayoral race has 3 gay/lesbian candi— dates
The June 2012 election for mayor of San Diego, America’s eighth-largest city, could have three openly gay/lesbian candidates.
Geoff Kors. Photo by Rex Wockner.
Bonnie Dumanis. Photo by Rex Wockner.
EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors called the demands for repayment, which have topped $75,000 in some cases, “beyond offensive.”
Republican District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and Republican City Councilman Carl DeMaio already have filed papers, and Democratic state Sen. Christine Kehoe is widely expected to file shortly. Kehoe, as the only Democrat in the group, probably would garner the most support from the city’s LGBT activists. Dumanis took immediate fire from local Democratic gay leaders as she announced her candidacy March 10, with the predominantly gay San Diego Democratic Club accusing her of being more loyal to the GOP than to her fellow LGBTs. The club said that in last year’s statewide elections, Dumanis supported Republican candidates for governor and attorney general who vowed to reverse the state’s
Gay marriage safe in New Hampshire for now
New Hampshire’s Legislature will not vote in 2011 on either of two bills aimed at repealing the two-year-old law that made same-sex marriage legal. Members of the House Judiciary Committee voted 15-0 without debate March 3 to place the bills on hold until 2012. The committee unanimously voted
policy of refusing to defend Proposition 8 in court. Those candidates lost, and Gov. Jerry Brown and Attorney General Kamala Harris have continued the nondefense policy. (Six days later, the SDDC corrected its statement, saying that Dumanis had remained neutral in the attorney general race.) “Although I consider Bonnie a friend and believe she has been an effective judge and district attorney, there are significant policy issues where progressives disagree with her,” said SDDC President Doug Case. “Her loyalty appears to rest more with the Republican Party than the LGBT community as witnessed by some of her endorsements.” Prop 8, passed by voters in November 2008, amended the California Constitution to re-ban same-sex marriage. It was later struck down as unconstitutional by a federal judge in San Francisco. That decision is now on appeal at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Supreme Court OKs Phelps funeral pickets
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8-1 on March 2 that Kansas’ Westboro Baptist Church has a constitutional right to picket military funerals carrying signs that say such things as “God hates fags.” The court said the church’s “speech” is “certainly hurtful and its contribution to public discourse may be negligible,” but the pickets are nonetheless protected by the First Amendment. “Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and—as it did here—inflict great pain,” the court said. “On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker. As a nation we have chosen a different course—to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate. That choice requires that we shield Westboro from tort liability for its picketing in this case.” The church had been sued by the family of a fallen soldier whose funeral its members picketed. Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. disagreed with the court’s majority, saying, “Our profound national commitment to free and open debate is not a license for the vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case.” Most national gay organizations did not respond to the decision. Kate Kendell,
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executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, was the exception.
Kate Kendell. Photo by Rex Wockner. “What is striking about today’s decision is not the court’s legal analysis, which does not break new ground, but the spotlight this case shines on the despicable character and hatefulness of anti-gay bigotry,” Kendell said. “Can you imagine fighting for the right to spew hatred at a funeral? What an appalling indictment of those who oppose our humanity and equality.”
Immigration Equality to sue federal government
The LGBT group Immigration Equality is planning to sue the federal government over the Defense of Marriage Act because it prevents married U.S. citizens from bringing their foreign same-sex spouses to live with them in U.S. states that allow same-sex marriage or recognize same-sex marriages from elsewhere. The planned lawsuit follows President Barack Obama’s recent instruction to the Justice Department that it stop defending in court the section of DOMA that bans the federal government from recognizing states’ same-sex marriages. Immigration Equality said it believes there is a good chance the lawsuit will succeed, at least for legally married samesex couples in states that allow or recognize same-sex marriages. Same-sex marriage is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Washington, D.C. In addition, same-sex marriages from anywhere in the world are recognized as marriages in Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island and California (if the marriage took place before Proposition 8 passed) even though those states do not let same-sex couples marry. Assistance: Bill Kelley
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Section 3: Community
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