ACCESSline, Iowa's LGBT+ Newspaper, February 2012 Issue, Volume 26 No 2

Living with HIV Auction Amber Miller of the Interview by Angela Geno-Stumme Des Moines Pride Center

2008 Ames fundraising Event ‘pride supplies’ donation.

Janelle Durlin is Director for Mid-Iowa Community Action (MICA) Story County Health Resources. She runs the Living with HIV program and will be putting on the Love Responsibly Auction to benefit that program.

The Love Responsibly Auction is February 9th from 6:30-9 PM at the Unitarian Universalisty Fellowship in

Ames, at 1015 N Hyland Avenue.

Angela: I was wondering if maybe we could start with what MICA does.

Janelle: An overview of MICA is we’re a non-profit agency in Central Iowa serving the needs of low income families. We have a variety of programs to help that

TTHIV continued page 4

Passing the Torch at Club Basix

Interview by Anthony Brown Last week I got the pleasure of sitting down with Pretty Belle (AKA Andrew Harrison) and Miss Rita Wall (AKA, um, well… Rita Wall). I got to know them a little better myself and we chatted about the up-and-coming changes for Club Basix in Cedar Rapids, Iowa— the “passing of the torch” of ownership of Club Basix from Rita to Pretty Belle.

Pretty Belle, would you give our readers a background about yourself?

Pretty Belle: Well, I have lived in eastern Iowa most my life. I grew up in Troy Mills and graduated high school from North Linn High, class of ‘95. I came out of closet the same night Ellen DeGeneres did on her TV show. I started doing drag in Waterloo when I was 20 and I performed my first show at Club Basix on December 22nd, 1997. I have been doing drag there since… minus a year I worked at the Garden Nightclub in Des Moines and the old Alley Cat in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City 2000-2001. I have tended bar, cocktailed, bar-backed, and performed for over 16 years now. I also have a day job with a company called Amusme games, I’ve been there over

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Interview by Anthony Brown

What is the DSM Pride Center? Goals?

The DSM Pride Center is a local LGBTQ community resource center. We have meeting spaces for several support groups, as well as an extensive lists of LGBT friendly resources here in the State of Iowa. Our mission statement summarizes it pretty well: “The Des Moines Pride Center will provide a safe place for the LGBT community to gather, gain education, improve heath, and gain support and advocacy in a drug free environment.”

As the new Executive Director, can you give a brief bio of yourself and what your Vision is for the Center?

I am a 33 year old Iowa native, although I grew up in the military and we did move around a lot. In 1986 my father was diagnosed with HIV, and was discharged from the Army. At that point, I was 8 or 9, my father decided to move us back to where our extended families lived, here in Des Moines.

Because of his HIV status, we were introduced to the gay community at a very young age, and as we got older, both my brother and I both came to terms with our own sexual identities, and came out to our mother while we were still in

TTDSM Pride Center continued page 5

Governor Branstad sued for discrimination

A one million dollar lawsuit has been filed against Governor Terry Branstad by Iowa worker’s compensation commissioner Chris Godfrey. According to the Des Moines Register, Godfrey claims that because he is gay and would not resign when it was requested by the Governor, he was then cut out of meetings, his salary was cut from $109,000 to $73,000, and he suffered other harrassment.

Branstad’s office is quoted as saying that Godfrey was asked to resign because “he oversaw an increase in workers’ comp insurance, forcing additional costs onto Iowa businesses.”

Godfrey is quoted by the Register as saying, “For those people that are going to be bullied by this governor or by someone else, I can lead by example and say, ‘It’s OK to stand up to someone, even someone as strong as the governor of the state of Iowa.’ I can stand up to that bully, and it’s going to be OK.”

Couple wins birth certificate battle

Heather Gartner, after being legally married to Melissa

emma’s revolution at CSPS, Feb 12 TTpage 4

Photo courtesy of emma’s revolution

What’s Inside: Section 1: News & Politics

Advertising rates Letter to the Editor emma’s revolution at CSPS February 12th Remarkables by Jonathan Wilson Minor Details: “Sex in 2012” by Bob Minor “To Live By The Girl Scout Law” by Heidi Cullinan “Medical Science vs. Politics and Religion” by Jill June Inside Out: “Closure” by Ellen Krug “Christian Cannibalism” by Jonathan Wilson Creep of the Week by D’Anne Witkowski

Section 2: Fun Guide

Entertainment Picks for December 11 The (Bi) Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Chris Azzopardi 11 Wired This Way by Rachel Eliason 12 Deep Inside Hollywood 12 Easily Distracted: “Getting Screwed” by Joshua Dagon 13 Cocktail Chatter by Ed Sikov 14 Hear Me Out by Chris Azzopardi (Music Review) 15 The Gay Wedding Planner 16 Your Iowa Wedding Awaits 19 Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking 23 The Bookworm Sez: Tuesday Night Miracles 24 Comics and Crossword Puzzle 24-25 ACCESSline’s STATEWIDE Recurring Events List 25

Section 3: Community

FFBC: Iowa State Senator Liz Mathis by Bruce Carr Conservative Christians Play “Victim” Card “Will You Be My Valentine” by Royal Bush A sister outsider in “Pariah” by Irene Monroe “The Real Boy” by Justin Jones “Fron the Pastor’s Pen” by Rev. Jonathan Page Iowa Governors Converence on LGBTQ Youth The Outfield by Dan Woog Black LGBTQ community by Rev. Irene Monroe Business Directory

TTIOWA NEWS continued page 21

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FEBRUARY 2012

PUBLICATION INFORMATION Copyright © 2012, All rights reserved.

ACCESSline

P.O. Box 2666

Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-2666 (319) 550-0957

www.ACCESSlineIOWA.com

editor@ACCESSlineIOWA.com

ACCESSline is a monthly publication by

Breur Media Corporation. The paper was

founded in 1986 by the non-profit organi-

zation ACCESS (A Concerned Community for Education, Safer-sex and Support) in Northeast Iowa.

Arthur Breur, Editor in Chief Angela Geno-Stumme, Managing Editor

Publication of the name, photograph or

likeness of any person, business or organization in ACCESSline is not to be construed as any indication of sexual orientation. Opinions

expressed by columnists do not necessarily

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name, address, and phone number. We

reserve the right to edit letters and other material for reasons of profanity, space, or

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Advertising rates and deadlines are

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Section 1: News & Politics

“Typo of the Month” When I first took over as editor-in-chief for The ACCESSline, I promised that we would not laboriously lament our typos.

Rather, each month, we would celebrate finding the first typo after the paper had been set, and we would even announce the typo if it was significant enough.

With nearly twenty years in graphic design and printing, I was well aware of the fact that typos happen. They happen every day in every medium. We would make our best effort to not have typos, but since they are inevitable (and often funny) we would share the good ones and celebrate discovering the first “typo of the month” each issue.

I had been told by John Wilson—who, with his husband Paul Danielsen, had run the paper for the previous 13 years—that his most frustrating typo had been leaving the previous issue’s month at the top of the entire next month’s paper. (I did this same mistake once in one section of the paper, but managed to get the press to just erase the month name for that section, hiding the mistake.)

Some typos come in the content that is submitted to us. Some typos are basic mistakes or confusion caused by rearranging content again and again in a 36 or 40-page newspaper each month.

Some typos happen because of the best intentions. For example, when publishing an interview with performer Dixie Longate, we did a search and replace to make sure we spelled “Tupperware” correctly.

Unfortunately, we put the spellings into the search-and-replace dialog backwards and had an entire article with the spelling “Tupperwear”—which might exist if Tupperware sells t-shirts, but otherwise was quite embarrassing.

So last month, when I finally noticed the glaring typo in our masthead—Janary

ACCESSline Page 3

Action Reaction: Asking the Right Questions

by Brett Edward Stout

instead of January—it took me a few minutes to remember my “typos happen” philosophy and laugh at it.

The embarrassment was made worse by the fact that there was nobody to blame but me: every month I plan ahead and test out several images for our photo masthead, and I try out taglines to put underneath the photos. Eventually I have a colorful, themed masthead, complete with—as often as possible—an IOWA photo for our Iowa paper.

Our mastheads are a point of pride for us at The ACCESSline. They are a celebration of Iowa—seasons, locations, people, events, wildlife, and vistas. They are a defining element for each issue, providing a unique way for our paper to express our pride every month.

They are also, on occasion, the focus of our ongoing celebration of our own humanity: the Typo of the Month!

— Arthur Breur, Editor in Chief

On January 19th, 2012, Newt Gingrich was politely asked if he would like to answer a direct question. His answer, simply put, was honest: “No.” There once was a time when you could ask candidates questions and they’d give you an answer. In our current linguistic reality, all questions are redirected to prewritten talking points, and there is nothing we can really do about it. However, what can be controlled—the questions— should.

So, how should we react to intentional avoidance in 21st-century politics? By cutting their dogmatic talking points off at the knees. We need to learn that their answers (or lack thereof) are not as important as our questions: we need to start asking the right ones.

It is time to do away with the strategy of kindly worded questions, time to put backbone behind our beliefs and take command of the greater public conversation. Enough of asking, “Do you think gays have the right to marry?” The question should be, “Do you think the government should tax gay couples more than straight couples?” No more inquiring about gays receiving protection at work. The question instead is, “Do you think employers should have the right to fire people for being gay?”

It’s time to throw away the question, “Should gays be allowed to adopt?” Instead, we must ask, “Do you think gays are bad parents?” If they say a “mother” and a “father” should raise children, then ask them where

TTHIV continued page 32

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Please send us information on any of the following: Corrections to articles • Stories of LGBT or HIV+ interest • Letters to the editor Editorials or opinion pieces • Engagement and wedding ceremony announcements or photos • Questions on any topic we print • Photos and writeups about shows, events, pageants, and fundraisers

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ACCESSline Page 4

Section 1: News & Politics

Emma’s revolution Celebrates Wedding Anniversary with Concert

SScontinued from page 1

HIV population.

One of those is Living with HIV program.

That is a program that was established in the year 2000 to meet the needs of the HIV/AIDS population here in Central Iowa.

Our main office is in Marshalltown, but the offices where we have case managers are in Ames, Mason City and in Fort Doge. So we are spread out through North Central Iowa to provide medical case management to people who are diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. What we do is provide a lot of services to connect clients to resources. Initially, when we are introduced to a new client, we immediately find out if they have access to an infectious disease specialist, as well as having access to a prescription program.

That’s our first step. After we establish that, we connect that person to the needed resources. And then from there we just start visiting with the family to make sure that there aren’t any other needs that are unmet.

Those could be something from housing, all the way to food and clothing. Transportation is a huge issue that we try to connect our clients to different transportation resources so that they can get to their medical appointments, their health appointments, their vision appointments. It is crucial that our clients maintain a strong body, so they can fight that disease.

Angela: Now is this something that you could volunteer for as well?

Janelle: Our program is not as big as, say the Des Moines AIDS project. We really don’t have the need for volunteers except for our upcoming auction. It is a big event and we do count on community volunteers to help us have a successful event.

Angela: Ok, now that is the Love Responsibly silent auction that is on Feb 9th at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Ames?

Janelle: Correct.

Angela: Is that something that you have been doing regularly, or is that a

FEBRUARY 2012

Activist musicians holding Cedar Rapids concert Feb. 12th at CSPS Hall Janelle Durlin pictured with 2008 volunteer event coordinator Tom Vance. new event?

Janelle: We first had the event in 2001.

That was our first attempt at it. We had that event each year until 2009, when I passed the torch to a fraternity here in town. They did it that year and the event was, unfortunately, not well attended. So, the following year we were in the process of moving our agency and nothing happened. And now I am back at it this year and very excited because what I am finding out is that so many of our past sponsors and past supporters are really on board again to help MICA to have a successful fund raising event.

Angela: What do the proceeds of this event go to?

Janelle: The proceeds from this auction will first help offset a $2,500 budget short fall in our case management program. After that short fall has been covered, then the remaining proceeds will replenish our program assistance fund that’s used to help our clients cover expenses such as gas vouchers to go to the doctor. Help them cover emergency expenses such as rent, utilities, and if their car needs maintenance, then the proceeds will be used to cover those expenses.

Angela: Now do the proceeds cover just Story County or are they throughout the MICA counties that you cover

TTHIV continued page 6

Activist musicians Pat Humphries and Sandy O of emma’s revolution are coming to Cedar Rapids to celebrate the one-year anniversary of their legal wedding in Iowa with a concert. The show will be at CSPS Hall, 1103 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids, on Sunday, Feb. 12th at 7 p.m.

The couple married in New York in 2001, when same-sex marriage was still not recognized by that state. “We had your average Jewish-Cherokee lesbian wedding ceremony,” quipped O. “But, last year, we were coming to Iowa just after the law passed, so we thought we’d look into getting married here, too.” The duo found that there was a three-day waiting period for both a marriage license and a handgun license. “We opted for the marriage license,” said Humphries, adding on a more serious note, “Recognition of samesex marriage is inevitable. Love is love and no amount of money from outside groups will stop those of us in pursuit of justice and equality. We love coming to perform in a place that has recognized that to the full extent of its laws.”

Their new CD, Revolutions Per Minute, features “Love Is” a wedding song that is being sung at both queer and straight weddings

across the country. emma’s revolution has performed at the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, the Ohio Lesbian Festival and will perform at this summer’s National Women’s Music Festival.

The duo has performed and recorded with the legendary women’s music icon, Holly Near. “A few years ago, Holly found that her longtime pianist was not going to be able to tour with her. So she decided to do something completely different and bring us in as her band,” said Humphries. “The audiences loved the new sound—with guitars, banjo and ukulele—but they especially loved the tight three-part harmonies that we did together.

People told us we breathed new life into songs they had loved for years.” In 2009, the trio recorded, “We Came To Sing,” to mark their work together and emma’s revolution will also be working with Near on her current recording project.

The duo’s songs are performed by LGBT choirs in the US and abroad, and Pat’s song “People Love” is included in middle and high school curriculums. “In a time of increased bullying towards queer youth, it’s crucial to stop this violence,” she said. “I’m glad my song is out there, doing its part to support communities and schools in teaching not just tolerance, but acceptance.”

Tickets for the show are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. For more info: 319-3641580 or legionarts.org.

“Recognition of same-sex marriage is inevitable. Love is love and no amount of money from outside groups will stop those of us in pursuit of justice and equality.

We love coming to perform in a place that has recognized that to the full extent of its laws.” ~Pat Humphries

FEBRUARY 2012 SScontinued from page 1

DSM Pride Center our teens. I moved to Minneapolis in 1999, where I met my husband, Tyler Miller. He is a Transman 2 ½ years on hormone therapy.

Shortly after we met, we decided to move back to Iowa so we could marry legally. After my health began to fail, we decided to follow our hearts and try to create a safe space for the LGBT community here in Des Moines.

How is the Center funded? Is there a link someplace that people can donate?

Are you a 501(c)3 so that all donations are tax deductible?

The Pride Center is mostly funded by private donations. You can give in many ways, but the easiest way is to visit our website at mydsmpridecenter.org and use the ‘donate now’ button through pay-pal. We also accept cash and checks. You can also support us by becoming a Member. A low annual fee gives you voting rights at our annual election and helps us to sustain and develop programming.

Do you have a newsletter of some sort? Website?

Our website is mydsmpridecenter.org.

We also have a Facebook page, and you can follow us on twitter as well. We are working on creating a monthly e-newsletter, in fact, we are looking for interested persons that would like to contribute!

I understand that the Center just had Elections for a new Board of Directors. Can you give our readers the 411 on the new Board Members?

We are very excited about our new and very talented Board. The Chair: Taz Clayburn; Co-Chair: Matt Skuya, Secretary:

Section 1: News & Politics Millie Cowles, and our Treasurer: Justin Thomsen. I am succeeding myself as the Executive Director! In addition we have four at-large board members; Tierney Israel, Max Crabb, Mark Metz and Ricardo Deblazo. I feel an immense amount of gratitude to these people for stepping up to help us realize our dream of becoming the LGBT Community Resource Center we know that Des Moines and surrounding areas needs and deserves!

You can visit our website to learn more about the Board Members.

Does the Center have any upcoming Events?

We have several initiatives for the calendar year 2012 and are in the planning stages of several different events. We are working closely with other LGBT organizations here in our city to collaborate our efforts. We have current support groups that meet weekly, and others that are still in the planning stages. Our main focus will be on an After School Youth Program, a weekly Youth Group Get-together.

The possibilities are endless!

I know it can be crazy running a NonProfit, how do you keep it all together?

Any words of advice for others in the Non-Profit realm?

Yes, there is no doubt that running a nonprofit can be crazy! It is a very challenging process and yet so very rewarding. On any given day, you can find yourself in a moment where you yourself feel crazy for taking on such a huge effort, but honestly, it just takes seeing the smile on one person’s face, or hearing from a client that “they don’t know what they would do without us” to keep us going. I believe that for any business, nonprofit or otherwise, the key is to be open and honest with your community, to follow

ACCESSline Page 5

practices that serve the greater good of the community as a whole, rather than just a part, and never, ever, let it become about your own ego.

As with most non-profit entities, I bet the Center operates by the steadfastness of its’ Volunteers and Donations. If you could make a wish list for Donations, Amber Miller E.D., Executive Director for Des Moines Pride Center. etc...What would you say the Center decision was made based on our current needs? Time? Money? Items? funding sources, the building deteriorating At this point, The Pride Center really condition and voted on by the Board. We all needs a new space. As of February 1st, The agree that we are in need of a more affordDes Moines Pride Center will be holding able, sustainable place. all meetings and support groups at the While we have some negotiations on the Project. We will maintain a strong internet table, we have not settled on a new location presence and again, continuing to provide at this point. However, all support groups support groups and meeting spaces for the will continue to meet. The AIDS Project of community. As we go through this transi- Central Iowa has graciously offered to house tion, The Des Moines Pride Center needs our groups until we find a new home. Any members, time and of course, donations. We events outside of the support groups will are confident that we will continue to grow be at various locations throughout the city, in numbers and strength and will find a new depending on the type of event we will be home soon, but until then look for us at the having.

Project and online!

We will continue to operate online and The Pride Center is moving, can you again, all groups that currently meet at the tell me what brought about that decision? Pride Center will be held without interWhere you will be located in the interim? ruption at the Project, located at 711 East And how the search for the new location 2nd Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50309 until will be directed? further notice. Stay tuned to hear the latest The location we are currently in is going and greatest about your Des Moines LGBTQ to be closed as of February 1st, 2012. The Community Resource Center’s news!

ACCESSline Page 6

Section 1: News & Politics

FEBRUARY 2012

SScontinued from page 4

HIV in a whole?

Janelle: This particular benefit will help any HIV clients that are case managed by our case manager here in our office. So with those funds they cover those families in Marshall County, Story, Hardin, Hamilton, Boone, and Greene. There are multiple counties where these proceeds will really help benefit the clients.

Angela: Now, reading over your press release, some of the events that are going to be going on during the auction. One thing that caught me eye is that you are saying that you want to give attendees a “bird’s eye view” of what it’s like to live with HIV and AIDS. How are you going to accomplish that?

Janelle: I hope to accomplish that through the client that has volunteered to step up on stage and talk about his life living with HIV. I’ve had the privilege of being around him a great deal and have heard him speak. He provides such a thorough view of what it’s like to live with this disease. I really feel that he can educate the audience and to make them understand the good and the bad of living with this virus.

Angela: This speaker I know is going to be the highlight event. But I know there are other things going on at the auction.

You are going to have other performers at the event?

Janelle: We are. I have a person within the community who has stepped forward and offered to organize the entertainers in terms of our female impersonators. We are working together to bring up several wonderful performers from Polk County, just the local area too to provide some fantastic entertainment to our audience.

Angela: Is there going to be a specific time for those events, or is that going to be happening throughout the auction?

Janelle: It will be happening throughout the auction. With my past experience, having done this for several years, it’s just nice to kind of spread it out during the evening. So, not only are our families having a really fun time looking at the bid sheets and having some competitive bidding, but also to provide a variety of entertainers, both local and out of county. That just really provides a fun, fun evening for everyone involved.

Angela: Let’s talk about some of the things that are going to be on the auction.

It’s mentioned that Former Mayor Ted Tedesco has some items on the auction.

Janelle: Well, what he’s doing is, he

2008 Ames fundraising Event volunteer entertainment. has volunteered to be our auctioneer. He is a very energetic gentleman and he will be volunteering his time. We’re going to take some of the higher end items and auction those live. This absolutely makes the evening even more fun. We have some of the energy in the room. We’ve done that in the past and it has been a huge success.

Angela: Can you give an example of some of the things that are going to be up for auction?

Janelle: I wish I could, but we are just now this week starting to make our follow up phone calls. We sent our letters out last week requesting our donations, and we literally just started yesterday making phone calls. So, I am just not able to give you any ideas yet.

Angela: Which brings me to ask, how long are you going to take donations?

Janelle: We are taking donations up until the event. Ideally I would love to have the donations at least five days before the event, because we have to create a bid sheet for each item. We want to put that donator’s name in our program handout. There are several things that I would really like to have ahead of time. However, I know that is not always able to happen. So, literally we have accepted donations up to an hour before the event, and I quickly hand write a bid sheet and put them on the table. And we always earn some money off that donation. This is always greatly appreciated.

Angela: Now where could people go to donate items if they are interested?

Janelle: Our address at MICA is: 226 SE 16th Street in Ames. It is south of Hickory Park Restaurant. If folks want to drop it off, that’s fantastic. But we also have an intern this semester and she is busy going out into the community picking up donations. So, by

2008 Ames fundraising Event for the Living with HIV program.

all means, it’s up to you if you have a donation that needs to be picked up.

Angela: Can you give me an example of how the auction will work?

Janelle: Basically we position all the donated items. We display them on a table with a bed sheet. When everybody arrives, they pay an admission fee. They are given a wrist band with their bidder number. For example, someone gets the number “7”.

That person goes around to all the items and if they would like it, they would put a bid on that sheet. They need to check that bid sheet often, because if someone has out bid them they have to go back and raise that bid. So, that’s what happening in the one room. That’s where all our donations will be displayed.

In another room is where the entertainment will take place. There’s a small stage, and throughout the night, the variety of entertainers will get up there and sing and play instruments and really try and pull in the audience’s attention and so in that aspect

they have lots of fun. It’s really relaxing. We have many hors d’oeuvre on hand. There are a lot of volunteers walking around making sure the audience is comfortable. And if they have any questions, volunteers will be designated by wearing a big red ribbon so questions can be asked. It’s really just a fun evening to connect with those living in the community who care about those that live with HIV. And to really have their awareness increase in terms of the struggles associated with living with the virus.

Angela: That sounds like an amazing time.

Janelle: I have had the honor and this will be my 8th auction. And I am truly blessed to have such wonderful community support for really such a small community program.

Right now we are probably serving about 50 people. Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of serving over 200 people. As I look back over the last ten years of having the program. Truly from day one I’ve felt very honored to serve this population, but even more honored to have wonderful supporters and people that are really compassionate towards those living with the virus.

Angela: I can completely understand that Janelle. Now is there anything else you’d like to say before we wrap up this?

I really encourage people to return to or auction. Or if this is their first time, to really consider joining us. It really is an experience, an experience in terms of educating yourself about HIV, and an experience in meeting folks living with the virus—just an experience to gather in a group. It’s such a wonderful feeling to be around others who feel so strongly and compassionate about supporting those who are living with HIV/ AIDS.

Section 1: News & Politics

FEBRUARY 2012

ACCESSline Page 7

Remarkables by Jonathan Wilson Gay Marriage After DOMA

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) purports to do two things that are subject to constitutional challenge. First, it declares that the federal government and its agencies will recognize only serial marriages between one man and one woman.

It places no limit on the number of times these folks can divorce and remarry, the Biblical admonitions to the contrary notwithstanding. Matthew 5:31 and 19:9; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18. God knows so-called “Christians,” and at least one candidate for President, have been ignoring those admonitions with a vengeance.

The challenge there is based on equal protection, due process, and privacy grounds—primarily equal protection.

Second, DOMA declares that the individual states—despite the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the US Constitution—are not required to recognize lawful marriages performed in another state. The obvious basis for challenge is taught in fifth grade that the Congress lacks the power to amend or over-ride the provisions of the

US Constitution.

It’s no wonder that the Obama Administration, led by a constitutional scholar, has declined to defend DOMA in the federal courts.

Those two key provisions conspicuously do not declare void, or purport to infringe upon the right of any state to legalize, marriages between adults of the opposite or of the same gender.

As a result, the complete repeal of DOMA would leave in place the lawfully performed marriages performed for same-gender couples. That in turn, would set up a Full Faith and Credit Clause attack against any state that declined thereafter to recognize such marriages lawfully performed in whatever state.

Interestingly, the Full faith and Credit Clause does allow one circumstance in which a state is not historically required to recognize the laws of the other states.

When a foreign state’s laws violate the fundamental public policy of a state as expressed in its criminal laws, that state is not required to give the foreign law recognition. So, for example, if Nevada

allows lawful prostitution (which it does), a pimp and prostitute driving across Iowa could not resort to the Iowa courts to sort out a dispute over the division of proceeds.

Prostitution is a crime in Iowa. Similarly, if Utah were to legalize polygamy, Iowa courts would not get involved in sorting out domestic issues with such unions.

Polygamy is a crime in Iowa. Iowa courts would not have to recognize a marriage between siblings even if that were legal somewhere. Incest is a crime in Iowa.

Thanks to Lawrence v. Texas, sodomy laws that would make same-gender intimacy a crime were struck down in all of the states where such laws were still on the books. Paradoxically, one of the dissenting justices in that case was right when he forecast that the decision would open the door to recognition of gay marriages.

It was as if he were “reading ahead of the class.” Because same-gender intimacy, that is inherent in same-gender marriage, is no longer a crime in any state—and cannot be made so—this potential exception to the applicability of Full Faith and Credit Clause does not apply. If DOMA goes in its entirety, legally performed marriages of same-gender couples will be and remain legal and will, almost certainly, be recognized by all states (absent an amendment to the US Constitution).

There’s probably no better time than Valentine’s Day to assess the state of sex in the US. You know, the sexual activity that raises fear among leaders of the religious right-wing that it might actually be popular even among their own.

Republican right-wing presidential candidate Rick Santorum is the latest political exploiter of this terror of sexuality, pontificating in a January interview that states should regain the right to outlaw birth control.

Contraceptives are, he preaches, “a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.”

This is out of touch with the reported ideas and practices of the vast majority of Americans. Even among members of the historically most rabid anticontraception institution, the Roman Catholic Church, women favoring the expansion of birth control poll around 90 percent.

Yet the rhetoric of erotophobia seems effective. It even upsets enough people who don’t agree with Santorum’s crowd, scaring most into not speaking up to defend their actual private practices. We appear to have made little public progress in spite of what really goes on in our bedrooms.

In 2008, historian Dagmar Herzog in Sex in Crisis: The New Sexual Revolution and the Future of American Politics puzzled over why “it has been so hard for Americans loudly to defend sexual rights even if they definitely enjoy having them.” “This,” she observed, “creates an echo chamber in which the bullies get to set the terms of the debate.”

In the U.S. in 2012 sex is still one of the most convoluted topics, and that is because participating in sexual activity doesn’t mean one has developed a healthy sense of what

their personal sexuality and its related activities mean to them. The messages that come at all of us from our culture and its authorities are still so mixed, confused, and consumerdriven, that what we’re told is actual sexual activity is buried under widespread distress, guilt, disappointment and fear.

As long as that’s true, attitudes toward sexual activity and our ability to stand up clearly for our sexual practices will be closeted, muted, or embarrassing. Sadly, in spite of the so-called sexual revolution, the freedom of younger generations, and the conservative counter-revolution, as a country we still find it difficult to think effectively about sex.

“Science” has tried to take over the discussion. Instead of morality, the questions posed are about normalcy, adequacy, and health.

People want experts to assure them that their sexual fantasies, activities and frequencies are normal, their “failures” at sexuality are curable, their erections are adequate or need blue pills, their bodily parts are the right shape or size, and more.

We still know sex sells, and we practice that salesmanship. We still have media images of what sex should be with actors on the big and small screens who seldom duplicate them at home.

We still believe that sex is a means of getting close to someone, maybe THE means.

Yet our actual sexual activities are often distancing or part of desperation to feel close to someone.

We still see people having sex with someone not just because they want to participate in sexual activity or they want to express the closeness they have with that person through sexual activity, but to prove to themselves that they’re still attractive

and loveable. There’s nothing new in the use of sexual activity to cloak a negative self-image.

We still have those who use it as slaves to the consumer-culture’s glorification of youth as beauty, to prove that their aging has not diminished their appeal. Youth, after all sells. Products will restore it. Wrinkles don’t; they just happen if you hang around long enough.

We still have a disconnect between what we say is a relationship between sex and love while we hear jokes about and justifications for marriage causing a diminishment of sexual activity between partners.

We still see sexual activity used to express power over another or to participate in the power that another has. Both rape and the attractiveness of the powerful, we know, aren’t about sex.

We still hear pitiful attempts to relieve guilt over being sexual. Sometimes it appears in outward moralisms; sometimes it’s turned inward.

We still have examples of hypocrisy around sexuality among sex’s most vehement critics. It takes little psychology to suspect that those who brandish the loudest anti-sex positions are speaking out of their inability to reconcile with their own practices.

We are still inundated with public efforts to control women’s sexuality. Denying women contraception has historically been the best way to do so, guaranteeing that every sexual encounter could result in pregnancy and, through much of history, the chance of death in childbirth.

We still tell men that sex is THE means for a man to get, express, and experience closeness. If a man prefers substituting any of the hundreds of other means of expressing closeness with someone, we still wonder what’s wrong with him.

It’s no wonder that the Obama Administration, led by a constitutional scholar, has declined to defend DOMA in the federal courts.

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.

Minor Details: Sex in 2012 by Robert N Minor

We’re still having sex, but we haven’t been able to have conversations about it...

Robert N. Minor, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the University of Kansas, is author of When Religion Is an Addiction; Scared Straight: Why It’s So Hard to Accept Gay People and Why It’s So Hard to Be Human and Gay & Healthy in a Sick Society. Contact him at www.FairnessProject.org.

We still use words and phrases that have so many other meanings—intimacy, morality, sleeping with, close to, doing it, getting any, going all the way, scoring, doing the dirty, and cheating on, for example—and know they mean sex.

So, in 2012, we’re still having sex, but we haven’t been able to have conversations about it to discuss what sex is, what it’s for, why we’re having it, what about it scares us, and how for so many it doesn’t seem to do what it’s supposed to do. Instead we respond with obsession, guilt, self-blaming, and bad public policy.

We’re still hearing moralists and preachers condemning sexual activity as they have for millennia. Their rantings still haven’t changed a thing, improved human relationships, or promoted a fully-human,

TTMINOR DETAILS cont’d page 32

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Section 1: News & Politics

FEBRUARY 2012

To Live By the Girl Scout Law by Heidi Cullinan I was a Girl Scout. First I was a Brownie, complete with the adorable brown beanie and the knee socks with weird orange fringe things. We met once a week in the basement of the Catholic church in town, which I remember because it felt so deliciously wicked to meet in Another Church. (This was a very small town.) We made crafts and sang songs and put on skits and had outings. We had cookouts where we made “walking salad” (apples with the cores removed and replaced with marshmallows, chocolate chips, and a caramel) to eat while we went on our hikes where we were admonished to take only pictures and leave only footprints.

We learned about Indian mounds (It was less PC in the 70s) and how to properly make a campfire. But mostly, whether in the woods or out, we were taught to be respectful.

The individual lessons blur together in hazy memory, but I am very aware that I was taught to be responsible and above all respectful. In Girl Scouts you behaved, not because you’d get yelled at if you didn’t but because that’s what Girl Scouts were. We were good girls not because we sat still but because we did good things. We were helpers and listeners and doers. We phoned our relatives and hocked those cookies because something good happened from doing that. I can’t remember what it was, but I remember believing that selling those cookies was my duty.

Looking back, the Girl Scouts was a heavy

partner in the formation of my character, because in addition to that drumbeat of humility and respect, GSA gave me more than a little inner steel. There was absolutely no activism of any kind, but there was definitely the sense that you stood up for things, quietly, but you stood. We wouldn’t have been caught dead with a placard, but we’d absolutely be the Good Samaritans.

Put on that uniform and you transformed into a public servant. Service, that’s what I remember most about Girl Scouts. Respectful service.

I can tell you what Girl Scouts wasn’t about. Hate.

In fact, pretty much Girl Scouts in my experience was anti-hate. In GSA you tolerated at worst and accepted and learned and welcomed at best. By the time I was in seventh grade I’d somehow become one of the mostfun-to-mock kids in that tiny little ghetto, but not at Girl Scouts. We were all sisters, and we were all servants, and not one of us would have been caught dead mocking or being mean. Not in front of a leader, anyway. Even someone you didn’t like had to be “gotten along with.” There were no power plays in Girl Scouting and no name-calling, no nothing that even smacked of exclusion and mockery and disdain. A Girl Scout went out of her way to show respect.

When I watch the video of the “Girl Scout” urging people not to buy GSA cookies because GSA supports transgender scouts,

I can tell you what Girl Scouts wasn’t about. Hate.

I’m struck by many, many things that don’t sit well with me. Duct tape on her sash to obscure her troop number. No name given anywhere. No comments were on the video, and they weren’t allowed. No likes or dislikes.

The video itself is pretty unsettling too. Some pretty bad arguments wrapped up in namecalling, insinuations, and, to be blunt, gossip.

This is all before we get to the misconstrued facts about transgender persons, before the scare-mongering of how evil boys are plotting to fake being girls so they can destroy the sanctity of the Scouts.

I don’t know who this girl is, but she’s no Girl Scout. If she was ever actually part of a troop, I’m very sorry for her and for her peers, because they didn’t have a real leader.

They had some pervert distorting what Scouting is.

Scouting is a service. Scouting is about integrity and truth. About education and yes, discovery—of facts, not repetition of paranoid whisper campaigns. Scouts show their troop numbers. Scouts tell their names. Scouts let people comment on their statements because they aren’t afraid to stand behind what they believe, because they’ve done real research, and because they wouldn’t ever be catty or divisive or exclusionary.

“On my honor, I will try to serve God, my country, to help people at all times, and to live by the Girl Scout Law. I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, responsible for what I say and do. I will

Medical Science Vs. Politics and Religion

by CEO & President Jill June, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland January 20, 2012, was an important day for women and families across the country, and an important day in the fight for reproductive justice. On that day, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) affirmed the importance of access to affordable birth control for every woman when they decided to not further expand the “refusal provision” that would have eliminated access to birth control to millions of women who are employed by a religiously affiliated hospital, university or other organization that serves the broader public.

Given that reliable birth control methods cost between $15 and $50 a month, this also is an important economic issue, and one that affects Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

According to the well-respected Guttmacher Institute, which focuses on reproductive health issues and research, there is little difference in the use of birth control by Catholic and non-Catholic women: 98 percent of sexually experienced Catholic women will have used birth control at some point in their lives versus 99 percent of all sexually experienced women.

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), birth control will be among covered preventive services available to women without an expensive monthly co-pay. This is momentous for women’s reproductive

health: doctors and public health experts agree that increased access to birth control improves health outcomes for both women and infants.

The DHHS decision ensured that a woman covered by new private health plans written on or after Aug.1, 2012, will have the opportunity to control her fertility, protect her own health and that of her family, and determine when she is ready to start a family or add to the one she already has.

Planned Parenthood, an ardent supporter of reproductive rights for everyone, continues to oppose the current provision in President Obama’s health care plan that allows religious employers like churches and church associations to deny low- or no-cost birth control to its employees. It also disagrees with the addition of a one-year waiver provision to the final rule.

We are thrilled, however, that DHHS based its decision on sound medical science rather than politics and religion. In adopting the IOM recommendations, it essentially affirmed that the religious beliefs or conscience rights of an employer do not take precedence over those of its employees.

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, and Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country, will continue our mission of advocating for reproductive justice for everyone.

Given that reliable birth control methods cost between $15 and $50 a month, this also is an important economic issue.

Jill June has been president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland since 1985, which operates 34 health centers in Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

During her tenure, the affiliate has been the recipient of numerous “Affiliate of Excellence” awards. Before joining Planned Parenthood, Jill was executive director of the Family Planning Council of Iowa, an umbrella funding organization for reproductive health care services in Iowa.

Jill has held numerous national leadership positions, including serving on the board of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association.

Heidi Cullinan has always loved a good love story, provided it has a happy ending.

She enjoys writing across many genres but loves above all to write happy, romantic endings for LGBT characters because there just aren’t enough of those stories out there. When she isn’t writing, Heidi enjoys knitting, reading, movies, TV shows on DVD, and all kinds of music. She has a husband, a daughter, and too many cats. Find Heidi on the Web: Twitter, Facebook, WordPress, and her website heidicullinan.com. respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.”

That’s the promise and the law. You recite those at every meeting. You study them and explore them through programs and badges.

You wear your uniform and you are conscious

TTGIRL SCOUT cont’d page 32

Dear God, we should not be putting civil rights issues to a popular vote to be subject to the sentiments, passions of the day. No minority should have their rights subject to the passions and sentiments of the majority. This is a fundamental bedrock of what our nation stands for.

We have created in our state and refuse to address...a second class citizenship in our state. That’s what we have in America right now. We’ve two classes of citizens.

Citizens like me, who if I choose to marry somebody, I can marry somebody from a different country and they have a right to United States citizenship.

I’ve got a right that if I die, I’m married, this first-class citizenship that I have says that my wife will get to avoid estate taxes.

The second-class citizens in our country don’t have those rights.

There’s over 1,000 federal laws that create different classes of American citizenship because we’re not treating everybody equally under the law. I read the 14th Amendment clearly. It talks about equal protection under the laws. That was never something that should go out to a popular vote. Whether blacks, women or other minorities, should be equal, first-class citizenship.

To me it is infuriating that we are in the 21st century and we haven’t created equality under the law. And so I will be fundamentally, in every fiber of my being, supportive of equal citizenship for all people in this country. ~New Jersey’s Mayor Cory Booker

Section 1: News & Politics

FEBRUARY 2012

Inside Out: Closure by Ellen Krug Four months ago, my cell rang at eight in the morning.

“Are you busy?” It was my ex-wife, ex-lover, ex-soul mate, Lydia. As soon as I heard her voice, I knew something wasn’t right.

“What is it?” I blurted. Immediately, I thought of our two barely twenty-something daughters. “Are the girls okay?”

Quickly, she answered, “They’re fine.”

In the next breath, she confirmed there was reason for my unease.

“I’m getting married,” she said.

“I wanted to tell you first, because I knew it would hurt.”

My gut wrenched.

I felt sucker-punched.

She and Stephen had been dating for five years, but she had vowed that she’d never marry anyone again. I had believed her.

“Oh, wow,” I answered, searching for words. “When?”

“At the end of next month. It will be a very simple ceremony, no church. The girls and a few other people.”

The news started to sink in. My eyes welled wet, which quickly gave way to crying.

In between tears, I stupidly said, “Send me an invite and I’ll figure out whether I want to come.” A second later, I realized an invite was impossible.

I regained composure. “Congratulations,” I said, not really meaning it. “He’s a good man, and I always knew the two of you would be together forever anyway.” On all of that, I was honest.

“We’re doing this only because it makes sense—as it is now, I can’t be in the hospital room if Stephen gets sick,” Lydia

tried to reassure. “It won’t change anything between you and me. We’ll still talk like we always do.”

Both of us knew this wasn’t true. Her marrying—her happily ever after—would change everything. Now she would be “Mrs. Stephen,” a whole different identity.

Soon my phone was silent. I wiped my tears and sighed big. My heart hurt for weeks.

Lydia’s telephone call was the culmination of a process that I put in motion nearly six years before. Back then, we lived in separate houses, but remained married. Naively, I had first thought I was gay.

It took a year of living alone before I began exploring whether I was actually transgender. Because Lydia was an innocent in all of this—and because I loved her dearly—we found ourselves in a strange no-man’s land (pun intended) where we agreed to put divorce on hold until I figured things out. I would keep my new gay friends, but not have gay sex.

Lydia and I resumed occasional sleep overs and took many family trips. I dubbed the arrangement, “Gay Lite.”

We continued in Gay Lite for fourteen months. Eventually, we both understood my gender issues meant we’d never be able to go back to living together. Lydia began to date, but her potential suitors weren’t appealing. One was too young, and another too old. “He’s got too much baggage and he smells bad,” she said of the old sap.

We got to the holiday season in 2005.

Lydia and I had been invited to an annual Christmas party with many of Cedar Rapids’ movers and shakers. A couple weeks before

the party, I heard of a widower in his early fifties—Stephen---who would be attending the party. I called a friend to vet Stephen.

“Oh, he’s such a nice man,” my friend said. “I’ve never heard a bad thing about him.”

I told Lydia about my vetting. “I don’t want to meet some Stephen,” she answered.

“I’m not interested.”

At the party two weeks later, I saw a tall and fit smiling man with a close cropped graying beard enter the room. “That’s Stephen,” someone whispered to me.

I found Lydia and pointed. “There he is,” I said. “Go talk to him.”

Lydia glanced the new man’s way. “I’ll talk to him when I’m good and ready.”

A half hour after that, I found myself in the awkward position of watching the love of my life flirt with a handsome stranger.

Soon, their smiles turned to laughter. The chemistry was obvious.

Afterwards, I asked Lydia how it went.

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t think he’s interested.”

Yeah, right, I thought.

Lydia and Stephen went out on their first date. Then another. And another.

Within a month, Lydia no longer welcomed my kisses. “I want to see where this will go,” she reported.

I knew it was inevitable. Still, it broke my heart.

With the more recent news of Lydia’s impending wedding, I wondered just how I’d be able to weather things. I asked Lilly, the youngest daughter, if she’d do me a favor.

“After Mommy and Stephen’s wedding, will you call and tell me you love me?” I knew I’d need to hear those words.

“Of course, Dad,” Lilly responded—it doesn’t matter that I’m named Ellen or that I

Christians have been metaphorically eating each other ever since the Roman emperors stopped feeding them to the lions.

They took the wrong lesson from that early Christian experience.

Their tendency toward internecine cannibalism first broke out most publically and memorably with the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century.

The Protestant Reformation itself split what was left of the original church after it had split in the eleventh century from the Eastern Orthodox folks.

The Protestants took from the sixteenth century split a serious, vengeful, seemingly uncontrollable propensity for disunity in Christ and, today, there are somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000 Protestant denominations. In order to maintain their individuality and preserve their existence, they must downplay their commonality and, instead, emphasize the trivial that differentiates them one from another. Pick a topic, any topic. How to baptize—dunk or sprinkle.

The Trinity vs. Unitarianism. Transubstantiation—whether communion elements are

symbolically or literally the body and blood of Christ. The status and proper role of women vs. the Biblically-based superiority of men. Whether the individual or God is to be in control of procreation. Predestination vs. choice. Whether there are gay children of God or merely straight ones misbehaving through same-gender intimacy.

Whether the Bible is literally the inerrant word of God, despite demonstrable contradictions, or something else.

More significant to the current political climate has been the rise of a modern-day brand of evangelical “Christian.” Congregations of these folks spring up on street corners all over the place and grow like a cult around the personality of a “pastor” who lacks any denominational accountability. They are particularly virulent in the political arena but couch their virulence in religious rhetoric.

They have reduced to an art form the doublespeak described by George Orwell in his book 1984. By espousing the principle of love for the sinner while hating the purported sin, they give coded permission to treat the sinner

much as you would if you, in fact, hated them and not just the sin.

The most disturbing feature of this brand of evangelical “Christian” is their holier-thanthou arrogance. No public figure is pure enough; no one is good enough. In their search for anyone-but-Mitt, they have successively been unable to find an acceptable alternative. One after another candidate has risen and then fallen in the polls. Christ himself wouldn’t qualify; he’d almost certainly be too socialist for them. Mark 10:17. Not to mention the gown, sandals, and hanging out with guys all the time. Newsweek’s conservative columnist, David Frum, got it right when he said recently that the evangelicals won’t give leaders the latitude to be effective leaders.

These folks cling tenaciously to myths about the way things are and not just to the way things should be. They want simple answers to the complex questions of life.

They want moral certitude in a real world more accurately characterized by moral ambiguity. They tend to “tell it like it isn’t in no uncertain terms.” Accordingly, they condemn themselves to a life of hypocrisy, reinforced by judging the purported failings of others. They rely heavily on a schizophrenic God of both justice and mercy—the latter for themselves and the former for everyone who disagrees

My gut wrenched. I felt sucker-punched. She and Stephen had been dating for five years, but she had vowed that she’d never marry anyone again. I had believed her.

Christian Cannibalism by Jonathan Wilson Newsweek’s conservative columnist, David Frum, got it right when he said recently that the evangelicals won’t give leaders the latitude to be effective leaders.

ACCESSline Page 9

Ellen Krug, writer, lawyer, human, is presently completing her memoir, “Getting to Ellen: Crossing the Great Gender Divide,” which will be published in 2012. She lives in Minneapolis and works as the executive director of a nonprofit serving the underrepresented.

She welcomes your comments at ellenkrug75@gmail.com. have a female body. I’ll always be “Dad,” to my daughters.

The wedding day arrived. I thought of Lydia saying “I do,” from the moment I woke up. I had intentionally kept myself ignorant of the wedding details, so I didn’t know the time of the ceremony.

Sometimes—like any twenty-something—Lilly can be forgetful. I wondered if she’d remember. All doubt ended with an early evening phone call.

I heard the excitement in Lilly’s voice immediately. “Dad, it was a nice ceremony.

Mommy looked pretty. Everyone cried.”

I started to sink, but then Lilly came

TTINSIDE OUT cont’d page 32

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.

TTCANNIBALISM cont’d page 32

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Section 1: News & Politics

FEBRUARY 2012

Creep of the Week by D’Anne Witkowski Chuck Norris

rights.”

Aravosis writes, “Actually, Secretary Clinton was criticizing other countries incarcerating, torturing and executing gay and trans people.”

Norris continues, “In many respects, we need to turn back the clock in America to our founding principles, values and liberties, and those include the intricate and pivotal role that religion and Christianity played in our early republic. It is not time to flee religious liberties but re-embrace them, especially during this sacred Christmas week.”

Got it. So during “this sacred Christmas week” we needed to embrace the Christian values of torture and execution of gay people as it says in the Book of Norris.

And that’s why, as I said before, you should stay away from this guy. He’s fucking nuts.

The move, has, not surprisingly, riled up civil rights organizations and Michigan’s LGBT groups. Not that Snyder gives a shit.

Emily Dievendorf, policy director at Equality Michigan, called Snyder’s support for the bill “appalling” and accused him of caving “to the radical social agenda coming from the legislature.” “[T]he Governor told unmarried public employees that they could no longer care for their partners or children,” Dievendorf said.

“He has put hardworking gay and lesbian couples and their children into harm’s way by eliminating important health care coverage.

He has spent the last two years talking about creating a welcoming state with a attractive business climate, and these bills fly in the face of those goals.”

The Michigan ACLU vowed to fight the law.

“The decision to take healthcare benefits away from families just in time for the holidays is mean-spirited and cruel,” said Kary Moss, executive director of the Michigan ACLU. “The bill serves no other purpose than to single out a small minority of people and deprive them of critical protections as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.”

Oddly enough, Snyder did care about the Michigan Constitution, though only a little, when he made sure that the state’s universities would be left out of this bill. He cited the “constitutional autonomy” of universities when he touted their exclusion. On the surface this might seem like a generous move, but don’t be fooled.

Public universities in Michigan were very outspoken against this bill. “The University of Michigan must be able to offer an excellent benefit package to our employees and to those we hope to recruit to UM for their unique talents, skills and expertise,” University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman wrote in a letter sent to legislators. “The loss of our ability to offer such benefits would put the university, and our state, at a serious disadvantage compared to peers.”

Snyder didn’t let universities keep domestic partner benefits because he respects the need to attract the best and the brightest talent and to foster a welcoming and diverse atmosphere. No, he did it because he didn’t want universities to sue. Because he knows that he did a really shitty thing, and he made damn sure the public employees impacted— including but not limited to schools, cities, townships—didn’t have a gay leg to stand on.

These people are real. According to

So during “this sacred Christmas week” we need to embrace the Christian values of torture and execution of gay people as it says in the Book of Norris.

It’s no secret that Chuck Norris is a physical force to be reckoned with. So if you’re gay, stay out of his way. Because he doesn’t like you very much. I’m not saying he would kick your ass. I’m just saying he could. Easily. I don’t care how many hours you put in at the gym.

Norris is already on the record as an antigay conservative, but he apparently worried that he was not sufficiently on record about the gay-led War on Christmas. In a Dec. 19 opinion piece in praise of the good anti-gay works of the American Family Association he has done just that.

“Anyone who knows me knows that for my whole life I’ve been a huge supporter of our U.S. military personnel, who I too congratulate about their victory in Iraq,” he writes. “But when our president and officials in the U.S. Department of Defense exchange a war abroad for a religious war at home, can’t we see something else is seriously awry in this administration?”

“Seriously awry” would be an understatement if President Obama actually pulled out of Iraq in order to wage war against religious people at home. That would be totally fucked up.

The key word is “if,” of course. Because that didn’t happen. Obama wasn’t all, “Hmm, I’m bored with Iraq. I need those troops back on U.S. soil to gun down live nativity scenes and water board Salvation Army Santas ringing those annoying bells.” That would be intolerable by even the most godless heathen’s standards. Thank God or any other deity/non-deity that such a thing is not happening.

Norris then bemoans how “Merry Christmas” is “omitted from signs in your favorite department store.”

This is another figment of Norris’ imagination. Look folks, I was at Rite Aid the other day and the piped in Christmas music mentioned Jesus so many times I’m surprised the cashiers weren’t wearing choir robes.

Norris also laments that military chaplains are now forced to gay marry everybody, which is also fiction. And, as AmericaBlogGay’s John Aravosis points out, for proof Norris links to a Washington Post article that say the exact opposite of this. I suspect someone may need to give his research skills a workout.

But by far the biggest whopper in Norris’ piece is his claim that “Secretary Hillary Clinton demonizes other countries’ religious beliefs as an obstacle to radical homosexual

Gov. Rick Snyder

Equality Michigan Executive Director Denise Brogan-Kator, they include Ann Arbor teacher Theresa Bassett’s partner and 6-year-old son, Kalamazoo City employee JoLinda Jach’s partner “who suffers from arthritis and early stages of glaucoma,” and state employee Deb Harrah’s partner “who has diabetes and a thyroid condition.”

With a stroke of a pen, Gov. Snyder told these families, “You don’t matter because you’re gay.” My guess is he didn’t lose any sleep over it.

Amy Koch

It’s always sad to watch a person self-destruct. Especially when that self-destruction is happening in that person’s pants.

Minnesota Senator Amy Koch recently stepped down as Senate Majority Leader after it was discovered that she’s been messing around with a man who is not her husband and who actually worked for her. This relationship was deemed a conflict of interest.

Koch, not incidentally, is an opponent of marriage equality. She and her fellow Republicans pushed hard to put an anti-gay marriage amendment on the 2012 ballot.

Back in May, 2011, Minnesota Family Council President Tom Prichard, Koch’s political ally. Told the Star Tribune about the ballot initiative, “[O]ur goal is to not make it personal. I think we can have a respectful discussion and conversation on the importance of marriage in our state, where there’s widespread support that the best environment to raise children is with a loving mother and father.”

Is this where I mention that Koch and her husband have a little girl?

And just what does Prichard mean about not making it “personal”? I’m not sure what’s more personal than a marriage. And campaigning to deny someone the right to make such an intimate, public commitment is, certainly, personal.

And so when Koch dropped her pants for a penis she was not married to, Minnesota’s gays and lesbians can’t help but take that personally, too.

Writer John Medeiros issued an open letter to Koch that has gone viral. In it he

We cannot and should not accept that the very people fighting against us are using a set of so-called “values” that they, themselves, do not truly believe in.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder gave the middle finger to gays and lesbians in the state when he signed a bill on Dec. 22 that yanks domestic partner benefits away from state employees. That’s three days before Christmas, folks. Snyder Claus has nothing but lumps of coal for ho ho homos.

There was no compelling reason for such a bill to even exist—aside from the Michigan legislature’s long-standing obsession with discriminating against LGBT people, that is. Ever since the anti-gay marriage amendment passed in 2004, domestic partner benefits have been in the cross-hairs.

While some Republicans claim that doing away with the benefits helps save the cash-strapped state money, the amount of money in question is negligible, especially for a state that is leaking talented young people like a sieve.

Michigan’s Gov.Snyder didn’t let universities keep domestic partner benefits because he respects the need to attract the best and the brightest talent and to foster a welcoming and diverse atmosphere. No, he did it because he didn’t want universities to sue.

TTUS NEWS continued page 31

ACCESSline’s fun guide

Our Picks for February 2/3, Holland Performing Arts Center-Kiewit Hall, Omaha, Patti Lupone, omahaperformingarts.org 2/3, Hoyt-Sherman Place, Des Moines, Red Party Scholarship Fundraiser, ffbciowa.org 2/7-12, Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, West Side Story, civiccenter.org 2/9-12, Iowa Events Center, Des Moines, Des Moines Home & Garden Show, desmoineshomeandgardenshow.com 2/10, Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, Fairfield, Burlesque to Broadway, fairfieldacc.com 2/10-12, 5 Sullivan Bros. Convention Center, Waterloo, Eastern Iowa Home and Landscaping Show, iowashow.com 2/10, 7:30 PM, Englert Theatre, Iowa City, Chucho Valdes and the Afro-Cuban Messengers, hancher.uiowa.edu 2/11-12, Valley West Mall, West Des Moines, Heartfest:A fine art show, stookeyshows.com 2/16, Wartburg College, Waverly, Kansas City Chorale, wartburg.edu/artist/ 2/18, Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, Des Moines, DIAVOLO, civicenter.org 2/20-3/5, Des Moines Community Playhouse, Des Moines, To Kill A Mockingbird, dmplayhouse.com 2/23, 7 PM, Iowa State Center, Ames, My Fair Lady, center.iastate.edu 2/24, Reiman Gardens, Ames, Winter Wine Fest at Reiman Gardens, reimangardens.com 2/24-26, Mid-America Center, Council Bluffs, Council Bluffs Home and Landscaping Show, iowashows.com 2/28-3/4, Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, Bring

The (Bi) Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Chris Azzopardi

Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures.

Cast talks character’s sexuality—and why it doesn’t matter

Tattooed and pierced, dressed in full black and the very type of social recluse who’s as mysterious as her body art, Lisbeth Salander is the quintessential outsider.

She’s also sexually ambidextrous, something seldom portrayed in a movie as mainstream as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Bisexuality, for once, is no big deal.

“Thank you,” says the thriller’s director David Fincher, where he’s come together with the cast during press day at New York City’s Crosby Street Hotel.

Proud but opposed to taking all the credit for any kudos having to do with downplaying the character’s swinging sexuality, the Fight Club director continues: “We started with the source material, and that’s what the book described. One of the things we were very particular about was when she meets Miriam Wu in the bar; we wanted it to be a moment of happiness.

There are two times you see (Lisbeth) smile

it on! The Musical, Ad page 20

...and March

3/1-4, Des Moines, Heartland Swing Festival, heartlandswingfestival.com 3/2, 7:30 PM, Riverside Casino & Golf Resort, Riverside, Tower of Power, hancher.uiowa.edu 3/3, Iowa State Center, Ames, “Tschaikowski”-St. Petersburg State Orchestra, center.iastate.edu 3/31, Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, Des Moines, Moulin Rouge-The Ballet, civicenter.org

Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures.

in the entire movie – and one of those is (that scene).”

The eagerly anticipated film, brutally unflinching in Fincher’s wicked hands (remember Se7en?), has them waking up to each other naked the next morning. For Rooney Mara, who plays Lisbeth in this American adaptation of the popular Stieg Larsson novel—the first in a trilogy that sold over 65 million copies and became a Swedish film in 2009—it was no biggie.

“Growing up in New York and L.A., it didn’t seem that crazy to me to have a bisexual character,” says Mara. “She’s incredibly comfortable with her sexuality, and I went into it the same. It didn’t really faze me.”

Plus, Fincher adds, it has more to do with Lisbeth’s emotionally guarded self than who she sleeps with. “Her sexuality is less of an ambidextrous thing than something that she has to act on,” he says.

“Intimacy is a problem for her, so that was the important thing to show.”

To understand Lisbeth’s intimacy problems, you have to understand her: She’s raped and tortured, scarred and traumatized, always scrounging for money and, for some obvious reasons, not very trusting. Why she’s on the outside makes complete sense.

Regarding the character and what’s already known from the films and novels, Mara says: “To be honest, I didn’t really think much about what other people imagined it to be. I used what I imagined it to be. I read all three books and I had a really clear picture of who this girl was.”

She’s an information-age Nancy Drew who teams with financial reporter Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) to get to the bottom of a family mystery.

“What I love about this character and the relationship he has with Salander is that he doesn’t have to prove he’s a man,” Craig says. “He’s a guy and he’s very happy to fall in this relationship where she’s literally wearing the trousers.”

TTDRAGON TATTOO cont’d page 21

the fun guide

ACCESSline Page 12

FEBRUARY 2012

Wired This Way by Rachel Eliason

Ebooks and the LGBT community

Now that we can look back on it, 2011 was the year of the ereader. Technical writers and bloggers spent most of the year predicting how one tablet or another would finally unseat the ipad as the most popular gadget but in the end it was a souped up ereader, the kindle Fire, which took the biggest bite out of Apple’s market share. But even before that there were signs that ereaders were on a roll. The basic Kindle and the Nook have been selling well. E-reading apps on the ipad, other tablets and even smart phones are increasingly popular.

One of the biggest indicators of the success of ereaders comes from the top six major publishers, who have announced an overall drop in the sale of print books of some 9% for the year 2011.

Commercial fiction and mass market paperbacks were hit the worst, with over 20% drop in sales. It might be easy to chalk this up to a bad economy.

But take this into account, Amazon (makers of the kindle) sold more ebooks then print books last year. And while the major publishing houses are not bragging up their digital sales, their own sales figure show that total units moved (print plus digital) were up slightly, showing that ebooks are more than offsetting any drop in print books.

Why aren’t the major publishers celebrating the ebook revolution? I suspect it’s mostly because they are behind the curve. Amanda Hocking, a self published author with no backing from the publishing industry sold over a million books in the last two years. Proving that Amanda was not a fluke, Darcy Chan self published The Mill River Recluse as a 99 cent ebook after being turned down by more agents than she could count, all because her book didn’t fit easily

into any genre. The Mill River Recluse got a few good reviews and hit the New York Times bestseller list.

Authors like Amanda and Darcy have traditional publishers running scared. Their business model makes it hard for them to compete with 99 cent or 1.99 $ ebooks. Who is going to pay 15-20$ for a hardcover novel, or even 7-8$ dollars for a trade paperback when you can download a good read on your Kindle for a buck?

One might expect the publishing industry to once again get leaner and learn to profit at these basement prices. Authors are; many are breathing new life into out-of-print books by uploading them as ebooks. The higher royalty rates offered by sites like Kindle direct publishing and Smashwords mean that even modest sales can bring a decent side income.

Instead publishers have combined forces in an effort to drive the price of ebooks up to a level where they can still earn a comfortable profit. There are already signs that this effort may backfire. The top six publishers and Amazon.com are involved in an anti-trust law suit over price fixing.

There are also signs of discontent amongst both readers and writers.

For readers there are many advantages to ebooks, the light weight of devices like the kindle, cloud back up means never losing a book again, the ability to carry many books (your entire library even) with you on a trip and of course the ability to buy new books where ever there is a wifi connection. But there are disadvantages too. Most notably the inability to re-sell trade ebooks with other readers. Will readers be willing to pay full price, 15-20 dollars for a new release ebook they can’t resell or give to a friend when done?

For writers, the growing ease and quality of self publishing is making many

wonder if a contract with a major publisher is really necessary. The website smashwords. com features the so-called meatgrinder; a program that converts a simple word document into a half dozen formats, so that it can be sold on platforms ranging from kindle, apple, and nook. The results are clean and most readers would not be able to distinguish the book from a professional publication. Others in the publishing world, like editors and graphic designers are seeing the way the wind is blowing and setting up shop as free-lancers as well, offering a wide range of services to help the self published author present a professional quality book.

As an LGBT writer and reader I am excited about the ebook revolution that is going on. Neither Amanda or Darcy are LGBT writers, but the same factors that have led to their success favors our community as well. In the past many great writers have been confined into the publishing world’s version of the “gay ghetto”; published by small specialty press and sold in the back of the bookstore in LGBT fiction section.

In the ebook world small presses and self published authors fight on a level playing field with the big publishers. There is no back of the bookstore anymore, each and every book has an equal page on Amazon. com or Smashwords.

One of the common excuses that publishers give when turning down books is that they don’t fit into an easily defined category. Traditional publishers and physical bookstores have a problem with these books. Have you written a great mystery featuring a gay detective? If the bookstore puts in the LGBT section most mystery fans will never see it. Put it in the mystery section and most LGBT people won’t see it. Either way you are missing a big chunk of your possible audience and the chances of your book succeeding will be torpedoed.

Online sales work very differently. The computer searches for specific keywords (called tags) in a products description. A book (ebook or print) can have as many

“Ring My Bell” if you don’t believe that). More importantly, don’t confuse it with Hughes’s usual directing partner brother Allen Hughes’s upcoming project, Broken City (even flying solo they make movies with similar names).

And most importantly—to lesbians anyway— it’s another chance to watch Amber Heard strut through a film like she owns the place.

specials including Live From the Red Carpet.

The job starts in January: How long before people start calling Harris “David Burtka’s husband?”

For writers, the growing ease and quality of self publishing is making many wonder if a contract with a major publisher is really necessary.

Deep Inside Hollywood by Romeo San Vicente

Amber Heard revs her Motor

Amber Heard. Photo by Peter Mountain / FilmDistrict.

Amber Heard, new queen of all car-centric movies? OK, maybe not, but the co-star of Drive Angry and, most recently, The Rum Diary, is at least headed to Motor City with director Albert Hughes (Book of Eli). In the upcoming feature, Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe star alongside female lead Heard in the story of an ex-con on a revenge mission against the people who framed him and watched him be wrongfully imprisoned. Generic-sounding, sure, but sometimes these sort of things wind up full of surprises (witness Book of Eli’s disco gun battle set to the ’70s beat of Anita Ward’s

E! taps David Burtka

Celebrity spouse David Burtka isn’t one to sit back and let his man bring home all the bacon. Not only is he not in the running to join the crew of the upcoming A-List: Los Angeles, he was recently stunt-cast opposite his longtime partner Neil Patrick Harris in the hilariously raunchy A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas. (He played a closet-straight Harris’s fake-gay “beard,” get it?) And now Burtka will have a regular gig, stepping into his own spotlight as a host for the E! network.

The actor/chef/co-parent joins the network that brings the world The Soup as well as all the Kardashians as a correspondent for E! News, and he’ll also be a talking suit for various

An American Psycho Remake? Really?

In the annals of cinematic bad ideas, a remake of an acclaimed American film fewer than 15 years after the original was in theaters takes the current “Worst Of” prize. But that’s not stopping the forces behind a reboot of American Psycho. Already a contemporary classic starring Christian Bale and helmed

by Mary Harron with a darkly funny script co-written by indie lesbian icon Guinevere Turner, this update (no longer to be set in the ugly ’80s) is from the money-grabbing hands of Lionsgate and will be directed by music video vet Noble Jones. Even the original novel’s author, Bret Easton Ellis, supports this project that has no good reason to exist; he has called Jones’s vision “genuine.” Could it be part of some Ellis art-prank master plan to

tags as the website allows. In simple words, your gay detective book can be in two (or more) places at once; listed with both the mysteries and with the LGBT books. The success of off-beat books and writers shows that contrary to what publishers have been saying for years, readers like books that blur genre lines.

Some of the advantages of ereaders for the LGBT community are obvious, like access. Now LGBT readers in rural areas, or less friendly parts of the country have the same access to LGBT themed books as those living in larger communities. The casual passerby cannot read the cover of your ebook, a possible boon to those still in the closet.

But the real advantages appear at a much larger level and aren’t so obvious.

LGBT small presses with technical savvy can compete with the big publishers, even out compete them. The more LGBT writers are able to write and sell cross-genre books, fantasy, science-fiction, mysteries and even, romance books that feature strong characters that happen to be LGBT, the more exposure our community gets. And nothing destroys negative stereotypes like exposure.

get the film remade once a decade? Will the kids from Modern Family star in the version they make in 2023? And will anyone know all those Huey Lewis and Whitney Houston songs by that point?

Linda Lovelace gets her men

Amanda Seyfried. Photo by Myles Aronowitz.

It takes a village to tell the story of ’70s porn sensation Linda “Lovelace” Boreman, and acclaimed filmmaking team Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, the guys behind The Celluloid Closet and the James Franco-starring Howl, are quickly putting the finishing touches

TTHOLLYWOOD continued page 13

the fun guide

FEBRUARY 2012

ACCESSline Page 13

Easily Distracted : Getting Screwed by Joshua Dagon For once and for all, I would like to put to rest the insane rumor that I broke my leg because, while totally shellacked on watermelon flavored malt liquor, I tripped over a cement curb and fell into a flood drain in a mini-market parking lot. That story is not only cruel but also spurious and malicious and spiteful and some other words, also. The truth is that it was lemon-lime malt liquor.

At first the prognosis was good and my doctor thought I would only need a cast and four to eight weeks to heal. A week later, though, Dr. Torquemada said that my bones had moved somehow and I needed surgery.

Specifically, a metal, “bone-stabilizing” plate and four screws— I’m assuming also made of metal—needed to be inserted into my leg in what I was told is a very common procedure initially designed to compel honesty from terrorism-related detainees. “It’ll only take about twenty minutes,” my physician said, which was unfortunately not the first time I’d heard such an assertion from a guy who wanted to screw me.

As exciting as it may be to get thrown into the great American medical machine, I would highly suggest that you take a lesson from me and not pay too much attention to friends who say things like, “You should try this flavored malt liquor stuff. It’s like

drinking three lemon-lime Red Bulls, only not really.”

So here I am now, thoroughly screwed.

My leg is still in a fiberglass splint, which, while still allowing some mobility, does prevent me from doing certain things, such as move. Moving is something that, until now, I’ve been taking completely for granted. Seriously, should I want to simply go from my bedroom to my living room I have to use crutches because my lazy ass boyfriend refuses to carry me anymore.

Just kidding, actually. There are still some fun things that I am able to do even in the fiberglass splint, such as play pool. Just yesterday my friend and I played three games at a local bar where I drew quite a crowd who enjoyed watching me jump around the table on one foot and try to balance myself enough not to slice the cue ball right off of the felt and into someone’s drink. I even managed to win a game and only break one person’s nose.

So, just before the surgery, one of the nurses wrote the word “YES” on my left knee, indicating, I presume, that was the leg my licensed medical practitioner should slice into and insert bone-stabilizing hardware.

I wondered at the time if such an effort on the part of the surgical staff should make me feel better, assuring me that they were doing

It’s not really my fault, though! Oh, yeah, okay, well if you want to split hairs, I did drink the malt liquor and fall into a storm drain.

SScontinued from page 12

HOLLYWOOD on the cast list for their upcoming biopic, Lovelace. The project already has its lead in Amanda Seyfried as the world’s first erotic superstar and her troubled rise to fame in the crossover porn hit Deep Throat. And Peter Sarsgaard, Sharon Stone, Wes Bentley and Juno Temple have also signed on. But now comes a wave of men to flesh out the roster, including Hank Azaria, Bobby Cannavale, Chris Noth and Robert Patrick as members of the porn world, so all systems are go. Lava lamp mood lighting is set and the cameras are rolling right. More more more to follow.

Sundancing with Jesse Eisenberg, Melissa Leo and Tracy Morgan

Oscar nominees Jesse Eisenberg and Melissa Leo will pack their parkas and hit Park City, Utah’s snowy Sundance Film Festival at the end of January to promote Predisposed, a comedy from gay screenwriter Ron Nyswaner (Philadelphia, Soldier’s Girl) and first-time director Phil Dorling. The story involves a college piano student who, while trying to take his mother to rehab, gets kidnapped by her drug dealer (Tracy Morgan) and led off on a crazy misadventure. Sound familiar?

There’s a reason for that. Eisenberg already starred in the similarly kidnapping-themed 30 Minutes or Less. And the good news? This one can’t be any worse than that. Even better?

It’ll have to be extra terrible to hit the lows of the similarly drug-dealer-themed “comedy” The Sitter. So good luck, original-idea-having filmmakers and stars!

The Help’s Viola Davis helps Pariah’s Dee Rees

Currently in theaters and generating a lot of critical praise is Dee Rees’s debut feature, Pariah. Featuring rising star Adepero Oduye, it’s the moving story of a teenage lesbian struggling to bridge her family life with the one she secretly shares with a group of new lesbian friends. This kind of worthwhile debut often generates Hollywood interest and Rees’s next project will probably raise her profile even more. Viola Davis, herself receiving Oscar buzz for her role in last summer’s The Help, is in talks to work with Rees on an HBO series she’ll produce and probably star in through her own newly formed production company.

The untitled project will focus on the morally ambiguous headmaster of a private school and the corruption that follows her. Sounds intriguing and, best of all, a great step for both Davis—who, up until The Help, was often the best minor character in mediocre films—and for Rees. May the resulting series, whatever it becomes, catapult them both to even greater success.

Zachary Quinto: Mogul

Branching out from acting and turning producer might not possess the same coolfactor as, say, investing in a hot new restaurant or joining an indie band, but it keeps you busy and ratchets up your power quotient in Hollywood. That’s why it’s good news to see Zachary Quinto cashing in on his newfound industry mojo by helping J.C. Chandor, director of last year’s Wall Street meltdown drama Margin Call (in which Quinto co-starred), get his next project off the ground. Titled All Is Lost, it’s an environmental-themed drama

everything possible to insure the procedure went as planned, or if the action should have terrified me, perhaps giving me the impression that my assumedly board-certified medical doctor might have received his training in a country yet to discover indoor plumbing and therefore needed tactile assistance to identify which of my legs had actually been broken.

Now it’s been a couple of weeks since the surgery and I’ll likely be getting out of the fiberglass splint soon and put into an orthopedic boot. I guess that’s progress.

The biggest problem I have, though, with this whole shattered-my-own-leg-in-a-drunkenstumble thing isn’t the pain or the surgery or the necessity of ancillary assistance changing my underwear. The principal problem is the amount of time I’m expected to simply lie around in bed with my leg propped on a mound of pillows the size of a Volkswagen.

The problem is that I do nothing with the exception of eating and sleeping. I eat and then eat some more, occasionally take some fairly interesting medication, and then sleep right after eating so that I won’t be too tired to eat later. In other words, I’m getting fat.

You would think that with my obsession over my waistline I would stick to salads and whole wheat bread, but no. No, yesterday a “friend” brought over an entire pumpkin pie, which I ate all by myself repeating over and over in my head that it was okay to consume the pie because, after all, it was made out of a vegetable. “Hey,” I’m sure I’ll say to myself later today. “It’s okay to drink this entire two

written by Chandor with one actor in mind, Robert Redford. The director is currently in talks with the 75-year-old film legend to take the lead role and given Redford’s welldocumented environmental activism over the course of his life, it seems like a perfect fit.

It’ll also probably wind up having a negative carbon footprint.

Houdini is happening with Hugh

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.

liter bottle of cola in three gulps. There’s water in it, right?”

It’s not really my fault, though! Oh, yeah, okay, well if you want to split hairs, I did drink the malt liquor and fall into a storm drain.

Yes, that part was pretty much my fault. But eating a whole pumpkin pie? It was sitting right next to me and I couldn’t even leave

TTDISTRACTED continued page 32

straightforward biography approach, Houdini will tell the story of a conflict the legendary magician encountered in the form of a trio of women known as “Spirtualists.” The women had convinced scores of followers, including editors at Scientific American and The New York Times, that they could communicate with the dead. Houdini, on the other hand, was less than convinced. If audiences believe—and they probably will—this could be the big hit of the 2013 season. Start planning your New York visits now.

Queer now, what next?

Hugh Jackman. Photo credit DreamWorks.

Hugh Jackman can’t stay away from Broadway. The part-time Real Steel/Wolverine tough guy is, apparently, incapable of curing his song-and-dance lust. So now that The Boy From Oz is a distant memory and he’s finished up with Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, he needs a new reason to belt out the big numbers for matinee audiences.

Enter Houdini, in the works for a couple years now with Jackman in mind for the lead and, at one point, set to feature music from Danny Elfman. Jackman is still the man in the title role but now the score will come from Stephen Schwartz (Wicked), the script from Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) and Jack O’Brien (Hairspray) will direct. And rather than a

The multiplex is extra gay at the moment as a trio of high profile actors—Glenn Close, Rooney Mara and Michael Fassbender—are busy captivating audiences in the films Albert Nobbs (where Close plays a transsexual man), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (with Mara as a tough, brilliant bisexual computer hacker) and Shame (starring Fassbender as a bisexual sex addict). Coming off these acclaimed roles, look for the legendary Close next in the ghostly drama Therese Raquin, alongside Martha Marcy May Marlene star Elizabeth Olsen.

Meanwhile, Next Big Thing Fassbender will make his third film with British art-film sensation Steve Mcqueen (he also directed Shame) and co-star with Brad Pitt in Twelve Years a Slave, a period film about a man (Chiwetel Ejiofor) kidnapped in the northern United States and sold into slavery in the south.

Finally, Mara, whose transformation into cult heroine Lisbeth Salander was so chameleonlike as to render the actress unrecognizable, will appear in Tree of Life director Terence Malick’s latest film,Lawless, with Ryan Gosling.

In other words, don’t worry about any careers around these parts.

ACCESSline Page 14

the fun guide

FEBRUARY 2012

Cocktail Chatter by Ed Sikov Rum Collins!

I’ve always had more than enough Christmas cheer by Thanksgiving. The Apartment, one of the greatest of the great Billy Wilder’s comedy-dramas, is just the antidote I need.

A comedy that features a suicide attempt and lots of self-loathing, this five-Oscar-winning film has one particular scene that always cracks me up: on a most depressing Christmas Eve, a drunken blond picks up an equally plastered Jack Lemmon, who has been thrown out of his own apartment so that his married boss can have a place to screw the elevator girl (Shirley MacLaine). The blond, “Mrs. MacDougall,” attempts to draw Lemmon’s attention by blowing the tips of straw wrappers at him. When the assault fails—Lemmon is too snockered to notice the little paper torpedos—she staggers over and blurts, “Ya buy me a drink, I’ll buy ya some music.” Then she slams her empty glass on the bar and shouts “Rum Collins!”

I’ve seen the movie countless times, but I never had a Rum Collins until this year—the first cocktail hour after Halloween. That’s the day the endless Yuletide began. No sooner were Halloween’s decaying corpse masks off the shelves and party lights and tinsel and rousing carols whirlwinded in, sending

me into a borderline psychopath. The Rum Collins helped.

As I looked through various cocktail books for both classic and variety Collins recipes—Dan was still at work—I imitated Mrs. MacDougall’s best lines at least 15 times. Armed with her refreshed Rum Collins, she recites, with a hilariously bored expression, her own adaptation of Clement Clarke Moore’s gag-worthy classic: “‘Twas de night befo’ Chissmiss, ‘n alll trew de house/ not a creatchuh was stirrin’.

Nuthin’. No action. Dullsville. Ya married?” If a stranger said that to me at a bar he could have me within the minute.

So what’s in a Rum Collins? The Collins family is all about lemon, seltzer and a touch of simple syrup. A Tom Collins, for instance, features gin; Tom’s cousin John uses bourbon; John’s Mexican husband, José Collins, employs tequila. I did not make up that name. Nor am I making up the Sandy Collins (Scotch), or the Brandy Collins, which although made with brandy, was actually invented in honor of the Looking Glass tune from 1972: “And the sailors say ‘Brandy, you’re a fine girl…” (Okay, I did make that one up.)

The Rum Collins features a variant sourcitrus flavor—lime juice instead of lemon; otherwise it follows the pattern. Don’t limit

If a stranger said that to me at a bar he could have me within the minute.

yourself to so-called expert opinions: vary the proportions as much as you want. You’re drinking it, after all. But I must insist: there is no reason whatsoever to use a mix. This is a simple drink, people. Buy the few ingredients individually. No, don’t bother squeezing fresh limes. Use unsweetened bottled juice instead.

And if you don’t have simple syrup, just toss in a little sugar before adding the seltzer. One thing to keep in mind: club soda has salt in it.

Use it if you want, but seltzer makes a fresher tasting drink.

The Rum Collins

• 2 parts light rum • ½ part lime juice • ¼ tsp simple syrup or sugar to taste • As much or as little seltzer as you like.

1. Put the first three ingredients into a tall, empty glass.

2. Stir to mix, then add chilled seltzer slowly to avoid wasting the fizz.

3. Finish it off with a couple of ice cubes. Avoid the tacky formaldehyded cherries unless you have a death wish.

The Kir Royale

Dan and I got married. This news may be surprising, given my little peccadillo with Jack Fogg and the uproar when my stunned partner—now husband—found out. But it led to the talk we should have had years ago, a discussion too personal even for me to write about. Let’s just say that we came to an understanding, then made up, then out, and finally came in a very different sense of the word.

We’re beyond being best friends. My faults still register with Dan, but there’s a trace of a smile on his face when I tell the same jokes I always tell. And I’m proud of being married to the world’s greatest klutz.

(Life with Dan: bang, crash, “shit!”) We’re genuinely intertwined in ways we weren’t four years ago, when I… Well, the fact is that I have Parkinson’s disease. I haven’t mentioned it before because it hasn’t been part of any of the stories I’ve told. It’s no fun, but I live with it, and if you saw me you’d never guess I had it unless you happened to catch me doing the last three reps of a weightlifting set. That’s when I tremor.

Dan has been there for me throughout the whole bad trip, and I’ve been there for him, too. (The six months leading to his promotion to V.P. at CogniTech was practically as traumatic as my PD.) So when New York granted gay people marriage equality, we went for it.

The scene: the beach house. The characters: our friends Gary and Heath, Dan and me. The state legislature was taking its time. I checked the news just after 11 p.m.

“It passed!” I yelled. We toasted with what was left of the dinner wine. Then: Me: “We gettin’ married?”

Dan: “Yeah.”

Me: “When?”

Dan: “December.”

We’re clearly not into the top-of-theEmpire State Building stuff.

So we got married. There were eight

guests, including the judge who married us, who happened to be Dan’s father. We got the private dining room of a terrific restaurant in our neighborhood. The ceremony was one minute long. We said we loved each other, and Dan’s father said, “I now pronounce you married.” Then lunch.

We left immediately for the beach, arriving rather late. I brought a rack of lamb to grill, some vegetables and two cupcakes. But yechhh: the only champagne in the refrigerator was not very good. (We keep some in there all the time—like Mary Richards and her can of artichoke hearts—“just in case”.) “I hate that swill,” Dan said. “There’s no need to fear,” I replied. “Underdog is here!’”

We had Creme de Cassis, a blackcurrant liqueur. Undrinkably sweet on its own, it’s the perfect solution to mediocre champagne.

I grilled the rack of lamb, roasted some fingerling potatoes and sauteed Brussels sprouts in butter. We drank two bottles of bad champagne transformed into Kir Royales. The rest of the night I’ll leave to your imagination.

The Kir Royale

• 1 bottle of bad champagne • Crème de Cassis 1. Add a few drops of Crème de Cassis to each glass, then fill with champagne.

Use cheap champagne. Don’t ruin a good bottle of bubbly by adding anything at all.

Imitation of Life: ‘The Faux de Vie’ From the mailbag comes this gem-like nugget: “You’re a really great writer, Ed. You’re also a mess.” I say: True on both counts! I don’t think I’m bragging when I agree with the first part. I’m sure most of you have something you know you’re good at, whether it’s managing staff, making ceramic bowls, salesmanship or cooking. It’s good for your state of mind; it builds confidence to have confidence. As for the second point, I acknowledge that, too.

I used to be more of a mess than I am now, but I’m still neurotic. Hey, I’m a gay Jew from a cruddy little town in western Pennsylvania.

I got called vicious names every damned day until I escaped to college. What do you expect?

The message writer was referring to a specific column—the “Yankee Mint Julep” one, in which I respond to Kyle and Robbie’s acoustically vibrant and (to me) demoralizing sex romp upstairs at the beach house by swigging from a magnum of Jack Daniels.

It was a pretty good column, I think, but the response brought up a fact I’ve not made a point of stating directly. As I near the end of my second season as “Cocktail Chatter” columnist, it’s time to set the record straight (so to speak): Except for the recipes, “Cocktail Chatter” is pure fiction. I make this stuff up, people.

There is no Kyle, no Robbie, no Craig, no Jack Fogg…There’s sort of a Dan, but that’s not his real name, and he doesn’t work for a phar-

There were eight guests, including the judge who married us, who happened to be Dan’s father.

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Hear Me Out by Chris Azzopardi Graffiti6: Colours

ways: charming on the retro “Free,” entrancing on the exhilarating “Stare into the Sun” and devastatingly beautiful on “Over You,” stripped of anything but some subtle keys and a broken heart. “Calm the Storm” doesn’t work with much—a chill-out mix and the title lyric looped throughout—but he taps out every nuance from those three words to captivating effect. The only real misstep is “Lay Me Down,” a self-indulgent Kings of Leon wannabe. Otherwise, this debut is this year’s benchmark for pop music.

Grade: B+

Rumer: Seasons of My Soul Everyone’s talking about the hotness of Jamie Scott, frontman for breakout duo Graffiti6. And sure, the boyish-cut fella could probably get away with slapped-together crap as long as he sang it in that puddingsmooth bluesy tone of his. But thankfully that’s not a concern—he sounds as good as he looks. He’s British, so there’s that. Except what’s really at work here is his coat of many Colours: an intoxicating melting pot of funk, soul, psychedelia and sturdy Maroon 5 pop melodies. Scott and his distractingly fine everything only makes the sultry slow-burn of “This Man,” an R&B grinder that reaches a masturbatory climax, that much more erotic.

His voice (think Stevie Wonder and Justin Timberlake singing through a medical mask) is a sex toy, but it’s also alluring in bunches of

Rumer, the 32-year-old English songstress whose old-soul voice sounds like it came from the same strand of DNA as Karen Carpenter, is getting all kind of kudos. And

not just from anyone: Elton John, Carly Simon and Burt Bacharach are all thumbs-up for the vocal extraordinaire, born Sarah Joyce, from Pakistan. High praise is deserved. With a hypnotic, hush-hush elegance that’s unheard of these days, Rumer is an anomaly in today’s music market (her famous adoring fans aren’t exactly spring chickens, after all). Her voice on “Slow,” the right word for the song, caresses the dreamy gentleness of simple instrumentation like liquid chocolate.

How Sade of her. Seasons of My Soul, though, is made for the moment and not the mind; it doesn’t linger long after its loveliness plays out. And it really is lovely. She finds comfort in “Aretha”—the Queen—when nobody else gets her, and the song is another ear-melty pleasure. “Thankful” is life-affirming, “Am I Forgiven?” strikes up a summery sweetness and “Come to Me High” moves you into a magical trance. That timeless quality extends to the end with a heartfelt cover of “Goodbye Girl.” But for Rumer, this isn’t the end. It’s the beginning of something big.

Grade: B

punch on “Fist City” is your idea of such fun, then sure—this is a real romp. Especially compared to Jones’ previous output, generally so sleepy it should come with a built-in alarm. With The Little Willies, a country fivesome who also play for the blues and jazz team, there are moments of musical comatose on their second covers disc. “Remember Me” is Jones to the core, but “I Worship You” unearths a toe-tappin’ hoedown and her take of “Jolene” does Dolly proud.

Hayes, the gay one, paints his unabashed pop with wallowing sentiments of pain and loss post-breakup, but with minimal SG schmaltz.

Also Out

The Little Willies, For the Good Times Good times? If Norah Jones throwing a

Darren Hayes Secret Codes and Battleships It doesn’t take any code-cracking to figure out that half of defunct duo Savage Garden is truly, madly and deeply brokenhearted. Hayes, the gay one, paints his unabashed pop with wallowing sentiments of pain and loss post-breakup, but with minimal SG schmaltz. The beats boom, the synths rave and his soaring melisma is as glorious as ever. “Black Out the Sun,” then, is a triple threat, honing his hookiest song in years. Empty and lonely, he’s painfully straightforward: “Love doesn’t want to hang around.” You, however, will.

Chris Azzopardi can be reached online at chris@pridesource.com.

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One Iowa and Freedom to Marry Unveil The Gay Wedding Planner: “And “Why Marriage Matters Iowa” Campaign the AWARDS go to...”

One Iowa partners with the Freedom to Marry national campaign to increase state support for marriage and Iowa’s gay families

One Iowa and Freedom to Marry—the campaign to win marriage nationwide— unveiled a new public education campaign: Why Marriage Matters Iowa.

Why Marriage Matters Iowa aims to grow state support for marriage for gay and lesbian couples by promoting conversations across the state about loving and committed Iowan couples, and how marriage strengthens them, their families, and their communities. The goal of Why Marriage Matters Iowa is to build solid majority support for marriage by equipping supporters with the tools to effectively tell their stories and engage in conversations about how sharing in the commitment of marriage has helped families and hurts no one.

Evan Wolfson, Founder and President of Freedom to Marry joined One Iowa this week to unveil the new campaign. “Freedom to Marry is proud to be partnering with One Iowa on this public education campaign to explain why gay and lesbian couples want to share in marriage because we know that as more people talk to their friends, neighbors, family members and colleagues about why marriage matters to them, support for the freedom to marry grows,” Wolfson said. “Iowans deserve the opportunity to get back to basics and hear about these couples and their kin, think about true love and commitment, and talk not about political agendas, but real stories of real people living in Iowa.”

Freedom to Marry is the leading national advocacy organization working for this cause. Founded by Evan Wolfson who is the organization’s President, Freedom to Marry has been at the forefront of the marriage movement. One Iowa is the state’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) organization working to protect marriage. Iowa is currently the only heartland state to recognize the marriages of gay and lesbian couples. Freedom to Marry is committed to defending marriage in Iowa and is investing resources to protect marriage here.

“As the only state in the Midwest that recognizes marriage for gay and lesbian couples, Iowa stands as a beacon of hope for pro-equality Americans, but we also stand as a big bulls-eye for our opposition,” says Troy Price, Executive Director of One Iowa.

“By working with our supporters and allies across the state, we can reach more Iowans to

have this important conversation about why marriage matters to Iowa families.”

This campaign is designed to do one thing – initiate as many conversations as possible about why marriage matters not only to gay and lesbian couples and their families, but to all Iowans. This multi-faceted initiative includes a new website whymarriagemattersiowa.org that features stories of gay and lesbian Iowans, their families and allies, and highlights of the ongoing conversations with Iowans across the state; a House Party program aimed at creating a safe space in the comfort of a friend or family member’s home for conflicted Iowans to be able to ask questions about how marriage impacts the lives of same-sex couples and their families; a Speakers Bureau program aimed at equipping marriage supporters with the tools they need to speak at key events in their communities; and an on-campus program to work closely with college students across the state and enlist their help in spreading the word about why marriage matters.

“My husband and I are proud Iowans.

We have been together for 13 years and we were overjoyed when our state recognized our family in 2009,” says John Sellers who married his husband Tom on May 1, 2009.

“Our lives are pretty typical. Each day we get up, read the paper, go to work, and have family dinner each night. We have the same concerns as other families—we take care of Tom’s ailing mother, we pay our bills, and we plan family vacations. We are regular, everyday Iowans who just want our relationship to be recognized by the state we live in and love.

At the end of the day, this is about family.”

About Why Marriage Matters Iowa: Why Marriage Matters Iowa is a public education campaign to promote conversations across the state about Iowa’s gay families and their loved ones, and how marriage strengthens them, their kin, and their communities. Why Marriage Matters Iowa is a project of One Iowa Education Fund, a nonprofit, nonpartisan community organization dedicated to ensuring that all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Iowans experience equality. For more information, visit: whymarriagemattersiowa.org About Freedom to Marry: Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.

For more information, visit: freedomtomarry.org About One Iowa: One Iowa is the state’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization, committed to full equality for LGBT individuals, including the freedom to marry.

For more information, visit oneiowa.org

by Beau Fodor In the non-stop Awards month of February, as I begin what might be my final season as “Iowa’s Gay-Wedding Planner”, I want to give an extremely loud “Shout-Out” to the “Best of the Best”, as far as my OWN (and it’s been said I’m high-maintenance... really?) personal over-all experience, the flawless attention to detail, and the customer service I experienced for my destination couples, from the Gay-Weddings serviceproviders that our great state has to offer: • Best Venue for a Full-Service/ All-inclusive Wedding: Hotel Blackhawk, Davenport, Iowa • Best Officiant: Reverend Kathy Love, The Wedding Chapel, DSM, Iowa • Best Outdoor Ceremony Venue: Des Moines Art Center Rose Garden • Best Outdoor Reception Venue: Two Saints Winery, St. Charles, Iowa • Best Indoor Ceremony Venue: the Atrium Suite at the Suites of 800 Locust, DSM, Iowa • Best Indoor Reception Venue: Hotel Julien, Dubuque, Iowa • Best Special Event Decor: Stuart Alexander at One Source Event Production • Best Photographer: Amy Allen Photography, DSM, Iowa • Best Caterer: Taste-to-Go, DSM, Iowa • Best Wedding Cake: Andrew Kopfman at Tip Top Cakes, Coralville, Iowa • Best Floral provider: J.W. Perry Whole-

Beau Fodor is an Iowa wedding planner who focuses specifically on weddings for the LGBT community. He is working with Pilgrim Films on a new Iowabased reality show. Beau can be reached through iowasgayweddingplanner.com or gayweddingswithpanache.com. sale, DSM, Iowa • Best Table Linens: Beyond Elegance, DSM, Iowa • Best Wedding attire (women): Sarah “Dornick”, DSM, Iowa • Best Wedding attire (men): Badowers on Ingersoll, Des Moines, Iowa • Best Wedding “Rentals”: Scott at Des Moines Rentals, DSM, Iowa • Best Transportation: Majestic Limousine, DSM, Iowa

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FEBRUARY 2012 SScontinued from page 11

DRAGON TATTOO Together they investigate what’s been haunting Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), one of Sweden’s wealthiest industrialists, for 40 years: What happened to his niece, Harriet?

“Nazis and serial killers and the evil that people do with power tools weren’t the thing that was (interesting),” Fincher says.

“First and foremost was this partnership.

I hadn’t seen these two people working together, so I liked the thriller, the vessel of that, but I really was more interested in the people.”

Before auditioning, Mara was told of the harsh extremes that would be required of her: lots of nudity, chain smoking, riding a motorcycle, being brutally raped…and faux

sex with Daniel Craig (oh, the horror). She was up for the challenge.

“I couldn’t pick one thing that was the hardest; it was all challenging,” Mara says.

“The motorcycle was the thing that I was the least excited about doing. It just seemed very dangerous to me.”

Next up was the butch transformation: her hair was chopped, she was pierced all over and the wardrobe department gave her a grungier look.

“She put a dress on at the end of each day,” Craig jokes.

Filming took place in Stockholm and L.A., and after it wrapped, Mara was remarkably able to disconnect from the insanity. “It was harder to leave the whole experience behind,” she says. “You work at 100 mph for over a year on something and then wake up one day and have nothing to do.”

Craig was cast first as the film’s anchor,

Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures.

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IOWA NEWS Gartner, had a daughter in 2009. The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) refused to put Melissa’s name on the birth certificate and so the couple sued. The IDPH argued that birth certificates are intended to state biological parentage. (It should be noted, however, that a husband’s name is included on a birth certificate regardless of his biological parentage to his wife’s child.)

A new birth certificate was issued in Early January after the couple won a decision from Polk County District Judge Eliza Ovrom, who concluded: “Pursuant to Varnum v. Brien, where a married woman gives birth to a baby conceived through use of an anonymous sperm donor, the Department of Public Health should place her same-sex spouse’s name on the child’s birth certificate without requiring the spouse to go through an adoption proceeding. Petitioners have proven the Department’s actions are in violation of law and based on an erroneous interpretation of the law…”

The ruling was narrow and did not go so far as to claim that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to have both their names on a birth certificate.

In response to this, Iowa Senator Matt McCoy has proposed a bill that would require the Iowa Department of Public Health to include names of both legally married spouses on birth certificates by default.

Santorum wins Iowa GOP caucuses After nearly two weeks of ballot recounts and questions about missing caucus ballots, the official winner of Iowa’s “first in the nation” GOP presidential contest was Rick Santorum and not Mitt Romney as was originally announced.

The caucus confusion left Iowa’s reputation as a national bellwether in question, at least in regard to predicting a Republican

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Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures. and then everything else—including eccentric man he plays is a switch-hitter.

Mara—was fleshed out. “I wanted a very Fincher gets in on the joke: “Why isn’t masculine center,” Fincher says. “The he married?!” androgynous side of the movie would be Plummer, Golden Globe-nominated carried by Rooney; that was her job.” for his role as a person living out the last Because Fincher and Mara already moments of his life as an openly gay man established a working relationship on in this year’s Beginners (Mara also scored Fincher’s The Social Network, where Mara a nod for Dragon Tattoo), thought nothing plays Mark Zuckerberg’s girlfriend, he of Lisbeth’s sexuality. sensed something in her—“an inherent “(Her bisexuality) didn’t occur to me at quality” that he always looks for—that all when I was watching it,” Plummer says. could feed the role of Lisbeth.

“Anything that affords a kind of helping “In the beginning of Social Network, hand and a soothing presence she would she was intensely feminine, very mature, be attracted to underneath all that cold warm, verbal—and none of those quali- unpleasantness.” ties apply to this movie. In fact, it’s the But the fact that a bisexual person is antithesis.” even at the center of a major motion picture Of all Lisbeth’s characteristics, one is a big deal, right? “I’m not an expert,” he that seems to barely register—because continues, “because it really doesn’t occur her sexual intentions have less to do with to me; it’s rather like race, it never occurred sex and more to do with her psychologi- to me when I was a child. I do think (LGBT cally wounded character—is the gender of people) are treated with a little bit more whom she beds. sophistication now.

Plummer, walking into the room “And sex—please have fun with whathalfway through the interview, overhears ever you wish to do. That’s always been a the bisexuality talk. “Was that referring to philosophy of mine.” my character?” he says, kidding that the old, Who can argue with that?

Party nominee. Many columnists have pointed back to Iowa’s 2008 selection of evangelical Mike Huckabee—who did not go on to become the republican candidate— and the current selection of extreme social conservative Santorum and questioned if Iowa’s republican base is too far to the right on social issues.

Further, the misplacement of results from eight of Iowa’s 1,774 precincts cast doubt on the efficiency of the state’s much loved caucus system.

If the Iowa Senate does NOT pass the Iowa Marriage Amendment (IMA) this session, the process will be delayed another two years.

Democrat Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal continues to obstruct debate on the IMA. The FAMiLY LEADER will continue to press for debate and passage, representing common sense, history, God’s Truth, and a clear majority of Iowans that marriage remains between one man and one woman only.

— Chuck Hurley of the Iowa FAMiLY Leader January 30, 2012

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Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking: Ordinary Ingredients Extraordinary Meals Delicious Recipes for Everyone to Enjoy International food writer Leah Schapira cooks up simple and delicious mealtime solutions for every kitchen.

A recipe doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious, nor exclusive to certain kitchens. Such is the mantra of Leah Schapira, co-founder of the popular culinary website, CookKosher.com, and author of the new book, Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking: Ordinary Ingredients, Extraordinary Meals (Artscroll; November 2011). Inspiring everyone from traditional kosher cooks to everyday working women and moms, Leah shows how to use simple, fresh ingredients to create time-sensitive, tasty meals for all to enjoy.

A busy wife and mother, Leah extends her recipes to a wide audience of people who don’t have much time to cook. She includes useful tips, minimal ingredients, and easyto-follow steps. The book is organized into delicious chapters with sections containing time-saving tips such as menus, freezerfriendly meals and an index of food pairings for weeknight recipes. Her seasonal menus encourage home cooks to take advantage of market-fresh, simple ingredients for even easier recipe planning.

“Food preparation shouldn’t be a point of tension,” Leah says. “This cookbook is all about easy, uncomplicated recipes for every day or for any occasion. I like to use ingredients from my pantry, adding new twists and improving on techniques.”

Leah’s collection of culinary favorites transcends all food-lovers’ kitchens, non-Jewish and non-kosher alike. While certainly easing the challenges of strict kosher cooking, Leah’s recipes also provide options for even the pickiest of eaters. “You certainly don’t have to keep kosher to benefit from Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking,” she says. “But if you do happen to be a kosher cook, you’ll find a great deal of help—even relief—from all of the resources I provide in the book.”

Recipes are divided into chapters

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BASIX 6 years now.

Can you give us a brief history of Club Basix?

Rita: Club Basix was opened September 3rd, 1997 by David Thompson (aka Summer Knight). Rita Wall and Terry Stevenson took over ownership August 1st, 1999. Rita then took over primary ownership of the bar in 2001. Club Basix is proud to be eastern Iowa’s longest running gay bar! We are overall the 3rd longest running gay bar in the state of Iowa—the Saddle and Garden Nightclub in Des Moines are older. Pretty Belle will take ownership of Club Basix on February 1st, 2012.

Why are you “Passing the Torch?”

Rita: I have had a great 12 years of ownership under my belt with Club Basix. It is with great pride that I hand the torch over to Andy/Pretty Belle, I know that over the years he has put his blood, sweat, tears and pounds of make-up into making Club Basix a staple for Cedar Rapids. Statistics show

covering Soups, Salads, Dips & Sauces, Sides, Brunch & Lunch, Main Dishes, Traditional, and, of course, Desserts. There is something for everyone in Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking. Some of Leah’s tempting recipes include:

• Carrot and Cilantro Soup • Mediterranean Tomato Salad • Roasted Mushroom and Pepper Salad • Chimichurri Skewered Steak • Citrus Sea Bass • Sweet Potato Fries • Sriracha Thai Noodles • Eggplant and Tomato Fettuccini • Basil Chicken Wraps • Overnight Potato Kugel • Lazy Man’s Cholent • Kreplach • No-Mixer Brownies • Square Donuts • Watermelon Sorbet

All recipes are indicated as meat, dairy, or parve; those with dairy food sensitivities will appreciate the abundance of non-dairy parve recipes, particularly the desserts.

Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking addresses a need for different, helpful, and greattasting recipes. In a world of expensive dining and elaborate meals, Leah keeps it simple by combining fresh ingredients and classic flavors. The result: familiar and satisfying food that everyone can enjoy.

“It is my hope that this cookbook will keep cooking from turning into a chore. If we are going to cook, we might as well enjoy it! Have fun with these recipes, get creative, add some spice to your everyday meals and let the cooking begin!”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Leah’s early history with food was anything but sanguine. She describes her childhood as that of the classically finicky eater. When Leah was eight years old, her creative mother invited her fussy daughter into the kitchen to discover for herself what she liked to eat. It worked. Soon Leah was whipping up tasty dishes the whole family

the average ownership of a successful bar/ tavern is about 8 years, so I think it is time for me to retire and focus on other things in my life after 12 years. I am looking forward for a new chapter to begin with wife Patty, and our numerous four-legged kids. I want everyone to know that I’m not leaving this Community, I will still be here.

Why did you want to purchase Club Basix, Pretty Belle?

I have been around Club Basix for the past 15 years and when the opportunity came to purchase this staple in the gay community, I had to jump on it! This place has a great staff and clientele. Who wouldn’t want to purchase a business that basically runs its self? Smart investing, that’s what it is called! Plus, owning a bar is kinda in my blood. My grandparents

enjoyed. Fast forward to age 21; newlymarried, Leah co-edited a community fundraising cookbook which has sold over 12,000 copies and is now in its third printing. A self-taught cook and seasoned traveler, Leah Schapira has been the food editor for two popular international Jewish weekly magazines and shares her love of cooking through articles; the culinary website she co-founded, CookKosher.com (a user-driven recipe exchange); through cooking demos and classes; and now through her latest creation—Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking.

She resides in New Jersey with her husband and children.

1. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, pineapple, apricots, cranberries, and almonds.

2. Combine dressing ingredients.

3. Right before serving, core and slice the apple, with peel on, add to salad, and toss with dressing.

CITRUS SEA BASS Makes 6-8 Servings Parve • 6 slices sea bass • ½ cup lemon juice • Pinch salt and pepper

SWEETHEART SALAD

Glaze

Makes 4-5 Servings Parve

• 2 cups orange juice • 1 cup apricot jam • 1 tbsp onion soup mix 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. In a bowl or zip-top bag, marinate sea bass in lemon juice, salt and pepper for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Transfer fish to baking dish. Discard marinade.

3. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine orange juice, jam, and onion soup mix.

Cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

5. Pour glaze over sea bass. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes.

A slightly tart dressing complements the sweet ingredients in this salad. It’s named after my sweetheart sister-in-law who shared this recipe with me.

Salad • 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped • 1 cup pineapple, fresh, cubed • ¼ cup dried apricots, chopped • ¼ cup dried cranberries • ¼ cup roasted almonds • 1 green apple

Dressing • 3 tbsp lemon juice • 2 tbsp oil • ¼ tsp salt • 1 tbsp sugar owned a bar for nine years and my Papa used to work for a beer distributor here in the Cedar Rapids area. I also know that in order to run a good GLBTA-based business you have to actually listen to the community and make it ‘their’ bar! I also want to thank Rita for being a great boss and all of the staff at Club Basix. And to the Cedar Rapids LGBTA community, I want to thank you for your support!

What is the future of Club Basix?

I want people to know that this (Basix) is not just another tavern opening up across the way. It is a “gay bar”, where many different people who are under the same umbrella of “gay” come to feel comfortable and have a good time with others in their community. I look forward to everyone’s ideas and

“Club Basix is proud to be eastern Iowa’s longest running gay bar! We are overall the 3rd longest running gay bar in the state of Iowa—the Saddle and Garden Nightclub in Des Moines are older.

Pretty Belle will take ownership of Club Basix on February 1st, 2012.”

Recipes from FRESH & EASY KOSHER COOKING: Ordinary Ingredients, Extraordinary Meals by Leah Schapira/November 2011. ArtScroll.com/freshandeasy

feedback!

There have already been “behind the scenes” remodels and upkeep measures taking place. Everything that is going to change will not obviously happen overnight, but the changes are planned and with everyone’s ideas being a factor…the changes will happen! There will be a more ‘Night Club’ feel to Club Basix as compared to the “tavern” feel that it has now. We will have a back bar put back in as the business had in the early years. This is to have a separate atmosphere and help with congestion at the main bar. The Bathrooms will be getting a facelift as will the dance floor area. The main bar will be going for a major remodel in the near future, to make serving patrons easier and more efficient.

Along with some new staff, new events, new drink specials, and a new show cast.

BELLE’S BASIX will still keep to its’ intimate and friendly atmosphere. Along with the current staff and myself, we look forward to making Basix YOUR gay bar. A new website will be up and running soon www.BellesBasix.com.

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The Bookworm Sez by Terri Schlichenmeyer “Tuesday Night Miracles” by Kris Radish c.2012, Bantam Books, $15/$17 Canada, 487 pages You were pretty sure your head was going to explode.

Oh, that’s right. You were mad—so mad that you couldn’t see straight, that anger was buzzing in your ears, that your blood was running a NASCAR lap around your insides. You were seeing red and three other colors, angry enough that you were afraid of yourself there for a minute.

Fortunately, you calmed down before you did something rash but in the new novel

“Tuesday Night Miracles” by Kris Radish, four women weren’t so lucky.

On the eve of her retirement, Dr. Olivia Bayer was given a gift of sorts.

For years, Livie had wanted to do something bold and radical with her therapy groups, something that had never been done before. On the eve of her retirement, she was finally given permission and four color-coded folders, each representing a woman with a life in shambles.

It was no surprise that Kit Ferranti’s code was green, since envy played such a part in her childhood.

Reeling from the death of her mother,

Kit had reacted strongly to her family’s usual taunting. She should have been used to it.

It’d been happening since she was born, but this time, Kit snapped. She grabbed a broken wine bottle and went after her brother, Mike.

A red code fit Jane Castoria well.

Jane enjoyed a high-powered career as a realtor for Chicago’s ritziest properties. She was powerful, smart, and always impeccably dressed. So when she attacked a colleague with one of her stiletto-heeled shoes, even that was apt.

Blue—the code of serenity—was all wrong for Grace Collins.

A single mother and busy doctor, Grace had been trying for years to hold a million things together but the problems were piling up. It was no surprise, then, that Grace lost her composure one night and rammed into her daughter’s boyfriend’s car.

Latecomer Leah Hetzer lived life under a black cloud, so a black code was fitting.

Sweet, gentle Leah married young and had two children that she adored and protected from their abusive father. So how could anyone explain the night she lost control and smacked her kids?

Dr. Olivia Bayer was given a gift on the eve of her retirement.

It’d take a miracle for it to work…

Despite that this book very badly needed proofreading, there are so many wonderful things about “Tuesday Night Miracles” that I don’t know where to begin.

Character development seems to be one of author Kris Radish’s strengths, and she uses it to the utmost. The women in this book are complex and interesting and, even as they admit their abundance of failings, they’re likeable. You almost have to wish they were real.

Radish employs wry humor with a light

TTBOOKWORM continued page 32

Across 1 Posed for Annie Leibovitz 4 President without a first lady Buchanan 9 With it 12 Uncomfortable threesome 15 Hersey’s bell town 16 Crack fighter pilot 17 Male type 18 Big Easy festival 20 Photog Mapplethorpe 22 Amelie of tennis 23 Word used in dating 24 Cuts canines 25 Big top, e.g.

27 Dave Pallone, once 30 Chef Traci Jardins 31 State where once two women could be in a marriage 32 Joint problem 34 Token taker 38 Erection, in slang 39 Survivor Richard 41 about 42 Hose woes for drag queens 44 Choice for Hamlet 45 Bring down 46 Eclectic family mag 48 Men Behaving Badly writer Simon 49 Cries of surprise 50 Lightweight recorder 54 “If I Were King of the Forest” singer 56 Like a good alibi

Q-PUZZLE: “Work It!”

58 Modern Family, e.g.

61 Thespian Miriam 63 Horny creature 64 Saucer pilots 65 Choir closet contents 66 Brief fight 67 “Look at Me, I’m Sandra “

68 Used brooms 69 In the distance

Down 1 Fey villain in The Lion King 2 Folk first name 3 Main comic into bottoms?

4 Fruity spread 5 Gay video directory name 6 French Revolution figure 7 Invested 8 Affairs in the evening 9 Like rough trade 10 Start of Caesar’s boast 11 Cuban coins 13 Start of the motto of Work It!_ 14 “Nuts!”

19 More of the motto 21 More of the motto 25 Rubber ducky spots 26 Thames college 28 Zoo barrier 29 More of the motto 33 Frozen dessert chain 35 Old part of town 36 Valuable vein 37 He took a bow 40 End of the motto 43 Helps in a difficult situation 47 Candle material 50 Played charades 51 Fit to be tied 52 Viking-liking 53 “We’ll see” 55 Brings to light 57 Bottomless 59 Atop 60 Show bottom 62 Atlantic crosser of old • SOLUTION ON PAGE 26

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ACCESSline’s STATEWIDE Recurring Events List

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

Interest Group Abbreviations: L: Lesbian B: Bisexual +: HIV-related A: General Interest W: General Women’s Interest

Sunday

G: Gay T: Transgender D: Drag K: Kids and Family M: General Men’s Interest

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 GBTMWA] 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, 319-321-5895. [ 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 G B T MWA] Every Sunday, RAINBOW AND ALLIED YOUTH, 8:00pm11:00pm, The Center, 1300 Locust, Des Moines, IA 50309. Social group for Queer youth 25 years and under [ L G B T ] Every Sunday, OMAHA FRONTRUNNERS/WALLKERS, 10 AM. For more information call 402-804-8720. [ L G B T M W A ] Second Sunday, GAY MEN’S MEDITATION GROUP, 2 pm, Iowa City/Corridor Area, 319-354-3285 for more information.

[GBTM] 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 ] Every Sunday, LESBIAN READING GROUP, 5:00 p.m., WRAC, 130 N. Madison Street, The Lesbian Reading Group will be starting their Spring group on Sundays. The group is designed to offer lesbians a safe, comfortable environment to have interesting discussions about good books. Space is limited and you must preregister. To sign up for the group, call WRAC at (319) 335-1486 or register online at: www.uiowa.edu/~wrac/read.shtml [ L ]

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 641-5832848. [ 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.

[LGBTMWAK] 3rd Monday of the Month, SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASK (HASTINGS) PFLAG, 7 p.m., First Congregational United Church of Christ, 2810 W. 7th, Hastings, [ L G B T M W A ] 4th Monday of the Month, IOWA PFLAG WAUKON/NORTHEAST CHAPTER MEETING, 7 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 REHEARS-

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EVENTS ALS, 7pm-9:30pm, Plymouth Congregational Church, 4126 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines, IA . For more information about singing with the Chorus, contact Rebecca Gruber at 515-8659557. 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 515-255-3576 for more information. No cost to members. Rehearsals continue on Monday evenings through 5/2/11.

[LGBTMWAD]

Tuesday

1st Tuesday of Every Month, OUT, 6:30-7:30 PM, Monarch Therapy Services, Waterloo Office 3356 Kimball Ave Ste. 5, Free Support Group for the LGBTQ Community in the Cedar Valley! [L G BTDAWM] 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.

[LGBTMWAK] 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 319-415-1511 or visit: http://www. cedarrapidsunity.com [ L G B T M W A ] 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 WA] 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 319-4004695, 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 319-4471445 or e-mail kljedgewood@msn.com. [ L G BTMWA] 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 ] 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

the fun guide ACE experiment at 319-853-8223. [ L G B T M WA] 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 B T M W A ] 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. [ + ] Fourth Tuesday, LINCOLN NEBRASKA PFLAG, 7 PM, Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street, [LGBTMWA]

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. [ LW] 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 GBTMWA] 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 ] 2nd 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 ] 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 GBTA] 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 ] Every Wednesday, PRIDE BOWLING LEAGUE FOR GLBT & SUPPORTERS, 7 PM, Des Moines, IA at Air Lanes Bowling Center 4200 Fleur Drive. For more info, email pridebowlingleague@gmail.com or call 515-650-1725. [L G B T M W A] Every Wednesday, Lez Talk!, 8:30 p.m., Des Moines, IA. Capital City Talk Show hosted by lezzies and made for All people. [L G B T M W A] Every Wednesday, OMAHA FRONTRUNNERS/WALLKERS, 6:30 PM. For more information call 402-804-8720. [ 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.) [ + ]

Thursday

1st 3rd Thursday, EVENINGS FOR SPIRIT, 6:30-8:30 PM, West Branch, IA . at SpiritHill Retreat, 604 Cedar Valley Road, West Branch.

First, third, and fifth Thursdays of each month.

Women gather at SpiritHill (or other locations) to share our spiritual experiences, visions and longings. The evenings include time for sharing and time for silence. Laughter, tears and singing are often shared as well. No specific spiritual practice is followed. This event is always open to newcomers. For more info, call 319-643-2613, or e-mail spirit-hill@earthlink.net. Calling in advance is highly recommended to confirm the location for the specific month of interest. [ L W ] 2nd Thursday of the Month, OPEN MIC WITH MARY MCADAMS, 7-9 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. [ L G B T M W A ] 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 T M W A K ] 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.

[LGBTMWA] 4th Thursday of the Month, PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S NETWORK (PWN), For more info, visit www.pwn.org, e-mail pwn@pwn.org, or call Shelley Woods at 319-981-9887. [ L W ] 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 B T M W A ] 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 ]

Friday

1st Friday of the Month, FAIRFIELD ART WALK, For more info, visit FairfieldArtWalk.com.

[LGBTMWA] 1st Friday of the Month, GUERRILLA QUEER BAR MEETUP!, Tired of the same old bars? Crave the idea of bringing your queer and straight friends together in a fun, new environment? We’re descending upon an unsuspecting straight bar and turning it into a gay bar for the night. To join in: join our Facebook group, Google group or Twitter feed. You’ll receive an email the morning of each event with the name of a classically hetero bar and the meeting time. Call your friends, have them call their friends, show up at the bar and watch as it becomes the new “it” gay bar for one night only. Visit groups.google. com/group/iowa-city-guerrilla-queer-bar. [ L GBTMWA] 1st Friday of the Month, FIRST FRIDAY BREAKFAST CLUB, Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Avenue, Des Moines, IA 95030. The First Friday Breakfast Club (FFBC) is an educational, non-profit corporation for gay men who gather

FEBRUARY 2012 on the first Friday of every month to provide mutual support, to be educated on community affairs, and to further educate community opinion leaders with more positive images of gay men. It is the largest breakfast club in the state of Iowa. Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Avenue, Des Moines, IA 95030. Contact Jonathan Wilson at (515) 288-2500 or email: info@ ffbciowa.org [ G B ] 1st Friday of the Month, DAWN’S COFFEE HOUSE, 5-8 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 non-profit of the month and the store (to cover the cost of snacks). Any other donations received go 100% to the non-profit. $3 cover. For more info, phone 319-338-1566. [ 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.

[LGBTMWA]

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 M W A D ] Every Saturday, WOMEN FOR PEACE IOWA, Noon to 1PM, Collins Rd NE & 1st Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402. hosting Weekly Street Corner Vigils for peace, rain or shine. Meet at the corner of 1st Ave. and Collins Rd. SE (in front of Granite City Brewery), Cedar Rapids. Show your support for our troops by calling for their return from Iraq. For more info, e-mail khall479@aol.com. [ LGBTMWAKD] Every Saturday, BAILE LATINO: SALSA, CHA-CHA, MERENGUE AND BACHATA LESSONS, 3:30 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.

[LGBTMWAKD]

FEBRUARY 2012

Section 3: Community

First Friday Breakfast Club: Senator Liz Mathis by Bruce Carr

Students Leading the Way While Conservative Christians Play “Victim” Card by Warren J. Blumenfeld ”I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

— Mahatma Gandhi

Iowa Stat Center Matt McCoy, Senator Liz Mathis, and Mike Cass. Photo courtesy of FFBC. Our guest speaker on the first Friday of January was the newly elected Democratic senator from Iowa’s 18th District, Liz Mathis.

A former TV anchor in Cedar Rapids [FFBC member and Iowa Senator Matt McCoy introduced her as “the Diane Sawyer of eastern Iowa”], Liz Mathes was the winner in a special election last November to replace Senator Swati Dandekar, who had been appointed to the Iowa Utilities Board.

Dandekar, who had represented the Democrats’ one-vote majority in the Senate, was named to the post by Governor Branstad—“in a move his opponents call both shrewd and cynical,” as the New York Times noted in September. Noting that Dandekar “happened to be a state senator from a Republican-leaning district,” the Times went on to quote the Governor, “ ‘I guess that’s a bonus,’ Mr. Branstad said in an interview in which he restated his insistence that he had appointed Ms. Dandekar to the Board because of her qualifications.”

Mathis charmed us all with her intelligence and her eagerness to get started in the Senate, as well as her evident pleasure at talking with an important group of supporters. Of course, the most nationally prominent issue of the special election (and the one of primary concern to FFBC members) was marriage rights for same-sex couples, although Mathis did note her insistence on focusing the campaign on economic issues in her Cedar Rapids-based district and in the state.

She outlined some of those points: On putting Iowa back to work, she urged giving Iowa companies first crack at state and local contracts, cutting property taxes by $300 million for small businesses, supporting companies that hire Iowans, and recruiting

high-tech jobs to Iowa. On education, she insisted that we increase the number of third-grade children who can read at grade level, focus on job skills and worker training, stop cuts to classrooms, and expand access to science, technology, engineering and math.

Senator Mathis fielded questions from the group with alacrity, common sense, and good humor. It was a satisfying morning to remember that sometimes the good guys actually do win.

---

Liz Mathis was born on a farm in rural DeWitt and received her bachelor’s degree in 1980 from the University of Iowa where she double-majored in communication and theater arts and in journalism. After graduating, she joined KWWL’s Cedar Rapids bureau but soon moved to Waterloo to become an evening co-anchor at the age of 23. Taking a break from broadcasting in August 1996, she joined the faculty of Wartburg College, where she taught electronic media and First Amendment law. In 1998 she became a news anchor, reporter, and producer at KCRG-TV, where she remained for nine years. In July 2007, she retired from broadcasting to become vice president for community relations for a non-profit counseling and assistance agency in Cedar Rapids; she later became chief information officer for Four Oaks, a child welfare and juvenile justice agency. She is married to Mark Mathis III, who owns the advertising agency ME&V. They live outside the city of Robins, and have two children, Mark IV and Mary Fran. Mathis has also taught part-time at the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication and remains a member of the Wartburg College Board of Regents.

“…The Beltway keeps telling us this year that conservatives are over all the social issues, anti-gay stuff, right? That was Karl Rove era, that was Bush administration era. They`re all over that now. Now, they`re all about fiscal issues. Really? Ask Iowa about that. …”

— Rachel Maddow, November 9, 2011, regarding an anti-Liz Mathis robocall that asked social conservatives “…before you support Liz Mathis, call her … and ask her which homosexual sex act she endorses.”

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College and university students throughout the country have organized boycotts and petition drives to terminate their schools’ relationship with the national fast food chain Chick-fil-A because of the restaurant’s direct connection to organizations dedicated to restricting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. Chickfil-A’s charitable division, WinShape Foundation, works with and supports such groups as the National Organization for Marriage, the Ruth Institute, the Pennsylvania Family Institute, Focus on the Family, and Exodus International among others, all fighting to ban marriage for same-sex couples, and some advocating for the “curing” of homosexuality.

Students at Indiana University South Bend successfully lobbied their school to

dissociate from Chick-fil-A as a vendor, and students at other campuses are taking their lead, including students at, for example, University of New Orleans, Texas Tech University, Mississippi State University, University of North Texas, and Gainesville State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, and Duke University. By petitioning administrators, students are sending the clear message that discrimination in any form cannot be supported on their campuses.

According to the wording on one of the schools’ petitions: “Mississippi State should be a place that supports equality for everyone— where all students, staff and community members feel welcome.

We should not be allowing corporations to do business on our campus if they are using their profits to strip fundamental civil rights from gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans. Please join me in calling on our school’s leadership to remove Chick-fil-A from campus—unless and until the restaurant chain withdraws its support for anti-gay organizations.”

He went on to define Chick-fil-A’s Corporate Purpose as: “To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us, and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A…

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Section 3: Community

FEBRUARY 2012

Will You Be My Valentine? by Royal Bush Is Valentine a synonym for love? In seems in the days we currently live in, it is easy to find an article, a politician, or place of worship telling someone that they are not worthy, they must change, they must do this or that, and that they are not loved.

Bahi, Buddhist, Christian, Islam, Hindu, Jewish, Native American are just some of the world religions, and most all of them have some form of the golden rule “do to others only what you would have done to you” (or some variation.)

I do believe that in most every religion, there is also some form of teaching with regard to loving fellow human beings.

I am sad that so many times, humans seem to spend more time finger pointing and less time remembering that when you point one finger at someone else, there are three pointing back at you!

My first childhood recollection was in elementary school when we would

hand make Valentine’s for everyone in our class and exchange candy and other treats. I also remember making my mom a Valentine too. My mom always liked the Love Is… comic strip. So as far back as I can remember and probably since I could write I always intentionally signed any card to my mom; Love Is… MY MOM! (I still do today, she is 93.) What does the day mean to you?

Valentine’s Day, for some, may seem like just another day of exacerbated by the commercialism of it all. For those whom are single, it can be a bit overwhelming and perhaps shallow.

Perhaps it is time to assign some new values to Valentine’s Day. Maybe it is a day for everyone to pause and reflect upon those who have made an

impact in their life. Maybe it is time to pause and reflect upon the good things that have happened in your life (and be thankful for the bad things that have NOT happened in your life!)

Love can encompass so many wonderful people, places and things; Friends, family, pets, loved ones, experiences, journey’s, homes, sacred places, faith, forgiveness, acceptance, and…

This February 14th I encourage you to share a message of love with yourself, with someone you love, with someone whom you have not reached out to in sometime. And if you have the courage, to someone you don’t know, yes that is right, a stranger!

To the world you may be only one person, and to one person, you may be the world! We can be the change we seek in this world. and in ourselves. One day. One journey. One person. One Valentine’s Day at a time.

Seldom do I see my image anywhere, especially portrayed in non-stereotypical and non-heterosexist ways on the silver screen. As a matter of fact, if you Google “black lesbians” or “black lesbians in film” you’ll get a plethora of porn sites to visit.

But writer-director Dee Rees’s semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama Pariah gives me a glimpse of my younger selfgrowing up in Brooklyn.

Pariah is about Alike (ah-LEE-kay), a virginal 17-year-old African American lesbian high school student living in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn who doesn’t know how to come out to her parents, who’s eager to have her first sexual experience, and who’s not sure of the type of butch lesbian she wants to be—”soft stud,” one of the “Aggressive Lesbians,” a subculture of young butch lesbians who adopt a gangster hip-hop persona to compete for femme women, or something totally different.

“Alike knows that she loves women; that’s not the question. The question is ’how to be,’” Rees told the Boston Globe. “And so, in my own struggle, a large part of my question was how to be in the world.”

One of the ways of defining how to be in the world, especially for high schoolers, is through clothes. But with a mother—Audrey (Kim Wayans)—who demonstrates zero tolerance for her daughter’s non-genderconforming ways, especially exhibited by Alike’s taste for non-frilly femme attire, we see Alike forced to be a gender chameleon— changing into her butch togs going to school and out of them going home.

Pariah wouldn’t be an authentic black coming-out tale if religious homophobia didn’t show its countenance on someone.

And Audrey is that person.

With the hopes of her shy tomboyish daughter blossoming into a more socially friendly and feminine girl, Audrey convinces a churchgoer that their daughters, who are in the same class, should walk to school together for safety reasons.

And not surprising to those of us of the Black Church, Alike’s first sexual experience is with one of the churchgoer’s daughters.

To find antecedents or self-reflections of yourself, especially in American films, is difficult, which is why Pariah’s title and theme of portraying black lesbian life, albeit marginalized in both African American church and white LGBTQ communities, in a positive and realistic light is thoroughly refreshing.

O c c a s i o n a l l y, however, we will see present-day portrayals of black lesbians on major television channels and in major movie house across the country, but not by out black lesbians.

For example, in the 2009 film Precious, Paula Patton plays Ms. Blu Rain, a lesbian teacher that helps Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) embrace her life’s worth and her sexuality. Patton inspires Precious to learn to read, and to write, giving her a daily writing assignment that eventually leads Precious coming into her own. And with Patton understanding both the NY welfare system and the NY Public School system, she is portrayed in the film as both an intellectual and activist who’s not going to let Precious fail or fall under her watch.

Another example, in 1996, we have

Queen Latifah’s spot-on portrayal of a butch lesbian in the movie Set It Off, that, of course, set off a conflagration of queries about her sexual orientation. Last summer Latifah’s character on the show “Single Ladies”—which she executive produces— was accidentally outed, and worked out in a positive way for the character. Viewers and the blogosphere began to speculate that Latifah was channeling her personal life through her small-screen character.

But films written and directed by women of color that reach the major silver screen are rare, and by LBTQ women of color, it’s even rarer. The last time I saw a film written and directed by a LBTQ woman of color that reached the level of mass distribution and international acclaim as Pariah was sixteen years ago. In 1996, Cheryl Dunye wrote, directed and starred in her first film—The Watermelon Woman—which was also the first African American lesbian feature film.

Dunye’s “mockumentary” is a scathing critique of the racist cinematic representation of black women. The protagonist of the film, played by Dunye, makes a film about an obscure black actress from the 1930s known for playing stereotypical “mammy” roles relegated to black actresses during that era.

In this faux-cinema-verite account of a black lesbian filmmaker uncovering the hidden histories of black women live—straight and LBTQ—controversial cultural critic Camille Paglia makes a cameo appearance informing Dunye that the Mammy archetype, once represented a black goddess figure.

And unbeknownst to the general public, 20 feature films have been directed by black lesbians since Dunye’s The Watermelon Woman. Dunye’s mockumentary came out during the height of black queer cinema, from 1991 - 1996, dubbed the “Golden Age,” where black lesbians films were predomi-

Perhaps it is time to assign some new values to Valentine’s Day.

Love can encompass so many wonderful people, places and things.

Multifaith Chaplain Royal D. Bush serves Inclusive Life, Council Bluffs, IA & Omaha, NE. He studied at Andersonville Theological Seminary, and with the International Institute of Faith Based Counseling. Chaplain Royal is available in Omaha for premarital coaching, couples coaching, life coaching and pastoral care. In Iowa and Nebraska he is available for marriage ceremonies, end of life planning and funerals.

A sister outsider in “Pariah” by Rev. Irene Monroe

Pariah’s title and theme of portraying black lesbian life, albeit marginalized in both African American church and white LGBTQ communities, in a positive and realistic light is thoroughly refreshing.

Films written and directed by women of color that reach the major silver screen are rare.

Rev. Irene Monroe is a graduate from Wellesley College and Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University, and she has served as a pastor at an AfricanAmerican church before coming to Harvard Divinity School for her doctorate as Ford Fellow. She is a syndicated queer religion columnist who tries to inform the public of the role religion plays in discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. Her website is irenemonroe.com. nately documentaries seen unfortunately by small audiences.

“That was the period of time when we had the most women producing the widest variety of work. Approximately 50 percent of all work produced was made during that five-year time period. Very little work is being produced today by out black lesbian media makers. So maybe Dee Rees is part of the trend of the mainstreaming of niche content that we see happening across all media platforms,” African American lesbian filmmaker Yvonne Welbon, founder and director of Sisters in Cinema, told The Root reporter Salamishah Tillet.

It’s my hope that Pariah will be part of the trend of the mainstreaming of niche content. Black lesbian cinematic representation is long overdue

Section 3: Community

FEBRUARY 2012

The Real Boy by Justin Jones

The gay boy entertains. He’s witty. Fashionable. Funny. Sarcastic.

The gay boy helps. He gossips. He’s smart. He hears you complain and watches you fail. The gay boy bullies. He laughs at the gays who are too fat and too old. He spreads rumors, and cuts with his eyes.

The gay boy isn’t real. He’s a caricature.

The real boy has a heart that breaks. He’s afraid of being alone. He lives in a world where acceptance is paramount, and truth is secondary.

“Gay” is happenstance. The real boy is romantic. He dreams. He loves. He’s as passionate as he is bewildered.

And as with he, so are we.

Justin Jones lives and writes in Minneapolis. He describes himself as “quirky, easygoing, a trite-mess of a romantic”. He can be reached at facebook.com/justinjoneswriter.

From the Pastor’s Pen

by Rev. Jonathan Page

Grace comes at unexpected moments, those moments that make you smile and renew your hope.

It was September 2009 when I first heard about the National Equality March planned for Washington DC in October.

The march was intended to show support for gay rights and put pressure on politicians to do something other than talk. At the time, I was the undergraduate chaplain at Harvard, and I immediately went about recruiting students to participate.

We had about fifteen or so students signed up. Transportation and lodgings were all arranged. Then, a few days before the march we received the bombshell: the Harvard gay alumni group pulled the funding promised because the march was “too political.” After letting fly a few distinctly un-Christian sentiments towards the powers that be, I got online and booked a ticket anyway. In spite of my measly bank account, it was a “damn the torpedoes” kind of moment.

My flight arrived on Saturday night for the planned Sunday march. Being a good gay man, I headed right for the bars near DuPont Circle.

All around were gays who had been at the Human Rights Campaign’s black tie dinner that evening. Overlooking the fact that the majority of them had pre-tied satin bow ties, I still had mixed feelings about the “gala” that night.

President Obama was the keynote speaker and his appearance was seen by many to be his one concession of 2009 to the gays—give a speech and shut them up the day before the big march.

Well, properly fortified with a few cocktails, I began asking who of the blacktie-crowd would be at the march the next day. I received the same answer again and again, “Not me.”

“But you live in DC,” I protested. “Surely you can make the effort.”

“No interest,” this one gay replied. “I’d rather sleep in.”

“But,” I began in retort, “the march does not begin until noon.” He looked at me, “As I said, I want to sleep in.” Then he smiled, spun around on his imitation patent leather shoes and sashayed off. Needless to say, I was unhappy. To make matters worse, I lost my cell phone that evening on the streets of DC. Strike three.

Jonathan Page is senior pastor of the Ames United Church of Christ, 217 6th Street, Ames, Iowa. Sunday service at 10:45. He can be reached at jon@Amesucc.org .

But Sunday morning dawned. In spite of losing all of my contact numbers, I located my good friend Tim McCarthy, who teaches aspiring radicals at Harvard, amidst the West Virginia gays. Go figure. Tim is from Albany.

Anyway, we began marching and—behold—people appeared. There were people everywhere. People of all ages. Families with kids. The mood was optimistic, joyful.

As we marched, we passed one evangelical cursing us all to hell. I was about to confront him with an array of theological arguments when, from behind me, I heard someone yell back, “Don’t worry, man, Jesus loves even you.” I turned and saw a hot guy in his early 20s. God bless the younger generation.

Later, as we stood near the Capitol straining to hear the speeches, Tim pointed to our left. There were the Unitarian Universalists with their big orange banner, “Standing on the Side of Love.”

Tim nodded, “Gotta love the UU’s,” he said. “They are always at stuff like this.” Just then I saw one sign that caught my eye. It read, “Jesus hung out with twelve dudes and a prostitute. He was a lot more like me than you.” True, true. Now if we could only get the word out, I thought to myself. At least there is hope.

ACCESSline Page 29

Iowa Governors Conference on LGBTQ Youth All students deserve a safe and supportive place in which to learn including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ). For many LGBTQ youth, school can be a terrifying place due to bullying, harassment, and discrimination. In order to eliminate bullying in Iowa schools and create leadership opportunities for LGBTQ youth, Iowa Safe Schools founded the Annual Iowa Governors Conference on LGBTQ Youth.

Founded in 2006, the Governors Conference is the only event of its kind nationally.

Over 500 individuals from nearly 90 Iowa communities attend annually including Iowa students, college students, professors, educators, counselors, administrators, policy makers, parents, faith leaders, youthserving professionals, and those who just care about the wellbeing of LGBTQ youth.

The mission of the Annual Iowa Governors Conference on LGBTQ Youth is to a) engage and educate students, educators, parents, community leaders, youthserving professionals, policy makers, and others concerned about issues relevant to the LGBTQ community, and b) encourage networking and activism to inspire our communities to promote diversity, equality, and social justice.

Past keynote speakers of this event include Judy Shepard (Mother of Matthew Shepard), Moises Kaufman (Author of The Laramie Project), Brent Hartinger (Author of Geography Club), Kevin Jennings (Founder of GLSEN), John Amaechi (NBA Star), Lt. Dan Choi (Don’t Ask Don’t Tell repeal advocate), and Sarah Schulman (Playwright and Author).

AvivaUSA, Rockwell Collins, Iowa State Education Association, and the Iowa Association of School Boards are proud sponsors of this year’s Iowa Governors Conference on LGBTQ Youth.

Iowa elected and public officials who have spoken in the event in the past include Governor Tom Vilsack, Lt. Governor Sally Pederson, Governor Chet Culver, Lt. Governor Patty Judge, Congressman Leonard Boswell, Former First Lady Christie Vilsack, Former Iowa Department of Education Director Judy Jeffrey, and Iowa Civil Rights Commission Executive Director Beth Townsend.

Schedule Thursday, March 8th, 2012 7:30AM-8:45AM – Registration 9:00AM-10:15AM – Welcome/Keynote Nate Monson, Executive Director, Iowa Safe Schools Drake University Representative Governor Chet Culver Jai Rodriguez, Keynote Speaker 10:15AM-10:30AM - Break/Meet Exhibitors/Meet and Greet with Jai 10:30AM-12:00PM – Workshop Session #1 12:00PM-1:00PM - Lunch Congressman Leonard Boswell (invited) Congressman Bruce Braley (invited) Congressman Steve King (invited) Congressman Tom Latham (invited) Congressman Dave Loebsack (invited) Kathy Collins Reilly Courage in Education Award Presentation 2012 Recipient Ralph Rosenberg, Former Executive Director, Iowa Civil Rights Commission 1:00PM-1:15PM - Break/Meet Exhibitors 1:15PM-2:45PM - Workshop Session #2 2:45PM-3:00PM - Break/Meet Exhibitors 3:00-4:30PM - Workshop Session #3

Important Information

·Registration fee: students - $10; early adults - $30; late adults - $50 ·A continental breakfast with coffee and juice; and a sit-down buffet lunch from 11:45AM-12:45PM is included with the registration fee. Vegetarian and vegan options will be available at the buffet lunch · Registration deadline is March 5 (at 4PM) ·There are two workshop tracks and the General Conference. Please designate which track you wish to participate in or if you wish to just be at the General Conference.

Everyone will come back together during the Opening Session and Lunch. ·Cancellations received after March 1 and no-shows will be charged for their registration. This is due to lunch and other expenses incurred for each participant.

Please e-mail or call Nate Monson at nate@ iowasafeschools.org to cancel.

For more information go to: iowasafeschools.org.

ACCESSline Page 30 SScontinued from page 27

VICTIM CARD Dan Cathy, President and Chief Operating Officer of Chick-fil-A issued a press release in an attempt to counter the boycott by stating that “While my family and I believe in the Biblical definition of marriage, we love and respect anyone who disagrees.” He went on to define Chick-fil-A’s Corporate Purpose as: “To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us, and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A…[and] we will continue to offer resources to strengthen marriages and families.

To do anything different would be inconsistent with our purpose and belief in Biblical principles.”

Bishop E.W. Jackson Sr., Founder and President of STAND (Staying True to America’s National Destiny) accuses these student leaders of hatred against devout Christians. Though students involved in these actions represent all sexual and gender identities, in an interview with Christian New Wire, Jackson argued that: “This is further proof of the insidious and dangerous hatred by homosexual activists of any Christian who dares try to live out their biblical values. The problem in society today is not hatred of

Section 3: Community homosexuals, but hatred by homosexuals of anyone who refuses to say ‘amen’ to their sexual behavior.”

The Bishop goes on to accuse members of the “homosexual community” of attempting to demolish the faith foundations on which our country is based since “it is an affront to them and they want a sexually amoral society remade in their image.” Jackson argues that the oppression toward Christians, which he terms “Christo-phobia” and “Biblo-phobia,” is so extreme and extensive that now “may be the time to make Christians a protected class.”

Rather than reverting to a boycott, Jackson is calling for a “Buycott” of Chick-fil-A, in support of the company’s defense of marriage, and protection of family and Christian values.

I would ask Bishop Jackson: to which biblical marriage values is he referring? Does he prefer that men engage in polygamous relationships like Abraham, the patriarch of Jews, Christians, and Muslims who conceived progeny with two women, his wife Sarah and maid Hagar? And I would think that many women today, homosexual and heterosexual alike, may find difficulty in Ephesians 5:22: “Wives, be submissive to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body,

Jackson argued that: “This is further proof of the insidious and dangerous hatred by homosexual activists of any Christian who dares try to live out their biblical values. The problem in society today is not hatred of homosexuals, but hatred by homosexuals of anyone who refuses to say ‘amen’ to their sexual behavior.”

and is himself its Savior.” And, Bishop Jackson, do you really promote the commandment to women in 1 Corinthians 14:33-35: “As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silence in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.”

Over the years, similar boycotts to those currently underway against Chick-fil-A have been waged against companies. For example, some have boycotted Domino’s Pizza when it was discovered that its founder, Tom Monaghan, supported a number of anti-abortion groups like Operation Rescue.

Some people do not shop at Hobby Lobby, a chain of craft stores, since it actively promotes (proselytizes) a form of Christianity in its ads, especially around Easter, and often plays Christian music over the airwaves in its stores.

For all those on the political Right and others who promote a “free market” system, you should be in full support of the boycott since this strategy maintains that very system.

With the recent actions taken against Chick-fil-A, a critical question must be addressed. While private companies like

FEBRUARY 2012 Chick-fil-A most certainly and clearly have the right to support organizations and causes of their choice, should public tax supported institutions such as universities maintain connections with those companies that expressly violate campus non-discrimination policies?

While conservative Christian theologians like Bishop Jackson pose as victims in this drama, most campus non-discrimination politics now include sexual identity and gender identity and expression as enumerated categories. By opposing the basic civil rights of LGBT people, Chick-fil-A and its allied organizations clearly fall under the definition of discrimination according to campus policies.

Current events clearly show that students nationwide are taking the lead in raising critical issues, and they are holding campus administrators accountable for upholding their stated policies.

Warren J. Blumenfeld is associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. He is editor of Homophobia: How We All Pay the Price (Beacon Press), and co-editor of Readings for Diversity and Social Justice (Routledge) and Investigating Christian Privilege and Religious Oppression in the United States (Sense).

While private companies like Chick-fil-A most certainly and clearly have the right to support organizations and causes of their choice, should public tax supported institutions such as universities maintain connections with those companies that expressly violate campus nondiscrimination policies?

FEBRUARY 2012

Section 3: Community

ACCESSline Page 31

The Outfield by Dan Woog

Jim Provenzano explores sports, sex and paraplegia

It may not be the traditional format for a winning novel: cross-country running.

Lacrosse. Wheelchair basketball. Gay romance.

But Jim Provenzano’s Every Time I Think of You works. The author—whose previous books focus on wrestling, AIDS and the lust-filled world of bicycle messengers— has crafted a novel about young adults that may not make the list of most librarians’ recommended “young adult novels.” There’s a bit too much sex—gay sex—in this one for some educators’ tastes. And it’s graphic.

Yet Every Time does what good literature should. It opens readers’ eyes, minds and hearts to corners of the world they may never have realized existed. Confession: Although I am a high school soccer coach, I’d never thought about the impact a

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CREEPS apologies on behalf of gay Minnesotans for ruining her marriage: “We apologize that our selfish requests to marry those we love have cheapened and degraded traditional marriage so much that we caused you to stray from your own holy union for something more cheap and tawdry.”

Yes, it’s a shame. Gays are the worst.

But when it all boils down, this is yet another anti-gay Republican caught having an extramarital affair. Yawn. Blah, blah, blah…I mean, sure, there’s a twist because this time it’s a female, but it’s really nothing new. Aren’t we tired of hearing this story?

We shouldn’t be. Whether we’re talking about Koch, Mark Foley, George Rekers, Ted Haggard, David Vitter, Larry Craig or any of the others, it matters because repeated hypocrisy should be alarming, not numbing.

We cannot and should not accept that the very people fighting against us are using a set of so-called “values” that they, themselves, do not truly believe in. Picking up the mantle of “marriage defender” when you’re screwing around on your wife or husband should be grounds for public humiliation and shame.

Because this isn’t about the sanctity of marriage. This is about dehumanizing LGBT people so that we may be used as political scapegoats. This is about furthering a rightwing conservative agenda by any means necessary. By scaring folks with the threat of the “gay menace,” Republicans get folks to vote against their own economic, personal,

devastating sports accident could have on an athlete. Especially one who was in a torrid, but meaningful, gay relationship.

The story is set in Pennsylvania, in 1978.

Reid Conniff is a high school student serious about running, academics and masturbating in the woods. One wintry afternoon, near his favorite tree, he comes across (in every sense of the term) Everett Forester, a privileged, lacrosse-playing boarding school boy.

As is true in most adolescents’ lives (and every novel), stuff happens. There is sexual exploration (Everett has had a lot more experience than Reid), the resultant embarrassment of getting caught, and the arc of both lovers trying to be at the same place at the same time (emotionally as well as physically).

There is not, however, a lot of angst about being gay. Provenzano set this story—and PINS, his wrestling book—in what he calls “a bubble of time.” Stonewall had already jump-started the gay rights movement, but AIDS had not yet reared its ugly head. The author calls those years “a halcyon moment, when for a teenager it was not horrible to be gay.”

In fact, both Reid and Everett’s parents are relatively accepting about their sons’ sexuality. It doesn’t hurt that Provenzano has created what he calls “two smart, welleducated and self-aware” protagonists— boys for whom acting on their urges brings more joy than fear.

What Provenzano did not set out to create, he says, is a novel about disability.

Though PINS—written in 1999—includes a debilitating neck injury that nearly kills the main character, Everett’s paralysis (he’s clobbered by a lacrosse stick) is less meta-

and societal interests. We forget that at our peril.

So let’s keep calling them as we see them. And calling them out until this kind of shit doesn’t fly anymore. Koch, you’re a creep. And sadly you’re surely only the first of many in 2012.

Rick Santorum (Again!)

I’ll be frank. I’m tired of writing about Rick Santorum. But the man just cut an incredible anti-gay streak across New Hampshire. Come on, Rick, give the other guys a chance!

On Jan. 5 Santorum made the tired same-sex couples getting marriage equals inevitable polygamy argument. Then the next day he told a town hall meeting that marriage was “an essential good,” which is

phoric, more an opportunity to explore the effect of disability on two growing boys who just happen to be gay.

“I took two corny genres—coming out and bildungsroman (coming of age)—and at one point, I just realized the disability was going to happen,” Provenzano explains of the writing process. “Sometimes your characters’ paths don’t go where you expect.”

Once he saw the path his book was taking, Provenzano did a prodigious amount of research.

He studied spinal cord injuries, the growth of wheelchair sports, and the ins and outs of paraplegic sex.

In the back of his mind, always, was the story of Ed Gallagher.

In 1985 Gallagher—a 27-year-old former University of Pittsburgh football player—tried to commit suicide by throwing himself off a dam. That was better, he thought, than to die “a fag with AIDS.” (He was not, despite his fears, HIV positive.)

While Gallagher did not succeed in killing himself, he was paralyzed for life.

In 1994 he wrote a semi-autobiographical book, Johnny in the Spot. When Provenzano was writing a sports column (the predecessor to “The OutField”), he had what he calls “an awkward conversation” with Gallagher.

“I read his book, and hated it. The dual narrative format was very difficult to follow,” Provenzano recalls. “But I admired

him greatly. He was an inspiration to me. I wanted to write a romance Ed would have appreciated.”

Gallagher was outspoken about the physical needs of paraplegics, and Provenzano addressed the topic head-on too.

“They’re 18,” he says of his characters. “I didn’t want to dodge the fact that they want to have sex—and they do. But I really wanted to get the facts right. It couldn’t be just nudgenudge-wink-wink.”

The first reviews are strong. Author Andrew W. M. Beierle called it “a rare combination of delicacy and power (that) rekindled faded memories of the intensity of youthful desire.”

Ray A g u i l e ra , former editor of Bent Voices, a magazine for disabled gay men, lauded Provenzano for “daring to show that disability and sexuality aren’t mutually exclusive, and that crips can be just as good in bed (or elsewhere) as their non-disabled counterparts.”

It’s not easy to write a novel about sports, gay teenagers and sex in (and out of) wheelchairs. Jim Provenzano has done it, with grace and power. All readers—disabled or not—can stand and applaud.

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

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

“Daring to show that disability and sexuality aren’t mutually exclusive, and that crips can be just as good in bed (or elsewhere) as their non-disabled counterparts.”

why gays can’t have it since gays are, you know, essentially bad.

During a campaign speech on Jan. 7 at a private boarding school (I didn’t think that kids could vote, but then again maybe rich kids can. Hell, at this point that would not surprise me at all) he actually told the audience that they’d be better off with a dad in jail than with two samesex parents.

Mind you, he claimed that this “fact” came from an unnamed researcher, but Santorum is still the one who stood in front of a crowd of kids and said it out loud. “[The expert] found that even fathers in jail who had abandoned their kids were still better than no father at all to have in their children’s lives,” Santorum spewed.

Totally true. Kids with daddies in jail are so lucky. Known fact. Kids with gay parents are sooooo jealous. Especially the three students in the audience who, according to the school’s headmaster, have gay parents.

Well played, Rick. No doubt these kids will start up some prison pen pal relationships to make up for what is missing in their lives.

Although, Santorum did just mention missing fathers, so maybe he’s just talking about lesbian parents? Maybe having two daddies is okay so long as one of them is in prison? It’s all so confusing.

Which is why America must now allow

same-sex couples to marry and have kids.

“Marriage is not a right,” Santorum said according to the Los Angeles Times. “It’s a privilege that is given to society by society for a reason.” And that reason? “We want to encourage what is the best for children.”

Otherwise we’re “robbing children of something they need, they deserve, they have a right to,” he said. “You may rationalize that that isn’t true, but in your own life and in your own heart, you know it’s true.”

Okay, first of all, what does “given to society by society for a reason” even mean? Last time I checked, gays and lesbians are part of society. Santorum likes to talk about “we” and “America” as if gays and lesbians are some shiftless souls on the outskirts of civilization. Which, to use Santorum’s own words, requires quite a bit of rationalizing.

Far more rationalizing than being able to admit that gay and lesbian parents are raising lots of kids who are doing just fine.

Better than fine, even. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that a kid with two loving, committed parents is pretty fortunate. Even if both of those parents are moms or dads. And especially if neither is having their cellmate ink a teardrop on their face with a tattoo gun fashioned out of a Bic pen, toothbrush, and a guitar string.

Santorum likes to talk about “we” and “America” as if gays and lesbians are some shiftless souls on the outskirts of civilization.

ACCESSline Page 32 SScontinued from page 9

Section 3: Community SScontinued from page 13

SScontinued from page 3

INSIDE OUT

DISTRACTED

QUESTIONS

through.

“I love you, Dad.” My heart smiled.

A second voice came on the line—the older daughter, Emily. “Hey, Daddy! I love you.”

Now I rejoiced. I still mattered to both daughters.

Some things in life have to be a certain way. I had to be Ellen, even if it meant losing my soul mate. Lydia had to have love—and she found it.

It is all good.

the room! My visiting “friend” had long since left but there was the pie, still sitting there, perhaps knowing full well that I had no escape.

I couldn’t go to the gym. I couldn’t get on my bike and ride a few miles to get my mind off the pastry. No, the only choice I had was to hypnotize myself into believing the pie had just been picked off of a vine in the backyard and mashed into a flakey crust.

“It’s going to be ten weeks before you can cycle again,” said Doctor Mengele. “I’ll let you walk on it in a couple more weeks and then you’ll start physical therapy.” Physical therapy in this case being a series of activities designed to procure truthful answers during war-prisoner interrogations.

One way to look at this whole thing is that it could have been worse. I could have decided to drive to the mini-market after drinking so much flavored malt liquor instead of walking.

That might have been far more than worse; it might have been tragic. So keep that in mind the next time one of your friends offers you a new and interesting beverage. Remember that, when considering a flavored malt liquor libation, one should always go with green apple.

those abandoned children came from in the first place.

And for those who’d seek a reinstatement of DADT, time to make them answer, “Do you think gays are incapable of fighting for our country?”

Enough tiptoeing around the issues, enough sitting back and letting our rights be taken or withheld from us, and enough of letting those who lead get away with avoiding what’s really at stake here. If they refuse to consider real answers, we need to make them answer. If they say they have “gay friends,” ask them, “How do those friends feel about your anti-gay platform?” If they won’t support ENDA, ask them why they think gays are unfit employees.

It may seem like I’m blaming the community for not standing up for themselves. In some ways, I am. But it isn’t for lack of will, determination, or dedication on our part.

Rather we have allowed our excessive cordiality to perpetuate this stagnation.

No more diplomatic phrasing that allows our politicians to take the coward’s way out.

Get up, get in their way, and start fighting their evasiveness. It’s time to confront our wannabe leaders about denying gays their rights—to marry, be parents, have consensual sex in our homes, or fight for our country. And if they say they are NOT anti-gay, we MUST ask them “Then what exactly do you think ‘anti-gay’ means?”

They may complain that these are unfair question, but maybe if we ask them loud and often enough they will finally begin to understand what unfair really means.

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GIRL SCOUT

of what you stand for when you put it on.

You don’t hide. You don’t cower. You don’t throw feces at your fellow Girl Scouts and count on hate groups to defend you. A real Girl Scout defends herself.

She also will be selling you cookies shortly.

When you see her, buy some cookies. Yes, it’s the year the Girl Scouts stood up for transgendered persons, which is wonderful, but to be honest? The Girl Scouts would do that any year.

Extra special this time around is that it’s there one hundredth anniversary of being inclusive SScontinued from page 14 and positive and forward-thinking.

Let’s help them make this fundraising season a banner one. maceutical company. Some of the characters were originally based on people I know, and SScontinued from page 9 some are purely my own creation. But their origins are irrelevant because they all grew into different, fully formed (albeit fictional) with them. The cheapest way to feel good people the more I wrote about them. about yourself is to identify someone with a These nonexistent folks don’t let me put difference you can condemn or toward which words in their mouth they don’t think they’d you can feel superior. That exercise, in fact, really say. It’s like I’m channeling them, and doesn’t make you better or them worse. when I add a word they don’t like they make

The bad news is that the Republi- me delete it. A novelist friend of mine was can Party in Iowa has become, essentially, not at all surprised when I mentioned this synonymous with this modern-day brand of bizarre situation to him. He can’t force his evangelical “Christian.” That’s largely true of characters to do or say what he wants them the national Republican Party as well. The to do or say either. They, too, have their own good news is that their days as a meaning- voices and personalities, and he can’t control ful political force are numbered. They will them either. be unable to find and preserve the required In that spirit, or perhaps in those spirits— unity in the political arena that has historically or maybe even in the spirit of those spirits who eluded them in Christ. Disunity is endemic to drink spirits—I created an original cocktail: their faith and to their very being. Bon appétit “The Faux de Vie.” As you may know, Eau de evangelical “Christians.”

Vie is a clear, double-distilled brandy that has the flavor of the fruit from which it is distilled.

SScontinued from page 7 Varieties include pear, raspberry, plum and peach. Eau de Vie translates as Water of Life, but a fine Eau de Vie is pricier than even the fully-present, fully-sexual understanding of most expensive bottled water. It can run you sex and sexuality in the world. $120 or more.

And we still have to struggle to get So forget the real stuff and make yourself a comprehensive sexual education in our Faux de Vie! Get yourself a copy of the extraorschools. Instead we still have politicians scared dinarily gorgeous and superbly entertaining to face the fact that statistically “abstinence- Imitation of Life, the 1959 tearjerker directed only” approaches fail. by the great Douglas Sirk and starring the Conclusion: in 2012, we still have a long inimitable Lana Turner, and you’ve got yourself way to go and a lot of courageous, thinking a perfectly “faux” evening. to do.

CHATTER

CANNIBALISM

MINOR DETAILS

The Faux de Vie

• 1 jigger Absolut vodka • A couple drops of the liqueur of your choice 1. Get a small glass and carefully pour just a few drops of Chambord, Cointreau, or any fruit liqueur into it.

2. Add vodka.

3. Sip. Don’t overwhelm the vodka with liqueur; the drink should have just a hint of fruit to it.

FEBRUARY 2012

Writer, filmmaker, and photographer Brett Edward Stout is a Cedar Rapids native and recent graduate of the University of Iowa. He spent five years in the US Marine Corps as a Russian linguist. His first novel Sugar-baby Bridge was published in 2008. He is currently working on his second novel, entitled The Lives Between.

Photo: Adam Bouska

SScontinued from page 3

BOOKWORM touch here, and she includes details that are believable and tantalizingly possible. These things kept me reading and they kept me loving this novel.

If your book group is looking for their next something, I think you should schedule this title now. For you, “Tuesday Night Miracles” is dynamite.

FEBRUARY 2012 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 Please see the list of resources below about HIV, mental health, sexual orientation, and where you may seek help if you’re in crisis.

Breur Media Corporation : Website Consultation, Design, Programming, and Hosting.

HIV and STD Testing Sites near You, including places where you can get tested for free: http://www.hivtest.org/ Crisis or Suicide National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Default.aspx or call 1-800-273-TALK Information on Mental Health National Alliance on Mental Illness: http://www.nami.org/ Counseling, Information and Resources about Sexual Orientation GLBT National Help Center: http://www. glnh.org/index2.html or 1-888-843-4564 Information on Mental Health for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender http://www.nami.org/Content/NavigationMenu/ Find_Support/Multicultural_Support/Resources/ GLBT_Resources.htm Information on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health http://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/index.htm 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 http://www.thetrevorproject.org/ RealManToys.com : Discreet home delivery of adult products.

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

Section 3: Community 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 Iowapridenetwork.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 One Iowa 500 East Locust St, Ste 300 Des Moines, IA 50309 515-288-4019 Fax: 515-244-5846 www.OneIowa.org The Quire Eastern Iowa’s GLBT chorus www.thequire.org

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 ISU LGBTAAlliance GLBT Support, Activism, Social Events, Newsletter L East Student Office Space, 2229 Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50014-7163 alliance@iastate.edu alliance.stuorg.iastate.edu 515-344-4478 Living with HIV Program 226 SE 16th Street, Ames, IA 50010 Ask for Janelle (Coordinator) 515-956-3312 ext 106 or I -800-890-8230 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 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 uufames.org uufa@aol.com 515-292-5960 Unity Church of Ames 226 9th St, Ames, IA 50010-6210 Sunday service and Sunday school 10:30am.

Wednesday mediation 6:30pm unityofames.com 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 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. wilsonresource.org 712-332-5043

BURLINGTON Arrowhead Motel 2520 Mount Pleasant St Burlington, IA 52601-2118 319-752-6353 www.arrowheadia.com Faith Lutheran Church E L C A 3109 Sunnyside Ave Burlington, IA 52601-2341 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 Black Hawk Co. Health Department Free HIV testing (donations accepted); MW, 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Thurs, 1:00pm to 4:45pm 1407 Independence Ave. (5th fl) Waterloo 50703 319-291 -2413 Cedar AIDS Support System (CASS) Service, support groups & trained volunteers for persons with HIV/AIDS in Waterloo/CF call Elizabeth or Karla, 319-272-AIDS(2437). cvhospice@forbin.net Cedar Valley Counseling Services Promoting personal growth and development in a strengths-based environment Joan E. Farstad, MA, Director.

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

Cedar Valley Episcopal Campus Ministry.

In Lutheran Center 2616 College St, Cedar Falls, IA 319-415-5747 mcdinoiwa@aol.com 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 carol.hedberg@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

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 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.

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 Faith UMC 1000 30th Street NE, Cedar Rapids, 52402 Sunday services at 11:00am. crfaithumc.org 319-363-8454 Foundation 2 Crisis Counseling 24-hour telephone crisis counseling. f2crisis@aol.com or www.f2online.org 1540 2nd Ave. SE Cedar Rapids, IA 319-362-2174 or 800-332-4224 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 People’s Church Unitarian Universalist A welcoming congregation.

4980 Gordon Ave NW, Cedar Rapids, IA 11am Sunday. 319-362-9827 http://peoplesuu.org

Kings & Queens Tap 304 W. 4th St, Waterloo, IA myspace.com/kingsandqueensspace 319-232-3001

PFLAG CR, Linn Co and Beyond Support Group meets on the 4th Thursday at 7pm except for Nov Dec - call for details.

319-431-0673, pflaglcb@gmail.com

Romantix Waterloo (Adult Emporium) 1507 La Porte Rd, Waterloo, IA 50702 319-234-9340 romantixonline.com

The Linn County Stonewall Democrats Meet 2nd Wednesdays, Blue Strawberry, 118 2nd St SE in Cedar Rapids, IA. Contact Harvey S. Ross, HRoss007@aol.com.

Stellas Guesthouse 324 Summit Ave, Waterloo, IA Private B&B, Overnight accommodations for adults only. 319-232-2122

Toxic Nightclub 616 Second Ave SE, Cedar Rapids

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@sttims-umc-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 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.

319-415-1511 cedarrapidsunity.com Christ Episcopal Church “We have a place for you.”

220 40th Street NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 319-363-2029 ChristEpiscopal.org Club Basix Open 5pm to 2am M-F, Sat & Sun 3pm-2am 3916 1st Ave NE, Cedar Rapids 319-363-3194

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.”

4980 Gordon 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 Citizens For Equal Protection 1105 Howard St, Suite #2, Omaha, NE 68102 www.cfep-ne.org - info@cfep-ne.org 402-398-3027 Council Bluffs NOW Write PO Box 3325, Omaha, NE 68103-0325 DC’s Saloon The Midwest’s hottest GLBT Country & Dance Bar! 610 S. 14th St., Omaha, NE Open everyday 2pm-1am, western/levi/leather 402-344-3103 Front Runners/Front Walkers Walking/jogging club.

P.O. Box 4583, Omaha, NE 68104 402-804-8720 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

ACCESSline Page 33 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 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 The Max 1417 Jackson at 15th, Omaha, NE 68102 6 bars in 1 - 402-346-4110 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 Gender Alliance Peer support, friendship, and understanding for crossdressers, transgenderists, and transsexuals. PO Box 4083 Omaha, NE 68104, 402-291-6781, info@rcga.us - www.rcga.us 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 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. 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) Beginning May 23rd: meeting at Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center, 119 Winnebago Street, Decorah, IA (lower level), corner of Winnebago and Main Street Meetings: 4th Mondays, 7pm-9pm 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 563387-1273 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 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

TTDIRECTORY cont’d page 34

ACCESSline Page 34 SScontinued from page 33

DIRECTORY

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 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

Section 3: Community 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 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 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 Women’s Culture Collective (WCC) A lesbian social group.

Des Moines, IA - www.iowawcc.org Word of God Ministries, Sunday service: 3:00pm, at 3120 E 24th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50317, Gay, lesbian & straight affirmation 515-707-5947.

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.

Liberty Gifts 333 E. Grand Ave., Loft 105, Des Moines, IA Gay owned specialty clothing, jewelry, home decor.

515-508-0825

Dubuque Friends Worship Group (Quakers) Join us at an unprogrammed worship service on Sunday at 10am. Welcoming and Affirming St. Mark’s Community Center 1201 White Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001 563-582-9388

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

PFLAG Dubuque/Tri-State Carnegie Stout Library 3rd Floor Conference Room 360 W. 11th St. 3rd Tuesday, 7pm 563-581-4606

North Star Gay Rodeo Association of IGRA, Iowa Division of North Star NSGRA@NSGRA.org or 612-82-RODEO

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Dubuque 1699 Iowa St., Dubuque, IA “The uncommon denomination.” general services at 10am. www.uuf-dbq.org 563-583-9910

Primary Health Care Inc., David Yurdin, 2353 SE 14th St., Des Moines, 503020, Works with GLBT ages 16 to geriatric, 25 years of experience. 515-248-1427 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 Pride Bowling League for GLBT & Supporters Every Wednesday, 7 PM, Air Lanes Bowling Center 4200 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, IA 50321-2389. Email pridebowlingleague@gmail.com or 515-447-2977.

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

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 515955-9756 15 N. 5th St, Fort Dodge, IA 50501-3801 RomantixOnline.com

Grinnell Broadviewwildflowerseed.com, Broad View Wildflower Seed, 428 Hamilton Ave., Grinnell, Iowa 50112, Manager/Owner: John C., chicoski7@yahoo.com Saints Ephrem & Macrina Orthodox Mission. Welcoming worship in the Eastern Christian liturgical tradition. Sunday services at 10am.

(Affiliated with the Orthodox-Catholic Church of America.) 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

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 - uiccic.org 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 Counseling and Health Center 319-337-1679 Client-centered therapy.

Les-Bi-Gay-Trans always welcome.

616 Bloomington St, Iowa City, IA 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 An open and affirming congregation.

1609 Deforest Street, Iowa City, 52240 Sunday Worship 9:30 AM 319-338-5238 bob.faithucc@g.com, www.faithucciowacity.org 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 Human Rights Commission (City of Iowa City Human Rights Commission) 319-356-5022; 391-356-5015; 319-356-5014 Fax 319-887-6213 humanrights@iowa-city.org ICARE (Iowa Center for AIDS Resources & Education) Practical & emotional support, youth programs, information, referrals and support groups.

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

2440 Towncrest Dr Iowa City, Call for appointment 319-337-4459 Iowa City NOW PO Box 2944, Iowa City, IA 52244 for information & meeting times/places Iowa Women’s Music Festival P.O. Box 3411, Iowa City, IA 52244 319-335-1486 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 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. 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.

FEBRUARY 2012 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, Rev Jay Wolin 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

Connections Nightclub 563-322-1121 822 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA 52802

Romantix Sioux City 712-277-8566 (Adult Emporium) 511 Pearl St, Sioux City, IA 51101-1217

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

St. Thomas Episcopal Church Service Sun 10:30am 406 12th St, Waverly, IA Rev Mary Christopher 712-258-0141

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 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 PFLAG Quad Cities 563-285-4173 Eldridge United Methodist Church 604 S.2nd St., Eldridge 1st Monday, 6:30 pm

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

Sioux falls, south dakota Toppers, 1213 N Cliff Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57103, (605) 339-7686, Su-Tu 7:00pm - Close : We-Sa 3:00pm - 2:00am, http://www.sdtoppers.com/ Center for Equality, 406 S Second Avenue in Sioux Falls, 605-331-1153, http://centersforequalitysd.org/

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

FEBRUARY 2012

Section 3: Community

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