ACCESSline, The Heartland's LGBT+ Newspaper, May 2013 Issue, Volume 27 No 5

Heartland News 2013 Matthew Offensive and Inaccurate Shepard Scholarship comments by Iowa Republican Sen. Guth Recipients

Senator Dennis Guth, a Republican from Senate District 4, took advantage of the “points of personal privilege,” where he made vitriolic and misleading comments about the LGBT community, describing how he feels he and his family have been hurt and how civilization has fallen by what he describes as the “homosexual lifestyle.”

Not only did Sen. Guth dismiss the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community as a “lifestyle,” he then went on to say that it was “a lie” and repeated the false statement often made by anti-gay advocates that homosexuality causes health and mental problems and shortens the life of LGBT individuals.

The Eychaner Foundation is excited to announce Iowa’s 2013 Matthew Shepard Scholars and the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Maggi Brown from Osage, Allison Kayserfrom Cedar Rapids, Nadia Loeppke from Dubuque, Tyler Nyhus

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Jane Kelly confirmed to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals

The Senate confirmed the nomination of Jane Kelly, of Iowa, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eighth

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On Point with the Lilith’s New Lines TROCKS Interview by of Thinking Interview Arthur Breur

by Angela Geno-Stumme

Amy Grant

by Chris Azzopardi

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What’s Inside:

Section 1: News & Politics

Letter to the Editor: LGBT Equality and Small Town Iowa 3 Advertising rates 3 Two Moms for Mother’s Day by Angela Geno-Stumme 4 From the Heartland by Donna Red Wing 5 Remarkables by Jonathan Wilson 6 Spring Forward by Tony Dillon-Hansen 6 Shrink Rap by Loren A Olson MD 7 Popular Demand in a Democracy by Jonathan Wilson 7 When HIV is used against the LGBT Community by Paul Whannel 8 Another tackle in the world of homophobic sports by Rev. Irene Monroe 8 Minor Details by Robert Minor 9 Just Sayin’ by Beau Fodor 10 Creep of the Week by D’Anne Witkowski 10

Section 2: Fun Guide

Entertainment Picks for the Month 11 Heart in Motion interview by Chris Azzopardi 11 Inside Out: Providence by Ellen Krug 12 Wired This Way by Rachel Eliason 13 5 Workout Mistakes You’re Probably Making by D.Wavey 13 Steps to get Married in Iowa By Scott Stevens 14 6th Annual QC Pridefest Hosts Interfaith Prayer Service for Equality and Invites Participation 14 Midwest Pride Events 15 I.C. Kings Evening of SINema Iowa City, Ia 16 The Bookworm Sez by Terri Schlichenmeyer 22 Comics and Crossword Puzzle 22-23 New GOglbt Business Referral Group 23 UofI Rainbow Graduation 24 PFLAG - Des Moines Chapter Meeting 24 QC Pride Inc. invites vendors to participate in PrideFest 24

Section 3: Community Lilith Annabelle Rios. Photo courtesy of Angela Geno-Stumme.

Robert Carter of the Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo.

Courtesy of the TROCKS. The Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo is a ballet company that, like many, performs well known gems from many classic works of the genre: Giselle, Swan Lake, Paquita, and Nutcracker, just to name a few. However,

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Lilith Annabelle Rios, a member of the local BDSM group CIPEX, discusses BDSM and transitioning. She talks about her Transition, coming out, what fire play is, CIPEX safety practices, and the upcoming Mischief in May BDSM convention. Central Iowa Power Exchange is a non-profit organization that promotes education within the local

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FFBC: Daniel Lundby by Bruce Carr 25 Prime Timers of Central Iowa 25 University of Iowa LGBT S&F Association Iowa City, Iowa 25 The Project of the Quad Cities Calendar 25 PITCH Calendar 2013 25 From the Pastor’s Pen by Rev. Jonathan Page 27 Ask Lambda Legal By Jon Davidson, Legal Director 27 Business Directory 28-29 NKOB Dressed to Impress 31 Leather Archives & Museum Chicago, IL 32 Congratulations 2013 Graduates Ad 33 Iowa Pride Network reminds GSAs of Their Rights 34

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MAY 2013

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Section 1: News & Politics

Letter to the Editor LGBT Equality and Small Town Iowa

LeClaire, Iowa is a charming town situated on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. It is home to the hosts of the “American Pickers” television show and to a restaurant that serves up salads in an old bath tub while refusing service to men wearing formal ties. LeClaire also has bragging rights with its sister city of Port Byron, Illinois in hosting a testosterone filled tug of war contest spanning across the Mississippi River each year. And while this one time small river town with a population of less than 2500 people now boasts a huge population of 3300 people and a main street dotted with fine restaurants and quaint boutiques , it is still hardly a place where one would expect to see a LGBTQ presence emanating but that is exactly what happened in April.

The Crane and Pelican Cafe in LeClaire, Iowa is a proud sponsor of QC Pride Fest 2013 and when owner, Mandy Harvey asked QC Pride, Inc. to team up with the Cafe and several other LeClaire businesses to host a Pride fund-raiser, we jumped at the opportunity and on April 11, QC Pride’s 1st annual Progressive dinner proved to be a spectacular success. The event sold out quickly and the ticket holders traveled to four LeClaire dining establishments: Blue Iguana, Mississippi River Distilling Co., Steventon’s and The Crane and Pelican Cafe.

They were treated to several courses of fine cuisine along with a chance to win door prizes from city retailers. The guests then mingled with QC Pride, Inc. board members

and volunteers at the final destination and were told of our work as an organization and the upcoming festival, knowing that they had just helped fund a small part of QC Pride Fest 2013.

I was especially interested in this type of event because aside from the hoopla and fanfare of the event itself, it also allowed our focus on LGBTQ concerns to venture away from the major metropolitan areas and into small town America. That, to me, is very appealing. It has been my experience that the LGBTQ movement as a whole tends to comfortably concentrate solely on large cities when holding events and rallies and even more so when hosting festivals and forums. Certainly the dense population in large cities affords our presence to be witnessed by the masses and generates great support to our causes, but perhaps we are often simply “preaching to the choir” by doing so which may eventually be ineffective in our resolve to move the populace toward equality. It is in small town America and in rural Iowa where people need to hear our message of inclusiveness and have their belief systems challenged. Indeed the final stretch to full equality will need to focus on these smaller venues and I felt encouraged as I am convinced this QC Pride event in LeClaire, Iowa did exactly that. Again, QC Pride volunteers and sponsors made a difference and reached out to new eyes and new ears as we move toward our largest event of the year…QC Pride Fest.

Of course, the 2013 QC Pride Fest will be happening in a few short weeks. This year brings new beginnings as we continue to make huge additions to the festival. In

It is in small town America and in rural Iowa where people need to hear our message of inclusiveness and have their belief systems challenged.

ACCESSline Page 3

2012, we included an interfaith diversity celebration, a fireworks display and a second day of power bands to our main stage. In addition to those particulars, this year we have extended the hours, added a second entertainment venue (our club stage), an automotive showcase and a new Zany Zone featuring burlesque, drag and other surprises only imaginable at a Pride celebration.

Returning to the festival will be a vendor line up that is unmatched! We will have over 100 vendors lining the festival selling art, crafts, gifts, food and drink. Our local charities will be soliciting funds and local businesses will be presenting information while showing their support to the Quad-cities LGBTQ community. There is still room for a few more vendors to join us so I am asking you to spread the word about our festival and send potential vendors to our web site for vending opportunity information.

I am so proud of how our festival has evolved in just six short years and you will be too! Mark your calendars now to travel to the Quad Cites on June 1st and 2nd and check us out. Come down for the weekend and eat, drink, party, celebrate and shop, shop, shop!

For details on QC Pride Fest highlights, hotel packages and vending opportunities, visit www.qcpride.org. See you there!

Jeff Simpson President, QC Pride, Inc.

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ACCESSline Page 4

Section 1: News & Politics

Two Moms for Mother’s Day Interview by Angela Geno-Stumme Melissa and Heather Gartner took the time to discuss what Mother’s Day means for them, challenges their family has had, why an accurate birth certificate matters, and their hopes for the future.

Melissa and Heather had the same dreams all couples have when they got married, happily spending their lives together with their family. But with the birth of their daughter Mackenzie in 2009 they had an unexpected surprise. When they received Mackenzie’s birth certificate they found that Melissa’s name was omitted. As a married couple in the state of Iowa, where same-sex marriage was legal, the Gartners assumed they would both be on the birth certificate. They filed a lawsuit against the State of Iowa and it was appealed to the Iowa Supreme Court, which the Gartners are now waiting for a ruling.

What does Mother’s Day mean to you and your family?

I am sure that Mother’s Day means the same to us as it does to most mothers.

Our children are beautiful and special in every way. When we committed to each other, we knew it did not stop with us, having a family would complete us. When it comes to Mother’s Day we are just utterly amazed to see how our family developed.

Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate our family. Our family may be different in the fact our kids have two moms, but all the other principles are the same.

Do you celebrate in any special way?

We usually go out to brunch with the children. Then we do a family activity like going to the zoo, or some other activity that the children will like.

All families have challenges in life, what challenges have you and your family overcome?

Our family has many of the same challenges as most families. Zach and Mackenzie’s favorite past time is tormenting each other. The ups and downs of family life. Our son has a mild Autism Spectrum Disorder.

There is the component of our family of being same sex parents, which brings on its own challenges. We have faced people that don’t like us for the mere fact that we are same sex parents. However, we have had the opportunities to show people that we are really no different than anyone else.

It is important to us to meet the challenges head on and help people see that we are the same in the things that we want when it comes to family.

Talk to me about how you felt as parents before and after the ruling in your lawsuit challenging the state of Iowa’s refusal to issue an accurate birth certificate for your daughter Mackenzie?

When Mackenzie was born we were so happy. We were married so our assumption was

that both of us would be on her birth certificate. We filled out the paper work and thought that was it. When we got her birth certificate several months later it was devastating to see that they did not put me on the certificate.

So we contacted out lawyers. The rest is history. It felt wonderful when Judge Ovrum’s decision came in, in our favor.

It felt like she validated our family.

In the laws eye, we were a legitimate family. Then the other shoe dropped and the state appealed. Our case has been heard in the Iowa Supreme Court. We are praying that they comeback with a decision in our favor.

Tell us why a name on a birth certificate matters.

There are people that downplay the importance of a birth certificate. However, it is a legal document that establishes legal child and parent relationships. Without those relationships established there are many every day parental duties that you can’t do. Without my name on her certificate I cannot register her for school, I could be denied access to her if there was a medical crisis. If I wanted to fly to Chicago with her for a weekend I could not get out of the Des Moines airport with her, because to fly out of the airport with a minor you must have a birth certificate. If, god forbid, anything happened to Heather I would have to file guardianship with intent to adopt papers with the court—which is insulting.

What have the reactions been since the ruling?

Obviously our families are very happy with the decision, and are praying for the same results from the Supreme Court. During this journey we sometimes forget about the big picture impact our case has on others. However, others let us know. We have had very supportive reactions. People say thank you to us for what we are doing and we don’t know how to respond.

We forget we are not only doing this for our family. We would like to thank people in our community for their support.

What changes do you foresee happening nationally for same-sex couples and their families?

Our hope for same sex couples and their families on the national level is that all families will be treated with equal respect and protection under the law.

Our family may be different in the fact our kids have two moms, but all the other principles are the same.

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LILITH consensual BDSM community, which has monthly meetings and events. For more information go to CIPEX.org.

Lilith, talk to me about your Transition, what brought you to the place you are now?

Well the important thing to remember is that every Transition for every Trans person is different. We all experience different things that lead us to the realization that we aren’t exactly normal. I could really go on and on about myself and my Transition. It is quite a tale that could possibly take up the whole article.

And since we already have so much to talk about already it’s probably best if I just touch on it a little.

When did I first discover that I was Transgender, well I didn’t discover the term until I was 18. But I was always a little different than my male peers. And when I was 8 all I really, really wanted in life was to be a little girl. The thought of being a little boy, and becoming a man was so repulsive. But I didn’t know how to word those feelings, or even if I should—I felt alone. When I was 12 my step-father called me into the living room to ask me a question about a Jerry Springer show that was playing. He asked me if I felt if any of the women on the TV. were beautiful. I’m sure you could guess what the subject matter was on that particular episode.

And when I answered yes, I was told that I was a faggot. Sorry for the derogatory language. But it set in me the fear that there was something very wrong with me—deeply and completely wrong…it held me back forever. I would pray to wake up as a woman, and I would pray for death because I just couldn’t stand the way my body was changing. When I was 19 I prayed for a sign for something to help me, and a friend who didn’t even know what I was going through personally, opened up to me about their own experience. I don’t believe in coincidences. And it taught me that I wasn’t alone, that nothing was wrong with me. So I brought it up to my mother... there was a fight…and I was set back again. Later after I moved out I met a girl who said she loved me but couldn’t love me like that... and so I tried, really, really tried to be male—for her. Because Love makes you do stupid things. It went poorly... to put it mildly. And by the time it was over I thought I was too old to Tran-

MAY 2013 sition. Death wasn’t an option because I just couldn’t hurt everyone like that. So I decided that I could at least be unhappy the rest of my life. Now when I was 26, I went to an anime convention that I hadn’t been to in 2 years, because of the poor relationship I was in. And there I got to hang out with my friend Joan, who I had known since 2005. But the last time I had seen her, she was a big man named Josh.

And before me sat a tall, shapely blonde woman—it was incredible. She’s around my age so it gave me hope. Joan saved my life, in that I was shown that I could still become the woman I needed to be at my age. And that’s what led me to where I am now. Joan gave me her Doctor’s number and I took it, and well here I am.

Did you always have an interest in BDSM? Oh that’s easy. I’m a big Anime nerd, and there are tons of BDSM undertones in plenty of the series I watched growing up, and as an adult I recognize them now.

I guess it always made me curious.

Was coming out as kinky similar to coming out as Transgendered?

The Japanese have a saying “Sono no kame to tsuki”, which means “That’s Turtle and Moon” meaning they are incomparable. It’s not the same or similar. I can choose to come out as kinky. Coming out as Trans wasn’t and isn’t always up to me or on my terms. Like when I’m asked for my license, my name isn’t legally changed so everything I do is under my legal name which so very completely male. People don’t look at me and know I’m kinky, they do however know I’m Trans. And it’s not something that I can’t hide. Gas station clerks, back tellers, police officer, all these people have an inside to a part of me and make judgments on me based solely on my Trans status. They can only judge my kinky status if I allow them to know about it.

What is it like to be Transgendered and kinky?

This is kind of hard to answer. When I first became a part of the BDSM community as a Trans person, I was expecting a lot of support and acceptance…I did and I didn’t get this. A couple of months ago I got into a huge fight with the group known as ClubFEM, which caters to females who enjoy Dominating and sissifying men.

Many Trans women want to be a part of this, because they enjoy the same things.

However, ClubFEM is completely exclu-

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Section 1: News & Politics

MAY 2013

ACCESSline Page 5

From the Heartland by Donna Red Wing, Executive Director One Iowa We are Winning

I am writing this from a beach in Cabos San Lucas. Yes, even activists and organizers take vacations! I have been coming to this wonderful place for thirteen years, now. Sumitra and I have made many friends, both Mexicans from the area and folks vacationing from around the world.

This year something is different.

When we connected with our Colorado friends, Sandi and Rose, who were staying in the resort next to ours, they mentioned how s t ra i g h t couples seemed to seek them out, make a point of saying hello.

Within a couple of days we also noticed that friendliness. Older American couples were welcoming; they assumed we were a couple, asked how long we had been together. Some seemed eager to tell us about that one (fill in the blank with co-worker, cousin, colleague or college mate) person in their life who was LGBT. Were we now the ‘new normal’?

These folks, many years after their more progressive friends, were seeking us out.

We were, along with our queer friends, the “it” couples.

Even in the States, when we spoke to family members and old friends about our upcoming nuptials, more than a few remarked, with some excitement, that this would be their first same-gender marriage.

What is going on?

A few day ago little Rhode Island showed its great heart by becoming

the final New England state to embrace marriage equality. We are all looking at Delaware and Minnesota. A friend wrote on his Facebook page that it was time to change the Minnesota Marriage by Next Year slogan to Marriage by Next Month.

We are winning. Let me say that again.

We are winning. Its something we need to get used to. And, of course, we must consider, as individuals and as a movement, what kind of winners we want to be.

Most of us have, at some point, experienced harassment, bullying, discrimination, even violence.

Some of us have been the target of a kind of radical homophobia that has left us angry and afraid while some of us were, in turn, radicalized. Some lost families and their faith. Some emerged out of the closet with a fabulous courage that should never be underestimated, while others remained— hidden and silent for a lifetime. We did what we had to do.

We know, that even as we win marriage equality state by state, even as we anticipate the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and Proposition 8 rulings, even as we move forward in ways we could not have imagined a decade ago; there will be push back. Our opponents will not give in easily and the ‘last gasps of the dying beast’ (homophobia) may well be a backlash that is bizarre at best and at worst, horrific. We need to prepare for that even as we remember that we are winning.

Just the other day a few Iowa state legislators wanted to slash the salaries of the remaining 2009 Supreme Court judges to

We are winning. Its something we need to get used to. And, of course, we must consider, as individuals and as a movement, what kind of winners we want to be.

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SHEPARD from Huxley, Sam Pittfrom Williamsburg, Christopher Reisingfrom Le Mars, Jade Riley from Sioux City andShelby Woolison from Davenport have been named 2013 Silver Matthew Shepard Scholars. Ella Daft from Newton, Dan Kaublefrom Coralville and Christopher Krebill from Donnellson have been named Gold Matthew Shepard Scholars.

Iowa’s Silver Matthew Shepard Schol-

arship is an award of up to $9,000 over four years and Iowa’s Gold Matthew Shepard Scholarship is an award of up to $40,000 over four years.

Alicia Claypool has been named the 2013 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Scholarships and the Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented at Iowa’s 2013 Matthew Shepard Scholarship Awards Dinner. Tickets are on sale now at www.mssad.org.

penalize them for the Varnum ruling and “maintain the balance of power” between the three branches of government. And State Senator Dennis Guth took advantage of “points of personal privilege” a few weeks ago to make horrific comments about the LGBT community, describing how he feels his family has been hurt and how civilizations have fallen by what he describes as the “homosexual lifestyle.” He then went on to say that that the “lifestyle” was “a lie, and a health risk, like smoking.

What?

In the next few years we have, I believe, an obligation to continue to tell our stories; to put a voice and a face to what people think when they think of us. Will we disarm our opponents; disarm them with the truth? Will we figure out what kind of winners we will be? Will we make room for our opponents, is there a place and a space for them in our world? Does the ‘new normal’ include them? And how?

How will we write the next chapter of our struggle for equality? Will we celebrate the wins and rejoice in the ‘new normal’? Will we remember those who came before us, the gay and lesbian, transgender and bisexual persons who had the courage and the tenacity to get us to this place? We know some of their names and some we will never know. They had no agent, no manager, no public relations firm to hold them up. They had only their lives and the raw courage to be who they were in circumstances that were unthink-

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NEWS Circuit by a vote of 96-0.

President Barack Obama nominated Jane Kelly to serve on the Eighth Circuit–the jurisdiction of which includes Iowa–on January 31. She brings diversity and strong experience to the Court as the first former public defender, and only the second woman, to ever sit on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

On April 10, Senator Grassley introduced the “Court Efficiency Act,” S.699, which would, if enacted, eliminate three of the 11 judges from the D.C. Circuit, and add one seat each to the Second Circuit and the 11th Circuit.

Amendment that would cut pay of qualified Iowa Supreme Court Justices

Five Representatives in the Iowa House—including Representatives Tom Shaw and Dwayne Alons–introduced an outlandish amendment, House File 120, to reduce the pay of Iowa Supreme Court justices involved in the unanimous 2009 Varnum v. Brien decision that ruled in favor of marriage for gay and lesbian couples in the state.

Statement from One Iowa Executive Director Donna Red Wing: “This amendment is absurd. While Representatives Shaw and Alons claim this isn’t punitive, it is clear that they are pursuing a radical agenda against the Iowa

Donna Red Wing is the Executive Director of One Iowa. She served as Executive Director of Grassroots Leadership, as Chief of Staff at Interfaith Alliance, she was a member of the Obama’s kitchen cabinet on LGBT concerns, and was Howard Dean’s outreach liaison to the LGBT communities. Red Wing was the first recipient of the Walter Cronkite Award for Faith & Freedom. Red Wing serves on the national board of the Velvet Foundation, which is building the national LGBT museum in Washington, DC. Contact Donna at OneIowa.org or donna@oneiowa.org. able, in times that were dangerous. Will we remember them?

As I sit on this beach, where the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean come together, I realize that I really don’t have many answers, not yet. And so, I will let my new friends buy me a beer. They want to know how Sumitra and I met.

Supreme Court.

The justices who ruled in Varnum v.

Brien did their jobs when they upheld the promise of equal protection for all Iowans.

And now, Representatives Shaw and Alons and the three cosponsors are crying foul.

These Representatives are completely out-of-touch with what Iowans want and expect from their public servants. Voters retained Justice Wiggins, and majority support for the freedom to marry continues to grow.

It is time these so-called Representatives get back to serving the public and stop wasting taxpayers’ time and money on this childish vendetta.”

Zach Wahls in Scouts for Equality Video

Scouts for Equality (SFE) is launching a series of videos discussing why it is so crucial for the Boy Scouts to work towards a full inclusion policy and drop their antigay ban. Their first video features Eagle Scout Zach Wahls discussing his experiences as a scout with two moms.

The Community of Christ votes to Perform LGBT Marriages

The Community of Christ—an offshoot of the Mormon Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints—voted by more than the requisite majority to begin performing marriage ceremonies for lesbian and gay couples in states where

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ACCESSline Page 6

Section 1: News & Politics

MAY 2013

Remarkables by Jonathan Wilson A Rose is a Rose and a Lie is a Lie

In the Bystander, a newspaper predominantly catering to the black community, a purchased ad has been repeatedly published on behalf of the Polk County Republican Party. The ad is titled, “Wisdom from a Respected Republican” and attributes to Abraham Lincoln that following quotation: “You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn. You cannot build character and courage b y taking away man’s initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.”

The problem is that Abraham Lincoln—certainly a respected Republican—never said those words. To say that he did is a lie, pure and simple. And, if someone lies to you about one thing, it’s reasonable to assume that they will lie to you about other things as well. It’s like cockroaches; if you see one you know that the walls are full of them.

The repeatedly published ad goes on to say, “Your Voice—Your Community— Your Party.” Readers of the publication should assume that’s a lie as well, and it is. The Republican Party in recent years has espoused public policies decidedly contrary to the clear interests of people of color; the interests of the poor and disadvantaged; the interests of wage earners; the interests of the elderly; the interests of immigrants; the interests of tax-paying, lawabiding gay children of God; and the interests of those who fall victim to mass murders using high capacity assault weapons that have no purpose other than to kill people. The list is almost endless and the only good thing that can be said is that the Republican Party platform is mostly consistent. It is also said, and rightly, that a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.

The Party opposes fairer taxes on those most able to pay. The Party favors cuts in spending on social programs. The Party favors elimination of inheritance taxes so that deadbeat offspring of the rich can stay that way more comfortably.

The Party opposes affirmative action to

rectify decades of government-sanctioned discrimination against people of color. The Party opposes adequate and equitable funding for free quality public education and supports vouchers for private schools at the expense of public schools.

The Party espouses tax deductions that reward the export of American jobs. The Party opposes increases in the minimum wage.

The Party favors deregulation of business and industry in order to enhance profits, but at greater risk to consumers.

The Party opposes any ban on high capacity assault weapons and universal background checks for all gun purchases. The Party consistently tries to make voting more, not less, difficult, to the disadvantage of minority voters. In short, the Party wants to continue its guerilla war on the lower and middle class while condemning class warfare. The resulting income disparities have become glaring to the point of unconscionability.

The tag line: “Your Voice—Your Community—Your Party” is a joke, and a bad one at that. It’s made no less so by tying it to a misquotation of Abraham Lincoln.

Spring is the essence of renewal, growth, and beginnings in a season that is defined by constant changes in weather patterns. Spring is a great time to do some house cleaning and yard work. Along with physical clutter, this is a time of opportunities to throw out bad habits and grudges. This idea kept coming to mind when I heard Rev. Miller-Coleman remark in sermon at Plymouth UCC in Des Moines that, “We have so much treasure laid up in the coin of the old order and we live in a place where that old order appears to prevail.” These words in her sermon resonate throughout our lives about how we should embrace change in our lives.

Whether we call it change or repentance, this involves turning around and opening our eyes to the good possibilities of life. In order to change, we must let go of the “old order” whatever that may be in our lives.

That is simply the beginning, and each new day reasserts that positive repentance and change. With the season of spring, we have metaphors about what this theme means for removing clutter.

We also know that a moment of clarity (or the proverbial “ah-ha” moment) is something that addicts refer as a point of realization to change destructive habits (both action and thought). Those first rays of warm spring can feel like blessed events. In these moments, that someone realizes the path taken needs to change. In those moments, the clarity can also be a realization that what one was thinking

is not true. This can be a painful and frightful experience that overwhelms people.

Change may seem to be daunting, dangerous and frightening like springtime storms, but change is necessary no less. The time and energy we spend fearing and avoiding change could be used more positively in embracing what is inevitable and adapting to the change in our most opportune ways.

Then, change will be less fierce and less destructive to us because experience is a teacher to even the foolish. History is familiar and a useful aid for the current as well as the future. Yet, if you are only focused upon the successes and failures of the past, there is little chance to understand and to improve upon what is happening now.

Like cats, we can shed our coats, but we can do more. We can examine our lives by vetting our thoughts and actions today with respect to positive change. In this time of year, we can become a “new” person by turning away from poor habits, addictions or bad attitudes. We remove those bonds in order to transform our lives.

Remove the resistance to change that stems from holding onto the old order “treasure” regardless of having any sort of value.

Hoarding angers, bitterness or hatreds do not get you closer to happiness nor does that help you become a better you. Release that clutter in our lives, and open our minds along with our actions so that we can enjoy more of the beauty in the world that unfolds before us.

Whether we have been hurt, discriminated, or wronged, the duty then does not fall upon us to conduct more ugly behavior upon others or even ourselves. Proper amends should not include more poor, unhealthy, or ugly decisions.

Further, we should be less concerned about judging others, should not turn to exclusion (individually or creating exclusive clubs). This is true especially in the LGBT community whether marked by treasure or egos. Practicing exclusivity within an already discriminated community is like driving on the wrong way of a highway. It is inconsiderate and reckless. Chances are that people are going to be hurt. In reality, exclusion is part of the “old order” which never had real value.

We can consider spring as a reminder that the path is not always the way we envision. Nature does not obey what we think or want. We know this, especially in spring, because a day may look inviting and graceful when a powerful destructive storm arrives without notice. To envision a changed and more positive person within us, we must be able to weather those storms in our lives.

Here, the difficult, along with the grace, are to be experienced one day at a time. This is because the journey and the quest are more important than the actual findings. As well, the opportunity to clean house or to adjust to a new environment is available to us always.

That is because our key is always within our reach, and that opportunity never closes. The longer we wait to use that, however, the longer we hold onto the shackles and the “coin of the old order.”

In spring, we can celebrate life renewed.

We can take each new day as an expression of the possibilities that are waiting. We can find

If someone lies to you about one thing, it’s reasonable to assume that they will lie to you about other things as well. It’s like cockroaches; if you see one you know that the walls are full of them.

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.

Spring Forward by Tony Dillon-Hansen

Whether we have been hurt, discriminated, or wronged, the duty then does not fall upon us to conduct more ugly behavior upon others or even ourselves.

Tony E Dillon-Hansen is a web developer, organizer, researcher, writer, martial artist, and vocalist from Des Moines. For more information go to tigersnapdragons.com. those parts of our lives that have real value (both to ourselves and to those around us.)

Spring reminds us that the path is not always sunshine with the constant threat of storms.

Yet, we do not need to run our lives in fear of storms. They, too, offer an opportunity for positive change.

May you enjoy your spring and may the storms along your journey be light. Most of all may your spring cleaning help you renew exciting parts of life and discover those elements that have true wealth and value. Let us not cower behind fictitious visions of what we want or what we think should be. Instead, let us embrace what change and opportunities are waiting. With a clear mind, we do not have to carry heavy clutter. With a clear mind and shackles released, we can spring forward.

Section 1: News & Politics

MAY 2013

ACCESSline Page 7

Shrink Rap by Loren A Olson MD Dr. Olson, I believe there are reasons for my attraction to older men. I get turned on by the thought of sexually pleasing them. My wires got crossed somewhere around 14 when my Dad died and I needed a father.

I’m not sure I would be gay if I had been closer to my father. I think I would, but then I would like guys my own age. What do you think?

Mike Dear Mike, Research up to now has failed to demonstrate any explanation for homosexuality so I don’t believe that your father’s death caused you to be gay. The explanation that makes the most sense to me is that there are biologic, development and social elements that influence the expression of our sexuality and that these influences vary from one individual to the next.

I lost my own father when I was three and for many years I also believed this was the explanation for what I thought of as

my “incompletely developed” masculinity.

Many of us have unsuccessfully looked for an explanation.

Many men express difficulty in their relationships with their father, although definitely not all. But is this cause or effect?

If a boy has gender atypical interests, it may create difficulty in finding common grounds for a relationship with a father who has more traditionally masculine ones. Our relationships with our parents do not cause homosexuality but may influence how it is expressed.

I hear from many men who are only attracted to older men and wonder why.

Although some have had a “distant” father, it is not at all universally true, and some heterosexuals also experience intergenerational sexual attraction. Although people involved in “reparative therapy” have focused on “correcting” the experience of a distant father, no evidence supports

that it causes a person to be gay, and some men have been significantly harmed by attempts to “repair the damage.”

In my discussions with men in intergenerational relationships, I frequently hear the younger man express a wish to please the older man. I hear it frequently enough to believe a correlation exists, but correlations do not prove causations.

Oxytocin is a hormone that is produced in significant amounts by women following a pregnancy; it is thought to be responsible for motherchild bonding. I am suspicious, but have no evidence, that this hormone (which is also produced in men) might play a role.

Although our relationship with our parents plays a significant role in our development, it doesn’t cause us to be gay or straight but it likely plays a role in how we relate to the ways our sexuality expresses itself.

Hillary Clinton has made known her support for gay marriage. Her voice is added to that of President Obama at a time when he was seeking re-election.

A guy I know said, in a tone intended to be disparaging, that Obama’s endorsement of gay marriage was not the culmination of an evolving view on the subject as Obama claimed but, rather, a crass political calculation in order to help him get re-elected. Help him get re-elected!

On its face the comment was intended to insult Obama and impugn his motives.

On its face the comment was intended to suggest that the president did not genuinely support gay marriage—as if no one could possibly do such a thing on the merits, or as if no one could legitimately have their opinions evolve on the subject.

The comment, however, delivered a secondary message—a concession of

sorts. The comment conceded that public opinion is shifting on the subject and at an astonishing pace. Frankly, I hope it’s true that Obama, and Clinton as well, made the political calculation that it would be more advantageous politically to favor gay marriage than to continue opposing it. I for one don’t care all that much about the motivation that prompts someone to do the right thing. Oh, obviously, I don’t want someone to be tortured into doing the right thing or to be led there by extortion.

But making a political calculation in a democracy, where the will of the people within a constitutional framework is supposed to be what matters, that’s a different story. That’s what is supposed to happen.

I’m okay if, in reality, Obama doesn’t personally like the idea of gay marriage, or would personally prefer that that level of citizen equality not be recognized. I don’t

think that’s the reality; I think that Obama’s previously expressed reticence was a political calculation that masked his personal belief in equal access to marriage—in equal rights—in equal meaning equal. I think he knew, as so many have come to do, that gay marriage was the logical extension of our constitutional principles of equality as more and more has been understood about lawabiding, hard-working, tax-paying, patriotic gay children of God. The most recent polls indicate that it would not have been nuclear physics to make the political calculation that there are more votes to be had in supporting gay marriage than there are by opposing it. With three states approving gay marriage equality by popular referendum, and another attempt to write discrimination into a state constitution going down to defeat, The Obama-Clinton political calculation seems well-founded. The trend line, in part because of how rapidly the public mind is changing, is unmistakable and approaching two-thirds of the population in favor of gay marriage. The public has seen the truth as gay marriages have proliferated and none of the hyped adverse consequences have materialized.

Most recently, conservative Ohio Senator Portman has joined the ranks of gay marriage supporters. I’ve heard members of the gay community criticize him for coming to that conclusion only after (years after) his son disclosed to Portman that he is gay.

So what if it’s true? If he gets it right, it’s still right. Skin in the game always makes folks more serious about it. I suspect that he was motivated by having a gay son and emboldened by a political calculation that mirrors the one made by Obama and Clinton.

In a democracy, the popular will is

Our relationships with our parents do not cause homosexuality but may influence how it is expressed.

Loren A. Olson MD is a board certified psychiatrist in the clinical practice of psychiatry for over 35 years. Dr. Olson has conducted research on mature gay and bisexual men for his book, Finally Out: Letting Go of Living Straight, a Psychiatrist’s Own Story. He has presented on this subject at conferences across the United States and Internationally. His blog, MagneticFire. com, has a strong following among mature gay and bisexual men. He established Prime Timers of Central Iowa, a social organization for mature gay/bisexual men. For more information go to FinallyOutBook.com or contact him on Facebook.com.

Popular Demand in a Democracy by Jonathan Wilson

The public has seen the truth as gay marriages have proliferated and none of the hyped adverse consequences have materialized.

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. ultimately supposed to carry the day. As Churchill said, “Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing...after they have exhausted all other possibilities.”

Equal access to marriage is materializing before our eyes; all other possibilities have been exhausted. And in my lifetime.

It can’t be called comprehensive immigration reform if we’re not included.Otherwise it’s not comprehensive. We’re a family like any other family—we should have the rights that any other family has. ~Samuel Conlon in regards to the Uniting American Families Act that would allow gay U.S. residents to help their spouses become legal residents as well.

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Section 1: News & Politics

MAY 2013

When HIV is used against the LGBT Community by Paul Whannel Last month, Iowa Sen. Guth made remarks that swept the country. I’ll skip over the absurdness of his implications that being LGBT is a choice, as we all know the fallacy in that argument. What upsets me is that he sees gay and bi men as unhealthy because of increased risk for HIV. African Americans and Latinos are also at increased risk for HIV infection. Would he sit an African American teenager down and tell him it’s not a good idea to grow up Black because of increased HIV risk?

This man is not interested in keeping people HIV negative—he’s interested in making HIV a political weapon. This is rhetoric we’ve seen before, and we cannot allow it to continue.

A couple of years back, radio personality Jan Mickelson attacked the Iowa HIV Alliance’s anti-stigma work, saying that we should aggressively increase stigma attached to HIV. His logic was that fear of HIV will keep people from ‘becoming’ gay or using IV drugs.

Having worked at the forefront of behavioral HIV prevention for years, I can say very few people think about HIV before they engage in risky behavior, chosen or otherwise.

Stigmatizing HIV serves two very different purposes. For anti-gay politicians, it allows them to attack LGBT people in a new way. They think we’re not prepared to handle these attacks. Secondly, HIV stigma decreases discussions about HIV status, testing, and the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. I don’t know about you, but I

don’t consider it acceptable to undermine HIV prevention and care efforts to further a mean-spirited political agenda. I have a suspicion younger voters don’t consider it acceptable either. Perhaps that’s why, at the time I’m writing this article, Sen. Guth is asking Sen. McCoy to sit down for lunch.

I hope his intentions are genuine and not a thinly-veiled attempt at damage control.

So what about the meat of his statements, that gay and bi men are at increased risk of HIV infection?

Sadly, he’s using real statistics here. In 2012, in Iowa, gay and bi men represented 61% of new HIV infections, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. That’s downright alarming.

Is it really because we’re evil, or that God is punishing us? Or that we’re more promiscuous? We know better. Anal sex is simply more efficient at transmitting the virus. Add on some alcohol and substance abuse, which wreaks havoc in the LGBT community, and it’s a perfect storm. There are reasons LGBT people are more susceptible to alcohol and substance abuse, but that’s for another article.

A new study by the Journal of Health and Social Behavior shows that same-sex couples nation-wide are less healthy than married heterosexuals. That sounds like it

lends credence to Guth’s comments, but the cause is quite different.

“Most of those people in the cohabiting relationships cannot be legally married, so they cannot get the resources related to marriage—for example the health insurance benefits from their spouses. This is not good for their health.” Says Hui Liu, lead study author. “It is also possible that the same-sex couples suffer higher levels of discrimination and higher levels of stress which may also affect their physical health.”

So it appears legal equality, especially marriage equality, leads to healthier LGBT people. I wonder if Guth will take that into account and support Iowa’s marriage equality—for the health of gay and bi men that he seems so concerned about.

So aside from hoping for a politician’s change of heart, what can we do to fight this new form of political HIV stigma? Know the real reason gay and bi men are at higher risk, which I’ve just told you. Most importantly, stop ignoring HIV prevention and stop acting like HIV has gone away. It’s rising year after year, and prevention workers can lecture until we lose our voices. It’s up to you to listen. It might not be something you want to think about much, but it’s not going to disappear by itself. We can stop these stigmatizing political attacks by picking up the torch for

Another former professional athlete has came out last month—6’, 7” Jamaicanborn NFL offensive tackle Kwame Harris.

With news of LGBT equality in the news daily, one may wonder why this is news at all. But it is. The world of sports is quickly becoming the last closet, where gays and lesbians hide their sexual orientation. In a homophobic testosterone-driven sport, like American football, Harris‘s concealment is understandable.

The African American community desperately needs openly LGBT public role models. We need them to come out and denounce antihomophobic bullying, vitriol, and discrimination.

Very few role models have come from the Black Church.

That leaves many of us lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) brothers and sisters of African descent looking to black role models, especially males, in the areas of entertainment and sports.

But sadly, that list too is short, which is why I applaud Harris. It’s important to note that, to date, no NFL player has come out while still in the game.

NFL Players Association president, Domonique Foxworth, thinks Harris’s coming out will encourage those players in the game to follow suit, but Seahawks defensive end Chris Clemons queries any future gay players motive for doing so.

“I’m not against anyone but I think it’s [coming out] a selfish act. They just trying to make themselves bigger than the team,” Clemons told Danny O’Neil of the “Seattle Times.”

Clemons cloaks his homophobic tirade as a gay player’s ploy to draw attention away from the team and toward himself.

“That’s one of the primary reasons no player has done it. Football players want to play football, and they generally don’t want to create a distraction for themselves or others on the team Even if teammates have no issue with a player being honest about who he is, some teammates won’t understand why the player felt compelled to grab a megaphone and let the world know private, personal information that results in a microphone eventually being stuck in all their faces,” Mike Floro posted on NBC Sports blog “Pro Football Talk.”

The only way to allow LGBTQ athletes to openly engage in their sport of choice is to purge homophobic stereotypes from its milieu. But not all sports are open to it.

Harris said one of the reasons for staying in the closet about his sexual orientation was because both his college and professional environments made it impossible to come out without derailing his career.

Harris told AP “his mind went to ‘dark

places at times’ as he struggled with his secret identity” because “ being gay and being a professional football player in the NFL were ‘incompatible.’”

Harris knows that homophobia espoused by his African American sports professionals like Clemons is shaped by a particular type of black masculinity that no longer has to break through this country’s color barrier to represent the race and prove athletic prowess or manhood in sports.

It is now a black hyper-masculinity and urban aesthetic shaped by hip-hop culture and “video-mercials” that not only exploit women, but also unabashedly denigrate and go after lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. And they care little about its deleterious effects on all children—straight and gay.

The aggressive posturing and repudiation of LGBTQ people allows these athletes to feel safe in the locker room by maintaining the myth that all the guys gathered on their team are heterosexual, and sexual attraction among them just does not exist.

This myth allows homophobic teammates to enjoy the homo-social setting of the male locker room that creates malebonding—and the physical and emotional intimacy that goes on among them.

The homo-erotic slaps on the buttocks, hugging, and kissing on the cheek that happen on the field and locker room would be labeled gay anywhere else. LGBTQ professional athletes must constantly monitor how they are being perceived by teammates, coaches, and endorsers to avoid suspicion. They are expected to

This man is not interested in keeping people HIV negative—he’s interested in making HIV a political weapon.

Paul Whannel is the executive director and co-founder of the Midwestern AIDS Project, a nonprofit working to replace Iowa’s lost HIV prevention programs and improve quality of life for Iowans living with HIV/AIDS. HIV again. The LGBT community was the first responders to the HIV crisis. Have we completely lost touch with the issue?

I’ll end with a tongue-in-cheek comment Rupert Everett made to The Guardian regarding his perception of the change in sexual liberation in the heterosexual community: “They’ve become like homosexuals!

They cruise for sex, they have random sex; that’s a huge shift even from the ’60s, which people called liberated, but it was done in a very connected way. Now the straights have become cruisers, and the homosexuals are all getting married and having kids.”

Another tackle in the world of homophobic sports by Rev. Irene Monroe

The only way to allow LGBTQ athletes to openly engage in their sport of choice is to purge homophobic stereotypes from its milieu. But not all sports are open to it.

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 African-American 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. maintain a public silence so that their identity does not tarnish the rest of the team.

Whenever discrimination is the culprit for barring great athletes from competing openly, it is not only the athletes who miss out, but so, too, the world.

For example, male synchronized swimmers, unfortunately, are still barred

TTMONROE cont’d page 9

Section 1: News & Politics

MAY 2013

ACCESSline Page 9

Minor Details by Robert Minor Mother’s Day, and A Lot Else, Ain’t What it Use to Be

Nations have a habit of sanctifying people and events that might otherwise disturb the system by cleaning them up so that their memories actually celebrate and promote the status quo, especially its business. When President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed May 9, 1914, the first Mother’s Day, asking Americans on that day to give a public “thank you” to their and all mothers, the holiday was sanitized so it wouldn’t challenge our socio-economic system but actually further its consumerism.

Activist, writer, and poet Julia Ward Howe first proposed the idea of an official celebration of Mothers Day in the United States in 1872. She was best known for her famous Civil War song, “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

In response to the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War, Howe proposed that June 2nd be celebrated annually as Mothers Day so that on that day mothers could rally to end all war. In Boston in 1870, in a “Mothers Day Proclamation,”—which would never make it onto a Mother’s Day card—she set the stage for the holiday by appealing to women to leave their housework for a day in order

to stand up against the forces that send men off to kill each other.

“Arise, then, Christian women of this day!” her proclamation read. “Arise all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be of water or of tears! Say firmly: ‘We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.

We, women of one country, will be too tender to those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs….’

“As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.

Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace… each bearing after his time the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God….”

Howe initiated a Mothers’ Peace Day observance on the second Sunday in June in Boston and held that meeting for a number of years. She worked tirelessly championing the cause of an official celebration of Mothers Day. The holiday caught on years later

The establishment got scared then. Today they act as if they were always on board, but that’s the tamed version.

when a West Virginia women’s group led by community activist Anna Reeves Jarvis began promoting it as a way to reunite families after the Civil War. After Jarvis’ death, her daughter devoted much of her life to a campaign for the creation of an official Mother’s Day in honor of peace.

Jarvis’s idea spread, replaced by the Mothers’ Day holiday celebrated each May. That culminated in President Wilson’s less radical proclamation that put mothers back in their homemaking place.

Jarvis remained strongly opposed to every aspect of the holiday’s commercialization, was actually arrested for protesting the sale of flowers, and petitioned to stop the creation of a Mother’s Day postage stamp. But the holiday flourished, along with flower sales.

The business journal, the Florists Review, actually admitted: “This was a holiday that could be exploited.” And when Jarvis was removed by the police after protesting the sale of white carnations at a 1930s meeting of the American War Mothers, the Florists’ Review crowed: “Miss Jarvis was completely squelched.”

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has similarly tamed memories of King’s message so as not to threaten the socio-economic system. Today it focuses on individuals accepting and tolerating one other.

“I have a Dream” is used to take the pressure off of institutional and economic exploitation. Seldom, if ever will the words King spoke before the Memphis garbage workers strike be heard, or his famous condemnations of the Viet Nam War and America’s whole war-profiting machine.

How often have we heard the untamed King on the day he is honored? Certainly not when corporate sponsorships are involved.

Missing, for example would be: “We must honestly admit that capitalism has often left a gulf between superfluous wealth and abject poverty, has created conditions permitting necessities to be taken from the many to give luxuries to the few, and has encouraged small hearted men to become cold and conscienceless so that, like Dives before Lazarus, they are unmoved by suffering, poverty-stricken humanity…. The profit motive, when it is the sole basis of an economic system, encourages a cut-throat competition and selfish ambition that inspires men to be more I-centered than thou-centered.”

No group knew the devastation Ronald Reagan was bringing down upon

SScontinued from page 8

MONROE from competing in the Olympics. A month before the London 2012 Olympic Games began, Out To Swim, Britain’s gay male synchro team, wrote a letter to the International Olympic Committee and FINA, the international federation governing body of swimming, contesting that males deserve to compete in synchronized swimming, and their discriminatory rules need to be changed in time for the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro.

I could have never imaged an openly gay professional boxer. Then I found Orlando Cruz.

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. gay people better than ACT-UP (the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power). Today they’re even being fondly remembered while back then it was the extremely radical actions they did that drew attention to the deaths around them, offended the mainstream establishment, and scared the medical and political community into doing something People are dieing and nothing is being done, they screamed. Drug companies are only interested in profiting from the plague and politicians want gay people to go away, they shouted. “Silence” they knew “equals death.”

Even the mainstream LGBT community looked down on their tactics. But it became clear that their radical actions could only be tamed if people started listening.

The establishment got scared then.

Today they act as if they were always on board, but that’s the tamed version.

And as society continues to tame groups that threaten the system, including some LGBT movements, the historical reality is that the most radical groups and people are responsible for forcing causes upon us. Their radicalism has often been the reason why the system has listened to more moderate voices in an attempt to tame those who could otherwise force more basic changes that could really transform our system into one that’s at its heart is people-oriented, not profit-oriented.

Cruz is not only fierce in the ring but he is also fierce for having the courage to come out. As an old bastion of heterosexual masculinity, Cruz as well as today’s female boxers are breaking down walls and dispelling stereotypes. While Orlando Cruz is not the only gay professional boxer in the history of the sport; he is, however, the first to make it public.

In Oct. 2012 this 31-year-old Puerto Rican featherweight was revving up to challenge Mexican boxer Jorge Pazos for the World Boxing Organization’s (WBO) Latino title. Cruz had more than a good chance at it. He won. And the first to knock out a stereotype.

Harris is doing the same.

Section 1: News & Politics

ACCESSline Page 10

MAY 2013

Just Sayin’ by Beau Fodor Inspiration from Drag Pageantry

Drag pageantry is a highly developed form of pageantry for female impersonators and trans women and men, styled after traditional beauty pageants or beauty contests.

National drag pageants became enmeshed within the gay community during the 1970s and have become increasingly prevalent since. The first drag pageants were held in individual gay bars, and discothèques during the post Stonewall era. Drag pageants evolved independently, in the decade subsequent to the first gay Mardi Gras coronations.

Once upon a time, back in the early 80’s, I was into a nomadicly-chic circuit, called the “Radical Fairies”. While my Transgender boyfriend was transitioning from Male-toFemale I did a season of Drag Shows with him, at Rainbow Gatherings, from Seattle to Miami. Then he died from AIDS and my world turned upside-down, and life took me into a decade of civil disobedience with ACT-UP.

Since then, I haven’t really been into the whole “Drag Scene”, except doing “scream -drag” (purposely looking as hideous as possible) on a few of the national “AIDS RIDES” and benefits. Yet some of my best friends are and have been female impersonators. Recently I have even found motivation and inspiration from the likes of Tyona Diamond, Nikki Love, and Stinketta Beaverhausen of Des Moines, Iowa.

But, I never had been to a Pageant before, until earlier this year. I really didn’t know what to expect, and thanks to the uber-talented Sasha Belle, I was afforded the luxury of back-stage access and up-close and personal insights about the world of the professionally produced All-American Goddess Pageant.

I got to chat one-on-one that night with the absolutely fabulous and incred-

Yet some of my best friends are and have been female impersonators.

Recently I have even found motivation and inspiration from the likes of Tyona Diamond, Nikki Love, and Stinketta Beaverhausen of Des Moines, Iowa.

Creep of the Week

by D’Anne Witkowski

Louie Gohmert

There are few topics that raise the collective temperatures of Americans on all sides as much as gun control and gay marriage. At first blush, it seems like the two debates are separate without much to connect them. I mean, shooting people and marrying people are pretty different things.

So it would take a real master of rhetoric to combine the two in one astounding argument.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet United States Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-Texas, duh), member of the newly minted Tea Party Unity organization.

While discussing gun control in a recent conference call he addressed the idea that the number of rounds in a magazine should be limited to, say, ten, because, fun fact, you can kill and maim an awful lot of people in a very short amount of time when you don’t have to stop and reload.

Gohmert responded, “Well, once you make it ten, then why would you draw the line at ten? What’s wrong with nine?

Or eleven? And the problem is once you draw that limit. It’s kind of like marriage when you say it’s not a man and a woman any more, then why not have three men and one woman, or four women and one man, or why not somebody has a love for an animal?”

Yes, indeed it is “kind of like marriage” if you equate vowing to spend the rest of your life with someone and being legally recognized as a family with a large capacity magazine being emptied out into the bodies of people in order to kill them. And if Gohmert doesn’t see the difference between

ibly talented Dena and Natasha Cass (M.C.’s as well for the A.A.G. Pageant)—who left me in amazement. They opened my eyes to a world of camaraderie, Olympic-style competition, and passionate female impersonation.

Contestants from all over Iowa came to Des Moines and Le Boi bar, which owner David Lewis pulled-out all the stops for, and truly left me in awe.

I got to chat with contestants Chloe Belle (a three-time Miss Iowa U.S.of A. contestant as well), Janeeda DeMornay-Diamond (an actual runner-up that night), and Sasha Belle (who owns A.A.G., and is one of the most creative & professional performers I have ever seen).

Here are some “quotes” of what they had to say: Janeeda “I am Jacob Barrett and I represent the illusion of Janeeda Demornay Diamond. Pageants for me are about coming together. You are not only representing yourself but your community. Running for pageants is not something I intended to do,

those two things then I think he and his wife should really get some counseling, quick.

Of course, Gohmert isn’t content to just make a comparison between gun control and marriage control, he’s got to bring polygamy and bestiality into it, too, to show off his command of the slippery slope argumentative fallacy, a favorite among antigay conservatives.

Because if two women can get married then why not three men and four wives and six goats and a partridge in a pear tree? You can’t argue with—or follow, for that matter—logic like that.

Gohmert continued, “There is no clear place to draw the line once you eliminate the traditional marriage and it’s the same once you start putting limits on what guns can be used, then it’s just really easy to have laws that make them all illegal.”

Got that? Lines are hard and confusing!

And in Gohmert’s world are apparently all drawn in chalk in the middle of a rainstorm.

He seems to be forgetting that humans draw lines all of the time and, for the most part, all hell does not break loose. Take speed limits for example. States set the limits, we follow them, and if we don’t we can get pulled over and given a ticket. Speed limits also have changed over time, which is why Sammy Hagar’s “I Can’t Drive 55,” a cutting edge lament in 1984, is but a rock and roll relic today.

So you see? “Lines” (also known as laws) such as these are drawn and redrawn over time and the process does not involve humans having sex with animals of any kind. Unless, of course, they do things differently in Gohmert’s district in Texas.

Beau Fodor is the owner of PANACHE, an Iowa event and wedding planner who focuses specifically on weddings for the LGBT community. He can be reached at his blog www.panachepoints.com.

Photo courtesy of Toby Schuh Photography. but with a strong foundation of support you can do anything. The biggest impact I have had running was the support I received from my father, win or lose having that

TTBEAU FODOR continued page 30

Of course, Gohmert isn’t content to just make a comparison between gun control and marriage control, he’s got to bring polygamy and bestiality into it.

Janeeda Demornay Diamond. Photo courtesy of Photography by Blake Staake.

ACCESSline’s fun guide

Our Picks for May 5/1-12, The Temple Theater, Des Moines, Iowa, Broadway’s Next Hit Musical, DesMoinesPerformingArts.org 5/4, Belle’s Basix, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Cuatro de Mayo Show, Facebook.com/Basix.CedarRapids 5/4, North Iowa Events Center, Mason City, Iowa, River City Dames of Anarchy, DamesofAnarchy.com 5/10, Club CO2, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, NKOB: Prom Night Dress to Impress, Club-CO2.com 5/11, Scott Recital Hall, Omaha, Nebraska, Gretchen Parlato, OmahaPerformingArts.org 5/11, Grand Opera House, Dubuque, Iowa,

Heart in Motion interview by Chris Azzopardi

Two on Tap : Tribute to Great Song & Dance Acts, TheGrandOperaHouse.com 5/11, Figge Art Museum, Davenport, Iowa, Beaux Arts Fair, BeauxArtsFair.com

5/17, Vesterheim Museum, Decorah, Iowa, Syttende Mai Celebration, Vesterheim.org 5/18, Seven Oaks Recreation, Boone, Iowa, Gladiator Assault Challenge, SevenOaksRec.com 5/19, Civic Center, Des Moines, Iowa, Carol Burnett, DesMoinesPerformingArts.org 5/21, Civic Center, Des Moines, Iowa, The Trocks, DesMoinesPerformingArts.org 5/21, Orpheum Theatre, Sioux City, Iowa, The Addams Family, OrpheumLive.com 5/22, North Iowa Auditorium, Mason City, Iowa, West Side Story, WestSideStory.com 5/24, Des Moines Playhouse, Des Moines, Iowa, Lend Me a Tenor, DMPlayhouse.com 5/30, Studio 13, Iowa City, Iowa, I.C. Kings Show, Facebook.com/I.C.Kings

...and June

6/1, CRPridefest, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, NKOB Performances, CRPrideFest.com 6/2, Paramount Theatre, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Bill Maher, ParamountTheareCR.com

6/6, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Our Town, TheatreCR.org 6/7-23, Stoner Theater, Des Moines, Iowa, Time Stands Still, StageWestIowa.com

6/9, Civic Center, Des Moines, Iowa, The Tenors, DesMoinesPerformingArts.org

Music Legend Amy Grant. Photo courtesy of Jim Wright.

A conversation with Christian music legend Amy Grant A call from Amy Grant started as these promo chats usually do. Hellos were exchanged, small talk was made and questions about her first studio album of all-new material in 10 years, How Mercy Looks From Here, were answered.

Then we shifted into territory the most successful Christian music artist of all time, now 52, has never spoken about publicly since hitting the scene in the ’70s with her spiritual pop, before Heart in Motion turned her into a crossover success.

During her first gay press interview, and for an entire hour, the Grammy winner reflected—with her usual sincerity and thoughtfulness—on her loyal gay fan base, how she reconciles Christianity and homosexuality, her “compassion” for gay marriage and the unforgettable dinner she shared with out ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero.

How are you, Amy? Honestly, my brain is so rattled today.

There’s a lot going on in the world right now, especially with the Boston Marathon bombing and the Texas plant explosion.

There is a lot going on, yes. I just want to go somewhere and sit and be very still. I just did, with the band, a kind of unplugged performance for SiriusXM Radio. It was the first time I have sung some of those songs for an audience and, you know, you can create muscle memory with a song. You just work on your technique and then it becomes like

muscle memory. But the first couple of times you do it, it engages all the emotions around the song—and I just kept getting choked up.

Which songs from the album were you performing?

The first one was “How Mercy Looks From Here,” and with all the stuff going on I could hardly get the song out. I was going, “Well, great, they’ll be playing this over and over on XM.” So, there were the nerves of this being the first time performing those songs for anybody. I guess I have felt emotionally drained, but you’re right—it’s because of what’s been going on. We’re all connected.

How does this new album reflect your life at this point?

It’s funny, being 52 and putting a record out, I have felt this incredible freedom. It feels like this is going to be the least required of me as a person to sell the songs. As a woman, when you’re younger, so much of it has to do with looking pretty, doing a video and wearing the right clothes, because a lot of music is visual.

But there is real freedom in going, “I never have to worry about what I’m going to look like in a bikini again.” Not that I ever looked good in one, but I would feel weird even just putting one on, because I’m old … er. Older! (Laughs) You sort of go, “Whew.

That pressure’s not going to be there.” And I feel that way about the music. To me, it feels essentially about the message of the songs and not even a reflection of me. It just feels like collective life experience.

I know you have a thing for eating chips in the studio because the oil coats your throat. How many bags of Lay’s

TTAZZOPARDI cont’d page 26

ACCESSline Page 12

The Fun Guide

MAY 2013

Inside Out: Providence by Ellen Krug In law school, I learned the phrase, “but for,” as in “but for running the red light, the defendant wouldn’t have smashed into my client’s car.” Lay people know the phrase, too: “but for God’s divine providence, that tornado would have leveled our house.”

Recently, I was reminded again about “but for.”

It started when a relative reached up to a shelf filled with framed photographs and mementos. Rita pulled down an oval tin cup with a metal handle sticking from its side. “This was Uncle Ed’s from the war,” she said.

“What is it?”

“His chow cup.”

The cup appeared beaten and weathered. On the bottom of the cup my great uncle, a six foot-two tech sergeant with a red-tinged complexion who had seen plenty of death and destruction, had carved his last name, Graney. The carving was in the form of mini-dots, probably done with the tip of a penknife, or maybe an Army bayonet. On the cup’s side, there were dotted names of every place he had been stationed in the four years he served during World War II—locations like Fort George G. Meade, Camp Edwards, and Fort McDowell.

The historic chronicle of stations continued, year by year: 1942 Bora Bora, New Hebrides; 1943 Esprito Santo; 1944 New Guinea; 1945 Leyte P.I.; Luzon P.I. A Google search revealed that the latter two locations were islands in the Philippines and the sites of major land and sea battles. More relevant for show tune fans, Esprito Santo (properly, “Espiritu Santo”) is one of the New Hebrides Islands, the fictional site for Rogers and Hammer-

SScontinued from page 5

NEWS it is legal. In states that have yet to establish marriage equality, the Community of Christ will offer commitment ceremonies to recognize the validity and importance of LGBT love.

The 2,000 person delegation, which met in Independence, Missouri, also voted to ordain people to all offices of the church, regardless of sexual orientation and relationship.

The votes still need to be approved by two governing bodies of the denomination, but Kendra Friend—a member of Community of Christ’s communications and media relations team—said that she expects them to follow the vote of the delegation.

The Community of Christ has 250,000 members worldwide.

Chicago City Council Drafts Resolution in Support of LGBT Athletes

The Chicago City Council has drafted a resolution asking the commissioners of 5 major men’s professional sports leagues (the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and MLS) to support LGBT identifying athletes.

The resolution was made in congruence

stein’s South Pacific.

I don’t think my uncle—a totally straight dude as far as I know—would have made the connection between gay men and a place he’d served in the war. Still, it’s a nice coincidence for me, his very queer great nephew turned great niece.

Inside the chow cup were two more artifacts—a pack of 1945 Lucky Strike cigarettes sans Surgeon General’s warning and my uncle’s dog tag. The cellophane on the cigarette pack had yellowed, but not enough to obscure the manufacturer’s slogan: L.S/M.F.T. (For those who don’t know, “Lucky Strikes Means Fine Tobacco.”)

The dog tag read Graney Edward J, followed by some unreadable minute serial number, something irrelevant now. Rather, what’s important is that this piece of metal was around my dear uncle’s neck for four years plus. It connected him to his world back home—if he had died, it would be his only identity.

I was in awe of this tin cup with its offerings, now more than seventy years old. These weren’t simply keepsakes by someone who had survived an epic war.

Instead, they were reminders of Ed Graney, who would later become my great uncle and for whom I’d be his namesake.

It didn’t end with my uncle and me sharing “Edward” as names. In fact, every name except the last was the same between us: Edward Joseph William. Switch out “Krug” for “Graney” and you had Big Ed and Little Ed. This shared identity loomed large in

my life. We lived in New Jersey then, an Irish-German collection of Graneys and Krugs in close proximity. As a bachelor who never had children, Uncle Ed had time for me that my parents never seemed to have. Eventually, he and I were together almost every weekend, and then later as I got older, for entire summers.

All of this was perfectly fine with moi.

Uncle Ed enjoyed spoiling me and I enjoyed being spoiled. More importantly, he was a teetotaler; the strongest thing the man drank was skim milk for his indigestion.

This mattered greatly since my father was an alcoholic who often went missing.

As I grew up, Ed Graney constituted safety and stability, something I understood when I was barely five years old.

He also represented love—how you’re supposed to treat someone whom you love and cherish.

For a kid who was scared to death of many things—including whether my father would come home drunk—Ed Graney was a life saver.

Now back to “but for.”

For some, the “but for” might be the car accident they miraculously survived or the one lucky break on that big job which cemented a spectacular career. For others, “but for” could be a cool teacher

Regardless of the motive or reasoning, my uncle showed up at a time in my life when showing up was crucial.

with The Last Closet, a campaign to end homophobia in sports. A similar resolution by Last Closet Campaign was made with members of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors to announce the launch of a national effort to pave the way for the first US professional male athlete to come out of the closet while still playing.

They resolution brings up the fact that Chicago has 7 professional sports teams that have “electrified and united (their) city”, with “Chicagoans of all genders, races, and classes (celebrating their) teams’ accomplishments as shared victories…” This includes LGBT residents, who are, contrary to some people’s beliefs, able to celebrate the city’s teams with as much fervor and devotion as straight identifying fans.

Even though many people don’t think of it in this way, it is important to recognize that, for LGBT athletes, playing a sport is their job. Like any other job, LGBT personneal need to feel safe from persecution.

In addressing this, the resolution stated, “BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor, and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago respectfully request that the Commissioners of Baseball, Football, Basketball, Hockey, and Soccer use the authority of their office to sanction players who have engaged in specific incidents of slurs and intolerance toward LGBT athletes.”

Ellie Krug is a columnist and the author of Getting to Ellen: A Memoir about Love, Honesty and Gender Change. She resides in Minneapolis and welcomes your comments at ellenkrugwriter@gmail.com. Visit her blog at www.gettingtoellen.com. who inspired or a wonderful lover who left.

Some of us experience rape or brutality, and others a stranger’s exquisite humanity.

My uncle understood this. He rarely talked about the war, but when he did, he shared the story of standing next to a fellow soldier on one of those South Pacific islands listed on the chow cup. Suddenly, there was an enemy shell out of nowhere.

In an instant, the man next to Uncle Ed was blown up. My uncle, showered in the man’s blood and bones, was unscathed.

TTKRUG continued page 32

The Fun Guide

MAY 2013

ACCESSline Page 13

Wired This Way by Rachel Eliason

“Super” Developments at DC comics

Gail Simone, a comic book writer for DC comics had a revelation at a comic book convention a few years ago. “I looked out into the audience, saw dozens of faces I knew well—LGBTQ folks, mostly—all avid comics readers and superhero fans and DC supporters,” She explained.

It’s not surprising to find many LGBTQ folks supporting DC comics, despite the recent uproar over their decision to hire homophobic writer Orson Scott Card. There has always been a strong homoerotic context in many comic books and a significant LGBTQ following.

As comics have emerged in recent years as a serious media for storytelling and the LGBTQ community has become more accepted, subtext has given way to out characters.

DC and Marvel comics have gone back and forth with “firsts” for the LGBTQ community. Marvel has been in the game a long time, having outed one of the X-men (Northstar) as a gay man way back in 1992. DC has perhaps been a little gutsier in terms of outing major characters, with series of their own. First, the most recent Green Lantern, Alan Scott, and then Batwoman. After a twenty year wait, Marvel’s Northstar beat Batwoman to the altar by a mere few months.

What Simone was after was yet another first, a realistic transgender character. It was a first that was in many respects, long overdue.

If there is an LGB subtext in comics, it is nothing compared to the trans subtext.

Numerous super hero characters have achieved gender and sexual fluidity over the years through a variety of fantasy means. Mind/body swaps, magical transformations and shape shifting have always been favorite plot devices in science fiction and fantasy. (For years I listed X-men’s villainous Mystique as my favorite superhero. Her ability to transform herself from a female to a man and back again was endlessly fascinating to my pre-transition self.)

Despite this strong subtext, actual trans people have still been missing from the comic book universe until now.

In Batgirl #19 Batgirl’s roommate Alysia Yeoh comes out as a transgender woman. Achieving gender fluidity through fantastical means is just a fantasy. Alysia’s character on the other hand will reflect the life of a real life trans-person. Hopefully her story and character will grow into a great role model for trans youth.

As groundbreaking as this development is, Simone describes the actual decision making process as being somewhat anti-climatic. When she made the suggestion to co-publisher Dan Didio at lunch one day she had prepared a passionate defense. “He just paused for a moment, asked how this would affect Barbara’s story, and immediately approved it. And we went back to our excellent nachos.”

She tells Wired magazine.

It wasn’t always this way Way back in 1954, amidst complaints about too much gore and violence in comics, the industry adopted a system of

voluntary censorship known as the Comics Code Authority. (The system of voluntary censorship was common in Hollywood, TV and other media in the fifties.) The Comics Code Authority also severely regulated the amount of “sexual innuendo” and sexual content allowed in comics. It banned any open reference to homosexuality until as late as 1989.

The CCA’s ban on homsexual references included limiting things they felt came too close to the subject. That included a potential storyline where Mystique would have fathered X-man Nightcrawler by sleeping with a female while in male form.

The code was slow to be updated.

This was in part because of the input of advertisers who were always skittish about controversy. The common view of comics as a children’s genre also limited the code in many ways.

The CCA’s authority was voluntary.

The CCA’s stamp of approval was necessary for a comic to be sold through a wholesaler. Many independent comics bypassed wholesalers.

Independent comics were often written for a more adult audience. These comics were not beholden to the CCA and often explored LGBT themes. Some even enjoyed great commercial success and wide readership.

Terry Moore’s “Strangers in Paradise” for example explored the convoluted relationship between a lesbian woman and her straight best friend.

Also outside of the CCA control was Manga, Japanese comics. Yaoi and Yuri (Boy’s love and Girl’s love respectively) are well defined sub-genres with many titles.

There are numerous trans friendly Manga titles as well, ranging for fantasy based “sex-swap” stories to serious explorations of sex and gender.

Returning to mainstream western comics, the CCA began to allow “nonstereotypical representations of gay and lesbian people” in 1989. The power of the

treadmill makes the exercise easier–which translates to fewer calories burned. It worsens balance, increases injury risk and doesn’t translate to real world running.

Moreover, holding onto the treadmill negates the incline. You’re better off decreasing the speed and letting go.

Bench pressing with your legs up. Watching people bench press while keeping their legs lifted, elevated or resting on the bench is one of my biggest gym pet peeves. While exercisers may believe this makes the bench press more challenging, it’s actually incredibly unsafe–and it cuts your results short. Much of the lift in bench pressing is created by pressing into the floor through your feet.

By keeping your feet flat on the ground, you’ll actually

be able to press higher levels of resistance and obtain better results.

Not resisting the pull on cable exercises. Cable exercises are a popular choices because–unlike traditional free weights–they provide constant resistance. Free weights, on the other hand, only provide resistance when you’re lifting them against gravity. However, many exercisers forget to resist the pull when returning the cable exercise to the starting position.

Instead, they just let the weight drop back down without control. In the process, they lose half the exercise and half the benefits.

Resting too long. Resting between sets is important–but seconds can quickly turn into minutes. If you’re a bodybuilder looking to make serious gains, resting for a few minutes makes sense. But for the rest of us, keep an eye to the clock and

If there is an LGB subtext in comics, it is nothing compared to the trans subtext.

Numerous super hero characters have achieved gender and sexual fluidity over the years through a variety of fantasy means.

Rachel Eliason is a forty two year old Transsexual woman. She was given her first computer, a Commodore Vic-20 when she was twelve and she has been fascinated by technology ever since. In the thirty years since that first computer she has watched in awe as the Internet has transformed the LGBT community. In addition to her column, Rachel has published a collection of short stories, Tales the Wind Told Me and is currently working on her debut novel, Run, Clarissa, Run. Rachel can be found all over the web, including on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Goodreads.

CCA was already waning, with changes in how comics were published and distributed making their stamp of approval less relevant. The code was abandoned entirely in the early 2000’s.

Since then LGBT characters have been creeping into mainstream comics.

Marvel, DC and even Archie have gotten into the act. There remains a danger of tokenism. With writers like Gail Simone on staff I think we will quickly grow beyond tokenism to real characters with strong intriguing storylines.

The story so far

The comic universe can be confusing

TTWIRED continued page 23

5 Workout Mistakes You’re Probably Making by Davey Wavey There’s room for improvement in every routine–and these five workout mistakes are extremely common. Are you making any of them?

Warming up with static stretching. As I wrote earlier, static exercises–like touching your toes and holding it–decrease speed, reduce strength and increase injury risk. Dynamic stretching–like jumping jacks or arm circles–are a much smarter choice.

Holding onto the treadmill. Or the stairmaster. Holding onto the sides of a

Watching people bench press while keeping their legs lifted, elevated or resting on the bench is one of my biggest gym pet peeves.

Davey Wavey is an AFPA certified personal trainer shares his passion for and knowledge of fitness, exercise, health and nutrition with the world. For more information go to DaveyWaveyFitness.com. limit your rests to no more than 45–60 seconds. In fact, decreasing rest time is a great way to intensify your workout. Or, you can introduce supersets to make your workout more efficient.

If you’re guilty of these mistakes, there’s no shame. They’re all extremely common and certainly easy to overcome.

ACCESSline Page 14

The Fun Guide

Steps to get Married in Iowa

By Scott Stevens

Getting married, it’s your special day!

You and your special someone are dressed to the nines. All of your favorite people are there to share this moment with you. You grab the hand of the person you love you start walking down the aisle together. Your hands are warm. The fresh cut flowers make the air smell like a spring morning. It is just like you imagined it would be! Then BAM! You are shocked back to reality, you stare at the computer screen blankly. The sobering fact hits you like a renegade bridal bouquet to the face. You have no idea how to actually get married! Do you just find a judge and say.

Hello sir when you are done sending this guy to jail we would like to get married… please, and thank you! Unfortunately, there is a little more to it than that. Don’t be discouraged, until 2009 it wasn’t even an option for us to consider.

My name is Scott Stevens I am the owner of Iowasgayweddingplanner.com and this is the question I get asked the most. Although, requesting the colors blush and bashful is a close second. These are the steps you need to take to get married in Iowa.

First, you need to fill out a wedding application. You can get this at the clerk of courts office or online, we even have a link on our website! You do not have to be a resident of Iowa but photo ID, Social Security information, $30.00 and a witness (over18) is required.

Now you will need to wait three business days before you can get married. Your application is only valid for 6 months. When your special day comes you can be married by an ordained or licensed clergymen or a

justices of the peace.

Follow these simple steps 3 to 4 months before your wedding and you will be sure you are not standing at the altar with a hand full of paperwork.

Persons and congregations from all different faith traditions are invited to participate in an Interfaith Prayer Service for Equality on Sunday, June 2 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on the stage of QC Pridefest 2013 at 2nd & Warren Streets, downtown Davenport.

The Interfaith Prayer Committee of QC Pride, Inc. is seeking volunteers from as many different congregations and faith communities as possible to plan for and participate in the service. Rev. Jay Wolin, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities, is the Chairperson for the committee and should be contacted either by phone at 407-497-

8113 or by email at jaywolin@gmail.com Plans call for an interfaith service that is lay-led, participatory, and features prayers from many different faith traditions, as well as music which can be sung by the crowd.

The committee is also interested in group vocal, dance or instrument ensembleperformances. Congregations are invited to bring a symbol of their particular faith community to be displayed on the stage for the service. The symbols need to be highly visible, so the Committee is suggesting that they be between approximately one foot wide by one foot tall and 2 feet wide by 3 feet tall.

Scott Stevens I grew up in a small town in Wyoming and in 1998 I moved to Iowa go go to college.

I graduated from Buena Vista University with a degree in Marketing and a minor in art and communications. I am have been an active Member of Metro Arts Alliance for over 10 years. I am currently the Vise President and the incoming president in 2014. I was the Director of Development for One Iowa when marriage was legalized in Iowa! In 2009 my friend Ben developed a website to help same sex couples get married in Iowa. In 2010 I purchased the website and have had the pleasure with working with newly weds all over the country.

6th Annual QC Pridefest Hosts Interfaith Prayer Service for Equality and Invites Participation

The spirit of the bill acknowledges people’s humanity, acknowledges their citizenship and their full rights to participate.It’s another step in the road of civil rights equality.

~ Philadelphia City Councilman James F. Kenney, the prime sponsor of bill giving incentives for LGBT health coverage.

MAY 2013

The Fun Guide

MAY 2013

Midwest Pride Events Illinois

Springfield Pride

Capitol Avenue, between 4th & 6th Street, Downtown Springfield, Illinois Saturday, May 18th, noon-9 p.m.

Rockford Pride Fest Vasa Park, 6616 42nd Street, Rockford, Illinois Saturday, June 1st, 11 a.m.

Sunday, June 2nd, 8a.m.-5 p.m.

Metro East Pridefest

Downtown Belleville, Illinois Friday, June 21st-Saturday, June 22nd

Chicago Pride Fest

Mankato PrideFest

Riverfront Park, Mankato, Minnesota Friday, September 6th, 7 p.m.

Saturday, September 7th, 11a.m.Midnight

St. Cloud Pridefest

St. Cloud, Minnesota Thursday, September 19th-Sunday, September 22nd

Missouri

Greater Ozarks PrideFest

Downtown Springfield, Missouri Saturday, June 15th

St. Louis Pride Fest

NorthHalsted, Chicago, Illinois Saturday, June 22nd-Sunday,June 23rd

Soldiers’ Memorial, Downtown St. Louis, Missouri Saturday, June 29th-Sunday, June 30th

Cedar Rapids Pride Fest

Tom Mahony Pride Prom

Iowa

Greene Square Park, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Saturday, June 1st, 4-8 p.m.

QCPrideFest 2013

2nd & Warren Streets, Downtown Davenport, Iowa Saturday, June 1st, noon-Midnight.

Sunday, June 2nd, noon-8 p.m.

Capital City PrideFest

East Village, Des Moines, Iowa Saturday, June 8th Sunday, June 9th

Iowa City Pride

Ped Mall, downtown Iowa City, Iowa Friday, June 14th 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 15th noon- 5 p.m.

Saturday, June 15th

Siouxland Pride

Riverside Park, Sioux City, Iowa Saturday, June 22nd Sunday, June 23rd

Cedar Valley Pridefest

300 block of West 4th Street, Downtown, Waterloo, Iowa Saturday, August 24th, noonmidnight

Minnesota

Twin Cities Pride

Nebraska

First United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass St., Omaha, Nebraska Saturday, May 18th, 7-11 p.m.

Heartland Pride

Aksarben Village, Stinson Park, Omaha, Nebraska Thursday, June 20th, 7-9:30 p.m.

Friday, June 21st, 6-10 p.m.

Saturday, June 22nd 11 a.m.- 10 p.m.

Star City Pride

Lincoln, Nebraska Thursday, July 11th-Sunday, July 14th

South Dakota

2013 LGBT Pride Rapid City, South Dakota Location TBA July 12th-13th

Sioux Falls Pride Covell Lake Park, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Saturday, August 17th, noon-6 p.m.

AIDS Walk

Pasley Park, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Saturday, September, 21st

Wisconsin Pride Fest Milwaukee

Loring Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota Saturday, June 29th-Sunday, June 30th

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Friday, June 7th-Saturday, June 9th

Peace Plaza, Downtown Rochester, Minnesota Monday, July 15th-Sunday, July 21st

Madison, Wisconsin Saturday, August 17th-Sunday, August 18th

Rochester Minnesota Pridefest

Wisconsin Capitol Pride

SScontinued from page 4

LILITH sive in this regard. Trans Women are only allowed to join as Male submissives.

And this, unfortunately, wasn’t the first time I had run into such closed mindedness in the BDSM community. It’s hard to get people to understand the difference between Cross dressers and Trans people, and why being confused for a cross dress is so offensive. But I try when I have to.

But being in the BDSM community has allowed me to explore my sexuality, which is an entirely different game to be played.

Men who worry they are gay for having an interest in me, women who see me as a man, etc. It’s a rough bit but it’s still a good life.

How did CIPEX welcome you and how do they include individuals from the LGBT community?

It was a rough start, but not rough in a bad way? It’s hard to explain, no one really got it. They had very limited experiences with Trans People. I don’t want to say I’m the go to person for when someone has a Trans question. But here I am doing this interview, if you’ll allow me to amuse myself with that thought. But even though they didn’t get it at first, they certainly wanted to learn and have made their best attempts to always make me feel absolutely comfortable. And they do this with all their Non-Heteronormative people. I like them, and I like the fact that they are so open to new ideas and new lines of thinking.

What are some common misconceptions about CIPEX, and/or BDSM in general?

I really just want to talk about the misconceptions of BDSM. I haven’t been in Iowa long enough to know all the groups and what everyone thinks of each group.

But to BDSM and its misconceptions… everyone who isn’t in the lifestyle assumes that we are all having giant orgies. Or that it’s an excuse for men to beat women. Let me tell you, I know some women who will not let anyone hold any kind of dominion over them and I respect them so much.

Not all men are dominant, not all women are submissive, it’s not all sexual.

These are the misconceptions I want to break. What I do get out of it is a sense of relaxation which I sorely need from time to time.

You are also known as FirePrincessLily because of your interest in fire play, what is fire play?

I could go on and on about fire play. I really could—it is my chief kink, it’s what

ACCESSline Page 15 makes my toes curl most. Fire play is a type of edge play. It’s called edge play because it carries a certain amount of risk. Fire Play is just what it sounds like—it’s playing with fire in a sensual way. The fire opens up your endorphins and just puts you in a really nice place, if you enjoy it. There are all kinds of fire play from cupping, which is a practice of a natural Chinese healing method—it’s like the deepest of deep tissue massages. There are wands where someone is literally setting you on fire, but in a controlled way. Important to know before you freak out is that your skin is never really on fire. Rubbing alcohol, which evaporates quickly, is used to draw patterns and designs into your back and then those patterns are lit on fire and then put out within milliseconds. All you experience is the heat of the flames but not the actual burn. That being said its still fire and if you are going to try it make sure you have someone experienced show you how to do it. Fire is heat, and heat is life, and to be one with it is something I find spirituality appealing.

What safety practices are common in CIPEX? CIPEX has all kinds of safety precautions in place for good experience. That being said it’s kind of hard to say it’s all safe. I mean I just talked about how I like getting set on fire. What’s safe about that?

The answer is nothing, all you can do is put your precautions in place and hope for the best.

But some really key safety practices are dungeon monitors, people who watch to make sure that nothing gets out of hand, and of course safe words. And before each event they make sure everybody understand the rules, and who they can look to, to enforce them.

CIPEX is hosting a BDSM event called Mischief in May, can you tell me about this event and why you are excited?

Mischief in May is a big BDSM convention, as far as I know the premiere convention of the Midwest. That being said, I’ve never been to one. I’ve never actually been to a BDSM convention at all. SO I’m super excited to see what this one is like. It’s hard to imagine an event with so many people doing so many kinky things in a single area. It should be interesting to experience and watch. And I am counting down the days to the event!

Mischief in May 2013 is an event hosted

by CIPEX for the 4th year in a row that has BDSM classes, presenters and educators from across the country. For more details go to MischiefInMay.com.

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MAY 2013

I.C. Kings Evening of SINema Iowa City, Ia I.C. Kings and Les Dames du Burlesque will be teaming up again for “An Evening of SINema!” Be ready for a plethora of cinematic scores and sultry soundtrack favorites. This event will be on Wednesday, May 1st at The Mill in Iowa City. Showtime is 8:30pm, doors at 7:30pm. All ages are welcome at this early show. Bring $8 for cover. It’ll be worth your while with these va-va-voom ladies and muscle-clad dudes!

I.C. Kings will be performing on Thursday, May 30th at Studio 13 in Iowa City! Come see your favorite gender benders at 9PM! Cover is $5 and this event is 19+ until 10PM and 21+ after that! Check for more details at www.facebook.com/I.C.Kings.

The I.C. Kings Fantasy show, April 25th at Studio 13, Iowa City, Iowa. Pictured from left to right: Hugh Jindapants and Scott Abigwun, Joey D. Drag King, Julius Fever, Jack R Abbit.

Photos courtesy of Tonya Kehoe www.catalogtka.blogspot.com or like her at CatalogTKA on facebook.

I have known Jason Collins since he was Chelsea’s classmate and friend at Stanford. Jason’s announcement today is an important moment for professional sports and in the history of the LGBT community.It is also the straightforward statement of a good man who wants no more than what so many of us seek: to be able to be who we are; to do our work; to build families and to contribute to our communities. For so many members of the LGBT community, these simple goals remain elusive. I hope that everyone, particularly Jason’s colleagues in the NBA, the media and his many fans extend to him their support and the respect he has earned. ~Former US President Bill Clinton in regards to NBA center Jason Collins coming out.

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TROCKS this talented troupe has one significant difference from most, which makes its performances stand out from the rest: the company is entirely male.

That doesn’t stop the “Trocks” from providing for every role, male and female, and performing them brilliantly—whether in tunic and tights, or on point in tutus, diva-ing it up with the best of them.

The Trocks will be performing at the Civic Center in Des Moines on May 21st, 2013. In anticipation of the show, Arthur Breur had the chance to chat about the unique and wonderful experience that is the Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo with Robert Carter, who has danced with the company since 1995.

You have danced with the Florence Civic Ballet, the Dance Theater of Harlem, and Bay Ballet Theater. How is the experience of dancing with the Trocks the same, and how is it different?

It’s the same because I’m dancing ballet now, and in all of those jobs I danced ballet. This company is no less serious than a more conventional company. What’s different is… the fact that I’m doing the female roles and dancing on point is the big one. But overall the big difference is the artistic freedom I get with this company, which I never have gotten elsewhere.

In traditional ballet, you don’t see male dancers dancing on point very often…

No, you do not.

How much of a challenge is it for a male dancer to dance on point?

The Fun Guide It varies. I am one of the few that had early access and experience dancing on point and I started doing point work when I was very young, early in my training. I always had a fascination with point shoes growing up, so I would beg girls for their old shoes and mess around in an empty studio until I was busted by my formal teacher who gave me my formal training.

Instead of him doing what I thought he would do like most teachers and getting very angry and upset, he encouraged it!

And so I ended up doing point classes three times a week along with my regular technique classes which were every day.

It kept me interested. And there were added benefits such as getting a better center of balance. It was never with the idea necessarily of grooming me for this company, but it was a good addition to my training. And we have some guys who come in nowadays, it’s more common to have guys who come in auditioning or that join the company who are quite proficient, because teachers have broadened their perspectives and a lot more boys nowadays work in point shoes for technical purposes.

And we have some who have never tried it, so you never know, everybody kind of goes at their own pace.

How much does the company change out who dances which roles?

It has always kind of been a policy that because we are a small company, everybody knows two or three different roles within a piece. Casting is always based on the length of the tour or the run, and what our schedule may be like—so that we don’t kill the dancers. Everybody gets a moment where they might get to do three pieces in

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The ballerinas of the the Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Robert Carter front left (photo 2012). Courtesy of the TROCKS. an evening, and then there are some nights difficult than dancing something that just where they’ll get the chance to rest and requires technique, because you have to only do two. So it switches out, but it is have technique as well as maintaining the all at the discretion of [artistic director] balance of the acting.

Tory [Dobrin] and what he sees and how What has been the most challenging he figures out casting for the program. part of working with the Trocks?

You have two different characters I guess maintaining stability and that you dance as. You perform as Olga continuity in the quality of my work. And Supphosova and Yuri Smirnov. Tell us balancing that with learning how to be about your characters. patient and let things go. Because as glamWell, everyone upon joining the orous as it may seem, from the outsider’s company is given their character names, point of view, not always is it glitter and and everybody dances a female character diamonds and lashes and wigs. [Laughs.] as well as a male character. Olga and Yuri There’s a lot of work that goes on, so it’s are both similar in the fact that they are about just maintaining that, and constantly both very powerful dancers and both very keeping up. striking. Olga is the kind of strong, butch My experience seeing the Trocks, glamour girl [laughs], and Yuri is the quint- going in I was expecting the dancing essential… you know… all male dancer. I to be less technically proficient than rarely do my Yuri character, but on those it was—expecting it to be more “drag occasions when I can, I do enjoy it—even show” less “ballet.” And then my reacthough, overall, no one really joins this tion was this is brilliant ballet that company to do the male parts. But there happens to be performed by an all male is a lot of fun on both sides, not always just company. being the ballerina.

And therein lies the difference: we What is your own personal favorite are not a drag show, technically. When part that you dance in the show, and most people think of a drag show, you’re what is your favorite part that you don’t really going because you’re seeing men dance in the show? who are portraying women or who are, Well, after eighteen years, I’ve done a in some cases, trying to fool the audience lot of them. I don’t know, I’d have to say into believing they are women. That is not I’m most comfortable with and known for our goal at all. If anything, yes, we’re an dancing Paquita, which is a very Spanish- all male company and we do the female style-flair of a piece, which is right up my roles, but that is just an element of what alley. But I’d have to say that one of my we do because first and foremost we are a favorite pieces over that would be doing ballet company. We try first to put out good Swan Lake. We do Act II of Swan Lake, our quality dancing before all of the “effects” version, of course. But I really like that come into play to make the final product. piece, and it happens to be one of my good We are a ballet company with a twist, ones because there’s a lot more than just and if people have the chance, they should dancing, there’s a lot of acting that comes come and see us—it’s an experience they along with it. I think it’s actually more won’t forget!

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MAY 2013

The Bookworm Sez by Terri Schlichenmeyer “Prairie Silence” by Melanie Hoffert

c.2013, Beacon Press $24.95 / $28.95 Canada 238 pages The faces in the pictures look back at you with hopeful, aching eagerness.

Ah, your high school annual is such a trove of memories. There you are at Senior Skip Day, making goofy faces. There’s a picture of the class Black Sheep, now the president of the local bank; remembrances of prom, homecoming, first kisses, and team spirit.

You haven’t seen a lot of those kids since you graduated. Sometimes, you wonder if you really ever knew them.

As in the new book “Prairie Silence” by Melanie Hoffert, you wonder if you ever really knew anything.

It may’ve seemed like the kind of idle conversation that friends have when they’ve known one another for ages, but Melanie Hoffert was dead-serious when she told her friend, Melissa, that they should return together to the prairie.

Hoffert surprised herself with her longing for home. She’d hated growing up on an isolated farm in North Dakota, ten miles from grocery stores, three miles from playmates, a half days’ drive to a major city. She hated small-town life then but, sitting in a cold office in Minneapolis, she realized how much she missed the farm and, most of all, harvest-time.

So she took a leave of absence from the job she loved. She wanted to be a farmer again. She wanted to touch the past.

But in reconnecting with memories of vast openness and the kind of silence that comes when neighbors are miles apart,

Across

1 “No problem” from a bottom?

6 Yr. before jr.

10 Like communion at the Crystal Cathedral 14 Connect with 15 Warhol pal ___ Sedgwick 16 Theater award 17 Sign in Frasier’s booth, perhaps 18 Actress Foch 19 Seizures for Caesar 20 With 36-Across, assessment of marriage equality by 51-Across 23 Burgundy Bible gospel 24 Vin Packer and others 25 Part of the Bush pere pair 29 Neighbor of Neb. 30 Philosopher Locke 31 Mom’s specialty, briefly 32 La _ aux Folles 36 See 20-Across 40 Dike problem 41 Margaret of Drop Dead Diva 42 Type of queen 43 Prefix for system 44 Loads 46 “Metrosexual” pirate Jack 50 Vein filler 51 Antigay author of Ender’s Game 56 Out-of-this-world org.

57 Baseball diamond cover 58 Constellation with a belt 60 Fateful March day 61 Morales of Resurrection Blvd.

62 “You’ll ___ Walk Alone”

Hoffert also rediscovered who she was, years ago. She knew at a young age that she was different from other girls: she figured she’d eventually kiss a boy, but she yearned for another kind of love. She dreamed of holding hands with a woman, and she became smitten with her best high school friend, Jessica.

Hoffert knew she couldn’t talk about that to anyone on the prairie. That sort of thing just wasn’t.

Coming home to North Dakota, she remembered that puppy love. She remembered how Jessica led her to Jesus, and the turmoil it created when she was told that homosexuality was a sin. She recalled her family, and marveled at how much had changed.

And she remembered neighbors: the ones who asked if she found a “fella” yet; corn farmers; homesteaders and homemakers; caretakers of the land.

When it comes to this books’ title, “Prairie Silence” couldn’t be more apt.

A u t h o r Melanie Hoffert has written a sure love letter to a land and its people, but it’s love spurned

and unrequited, as well as love held fast.

In between Hoffert’s sweet-yet-angstdriven memories and her journey of selfrediscovery, readers are treated to quiet reverence for a disappearing way of life, for faith that just couldn’t last, and for folks who—to her surprise—never discouraged Hoffert from being who she was.

This is a gorgeous book that evokes quiet country mornings and loud selfexamination, and this former farm girl enjoyed it thoroughly. If you once believed that you can’t truly ever go home again, “Prairie Silence” is a book you’ll be eager to read.

63 Susan B. Anthony colleague Carrie 64 Cut 65 Former NFL player Tuaolo

1 Simpson trial judge Lance 2 It reveals a drag queen’s thighs 3 Gun, slangily 4 Inflamed end?

5 Locale of the Hawthorne neighborhood 6 Nero’s tutor

Q-PUZZLE: Ender’s Game; Why Aren’t You?

Down

7 Garfield’s sidekick 8 Top 9 A wrestler may use it to hold his man 10 Nicholson title role 11 Final notices 12 Like a ballerina 13 Ass-kissers’ responses 21 Heston in a chariot 22 Tin Man’s request 25 Lament loudly 26 Skin moisturizer 27 Uncommon, to Caligula 28 Swindle 31 Heather Has _ Mommies 32 Backs (out) 33 ___ bit (slightly) 34 Bannon’s Odd _ Out 35 JFK predictions 37 Confronted 38 Trot out 39 Missile head 43 Suffix for southeast 44 Where a baker may put his meat 45 Gallery objects 46 Type of boom 47 What the Devil wears, in a movie 48 Nice buns, for example 49 Friar’s affair 52 Anal alternative 53 Greek war deity 54 It was gauche, for Debussy 55 Active one 59 Shooters’ org.

• SOLUTION ON PAGE 34

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Under Construction : ACCESSline’s Heartland Recurring Events List

ACCESSline’s Recurring Events List is and has been provided by ACCESSline readers. With the added communities of ACCESSline’s Heartland Newspaper, the list is need of a large overhaul. We need readers to continue to help and update the list.

Please submit recurring ManagingEditor@ACCESSlineIowa.com.

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events

to

WIRED

for a newcomer. Series are often “rebooted” with the same characters and storylines suddenly starting over with new writers and illustrators. The original Batgirl was Katherine Kane is now grown up and Batwoman. The current Batgirl is Barbara Gordon, the niece of Commissioner Gordon.

In an effort to prove she is an adult she moved out on her own. She answered an ad on “gregs list” and ends up rooming with the outgoing Alysia Yeoh, a woman of Singaporean descent. Despite being outgoing it is hinted that Alysia has secrets. Barbara understands, after all she’s got a few of her own.

Alysia meets and then dates Barbara’s brother James.

In true comic book fashion, James is a psychotic serial killer. Barbara tries to distance herself from Alysia to protect her. In Batgirl #19 she returns to live with Alysia.

She admits most of her secrets (stopping short of telling Alysia she is Batgirl.) Alysia in turn announces she’s transgender. After only a moment’s hesitation Barbara accepts Alysia. The scene ends with a joke about hoping Barbara doesn’t have any more weird brothers looking for a date.

For the first appearance of trans character in a mainstream comic it’s a bit anti-climactic. We can hope that Simone has great things in store for Alysia’s character.

She has also hinted that she intends to create at least one further trans character in another series. Maybe there will be a FTM character as well?

New GOglbt Business Referral Group

GOglbt is starting a new group of GLBT business owners or business professionals to meet twice monthly to support each other’s businesses by providing referrals.

They will meet every other Thursday from 7:30am-8:30am at a TBD Wells Fargo sponsored location. Refreshments will be provided. Once they secure the location the meetings will start. Membership Fee is $50.00 and will include a business listing on the GOglbt. com website.

To sign up to be a part of this group please call Tom Luke at 402-650-2917, or email him at tom@lukedirectmarketing.com.

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The Fun Guide

UofI Rainbow Graduation The Rainbow Graduation event will take place on Tuesday, May 14th at 6 pm in the Old Capitol Museum Senate Chambers, Iowa City, Iowa. There will be several speakers, music and awarding of stoles to all graduating LGBTQ students and allies who register.

The keynote speaker is Professor Kimberley Marra. Student speaker is John Paul Horn,

MSW. Performing is Kate Krohn, (poetry), Abby Haywood (piano) and possibly The Quire. The event will be sign language interpreted by David Theobald. The event is sponsored by CSIL, the LGBTQ Staff & Faculty Association, GLBTAU and the Chief Diversity Office. For more information contact UIowa. edu/~lgbsfa/.

PFLAG - Des Moines Chapter Meeting Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The Des Moines Chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) will meet at 6:30 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 1800 Bell Avenue Des Moines, IA 50315 on the third Tuesday of every month. The meeting begins with a short business meeting followed by an educational presentation, and a social and support session. All are welcome!

Made up of parents, families, friends, and straight allies uniting with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, PFLAG is committed to advancing equality through its mission of support, education and advocacy. Now in its 40th anniversary year, PFLAG has over 350 chapters and 200,000 supporters crossing multiple generations of American families in major urban centers, small cities and rural areas in all 50 states.

If the legal loophole created by the case Gross v. FBL Financial does not get fixed before ENDA becomes law, there will be gay and transgender victims of discrimination with worthy cases who are denied justice because of the unequal standard created by the conservative activists on the Supreme Court.Gay and transgender plaintiffs deserve to have the same standard of proof applied to their cases as individuals who bring racial or religious discrimination claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. ~President of Freedom to Work Tico Almeida in regards to ENDA.

MAY 2013

QC Pride Inc. invites vendors to participate in the 6th Annual PrideFest Saturday June 1, NoonMidnight and Sunday June 2, Noon- 8:00pm

Enjoy the fun-filled festival with live entertainment and a diverse group of folks as you market your organization to the masses and bring in some cash and/ or prospects!

Our many returning vendors report that the QC Pride Fest has become the highlight of their festival calendar. We routinely receive accolades for our accommodating and efficient staff, along with an exhilarating festival experience.

Marketing studies have proven the GLBT community and its allies demonstrate a fiercely loyal relationship with the merchants who welcome them.

The festival will be an open air street fest in downtown Davenport with ongoing entertainment on 2 stages. The $5 gate fee again this year enables our guests to enter the festival both days and to spend more of their money with you!

Family friendly activities include an art in action area, kids’ zone, fireworks on Saturday evening and an Interfaith Service on Sunday at 4:30.

Our marketing strategy includes

advertising with regional TV ads, radio ads, our exclusive QC Pride Guide issue in the QC Times Sunday May 26th edition and the Thrifty Nickel May 30th edition that will reach over 139,000 households. We will have live broadcasts with two radio stations throughout Saturday’s festival.

We have a negotiated a special vendor rate at the Econolodge in Bettendorf and the Holiday Inn in downtown Rock Island.

For more information about the special rates and to download a vendor application, please visit www.qcpride.org.

While on our website, be sure to check out the pictures from last year’s festival and notice the six award winning booths.

Yearly winners receive a 50% discount on the next year’s vendor booth fee.

New for 2013 will be Pride Bucks given to all of our volunteers to be used to purchase items from our vendors. Vendors will receive cash from QC Pride when redeemed. We also will have a complimentary breakfast on Sunday prior to the start of the festival.

For additional information, please contact QC Pride, Inc. Board of Directors President and Vendor Committee Chairperson Jeff Simpson at 563-6766727 or simpboyd@mchsi.com. For more information go to QCPride.org.

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FFBC: Daniel Lundby by Bruce Carr The Project of the Quad Cities Agenda: Education

Iowa Representative Daniel Lundby.

The featured speaker at the FFBC meeting on Friday, April 5, was Representative Daniel Lundby, who represents the 68th district (Ely, Bertram, and most of Marion, in Linn County) in the Iowa House of Representatives. A fifth generation Iowan, Lundby is the son of Mary Lundby, a Republican who represented Linn County in the Iowa House (1987-1995) and Senate (1995 to her death in 2009). Daniel Lundby was elected just last November, defeating his two-term-incumbent opponent by less than 100 votes. A win is a win.

Lundby talked to us about his campaign strategy and his plans as a freshman member of the House. “I grew up in politics, helped out with numerous campaigns,” he said. “After I moved back home from New York to help mom in her last days, I wanted to get politically involved again. I changed my party affiliation from Republican to Democrat because the

Republican Party and the people I had been supporting no longer placed the best interests of Iowa and its voters before their own party agenda.” His strategy was simple: knock on hundreds of doors, as he’d grown up doing.

His family name was an open-sesame, and his insistence on taking nothing and nobody for granted paid off.

The fact that he is openly gay was a nonissue, as is evident from the fact that he didn’t even mention it in his talk. Asked afterward, he noted that he had always been supported in his orientation by his family, and was never in the closet—so there was no “secret” for the opposition to threaten to disclose.

Lundby’s major legislative agenda, in his campaign and in office, is education. “Our educational status in Iowa right now is not acceptable,” he said. “We used to be tops in the nation in education, and we’ve lost that.”

Specifically, he takes issue with state lawmakers’ decision not to increase schools’ allowable growth last year. “Unfortunately, the needs of our young people now seem less important, with the Republicans insisting on zero percent growth for local schools, and education cuts at state universities,” Lundby said. This has caused additional harm to districts already struggling to make ends meet, and makes it harder for local districts to get the job of educating children done.” Daniel Lundby is aiming to change that.

Daniel Lundby attended St. Joseph’s Catholic Elementary in Marion and Regis High School in Cedar Rapids. He then earned an associate’s degree from Kirkwood Community College, a bachelor’s degree from ISU in 2003, and a master’s degree there in 2011. He can be reached at daniel.lundby@legis.iowa.gov.

Prime Timers of Central Iowa Prime Timers of Central Iowa, the Iowa chapter of Prime Timers World Wide, continues to grow and has expanded across Iowa and even across our borders. It has now launched its website: http://www.primetimersww. com/centraliowa/ Attendance at our monthly dinners has grown to fill our current space. Summer activities planned include attending an Iowa Cubs game, a pontoon boat party on Saylorville Lake, and a country barbeque. Some members

will be joining the St. Louis Prime Timers chapter for their 4th of July celebration.

Mature gay/bi men are welcome to broaden their relationships with other men through a variety of activities. A monthly newsletter with a schedule of activities is available.

For more information contact: PrimeTimersIowa@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PrimeTimersOfCentralIowa

University of Iowa LGBT S&F Association Iowa City, Iowa

The University of Iowa Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Staff & Faculty Association (the “Association”) was organized in 1990 to support the interests of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender campus community.

The Association is open to any University employee—merit staff, professional/scientific staff, graduate assistant, faculty, administrator or community member.

Meetings are held monthly and feature guest presentations as well as discussions of current topics recommended by members. In addition, the Association sponsors other public activities throughout the year ranging from lectures to cultural performances and social events.

The Association is governed by the membership-at-large. Business responsibilities are supervised by a volunteer executive board.

The Association’s services and activities are open to everyone.

2012-2013 Executive Board Meeting Schedule IMU River Room #1 2nd Thursday of the month, 12:30-1:30 p.m. (all are welcome to attend!)

Thursday, May 9, 2013 For more information go to their website at http://www.uiowa.edu/~lgbsfa/

Founded in 1986, The Project of the Quad Cities is a non-profit HIV/STI/AIDS Service Organization that provides support to persons living with HIV/STI/AIDS as well as their families and friends in Iowa and Illinois. www.apqc4life.org Symptom Management Group—Every Wednesday from 1-2:30 pm Life Skills Group—Every other Wednesday from 10-11:30 am Coffee Hour—10-11:30 am on Wednesdays when the Life Skills Group does not meet; A relaxed and casual atmosphere Groups meet at our Moline office. We also offer free HIV testing Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm.

For more information call Susie or Mollie at 309-762-5433

PITCH Calendar 2013 Positive Iowans Taking Charge (PITCH) is a volunteer-run non-profit organization, founded in 2007, their goal is to provide social networking and support to Iowans living with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS. Their mission is to create an atmosphere where HIV+ people can unite, advocate, and assist other HIV+ people for better health and wellness. More information can be found at pitchiowa.org or call Tami Haught at 641-715-4182.

May

8, 15,22 & 29: Des Moines Open Support Group 5pm-6pm (Wednesdays) 9,16,23 & 30: Thursday Group 2pm-3pm (Thursdays) 9 & 23: Waterloo PITCH Support Group 6pm-8pm (Every other week) 8 & 22: Wednesday Evening Group 5:30pm-6:30pm (Every other week)

Support Group Meeting Conference Call

Positive Iowans Taking Charge will be having a Conference Call Support Group meeting, May 22nd at 7 PM. This Support Group Meeting is open to those outside of Iowa.

The meeting is to provide emotional, social, and educational opportunities for Iowans across the state. The Agenda is as

follows: welcome and introduction from 7-7:30 PM, topic discussion from 7:30-8 PM, non-topic time for everyone to share how they are doing from 8-8:30 PM. Times are adjusted depending on the needs of the people on the call.

The number to call is 949-812-4500 and the Pin number is 684713 that everyone will use the same code.

For more information go to pitchiowa.org or find them on facebook.

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AZZOPARDI potato chips did you go through while recording How Mercy Looks From Here?

It was funny, because (producer) Marshall (Altman), who I had never worked with before, we did a lot of preproduction work. I knew him from (working with) Natasha Bedingfield. And when we started comparing notes, and when I made a request to make sure we have Lay’s potato chips, he came around the corner wide-eyed and he said, “I didn’t think about it until you said that. This is part of urban legend that this started with you.” I said, “Well, I don’t know if it started with me, but all those early days up at Caribou Ranch, where it was so dry, that’s when I started doing it.” Marshall said, “You don’t go to a studio if they don’t have a bowl of potato chips.” And I laughed my head off. I said, “Well, it works; the whole world should do it!”

When the biggest Christian music artist of all time is doing gay press, you know we’ve come a long way. Were you kept at bay from gay press beforehand, earlier in your career?

It never came up.

But you have obviously had a big gay following for quite sometime. Why have gay people connected to you in such profound ways?

All of us sometimes feel disenfranchised or, for whatever reason, like we’re just on the periphery or marginalized.

People feel that for all kinds of reasons, and by the time you’ve lived any amount of life, I think anybody has had that experience somewhere. I remember doing concerts back in the early ’80s and going shopping with some of the singers that I was working with and one of them, Donna McElroy, had to get some makeup—and she’s AfricanAmerican—and I said, “Hey, I’ll meet you back here.” I ran my errands and I came back and said, “Are you done?” She said, “No one’s waited on me.”

Everybody is outside of some circle, but what I’ve always wanted to do is have a message of honesty and welcoming, and being willing to say this is the good, bad and the ugly. This is who I am. And if I’m saying that about myself, it’s like, jump in, the water’s fine. So I love that. I love that people connect to my music.

At this point in your career, are you at all concerned about people passing judgment on you for talking to gay press?

We all ultimately need to know that we’re loved, and I think it would be really crazy if you said, “I’m not going to talk to this group of people because someone’s looking on that’s not a part of the conversation and might have an opinion about it.” I mean, my whole life has been that. (Laughs) It takes all of our energy to navigate whatever road we’re on. What’s interesting is, this last year I was invited on Monday mornings to go to a woman’s house—also a songwriter, also a singer—and just have some time of quiet stillness all together. But her house wasn’t even quiet. There were workers there sometimes, or there was nowhere to get that was quiet.

As we were sitting there trying to get quiet, she said, “It never gets still, and so I’m not gonna get all rankled in my head.

I’m just gonna say, ‘Well, there’s the noise of the person next door blowing off their driveway with that really load motor. There

Amy Grant and her first album in 10 years, How Mercy Looks From Here.

Photo courtesy of Jim Wright. it is. There’s the sound of sirens going up and down the street.’” She said, “When we learn to observe without judgment, then we have the ability to observe and learn, or to observe and be.” And I said, “Do you know how exhausting it is to observe with judgment all the time? It’s just exhausting.”

I have thanked her many times. We could all stand to hear that.

You came from a fairly strict religious upbringing, but it sounds like there’s been an evolution in the way you see people.

Well, I don’t know. When you say strict, that’s interesting. What do you mean by that? (Laughs) I mean, we went to church every Sunday morning, every Sunday night, every Wednesday night.

You’re right. I should say diligently religious.

Yeah. I remember when we moved to Texas and my parents went to this really, I guess, conservative church—a Church of Christ—and something incredible was happening within that church community. I remember seeing this transformation in my mom and dad. I was old enough to remember that. What I remember about our home after that was that it was welcoming … to everybody.

To black people? To gay people?

Just to people.

Did you ever feel that you had to reconcile your Christian faith with your acceptance of homosexuality?

That’s not my life experience. In the same way, if you put my shoes on, you would go, “I thought this experience was going to be one way and it was totally different.”

None of us has any idea what somebody’s life experience is like.

Do you remember the first gay person you knew? Did you have a close gay friend?

Absolutely. But my first: maybe college.

Someone might have just seemed theatrical or, I don’t know, effeminate, but when I was in high school—I graduated in ’78—I had friends in high school who eventually said, “I’m living a gay lifestyle,” but they didn’t say it then. People were very private about their sexuality, period. Maybe not everywhere, but I just don’t remember, “I’m exploring this, I’m exploring that.”

When did you first know you had a gay fan base?

Probably by the time I was 18.

How did you know? Did a fan tell you his or her coming-out story?

No. Just from meeting people. I don’t know. I guess I’m kind of going, that was a long time ago. I’m 52. (Laughs) I’ve never even thought about it. It’s like saying, “There’s gray-haired people in the crowd, too.” If people come to my shows, this is what they say: “Wow, there are people of all ages and lifestyles in your crowd.” That’s what they always say. But then someone will come up and say, “You know, I saw a guy with a boa on,” and I’ll say, “Oh yeah, yeah, I’ve always had a big gay following.” (Laughs) To me, I don’t give it a second thought.

I remember the first time someone from the crew said, “I smell pot in the back of the crowd,” and I went, “Well, fantastic! Yay!” I’m so glad that just people are coming.

From photos I’ve seen and conversations I’ve heard, you seem to have established some close relationships with people in the Gay Friends of Amy Grant group on Facebook over the years.

Can you describe your relationship with them?

When you’ve done something for a long time, there is a great familiarity that comes over the years. I will say that I have a couple of friends that I made—just because

But then someone will come up and say, “You know, I saw a guy with a boa on,” and I’ll say, “Oh yeah, yeah, I’ve always had a big gay following.”

MAY 2013 they came to shows for a long time—and I figure we must have some things in common because, of all the music we’re all attracted to, at least we share this music in common.

Weren’t you invited to perform at the wedding of one of your gay fans but couldn’t due to your schedule?

I was invited. I was honored to be invited. I have to tell you: Anytime somebody asks me to perform at a wedding, I say, “I do not have a good track record.” (Laughs) A lot of the weddings I’ve performed at, the marriages have ended poorly.

I recall seeing you perform with Melissa Etheridge for Lifetime’s Women Rock! special in 2000 and thinking, as a teenager struggling with his sexuality, “She’s performing with an openly lesbian performer; she’s throwing her gay fans a bone.”

You know what’s so interesting, even when I was discovering my own sexuality and meeting people that had a different experience, I didn’t categorize then, and I don’t categorize right now. It makes me realize that I don’t have any idea of what it would feel like every moment of my life to go somewhere and feel judged.

But you have felt judged, right?

Judged for getting divorced. Judged for your pop crossover, even.

No, no. Do people from a distance have an opinion? Yeah, that’s human nature to have an opinion. Whatever was going on in a rag magazine, or whatever someone was saying behind my back or in a heated conversation, I was never in that circle. I wasn’t part of that conversation. I never, ever pursued one chat room. If there was an article or some argument—“I can’t believe you’re doing this”—I just never pursued it because I thought, “We don’t understand each other.”

There are a lot of times that I wind up in situations that I do not see eye to eye with somebody. And it doesn’t help to throw gas on the fire. Clearly they’re going to have their opinion. Carry on. And I’m gonna go do what I’m gonna go do.

I know you are not a political person, so how do you respond to people when they ask you about your feelings on gay marriage?

Yeah, I’m not. And in the same way that I did not tell one person who I voted for. I don’t. I never talk about anything like that.

I did tell Vince (Gill, her husband) the day after the election. (Laughs) But I think my response is, I have had so many occasions in my life where I have felt really strongly about something—but that feeling has changed. Those feelings change about different situations, and so because I’m a public person—and because I want always to bring people together—I really do say this is a world that’s unfamiliar to me and I am always trying to observe with compassion.

This isn’t a cut-and-dry issue for you, then.

Well, nothing is cut-and-dry. You know, one of the most fascinating dinners I’ve ever spent sitting next to somebody I had not met was at a large function with my family. We were all seated with place cards; it was a large group and I introduced myself to the fellow next to me. It was Anthony Romero, and he was, at the time, the president of the ACLU (he is now executive director).

I mean, we didn’t line up our views; I just

TTAZZOPARDI continued page 31

MAY 2013

Section 3: Community

ACCESSline Page 27

From the Pastor’s Pen by Rev. Jonathan Page Beyond Marriage: The Reformation Project

The drums of inevitability are beating for marriage equality. In a remarkably short period of time we have seen public opinion shift and even traditional conservatives have come out in favor of marriage equality. We all now await the decision of the Supreme Court to see how rapid the change will come, but few doubt that it will come. At this point it behooves us to look toward the future. What is the next hurdle for gay rights and how can we bring it about?

One big effort will be the normalization of LGBT people in the curriculum of our schools. Transgender rights is another obvious area for advocacy. But where else should we focus? What will do the most good for the cause? Religion, and specifically conservative Christianity, remains an obstacle to full inclusion and acceptance.

So long as large portions of the American people hear sermons week after week that denigrate gay people, prejudice and danger remain. Among the many areas of focus, we must continue to work within communities of faith to bring about true equality. One effort in particular has the potential to move the dial over the next five to ten years.

In the spring of 2009 I remember having a discussion with a Harvard College fresh-

man named Matthew Vines. Matthew grew up in Kansas and was heavily involved in his conservative Christian church. Matthew is also gay. This circumstance is all too common, but Matthew chose to take an uncommon approach to his situation. He decided to stick with his local faith community despite their rejection of who he is, and he elected to drop out of Harvard the next year to wrestle with what this might mean for him. And so, back home in Kansas, Matthew started to read. He read every book he could find on homosexuality and Christianity, regardless of the book’s conclusion or outlook. And in March 2012 Matthew gave an hour-long lecture at a church in Wichita that he taped and posted on YouTube. The video made an immediate impact. Dan Savage reposted it on his blog, and it went viral.

I chatted with Matthew last summer to congratulate him on his success and discovered quickly that he had big plans in store. Now, more than a year later, Matthew is hard at work on The Reformation Project, an organization designed to change the way conservative Christians see homosexuality.

Those involved in The Reformation Project

are committed to remaining in their faith communities. It is a fundamentally conservative movement that argues eloquently that you can be a “traditional” Christian and also be gay. This fall The Reformation Project will host its first conference at a church outside Kansas City. This conference is designed for fifty participants and will include intensive training in biblical interpretation and suggestions for how to engage other Christians around homosexuality. The goal is simple: change must come from within conservative Christianity for the anti-gay prejudice to end.

The Reformation Project is merely one example of the change that is currently happening within evangelical circles. Prominent leaders like Rob Bell and Jim Wallis have both recently come out in favor of gay marriage. Justin Lee, the executive director of the Gay Christian Network, just published the book Torn about his own experiences being a gay evangelical and the torturous journey that led him to reject the paradigm of gay or evangelical. I firmly believe that efforts by people like Lee and Vines are crucial for the next stage of the gay rights movement. Once we can divorce gay prejudice from Christi-

The goal is simple: change must come from within conservative Christianity for the antigay prejudice to end.

FFBC member 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. anity, we will have moved to a new era of acceptance and love. That change must come from within conservative churches. We are seeing the beginning of this. It can happen.

In the meantime, Matthew Vines is looking for financial support for The Reformation Project. If you are looking for a way to further gay rights, consider making a donation. I just did. For more information go to TheReformationProject.org.

Ask Lambda Legal : Marriage and the Supreme Court

By Jon Davidson, Legal Director Dear Lambda Legal, Q: I was talking with friends about the Supreme Court hearings about Prop 8 in California and DOMA, and some of us were really encouraged by the news reports. Are we being overly optimistic?

A: With arguments in Hollingsworth v.

Perry concerning Proposition 8 in California and United States v. Windsor concerning the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), we have just witnessed two historic days in the United States Supreme Court. I attended the hearings and I’m happy to say I felt encouraged as well!

There were several moments that made me smile. During arguments in Perry, the lawyer arguing in support of Prop 8 conceded that the government almost never has even a

legitimate reason for discriminating based on sexual orientation—a concession that echoes what we and other advocates for equality have been saying for years. In another exchange, Justice Anthony Kennedy stated his concern for the nearly 40,000 children living in California with parents who are samesex couples and referred to the “immediate legal injury” they are suffering. Finally, the lawyer defending Prop 8 tried to argue that only different-sex couples could procreate together–an argument made by many antigay groups around the country–and was refuted several times. Justice Elena Kagan’s explained that, while that might be grounds for letting them marry, it did not explain why same-sex couples should be excluded from the institution. Further, Justice Kagan

asked about marriage between different-sex couples who are both over 55 and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg referenced an earlier Supreme Court case that held that even those locked up in prison with no possibility of procreation have the right to marry.

During arguments in Windsor, Justice Anthony Kennedy again expressed concern about the rights of children of same-sex couples. When the other side argued that the goal of DOMA was to protect states and allow them to experiment, Justice Kennedy said he was troubled by the fact that DOMA only “helps” the states that do not want to respect marriages entered by lesbians and gay men. Justice Sonia Sotomayor questioned what right the federal government had to create categories of marriage. In one of the most positive exchanges, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg noted the harms imposed by DOMA. She discussed how federal marriage benefits are pervasive and “touch every aspect of life,” and said DOMA diminishes what numerous states have said is a marriage as “sort of skim-milk marriage.”

It was exactly 10 years ago that the Supreme Court overturned all remaining U.S. sodomy laws in Lambda Legal’s landmark case Lawrence v. Texas. Since then, we’ve seen much legal progress and social change on marriage for same-sex couples. The Supreme Court hearings on Proposition 8 and DOMA continued that momentum. Until June, when the decisions are expected, I’m remaining hopeful.

If you feel you have been discriminated against based on your sexual orientation, gender identity or HIV status, please contact our Legal Help Desk http://www.lambdalegal.org/help.

Jon W. Davidson is Legal Director at Lambda Legal, he is responsible for strategically guiding Lambda Legal’s legal work and supervising the organization’s attorneys, Legal Help Desk specialists, and legal assistants in all five of Lambda Legal’s offices. In his more than 15 years at Lambda Legal, Davidson has been counsel in cases that have won lesbians and gay men the freedom to marry; protected domestic partner benefits against attack; championed the rights of LGBT students; secured asylum for LGBT people persecuted in their home countries; and put an end to HIV-related discrimination in employment, insurance and public accommodations.

Davidson also has helped reform antigay practices of the Los Angeles Police Department and was the co-drafter of AB 205, California’s comprehensive Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act.

ACCESSline Page 28 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.ACCESSlineAMERICA.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@ACCESSlineAMERICA.com or call (712) 560-1807.

The ACCESSline is expanding our resource directory to include heartland resources outside of Iowa. Please bear with us as we continue improving our resource directory.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

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: hivtest.org/ Crisis or Suicide National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: suicidepreventionlifeline.org Information on Mental Health National Alliance on Mental Illness: nami.org Counseling, Information and Resources about Sexual Orientation GLBT National Help Center: glnh.org or 1-888-843-4564 Information on Mental Health for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender nami.org Information on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health, cdc.gov Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund 1133 15th Street NW, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20005, victoryfund.org 202-VICTORY [842-8679] Human Rights Campaign, National political organization, lobbies congress for lesbian & gay issues, political training state and local, hrc.org, 1-800-777HRCF[4723] Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund I I E. Adams, Suite 1008, Chicago, IL 60603 lambdalegal.org, 312-663-4413 National Gay & Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) - ngltf.org - taskforce.org 1325 Massachusetts Ave NW, Ste 600, Washington, DC, 20005 National Organization for Women (NOW) 733 15th ST NW, 2nd Floor Washington, DC 20005, now.org 202-628-8669 PFLAG National Offices 1133 15th Street NW, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20005, info@pflag.org - pflag.org, 202467-8180 The Trevor Lifeline |Crisis and suicide prevention lifeline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. (866) 4-U-TREVOR - (866) 488-7386 Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All calls are toll-free and confidential - thetrevorproject.org/

IOWA ORGANIZATIONS

Equality Iowa P.O. Box 18, Indianola, IA 50125, equalityiowa.org - 515-537-3126 Faithful Voices Interfaith Alliance of Iowa’s marriage equality project. 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 imperialcourtofiowa.org Iowa Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) Janis Bowden, President, IA NOW janleebow@aol.com PO Box 41114, Des Moines, IA 503111 Iowa Gay Rodeo Association (IAGRA) 921 Diagonal Rd, Malcom, IA 50157 polebender60@yahoo.com 641-990-1411

Section 3: Community 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 - OneIowa.org The Quire Eastern Iowa’s GLBT chorus, thequire.org

NEBRASKA ORGANIZATIONS (LIST IN PROGRESS)

Citizens For Equal Protection-402-398-3027 1105 Howard St, Suite #2, Omaha, NE 68102. cfep-ne.org - info@cfep-ne.org The Imperial Court of Nebraska Meets the third Monday of Every month at the Rainbow Outreach Resource Center at 17th and Leavenworth in Omaha, NE. Meetings start at 6pm and are open to the public.

PO Box 3772, Omaha, NE 68103 Nebraska AIDS Project Omaha Office (Home Office) 250 South 77th Street Suite A Omaha, NE 68114 (402) 552-9260 - Email us: info@nap.org (also serving Southwest Iowa)

AMES, IOWA

First United Methodist Church 516 Kellogg Ave, Ames, IA 50010, Contemporary worship Sat 5:30; Sun 8:30 & 11am acswebnetworks.com/firstunitedmcames/ 515-232-2750 ISU LGBTA Alliance GLBT Support, Activism, Social Events, Newsletter - 515-344-4478 L East Student Office Space,2229 Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50014-7163, alliance@iastate. edu - alliance.stuorg.iastate.edu Living with HIV Program 226 SE 16th Street, Ames, IA 50010, Ask for Janelle (Coordinator), 515-956-3312 ext 106 or 800-890-8230 Lord of Life Lutheran - 515-233-2350 2126 Gable Lane, Ames 50014, Services Sundays at 9:00a.m.; Wed. 7:00pm.

PFLAG Ames Youth and Shelter Services Offices, 2328 Bristol Drive, Ames, IA 5001, 2nd Tuesday, 7pm - 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 217 6th Street, Ames, Iowa, 50010, Sunday Continental Breakfast, 9:00am; Sunday School, 9:30am; Worship 10:45am. office@ amesucc.org 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 - unityofames.com 226 9th St, Ames, IA 50010-6210, Sunday service and Sunday school 10:30am.

Wednesday mediation 6:30pm Daily dial-a-blessing 515-233-1613

ARNOLDS PARK, OKOBOJI, SPENCER, SPIRIT LAKE, IOWA

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 - 712-332-5043 F.JosephWilson@aol.com. wilsonresource. org

BURLINGTON, IOWA

Arrowhead Motel - arrowheadia.com 2520 Mount Pleasant St, Burlington, IA 52601-2118 - 319-752-6353 Faith Lutheran Church E L C A 3109 Sunnyside Ave, Burlington, IA 52601 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, LoversPlayground.com

Steve’s Place 852 Washington St, Burlington, 319-7545868 Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Services start at 10:30 am, 625 N 6th St, Burlington, IA 52601-5032, (319) 753-1895 uuburlington.org

CEDAR FALLS - WATERLOO, IOWA

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, 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) - PO Box 36, Waterloo, IA 50704 LGBTA Support Group at Hawkeye Community College, Call Carol at 319-296-4014 or 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 Kings & Queens 304 W. 4th St, Waterloo, IA, 319-232-3001 Romantix Waterloo (Adult Emporium) 1507 La Porte Rd, Waterloo, IA 50702 319-234-9340, romantixonline.com Stellas Guesthouse 324 Summit Ave, Waterloo, IA Private B&B, Overnight accommodations for adults only. 319-232-2122 St. Lukes Episcopal Church - 319-277-8520 2410 Melrose Dr, Cedar Falls, IA 50613 Services: Sunday 8:00 & 10:15, Thurs 11:30 st-lukes-episcopal.org St. Timothys United Methodist Church 3220 Terrace Drive, Cedar Falls, 50613 sttims-umc.org, 319-266-0464, info@sttimsumc-org, “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 - 319-266-5640 3912 Cedar Heights Dr, Cedar Falls, IA

CEDAR RAPIDS/MARION, IOWA

Adult Shop 630 66th Ave SW, 319-362-4939 Adult Shop North 5539 Crane Lane, 319-294-5360 CRPrideFest (formerly Cedar Rapids Unity) Social activities, non-profit Pride festival organization. PO Box 1643 Cedar Rapids 52406-1643 - CRPrideFest.com Christ Episcopal Church “We have a place for you.” 220 40th Street NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, 319-363-2029 ChristEpiscopal.org Belle’s Basix - 319-363-3194 Open 5pm to 2am M-F, Sat & Sun 3pm-2am 3916 1st Ave NE, Cedar Rapids Club CO2, A GLBTQA Nightclub, 616 2nd Ave SE, 319-365-0225, Open 7 days a week 4PM-2AM, Happy hour from 4-8 pm, clubco2.com Coe Alliance GLBTQ and straight students, staff and people from the community. Coe College, 1220 First Ave NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402. coealliance@coe.edu or Erica Geers, faculty advisor at 319-8616025

Community Health Free Clinic 947 14th Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 - 319-363-0416 - 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 - 319-364-1580 1103 3rd St. SE, info@legionarts.org Diversity Focus, 222 2nd Street SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401, 319-363-3707, DiversityFocus.org, Lead in the promotion of diversity, cultural awareness, and inclusion in the Corridor community.

Eden United Church of Christ 351 8th Ave SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404 (319) 362-7805 Sunday School 9am - Worship 10:15am 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 For more info, contact linnstonewall@ gmail. com People’s Church Unitarian Universalist A welcoming congregation. 4980 Gordon Ave NW, Cedar Rapids, IA, 11am Sunday. 319362-9827 - peoplesuu.org 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 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.

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.

- ri-ess.org, 319-390-6376, georgia523@ yahoo.com - marlenemarschel@yahoo.com Unity Center of Cedar Rapids “A center of positive, practical Christianity.”

4980 Gordon NE, Cedar Rapids unitycr.org - (319) 393-5422

CLINTON, IOWA

18 and Beyond (aka ABC Books), 135 5th Ave South, 563-242-7687 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, IOWA

Council Bluffs Community Alliance “…will promote the city of Council Bluffs as a developing gay, lesbian, bisexual & transgender family community, & to assure the equality of all Council Bluffs’ residents.”

CouncilBluffsCommunityAlliance.org Council Bluffs NOW PO Box 3325, Omaha, NE 68103-0325 Romantix Council Bluffs (North) (Adult Emporium) 3216 1st Ave, Council Bluffs, IA 51501-3353-romantixonline.com515-955-9756 Romantix Council Bluffs (South) (Romantix After Dark) 50662 189th St, Council Bluffs, IA 51503 romantixonline.com, 712-366-1764

DECORAH, IOWA

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, 563-3871040.

Luther College PRIDE-Diversity Center, 700 College Dr, Decorah, IA 52101 Contact Charles 563-210-6570 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 Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Meets alternating Sundays at 10:30am, Decorah Senior Center, 806 River St, Call Bill at 563-382-3458.

MAY 2013 DES MOINES, IOWA

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 theblazingsaddle.com - 515-246-1299 Buddies Corral 418 E 5th St, Des Moines, IA - 515-244-7140 Church of the Holy Spirit-MCC, Interim Pastor Peter Trabaris - Sunday service 11am at the 1st Christian Church, 2500 University (2nd floor chapel), Des Moines, IA, Facebook. com/CHSMCC, chsmccdmia@aol.com, 515-287-9787 Des Moines Diversity Chorus [A gay-friendly mixed chorus] Rehearsals on Mondays at 7 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Beaver Ave. at Franklin St., Des Moines.

All are welcome, no auditions.

PO Box 65312, West Des Moines, IA 50265, Julie Murphy, Artistic Director jahmurphy@hotmail.com, 515-255-3576, desmoinesdiversitychorus.org Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus 515-953-1540, 4126 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines - administrator@dmgmc.org Des Moines Pride Center @ One Iowa (temporary location) 419 SW, 8th St., Des Moines, IA 50309 Family Practice Center - 515-953-7560 Safe, supportive LGBT health care. 200 Army Post Road, Ste 26, ppgi.org 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 ffbciowa.org First Unitarian Church 1800 Bell Avenue, Services Sundays at 9:30 & 11am - 515-244-8603, ucdsm.org Franklin Family Practice Dr. Joe Freund, MD 4908 Franklin Ave., Des Moines, IA 50310 515-280-4930, ucsinformation@ucsdsm.org, UCSOnline.org/FranklinFamilyPractice The Gallery (adult store) 1000 Cherry St, Des Moines, IA 50309-4227 - (515) 244-2916 Open 24 Hrs, LoversPlayground.com The Garden 112 SE 4th Des Moines, IA, 515-243-3965 Wed-Sun. 8pm-2am grdn.com Gay & Lesbian AA & AI-Anonymous Mon 7pm; Tue-Thu 6pm; Sat. 5:30pm, 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 Lavender Victory Fund Financial assistance for women in need for medical emergencies. lavendervf@aol.com Le Boi Bar 508 Indianola Rd, Des Moines, IA Liberty Gifts 333 E. Grand Ave, Loft 105, Des Moines, IA Gay owned specialty clothing, jewelry, home decor. 515-508-0825 MINX Show Palace - 515-266-2744 1510 NE Broadway, Des Moines, IA 50313 North Star Gay Rodeo Association of IGRA, Iowa Division of North Star, NSGRA@ NSGRA.org or 612-82-RODEO 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 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. 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 - 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

TTDIRECTORY cont’d page 29

MAY 2013 SScontinued from page 28

DIRECTORY

Ritual Café - ritualcafe.com On 13th between Grand and Locust.

Gay owned, great music, awesome food & coffee. 515-288-4872 ritualcafe@aol.com Romantix North Des Moines Iowa (Bachelor’s Library) 2020 E Euclid Ave, Des Moines, IA 50317, romantixonline.com 515266-7992 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 - 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 10am, trinityumcdm.org Urbandale UCC - An open & affirming congregation. 3530 70th St., Urbandale, IA 50322, 515-276-0625, urbucc.org Walnut Hills UMC Join us at 8:30 or 10:45am for Sunday worship. Sunday classes & group studies at 9:30am. 515-270-9226, 12321 Hickman Rd, Urbandale, IA 50323, whumc.org Westminster Presbyterian Church 4114 Allison Ave - 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 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, 515-244-7694 2723 Ingersoll, Des Moines, IA

DUBUQUE, IOWA

Adult Warehouse - 563-588-9184 975 Jackson St, Dubuque, IA Dubuque Friends Worship Group (Quakers) Join us at an unprogrammed worship service on Sunday at 10am. Welcoming and Affirming, 563-582-9388 St. Mark’s Community Center, 1201 White Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001 Rainbow Pride support and socialization group.

For members of the LGBT+ community who want to expand their social circle, get support for LGBT specific issues, & help with advocacy. Meets Mondays at 1pm Hillcrest Wellness Center 225 W 6th St., Dubuque, IA 563-690-1239 PFLAG Dubuque/Tri-State Carnegie Stout Library, 3rd Floor Conference Room, 360 W. 11th St. 3rd Tuesday, 7pm 563-581-4606 Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Dubuque - “The uncommon denomination.” general services at 10am. 1699 Iowa St, Dubuque, IA uuf-dbq.org 563-583-9910

ELKADER, IOWA

Bethany Church (ELCA) - 563-245-1856 307 3rd St NE, Elkader IA 52043 Pastor Jim Klosterboer. Inclusive. Welcoming.

A “Reconciling in Christ” congregation of LC/ NA. alpinecom.net/~bethanychurch bethanychurch@alpinecom.net, Schera’s Restaurant & Bar 107 S Main St, Elkader, IA 52043, Scheras.com, E-mail: info@scheras.com Fine dining featuring Algerian & American Cuisine. 563-245-1992

FORT DODGE, IOWA

Romantix Fort Dodge (Mini Cinema) Sun-Thu 10am-12am, Fri & Sat 10am-2am 15 N. 5th St, Fort Dodge, IA 50501-3801 RomantixOnline.com - 515-955-9756

GRINNELL, IOWA

Broadviewwildflowerseed.com, Broad View Wildflower Seed, 428 Hamilton Ave., Grinnell, Iowa 50112, Manager/Owner: John C., chicoski7@yahoo.com

Section 3: Community Saints Ephrem & Macrina 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 United Church of Christ-Congregational, ‘An open and affirming church.’ 902 Broad St, 641-236-3111

INDIANOLA, IOWA

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. crossroadsucc.org

IOWA CITY, IOWA

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 Client-centered therapy. Les-Bi-Gay-Trans always welcome. 616 Bloomington St, Iowa City, IA - 319-337-1679 Crisis Center 319-351-0140 1121 Gilbert Ct, 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, 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 - 319-335-3251 (voice mail) glbtau@uiowa.edu 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. 319-338-2135 3211 E 1st Iowa City, IA 52240-4703 Iowa City Free Medical Clinic - 319-337-4459 Free & strictly confidential HIV Testing. 2440 Towncrest Dr Iowa City, Call for appointment Iowa City NOW PO Box 2944, Iowa City, IA 52244 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. Discussion Groups, Educational Series, Safer Sex Workshops, Book Club. Andy Weigel, email: aweigel@ co.johnson.ia.us New Song Episcopal Church 912 20th Ave, Coralville, IA. Sunday services at 10am.

Jennifer Masada, Jane Stewart, and John Greve. 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 - 319-351-9444 (Pleasure Palace I) 315 Kirkwood Ave, Iowa City, IA 52240-4722 - romantixonline.com 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, 319-335-1486

Unitarian Universalist Society of Iowa City Inclusive & free religious community nurturing intellectual & spiritual growth & fostering ethical & social responsibility. uusic.org 10 S. Gilbert, Iowa City, IA Sunday services: 9:30am & 11:15am. 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 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, IOWA

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, IOWA

Cerro Gordo County Dept. of Public Health 22 N. Georgia Ave, Ste 300 Mason City, IA 50401. Free confidential AIDS testing. 641421-9321 PFLAG North Iowa Chapter 641-583-2848, pflagmcni@yahoo.com, Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Cafe @ 7 p.m. Wed.

MOUNT VERNON, IOWA

Alliance Cornell College 810 Commons Cir # 2035 - alliance@cornellcollege.edu - orgs.cornellcollege.edu/alliance/

PELLA, IOWA

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, IOWA

AIDS Project Quad Cities Info, education & support. Davenport, IA 52804, www.apqc4life.org 319-762-LIFE Black Hawk College Unity Alliance Serving GLBT community at Black Hawk College. 6600 34th Ave, Rock Island, IL 309-716-0542.

Connections Nightclub 563-322-1121 822 W 2nd St, Davenport, IA 52802 DeLaCerda House 309-786-7386 Provides housing & supportive services, advocacy and referrals for people living with HIV/ AIDS. P.O. Box 4551, Rock Island, Il. 61201 Good Samaritan Free Clinic 309-797-4688 Provides free primary medical care to patients age 16-64 who are working but have no medical insurance. gsfc@mchsi.com 602 35th Ave, Moline, IL 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. 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 Lucky Shamrock 313 20th St, Rock Island, IL - 309-788-7426 An Irish Pub open to all types.

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 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 (Call Don at 563324-0215) At the MCC Church in D’port, 7pm Wed. qcswede64@aol.com

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 - 563-359-0816 3707 Eastern Avenue, Davenport, IA 52807 Venus News (Adult) 902 W 3rd St, Davenport, IA. 563-322-7576

RED OAK, IOWA

First Congregational United Church of Christ (open and affirming) - 712-623-2794 608 E Reed St, Red Oak, IA 51566 Rev. Elizabeth Dilley, Pastor uccwebsites.net/firstcongredoakia.html firstconguccredoak@yahoo.com

SHENANDOAH, IOWA

PFLAG Shenandoah 1002 South Elm Street - 712-246-2824

SIOUX CITY, IOWA

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 St - 712-258-8278.

Morningside College Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Alliance Contact Professor Gail Dooley, Advisor Morningside College GSA. 1501 Morningside Ave, Sioux City, IA 51106-1717 dooley@morningside.edu - 712-274-5208 PFLAG Siouxland PO Box 1311, Sioux City, IA 51102 siouxlandPFLAG@aol.com Romantix Sioux City 712-277-8566 511 Pearl St, Sioux City, IA 51101-1217 St. Thomas Episcopal Church Service Sun 10:30am 406 12th St, Waverly, IA Rev Mary Christopher - 712-258-0141 Western Iowa Tech. GSA widemal@juno.com for info.

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, sdtoppers.com Center for Equality, 406 S Second Avenue in Sioux Falls, 605-331-1153, centersforequalitysd.org

WAVERLY, IOWA

Cedar Valley Episcopal Campus Ministry.

717 W. Bremer, (St. Andrew’s Episcopal) 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 319-352-1489 Rev. Maureen Doherty, Pastor

NEBRASKA (CONTENT IN PROGRESS) HASTINGS, NEBRASKA

PFLAG Hastings - pat@datacc.net

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA

Club Q Lincoln - 402-475-2269 226 South 9th St, Lincoln, NE 68508 Indigo Bridge Books The Creamery Building, 701 P St, Ste 102, Lincoln, NE 68508 - 402-477 7770 “Indigo Bridge Books strives to provide a solid, relevant Gender Studies section with a focus on LGBT titles. indigobridgebooks.com Nebraska AIDS Project (Lincoln Office) 1921 South 17th Street, Lincoln, NE 68502 (402) 476-7000 - nap.org OUTLinc - outlinc.org Bringing Lincoln’s LGBT Community Together Panic - 402-435-8764 200 S 18th St, Lincoln, NE 68508 PFLAG Cornhusker Chapter PO Box 82034, Lincoln, NE 68501 Meetings 4th Tuesday, Unitarian Church of Lincoln, 6300 A St, 7-9pm pflagcornhusker.org PFLAG Helpline: 402-434-9880 - Confidential Support & Information - We’re Here For You !

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland Sexual and Reproductive Health Care, Transgender Care - (402) 441-3302 2246 O St, Lincoln, NE 68510

ACCESSline Page 29 The Rainbow Clinic in the UNL Psychological Consultation Center “…a specialty outreach service to the GLBTQ community. Psychological services, including individual, couples & family therapy, are provided within the UNL Psychological Consultation Center by regular PCC staff…open year round; day & evening appointments available. $10 for intake & $25 for therapy sessions. Application can be made for reduced fees based on federal poverty guidelines.

325 Burnett Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588 402-472-2351 unl.edu/psypage/pcc/ Star City Pride starcitypride.org - info@starcitypride.org The Unitarian Church of Lincoln 6300 A Street, Lincoln, NE 68510-5097 (402) 483-2213 - unitarianlincoln.org Sunday from 10am to 11am

OMAHA, NEBRASKA

AIDS Interfaith Network 100 N. 62nd, Omaha, NE Call Br. Wm. Woeger, 402-558-3100 Citizens For Equal Protection-402-398-3027 1105 Howard St, Suite #2, Omaha, NE 68102. cfep-ne.org - info@cfep-ne.org DC’s Saloon - (western/levi/leather) The Midwest’s hottest GLBT Country & Dance Bar! 610 S 14th St, Omaha, NE, Open everyday 2pm-1am Front Runners/Front Walkers Walking/jogging club. P.O. Box 4583, Omaha, NE 68104, 402-804-8720, frontrunners.org GLBT Rainbow Outreach Omaha Serving GLBT community in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. Also office for Imperial court of Nebraska. 1719 Leavenworth St, Omaha, NE, rocc.org - 402-341-0330 Greater Omaha GLBT Network - goglbt.org “…to advance growth & equality for its members, businesses & allies by providing educational, networking & community-building opportunities. Meetings 1st Thursday every month locations at a traveling location to see the community and be seen. For more info or to be included on the e-newsletter list, please email us at info@goglbt.org.

Heartland Gay Rodeo Association (HGRA) (Midwest Division of the International Gay Rodeo Association) PO Box 3354, Omaha, NE 68103, hgra.net - 402-203-4680, Serves Iowa and Nebraska Heartland Pride ”…to develop a high impact and relevant cultural festival & events annually that promotes equality & unity for the LGBTQ & Allies Communities of Western Iowa and Greater Nebraska. heartlandpride.org Imperial Court of Nebraska 402-556-9907 P.O. Box 3772, Omaha, NE 68103 Inclusive Life - inclusivelife.org “Religious and Non religious care, services and ceremonies for all!”, 105 S. 49 Street, Suite E, Omaha, NE 68132, (402) 575-7006, The Max 1417 Jackson at 15th, Omaha, NE 68102 6 bars in 1 - 402-346-4110 McLovin 1010 South 10 Street, Omaha, NE, 68108 info@mclovinstore.com, MclovingStore.com 402-915-4002, A store for men.

MCC Omaha 819 South 22nd, Omaha, NE 68103, Sun 9:30AM & 11:15 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, 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 - rcga.us River City Mixed Chorus Gay/lesbian chorus, PO Box 3267, Omaha, NE 68103, Call Stan Brown, 402-341-7464 Tri-ess Chapter, Kappa Phi Lambda Chapter, Omaha, NE 68107, Transgendered organization supporting crossdressers, their families, and friends. tri-ess.org, 402-960-9696, Judy marlenemarschel@yahoo.com Youth Support Group for GLBT Youth 13-21, meets twice monthly. Omaha, NE - 402-291- 6781

ACCESSline Page 30 SScontinued from page 10

FODOR support made me a winner in my eyes.

Pageants are like training for a Marathon, you set a goal and you strive for it. All the training, from choosing your song to your dancers, searching for that perfect gown that fits you just right—pageants are a way of showing how hard you have worked and what you have to offer. For me pageants are about how it makes you feel. You may look beautiful on the outside but the beauty on the inside is what counts... Even if you’re wearing Chanel...”

Sasha “I think pageants are a great way for girls to learn and grow. They force you to be the best you can be at that moment in time. Pageants are also a great way to showcase what you have to offer in this industry. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t competed in pageants. I learned so much about what a great talent is, how to apply my makeup, what looks good for hair, gowns and costumes. I also gained confidence and learned how to speak to a stranger or in front of a crowd. All of this can be applied to a normal show.

I bought Iowa All American Goddess this year, and I am really excited for it to grow in the future. We had 7 queens show up and I was so impressed with everything they brought to the table. I think AAG is a great pageant system because it has extra categories that allow contestants to show every aspect of their character. Onstage question forces the girls to speak with confidence in front of a crowd. Creative costume gives them infinite space to show as much creativity as they can. Along with

Section 3: Community talent, gown and personal interview with the judges, we get to see every angle of a contestant. Pageants are a business, and I think that’s something a lot of people don’t understand. When someone wins, it is a job, and they are expected to promote it and look sickening along the way. And if you are still competing or thinking about competing, the best thing to do is prepare a package and figure out how to sell it to the judges. It’s a sales pitch, and you need to make sure they know you are the best girl for the gig!”

Chloe “I have had a long and interesting history with pageants, as a lot of us have had.

A.A.G. was so fun and very fairly judged. It was so nice to see state-wide participation.

The competition was very intense; I stayed focused and I didn’t even have any vodka, which, you know I live for. Even if you think they are not for you, trust me, nothing bad can come from a pageant. Even if you think you should have won, I’m sure you learned at least one thing along your path to that pageant. And if you come back and try even harder the next year, you’ll just be that much more fierce. Try a pageant at least once, you might like it!”

So ladies and gentlemen, in closing out this month’s column, I want to say I have the utmost respect for these pioneering performers and illusionists. Not only do they provide entertainment and frivolity for us; they provide amazing community support, a profound history of activism for the LGBTQ community—Since before Stonewall—and have paved the way for us all the way to the steps of the Supreme Court.

Tip them well my friends...they deserve it!

Sasha Belle. Photo courtesy of Gleam Imaging.

MAY 2013

MAY 2013 SScontinued from page 26

AZZOPARDI said, “Oh my goodness.” And he said, “I think they probably thought this was going to be very funny having us sit next to each other.”

(Laughs) I just said, “Tell me about your life.” He asked me the same thing. He told me good things about his job and hard things about his job. It was two human beings that have had very different lifestyles sitting next to each other and sharing life. Given 10 choices, would Anthony and I choose the same things? Maybe so. Maybe not. But I felt so changed by that. And what I really felt was, well … I … (pauses) What did you feel?

Well, I kept his card for a long time, and I hoped that our paths would cross again. I felt a lot of compassion for his parents, firstgeneration immigrants, and he described his childhood and what it was like. I went, “This makes total sense that he has invested his life coming to the aid of the people in his world that are disenfranchised because, for a whole different set of reasons, his parents were marginalized.”

And you found that inspiring?

Yes. You know what, we all face challenges in our life that we didn’t anticipate, and the most important thing is that we not face them alone. To me, if there’s anything that comes out of this conversation, in the same way that a relationship cannot be nurturing if it’s competitive, it’s this: When you don’t understand something, you can either default to judgment or you can default to compassion. Those take you down completely different roads.

Are you speaking about yourself?

Yeah, and that’s really … ahh, I’m just talking about life in general. This is interesting because I have never done an interview where it feels every question is saying, “Tell me I’m OK.” That’s what feels like the underlying energy behind the questions, and I’m just going, “That’s a powerful kind of energy”—and for different reasons. Maybe not sexuality. Because that’s what every person’s crying out for. Anyway, sometimes a good night’s sleep helps for more concise answers.

It’s just that we’re living lives that are different from each other. It’s like two people sitting at a dinner table having a long conversation. If you and I were facing each other at a different table and we walked away and somebody asked us to describe where we were, my entire view was behind your head. I mean, I’m gonna describe the place differently than you. That’s just true about all of life and really, I’m trying to listen and learn and in a way have a great opportunity to try to understand the fan base that comes to a show. I’m even more glad they feel welcome. Even more glad after this. Can I say one thing?

Of course.

I know that the religious community has not been very welcoming, but I just want to stress that the journey of faith brings us into community, but it’s really about one relationship. The journey of faith is just being willing and open to have a relationship with God. And everybody is welcome.

Everybody.

Chris Azzopardi is the editor of Q Syndicate, the international LGBT wire service.

Reach him via his website at www.chrisazzopardi.com.

Section 3: Community

ACCESSline Page 31

NKOB Dressed to Impress

Trent Recker made his debut performance with the group by kicking off the show with his vocal talent.

Courtesy of Alana Hyatt.

Landin Laydeez is a natural performer after joining the group in February.

Courtesy of Alana Hyatt. facebook.com/AlanasArtwork

Justin Cider never stopped moving, he got Footloose! Courtesy of Alana Hyatt. facebook.com/AlanasArtwork

The New Kings on the block performed April 12th for their 80’s Awesomness Show. Many audience members dressed up in their best 1980’s inspired outfits and $30 worth of The Tool Box gift cards were given out as prizes. Those celebrating birthdays or anniversaries were also given the opportunity to come out to the dance floor and receive a free birthday shot courtesy of Club Co2.

Friday, May 10th will be your next chance to see the New Kings on the Block perform at Club Co2 located at 616 2nd Ave

SE Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The show begins at 10pm with the theme of: Prom Night Dress to Impress. Cover is only $5 and there will be a photo booth available for individual and group photos. Bring a date and you could be crowned New Kings Prom Queen and King. Prizes include gift certificates from The Tool Box, an Iowa City, Iowa shop that will also have a merchandise booth at the show.

New Kings on the Block emcees Jazmine and Chelsea will assist with emcee duties at this year’s Cedar Rapids Pridefest

on June 1st. Members of the New Kings on the Block will also perform along with other area drag queens and the show cast from Belle’s Basix. Cedar Rapids Pridefest will also feature musical performances by the Brazilian 2Wins. Cedar Rapids Pridefest will be located at Greene Square Park in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa and begins at 4pm after the farmers market.

Also in June several members of the New Kings on the Block will be traveling to Dubuque, Iowa to perform at the newly opened bar 920 Main.

80’s costume contest was held for Biggest Hair, Best 80’s Couple and Best 80’s outfit. Courtesy of Alana Hyatt.

Make no mistake: as Log Cabin Republicans, we want to win elections, and if the Republican Party wants to do the same it needs to take a stand against antigay rhetoric in its ranks and welcome the increasing numbers of Republicans who support the freedom to marry. ~Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director Gregory T. Angelo

ACCESSline Page 32

Section 3: Community

MAY 2013

Leather Archives & Museum Chicago, IL Roast of International Mr. Leather and International Mr. Boot Black 2012

Thursday May 23, 2013 is the Roast of outgoing International Mr. Leather and International Mr. Boot Black 2012.

Kick off International Mr. Leather weekend with the roast of Woody Woodruff and Nick Elliott. Tickets available for guaranteed seating. Free seating is available on a first come first serve basis. They expect a full house for this event so purchase your tickets early. Doors open at 8:00pm, the program starts at 9:00pm. To purchase tickets go to LeatherArchives.org/giftshop/ roast.htm.

Current Exhibits: Fakir Musafar

Celebrate the Father of Modern Primitives, Fakir Musafar an exhibition of photographs, video, interviews artifacts and papers. This exhibit includes an extensive collection of popular photographs, many taken by Fakir himself. Interviews

by Charles Gatewood and Serena Yang, a 13-minute profile video highlighting his more memorable moments and artifacts like his chest daggers and home made metal sensory deprivation hood. His book, Spirit & Flash and his magazine, Body Play are also part of the exhibit. For anyone who is into or interested in body modification, this exhibit is a must see.

A Room of Her Own

The premiere Women’s Leather History Project exhibit : A Room of Her Own. Curated by Dr. Alex Warner and featuring items collected through the Women’s Leather History Project at the LA&M.

A Point in History, The Leather History Timeline

Based off the Leather History Timeline created by Tony DeBlase. They’ve selected a few of their favorite points and expanded on them. The new exhibit includes an interview with Mistress Mir of New York and her life as a Professional Dominatrix.

The life of legendary porn star Val Martin and his involvement in the Gay Leather Community. The loss of a legend, Bettie Page and her experiences in front of and behind the camera. International Deaf Leather and the titleholders that made the contest great.

Shibaricon and the erotic rope bondage of Lochai. Joseph Bean, his writings and his art. The art of Tom of Finland and Etienne coming together for a once in a lifetime show at Stompers Boots.

Debates in Leather

An exhibit at the LA&M that stages past and current debates in the scholarly and practical arena of alternative sexuality. The exhibit invites LA&M patrons to contribute by recording their opinions on the issues and objects displayed. Patrons can also suggest topics and debates for future exhibits. Currently on debate, Transgender issues as they relate to the Leather Community.

Philip Hitchcock’s sculpture “Prometheus Bound” in the collection at Leather Archives & Museum. Courtesy of the Leather Archives & Museum and Philip Hitchcock, HitchcockDesigns.com

My Vest!

A selection of vests from the LA&M collection and the people who wear them.

Photography by Rich Stadtmiller in the Uniforms Gallery

Guest Artist Gallery

The Leather Archives & Museum is dedicated to the preservation of and access to fetish history and culture. The G.A.G. Contemporary Fetish Gallery at the LA&M features works by renowned and emerging fetish artists from around the world. Curator Chester Munro assembles erotic exhibitions that entice and inspire all patrons from hardcore fetish enthusiasts to the tourist voyeur.

Visit the Women’s Leather History Project

The WLHP is a multi-year project. Their initial target fund-raising goal for 2010 was and exceeded $10,000, and they hope to collect an additional $2,500/year for each additional year. Donations to the WLHP will only be used for program items related to the collection and exhibition of women’s leather history at the LA&M. Your donations will fund the hiring of a professional curator, the creation of museum exhibits at the LA&M, and the acquisition and storage of women’s leather resources.

Bondage devices in the collection at Leather Archives & Museum. Courtesy of the Leather Archives & Museum.

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KRUG “It could have been me if I stood another foot to the left,” Uncle Ed would say.

But for. That’s how life often works.

Ed Graney was my “but for.” It may be that my uncle enjoyed having a legacy— someone—to carry his name and do things in the world that he couldn’t. It may be that this former soldier simply understood that I needed something extra in order to survive what was a chaotic family life.

Regardless of the motive or reasoning,

my uncle showed up at a time in my life when showing up was crucial. Had he not, I don’t know if I would have ever made it to college or law school or to the prosperity that I later enjoyed.

Certainly, I’d never have made it to columnist or author.

Luckily, I was mature enough to thank Uncle Ed before he died in 1991.

His humble response: “It was the least I could do.”

As I write this, I’m looking at the chow cup and a photograph of Ed Graney as an old man, wearing a smile.

And I’m feeling extremely grateful.

Become a member or renew during the 2013 Membership Drive

As mainstream interest in Leather and SM grows through “50 Shades”, movies and

television inclusion, the Leather Archives & Museum continues to bring the rich cultural heritage behind it to life. Your support has enabled them to offer “Free Day” at the LA&M every Thursday. This program has been a hit, and they’ve seen increased visitation at the LA&M in 2013. The Women’s Leather History Project was focused on oral histories in 2012, and your support enabled collections from over 30 leather women to be made available on the LA&M website.

New exhibits at the LA&M and online in 2012 included photographer Richard Yates, Bound—an exhibit about bondage history, equipment and safety, photographer Justice Howard, and the traveling “Art of Drummer” exhibit continued around the country with 2012 shows in Cleveland and Philadelphia.

They offer a monthly membership program, where a small donation is made on a monthly basis, which can be discontinued at any time. Information is available at LeatherArchives.org/involved/membership/.

The Leather Archives & Museum is a library, museum and archives pertaining to Leather, fetishism, sadomasochism, and alternative sexual practices. The geographic collection scope is worldwide and includes all sexual orientations and genders. The library collection contains published books, magazines, scholarly publications, films and electronic resources related to the subject matter. The museum collection contains original erotic art and artifacts from alternative sex organizations and individuals. The archival collection contains unpublished papers and records from notable activists, artists, businesses and organizations related to the subject matter. The Leather Archives & Museum is located at 6418 N. Greenview Ave., Chicago, IL, 60626. Go to LeatherArchives. org for more information.

Today marks a historic step for LGBT equality in sports. The NHL and the NHLPA [NHL Players’ Association] are stepping up to ensure that the hockey community is welcoming—not begrudging, not tolerant—welcoming to LGBT players, coaches, management or fans. Now with the culture of the hockey community behind us, we can do the important educational outreach to help everyone know how to be accepting. The NHL has long had a slogan—”Hockey Is For Everyone.” We will work alongside our partners in the NHL and the NHLPA to continue to make that true. ~You Can Play founder Patrick Burke.

MAY 2013

Section 3: Community

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ACCESSline Page 34

Section 3: Community

MAY 2013

Iowa Pride Network reminds GSAs of Their Rights Students and parents in Ankeny, IA, have expressed disappointment with Northview Middle School’s administration after being told that the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club cannot advocate for participation in the Day of Silence on Friday, April 19.

The Day of Silence is a studentled national day of action that brings attention to antiLGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) bullying and harassment in schools. Students take a vow of silence in an effort to encourage schools and classmates to address anti-LGBT behavior and language by demonstrating the silencing

effect of bullying and harassment.

“Thousands of students in middle schools, high schools, and colleges in Iowa and throughout the country will be participating by taking a vow of silence during the school day,” said Dana Stuehling, Outreach Coordinator for Iowa Pride Network, a nonprofit organization that supports Iowa’s LGBT and straight allied youth, who has been working with Northview Middle School GSA members.

Members of the GSA have met opposition from the administration regarding advertising this day of action. Students have requested permission to post flyers in the hallways, to have an advertisement

The Equal Access Act clearly states that all non-curricular clubs should have access to the same resources, including posting flyers in hallways and advertising for events.

on the school televisions, and to set up a table during lunch periods to distribute handouts and pledge cards. They have been repeatedly told that individuals may participate on a personal level but cannot advertise the event to the larger student body. This is in violation of the federal Equal Access Act. “The Equal Access Act clearly states that all non-curricular clubs should have access to the same resources, including posting flyers in hallways and advertising for events. In Northview Middle School, groups like Pinterest Club, Salsa Club, Anime Club, and Game Club have been given access to these resources while the GSA has not,” said Stuehling.

Iowa Pride Network Leadership Team member and Indianola High School Student Ellen Keyser stated, “The Day of Silence is about standing up for those who are bullied, oppressed, and cannot

It’s not as taboo as it used to be. It’s much more of a generational thing that that is even something that people consider….It used to be like the gay character and they didn’t even have to define him any further. They were just like, ‘Oh, he’s the gay guy’. I think everyone now has much more experience with gay family members and whatever the case may be. Certainly for my generation, it’s just not something that’s that big a deal anymore. ~Actor Kevin Zegers on LGBT roles in film.

speak up. I choose to remain silent so that they will be heard. By disallowing student participation the administration is perpetuating the culture that the Day of Silence aims to bring attention to.”

“We urge Northview Middle School administrators to stand by their LGBT students by recognizing the value of Day of Silence and other GSA events,” Stuehling stated. “I am so inspired by the bravery and openness of these youth advocates and hope that the administration will support students’ efforts to create a safer environment for all students.”

IPN works directly with LGBTA youth to cultivate advocates and leaders who fight homophobia and transphobia and strive for social justice. For more information about Iowa Pride Network go to IowaPrideNetwork.org.

MAY 2013

Section 3: Community

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