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It's Not Just a Job It's a Dudey Comedian Jason Dudey Returns to Baltimore Just for Laughs By Rahne Alexander
WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
OPINION Calculating the Value of My Marriage by Julie R. Enszer
DO AS I SAY Prudence Worthington Says a Mouthful
JANUARY 13 GLCCB Hosts Health and Wellness Fair
WHAT’S INSIDE Page 3
LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS Maryland Lawmakers Take Up Issue of Same-Sex Marriage; Phelps Returns to Baltimore to Protest. By Scott Baum
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS Uruguay Civil-Union Bill Signed Into Law; McKellen Becomes Companion of Honour; Canadian Bill Would Protect Transgender People; Online Homophobes Prosecuted in the Netherlands; Cuban Lesbians Marry in Government Agency Courtyard; Swedish Pop Star Comes Out As HIV-Positive; Spanish Gay Leader Marries. By Rex Wockner
FEATURE Page 9
Dudey Calls: Comedian Jason Dudey Answers the Call. By Rahne Alexander
OPINIONS Page 15
Calculating the Value of My Marriage. By Julie R. Enszer Letter to the Editor The More Things Change… By Leslie Robinson Drive By. By Robert Maril A One-Issue Year. By Gwendolyn Ann Smith
PENCIL ME IN Page 19
Calendar. By Scott Baum
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Theater: The Mousetrap at Spotlighters and Now What? at CenterStage
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Event: Health and Wellness Fair
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MOVIES Atonement; The Bucket List; The Great Debaters; Juno; There Will Be Blood; and The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
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DO AS I SAY Unwelcome Party Favors. By Miss Prudence Worthington
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Q SCOPES Ask for Advice, Virgo! By Jack Fertig
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Q PUZZLE Fostering an Interest in Cinema
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QUOTE UNQUOTE By Rex Wockner
Gay Life is a publication of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore. Gay Life is published every other Friday in Baltimore, Maryland, with distribution throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Copyrighted 2008. All Rights Reserved. Gay Life is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of Gay Life or its publisher. Brian Flottemesch President of GLCCB
Maddy Dwertman Sales sales@baltimoregaylife.com
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CONTRIBUTORS Rahne Alexander Julie R. Enszer Jack Fertig Robert Maril Andrew Noyes Leslie Robinson Gwendolyn Ann Smith Rex Wockner Prudence Worthington
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LOCAL NEWS
Compiled by Scott Baum
Maryland Lawmakers Take Up Issue of Same-Sex Marriage in 2008 Session Maryland lawmakers came back to Annapolis this month for the 2008 legislative session, and on the agenda this year are same-sex marriage, civil unions and a host of other issues of importance to the LGBT community. After the Court of Appeals handed down its decision in September 2007, which upheld the state’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples, supporters and opponents vowed to bring the fight to Annapolis in the 2008 session. Event as they announced their decision, the state’s highest court seemed to be asking the General Assembly to take up the issue. "Our opinion should by no means be read to imply that the General Assembly may not grant and recognize for homosexual persons civil unions or the right to marry a person of the same sex," Judge Glenn T. Harrell Jr. wrote in the decision last fall. “I think there’s a strong chance the General Assembly is going to take action to remedy discrimination against same-sex couples in Maryland,” Dan Furmansky, executive director of Equality Maryland, told the Washington Blade. The state’s largest LGBT civil rights organization is hoping that legislators will pass the Religious Freedom & Civil Marriage Protection Act, which would make valid the marriage of “two people.” Curre n t l y marriage in Maryland is defined as “between a man and a woman.” The bill is being sponsored by
Sen. Gwendolyn Britt and Del. Victor Ramirez, both Democrats from Prince George’s County. While Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat, has indicated he would sign the Religious Freedom & Civil Marriage Protection Act, Senate President Mike Miller (D-Calvert and Prince George’s counties) has said he’s not sure it will make it to the floor for a vote. "Churchgoing people are not really in favor of breaking up traditional marriage," Miller told the Associated Press. "I don't think we see a whole lot of movement in that direction." The proposed legislation makes it clear that churches will not be required to perform marriages for same-sex couples. "Opponents have said we're trying to make clergy do what they don't want to do. So we addressed that. This isn't anything other than equality from the state," Carrie Evans, Equality Maryland's policy director, told the AP. Sen. Rich Madaleno (DMontgomery County), who is gay, told the Washington Blade that marriage equality is not an impossible goal, but he remains “the most difficult hurdle we face.” “When you look at the overall population in Maryland, it seems to me that you’ve got 40 percent that support marriage equality, you’ve got 40 percent who are opposed to marriage equality, and you’ve got 20 percent who are somewhere around
legal recognition, maybe not marriage,” he said. “I think that the legislature falls into the same sort of percentages.”
Civil Unions vs. Marriage A recent poll conducted by the Washington Post showed that 57 percent of Marylanders support civil unions for same-sex couples, but only 44 percent support samesex marriage. Civil unions would give samesex couples a broad range of legal rights, albeit fewer than marriage provides. Civil unions rights have been granted to same-sex couples in six states. "In the end, we decided that marriage equality is what we want," Madaleno told the Post. "We need to educate people as to why it is marriage and not civil unions that we want."
Other LGBT Issues Legislators and lobbyists have adopted a strategy of coupling a same-sex marriage bill, which could take years to get approved, with smaller incremental steps. Those smaller steps include legislation that would bar discrimination against transgender people in areas of housing and employment will be raised again. Last year, a similar bill offered died in committee. “The bill will absolutely be introduced again,” Furmansky told the B l a d e. “It’s a priority of the organization.” Other bills that would benefit LGBT Marylanders that will be introduced in this session include one to eliminate re c o rdation and transfer taxes imposed on partners when they are added to home deeds, one to exempt partners from the inheritance tax, and one continued on page 5
Phelps Returns to Baltimore to Protest The Rev. Phelps returned to Baltimore with two members of his Westboro Baptist Church to protest at the memorial service for a Parkville family killed in a drunk driving crash on Dec. 30 as they returned home from Ohio. In October a Baltimore Court ordered the church to pay nearly $11 million after protesting at the funeral of a U.S. Marine in York, Pa. The church claims that God is killing solders to punish America for condoning homosexuality. The church now claims that the
d runk driving deaths are God's retaliation against the community for the substantial jury award. Phelps told the Baltimore Sun the community is going to "pay the price" for persecuting his group for preaching the word of God. "It is shocking and horrible to even acknowledge that they're here," said the Rev. Lisa Arrington, pastor of St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church. "They do not reflect the Christian church. They do not reflect God's love or God's people."
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addressing hospital-visitation and medical decision-making issues. “We want to look at which issues we’ve heard most about from our membership,” Furmansky said. “We want to make sure that we’re going to move forward protections for same-sex couples in Annapolis as soon as possible.”
Marriage Ban While legislators and lobbyists are fighting for the rights of LGBT Marylanders, opponents of samesex marriages and civil unions are vowing to once again put forth a proposal to amend the state constitution to prohibit same-sex couples from marrying in Maryland. Del. Don Dwyer (R-Anne Arundel County) is expected to propose such an amendment again this session. “In the absence of the court mandating equal marriage rights, we’ll still continue to take the threat of a constitutional ban seriously,” Furmansky told the B l a d e, “but intend to play a strong offensive line while maintaining our defensive line.”
Lobbying Efforts Madaleno said Senate Pre s i d e n t Mike Miller is still learning about the inequalities that gay Americans face. “He’s on that same journey of knowing more people in his life who are open and seeing the day-today issues that we face, and at the same time trying to balance that with his long-held religious beliefs and just personal feelings on the issue,” Madaleno told the Blade, comparing Miller to pre s i d e n t i a l hopeful John Edwards. “I think Miller is on that same path, as are many people in our country and many people in politics.” “I think Miller is now seeing, as many people are, a different face of
gay America,” he said. “People in long-term relationships, people with children, people with other obligations who are living a life not of casual sexual encounters but of long-term, meaningful relationships that run into unexpected problems.” Equality Maryland members in Miller’s district in Calvert and Prince George’s Counties are helping to educate the Senate president while activists work more broadly to advance the Religious Freedom & Civil Marriage Protection Act. “People refer to the Senate president as some massive obstacle,” Furmansky told the Blade, “when really I believe the onus is on our community to deliver the votes first and assure that leadership remains open, which seems incre a s i n g l y promising.” Furmansky is urging gay and lesbian Marylanders to share their personal experiences with discrimination. “Firstly, we need individuals who’ve experienced discrimination because of the lack of relationship recognition to come forward and to share their stories,” he said. “Too many legislators still treat this like an abstract dialogue rather than concrete state-sponsored discrimination that hurts families. “Secondly, LGBT and allied Marylanders absolutely must engage their elected officials on dialogue on this issue. Whether you live in Hyattsville or Gaithersburg or beyond, you cannot cede the lobbying to your next-door neighbor and expect to gain equal treatment by the government.” Equality Maryland is urging all LGBT Marylanders to contact their legislators and ask them support the Religious Freedom & Civil Marriage Protection Act and sign on as cosponsors. The organization is planning its annual Lobby Day for February 11.
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DUDEY CALLS by Rahne Alexander
W
hen comedian Jason Dudey came out of the closet in his late teens, emerging into Baltimore's bustling early '90s
Mount Vernon gay scene, he didn't expect to come out of it laughing. After a short stint in New York City's open mics, Dudey moved his routine to Los Angeles, where his funny business is flourishing. He has opened for Judy Gold, Ant and Sandra Bernhard and appears on LOGO’s Wisecracks. Dudey also holds down a monthly slot at the Hollywood Improv.
When Dudey returns to Baltimore on February 10, it will be his first appearance in his former home town since launching his career fifteen years ago. He will perform with his standup/improv troupe Queer On Their Feet, which includes comedians Erin Foley and Jennie McNulty, and his proud parents will be in the audience. Queer On Their Feet will hit the boards at the Creative Alliance in Highlandtown. Gay Life spoke by telephone to Dudey from his Los Angeles home. How do you think Baltimore's changed since you've been gone? Baltimore has changed drastically since I've been gone. Some good and some bad. I used to live on Charles and Eager. Last time I was home, all Mount Vernon was not as populated as it used to be. That made me very sad. It seemed like when I was there, all your friends you could run into them on the street. But it seems so many other parts of Baltimore have built up and people have moved out of Mount Vernon. Canton is unrecognizable. It's good. I will always love Baltimore.
Do you think that coming out in Baltimore was different for you than it would have been in a city like L.A.? I can't imagine growing up gay in Los Angeles. It's diff e rent than growing up gay in Baltimore. We didn't really have a word for it. When I got to 19 or 20 our idol was John Waters. Everything was about John Waters’ movies. And then when I moved to Mount Vernon, my eyes opened. It was the days of Gampy's and I was the bartender at Henry & Jeff's. The whole life happened on Charles Street. From Never on Sunday up to University of Baltimore, everything happened on Charles Street. I was at Central Station on opening night. I'll never forget waiting for them to unlock the doors on opening night. It was crazy. It was a great place to come out of the closet. What led you into comedy? I've always been a people person, the talker who tells the funny stories. As a kid, we'd have people over and my mom and dad would continued on page 11
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always say, “Tell them this story.” When I was a bartender, I was always telling stories. And then I moved to New York and I started working in television pro d u c t i o n . And then I started doing open mics in New York. There are more out gay comedians now, but are there still significant challenges and conflicts for gay comedians with the comedy world? There are a lot of conflicts. I am really grateful. I opened for a guy named Craig Shoemaker. [He's] a straight comedian, [who’s] been around for 20 years. Sold out houses every time we play. I'm so grateful he decided to have his opening act be a gay guy. The entire audience is all straight. It's an opportunity for me to be the liaison between the gay community and the straight community. Because most of my friends are just like me. We're just the guy next door who happens to be gay. It's hard in the green room, because a lot of the comedy world is still a good old boys club. Gay comedy now is kind of like female comedy was in the’70s. They had a hard start. Are you able to play to a lot of mixed audiences? My career is so crazy right now. I open for Craig Shoemaker. I also open for these funny women called Three Blonde Moms. Their audience, of course, is all moms. And then I host Gays R Us, which is an all-gay comedy show at the Hollywood Improv, and then I tour with Queer On Their Feet. Basically I spend all my time with everyone but gay men. So it's been re a l l y working out. Making a wide audience laugh can be a great sort of activism. It's a quiet activism. I'm really grateful for the opportunity to perform for all straight people, even though it's nerve-wracking as hell, I'm still grateful for it. Because they do laugh. Burly men come up after the show and they don't want to shake my hand, like the gay is going to rub
off, but they're like hitting me on the shoulder, [saying] “Yo u ' re really funny.” How did Queer On Their Feet start? Queer On Their Feet started with Jennie McNulty, who came up to me and said, “I know you used to do a lot of improv. I want to do a gay tour, and do standup and do improv, because people are really enjoying improv.” It took a while to find a third person – you can't really do improv with just two people. We found Erin Foley, who is brilliant. We started here in Long Beach. We did a show in Philly last year, and now we're starting our tour of 2008. We each do about twenty minutes of standup and then we do about 40 minutes of improv. The audience gets involved. It's a fun night of comedy. Are all three of you appearing on television? Erin and I both have a show on Logo. Jennie's Logo special airs the 20th of this month. Jennie's in [the sitcom] "Starting Over." Everyone knows Erin as the brunette cream cheese girl from the Philly Cream Cheese commercial. Gay comedy really seems to be flourishing these days. It's wonderful, and there's a few that have paved the way for us. Suzanne Westenhoefer, Jason Stuart. You can't forget Kate Clinton, Bob Smith. This is a good story about Baltimore. I was a waiter at Henry and Jeff's. I must have been 18. There were three gay men who came in at like 10:15. I always served them and they made me laugh and finally I was like, “What do you do?” and they were part of a group called Funny Gay Males. They were in town for a six-week run and I went almost every single day to see their show. They are literally the reason I decided to be a stand-up comic – because I didn't think you could, being gay. Jaffe Cohen, Danny McWilliams and Bob Smith. They are the ones that showed me “Yes, you can.” That's how I started.
Comedian and Baltimore native Jason Dudey returns home for a showat the Creative Alliance on February 10.
Absolutely. Bob used to live in L.A. Danny McWilliams still lives in New York and we still talk when I go back for gigs. Jaffe Cohen, I bumped into him when he came out here to do a Logo special. They've actually seen me grow up. I owe it all to being a mouthy waiter in Baltimore.
Queer On Their Feet lands in Baltimore, February 10 at the Creative Alliance. For tickets and further information, visit www.creativealliance.org or call 410-276-1651. Read more about Jason Dudey at www.jasondudey.com.
Do you still see them?
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OPINIONS Calculating the Value of My Marriage The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law released a research study at the end of November 2007 that said that the state budget in Maryland would see a benefit of approximately $3.2 million annually if the state were to recognize marriages of gay and lesbian couples. While I support civil recognition of gay and lesbian marriages, such economic analyses lack persuasive power. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot at stake economically in marriage equality for gay and lesbian people. Within a household, the ability to transfer property to a partner can be hampered by the economic penalty that gay and lesbian couples face in comparison to heterosexual couples. The additional taxes paid by gay and lesbian couples, who utilize domestic partner benefits, are significant in a household economy. The unfair penalty to gay and lesbian couples in death as a result of estate taxes is wrong. Individuals have an economic stake in the unfair exclusion of gay and lesbian couples from marriage and are right to speak about it. When the state taxes and penalties are added up for Maryland, however, the overall impact economically of gay and lesbian marriage is minor. $3.2 million dollars is a small fraction of the state’s overall budget of $28.9 billion. The biggest number in the Williams Institute study is the projected $94 million that could be spent in the state over the first three years of recognition of gay and lesbian marriages. This revenue would result in approximately $14 million in additional taxes paid to the state. Maybe it is just me, but I chafe at the notion of promoting marriage equality for gay and lesbian people with the notion that gay and lesbian people will go out and participate in an industry that is already filled with excess. My wife of eleven years and I won’t be having a wedding and spending the $32,710 that is average cost of a wedding in Maryland. Frankly, it is a little late in the game for us, and we’ll save our money (and the accompanying consumption taxes) for other things.
Marriages, however, are different than weddings. Gay and lesbian activists and legislators who support us would be wise to remember this. While states have an interest in promoting commerce, the quest of gay and lesbian people for equality should not be reduced to questions of commerce. W h e re marriage equality is most significant is not in the state economy, but in individual household economies. Here the recognition of marriages for gay and lesbian couples has the sweetness of making a difference to individuals with minimal financial impact on the state. For instance, the financial impact of title transfers is estimated at $1.3 million in each of the first three years – a small amount for the state budget to absorb but significant for the individual couples involved. There is an economic com-
by Julie R. Enszer
ponent to marriage and knowing the details of the economic situation may be important to some legislators. Ultimately, however, marriage equality for gay and lesbian people will not be distilled to questions of net revenue for the state. At this time of year, especially, as most Americans are spending time with family and friends and December bills begin to trickle in, including the annual tax bills, it is right that we pause to reflect about the things that we value. The answers are not found at big box superstores, in the malls, or under holiday greenery. Where we find value is not in the money in our pockets or our bank accounts. It is in our lives, our families, our rights and our responsibilities. Gay and lesbian couples find value in the same places, but we are not recognized by the state in the
same ways. It is the core value of equality in Maryland – and in America – that I hope our legislators remember when they return to Annapolis in January. Equal rights and recognition for gay and lesbian couples in Maryland need to be provided by our state government, not because of persuasive economic arguments, but because we live in a state – and a country and a world – where we value people equally. Gay and lesbian couples in Maryland stand ready for full recognition of our lives and our relationships in this state. We just need our legislators to do the right thing. Julie R. Enszer is a writer and poet who lives in University Park, Maryland. You can read more of her work at www.julierenszer.com.
Letter to the Editor Out of Control Crime I grew up in Baltimore City and take great pride in telling people about all of my experiences as a child in the city. I can remember going to Rash Field with my family, and my great uncle, Dominic Leone, served proudly as councilman. It was a place where people sat on their steps, cops walked the streets, and everyone felt relatively safe. With all of my experiences I understand that crime occurs everywhere, but I am disappointed in the amount of crime that has occurred in Baltimore recently. I remained silent about safety issues in Baltimore after hearing about the numerous incidences of crime on the MTA and finding pieces of glass on the streets of Mount Vernon after another car was broken into. However, my walk today compelled me to voice my opinion. I recently purchased a residence in Mount Vernon because of its close proximity to many areas such as the Inner Harbor, Harbor East, and Charles Village. I think it is important to support local residences, so I often walk along Charles Street to the Gallery Mall and along the water walkway to Harbor East and Fells Point. On my walk today I was aggressively asked for money at least ten times, witnessed two individuals argue about infringing on each other’s “post” to solicit cash, and turned the corner to see two women viciously attack a man outside the McDonalds across from the Gallery Mall. What is happening to this city? It’s one thing to hear on the news that Baltimore is one of the most dangerous cities in the United States, but it’s another to experience so many
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examples during a short walk from my home. The most disheartening part about the attack was that the crossing guard at the intersection watched the entire incident and did not attempt to intervene or call anyone for help. It blatantly reinforced the notion that this city is currently unsafe and something needs to be done about it. I cannot suggest that I understand what should be done to solve the problem, but it does not seem that long ago that crime was going down in the city. Maybe it would be good idea to review what was occurring at that point in the way of law enforcement so that the steps may be repeated. I also do not understand why more cops are not walking on the streets of Baltimore. As a child, people felt safe because a cop never seemed to be that far away. It also presented a positive image of the police force for people who lived in the neighborhood and children who played nearby. As I looked around today during the beating, I only witnessed a crossing guard look the other way as if a guy was not getting his head kicked in right in front of her. It is depressing to watch the city that I love spiral out of control and I really feel that our newly elected officials should focus more on keeping the constituents who elected them safe. People need to stop passing the buck and do something about the issue! Respectfully,
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OPINIONS General Gayety
The More Things Change . . . The first day of a new year brings change. Whether in the form of New Year's resolutions to quitsmokingloseweightgetorganized or in the form of new laws slated to go into effect that day, Jan. 1 is the date of change. Except when it isn't. Last year Oregon's legislature passed a domestic partnership law, due to take effect on Jan. 1. But that day came and went without a single gay couple registering as domesticated. You see, a federal judge had placed the law on hold, pending a February hearing. He did that to the poor little law because of the squawking of gay rights opponents. In 2007 opponents collected signatures to suspend the domestic partnership law and put it up for a statewide vote. Oregon off i c i a l s declared the valid signatures fell just short of the required number. That prompted the opponents to ask the judge to intercede, claiming the state's review process violated the signers' rights. These folks are, of course, supremely unconcerned that the rights of gays have been violated longer than Oregon has been a state. On the plus side, Jan. 1 did usher in Oregon's law forbidding discrimination based on sexual orientation. Altogether, the first day of 2008 in the Beaver State reflected the unavoidable reality of our march toward equality: The march route includes speed bumps, U-turns and sinkholes. On the other coast at the same time – all right, three hours earlier – another new law was truly, really going into effect. At 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1, 37 gay and lesbian New Hampshire couples entered into civil unions. Held outdoors on the plaza of the New Hampshire Statehouse, the celebration began at 11:00 p.m. Which means that by the time they were actually united, the brides and grooms must've looked stunning in matching icicles. The state's new law is, by current PA G E 1 6 •
national standards, expansive. It effectively gives same-sex couples the same rights and responsibilities as marriage, without the name. The domestic partner law in Ore g o n affords only some spousal rights, yet conservative Oregonians, with their last-ditch legal effort, are fighting as though Vikings have landed on Cannon Beach. New Hampshire's new law isn't 100 percent safe, either. Part of the law says the state will recognize other states' legal gay and lesbian unions. A clutch of Republicans in the legislature aims to erase that nicety. No local protesters littered the Statehouse in Concord when the
by Leslie Robinson
dozens of couples exchanged vows. The Associated Press talked to one concerned man, Michael Hein, who said he'd driven 180 miles fro m Augusta, Maine, in order to "report to the people of Maine that this is going on next door." I hope he at least wore a festive New Year's hat as he glowered. "Without our vigilance in Maine, (civil unions are) something that could occur as soon as next year," he said. If they do, Hein might be protesting civil unions in Augusta, Maine's capital, at the same time next year. How pleasant to have a New Year's tradition. I wonder if Hein knew of the notable event taking place in
dirty laundry
Drive By by Robert Maril I steadied the camera on the steering wheel, certain that I could use it as a tripod since I wasn't going to have to turn the wheel anytime soon. Driving with my mother up I-35 from Oklahoma City to Wichita, I could count the curves in the road on two hands. I'd forgotten what it felt like to drive 80 miles an hour in this kind of open space, what the prairie looked like as the late afternoon sun began to set, stretching the shadow of the car in front of us like rubber. New York City had a lot of things: shows and parties every night of the week, more gay guys than Oklahoma had people. But it didn't have this: open space, room to breathe. Keeping my mother's car in our lane, I lined up the shot that I wanted then clicked it as it came into frame. In front of us, as far as the eye could see, stretched I-35, the road I'd traveled up and down so many times as a child. To the right, barely legible unless you squinted, a green sign pointed eastward, proclaiming the exit for J A N U A RY 1 1 - J A N U A RY 2 4 , 2 0 0 8
Augusta the very next day, Jan. 2. The Gay Men's Chorus sang the national anthem to kick off the 2008 session of the Maine legislature. It was said to be the first time a gay chorus has sung the anthem at the start of any state legislative session. Hein, presumably, was something less than proud. So Jan. 2 joined Jan. 1 as a day of change. That's good for Jan. 2's ego – it must be hard to be the date when so many New Year's resolutions collapse. Leslie Robinson lives in Seattle. Email her at lesrobinsn@aol.com, and read other columns at www.generalgayety.com.
Ponca City, my hometown. Exiting here would take us past the strange insulated water tower that my childhood imagination thought looked like a giant toasted marshmallow, past the winter feed silos and the country radio station, and eventually past the oil refinery, with its dirty, sulfuric smell and towering orange flame. "That means that somebody messed up," my mother would tell us when the refinery's flame was high, "because they're burning a lot of stuff off." I never questioned how she knew this; I blindly accepted it as a fact, like the water tower that was a giant marshmallow. "What are you taking a picture of?" my mother asked, as I turned off my camera and put it into the storage space behind the gearshift. "Just some pictures to send to Paul," I told her, and we settled back into silence, speeding toward my parents' new home in Wichita. I didn't know why I wanted to send my boyfriend a picture of the exit to my hometown, why I cared that he see where I was from. I knew that I'd probably never convince him to go to Ponca City, especially now that I didn't have any family there. The most that I could rationally expect would be for him to someday visit my family wherever they were living. But still, the longing was there, a thought that he might somehow know me a little better if he were to see what I'd come from. The life that we had together in New York City was so wildly different from the life that I'd known growing up that it seemed as if they were two separate
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OPINIONS TRANSMISSIONS
A One-Issue Year To me, 2007 is a hard year to look back on. I thought 2006 was a rough ride, but personally 2007 will be the year I will long remember as one marked with loss, grieving, hardship, and all too much stress. Not, perhaps the worst I have faced, but certainly high up in the top ten count down. This is not, however, a column about myself. On the broader transgender rights front – in spite of their being a great many other stories worth discussing – there has been one issue alone to discuss. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and how Sen. Barney Frank (D-MA) and the Human Rights Campaign jettisoned the needs of transgender people in a d o o m e d - f rom-the-start attempt to get an exclusionary bill passed into law. Way back in May I had discussed some rumors of this happening out of Edward Kennedy's (DMA) and HRC's camp, but regarding the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. That bill made it father than ENDA in any form, only to also go away after an attempt to get it attached to a defense spending bill. Neither it nor ENDA had much of a chance with George W. Bush as President. Frankly, the likelihood isn't all that great even with a future moderate Democrat in office – consider President Clinton's take on gays in the military and same-sex
by Gwendolyn Ann Smith
marriage as a template for how big ticket LGBT rights issues might be handled in the White House for the next few years. The phrase “going nowhere fast” comes to mind. 2007 has not all been about ENDA, even though it clearly dominated any discussion of transgender rights in the last calendar year. This has been a one-issue year, but let’s not forget that many other things have taken place. We've seen transgender representations again grow in the mass media, most notably with a recurring transsexual character on the daytime soap opera All My Children. We've also seen a largely positive slew of transgender-themed news articles, most surrounding the termination of Largo, Fla., city controller Susan Stanton in the first part of 2007. More on her in the next column, I assure you. Newsweek did a huge issue focusing on transgender issues. Lawmakers in Mexico and elsewhere pushed for the inclusion of transgender people in rights bills, and we tend to win more than lose. Overall, society is becoming more accepting of the needs of transgender people, much more than our Congress seems to be. As a community, in spite of the big losses with federal legislation, we have still seen positive steps, and these steps will continue to push us ever forward. We may not be moving as fast as we may wish to
entities, as if the man I'd become, living with my boyfriend and going to parties and performances, were someone different than the one I'd left in a small town in Oklahoma ten years earlier. I knew that I wasn't a different person, though, which was part of the reason I cared that Paul see my hometown. It would be a way to show him the first half of my life, a way to include him in that part, too. I'd take him to the house my parents just left and my music teacher's house in the country. I'd take him to the scenic overlook where I sat smoking cigarettes with my friend Brock, the one who killed himself this year. I'd say, "This used to be me. This run-down strip mall, this row of chain restaurants, this is what I knew of the world when I was growing up." For now, though, I'd settle for a picture of an off-ramp sent through email. It was a start. Robert Maril lived in Baltimore before moving to New York, where he's trying to make it as a classical singer. In the meantime, he's a secretary. Read more at www.reluctantreceptionist.com. www.baltimoregaylife.com • G A Y L I F E •
What are
you
thinking?
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– particularly given an administration that seeks to push us back as often as it can – but we truly are moving forward. This is where 2008 will lead us. We will continue to see incremental successes, positive media, and the likely win of more rights in cities and countries across the globe. While a transgender- i n c l u s i v e ENDA will again be off the table in 2008 – Barney Frank already took that off the table for the foreseeable f u t u re, again pushing for a noninclusive variety – the issues of an election year will keep any attempt at Federal gains nestled on the back burner. Indeed, it is unlikely that we'll see any dramatic changes until after the calendar changes yet again. Perhaps, then, our main goal should be introspective. We should look at what happened to make the ENDA situation go so far south so fast. It all turned around in a little more than a week, with all sides scrambling. We should look closely at our allies and also turn the microscope on ourselves. It’s a year to grow, learn, and strategize, a moment to network, forge new alliances, and get ready to approach this all over again, with a stronger hand to play. The Human Rights Campaign has been doing a series of events around the country to “say sorry”
about what happened and vow to do better. Indeed an alleged internal memo spells out their desire to talk to the community directly, apologize for what happened, make a few other important but likely symbolic g e s t u res (recognizing the importance of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera during the Stonewall Rebellion is a nice touch), and vow to never, ever, ever let it happen again, presumably until the next time it happens again. Their actions are likely is not enough – all this sordid business may well have caused a rift in the community that may take more than a year's time to heal, dividing not only gay from trans, but have from have not. The community at large, not just the transgender part of the equation, saw just what the emperor was wearing, and found it wanting. We as a community need to look closely at what happened here, and 2008 might be the time to do so. So here’s to hoping, for all of us, a safe new year – and that the end of 2008 might see us a community united, stronger, willing, and ready to make things happen for all. Gwen Smith is more than happy to see 2007 go and hopes her own new year will be good indeed. You can find her on the web at www.gwensmith.com.
Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the GLCCB or Gay Life. We welcome your letters and opinions. Submissions should include a name, address and phone number for verification and may be edited for content and length. Send submissions by e-mail to editor@baltimoregaylife.com or fax to 410.837.8889 or by mail to Editor, P.O. Box 22575, Baltimore, MD 21203.
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PENCIL ME IN
by Scott Baum
Friday, January 18
Friday, January 18
PFLAG & MPT Our friends from the Columbia/Howard County Chapter of PFLAG are hanging with Rhea Feikin and her peeps at Maryland Public Television to help staff the phone bank and raise some money for the organization. MPT’s Campaign of Love and Forgiveness combines PBS programming, community activities and events, and on-line discussions on the topics of love and forgiveness. Starting at 9:00 p.m. MPT will be showing the movie Anyone and Everyone, a documentary diff e rent families from across the country and how they are dealing with having a gay child. Show your support for MPT and for PFLAG and make a pledge that evening (and let MPT know you appreciate their LGBT pro g r a mming!) For more info, go to www.mpt.org or www.pflagmd.org.
Varla Jean at the Hippo Varla Jean is the perfect woman, isn’t she? The kind of girl you’d want to take home to meet your parents and exactly the backup you’d want in a knife fight in a dark alley. She’s worldly and yet innocent. She’s loopy and wickedly sharp. And now she’s straddling the globe to find material for her new show. The star of the big and little screen (okay, that’s a stretch) is coming back to town with “Varla Jean Loves a Foreign Tongue.” At the Hippo (1 W. Eager Street, Baltimore) at 13:00 p.m. Tickets are $17 reserved, $12 general admission. For reservations, call 410-962-0283. Learn more about all things Varla at www. v a r l a o nline.com.
Monday January 21 Roller Girls Try Outs Got a roller girl trapped inside just dying to get out? Now’s your chance. The Charm City Roller Girls
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are looking for a few good girls who can skate like nobody’s business. All skills levels are welcome to try out, and there’s even a workshop scheduled for January 12. Email skatertots@charmcityrollergirls.com to find out what equipment you need. Tryouts are from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Putty Hill Skate Land (8025 Belair Road, Baltimore). Find out m o re at www.charmcityrollergirls.com.
Tuesday, January 22 Chesapeake Squares Open House Now that you’ve marked “Achieve world peace” and “Lose 25 pounds” off your list of resolutions it’s time to tackle square dancing. The Chesapeake Squares invite you to two-step with them at their open house, from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Waxter Center (1000 Cathedral Street, Baltimore). It’s free and re f reshments will be served, and best of all, you don’t need experience to have a fun time. For more
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info, log onto peakesquares.org.
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Sunday, January 27 Bad Boys of Dance The Chesapeake Arts Center is hosting international dance star Rasta Thomas and his Bad Boys of Dance. Finally! Real culture! Beautiful hot men who are serious professional dancers (we’re not talking unemployed dancers from Spectrum. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.). The show starts at 3:00 p.m. and tickets are $16 for adults. The Chesapeake Arts Center (www.chesapeakearts.org) is located in Anne Arundel County. For more info on the dancers, click on www.badboysofdance.com. If yo u’d like to have your e vent listed in the calendar section, email information to editor@baltimoregaylife.com, or mail it to Editor, 241 W. Chase Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.
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THEATER
The Mousetrap
Now What? In 2007, writer/performer Josh Lefkowitz explored life as a recent college graduate in Help Wanted: A Personal Search for Meaningful Employment at the Start of the 21st Century. He returns to the stage with another original one-man performance exploring life as a successful artist asking Now What? Through January 20 at CenterStage, Baltimore. For ticket information, call or click 410-332-0033 or www.centerstage.org. (Photo: Brittany Harper)
On the Stage Apocalyptic Butterflies Through January 19 The Bay Theatre Company, Annapolis 410-268-1333 or www.baytheatre.org The Comedy of Errors February 15 - 24 Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, Baltimore 410-366-8596 or www.baltimoreshakespeare.org Fiddler on the Roof Extended through January 13 Olney Theatre Center, Olney 301-924-3400 or www.olneytheatre.org Glory Days January 15 through February 17 Signature Theatre, D.C. 800-955-5566 or www.signature-theatre.org The House of Yes Through January 13 Washington Shakespeare Company, D.C. 703-418-4808 or www.washingtonshakespeare.org
Agatha Christie’s long-running whodunnit (55 years and more than 21,000 performances in London’s West End, which makes it the longest continually running play in history), The Mousetrap, unfolds on stage at the Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre. On a snowy day, guests arrive at an inn for a spot of murder. The cast includes Lucy Poirier (left) and Nancy Flores (right). The play runs through February 3. For tickets or more information, call 410-752-1225 or www.spotlighters.org. (Photo: Amy Jones)
Joe Turner's Come and Gone Through January 13 CenterStage, Baltimore 410-332-0033 or www.centerstage.org
Off the Map January 18 through February 17 Fells Point Corner Theatre, Baltimore 410-276-7837 or www.fpct.org
Swimming in the Shallows February 6 through March 8 Catalyst Theater Company, D.C. 800.494.TIXS or www.catalysttheater.org
Kafka’s Dick Through January 13 Washington Shakespeare Company, D.C. 703-418-4808 or www.washingtonshakespeare.org
On the Eve of Friday Morning January 12 - 19 The Shakespeare Theatre Company, D.C. 877-487-8849 or www.shakespearetheatre.org
Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind Through January 13 Woolly Mammoth Theatre, D.C. 202-393-3939 or www.woollymammoth.net
La Cage Aux Folles January 13 through March 9 Toby’s Dinner Theatre, Baltimore 410-995-1969 or www.tobysdinnertheatre.com
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead February 1 through March 8 CenterStage, Baltimore 410-332-0033 or www.centerstage.org
Light Up the Sky Through February 10 The Vagabond Players, Baltimore 410-563-9135 Mrs. Warren’s Profession January 23 through February 24 Rep Stage, Columbia 410-772-4900 or www.repstage.org
Shlemiel the First Through January 20 Theater J, D.C. 1-800-494-TIXS or www.washingtondcjcc.org The Sound of Music Through February 15 Toby’s Dinner Theatre, Columbia 410-995-1969 or www.tobysdinnertheatre.com
The Tricky Part January 29 through February 17 Signature Theatre, Arlington 703-820-9771 or www.signature-theatre.org The Turn of the Screw January 16 through February 24 Everyman Theatre, Baltimore 410-752-2208 or www.everymantheatre.org A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant Through January 13 Landless Theatre Co., D.C. www.landlesstheatrecompany.org
See more theater listings online at www.baltimoregaylife.com.
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PENCIL ME IN Sunday January 13
HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR O
n Sunday January 13, the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore will host a Health and Wellness Fair, in collaboration with local instructors, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The cost for this fourhour event will be $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Individuals who attend will be able to participate in beginners’ and intermediate yoga, Pilates, and seated massage. The instructors for each session will be available to provide further information to participants on their area of expertise. This event is structured to offer participants a “taste” of classes and services that promote wellness and health. Yoga, pilates, and massage all work promote mind-body balance and are often incorporated into holistic approaches that seek to relieve symptoms related to disease, stress, and pain. While yoga, pilates, and massage are often lumped together under the umbrella of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, practitioners in the medical profession incorporate these techniques into conventional medical treatments to enhance the outcomes of patients. The National Institutes of Health have conducted studies that demonstrate that individuals are able to enhance their quality of life through mind-body strategies and therefore enhance their health. .
Yoga
Seated Massage
The yoga sessions will be taught by Tim Hurley, Registered Yoga I n s t ru c t o r, and Kelly McClain, Certified Yoga Instructor. Yoga is the practice of asanas (postures) and pranayama (breath) with the goal of enhancing physical and mental health. Yoga is rooted in ancient spiritual practices that developed in India.
The Seated Massage sessions will be p rovided by Jeanne Lauber, Certified Massage Therapist. Massage is the practice of physically manipulating tissues (muscles, tendons, skin, etc.) in order to effect a positive change. Massage has been practiced throughout history and across civilizations.
Pilates The pilates sessions will be taught by Shirley Eggleston, Certified Pilates Instructor. Pilates is the practice of focusing the mind, centering, concentration, control, and pre c ision with the goal of strengthening core muscles to support the spine. Pilates, as it is known today, was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century as a system of physical fitness.
For more information contact the GLCCB at 410-837-5445 or visit www.glccb.org. To purchase tickets for this event contact the GLCCB (241 W. Chase Street, Baltimore) or stop by Lambda Rising Bookstore
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MOVIES Atonement "Fanciful" 13-year-old Briony (Saoirse Ronan) misinterprets the relationship between her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and the housekeeper's son Robbie (James McAvoy), falsely accusing him of a crime that lands him in prison. Five years later, as World War II rages, Robbie is a soldier, while the estranged sisters nurse the wounded, the now-grown Briony (Romola Garai) finally grasping the enormity of her actions. This evocative adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel vividly captures both the languid heat of a summer's day in the English countryside and the terrors of war, particularly in one surreal sequence set on Dunkirk's beaches. Christopher Hampton has written a literate, haunting script, the handsome period drama getting an extra lift from Knightley and McAvoy's wrenching performances as the heartbro k e n couple. Grade: A Kinsey Scale: 1 (McAvoy was the gossip columnist in Stephen Fry's Bright Young Things. Knightley played a lesbian bounty hunter in Domino and a girl whose tomboy nature is considered suspect in Bend It Like Beckham. Co-star Benedict Cumberbatch was in Tipping the Velvet, while co-star Vanessa Redgrave has numero u s queer credits.)
having a good time, but it's unlikely that you will. Grade: CKinsey Scale: 1 (Nicholson played a homophobe in As Good As It Gets. Will & Grace's Sean Hayes co-stars as Nicholson's personal assistant.)
The Great Debaters While the Great Depression and virulent racism rage outside the campus of all-black Wiley College, professor Melvin B. Tolson (Denzel Washington) preps his 1935 debate team and finds in erudite but rakish Henry Lowe (Nate Parker), aspiring lawyer Samantha Booke (Jurnee Smollett), and 14-year-old whiz kid James Farmer Jr. (Denzel Whitaker) a team so solid that he is confident they can challenge their counterparts at Harvard. Directed by Washington, this inspirational story is based on real events and packs an emotional punch, so long as it concentrates on the team and the debates. But when the focus widens to include Tolson's labor organizing activities and a lynching, the tonal shift is jarring, as the drama deflates into a dry, if worthy, history lesson. Grade: BKinsey Scale: 1 (Washington played a homophobic attorney in Philadelphia. Co-star Forest Whitaker was a soldier in love with a transsexual in The Crying Game.)
The Bucket List When health-care profiteer Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) finds himself diagnosed with terminal cancer and sharing a hospital room with a fellow cancer patient, mechanic Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman), the men devise a plan to check items off a "bucket list" – adventures they never took but want to experience before they die. They skydive, see the pyramids, and gamble in Hong Kong. But it's the personal list items – accepting the past, reconciling with family members - that give the men their greatest challenges. Director Rob Reiner continues to retreat from the wit of movies like When Harry Met Sally and set up shop in a world where cheap sentimentality and cliches take the place of real comedic human interaction. Freeman and Nicholson seem to be
Juno Brainy 16-year-old Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) gets pregnant from her first sexual encounter with pal Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). Deciding to carry the child but not keep it, she finds an ad placed by affluent suburbanites Vanessa (Jennifer Garner) and Mark (Jason Bateman) in the "Pennysaver," and chooses them as the baby's adoptive parents. But when they're not the perfect couple she imagined, Juno is forced to revise her thinking and her plans. A smart script and standout performances, especially from the immensely talented Page, lift Juno out of the teen romantic comedy heap and make it an engaging, f e m a l e - c e n t e red alternative to Knocked Up.
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Keira Knightley (left) and James McAvoy (right) star in Focus Features' Atonement, the romance based on Ian McEwan's award-winning best-selling novel, directed by Joe Wright. (Photo: Alex Bailey)
Grade: A Kinsey Scale: 1 (There's a passing reference to lesbian mothers as possible adoptive parents, and a few other throwaway gay quips. Despite the fact that she has sex with Paulie, Juno has an almost-dykey manner that will endear her to queer viewers. Bateman and Cera played father and son on gay-friendly Arrested Development. Among the co-stars with queer credits, Alison Janney appeared in The Hours and American Beauty, while Rainn Wilson had a recurring role on Six Feet Under.)
There Will Be Blood At the dawn of the 20th century, rapacious oilman Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) makes moves on a petroleum-rich rural California community, intending to construct a pipeline to the sea. Remorseless in his ambition, he will let no one stand in his way – not his competitors, and certainly not preacher Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), who is out to enrich his church at Plainview's expense. Paul Thomas Anderson's adaptation of Upton Sinclair's novel Oil is a flawed, but visually and aurally stunning near-masterpiece, beginning with a breathtaking 20minute wordless scene that limns Plainview's evolution from prospector to businessman. Though DayLewis' performance is overly mannered, the drama provides a searing, unforgettable portrait of avarice – at least until it goes off the rails in its ridiculous final scenes.
Grade: B+ Kinsey Scale: 1 (Anderson made Boogie Nights. Day-Lewis' bre a kthrough role was as queer tough boy Johnny in My Beautiful Laundrette. Dano was in L.I.E. and Little Miss Sunshine. Co-star Kevin J. O'Connor appeared in Gods and Monsters.)
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep Angus MacMorrow (Alex Etel), a young Scottish boy living near Loch Ness during World War II, finds an egg. Inside is a tiny, adorable sea creature, which he takes home to live in his tub. Growing too quickly to stay in the bath, "Crusoe," as he's named by Angus, must go live in the loch, a move that brings with it a host of other problems. Like E.T. and many other films before it, this is a sort of "boy and his dog" story, one in which the creature stands in for more complex real-life problems (here, a father gone off to war, never to return). But this family film's quality lies in its solid production values and its ability to straddle the expectations of audiences on either side of the generation line - both a sweet fantasy for children and a parable about growing up that adults will find unexpectedly moving. Grade: AKinsey Scale: 1 (No gay content. Narrator Brian Cox played a gay pedophile to disturbing effect in the indie drama L.I.E.)
See more movie reviews online at www.baltimoregaylife.com.
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DO AS I SAY
Unwelcome Party Favors by Miss Prudence Worthington
Hello My Dumplings, Recently I received the request of advice from my darling friend Cynthia Rosenthal of the Richmond Rosenthal’s. Cynthia and I met years ago while vacationing in the Catskills with our husbands. She is the fabulous mix of Jew and southern belle: a combination of cultures that only occurs in the south! Our husbands were great friends from school and were bar mitzvahed at the same synagogue in their youth. Are you surprised my doves, that Prudence was the shiksa bride of a wonderful man named Hershel Abromawitz? In those days one had to vacation in the Catskills as many other American resorts were closed to those of Hebrew heritage. (Fortunately times have changed). Cynthia and I, kindred spirits that we are, spent many an afternoon by the lake with a smart drink to accompany our scintillating conversation. Alas, dear Hershel was with us for such a short time. His premature expiration left behind a broken heart, a king’s ransom and a dent in the mattress the size of a water buffalo. I never learned the correct spelling of Ohbrammawits so I simply reinstated my maiden name, but back to Cynthia’s dilemma. Cynthia, always the pillar of good breeding and elegant manners, can usually manage the rocky slopes of contemporary etiquette but was confounded by a particular turn of events. Following a soiree at her tastefully appointed West End home, it came to her attention that two “bachelor” guests utilized the powder room for a little bout of fellatio. I believe you people refer to this as a “blow job.” She did not know this when the fellator kissed her squarely on the lips at the end of the evening. Does this qualify as “second hand smoke”? Upon further enquiry, reports of this depravity came pouring in from hostesses all over the East Coast. Remarkably, all incidents involved only men. This information sent me directly to the local boy bar, which always serves as a fountainhead of popular culture. You darlings are always forthcoming with your sexual proclivities (and those of your acquaintances) so I braved the pretty up drinks for the sake of my friend. While the reports and opinions were as varied as colors of the rainbow, I believe I distilled my research sufficiently to advise Cynthia as well as you, my devoted readers. Apparently sex in bathrooms has a long history in gay male culture. More recently, the heterosexual world has been educated on the practice by a senator from “Idaho”. (Is that really a state?) Women’s participation is limited primarily to the “mile high club.” Culturally this appears to be acceptable as many a flight attendant turns a blind eye when two people depart the cozy confines of an airplane lavatory. The practice at parties warrants a stickier interpretation of manners, no pun intended. Obviously the very taboo nature of this act places it squarely on the “may not” list of good manners (i.e. “you may not do this in my bathroom”). Titillation, however, leads many a sane person astray, and overwhelming temptation seems to lurk behind every roll of Charmin for so many of you. With martini in hand I pen the following sound advice: 1. Hostesses, if you absolutely forbid this behavior in your bathrooms dispatch any offenders from your list of invitees. After all, refrigerator magnets from the local free clinic make tacky party favors. 2. If in doubt of your hostesses’ opinion on the matter you have two choices: “May not” or discretion. Discretion means that both parties will tell no one of their illicit rendezvous, and I do mean no one. I know you are dieing to tell your best friend, but face it boys, none of you can keep a secret and the affair will be widely broadcast. It may even land you in a gossip column. 3. Since you obviously chose “discretion” please gargle, avoid placing your lips on any unknowing victims and check your knees for lint. Conversely, avoid placing your manhood in any other mouths for the duration of the evening. 4. Performing this act behind every bush on Fire Island does not exempt you from scorn. Therefore, I suggest you adopt a policy of forgiveness for those who choose this activity back home. Hypocrisy is a two way street and doubly embarrassing when exposed! (See paragraph on discretion.) 5. Youthful exuberance is often the ruin of a young man’s reputation and career, but participating past the half century mark is purely bad taste. Again, no pun intended. 6. If you witness this behavior in any of the forums wherein it is relatively acceptable (i.e. a bathhouse, the Eagle, behind bushes on Fire Island) one should adopt discretion. You are, after all, guilty by association due to your very presence in these establishments. 7. Get a room! I hope my humble ramblings provide you with the wisdom and propriety necessary to make the right choices in the face of this dilemma. Cynthia opted to excommunicate the offender. She now sees him only when he valets her car at the country club. So you see my lambs, there are lessons to be learned when you do as I say.
A Bientot,
Prudence Worthington P.S. You may forward enquiries regarding today’s ever-changing etiquette to prudence@baltimoregaylife.com
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Q SCOPES "Ask for Advice, Virgo!" by Jack Fertig Mercury in Aquarius is aspecting Uranus in Pisces, creating weird little short circuits in everyone's brains. This can lead to powerful intuitive flashes, or daring leaps of faith. Still, look before you leap!
ARIES (March 20 - April 19) ESP isn't usually your strong suit, but your intuition is really sharp now, even spooky in its precocious prescience! If any insights or predictions come to mind now, pay special heed. If your flashes seem too weird, don't just dismiss them; seek corroboration.
TAURUS
(April 20 - May 20) Wherever you imagine you'll be 10 or 20 years in the future, you're probably spot on – but the future is still yours to create. Look at what you need to do now to maximize that potential.
GEMINI
(May 21 - June 20) Of course, you're brilliant, darling, but probably not as brilliant as you think. Slow down a tad before you speak up. Yes, your inspiration needs to be heard by folks in charge, but think about the phrasing, and approach them as friends.
CANCER
(June 21 - July 22) We all have some conflicts between sexual ideals and practice. You are now especially attuned to those conflicts in yourself and others. Never mind the others, unless they really ask for your insight. Focusing on your own issues is much more healing.
LEO
(July 23 - August 22) Sexual experimentation will open insights into your relationship, whether existing or hypothetical. Take the time and effort to talk, explore new ideas, and try things out, erotic or otherwise. And take your partner's lead!
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)
The more criticism you offer, the more you'll get in return. Sure, you think that sounds swell, but not everyone shares your enthusiasm. You could just ask for supportive advice. You'll get plenty, and some of it could really help.
LIBRA
(September 23 - October 22) You have lots of brilliant ideas about how to improve your workplace. Of those many ideas, a few are truly brilliant. Discuss them tentatively with colleagues before getting too enthusiastic about them. You can hurt yourself over-exercising. Easy does it!
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21) You need to make some changes around the house. Get creative. Members of your family – genetic or chosen – will provide some inspiration, even if they wouldn't recognize their ideas after you've used them as a springboard.
SAGITTARIUS
(November 22 - December 20) Are family secrets popping out at you or from you? Be careful what you say and to whom, and keep your ears wide open. You have some brilliant ideas about community politics, but they may need a little development.
CAPRICORN
(December 21 - January 19) Silly little arguments seem to come out of nowhere, but they highlight a need to reconsider some basic questions about your personal values. What is really important to you? How do you express those ideas? Keep your mind open and a good friend nearby.
AQUARIUS
(January 20 - February 18) Yours is the sign of self-reinvention. It can be a costly exercise at times. Watch your budget, and try to be more creative with ideas and attitude. Falling back on new clothes and toys is a duller approach. You can do better!
PISCES
(February 19 - March 19) You need a break from the world, and vice versa. Some nagging inner voice is making you cranky and difficult. A retreat will open creative opportunities. If you can't get away, at least take time out to meditate. Jack Fertig, a professional astrologer since 1977, is a founding member of the Association for Astrological Networking. More info at www.starjack.com. PA G E 3 2 •
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Q PUZZLE Fostering an Interest in Cinema
Across
Down
1 5 10 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 24 25 26 27 29 32 33 34 35 39 42 43 47 49 51 52 53 54 56 57 58 59 62 63 64 65 66 67
1 Best ___ (award won by Jodie Foster for 35/47-Across and 59-Across) 2 S&M "I dunno"? 3 Prepares an International Male shipment, e.g. 4 Sophie B. Hawkins' "___ Lay Me Down" 5 Jack Sparrow shenanigans 6 Unit of work, or of play 7 Campbell of The Company 8 Feminizing suffix 9 Pre-kiss insert 10 More penetrating 11 Not on the up and up 12 Rum brand 13 Boris, who played a game with two queens 18 Pull a boa behind you? 23 Playground retort 28 Shaky problem 29 Thigh revealers 30 Curve and others 31 Urvashi has one 33 Photographer Ritts 36 Transvestite boast? 37 Beat it 38 Title for a man who avoids sex with women 39 Rilke's street 40 Shakespeare's yonder 41 Striking out, like Anne Stockwell 44 Dr. Montgomery of Grey's Anatomy 45 Like the tutees in Anna and the King 46 Gay Pride events 48 Rough house 49 Kevin of American Beauty 50 It might go right to the bottom 52 Go down on a hill 55 Cut glass 56 Publisher and friend of Moss Hart 60 The color purple, for example 61 One, to Frida
Mamma Mia! band ___ Room Opera solos Men on top, perhaps The L Word creator Chaiken Hoofbeat of a stallion 1976 Jodie Foster film Bone below the elbow 6 to P-town Event for George Frenn Spuds for Gomer Straight leader? When doubled, defensive fire Kelly's partner Like dirty pictures 1994 Jodie Foster film Folsom Street Fair mo. Puts in a position? Stocking stuffer With 47-Across, 1991 Jodie Foster film Possible result of unsafe sex Colette's Claudine a ___ Sound like Harvey Fierstein See 35-Across Shea and Arthur Ashe Arouses Ted's QAF job Folksinger Williams "Relax, but don't ask or tell" Porter's fuel? "___ Yankee Doodle Dandy" Bone of the leg 1988 Jodie Foster film Tickled pink Use the Divine Miss M's name in vain What Sam twitched on Bewitched It comes before sum Like Edna Turnblad Virginia Woolf's A Room of ___ Own
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QUOTE UNQUOTE
BY REX WOCKNER "The State prohibits and punishes any form of discrimination based on sex, color, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, origin, culture, nationality, citizenship, language, religious creed, ideology, political affiliation or philosophical beliefs, marital status, economic or social status, type of occupation, level of education, disability, pregnancy, or other factors that have the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of the rights of everyone."
guys? I'm not gay. I don't hate gays. But I don't want to live in an apartment full of them. They'll bitch and cry and all. That doesn't bother Giuliani. It doesn't bother Giuliani to put a dress on to do Saturday Night Live. I don't trust him. I don't think he's electable. ... Why do you break up with your wife and move in with gay guys?" Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt to Vanity Fair, Dec. 20.
"[W]e can't have a president who spent two minutes on YouTube staring in a mirror and poofing his hair. Really, we just can't." "I actually quit my job to do the show because they wouldn't let me take a leave. I honestly don't know what to do now. I don't know. We'll see." Gay Mormon Todd Herzog, winner of this season's Survivor, to AfterElton.com, Dec. 17.
"Absolutely. Why not? People are competent because – not with anything to do with their sexual orientation. I had people who are homosexual who worked for me in the governor's office." Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee when asked on CNN Dec. 17, "Could a gay be in your administration?"
"Poor Mitt Romney just can't flip without flopping. In a cynical ploy to win over social conservatives, Romney has beat a well-documented retreat from a whole host of moderate positions, including a number of gay rights issues. ... How ironic that a man who wears his faith – albeit in generic Christian form – on his sleeve turns out to be the biggest moral relativist in the race – from either political party."
Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan on John Edwards, Dec. 28.
"[I] probably would let the military make that decision [on whether to keep Don't Ask, Don't Tell]. One thing I don't think you need is a president who's trying to tell the military how to run the military, other than set broad policy agenda." Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee to CNN, Dec. 17.
"It's not because I don't like them [that I oppose same-sex marriage]. It's because I like even more the idea that the heart and soul, the essence of our civilization is in the family. It's not in the government. It's not even in some institution, not even the church. Before there was the church, and before there was government, there was family. When you mess with the design, you end up messing with results. We can't afford to do that. That's why you will never hear me waver."
"I was always a girl that dated guys and then I shot Two Girls in Love and was dating a guy and then I had a relationship with a woman. I thought, I can't say I'm straight anymore, that would just be a lie. I looked for other relationships with women and they didn't happen. I don't know if that's because I'm shyer with women. And then ultimately I met my husband and got married. I wish I had met more women. I guess people can define my sexuality however they see fit, but I mostly just don't define it." Actress Laurel Holloman, Tina on Showtime's The L Word, to the national lesbian magazine Curve, January/February issue.
From Article 14 of the finalized text of Bolivia's planned new constitution, the first in the world to protect transgender people and only the seventh to protect gay people.
"I don't know whether people are born that way. People who are gay say that they're born that way. But one thing I know, that the behavior one practices is a choice. We may have certain tendencies, but how we behave and how we carry out our behavior [is the issue]." Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee on NBC-TV's Meet the Press, Dec. 30.
read more quote unquote @ www.baltimoregaylife.com
Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee speaking to voters in Iowa, Dec. 22.
Syndicated gay-press columnist Chris Crain on his blog, citizenchris.typepad.com, Dec. 27.
"Coming out, coming out, coming out. That's the only thing I've ever done, really. That's what it can say on the gravestone. That will be the obituary."
"Let me ask you something. As mayor of New York, would you live in an apartment with three gay
Actor Sir Ian McKellen to the BBC, Dec. 29.
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MARKETPLACE FOR RENT
Employment LADIES, LADIES, LADIES Interested in a DJ position? Please send a resume and current (2007) CD of your music to: DJ Search 241 W. Chase St. Baltimore, MD 21201 LOVE CANDLES? I'm looking for Fun People to join my team- Be in Business FOR Yourself, Not BY Yourself. Call Laurie 571-723-3053.
House For Rent
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Solution to puzzle, page 33
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Call us at 410.837.7748 We’ll do the rest! 25 words for $20! 25¢ per word after that. Box it or add a graphic for $5 more.
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